Chapter 217: Both Advancing to Soul King, Tang Hao's Fate in Heaven Dou
Han Li looked at Chrysanthemum Douluo with amusement before turning to Dugu Yan and nodding.
Without hesitation, Dugu Yan reached to her waist, and in an instant, a large pale pink flower appeared in her hand. She then stepped forward and handed it to Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Fragrant Silk Immortal!"
There was no need for an introduction Yue Guan immediately recognized it and exclaimed in shock. This was the immortal herb he had long dreamed of obtaining, and now, it was right before his eyes.
However, he didn't snatch it immediately. Instead, under the group's watchful eyes, he carefully adjusted his posture, pulled out a silk handkerchief from his robes, and meticulously wiped his hands before finally accepting the flower with both hands.
Such a simple action left everyone speechless.
They were convinced that if he had the time, he would have likely performed a ritual cleansing before touching it.
And he wasn't done yet. As soon as he took the Fragrant Silk Immortal, he skillfully set up a soul power barrier around them.
"Its scent attracts soul beasts. In the Star Dou Forest, this could be dangerous. However, if Elder Guang Ling were here, he could actually use its fragrance to lure in soul beasts and select an appropriate soul ring."
Now that was expertise.
This information wasn't in any botanical records, which meant Chrysanthemum Douluo had gathered it through personal research.
Han Li already knew this, but since he obtained his soul rings through other means, he never had a reason to mention it. And since Dugu Yan and Xiu'er had been following him closely, it had simply slipped his mind.
Yue Guan held the Fragrant Silk Immortal and admired it for a long time before turning to Han Li with a slightly hesitant expression.
"Your Holiness, may I take just a small amount of pollen? Just a little I promise not to harm it."
"I want to experiment with crossbreeding it with other rare plants to see if I can replicate any of its traits. If I make any breakthroughs, I will report them to you immediately."
Seeing his anxious expression, Han Li smiled and nodded.
"Go ahead, as long as you don't damage it."
For him, this immortal herb wasn't of great importance. And if Yue Guan actually made any discoveries, he would be the first to benefit there was no reason to refuse.
With Han Li's approval, Chrysanthemum Douluo got to work immediately. After some time, he carefully stored away the samples.
Then, he admired the flower in his hands for a little longer before reluctantly returning it to Dugu Yan.
"Thank you, Your Holiness. Consider this a personal favor I owe you. If you ever need something within my abilities, just ask I will do my best to fulfill it."
Yue Guan bowed respectfully, offering a solemn promise.
"Then I'll remember that, Elder Ju."
Han Li smiled but didn't press further.
Favors weren't always meant to be used immediately sometimes, they were best kept for the right moment. And honestly, he couldn't think of anything he needed Yue Guan for just yet.
Chrysanthemum Douluo took one last glance at the immortal herb before clasping his hands.
"Then, Your Holiness, I'll take my leave. May you have great fortune in battle."
"Of course. Let's have a drink together sometime."
Han Li returned the gesture and watched as Chrysanthemum Douluo walked away, glancing back every few steps.
"If he acted normal all the time, he'd actually be pretty easy to get along with."
Dugu Yan stowed away the herb and remarked as she watched Yue Guan disappear into the distance.
"You better not let your grandfather hear that, or he'll throw a fit."
Han Li chuckled as he teased her while leading the group forward.
"It's fine Grandpa would never get mad at me."
"By the way, Han Li, how do you plan to use Elder Ju's favor?"
"Haven't decided yet. I'll think about it later. Right now, let's focus on getting Zhuqing and LingLing their soul rings first."
Laughing and chatting, they continued their journey with no sign of the usual tension that came with hunting soul beasts.
Meanwhile, Yue Guan quickly returned to his original position.
Ghost Douluo gave him a questioning glance. Yue Guan simply nodded with a smile but said nothing. Ghost Douluo then closed his eyes again it seemed everything had gone smoothly.
Xie Yue and Yan stood quietly, occasionally glancing at Hu Liena as she meditated, lost in their own thoughts.
Compared to the somber atmosphere on their side, Han Li's group moved swiftly and without obstacles.
After nearly half an hour of travel, they finally reached their destination.
Han Li used his domain to clear the path, knocking out two powerful soul beasts with precise shots before forcefully controlling them to perform a sacrificial ritual.
Of course, under the effects of Han Li's spiritual link, the intense mental shock was shared among them, allowing Zhu Zhuqing to remain under high pressure throughout the process. This not only tempered her mental strength but also enabled her to successfully absorb the ring.
As a bonus, they obtained two 50,000 year old leg bones, which Han Li temporarily stored away. They would be used later to accelerate Zhu Zhuqing's advancement once she condensed her soul core.
And with these two high level soul rings, Zhu Zhuqing's level instantly leaped to 53 and she was already on the verge of breaking through again.
