Chapter 117: The Appearance of the Eight-Legged Spider Soul Bone
"Senior, although you are a Soul Douluo, there are still many soul masters stronger than you," Dugu Yan answered calmly but assertively.
"Ridiculous. I am a Soul Douluo with eight rings, a rare title even in the entire empire. The only ones stronger than me are the Title Douluos," Meng Shu scoffed dismissively.
"Moreover, the Oaklan Academy is just an ordinary senior soul master academy, mostly filled with commoner students. You, a mere commoner, are not qualified to make connections with those titled ones," he added arrogantly, his expression filled with disdain.
"Exactly, my grandfather is a Soul Douluo, and there are few soul masters stronger than him in the entire Tiandou Empire. You two should just wait to die," Meng Yiran said, crossing her arms and pushing out her chest slightly, her tone full of confidence.
"Senior, please take a look at this before deciding the fates of me and Tang San," Dugu Yan said, his voice steady as he reached into his waist pouch and retrieved a token. He tossed it to Meng Shu.
"Hmph?! Now you want to beg for mercy? It's too late!" Meng Yiran sneered.
But what she didn't expect was that when Meng Shu caught the token and looked at it, his expression immediately changed. He quickly reprimanded Meng Yiran.
"Yiran, shut up!"
"Grandfather?!" Meng Yiran looked at her grandfather in disbelief.
Meng Shu ignored her, his face now serious as he turned back to Dugu Yan.
"Kid, where did you get this token?"
"Since Senior recognizes the token, you must already know where I obtained it from," Dugu Yan replied indifferently.
Meng Shu gripped the token tightly, feeling the sword energy emanating from it. After a deep breath, his face regained its coldness.
"Even if you have the protection of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, it won't make me let Tang San go! Even if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wants to seek an explanation from me, I will have my reasons," Meng Shu said sternly.
The token that Dugu Yan threw at Meng Shu bore the emblem of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School: a seven-layered tower, surrounded by a sword and a bone dragon. This was the symbol of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and anyone holding this token would be protected by the sect—anyone who dared harm the bearer would face pursuit from the sect, even to the extent of sending out a Title Douluo-level powerhouse.
This token was called the Seven Treasure Token.
Anyone possessing this token was considered a high-ranking guest of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Dugu Yan had received the token as a token of gratitude from Ning Fengzhi after he helped evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, a great favor to the school.
Upon seeing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School emblem, Meng Yiran and Chao Tianxiang's expressions changed, and their gazes toward Dugu Yan became more cautious.
"How is this possible? He is actually a guest of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?" Meng Yiran said, her voice filled with disbelief.
Tang San also looked at Dugu Yan in surprise.
"No wonder this guy had a private conversation with Ning Rongrong earlier and avoided everyone. They must already know each other," he thought. "But how did he gain such favor from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School? He's just a Soul Zun."
Dugu Yan's expression grew more serious. He hadn't expected that even the name of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wouldn't deter Meng Shu.
If he didn't deal with the Gao Shi Long She family quickly, his hope of obtaining the Eight-Legged Spider Soul Bone would be slim.
The Shrek group could show up at any moment. Even though Dugu Yan had laid some false tracks to mislead them, it was impossible to truly delay them for long.
The most important thing now was to drive away the Gao Shi Long She family, and then let Tang San immediately absorb the soul ring!
Taking a deep breath, Dugu Yan retrieved another token from his pouch and tossed it to Meng Shu.
When Meng Shu saw the new token, he froze, his lips twitching as he thought, "A White Tiger family token? From the Royal Family of the Xingluo Empire? They have also arrived in the Star Dou Forest on the Tiandou side?"
He took a deep breath, and then coldly said, "With this token, it still doesn't make me let you go..."
Before Meng Shu could finish his sentence, Dugu Yan threw another token at him.
"Senior, is this token enough?" Dugu Yan said, his voice cold.
"Where did this kid get all these tokens?" Meng Shu thought, internally mocking the situation.
When he finally recognized the token, his pupils dilated, and an expression of shock appeared on his face.
"You actually have the token of this Lord? What is your relationship with this Lord?" Meng Shu's voice even quivered slightly.
"If even the token of Bi Lin Douluo can't make you leave, then I'll step aside. I will no longer interfere with your affairs with Tang San," Dugu Yan bowed, offering his respect.
Bi Lin Douluo, Dugu Bo, though his strength was not comparable to the two Title Douluos of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, was known for being ruthless and merciless. Once someone caught his attention, they would be tormented beyond measure.
"Although I don't know how this kid obtained Bi Lin Douluo's token, it is clear that both Bi Lin Douluo and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School take him very seriously," Meng Shu thought. "These are forces that I cannot provoke. And with Jackson hiding in the shadows, if I were to harm this kid, my family would likely face destruction! I can't accept that."
