Douluo: I become stronger when I take in disciples!

Chapter 255 Disciples of the Spirit Control Sect can form ten 100,000-year soul rings.

"It's solved, all thanks to Feng." Ren Yaoyao was about to say Feng Yang's name when she paused, her gaze falling on Mo Lingyun's face. "Thanks to Mo Lingyun herself, her Spirit Sharing Technique is so powerful, it's unbelievable! The fourth ring is 100,000 years!"

"Ten thousand years?!" Ye Yunshu's crackled celadon cup tilted like a startled bird, the amber tea soup gushing out like a golden stream, spreading dark ripples on the silk cloth painted with the "Azure Phoenix Riding the Clouds" image, like a landscape painting accidentally splashed with ink. The usually composed and carefree Qingfeng Valley sect leader suddenly rose, her moon-white sleeves fluttering, causing the bamboo scrolls on her desk to fall like startled crows, revealing yellowed pages of the "Ancient Soul Contract Record." The ancient characters recorded on them seemed to tremble slightly like startled fish. Her beautiful eyes widened, her gaze filled with disbelief and utter shock. "I once found a few words in an ancient scroll, saying that at the height of the Yuling Sect, its disciples could forge ten ten-thousand-year soul rings. I thought it was a mirage, but I never imagined I would see it with my own eyes today."

Mo Lingyun remained calm. As she clasped her hands in a respectful greeting, the faint blue light of her soul ring flickered within her sleeve, like a mysterious firefly in the dark night or the deep phosphorescence of the ocean. Han Yuan murmured softly in her mind, like a gentle spring rain nourishing the earth, or a warning bell ringing in her ears. She carefully chose her words, her voice clear and cold like the tinkling of a cold spring: "Sect Leader Ye is too kind. I have only reached a contract with Senior Han Yuan so far, far from the legendary grandeur of the Spirit Control Sect. It is but a drop in the ocean." Her fingertips inadvertently brushed against the Spirit Control Token hidden in her sleeve. The icy touch was like the cold ice in winter, reminding her that in this turbulent world, every step must be taken with extreme caution.

Ye Yunshu unconsciously stroked the delicate jade hairpin at her temple with her fingertips, then turned to look out the window at the bamboo forest gradually swallowed by twilight. A gentle evening breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, like countless slender swords clashing against each other. "A few days ago, the elite disciples of the valley discovered traces of the ferocious beast Scorching Sun deep within the Weeping Flower Abyss." Her voice suddenly lowered, carrying a hint of solemnity, like a harbinger of impending doom. "The once bustling and prosperous town of Crimson Nether Village is now nothing but ruins and scorched earth, like an anthill crushed by a giant. That Scorching Sun beast is inherently violent; its breath can ignite raging infernos, setting the air ablaze wherever it goes, as if thrown into a giant furnace." Her phoenix eyes swept back and forth between Mo Lingyun and Ren Yaoyao, the cold light reflected from her jade hairpin striking their faces like sharp swords. "If Lingyun wishes to hone her skills, she might as well give it a try. However, this journey is extremely dangerous. Yaoyao is familiar with the terrain in that area, so she can go with you, so you can have someone to look after you, like a lighthouse for a ship sailing in the night."

Just as Ren Yaoyao was about to speak, Ye Yunshu raised her hand to stop her. The jade hairpin drew a beautiful yet chilling arc, like a beam of cold moonlight. "I know you want to talk about the soul beast uprising." The sect leader tapped the table rhythmically with his fingertips, the sound like a muffled war drum. "This matter is of great importance. Without solid evidence, you must not make wild guesses or speak carelessly, otherwise you will be like a rudderless boat, sinking into an abyss of no return."

"Master!" Ren Yaoyao was extremely anxious. She took a half step forward, the jade flutes at her waist clinking together, producing a crisp yet slightly flustered sound, like the rapid hooves of horses. "Those disciples of the Divine Spirit Pavilion are acting suspiciously, sneaking around the scene of the soul beast rampage, hiding their heads and tails, just like mice stealing food!"

Ye Yunshu frowned deeply, pondered for a long time, and finally slammed the jade flute she was holding onto the table, making a dull thud like a rumble of thunder. "These clues alone are indeed insufficient to draw a conclusion." She summoned a trusted disciple, her gaze as sharp as a hawk's. "Order the Dark Hall to closely monitor the Divine Spirit Pavilion's every move. Report any suspicious activity immediately. There must be no slackening, or it will be like walking blindfolded in the dark, fraught with danger." As she turned, her wide sleeve swept across the ancient sword that had been gathering dust in the corner of the wall. The copper bell on the tassel rang out with a clear, melodious sound, like a horn piercing the long night, as if warning of the coming storm.

