...
The acquisition of the Immortal Grass is already urgent.
Su Yu is already at Level 67, and if he waits any longer, the effect of the Immortal Grass will diminish.
Of course, the requirement for Soul Power is secondary; the best timing for consumption depends on age.
Su Yu, at the age of fifteen, is the most suitable age to consume the Immortal Grass.
As for Kong Deming, enhancing the physique with Immortal Grass is secondary; the most important thing is transforming the Martial Soul, urgently needing the Immortal Grass.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye itself has significant meaning for Su Yu's upcoming cultivation.
...
"Plant-type Soul Beasts are inherently the easiest to fool, not to mention a group growing in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, naïve Immortal Grass that hasn't seen the world."
This time, Su Yu indeed has the idea of finding Soul Rings for Kong Deming.
Isn't the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower the most suitable Immortal Grass for Kong Deming, converting it into a Soul Spirit, even if one can't find suitable Soul Beasts later, there's no need to worry about the Eighth and Ninth Rings?
Moreover, the requirements for physique will greatly decrease.
Given that a Soul Spirit provides multiple Soul Rings, although the requirement for physique hasn't significantly reduced besides the first one, the danger has greatly decreased.
Unlike the tense atmosphere between the Xingluo Empire and the Mingdu Mountain Range and the Sun and Moon Empire, the border between the Sun and Moon Empire and the Celestial Soul Empire is much calmer.
The Celestial Battle Empire was already weak before the split and even weaker after the split into the Celestial Soul Empire.
They don't have the vast size and formidable strength of the Xingluo Empire, only setting up defensive lines at the border, not daring to truly clash with the Sun and Moon Empire's armies.
Su Yu genuinely passed through this area and discovered one important point.
That is the lack of a natural barrier like the Mingdu Mountain Range.
A large plain area, yet abandoned due to being part of two countries' borders.
Su Yu lamented the waste.
...
"Little brother, you're out mingling at such a young age?"
Su Yu entered the Celestial Soul Empire following a trade caravan, which is the most convenient way to travel between various empires.
Crossing the border alone into another country could easily be discovered by stationed troops, and one could accidentally face bombardment by Soul-guided Cannons.
Among the troops long stationed at the border, there is no lack of repressed and bored commanders.
Having fixed connections and paying fees to trade caravans is the safest choice.
The one asking Su Yu was a middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
The fluctuation of Soul Power on him wasn't weak; Su Yu judged that he had at least Soul Sect-level strength.
A Soul Sect expert was hired at great expense to oversee the trade caravan.
Brother Zou was just like his name, starting from a young age, delivering goods with the trade caravan.
His first time was also like Su Yu, finding a caravan, paying money to hitch a ride, and after learning the process, he entered the trade.
"Sigh, back then, I was also such a handsome young fellow, ventured north and south for years, now ruined by time."
Brother Zou's skin was rough and scruffy with stubble, with no trace of handsomeness.
Su Yu silently didn't respond.
This guy might have some issues.
Brother Zou liked Su Yu at first glance.
Su Yu's Life Attribute gave him a very amiable feeling.
His talkative nature subconsciously opened up.
"Little brother, let me tell you, for trade caravans, we should take the route of the Celestial Soul Empire and the Douling Empire, avoid the Xingluo Empire.
The Sun and Moon Empire and the Xingluo Empire's border are tense.
Even if you've paid the merchant, it also depends on luck; you might be suddenly targeted, and your entire caravan with goods could be robbed."
Su Yu expressed gratitude; although this guy is somewhat noisy, his heart isn't bad, even shared some seemingly useful info.
"Kid, I like you, how about joining my Guard Team?"
Brother Zou was very proud of the Guard Team he personally established.
It's his greatest achievement after half a lifetime of hard work.
Two Soul Sects, five Soul Venerables, dozens of Grand Soul Masters in the Guard Team!
"Oh?"
Though Su Yu is a Soul Emperor, Soul Sect and Soul Venerable are still significant forces on the Douluo Continent, even serving as squad leaders in the Sun and Moon Empire's Soul Guide Corps.
The primary reason for this journey is to find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, but the adventure is not just rhetoric.
The old guy's Guard Team ventures far and wide, and might just be suitable.
But first, he must ask what the Guard Team is doing and where they've traded recently in years.