After a long moment of hesitation, Meng Shu's face darkened, his eyes flickering. He finally gave the order.
"Yiran, we leave!"
"Grandfather!" Meng Yiran said in a huff, her eyes filled with hatred as she glared at Dugu Yan.
At this point, she no longer hated Tang San as much for taking her soul beast. Instead, she directed all her hatred at Dugu Yan, who had been obstructing her.
"Yiran, stop being childish," Chao Tianxiang advised. Though she didn't understand why Meng Shu wanted them to leave, she had been married to him for many years and would never openly oppose him.
Seeing that her grandfather and grandmother were about to leave, Meng Yiran, though unwilling, had no choice but to follow them.
Just as they were preparing to leave, Dugu Yan suddenly spoke.
"Senior, since this young lady still hasn't obtained a satisfactory soul beast, you might want to consider heading to the Sunset Forest. With my token, Poison Douluo will surely offer assistance."
Meng Shu turned his head, his normally cold face finally breaking into a slight smile.
"Thank you for your kindness, but with Bi Lin Douluo's esteemed status, it's better not to trouble him," he said before leading the way, disappearing into the forest.
Meng Yiran gave Dugu Yan a cold snort and turned away, walking after the Gao Shi Long She family.
As the Gao Shi Long She family left, Tang San still didn't let his guard down. His Zhuge Divine Crossbow was at the ready, poised to strike if Dugu Yan made any suspicious move.
The third rule of the Xuantian Treasure Record: Confirm that the opponent is your enemy. If they have a path to death, don't show mercy, or it will only bring you trouble.
If Dugu Yan displayed any hostility toward him, Tang San would have no hesitation in killing him!
Thanks to Dugu Yan's immense spiritual power, he naturally noticed Tang San's subtle movements. Though he was wary of the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, Dugu Yan remained calm.
"Now that the Gao Shi Long She family has left, if you wish to absorb the Man-Faced Demon Spider's soul ring, now is the time, Tang San," he said, his tone calm but urgent. "Little Wu has already been taken away by the Titan Giant Ape. Now that I'm here to guard you, it's the perfect time to absorb the soul ring."
"Dugu Yan, don't try to compete with Meng Yiran by showing off your hidden weapons. Hurry up and absorb the Soul Ring of the Human-Faced Demon Spider! I can hardly wait!"
Upon hearing Dugu Yan's explanation, Tang San's heart finally calmed down. He retracted the Zhuge Divine Crossbow back into the Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlit Night.
With a grateful tone, he said, "Thank you for guarding me, Brother Dugu Yan!"
Dugu Yan responded sorrowfully, "I truly admire your actions. Time is of the essence; quickly absorb the Soul Ring!" His words carried a sense of empathy, as if he could deeply relate to Tang San's pain of losing Xiao Wu.
Dugu Yan's performance stunned Tang San. He sat cross-legged, assuming a meditative position, and his heart filled with emotion: "Dugu Yan is truly a good person!"
Under the pull of the soul force, the Soul Ring of the Human-Faced Demon Spider sank into Tang San's body. Soon after, he let out a muffled grunt of pain, his entire body enveloped in a layer of blood mist.
Seeing Tang San's condition, Dugu Yan's eyes flickered. He knew that this Human-Faced Demon Spider Soul Ring had surpassed the 1,700-year mark, which was the limit for a third Soul Ring. Yet, he showed no concern.
If something were to go wrong during the absorption, and Tang San died, it would be for the best. In that case, the Spirit Hall would not be destroyed.
If, like in the original story, Tang San successfully absorbed the ring, Dugu Yan could then take the Eight Spider Soul Bone, and without it, Tang San wouldn't be so successful in his future battles. The Spirit Hall would not meet its demise.
Not to mention, even the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall would likely not be able to overcome the Imperial Fighting Team from the Star Luo Empire.
Furthermore, obtaining the Eight Spider Soul Bone would further enhance Dugu Yan's strength. His hatred for the Queen of the Star Luo Empire had never diminished. To kill the Queen, he would have to face resistance from the entire empire.
As the mother of a nation, how could she be killed so easily?
Thus, to kill the Queen, one must possess the strength to suppress an entire country—ordinary Title Douluo would not suffice. Only a ninety-eight or even ninety-nine-level Limit Douluo would be enough!
Moreover, he would need to utilize the power of the Spirit Hall.
Taking a deep breath, Dugu Yan's gaze fixed on Tang San, silently waiting for the outcome of the absorption.
At that moment, there was a sudden rustling sound in the forest. Dugu Yan turned around and saw a familiar, elegant figure: Zhu Zhuqing.
"Brother Yan, why did you set up some false clues? If I hadn't been familiar with you, I might have gotten lost," Zhu Zhuqing said, her face raised, her purple pupils glowing with a captivating light.
