Benefiting from the legacy left by the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King, Jiang Chen's harvest was immense. In addition to the two million-year soul bones, he had gained two new Martial Souls.
The Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King!
These would be Jiang Chen's second and third Martial Souls, which he planned to keep as a secret; if word ever leaked out, the Spirit Hall would stop at nothing to capture him.
Although Jiang Chen's heart leaned toward the Spirit Hall, the time was not yet right. Once the opportunity matured, everything would fall into place.
Dugu Bo nodded with satisfaction. The Star Slaying Demon Sword looked gallant and imposing, its blade brimming with murderous intent, leaving him clearly pleased.
He then picked up the crystal ball from the ground. "Xiao Chen, place your hand on the crystal ball to test your soul power."
Jiang Chen glanced at his right hand; it should be Innate Full Soul Power without a doubt.
In an instant, the crystal flashed with a brilliant blue light. Dugu Bo beamed with joy, his heart already racing with excitement.
Innate Full Soul Power!
It was Innate Full Soul Power!
(TL/N: How? He should have gotten a boost from getting Ice and Dragon Kings as his Martial Soul, Right?)
He immediately tossed the crystal ball aside, scooped Jiang Chen into a hug, and planted a kiss on the boy's cheek with his pungent mouth.
Jiang Chen was momentarily dazed, his eyes spinning in their sockets. He felt 'unclean'!
"Grandson, I didn't expect you to have Innate Full Soul Power. Even Yan Yan only had Rank 7 soul power at the start. Grandson?"
Dugu Bo looked down and realized Jiang Chen had fainted. Years of working with poison had allowed toxins to invade Dugu Bo's entire body, often leaving his breath with a strange odor.
He rubbed his head sheepishly and then gave the boy a nudge; Jiang Chen was jolted awake. The first thing he did was break free from Dugu Bo's embrace—the smell from that mouth was truly terrifying.
After taking a few breaths of fresh air, Jiang Chen finally felt much better.
Then, Dugu Bo grabbed Jiang Chen. "Grandson, you have Innate Full Soul Power; you don't need to cultivate like others. Come, Grandpa is taking you to hunt a soul beast."
His Seventh Soul Ring flared, and Jiang Chen was tossed onto the head of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor. Along the smooth cliffs, the grandfather and grandson set off toward the Sunset Forest.
...
At this moment, in the Spirit Hall.
Because the attempt to hunt the Poison Douluo had failed, Yue Guan and Gui Mei had returned to the Spirit Hall. In the grand hall of the Spirit Hall stood a woman in a magnificent black robe with gold patterns, wearing a Nine-Treasure Purple Gold Crown and holding a two-meter-long scepter inlaid with countless gems. Her fair skin and nearly perfect features made her look uniquely extraordinary. An aura of nobility radiated from her—Pope Bibi Dong!
Bibi Dong gripped her scepter tightly and struck the floor with a thud. A terrifying aura crushed the room; below her, the kneeling Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo were already drenched in cold sweat.
"Elders, you are both honorary elders of the Spirit Hall. To join forces against a mere Rank 91 Dugu Bo and fail such a small task... what use do I have for you!"
"Reporting to Her Holiness the Pope." Yue Guan appeared extremely cautious. Before Bibi Dong, this Titled Douluo had lost all his usual bluster.
"If not for that brat halfway through and that damned Prince Xue Xing, we would have succeeded long ago."
Bibi Dong snorted coldly. "I'll set Prince Xue Xing aside for now. Who is this brat you're talking about?"
Gui Mei said. "Your Holiness, that brat is extremely unusual. He easily dodged all the attacks I launched. Furthermore, I sensed a massive amount of energy hidden within his body."
The strange boy immediately piqued Bibi Dong's interest. "Where is the boy? Don't tell me you failed to get even the brat."
Just as Bibi Dong suspected, Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a look, sweat dripping from their brows.
Without looking, it was certain they had failed. Otherwise, they wouldn't have returned empty-handed. Bibi Dong felt helpless about it and said. "Fine. Since Dugu Bo wasn't destined to die, let him go for now. As for that child... you all heard it; he is likely Dugu Bo's grandson. There's nothing particularly special about that; the Spirit Hall doesn't lack a single genius. If you dare fail again next time, you'd better watch out."
The two felt immense relief and, after bowing, departed one after the other.
Suddenly, a black figure appeared in the hall. Bibi Dong calmed her emotions and said flatly. "How is the infiltration operation proceeding?"
The black figure spoke with a raspy voice, appearing to be a man in disguise. "Reporting to Your Holiness, the Young Master has successfully established a foothold. Most of the court officials have been befriended, and everything is running according to schedule. However..."
Bibi Dong frowned slightly, her tone showing a hint of dissatisfaction. She said coldly. "Speak."
The figure dared not hesitate. "Yes. It's just that tomorrow Dugu Bo is scheduled to enter the palace to offer his thanks, due to Prince Xue Xing saving him. Therefore..."
"Tch!" Bibi Dong curled her lip in annoyance. "Do not bother me with such trifles. Return to the Young Master's side and protect their safety at all costs."
With that, the figure vanished.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen, having been brought away by his 'cheap' grandfather, had arrived in the Sunset Forest. Their goal was to find a suitable soul beast to serve as the first soul ring for the Star Slaying Demon Sword.
As a Tool Martial Soul, the sharpness of the Star Slaying Demon Sword went without saying, especially with the addition of the Ice and Fire Dragon King arm soul bones. His arm strength would grow as he aged, becoming more powerful.
Dealing with an ordinary hundred-year soul beast would naturally be easy. Jiang Chen wondered if his first ring should be a thousand-year one. After all, he now possessed Triple Martial Souls, any one of which would be invincible if shown to the world.
But for safety's sake, Jiang Chen could only reveal the Star Slaying Demon Sword. Before his strength grew, the second and third Martial Souls would remain his eternal secrets. Furthermore, because his body was not yet fully developed, the two Dragon Kings had sealed the power of the million-year arm soul bones before they passed; the seal would weaken as Jiang Chen grew.
Dugu Bo scanned the wide forest and rubbed his head. "Strange. This place clearly had many soul beasts; why is there not even a hair left now?"
Jiang Chen guessed. "Old man, could it be that you scared the soul beasts away when you arrived?"
Thwack!
"You brat, show some respect and call me Grandpa." Dugu Bo knocked Jiang Chen's forehead and sighed.
Rubbing his pained forehead, Jiang Chen said impatiently. "Yes, Grandpa."
As the largest soul beast forest outside Heaven Dou City, the Sunset Forest was home to many thousand-year soul beasts, and they were currently deep within the woods. With Dugu Bo's protection, Jiang Chen naturally didn't fear a sudden attack.
Suddenly, the ground began to collapse rapidly, and a yellowish-brown spiderweb quickly formed a cage, trapping the grandfather and grandson.
It was a large, yellowish-brown spider, its powerful front legs slashing toward them. Dugu Bo hoisted Jiang Chen up, and the two broke free from the cage's constraints.
Dugu Bo's face turned ashen as dark green light began to pulse from his body...
(End of Chapter)
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