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"Chu lad, why are you running?"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou's hurried expression and commanding the Fire Phoenix summon to flee at maximum speed, Dugu Bo asked with some puzzlement.
"The strange black tiger chasing Ling Yuan Douluo is called the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. This type of soul beast is a super formidable creature in the world of soul beasts, possessing an extremely unreasonable ability.
Once we soul masters fall victim to it, our bodies temporarily regress to before our martial souls awakened.
Although the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger also turns into a cub, who could defeat a bloodline-strong cub with immense power as a six-year-old child who hasn't awakened their martial soul yet?"
Chu Chengzhou explained without looking back.
"Hiss, that powerful?"
Dugu Bo couldn't help but gasp, quickly glancing back.
"Uh, kid, that so-called Dark Demon Evil God Tiger probably isn't as strong as you say, right?"
Seeing the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger strategically retreating in the distance, Dugu Bo said with a somewhat odd expression.
"What do you mean?"
"That Dark Demon Evil God Tiger ran away."
"Ran away?"
Chu Chengzhou was momentarily stunned, then turned to look back.
Sure enough, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger that had been chasing Ling Yuan Douluo had already disappeared from sight.
"So it looks like we don't need to run anymore?"
Smacking his lips, Chu Chengzhou said.
Dugu Bo's expression turned serious. "No, we still have to run!"
"Why?!"
Just as Chu Chengzhou was about to ask for clarification, he noticed the fiery red bird flying straight toward them, getting closer by the second, and swallowed his words.
If Ling Yuan Douluo was utterly frustrated a minute ago, she was now feeling quite pleased.
Look who's sitting on that red-feathered bird ahead—it's none other than Dugu Bo, the old poison master!
Ling Yuan Douluo originally thought she didn't have the luck to encounter Dugu Bo in the vast Great Star Dou Forest. After all, finding Dugu Bo here would be as unlikely as killing a random soul beast and having it drop a spirit bone.
But never in her wildest dreams did she expect that after suffering a minor setback at the hands of that strange black tiger, she would stumble upon such good fortune.
Dugu Bo was weaker than her, slower too, and the task assigned by Pope Bibi Dong was as good as done!
The flight speed of the ten-thousand-year Fire Phoenix summon was fast, but everything depended on comparison. Ling Yuan was a Douluo, possessed a flying-type martial soul, and was currently in her True Body, meaning her flight speed naturally far exceeded that of the Fire Phoenix summon. The distance between them was rapidly closing.
"Hmph, does she really think she has me cornered?"
Seeing Ling Yuan Douluo chasing him, Dugu Bo frowned and let out a cold snort.
"Chu lad, you retreat first!"
Turning to Chu Chengzhou, Dugu Bo leaped into the air, positioning himself mid-air to prepare for battle.
The aftermath of battles between Titled Douluos was no small matter, and his snake venom was indiscriminate—it wouldn't spare friend or foe. Chu Chengzhou, being young, couldn't withstand it, so Dugu Bo planned to let him escape first.
As for himself? Without Chu Chengzhou dragging him down, the chances of successfully escaping were much higher.
"Senior, be careful!"
Without hesitation, Chu Chengzhou responded, and Little Red under him continued fleeing without slowing down.
It wasn't that Chu Chengzhou lacked conscience; rather, in a battle between Douluos, he couldn't even assist Dugu Bo. Staying behind would only hinder Dugu Bo, who was already at a disadvantage.
On the other side, seeing that Dugu Bo wasn't running anymore, Ling Yuan Douluo felt a surge of joy. She glanced down at the three people—Hu Liena and two others—she was holding with her talons, thought for a moment, gave instructions, reduced her altitude, dropped them off, and then flapped her wings to ascend and confront Dugu Bo.
Meanwhile, Chu Chengzhou, lying low on Little Red to reduce wind resistance and increase fleeing speed, glanced back at the situation while keeping an eye on developments. He noticed Ling Yuan Douluo's actions and was momentarily stunned.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that three figures—two men and one woman—had fallen into the forest below.
