The Discussion Hall.
Long Aoyu and the other two pushed open the door and entered.
Du Busi was sitting in the main seat, with ten Elders lined up on both sides, while a simple hand-drawn topographical map was spread across the table.
Elder Wei and Elder Zhao stood beside the table, still carrying the dust of travel on their clothes.
The other Elders were much the same, having only just returned from their respective searches.
“Xiaoyu, Aotian, Na’er, come and sit.”
Du Busi waved them over.
Elder Wei looked up at them, then lowered his head and pointed at a mark on the map.
“A few disciples first discovered this place and sent word to Old Zhao and me, which is why we immediately rushed over to investigate.”
Long Aoyu and the other two stepped forward to look at the map.
That area had been circled in charcoal by Elder Wei, while the surrounding region was densely marked with lines indicating the approximate range of the toxic miasma.
“They didn’t dare to go in.”
Elder Wei said with a serious expression, “There is a dense ring of toxic miasma around the outer edge of that valley, and its toxicity is extremely overbearing.
After Old Zhao and I arrived, we carefully sensed the situation and discovered that the miasma was not naturally formed.
It was deliberately laid down by someone.”
“Yes.”
Elder Zhao nodded in agreement from the side.
“Someone who can arrange such a powerful poisonous barrier is definitely not an ordinary Spirit Master.
At the very least, the person behind it has an extremely deep understanding of poison, and there is a high possibility that they are a Titled Douluo.
We therefore came back first instead of rashly entering the valley.”
After hearing this, Du Busi nodded.
“As fellow Titled Douluos, and with the opponent’s strength unknown, you were right not to barge in.
Rashly disturbing them would only alert the enemy and potentially cause them to destroy or move the Immortal Herbs inside.”
Du Busi’s gaze shifted toward Long Aoyu.
“Xiaoyu, what do you think?”
Long Aoyu hardly hesitated.
“Since we’ve found the place, we should just go straight there.”
“No matter how overbearing the poisonous formation is, can it possibly be stronger than your own Body Poison?
Even if the person who set up the formation comes in person, what of it?”
Du Busi’s Body Martial Soul contained extremely powerful toxins, and after undergoing its Golden-grade secondary awakening, the poisonous power within his body had reached an extremely terrifying level.
Although Dugu Bo’s Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor poison was also famous across the continent, Du Busi’s Body Poison was on a completely different level.
“Hahaha!”
Hearing this, Du Busi was stunned for a moment before bursting into loud laughter, his voice deep and resonant like a great bell.
The ten Elders also laughed along.
“Xiaoyu is right.”
Jin Peng said while stroking his beard with one hand, his face filled with approval.
Elder Wei slapped the table directly.
“Exactly!
The Sect Master is a level 98 Super Douluo.
That little bit of poison is not even worth mentioning in front of him.
Unless the person behind that poisonous formation is a Limit Douluo, there is simply no reason for us to be afraid.”
A look of satisfaction appeared on Du Busi’s resolute face, and he waved his large hand.
“Well said!
As expected of my disciple!”
Du Busi paused for a moment before his expression became serious again.
“Alright, since we’ve found it, let’s not waste any more time.
Get ready.
We set off in half an hour.”
“Old Wei and Old Zhao will lead the way, while the remaining Elders stay behind to guard the Sect.”
“Yes!”
Jin Peng and the other Elders responded in unison, then dispersed to make their preparations.
“Aotian, Na’er, are you two coming along?”
Du Busi looked toward Long Aotian and Wei Na.
Long Aotian and Wei Na exchanged a look.
They had long been incredibly curious about the Immortal Herbs.
After all, the entire Body Sect had spent so much time searching for them, and now that there was finally a confirmed lead, neither of them wanted to remain behind and wait for everyone else to return.
Now that Du Busi had personally asked, the two of them nodded almost at the same time.
Long Aotian was the first to speak.
“Yes!
Of course we’re going!”
