"Your Highness, after advancing another three or four li, we shall enter the territory of the Star Dou Great Forest!"
A captain of the Imperial Knights respectfully reported.
Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) nodded slightly:
"The purpose of our journey is the [Everlasting Life Vine]!"
"My royal father is advanced in years and frail; he urgently requires such a life-extending treasure to consolidate his foundation and nourish his vitality. The depths of the Star Dou Great Forest harbor far too many powerful soul beasts. All of you must strictly restrain your auras and refrain from recklessly provoking them."
At this moment, the Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had already been assassinated and replaced by Qian Renxue in disguise.
According to the original timeline, Qian Renxue was approximately ten years older than Tang San.
Tang San was currently a little over seven years old, while Qian Renxue, under the guise of Xue Qinghe, outwardly appeared to be around eighteen—an adult by societal standards.
To advance her "usurpation plan," Qian Renxue naturally needed to accumulate favor in the eyes of Emperor Xue Ye.
The emperor's birthday was approaching soon, and Qian Renxue intended to present the [Everlasting Life Vine] as a gift to win his favor.
Qian Renxue was well aware that imperial authority in the Heaven Dou Empire was excessively fragmented. Within the imperial family, aside from Emperor Xue Ye, there existed Prince Xue Xing.
Prince Xue Xing controlled approximately half of the empire's military power and represented a major obstacle in Qian Renxue's scheme to seize the throne.
However, Prince Xue Xing was supported by the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. Qian Renxue knew she could not eliminate him through means such as assassination. Infiltrating and controlling the vast Heaven Dou Empire would still require patient, incremental progress.
"Please rest assured, Your Highness. The Imperial Knights will under no circumstances act rashly."
The captain of the Imperial Knights responded gravely.
To ensure the successful acquisition of the immortal herb—the [Everlasting Life Vine]—Qian Renxue had, in her capacity as Crown Prince, specially mobilized three hundred knights of the Heaven Dou Imperial Guard.
The Imperial Knights constituted the elite of the elite within the Heaven Dou Empire, excelling in disciplined formations and military order. Every member possessed strength at or above the Soul Venerable rank.
Returning to the interior of the carriage, Qian Renxue sat in silent meditation for a moment.
The shadows at the rear of the compartment subtly distorted.
Two figures emerged without the slightest sound.
The figure on the left was gaunt and slightly hunched, his skin tinged with a sickly grayish-blue. His narrow eyes were turbid yet piercing, and his aura was restrained to near-deathly stillness. This was the Spirit Hall elder—Thorn Porcupine Douluo.
The figure on the right was tall and thin, with a cold and stern countenance, prominent cheekbones, and long, narrow eyes that carried the distinctive chill of a serpent.
He stood with hands clasped behind his back, spine straight as a spear—this was Snake Spear Douluo.
Both wore unremarkable gray robes, their presence seamlessly blending into the carriage's shadows.
"Once we enter the forest and begin searching for the immortal herb, I must trouble the two esteemed elders to take great care."
Qian Renxue instructed in a low, serious tone.
Thorn Porcupine Douluo and Snake Spear Douluo cupped their hands in acknowledgment:
"Young Lord need not worry. The two of us shall spare no effort."
Naturally, their conversation was enveloped by a special soul power barrier created by a Title Douluo, rendering it completely inaudible to the Imperial Knights outside.
......
Meanwhile, Tang Yi was also en route toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
Unexpectedly, he encountered Tang San and Yu Xiaogang once again along the way.
Tang San, upon seeing Tang Yi, found it peculiar:
"Little brother, why are you wandering about instead of remaining in Notting City? Judging by the direction of your travel, are you heading toward the Star Dou Great Forest?"
Tang Yi replied coldly:
"Elder brother, where I go is none of your concern. I simply felt homesick and returned to Saint Spirit Village to visit Grandfather Jack."
After a brief pause, Tang Yi continued:
"Grandfather Jack frequently aided us when we were young. Without him, the two of us brothers might have starved to death long ago. Elder brother, I ask nothing else of you."
"But remember this: no matter how powerful a soul master you become in the future, you must never forget Saint Spirit Village. You must never forget Grandfather Jack's kindness! A drop of water received in kindness must be repaid with a fountain! Especially since Grandfather Jack has no blood relation to us, yet treated us with such generosity!"