Hearing her words, Dugu Yan couldn't help but laugh softly. As expected, it was Zhu Zhuqing. His tricks had never been able to fool her.
At the same time, his heart tightened.
"If Zhu Zhuqing caught up this quickly, does that mean the Shrek group isn't far behind? Won't they arrive soon? How am I going to obtain the Eight Spider Soul Bone now?"
With a nervous tone, he asked Zhu Zhuqing, "Never mind the false information I set up. What about the others behind you?"
Zhu Zhuqing's face revealed a playful look as she replied, "Once I realized the clues you left were false, I added a few more myself. They'll probably need some time to find us!"
Dugu Yan's nervous heart immediately relaxed a little. He chuckled and teased, "You're quite the clever one."
Zhu Zhuqing's face lit up with a joyful smile, completely different from the icy demeanor she usually showed in front of others. This was the kind of charm that only Dugu Yan was privileged to witness.
Suddenly, Zhu Zhuqing noticed Tang San, who was absorbing the Soul Ring, and was surprised. "He... He has already reached the Soul Sect level?"
She turned to look at Dugu Yan but noticed the complex expression on his face.
Softly, she asked, "Brother Yan, what's wrong?"
Dugu Yan took a deep breath, and with soul power, he set up a soundproof barrier. Then, he turned his gaze towards Zhu Zhuqing and said, "What if the image I've shown you in your mind is entirely the one I've deliberately portrayed? What if my true nature is different from what you've seen? What would you think?"
Zhu Zhuqing let out a soft laugh. "After all these years with you, do you think I wouldn't know what kind of person you are?"
"You have lecherous thoughts but no courage, you dream of having a harem but don't know how to interact with girls."
Dugu Yan's face immediately turned awkward. In his past life, he was just an ordinary student who never had the experience of being a playboy.
He cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness and said seriously, "That's not what I meant. If I were a scheming villain, would you dislike me?"
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, her gaze softening. She leaned gently against Dugu Yan's chest and said, "Do you know? Six years ago, when I failed the assassination attempt, and you let me go, I decided to follow you from that moment on."
"Regardless of what kind of person you are, I'll stay by your side."
Hearing this, Dugu Yan felt a deep warmth in his heart. But then, recalling the original story, a hint of gloom crossed his mind.
"Is it because of the engagement?" he asked.
Zhu Zhuqing showed a surprised expression, her eyes staring hard at Dugu Yan.
"Brother Yan, do you really think that a mere engagement could compare to you?"
"Since I've decided to follow you, nothing can change my heart."
Dugu Yan was stunned, then he reached out and tightly hugged Zhu Zhuqing.
In the original story, Zhu Zhuqing had traveled a great distance to find Dai Mubai. At the time, Dugu Yan had wondered whether Zhu Zhuqing truly loved Dai Mubai, or if she was bound by the engagement and had no choice but to follow him.
Six years ago, when he had arranged the engagement with Zhu Zhuqing, he had also had similar thoughts.
He was an ordinary man. A single engagement could bind a woman's heart, and he would fight hard for it.
But now, none of that mattered. Understanding Zhu Zhuqing's true feelings made him deeply moved.
Suddenly, Tang San's body began to emit a series of cracking sounds, like bones snapping.
Blood oozed from his skin, and he was enduring the intense impact of absorbing the Human-Faced Demon Spider's Soul Ring.
Finally, the blood droplets stopped oozing out, and Tang San's brow relaxed slightly.
With a sound like tearing silk, Tang San's clothes split open. On either side of his back, four fist-sized bulges emerged along his spine.
Immediately, the eight bulges burst open, and deep purple objects shot out and began to grow at an astonishing speed.
Eventually, the eight purple-black limbs transformed into human-faced spider legs.
Seeing this, Dugu Yan's eyes gleamed. "It's here! The external Soul Bone of the Human-Faced Demon Spider!"
Seeing Tang San's transformation, Zhu Zhuqing gasped. "W-What... is that?"
Dugu Yan fixed a deep gaze on Zhu Zhuqing, his look making her feel a shiver down her spine.
"Brother Yan... What's wrong?" she asked, confused.
Dugu Yan took a deep breath and said heavily, "Zhuqing, what I'm about to show you is my greatest secret."
"You are the first person to know it in this world."
Upon hearing Dugu Yan's words, Zhu Zhuqing's heart began to race, her blood rushing through her veins. She felt some fear—this new side of Dugu Yan was completely unfamiliar to her.
"What... What is it?" she asked, her voice filled with tension.
Slowly, Dugu Yan's left hand revealed a green lotus, and three purple Soul Rings floated above it.
As soon as the lotus appeared, the Star Dou Forest seemed to come alive.
The plants grew wildly, the trees shot up into the clouds, and the weeds on the ground grew to over a meter tall. The entire surroundings were filled with lush green.
Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes narrowed in shock.
(End of this chapter)
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