Titled Douluos held a distinguished status and were respectfully addressed as "Your Excellency". Even those of humble origins were highly sought-after by various powers on the continent. They rarely engaged in such dishonorable deeds unless specifically ordered by their faction's leader.
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One could say that 'Eagle' and the other five were the "cream of the crop" in their line of work. Having taken on many dirty jobs, they possessed significant wealth, including soul bones, which was normal for their caliber.
Although top-tier soul bones were rare, ordinary thousand-year or ten-thousand-year soul bones were still relatively common in the world of soul masters.
Soon, Chu Chengzhou retrieved a total of eight soul bones from the corpses of the five individuals.
However, there wasn't much to be excited about—five were thousand-year soul bones, and three were ten-thousand-year soul bones. There were no more precious head or torso soul bones; they were all limb-related, and the oldest among them was only a twenty-thousand-year-old left leg bone.
After gathering the spoils, Chu Chengzhou prepared to take Hu Liena back to Suotuo City to recover.
After this ambush, it was unlikely that such an incident would occur again in the short term.
After all, Soul Douluo level experts weren't dime-a-dozen. Those who obeyed the Star Luo Empire or were willing to lower themselves to act as assassins were even fewer.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Chu Chengzhou's eyebrows shot up as he looked toward the northwest in surprise.
Metals forged to the thousand-refinement level or higher could undergo blood consecration. Once blood-bound, the metal became connected to the soul master's bloodline, essentially becoming a part of their body.
Even if lost, no matter how far away, the owner could still sense the approximate location of the blood-bound metal through the bloodline connection.
To better utilize the power of his Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrows and prevent them from being used against him if stolen, Chu Chengzhou had blood-bound every single one of them.
Just moments ago, he felt the bloodline connection between himself and several of his Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrows suddenly weaken, as if obstructed by something.
This sudden change was well-understood by Chu Chengzhou.
Previously, due to the insufficient forging level of his thousand-refined silver hammer and bow, he couldn't store them directly inside his body and had to keep them in a storage-type soul tool. He was well aware that storage-type soul tools temporarily weakened the bloodline connection between him and the blood-bound metals.
The Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrows had embedded deep within the 'Vulture's' True Body. Now, with this situation arising, it meant that the 'Vulture' had canceled his True Body? Moreover, he had also stored the arrows inside a storage-type soul tool?
In other words, the 'Vulture' was currently not at full strength and was in the weakened state that followed after using a True Body?
While pondering this, relying on the now-faint bloodline connection, Chu Chengzhou noticed that the position of the arrows was no longer changing.
Unless the 'Vulture' discarded the storage-type soul tool after putting the arrows inside, the only explanation was that the previously fleeing 'Vulture' believed himself safe and stopped running.
After some time, upon confirming that the position hadn't changed, a cold smile appeared on Chu Chengzhou's face.
"It seems today is auspicious to send you, Vulture, on your journey to the underworld! Let's not go against the will of heaven."
Gazing toward the northwest, Chu Chengzhou thought silently.
The 'Vulture' had fled with his blood-bound metal, didn't discard it afterward, and stopped not too far away. Wasn't this like a bank robber fleeing with a tracking device, thinking himself safe in the dark, only to hide right next to the police station?
Originally, Chu Chengzhou thought this counterattack wouldn't be so neatly resolved since the 'Vulture' was a skilled expert, formidable and fast-flying. Even if he wanted to chase, he wouldn't catch up.
But since the 'Vulture' hadn't run far and exposed his hiding place, Chu Chengzhou wasn't about to let him go.
Moreover, the 'Vulture' was currently not at full strength. Sneaking up for a surprise attack might just succeed in one strike.
After all, "shooting arrows from the shadows" wasn't just talk. Among the eighteen martial arts, archery excelled in sneak attacks.
Immediately, Chu Chengzhou summoned the fire phoenix spirit Xiao Hong and left the battlefield with Hu Liena.
About twenty miles from the original battlefield, Chu Chengzhou found a hill and descended.
"Big Bear, stay here and guard your mistress."
Finding a clearing, Chu Chengzhou instructed Big Bear.
He didn't plan to bring the unconscious Hu Liena along to hunt the 'Vulture'.
After all, the 'Vulture' was a flying-type Soul Douluo, much faster than him. If the ambush failed and he took Hu Liena hostage, Chu Chengzhou would be completely at his mercy.
Besides, Big Bear was a land-based summon and couldn't play a significant role against a flying opponent like the 'Vulture'. Leaving him here to guard Hu Liena was sufficient.
"Roar—!"
Big Bear growled in acknowledgment.
Subsequently, Chu Chengzhou rode Xiao Hong towards the northwest.
Mid-air, sensing the bloodline connection growing closer, when they were about ten miles away, to avoid alarming the prey, Chu Chengzhou immediately had Xiao Hong descend to the ground.