Ling Yuan Douluo's True Body was sizable, and he hadn't paid much attention earlier, so he hadn't noticed the three people held in her talons. But now, with the obstruction of the large claws gone, his extraordinary vision immediately spotted them.
'Silver-haired Soul King, red-haired Soul Ancestor, orange-haired girl...'
In the rush, Chu Chengzhou couldn't clearly see the faces of these three figures, but their hair colors were unmistakable. Moreover, without Ling Yuan Douluo's overwhelming presence masking it, he could sense their soul power fluctuations.
Their hair colors, combined with their soul power levels and the fact that they were led by Ling Yuan Douluo of the Spirit Hall, confirmed that these three were undoubtedly Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena.
Glancing at the impending battle between Dugu Bo and Ling Yuan Douluo, Chu Chengzhou pondered for a moment and immediately instructed Little Red to descend into the forest below.
After landing, he dismissed the Fire Phoenix summon, concealed his own presence, activated his Movement Technique, and rushed toward where Hu Liena and the others had fallen.
Having read the original work, Chu Chengzhou had some understanding of the strength levels of many Douluos on the continent. He knew that Dugu Bo's solo combat ability was lacking—he was arguably the weakest Titled Douluo and likely no match for Ling Yuan.
Moreover, Ling Yuan had a flying-type martial soul and was much faster than Dugu Bo. If she played it safe and no unexpected interference occurred, Dugu Bo would neither be able to fight back nor escape. Today might truly be the day he met his end in the Great Star Dou Forest.
However, there was a way to break the deadlock.
Capture Hu Liena and the others—or more precisely, capture Hu Liena. With a hostage in hand, Ling Yuan Douluo would undoubtedly hesitate to act rashly.
For others, using a hostage to threaten a Douluo wouldn't work—the Douluo might just eliminate both the hostage and the threat.
But Hu Liena was different. She was Pope Bibi Dong's cherished disciple. If anything happened to her, Ling Yuan wouldn't be able to face Bibi Dong upon returning.
In the forest, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan sat on a branch of a towering tree.
"Brother, do you think Elder Ling Yuan can take down Dugu Bo?"
Sensing the intense battle sounds coming from afar, Hu Liena asked Xie Yue.
Clicking his tongue, Xie Yue analyzed, "She should be able to, right? Otherwise, why did Dugu Bo immediately try to run upon seeing Elder Ling Yuan?"
"Exactly! Don't worry, Hu Liena!
I've heard that Dugu Bo is the weakest Titled Douluo on the continent, capable of bullying only those below level 90. He can't defeat any other Douluo."
As soon as Xie Yue finished speaking, Yan immediately chimed in.
"Is that so?"
Hu Liena frowned slightly, gaining more confidence in Ling Yuan Douluo.
"Elder Ling Yuan should be able to handle Dugu Bo. However, the soul master who came with Dugu Bo earlier fled—I wonder if it'll cause any issues later."
Thinking of the youth who had already escaped on a red bird, Xie Yue furrowed his brows.
Although their Spirit Hall was at odds with the Tian Dou Empire, many things couldn't be brought into the open.
If Dugu Bo died in the Great Star Dou Forest and that youth escaped back to the Tian Dou Empire, the empire wouldn't take it lightly upon learning the news.
"Xie Yue, I don't think you need to worry about that.
If not for this soul hunting trip, we wouldn't even know about Elder Ling Yuan. How could an outsider possibly know?
As long as Pope Bibi Dong doesn't publicize this matter, even if the Tian Dou Empire learns that Dugu Bo died in the Great Star Dou Forest, they won't have anyone to retaliate against."
Yan said dismissively.
Hearing this, Hu Liena nodded.
Indeed, Dugu Bo's death in the Great Star Dou Forest would certainly have repercussions, but as long as the Tian Dou Empire didn't know who did it or couldn't produce conclusive evidence pointing to the Spirit Hall, the matter would likely be dropped.