For a moment, she stood there, feeling the surging soul power within her body and staring at the two jet black soul rings hovering above her head in a daze.
Of course, the greatest gain wasn't just Zhu Zhuqing reaching Rank 53 it was the transformation of her Martial Soul. The absorption of two powerful soul rings, combined with the influence of the Evil God Orb, had finally brought significant changes to her Martial Soul.
First, a pair of wings had grown from the back of her Netherworld Spirit Cat. Though they weren't large rather small, in fact they nonetheless granted Zhu Zhuqing the ability to fly.
Second, the base attributes of the Netherworld Spirit Cat had been greatly enhanced. Strength, speed, and darkness affinity all had been significantly boosted.
According to Han Li, even in direct combat, this cat's raw power wouldn't be any weaker than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Of course, it was still countered by lightning attributes, and its defense wasn't great.
But then again, assassins weren't meant to brawl head on. Their strength lay in agility, stealth, and explosive strikes at the perfect moment. Engaging in prolonged melee combat was just plain foolish.
Lastly, perhaps due to wearing the Evil God Orb for so long, combined with Han Li frequently activating the Dark Domain while training with her, Zhu Zhuqing now showed early signs of forming her own domain. It was still rough and undeveloped, but the potential was there, which was already a pleasant surprise.
Hmm, with proper guidance, she should be able to complete it within one year… no, two years at most. This was beyond Han Li's original expectations.
Meanwhile, Ye LingLing was also in the process of absorbing her soul ring.
Her fifth soul ring came from a mutated variant of the Golden Sunflower called Star Moon Orchid. It grew in this eerie, ghostly forest, absorbing the essence of the moonlight and condensing dewdrops that could heal dark attributed soul beasts. It was practically the "beloved pet" of the entire region.
Coincidentally, after absorbing the Beautiful Silk Tulip, Ye LingLing's Nine Heart Begonia had developed minor celestial properties, making this soul beast one of the most suitable choices for her.
Like before, the beast was forced into a sacrificial ritual, and she obtained a right arm bone, which was temporarily stored away.
After fully absorbing her soul ring, Ye LingLing's level soared to 59 just one more soul ring away from becoming a Soul Emperor.
However, she refused to advance further.
Her spiritual power hadn't kept up with her rapid growth, and she was already struggling to maintain precise control while healing. Even now, she found it difficult to perform targeted healing efficiently.
Sure, brute force healing was an option, but Ye LingLing chose not to force another breakthrough. She had witnessed firsthand how Han Li's methods could push people to rapid advancement there was no need to rush.
For now, her healing abilities were more than sufficient. It was better to spend some time consolidating her gains and absorbing everything she had learned.
No matter how fast one advanced, there were bound to be weaknesses. Fortunately, there were techniques available to quickly make up for deficiencies in spiritual power.
In the end, all she needed was to reach the minimum requirement for condensing a soul core.
Since she had made up her mind, Han Li didn't push her and simply led the group out of the Star Dou Forest.
While Han Li's group was celebrating their successes, over in the Sunset Forest, Tang Hao finally remembered that he had a son. He also needed to return to continue hiding Xiao Wu's identity.
After more than a month of searching and living like a wild man, Tang Hao still found nothing.
Frustrated, he killed a few passing soul beasts to vent his anger before heading toward Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Upon arrival, he immediately noticed that what was once a seven member team was now down to six. The atmosphere surrounding the Emperor Battle Team Second Squad was heavy and tense.
"Yu Xiaogang, tell me what happened?"
Yu Xiaogang, who had temporarily been stripped of his training privileges, was deep in thought when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.
Turning around, he saw a familiar figure standing there.
"Your Eminence, Haotian, you've finally appeared!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression was filled with emotion as he looked at Tang Hao, who, despite his unkempt beard and ragged appearance, still carried the imposing aura of a true powerhouse. His eyes even grew slightly teary.
Finally, someone who could stand up for him had returned.
Ever since that incident, Flender had completely disregarded their brotherhood, which had deeply wounded him.
But now, the Clear Sky Douluo was back. Now, his voice would be heard again. Now, his sun had returned.
Tang Hao, however, simply frowned at his dramatic reaction.
Did this guy not understand words? Did he not hear the question?
Without another word, he unleashed his aura, sending a crushing pressure directly toward Yu Xiaogang.
He was already in a terrible mood he had found nothing at the suspected sacrifice site, no treasure, and he still hadn't figured out the identity of that mysterious Titled Douluo.
Normally, he might let Yu Xiaogang run his mouth, given that he was at least useful for teaching Tang San some basic knowledge. And, of course, he was a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
But today? He had neither the time nor the patience to deal with this weakling.
Under the sheer force of Tang Hao's pressure, Yu Xiaogang was instantly slammed into the table. A mouthful of blood nearly surged out, but he forcibly swallowed it down.
Only now did he realize that this man was not in a good mood and he had just walked straight into the storm.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen