Right Leg Bone of the Blue Silver Emperor, Here I Come!
A year passed.
During this year, Fang Ling did not go anywhere and stayed in the academy to train.
Qian Renxue favored him greatly and often invited him to the Crown Prince's residence.
He also received from her a personal gold medallion, casually given away, which ultimately ruined years of her undercover plans.
"Keep it,you never know when it might be useful."
It was now the last month before the academy's vacation.
And it was time to retrieve the spirit bone.
Using breaking through the level 50 bottleneck as an excuse, Fang Ling calculated the timing and returned to the Dugu residence to begin secluded cultivation.
In reality, he used his teleportation spirit skill, transferring between carriages to quietly slip out of Heaven Dou City.
Then he traveled day and night.
Thanks to the stamina he developed from daily running, he finally arrived in Nuoding City before Tang San and Xiao Wu went on vacation.
This was crucial,he had to determine exactly when Tang San and Xiao Wu would leave.
Fearing that personally investigating might alert the possibly present Tang Hao, he hired beggars wandering around that area.
This way, no one would be suspicious.
He then rented a room far from Nuoding Academy.
Fang Ling made a special trip to visit Grandpa Liu. After four years, the old man had aged considerably and no longer worked as a butcher.
However, the Heaven Dou Empire had indeed sent someone to care for him,he lacked neither money nor food.
He was living a peaceful and happy retirement.
Although Fang Ling was relieved, he did not reveal himself.
At least for a short while after obtaining the spirit bone, he planned to remain unseen for safety reasons.
To the outside world, he would be in seclusion at the Dugu residence.
One day, two days… On the second day after Nuoding Academy's sixth-year graduation, three beggars hurried to report.
"A man and a woman, both about 1.7 meters tall. The man looks ordinary, the woman wears a long scorpion braid that hangs past her calves. Though she still has a bit of youthful innocence, her thighs are long, her figure is perfect, and her beauty is like that of a fairy."
They spoke respectfully, but their eyes gleamed with lecherous light, their throats moving as if imagining something indecent.
"I see. You've done well," Fang Ling said with a satisfied smile, instantly recognizing Tang San and Xiao Wu.
Perfect,every year, graduation happened at this time.
Based on his understanding of their personalities, they wouldn't leave in a rush. His calculations had been correct.
"So, Master Soul Master, about our payment?" one beggar asked, rubbing his fingers together, eyes full of expectation.
Time to pay the final sum.
Fang Ling smiled faintly, brushed his hand over the Frost Snow Ring, and a gleaming dagger appeared.
Under the terrified gazes of the three beggars, he quickly slashed their throats.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The bodies fell to the ground with three muffled sounds.
Thanks to the rapid growth of his body under the influence of spirit rings, plus a specially-made high-grade prosthetic leg hidden under his pants, it was nearly impossible to notice anything unusual,none of them recognized him.
But Fang Ling remembered.
These were beggars who had once offended him and fought over territory with him.
Aside from the deposit of one gold soul coin each, he had never planned to pay them. Killing them not only saved money but also settled old grudges.
Just like when he was a child,beggars died and no one cared.
After waiting another three days, he left behind ten gold soul coins as a form of compensation and set out following the map he had memorized in detail.
This time, he moved faster.
Three days was more than enough for Tang San and Xiao Wu to be far ahead.
Nuoding City and Soto City were far apart,at a Grandmaster-level pace, the two would have traveled at least 200 li by now, whether moving quickly or slowly.
Tang Hao was most likely with them.
With a 100,000-year spirit beast in human form and the Blue Silver Sect's hope, Tang San, if anything happened, Tang Hao would regret it deeply.
And this was the time Dugu Bo and Fang Ling had agreed upon,after returning from the ocean, they would take this route to test the waters.
Sure enough, Tang Hao was following quietly when he suddenly sensed a cold, sinister aura.
"Why is that old poison here?"
In moments, their paths would cross with Tang San and Xiao Wu.
Though the distance was still considerable, if the little rabbit was discovered, it would be over.
A 100,000-year transformed spirit beast,who wouldn't be tempted?
Without thinking further, Tang Hao moved to block the way, his voice booming and filled with authority: "Dugu Bo, take another road!"
Seeing a burly man in black with a hood blocking his path, his spirit power unreadable, Dugu Bo immediately stopped.
His spirit power surged, his eyes flashing coldly. "Who are you?"
Tang Hao did not answer. He slowly raised his right hand.
A black light gathered in his palm, forming a massive hammer.
At the same time, nine spirit rings appeared around him.
Two yellow, two purple, four black, one red.
Unlike Zhao Wuji's fluctuating rings, these rings floated motionless around his body, enveloping him completely.
Nine spirit rings were already terrifying, but the last one,
"A 100,000-year spirit ring! The Clear Sky Hammer,Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao!"
Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed as he also activated his martial spirit. "Tang Hao, if I recall correctly, we have no enmity. Why block my path?"
So his disciple had been right,Tang Hao was clearly protecting something.
"Why aren't you staying in Heaven Dou City? What are you running around for?" Tang Hao sniffed, catching a faint fishy ocean scent from Dugu Bo and noticing the joy on his face.
"You went to the ocean… for your disciple's limb-regrowing spirit bone?"
This was common knowledge in the spirit master world,Tang Hao certainly knew.
"If you know, why bother asking?" Dugu Bo's expression turned grim, his spirit rings spinning slightly.
"If you're trying to take the spirit bone today, then let's fight and see if the great Clear Sky Douluo can withstand my poison!"
Seeing Dugu Bo's bloodshot eyes and surging spirit power, Tang Hao's mouth twitched.
Damn lunatic. He had no desire to fight such a maniac.
"I'm not taking your spirit bone. Just take another path,over there," Tang Hao said, pointing.
After a brief standoff, both men withdrew their martial spirits.
Tang Hao stood still while Dugu Bo turned and left.
He had fulfilled his disciple's request to lure Tang Hao away. Hopefully, his disciple had truly obtained the spirit bone.
Meanwhile, Fang Ling moved quickly.
With physical strength surpassing most Spirit Emperors and a movement technique that, while capped, had improved, he reached his destination without much delay.
Before him stretched a range of mountains.
"The outer cliffs are extremely steep,almost vertical." Fang Ling's heart raced with excitement.
Following the map in his memory, he climbed to the nearest point.
Drawing closer, he began to hear a deafening roar.
The sound of a waterfall!
The air grew moist, and the temperature dropped.
Following the sound, he stopped at last,before him lay a pool of water.