Tang San, however, turned a deaf ear. In his heart, he still held greater reverence for his "father" Tang Hao—the man who had sired him yet largely neglected him.
Recalling Xiao Wu's earlier words, Tang San suddenly pointed at Tang Yi:
"Little brother, release your soul power. Let me see what rank you have reached now."
A faint, amused smile curved the corner of Tang Yi's mouth:
"You wish to see my soul power?"
Tang Yi naturally associated this with Xiao Wu; she must have been unable to contain herself and told Tang San about his strength.
Now that Tang San had encountered him in person, he was evidently eager to confirm whether Tang Yi had truly obtained his first soul ring and become a soul master.
Had this meeting occurred earlier, Tang Yi might have devised some means of concealment.
However, ever since acquiring the [Yan Huang Soul Canon] and receiving the massive soul power amplification from his mother's hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Empress right leg bone, Tang Yi's current outward appearance—by design—was that of a first-rank soul master (third cycle)!
In truth, his soul power had long surpassed the twenty-ninth rank. Having undergone two full cycles of regression and re-cultivation, he was now in the final cycle!
In actual combat, even a thirty-ninth-rank Soul Venerable could not match the sheer "quality" of Tang Yi's soul power.
"Very well. I shall release it for you to see."
Tang Yi summoned his martial soul—Blue Silver Grass.
Thanks to the unique and miraculous properties of the [Yan Huang Soul Canon], the first soul ring he had originally obtained from the Azure Nether Longevity Crane had been ingeniously concealed.
It would only reappear once Tang Yi's soul power reached the tenth rank again during the third cycle.
At present, Tang San's [Purple Extreme Demonic Eye] had not yet attained the "Mustard Seed" realm and was far from capable of discerning such subtleties.
Seeing this, Tang San let out a relieved laugh, feeling inexplicably pleased:
"As expected—still only first-rank soul power! Little brother, you have been enrolled for several months now and remain a first-rank soul master. Your talent truly is not high."
"Elder brother, I advise you to stay obediently in Notting City. Otherwise, should you encounter danger, you will find it difficult to protect yourself."
Tang San spoke with pride.
Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San on the shoulder:
"Little San, seeing is believing—far better than hearsay, is it not?"
Tang San nodded:
"Indeed, Teacher!"
"Sigh… I never expected even Xiao Wu would deceive me!"
Recalling how Xiao Wu had insisted that his younger brother Tang Yi possessed a two-thousand-year soul ring and had reached the twelfth rank as a soul master, Tang San felt a surge of disdain.
"Beautiful women truly cannot be trusted! From now on, I must not fully believe Xiao Wu. I should learn to maintain distance from her!"
Tang San silently resolved in his heart.
"Mind your own affairs."
Tang Yi offered no further engagement. He knew that, given Tang San's inherently suspicious nature, the relationship between him and Xiao Wu was now inevitably fracturing further.
Across the entire Douluo Continent, Xiao Wu ranked among the exceedingly rare hundred-thousand-year soul beasts who had taken human form and begun cultivation anew.
Such an exceptional soul ring and soul bone—having been reborn into this world, Tang Yi naturally had no intention of allowing them to fall into Tang San's hands for free.
Yu Xiaogang ruffled Tang San's hair:
"Little San, let us depart. I have prepared the next phase of special training for you—still within the Soul Beast Hunting Forest!"
...…
Several days later, Tang Yi finally arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest.
Upon stepping inside, he was immediately enveloped by an overwhelming expanse of deep, almost inky green.
Ancient trees towered into the sky, their canopies forming a vast cloud-like ceiling. Interwoven branches and leaves blocked out the sun, allowing only scattered slivers of daylight to slant through the gaps and cast fragmented golden flecks upon the thick carpet of fallen leaves.
From all directions came the occasional deep, resonant roars of beasts.
The heaven-and-earth spiritual energy here was several times denser than that of Notting City!
Without wasting a moment, Tang Yi immediately began circulating the Nine Yang True Scripture!
Within his body, the "Nine Yang Smelting Furnace" naturally commenced absorbing the abundant ambient spiritual energy, cycling it endlessly through his extraordinary meridians—one small heavenly cycle after another, then great heavenly cycles in succession!
Tang Yi also drew the Desert Eagle, commencing his hunt for soul beasts!