For instance, twenty years ago, when the sole Douluo of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Sect and the current sect leader went missing in the Great Star Dou Forest, which faction dared to claim it was the doing of our Spirit Hall?
Of course, Hu Liena wasn't sure if it was actually an elder of their Spirit Hall who did it. She had merely heard about it during a history lesson at the academy.
As the trio chatted idly, keeping an eye on the distant battlefield, they were completely unaware that someone had already stealthily approached.
By using his Control Technique to conceal his presence, Chu Chengzhou had already crept to within a few dozen meters of the trio, hidden in a bush.
Then, Chu Chengzhou's hands flashed with soul power, materializing the Sun Chasing Bow and titanium armor-piercing arrow.
Just as he was about to draw the bowstring, he hesitated.
No, this thing's power was too great. Xie Yue and that big simp were only Soul King and Soul Ancestor—they couldn't withstand the titanium armor-piercing arrow designed to penetrate soul defenses. Unless he wanted to start a war with the Spirit Hall, he couldn't use his real weapons.
After some thought, Chu Chengzhou put away the bow and arrow, turning his gaze to Hu Liena sitting on the tree branch.
The next second, an intangible surge of spiritual power erupted, instantly crossing dozens of meters and descending into Hu Liena's mind.
Although Hu Liena was a mental control-type soul master, with mental power being her strongest attribute, due to her soul power level and the lack of spirit-enhancing skills at the moment, her mental strength was equivalent to at most a five-ring Soul King—no match for Chu Chengzhou.
Instantly, Hu Liena felt dizzy, and her vision turned pitch black, unable to see any light.
Well, Chu Chengzhou hadn't done much—just locked Hu Liena in a "black room."
His illusion technique created a true black room: not only was there no light, but it also maintained absolute silence, devoid of any sound.
With her vision pitch black and unable to hear anything, Hu Liena was startled by the sudden change and immediately tried to release her martial soul.
However, what made Hu Liena even more disoriented was that she had somehow lost the ability to use her martial soul powers.
Meanwhile, after locking Hu Liena in the "black room," Chu Chengzhou, hidden in the bushes, activated his Movement Technique and shot out like lightning.
For Chu Chengzhou, who had mastered the Movement Technique, covering a few dozen meters took almost no time.
However, they were still geniuses of the Spirit Hall, and given the location was the Great Star Dou Forest, their vigilance was naturally high. As Chu Chengzhou charged out at full speed, he could no longer conceal his figure. Before he reached them, Xie Yue and Yan finally reacted, jumping off the tree branch and releasing their martial souls mid-air.
Though Xie Yue and Yan managed to react, Hu Liena didn't have time. More accurately, at this moment, she simply couldn't react.
With a light tap of his toes, Chu Chengzhou leaped onto the tree, grabbed the unresponsive Hu Liena, and quickly retreated, disappearing into the depths of the forest.
"Damn it!"
"Damn it, put Hu Liena down!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou's smooth operation and how their sister (goddess) was taken away without resistance, Xie Yue and Yan were momentarily dumbfounded before exploding in anger, cursing loudly as they chased after him.
However, although their soul power levels were higher than Chu Chengzhou's, in terms of speed, they couldn't match him—even with a girl on his shoulder.
With the hostage secured, Chu Chengzhou flipped his right hand, materializing the True Spirit Flag. His third spirit ring shone brightly as soul power surged, summoning the Fire Phoenix.
Once Little Red took off, Chu Chengzhou lightly tapped his toes, leaped onto her back with the girl over his shoulder, and flew into the sky.
At this moment, in the sky above, a massive green snake and a huge crimson firebird were locked in fierce combat. Poison mist filled the air, flames surged, and their soul skills clashed back and forth—it was a spectacular scene.
Suddenly, a streak of crimson light shot forward, striking the huge crimson firebird and sparking a flash of fire.
Noticing the attack, which was neither painful nor significant, Ling Yuan Douluo—who was dominating Dugu Bo—turned to look at the source of the attack.
"This esteemed one, shall we pause the battle?"
