"We could also directly issue a challenge and have them leave the city to settle the grudges in a single battle. Soul masters below that level might not understand," Yali suggested.
"But soul masters at the Titled Douluo level are all proud and confident. When faced with a formal challenge, they'll most likely agree."
"That's a good suggestion," Yun Ming affirmed.
"Even if we don't set up an ambush outside the city, just engaging in straightforward one-on-one duels wouldn't make us fear them."
After thinking it over for a moment, Long Yeyue also nodded.
"I think it's workable."
"At that time, we'll combine provocation with a formal challenge. As long as they aren't truly cowards, it'll succeed."
Everyone felt the plan was feasible and began discussing the specific details.
…
On the Spirit Transmission Pagoda's side, after receiving the information Gu Yuena had revealed to her in advance, Leng Yaozhu went to find Qian Gu Dongfeng.
"Yaozhu, why did you suddenly want hundred-thousand-year soul spirits?" Qian Gu Dongfeng asked, finding it a bit strange.
Under normal circumstances, if Leng Yaozhu heard such an intimate form of address, she would definitely correct him, but this time she forcibly endured it.
"Some of my research involves hundred-thousand-year soul spirits. I need several of them for verification," Leng Yaozhu explained.
"What kind of research?" Qian Gu Dongfeng asked curiously. Research involving hundred-thousand-year soul spirits was something he took seriously.
Leng Yaozhu shook her head and said calmly, "Tower Master, that question is a bit inappropriate."
"I am the Vice Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda. There's no need for me to report all of my research to you. After all, strictly speaking, we are competitors."
Many research projects within the Spirit Pagoda required the Tower Master's approval to obtain resources.
But Leng Yaozhu was an exception. She was the Vice Tower Master, and also the Tower Master's strongest competitor.
Her research might very well determine whether she could push the Tower Master off his position. If she casually revealed it, how could she ever succeed in taking his place?
Qian Gu Dongfeng also realized that his words had been inappropriate. He gave an awkward smile.
"Since you don't want to say, Yaozhu, I won't ask anymore. Go ahead and retrieve the hundred-thousand-year soul spirits."
"Anyway, you are the Vice Tower Master and have the authority to use six hundred-thousand-year soul spirits. This is my token."
Leng Yaozhu stepped forward and took the Tower Master's token that Qian Gu Dongfeng handed over.
Hundred-thousand-year soul spirits and ferocious-beast-level soul spirits were matters of great importance. To mobilize them, both the Tower Master's and the Vice Tower Master's tokens were required.
In other words, approval from both of them was necessary. If either one disagreed, it would be impossible to mobilize them.
"Yaozhu, be careful when conducting your experiments," Qian Gu Dongfeng said seriously.
"Now that soul beasts are nearly extinct, every hundred-thousand-year soul spirit is truly unique."
"After years of hunting soul beasts across the continent, we've only accumulated twenty-three hundred-thousand-year soul spirits."
"These are meant to be kept for future repeated use. If even one is lost, it would be a significant loss for the Spirit Pagoda."
Leng Yaozhu's gaze flickered, and she hesitated for a moment. Was it a bit too selfish of her to take away six soul spirits?
But that hesitation lasted only briefly before she suppressed it and steeled her resolve to take them.
Faced with the temptation of the Hundred-Year Life-Extending Pill, no one else would be able to resist either.
If she didn't take the soul spirits, others would. Rather than letting someone else benefit, she might as well take them herself.
After all, as the Vice Tower Master, she had the authority to mobilize six hundred-thousand-year soul spirits and one ferocious-beast soul spirit.
Taking them was only natural—she wasn't stealing, so there was no need to feel guilty.
"I'll be careful," Leng Yaozhu replied. After obtaining the token, she took her leave.
"Research involving hundred-thousand-year soul spirits… what could it be?" Qian Gu Dongfeng pondered.
After leaving the Tower Master's office, Leng Yaozhu went to the Soul Spirit Tower, where the Spirit Transmission Pagoda stored the hundred-thousand-year soul spirits and ferocious-beast soul spirits it had collected over the years.
The top nine levels of the Soul Spirit Tower were forbidden to outsiders. Even Leng Yaozhu herself couldn't normally enter them at will.
Now, with both the Tower Master's and Vice Tower Master's tokens, she successfully reached the top nine levels and retrieved six hundred-thousand-year soul spirits.
"Should I take a ferocious-beast soul spirit as well?" Leng Yaozhu hesitated, unable to decide for a moment.
There were only seven ferocious-beast-level soul spirits in total—rare and precious, the true treasures of the Spirit Transmission Pagoda.
Although ferocious-beast-level soul spirits could theoretically be achieved by increasing a soul spirit's age through the Ascension Tower, the difficulty was extremely high.
It required absorbing an enormous amount of energy to succeed.
According to the Spirit Transmission Pagoda's records, only one person had ever managed to elevate a soul spirit to the ferocious-beast level through the Ascension Tower.
"I'll take one as well. If I don't need it, I can just put it back," Leng Yaozhu decided.
After leaving the Soul Spirit Tower and returning to her office, Leng Yaozhu made a call to her family.
"Father, it's me, Yaozhu. I have something important to tell you—it's about the Hundred-Year Life-Extending Pill."
Her father was the previous generation's head of the Leng family and also the former Vice Tower Master of the Spirit Transmission Pagoda.
Because he was over two hundred years old and his energy had declined, he could no longer shoulder those responsibilities and had stepped down, now spending his days in retirement at home.
"The Hundred-Year Life-Extending Pill?" The old man was clearly excited.
"Yes. My disciple said that the head of the Yun family has fully recovered from his injuries and can now refine the Hundred-Year Life-Extending Pill."
"And he's willing to sell it to us. The price is eight billion Federation credits plus one hundred-thousand-year soul spirit," Leng Yaozhu said.
"Really?" Old Master Leng exclaimed in delight, coughing from excitement.
"Father, don't rush—calm down," Leng Yaozhu hurriedly said.
Even though she herself was over a hundred years old, in front of her father she was still that little girl.
"I've already prepared the hundred-thousand-year soul spirits. Now we just need to gather enough funds to make the exchange."
"The reason I'm calling you this time is to ask how many pills you think we should exchange for," Leng Yaozhu said.
"Of course, the more the better," Old Master Leng blurted out.
"I'll immediately have people prepare the funds. This time, let's exchange for four pills first. After a few years, once we've earned the money back, we can exchange for more."
Last time, he had wanted to participate in the auction for the Hundred-Year Life-Extending Pill, but considering that Shrek Academy, the Tang Sect, and the Qian Gu family would all be competing, the chances of success were slim, so he had no choice but to give up.
Now that they could purchase it directly—and at such a favorable price—there was naturally no reason not to buy more.
Two hundred and forty billion Federation credits was something the Leng family could still manage. Any more than that would be difficult.
"Alright," Leng Yaozhu said. After hesitating for a moment, she voiced her concern.
"Father, because of this matter, other families might become dissatisfied with us."
"Let them be dissatisfied," the old man said domineeringly.
"As long as I can take a Hundred-Year Life-Extending Pill, my blood qi will recover."
"With my extreme-level strength, plus your cultivation that's close to the extreme level, even if those families are unhappy, they'll just have to endure it. I don't believe they'd dare to make a move."
"Besides, once those families find out about this, they'll definitely bring soul spirits to exchange as well. If they can do it, why can't we? Yaozhu, just go ahead and do it—don't worry about anything."
"Understood." With those words from the old man, Leng Yaozhu no longer had any reservations. She now had confidence backing her.
(End of Chapter)