Quietly entering the village without making a sound—directly riding Xiao Hong over would have been too ostentatious.
After landing, he dismissed Xiao Hong, activated his supreme technique to conceal his presence, suppressed his aura, and moved swiftly toward the direction of the bloodline connection using Divine Light Dash.
Not long after, through the sparsely grown trees, the sharp-eyed Chu Chengzhou spotted a figure sitting cross-legged with their back to him about a hundred meters ahead, silently recovering soul power.
Who else could this figure be but the 'Vulture'?
The moment of the hunt had arrived!
The next instant, Chu Chengzhou exerted all his effort to suppress his aura and soul fluctuations. A golden glow flashed in his hand, materializing the Nine Heavens Mystic Bow and a Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrow.
Infusing soul power, drawing the bow, nocking the arrow, aiming—"whoosh"—accompanied by a very faint sound of slicing air, the fully charged Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrow turned into a streak of golden light, blasting toward the 'Vulture' a hundred meters away.
In an instant, the Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrow crossed the hundred-meter distance.
It was at this moment that the 'Vulture's' keen instincts detected the sudden danger behind him and immediately turned to look.
What met his eyes was a rapidly enlarging golden light.
This damn golden light was all too familiar to the 'Vulture', having already stumbled before it not long ago, nearly losing his life.
Instinctively, the first thing the 'Vulture' wanted to do was dodge.
Unfortunately, the Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrow shot by Chu Chengzhou was too fast. The mere thought of dodging had barely formed in the 'Vulture's' mind when the speeding golden light struck his upper left back.
Psh—
A blossom of blood erupted. The exceptionally sharp Flowing Gold Armor-Piercing Arrow, infused with soul power, penetrated from the 'Vulture's' back, pierced through his heart, and continued its momentum, exiting through his chest, bringing with it a large spray of bright red blood.
Being a master just one step away from a Titled Douluo, his vitality was far stronger than ordinary people. Even with an arrow piercing through his heart, the 'Vulture' did not die immediately.
Looking down at the bloody hole in his chest, a trace of regret flashed in the 'Vulture's' eyes.
If not for coveting the employer's generous reward, coupled with the target being merely a genius soul master of low level, believing it would be an easy task, how could he have fallen into such a predicament?
"Cough cough, why... why..."
Coughing up a mouthful of blood, feeling his life force rapidly fading, the dying 'Vulture' asked Chu Chengzhou.
The 'Vulture' had considered the possibility of dying at Chu Chengzhou's hands.
After all, ambushing a genius soul master—if successful, it was fine—but if unsuccessful, retaliation was inevitable, though likely years later, not possibly today.
At this moment, the 'Vulture' couldn't understand how Chu Chengzhou could find him so quickly.
Without an answer to this question, he couldn't die with his eyes closed!
"Heh."
Upon hearing this, Chu Chengzhou chuckled softly, remaining silent, simply watching quietly.
You came to ambush me, and I'm supposed to give you answers? Take your doubts to King Yama!
Uh, perhaps souls in the Douluo world don't report to King Yama?
As more and more blood flowed from the wound, the 'Vulture', full of resentment, reached the end of his life, and his consciousness fell into darkness.
Two minutes later, Chu Chengzhou once again obtained two soul bones.
After some thought, he also collected the 'Vulture's' corpse, planning to find an ice-attribute soul master to freeze it, preventing decay.
Since the 'Vulture' was a wanted criminal of the Spirit Hall, ranked second only to the top wanted fugitive Tang Hao, delivering him to his own faction for a reward wasn't a bad idea.
An outsider claiming the reward would only receive compensation, but Hu Liena, as the direct disciple of the Pope, would not only get a reward but also enhance her standing within the Spirit Hall.
With this merit, coupled with returning from training in Slaughter City and obtaining the Killing God Domain, proving her strength, it wouldn't be long before this girl became the current Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall.
In the evening, under the bright lights, Hu Liena opened her eyes.
What greeted her sight was no longer wilderness or any enemies, just a white ceiling, pale pink curtains, a pink heart-shaped bed, and Chu Chengzhou meditating beside the bed.
"Is this... the Rose Hotel?"
Though the colors had changed, excluding the color difference, the room's layout was almost identical to the 'Red Ocean' suite she had stayed in recently.
Hu Liena guessed correctly—it was indeed the Rose Hotel, specifically the third floor, the Pink Passion suite not far from the Red Ocean suite.
"How are you feeling? Is everything alright?"
Noticing Hu Liena waking up, Chu Chengzhou immediately exited the cultivation of Eternal Thought and asked with evident concern.
"I'm fine, just a bit of a headache. By the way, what happened to those enemies?"
Hu Liena recalled the opponents they faced before she fainted.
"They made my Nana faint for so long—I naturally sent them to meet Death, not sparing a single one."
