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Jiansheng raised an eyebrow at Ning Tian's odd request but didn't question it. He led the younger man to a secluded spot behind the mountain facing the waterfall. Under Jiansheng's stunned gaze, Ning Tian released tens of thousands of Gold Devouring Beetles. The tiny insects buzzed around them, forming a dark, shifting wall that muffled soul power fluctuations.
Shielded by the beetle swarm, Ning Tian pulled out a handful of laxatives, unused until now and swallowed them secretly with a wince. The side effects, he promptly shifted onto Tang Hao.
Soon after, the stone door beneath the waterfall creaked open. A hunched old man stumbled out, hands pressed to his backside, and bolted into the distance with surprising speed.
'Didn't want to dirty Ah Yin's resting spot, huh? Perfect,' Ning Tian thought, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He glanced at Lu Jiansheng. "Senior, get me down there."
Jiansheng blinked, still processing. "Ning Tian, what just happened?" He'd seen the old man take off without summoning a martial soul, a clear sign of a Titled Douluo. And now this strange armor of bugs? "So, my future son-in-law's got twin martial souls," he muttered under his breath.
"I'll tell you later," Ning Tian replied, his tone clipped.
Minutes later, Jiansheng set him down at the waterfall's base.
Ning Tian shoved aside the boulder Tang Hao had exited from and waved Jiansheng to stand guard. He slipped into the stone chamber within.
There, he found it, a patch of blue silver grass laced with golden veins, Ah Yin's seed form. Without pause, he dug it up, transplanted it into a prepared flowerpot, and tucked it into his storage bag.
He unleashed his beetles again, letting them crawl over every surface. They uncovered a black iron box stashed in the ceiling: Tang Hao's hidden treasure. Ning Tian pocketed the soul bone inside, wiped away his footprints, and had the beetles sniff out any stray scents. No trace of him remained.
For an extra touch, he shut the stone door and planted a wilted blue silver grass in its place. He left a few dozen beetles on it, their presence mimicking the Blue Silver Emperor's aura. Unless he called them off or their soul power faded, Tang Hao wouldn't suspect a thing.
'When he sees that 'dead' plant, he'll lose it,' Ning Tian thought, stifling a laugh.
Jiansheng flew them out, veering away from Tang Hao's path. They took a long route, and finally returned to Notting Academy.
Ning Tian offered no explanation, and Jiansheng didn't push. He could tell the kid was up to no good, but as long as Zhu Qing was treated well, he didn't care.
Reunited with Zhu Qing and the others, the group didn't waste time. That night, all six slipped out of Nuoding City under the moon's dim glow.
...…..
Three days later, they were well beyond Fasno Province.
Meanwhile, Tang Hao's three-day nightmare finally eased.
"Odd," he grumbled, scratching his head. "Why'd my stomach turn on me like that?" He didn't dwell on it, no poison soul rings like Tang San's, no strangers in months. Probably just something off from his rough diet on the road.
"Time to check on Little San," he decided. He glanced at his stained, foul-smelling clothes and his empty, growling stomach. No way he'd visit Ah Yin in this state. He washed up in the waterfall, changed into less ragged gear, and raided Holy Spirit Village for a quick meal.
Full and refreshed, he headed for Heaven Dou City.
...….
Back with Ning Tian's group, it took seven days to reach a hideout Ning Tian found by chance earlier. The place was still cloaked in its year-round hallucinating mist barrier.
Zhu Qing, Ning Rongrong, and Ye Lingling gaped as Ning Tian summoned his Gold Devouring Beetles again. The swarm descended on the toxic wall, gnawing a path wide enough for several to walk abreast.
"Let's move," Ning Tian said, stepping in. "It'll close up soon."
Ning Rongrong hurried after him, her voice bright with curiosity. "Ning Tian, those bugs, what are they?"
"My second martial soul," he said simply.
Her jaw dropped. "Wait, you're a twin martial soul holder?"
The shock rippled through the group. Zhu Qing and Ye Lingling froze, while Jiansheng, who'd seen it before, just shook his head with a wry smile. Only Zhu Zhuqing stayed calm; she'd known all along.
The path sealed behind them as the beetles pulled back.
After a quick sweep to clear the grime, Ning Tian spoke up. "Alright, Teacher, Zhuqing, Rongrong, Lingling, you four take the cave over there. Senior and I will set up a wooden hut outside. I need to replant the immortal herb seeds we used so they can regrow in a few centuries. Senior, I'll leave the hut's on you."
"You really know how to order people around." Jiansheng laughed. "Alright, leave it to me brat."
Ning Tian grinned, summoned his Eight Spider Lances, and shot up the hillside, vanishing in the dense forest.
Jiansheng watched him go, shaking his head. 'Twin martial souls and an external soul bone. Zhu Qing, don't let this opportunity slip.'
The others looked puzzled until Zhu Zhuqing explained, showing her own soul bone. Ning Rongrong's eyes sparked with jealousy, not for the bone, but because Ning Tian had given it to her.
...…..
Meanwhile, Ning Tian planted the herb seeds, then set the Blue Silver Emperor in a special spot in the pot.
The plant shivered, as if scared. Ning Tian frowned, then bit his finger, letting blood laced with Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot drip onto its leaves.
It stilled for a moment before absorbing the drops. A faint red-blue glow pulsed across it, and it grew a bit bigger.
He brushed its leaves gently. It resisted for a second, then relaxed.
After a moment, it stopped trembling entirely, sensing his intent.
Ning Tian sat cross-legged before it and started meditating. 'I just need to feed her my blood and essence, and in a year or so, Ah Yin would become the shape I want. As for Tang Hao and Tang San, they can find a new wife and mom,' he thought with a quiet chuckle.
...…
From then on, they settled into the secret air.
Each day, Ning Tian fed Ah Yin his blood mixed with energy from the herbs. In six months, it neared a thousand years.
It warmed to him, too, brushing against him fondly whenever he came near.
As for the side effects of blood loss? He shifted it to Tang Hao, naturally.
Beyond tending Ah Yin, Ning Tian kept up his training.
He continuously meditated for most days. The rest, he spent on swordplay and even hidden weapons.
He might not rely on them, but preparation mattered. A sword unused was better than none at all.
And while he didn't need hidden weapons, Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong, the support soul masters could. He held nothing back, sharing as much as they could handle.
In spare moments, he sought Jiansheng's advice. Ning Tian knew theory and foresight, but the Titled Douluo's hard-earned experience filled the gaps.
Over six months, the girls progressed too.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong each gained two soul power levels, reaching 39 and 38. Zhu Zhuqing was preparing for Spirit Ancestor.
Ye Lingling, maybe from her evolved martial soul or her near-42 start, hit 43, another two levels.
Zhu Qing grew slower, but after fusing a 70,000-year Sword-Toothed Demon Tiger torso bone, she jumped from 51 to 53. Five months later, she reached 54. With the ten-thousand-year ginseng king's energy, she'd likely climb two or three levels yearly until it faded.
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