Wei Na stood beside him, her usually cool face showing a rare and obvious look of anticipation.
“I want to see them with my own eyes, too.”
Seeing them like this, Du Busi smiled and nodded, leaning his bulky frame back against the chair.
“Alright, then let’s all go together, so you two don’t have to sit around anxiously waiting back at the Sect. New chapters come out on g.com first.
The Immortal Herbs are extremely rare treasures, and even I am somewhat curious about what kind of opportunity they can provide.”
“Alright, go get ready.
We’ll gather at the mountain pass in half an hour.”
“Yes!”
Long Aotian and Wei Na assented, then turned around and quickly left the Discussion Hall.
Only the master and disciple, Du Busi and Long Aoyu, were left in the Discussion Hall.
Du Busi stood up, stretched his shoulders, and turned to look at Long Aoyu.
“Come on, take me to the dispensary to see that little girl.”
Long Aoyu was startled.
“Master, what are you going to the dispensary for?”
“To see how her injuries are recovering.”
Du Busi strode out while speaking.
“Besides, you haven’t told your master about that girl’s background yet.
Don’t tell me you don’t know.”
Long Aoyu quickly caught up and briefly explained Zhu Zhuqing’s situation as they walked.
“Her name is Zhu Zhuqing.
She is the second daughter of the Nether Duke’s Mansion of the Star Luo Empire and the younger sister of Zhu Zhuyun.
She is also the fiancée of the Star Luo Empire’s third prince, Dai Mubai.”
Du Busi was stunned at first.
“Zhu Zhuqing?”
He then glanced at Long Aoyu with a strange expression.
“That little girl from the Nether Duke’s Mansion?”
Long Aoyu nodded.
“She is the second daughter of the Star Luo Empire’s Nether Duke’s Mansion.
The Zhu family, which has maintained generations of marriage alliances with the Star Luo imperial family, possesses the Netherworld Civet Martial Soul and can form the famous Hell White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Skill with the Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul of the Star Luo imperial family.”
“Good boy.”
Du Busi’s face immediately broke into a broad smile.
“You actually picked up such a good seedling.
You’ve got quite an eye!”
As for whether the Star Luo Empire would retaliate after finding out that Zhu Zhuqing had been brought into the Body Sect, Du Busi did not care in the slightest.
Was the Star Luo Empire really that strong?
The Star Luo Empire occupied a huge territory on the continent, and its military strength was indeed formidable.
Its imperial family also possessed the powerful Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul and a terrifying Martial Soul Fusion Skill with the Nether Duke’s family.
Under the right circumstances, the Hell White Tiger could display combat power comparable to a Titled Douluo.
However, that did not mean the Star Luo Empire itself possessed a true Titled Douluo.
In terms of publicly known top-level combat power, the empire did not have a Titled Douluo directly under its command.
The strongest imperial combat method relied on the Martial Soul Fusion Skill of the two bloodlines.
The Body Sect, on the other hand, possessed eleven Titled Douluos, including Du Busi himself, a level 98 Super Douluo.
“It is no exaggeration to say that if the Star Luo imperial family really dares to come looking for trouble, I could suppress them with one hand.”
Du Busi’s expression was full of disdain.
“The Body Sect has never been afraid of trouble.”
…
The dispensary.
Zhu Zhuqing had already woken up and was leaning against the headboard, holding the medicinal bowl that had just been brought in by the old physician.
“You’re here.”
Hearing the door open, Zhu Zhuqing looked up.
When she saw Long Aoyu walk in, the corners of her mouth had just begun to curve upward.
Immediately afterward, Zhu Zhuqing saw a burly, resolute-looking elderly man entering behind Long Aoyu.
Her smile stiffened slightly, and she hastily placed the medicine bowl aside before sitting up straight.
Long Aoyu took the initiative to introduce him.
“This is my master, the Sect Master of the Body Sect, Du Busi.”
“This junior, Zhu Zhuqing, thanks Senior for saving my life.”
Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly bowed her head in greeting.
Du Busi walked to the bedside and carefully sized her up.
His powerful spiritual sense swept across her body for a moment, and he quickly understood the general condition of her injuries.
“Your injuries are recovering well.”
“Xiaoyu just told me about your situation.
If you don’t want to go back to that Star Luo mess, then don’t go back.
The Body Sect doesn’t lack a bite of food for you.”
Du Busi’s tone was unexpectedly genial.
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned.
She had not expected this imposing elderly man, who possessed an aura that made even her instincts feel pressured, to speak to her in such a kind manner. You are reading on NovelPing, the official source.
“…Thank you, Senior.”
Du Busi waved his hand.
“I just came to take a look.
You two talk.”
He turned to walk out, but at the door, he suddenly turned back and added, “Xiaoyu, gather at the mountain pass in half an hour.
Don’t be late.”
With that, he strode away.
The dispensary fell quiet again.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Long Aoyu and hesitated for a moment before asking softly, “Are you…
going out?”
“Yes, I’m going to the Sunset Forest to take care of some business.”
Long Aoyu walked to the bedside.
“If we’re fast, we’ll be back in two or three days.”
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
“Then be careful.”
Long Aoyu looked into her amber eyes and smiled.
“Don’t worry.
My master and two Elders are going along.
It’s perfectly safe.”
“Is your master a Titled Douluo?”
Zhu Zhuqing asked hesitantly.
“You guessed right.”
Long Aoyu smiled.
“Not just my master.
The two Elders leading the expedition are also Titled Douluos.”
“What?!”
Zhu Zhuqing was greatly shocked.
As the legitimate daughter of the Nether Duke’s Mansion, she knew all too well how powerful and rare Titled Douluos were.
Even the Star Luo Empire, one of the two great human empires, did not have a publicly known Titled Douluo directly serving under its imperial family.
Yet this Body Sect, which she had never heard much about before, actually possessed at least three Titled Douluos among the people accompanying them on this journey.
And this was only what Long Aoyu had revealed to her.
As for whether there were more, Zhu Zhuqing did not dare to imagine.
“So your Sect is actually this strong…”
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head.
She suddenly felt as though she was not worthy of Long Aoyu.
She was merely the abandoned fiancée of the Star Luo Empire’s third prince, a young Spirit Master being hunted by her own family, while the young man before her was the Young Sect Master of a hidden and terrifying force with numerous Titled Douluos.
Hearing her words, Long Aoyu looked at her lowered head and noticed her fingers unconsciously clutching the bedsheet.
He could roughly guess what she was thinking.
“Don’t overthink things.”
Long Aoyu sat on the edge of the bed and gently took Zhu Zhuqing’s slender hand.
“You are you, and the strength of the Sect has nothing to do with whether you are worthy of anyone.
Recover well.
When I get back, I’ll take you to Suotuo City.”
Zhu Zhuqing looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then softly murmured in agreement.
Although she did not say anything else, the fingers that had been clutching the bedsheet gradually loosened, and her shoulders were no longer as tense as before.
Long Aoyu stood up.
“I have to leave now.
Remember to take your medicine on time.”
“I know.”
Zhu Zhuqing nodded obediently, watching Long Aoyu walk toward the door.
“Long Aoyu.”
“Hmm?”
“Come back safely.”
Long Aoyu turned his head and smiled.
“Of course.”
With that, he left the dispensary and closed the door behind him.
Outside, the Body Sect was already beginning to mobilize.
The search for the Immortal Herbs had finally produced a definite lead, and the entire expedition was about to begin.
For Long Aoyu, this trip to the Sunset Forest was far more important than merely obtaining a few rare medicinal herbs.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well contained countless precious Immortal Herbs, and among them were treasures capable of changing the fate of several future powerhouses.
This time, he would not allow those treasures to fall into the hands of Tang San and the others as they had in the original history.