Chu Chengzhou said.
"You bad boy, truly worthy of being my man!"
Instantly, stars seemed to sparkle in Hu Liena's eyes.
Their opponents were all soul masters with soul power levels above 80, including a peak-level Level 89 Soul Douluo just one step away from becoming a Titled Douluo. Even ordinary Titled Douluos might not stand a chance against six of them combined, yet they all died at the hands of her little man. This proved that her little man was not only a super genius on the continent but also counted as one of its strongest.
At this moment, Hu Liena felt exceptionally proud and honored.
"Nana, don't overexert yourself next time, absolutely no repeats!"
Chu Chengzhou spoke seriously.
This girl dared to use mental techniques on opponents whose spiritual power far exceeded hers. At the time, he was terrified, fearing something terrible might happen to Hu Liena.
Physical injuries were treatable, but spiritual injuries had no effective remedies.
Of course, now that Hu Liena had woken up, the impact of the mental backlash wasn't a major issue. After all, Eternal Thought was a method of cultivating spiritual power, and during cultivation, it also had the effect of healing spiritual damage.
"Mm hmm!"
Hu Liena nodded her head quickly in agreement.
But she wouldn't listen to Chu Chengzhou completely. If there was a next time, she would still act the same way.
When strong enemies attacked, how could she stand idly by and watch? Some might do so, but Hu Liena knew she couldn't.
The next evening, in the center of Sunset Forest.
"Bad boy, why did you bring me here?"
High in the air, on the back of the fire phoenix summon, looking down at the small mountain valley surrounded by a ring of toxic fog below, with heat constantly rising and enveloped in a lot of water vapor, Hu Liena asked Chu Chengzhou curiously.
"There's something good, let's go down!"
Saying this, Chu Chengzhou directed Xiao Hong to descend toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Passing through the mist, a paradise of plants and the peculiar red-and-white dual spring eye came into view.
Releasing his spiritual power to investigate, Chu Chengzhou didn't detect the presence of Dugu Bo.
Then again, Dugu Bo wasn't a hermit, and with the temporary resolution of his internal toxin backlash, he didn't need to frequently visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to suppress the toxins within his body using the pervasive water and fire forces. Not encountering him was normal.
Feeling the water and fire forces permeating the surrounding air, and looking around, Hu Liena blinked and asked, "Are the 'good things' you mentioned the herbs here?"
Because of her teacher Bibi Dong, Hu Liena had a good relationship with Ju and Gui Douluo.
In terms of seniority, Ju Gui and Bibi Dong's teacher, the 'Secret Room Douluo' Qian Xunji, were of the same generation. Hu Liena, orphaned at a young age, was not only the direct disciple of their current superior, Bibi Dong, but also grew up under their watchful eyes. Since they had no children of their own, the two buddies always regarded Hu Liena as their granddaughter.
And Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan loved flowers and plants. Although Hu Liena didn't share this hobby, she knew quite a bit about the remarkable qualities of many exotic flowers and herbs.
"Smart!"
Chu Chengzhou smiled and nodded.
Luck was on their side—Dugu Bo, who wasn't proficient in immortal herbs, hadn't messed around. The immortal-grade medicinal herbs he hadn't picked last time were all still thriving around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Of course, the immortal herbs he had taken away back then, except for the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, which had turned to ash after consumption without leaving roots or seeds, all the other immortal herbs had long been replanted near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Hey? Is that the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?"
Suddenly, looking at a magnificent golden chrysanthemum not far from her, Hu Liena couldn't help but exclaim.
She might not recognize other immortal herbs, but when it came to the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, she definitely recognized it.
Because her Grandpa Ju Douluo Yue Guan's martial soul was the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
The addition of soul rings brought slight changes to the appearance of martial souls. Due to having nine soul rings added, Yue Guan's Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum martial soul looked slightly different from the one in front of her, but overall, it was the same, and Hu Liena immediately identified it.
"Nana, immortal herbs aren't ordinary things. Different immortal herbs have different areas of enhancement.
Moreover, most of these herbs not only improve cultivation talent after consumption but can also cause the martial soul to evolve and transform if compatibility with the martial soul is high.
There are three immortal herbs here that can be consumed—one enhances physical strength, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum; one enhances the resilience of the martial soul, the Black Jade Divine Bamboo; and one enhances communication with the stars, the Star Luo Spirit Pearl. Pick one!"
Chu Chengzhou pointed to the three immortal herbs and explained to Hu Liena.
To be honest, none of these three immortal herbs were particularly suitable for Hu Liena.
But among the remaining immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that could significantly benefit Hu Liena, there were only these three.
There were two others left, but the Snow Swan Kiss was a virus amplifier and couldn't be eaten, while the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb only countered toxins and offered no help in boosting strength.