Elsewhere, the bronze gates of the Divine Spirit Pavilion slowly opened, emitting a heavy rumble, like the roar of a colossal beast awakening. Two Ghost Leopard Martial Soul disciples, covered in blood, knelt pathetically on the black iron floor tiles engraved with mysterious celestial patterns, like two broken wooden puppets. The leading disciple trembled as he stole glances at the Pavilion Master's grim face, his throat feeling as if gripped by an invisible iron clamp, his voice shaking uncontrollably: "Pavilion Master! Mo Lingyun, using some unknown method, successfully contracted with a former spirit beast, and her fourth spirit ring is even a hundred thousand years old! Those spirit beasts that have cultivated for tens of thousands of years are like fragile glass in her hands, annihilated with a single blow!"

The jade ring in the Star Crown Pavilion Master's hand shattered with a "crack," its emerald fragments scattering like sparkling snowflakes onto his magnificent robe embroidered with the Nine Luminaries. This white-haired, weathered Title Douluo suddenly unleashed a surge of dark purple soul power, his aura like a raging torrent, or a volcano about to erupt. The murals of the Twenty-Eight Constellations on the wall behind him rippled eerily under the impact of this powerful spiritual energy, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake. "The Spirit Control Sect betrayed their promise, turning against the spirit beasts. How could those proud spirit beasts so easily form contracts with them? There must be something fishy going on. Could it be that they found the legendary key, opening the forbidden gate?" He coughed violently, his withered fingers gripping the armrests of his chair tightly, as if trying to crush the shock and anger within him. "Could it be that they really found the legendary key?"

“Pavilion Master, if we allow the Yuling Sect to rise again, we fear we will…” A disciple mustered his courage to speak, but was abruptly interrupted by the Star Crown Pavilion Master’s icy gaze, a gaze as sharp as a poisoned dagger.

The Lord of Star Crown Pavilion suddenly let out a sinister laugh, his turbid eyes flashing with a venomous light, like two burning will-o'-the-wisps. "Pass down the order! Hold the 'Nine Heavens Soul Battle Tournament,' proclaiming to the world that any Soul Master under the age of 25 can participate, and the champion will receive a ten-thousand-year-old head Soul Bone! This Soul Bone is the tempting bait, sure to attract countless greedy fish!" He looked out the window at the dark, cloud-covered sky, his aged face twisted into a near-grotesque grimace, like the mask of a demon. "As long as Mo Lingyun dares to show herself, those sects that have long coveted the Soul Bone will naturally regard her as a thorn in their side. Without us even lifting a finger, she will be doomed. This is a brilliant plan to kill with a borrowed knife, like borrowing the east wind to burn the Red Cliffs!" His sinister laughter echoed in the empty hall, startling the bronze lamps on the beams into violent swaying, casting terrifying shadows, as if the gates of hell were slowly opening, foreshadowing an impending bloodbath.

Twilight, like a shattered sunset, stained the crimson ruins of Chiming Village with its last crimson hue. Mo Lingyun stood in mid-air, her black robes fluttering in the putrid wind. She gazed at the land devoured by misfortune—a stale, yellowish haze, like stagnant miasma, filled with the acrid smell of sulfur, shrouded the entire village in an eerie, dim light. The withered trees, like petrified giant hands, hung faded strips of cloth from their twisted branches, whistling in the wind as if recounting past tragedies.

“Look, that house.” Ren Yaoyao’s voice suddenly rang out, choked with emotion. Her slender finger pointed to a collapsed mud house in the northwest corner, the silver bell in her hair swaying gently with her trembling. “I lived here three years ago. Back then, smoke rose from the village chimneys, and children laughed and played. But now…” Her voice trailed off, a hint of pain flashing in her eyes. In the distance, Mount Emei appeared and disappeared in the clouds, its protective array emitting a soft light, like a lighthouse in the darkness, guarding the villagers who had fled from here.

The three landed slowly, their boots crunching softly on the scorched earth. Mo Lingyun frowned slightly, keenly noticing the scorch marks remaining on the ground—those winding lines, like the claw marks of a giant beast, were deeply etched into the soil, still radiating a chilling heat even after the passage of time. "Where is the Weeping Flower Abyss?" She gripped the Spirit Control Token at her waist, and the Cold Abyss emitted a deep hum in her mind.

Ren Yaoyao pointed westward, her expression grave: "Just past that crimson mist. There grows vast fields of Abyss Flowers there, their petals like congealed blood. The fragrance, though not deadly, can drain all strength from the body." She paused, a flicker of wariness in her eyes, "What if we encounter the soul beasts in the flower sea while weakened?" Before she could finish, Feng Yang suddenly clenched his fist slightly, a ghostly blue flame leaping in his palm, only to quietly extinguish itself when it met Mo Lingyun's probing gaze. A faint smile played on his lips, hidden beneath his cloak, as he decided to leave this trial for them to face alone.