From afar, Chu Chengzhou, standing on Little Red's back, fired a soul-powered arrow, then put away the Sun Chasing Bow and lifted Hu Liena in his hand.
Seeing Hu Liena in Chu Chengzhou's grasp, Ling Yuan Douluo in her True Body couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
"Boy, release her!"
After forcing Dugu Bo back with a move, Ling Yuan Douluo shouted fiercely.
"Releasing her is possible, but only after Senior Dugu and I are safe!"
Chu Chengzhou smiled and said.
"Brat, you're courting death!"
Ling Yuan Douluo became enraged, her powerful aura fully revealed. Flapping her wings, she shot toward Chu Chengzhou at high speed.
"Stop! Esteemed one, don't come closer, or I can't guarantee her safety."
Seeing Ling Yuan Douluo approaching, Chu Chengzhou immediately commanded Little Red to retreat rapidly. At the same time, he materialized a titanium armor-piercing arrow, pressing its sharp tip against Hu Liena's pale neck.
Seeing this, Ling Yuan Douluo hastily stopped her advance.
"Boy, are you threatening this Douluo?"
In her True Body, Ling Yuan Douluo's bird-like eyes radiated hostility, glaring at Chu Chengzhou.
"Esteemed one, you misunderstand. I wouldn't dare threaten you. Kidnapping the Pope's disciple is purely for self-preservation."
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou directed Little Red to circle halfway around and fly to Dugu Bo's side.
Hearing this, Ling Yuan Douluo was shocked, suddenly feeling the situation was extremely tricky.
This youth knew that the hostage in his hands was the Pope's disciple—that meant she was truly cornered.
"Haha—!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou use the hostage to threaten Ling Yuan Douluo, Dugu Bo laughed loudly, exited his True Body, and swiftly stepped onto Little Red's back.
"Chu lad, is this Pope Bibi Dong's disciple?"
Glancing at Hu Liena in Chu Chengzhou's hand, the slightly disheveled Dugu Bo asked with a smile.
"Mm."
Nodding, Chu Chengzhou kept his eyes on Ling Yuan Douluo in the distance.
"Esteemed one, we bear no grudges against each other, and no irreversible damage has been done. Why not step back?
Once Senior Dugu and I are safe, we will return the Pope's disciple to the Spirit Hall."
Chu Chengzhou addressed Ling Yuan Douluo.
"Impossible, hand over Hu Liena!"
Ling Yuan Douluo dared not agree to Chu Chengzhou's conditions. What if he changed his mind afterward and secretly harmed Hu Liena?
Hand her over? Never!
Without the hostage, how could he and Dugu Bo escape?
"Esteemed one, please rest assured. Neither Senior Dugu nor I wish to incur the wrath of Pope Bibi Dong. Once we are safe, we will definitely return Hu Liena. You need not worry about that."
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou directed Little Red to fly away into the distance.
Immediately, Ling Yuan Douluo grew anxious and quickly pursued them.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou gripped the arrow and plunged it directly into Hu Liena's pale thigh.
Puff—
The sharp arrowhead pierced through flesh, and bright red blood immediately began oozing from the wound.
"!!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou's complete lack of mercy, Dugu Bo's eyes widened.
He had underestimated this young man—how could he harm such a beautiful girl so decisively? Impressive, decisive!
"You!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou's mercilessness, Ling Yuan Douluo immediately halted her advance.
"If the Esteemed one wants the Pope's disciple to live, don't follow us!"
Pulling out the titanium armor-piercing arrow, Chu Chengzhou once again pressed the arrowhead against Hu Liena's neck.
This verbal threat from Chu Chengzhou carried far more weight than before.
This youth had stabbed Hu Liena's thigh without hesitation. Ling Yuan Douluo had no doubt that if pushed too far, the next target wouldn't be her thigh—it'd be her neck.
"Damn it!"
Watching Chu Chengzhou and Dugu Bo swiftly retreat, Ling Yuan Douluo was consumed with rage.