Additionally, apart from the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, both the Black Jade Divine Bamboo and the Star Luo Spirit Pearl were immature immortal plants.
However, given that the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum primarily enhanced physical strength—a role already fulfilled by the body-strengthening ultimate technique Unbreakable Golden Body—and considering that in the original story, Dai Mu Bai gained limited benefits after consuming it, in Chu Chengzhou's opinion, compared to the immature Black Jade Divine Bamboo and Star Luo Spirit Pearl, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum didn't have much advantage.
Precisely because of this, Chu Chengzhou didn't decide for her but handed the choice over to Hu Liena herself.
After listening carefully for a moment, Hu Liena fixed her gaze on the Star Luo Spirit Pearl.
This was a very beautiful plant. The stem of this Star Luo Spirit Pearl was a rare black color among plants, and atop it grew a golden fruit the size of a child's fist, resembling a large, golden pearl.
Upon closer inspection, one would discover that this golden fruit was actually composed of countless golden dots, very peculiar.
Hu Liena choosing the Star Luo Spirit Pearl wasn't without reason.
In terms of physical strength, she had Chu Chengzhou's Unbreakable Golden Body. As long as she practiced diligently, she wouldn't need to worry about physical strength issues in the future.
Moreover, as a mental control-type soul master specializing in mental manipulation and attacks, unless adding soul rings, physical strength wasn't overly important.
The Black Jade Divine Bamboo, which enhanced the resilience of martial souls, was even more useless. This herb was most suitable for control-type soul masters with binding-type martial souls.
Of course, her Charming Fox martial soul had nothing to do with constellations, and the Star Luo Spirit Pearl enhanced communication with the stars, seemingly offering no direct help.
But what if, after consuming the Star Luo Spirit Pearl, her Charming Fox martial soul could transform into something related to constellations? It wasn't impossible.
After all, her Charming Fox martial soul didn't carry any attributes and didn't conflict with the effects of the Star Luo Spirit Pearl.
Thinking it over, Hu Liena asked, "Can I take two?"
Grandpa Ju treated her well. Encountering an immortal herb identical to his martial soul, if she could obtain it, it'd be best to secure it.
"That's not possible; this place isn't mine."
After hesitating for a moment, Chu Chengzhou shook his head.
He could tell that Hu Liena had chosen the Star Luo Spirit Pearl and also wanted the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
And he could guess for whom she wanted the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
If the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well belonged to him, it wouldn't matter since extra immortal herbs were useless anyway. But the problem was that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well wasn't his—it belonged to Dugu Bo.
Moreover, had he not known Dugu Bo beforehand, he could have forcibly taken it, abiding by the principle that treasures belong to those with virtue (or fists).
But since they had known each other for a while and had a decent relationship, he couldn't do that.
He could shamelessly seek benefits for his own sister from Dugu Bo, but taking for others was out of the question.
Furthermore, it seemed that Dugu Bo and Yue Guan didn't get along—they were old rivals. Giving Dugu Bo's immortal herbs to his rival was something Chu Chengzhou couldn't do.
Moreover, the earlier the immortal herb was consumed, the better the effect. Yue Guan was already quite old, and even if he got the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, it would only increase his soul power by one or two levels, offering limited strength improvement, severely wasting the immortal herb.
Of course, if it were someone extremely close to him, wasting it wouldn't matter, but Yue Guan clearly didn't reach that level.
Additionally, after giving one to Hu Liena, only two consumable immortal herbs remained in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. These last two must be reserved for Dugu Bo and his grandson; otherwise, it wouldn't be justified.
Hearing this, a hint of regret flashed in Hu Liena's eyes as she said, "Then I'll choose the Star Luo Spirit Pearl!"
"Just pick the golden fruit at the top and consume it."
Chu Chengzhou pointed to the golden fruit growing atop the Star Luo Spirit Pearl.
Though he didn't know exactly how to consume the Star Luo Spirit Pearl, based on his perception, the golden fruit contained the vast majority of the herb's energy, which felt very pure and gentle. Plus, the Star Luo Spirit Pearl wasn't poisonous, so eating the fruit was undoubtedly correct.
Nodding, Hu Liena approached the Star Luo Spirit Pearl, extended her finger, and gently poked the golden fruit at the top.
Perhaps it wasn't fully mature yet and hadn't developed consciousness—the Star Luo Spirit Pearl showed no reaction.
The next moment, Hu Liena ruthlessly plucked the golden fruit from the top of the Star Luo Spirit Pearl.
Simultaneously, at the tip of the Star Luo Spirit Pearl's stem, a flash of golden light appeared, and another golden fruit sprouted. However, this newly grown fruit was much smaller than the one Hu Liena held, only the size of a fingernail.
Looking at the golden fruit in her hand, Hu Liena couldn't help but smile.
She could feel that the golden fruit contained immense energy, which was incredibly pure and gentle.
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