"Then how should we deal with this?" Mo Lingyun's eyes were sharp.

“I’ve gathered herbs here before, so I’m fairly familiar with the area,” Ren Yaoyao said, a hint of confidence in her eyes. “There’s a herb called Jade Heart Grass, with leaves that shimmer like jade and silver threads twining around its roots. If you carry it close to your body, it can protect you from flower poison.” As they ventured deeper into the village, the heat intensified. Tiny sparks floated in the air, like extinguished hopes, occasionally landing on their shoulders and leaving scorch marks. Ahead, a tangible orange-red smoke obscured their vision, and a low, guttural roar, like the howl of an ancient beast, echoed through the ruins.

"What is that?" Mo Lingyun suddenly stopped, her pupils shrinking slightly.

A phantom of a Qilin, formed from flames, stood before them, its orange-red tongues of fire outlining the contours of the Weeping Flower Abyss. It exuded an aura of majesty, yet also a hint of etherealness, as if it might vanish into the wind at any moment.

“This should be the afterimage of the fire spirit left behind by the ferocious beast Zhuo Ri.” Ren Yaoyao stared at the phantom, her expression grave. “It’s guiding the way, but there’s an unsettling malice hidden within the flames.”

Mo Lingyun pondered for a moment, a resolute glint in her eyes: "So, following it will lead us to the Scorching Sun?"

“That’s right, but it’s too dangerous to rush into the Weeping Flower Abyss before finding the Jade Heart Grass,” Ren Yaoyao shook her head. “We must ensure our own safety first.”

“Then describe what the herbs look like, and we’ll split up to search for them,” Mo Lingyun decided immediately.

Just then, Ren Yaoyao suddenly grabbed Mo Lingyun's sleeve and pointed to a shadowy spot: "Wait! I remember now! That time Master ordered me to treat the villagers who were burned; it was right there that I gathered the herbs!"

The three hurried forward, and beside the half-collapsed stove, several green heart grasses were growing tenaciously. Their leaves gleamed with a warm, bluish light, and the silver threads twining around their roots shimmered in the dim light, like gems imbued with life. The moment their fingertips touched the herbs, a cool sensation spread throughout their bodies, dispelling the unease that had been weighing on their hearts.

After carefully concealing the Jade Heart Grass close to their bodies, the three exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with determination. Following the direction the afterimage of the Fire Spirit was facing, they resolutely stepped into the crimson mist.

The moment Mo Lingyun stepped into the Weeping Flower Abyss, the tip of her boot crushed a blood-red petal, and viscous sap seeped out, staining the dark fabric with eerie patterns. In stark contrast to the withered scene outside the village, this sea of ​​flowers seemed to be cursed with a blood-red color—the bowl-sized flowers topped with poisonous purple discs, their stems and leaves as thick as an infant's arm, twisted and swayed strangely in the putrid mist, each exuding a nauseatingly sweet fragrance.

"These flowers are devouring life force!" Ren Yaoyao suddenly grabbed Mo Lingyun's sleeve, her silver bell hair ornament shaking violently. She pointed to a withering shrub not far away; its once lush green leaves were visibly shriveling and turning into dark brown humus, nourishing the alluring sea of ​​flowers at its feet. Mo Lingyun's pupils contracted sharply, and Han Yuan let out a piercing roar in her mind, the sound of scales rubbing against each other like a sharp blade scraping against her consciousness.

Just then, a deafening roar echoed from the depths of the abyss, instantly distorting the air into scorching ripples. A fiery red halo seeped from the mist, dyeing the entire sea of ​​flowers a hellish crimson. "It's inside!" Ren Yaoyao gripped her jade flute tightly, her knuckles turning white. "But this mist..." Before she could finish speaking, the surrounding flowers suddenly turned, their petals opening and closing, releasing white miasma like countless white snakes lunging at her.

"Follow closely the afterimage of the Fire Spirit!" Mo Lingyun flung out the Spirit Control Token, and the illusory image of Han Yuan tore through the miasma barrier. The azure light of the soul rings intertwined with the orange-red flames in the mist, illuminating the faint outline of the Qilin ahead. However, the roar of the Scorching Sun was sometimes near and sometimes far, sometimes like thunder exploding overhead, and sometimes sinking into the depths of the netherworld, as if deliberately toying with its prey.

As the three stumbled and fell to the pool in the center of the flower field, spiderweb-like patterns suddenly appeared on the surface of the pool. A shell-shaped spirit beast the size of a millstone burst out of the water, its shell covered with scorched black marks, and corrosive liquid dripping from its serrated edges. It opened its enormous mouth covered with barbs.

(End of this chapter)