"Hehe, see that, this trade group we're guarding this time is a big one, backed by the Celestial Armor Sect, a major sect with a Soul Emperor overseeing."
Listening to Brother Zou's description, Su Yu learned about the Celestial Armor Sect.
It's a sect skilled in combined skills.
Disciples in the sect mostly wield shield-type Martial Souls, and the sect follows the route of defensive Soul Masters.
The Sect Leader of the Celestial Armor Sect and two elders have practiced for years, mastering the Trinity combined skill, a Soul Emperor and two Soul Kings, capable of confronting a Soul Saint without losing ground.
No wonder Brother Zou felt proud to establish connections with such a major sect.
"Brother Zou, does your Guard Team plan to keep trading between the Celestial Armor Sect and the Sun and Moon Empire in the future?"
The Celestial Armor Sect is located in the western part of the Celestial Soul Empire, almost at the border.
It's said that the first Sect Leader of the Celestial Armor Sect was a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse who developed the Martial Soul combined skill, the Celestial Armor Shield, then came to the border of the Celestial Soul Empire to establish the Celestial Armor Sect.
He also made ambitious proclamations, declaring the Celestial Armor Sect as a sect of defensive Soul Masters, disciples explaining shield Martial Souls as the shield of the Celestial Soul Empire.
And the disciples of the Celestial Armor Sect have frequently joined the Celestial Soul military in wars, responsible for defense.
Though in decline, the Celestial Armor Sect's position in the Celestial Soul Empire is not low, supported by the Celestial Soul Royal Family.
If Brother Zou's Guard Team keeps trading between the Celestial Armor Sect and the Sun and Moon Empire, he wouldn't join.
The purpose is to adventure across the Douluo Three Kingdoms, not to return to Mingdu, Sun and Moon Empire after entering the western border...
"Hehe, kid, you're underestimating my Kuangyun Guard Team."
Brother Zou chuckled, seemingly more proud.
"This is the first collaboration between the Guard Team and the Celestial Armor Sect, personally overseeing one trip, in the future three Soul Venerables will suffice for trade caravan safety.
Our Guard Team doesn't just cooperate with the Celestial Armor Sect, we also have agreements with many trade groups, plenty of work!"
Brother Zou patted his chest, assuring Su Yu that joining wouldn't mean idleness, and there's always a trade caravan to join.
"By the way, our Guard Team also collaborates with the Iron Blood Sect."
Brother Zou genuinely found Su Yu likable, felt a close connection with him, and admired Su Yu for venturing at fifteen, making quite an effort to recruit him.
The core members of his Guard Team were personally recruited by him, each requiring significant effort, but it's all part of his achievements.
Brother Zou indeed couldn't entice a fifteen-year-old with the Guard Team's current conditions.
"Iron Blood Sect?"
Su Yu had no impression of the Celestial Armor Sect, but the name Iron Blood Sect seemed familiar to him.
"Hehe, it's indeed the Iron Blood Sect."
In high spirits, Brother Zou bragged about the Iron Blood Sect's legendary stories to Su Yu.
"Know the Tang Sect?"
Su Yu nodded, unsure of the connection between the Iron Blood Sect and Tang Sect.
"The Tang Sect was glorious a ten thousand years ago but got destroyed by the Iron Blood Sect!"
Su Yu's mouth twitched.
Inadvertently glancing at Brother Zou.
Are you sure you are in luck?
Good heavens.
The Celestial Armor Sect sounds like a sect active on battlefields, not on good terms with the Sun and Moon Empire, and you collaborated with them.
That's understandable, paid for, and it's inevitable, mutually agreed trade.
But you're also collaborating with the Iron Blood Sect.
"Brother Zou, what other forces is your Guard Team collaborating with?"
Su Yu couldn't resist asking.
"Hehe, sects with a Soul Emperor powerhouse overseeing, just the Celestial Armor Sect and Iron Blood Sect.
But my Kuangyun Guard Team's business is not limited to these.
We also mastered a trading route for Blood Essence, a rare commodity, one sect secretly acquired all of it.
By selling Blood Essence for a year, the sect bought it for a year.
Though not well-known, I estimate they've a big background too."
Listening to Brother Zou's narration, Su Yu's expression turned slightly weird at him.