Unfortunately, with Hu Liena as a hostage, she was powerless to act.
Ignore Hu Liena's safety and forcefully retrieve her?
Even though Dugu Bo couldn't defeat her, he could easily kill Hu Liena before his defeat. If Hu Liena were killed because of her reckless actions, Pope Bibi Dong would surely skin her alive!
In her field of vision, everything was pitch black, and all was silent. Hu Liena, pitiful and helpless, clutched her thigh, curled up, and crouched in an unknown space.
'Teacher, Hu Liena is so scared!'
Fear overwhelmed her heart, and endless streams of tears spilled from her eyes.
Hu Liena could feel her tears, but she couldn't see anything or hear her own cries of helplessness. All that remained was endless darkness and silence.
At this moment, Hu Liena missed Bibi Dong's embrace more than ever before.
After what seemed like an eternity, the silent darkness twisted, and when Hu Liena regained consciousness, her vision wasn't completely dark anymore, and the sound of rushing wind filled her ears.
Opening her eyes, she saw the sun illuminating the earth and a few white clouds drifting across the blue sky.
"Sunlight, blue sky, white clouds—it's so beautiful!"
Gazing at the blinding sun and the floating white clouds, Hu Liena murmured softly.
Only after losing something does one truly appreciate it. At this moment, Hu Liena found this saying to be absolutely true.
"Chu lad, what did you do to her? Did you drive her insane?"
Hearing Hu Liena's murmurs, Dugu Bo looked at Chu Chengzhou in astonishment.
"Not much—I just used an illusion skill on her."
Shrugging, Chu Chengzhou replied innocently.
"!!"
Hearing unfamiliar voices nearby, Hu Liena, who had been lying down, quickly sat up.
Looking around, she realized she was on the back of a fiery red flying creature in the sky—it looked like a phoenix. Beside her were two figures, one old and one young.
"Hiss!"
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her thigh, and Hu Liena couldn't help but suck in a breath.
Looking down, she saw a wound on her previously smooth right thigh, about the size of half a fingernail.
The wound wasn't shallow, and the blood hadn't dried completely, nearly bringing tears to her eyes from the pain.
However, Hu Liena ignored the injury for now and turned to look at the old man and the youth.
She didn't recognize the youth—hadn't seen him before. He was somewhat handsome, holding a flag, with three spirit rings glowing around him—two yellow and one purple.
His level was either a newly promoted Soul Elder or a level 40 quasi-Soul Ancestor here to hunt souls in the Great Star Dou Forest. As for the elder...
Hu Liena's eyes widened. "Dugu..."
She intended to call Dugu Bo by name but remembered he was a Douluo. While casually addressing him behind his back was fine, calling him directly by name in front of him was disrespectful. Hu Liena closed her mouth.
"Since you recognize Senior Dugu, then it's settled!
You're now a captive. From now on, behave yourself, don't try anything funny, and we'll return you to the Spirit Hall after leaving the Great Star Dou Forest."
Seeing that Hu Liena's consciousness was still clear and hadn't been traumatized by his "super black room," Chu Chengzhou wasted no words and got straight to the point.
"Who are you? Was it you who cast that illusion on me earlier?"
Hearing this, Hu Liena's anger flared, and she questioned him sharply.
"Captive girl, watch your tone. Unless you want to experience my 'black room technique' again."
Chu Chengzhou wasn't angry, speaking calmly.
Hearing this, Hu Liena trembled, involuntarily recalling the helplessness and despair she felt in that silent, dark space.
For a moment, fear overcame her anger. Hu Liena shrank back, lowered her head, and dared not speak further, fearing another trip to the 'black room.'
That 'black room technique' was terrifying—arguably the most evil illusion in the world. She never wanted to experience it again.
Another wave of pain came from the wound on her leg. Hurriedly, Hu Liena retrieved a jade box from her portable soul tool storage and applied some healing ointment to the injury.
Being a soul master wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Fighting and injuries were commonplace. Without a healer-type soul master on the team, healing ointments were essential for any adventurer heading out.
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