Several days passed in a flash, and night fell.
Xiao Changfeng, who had quietly slipped back to the Star Dou Great Forest to retrieve the Immortal Herb and returned, lay resting under a tree, while Jing Hongchen kept watch.
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Xu Xiaoyun's Soul Power aura, which had been healing Poison Undying, began to dissipate. Jing Hongchen leaped hundreds of meters away and hid in the shadows. Xiao Changfeng's eyes suddenly snapped open.
"Cough, cough, cough, cough, I... I'm finally still alive—" Poison Undying's face was pale, and he clutched his chest, coughing incessantly, his voice hoarse and grating.
"Yes, still alive. Your old bones are truly tough."
Xu Xiaoyun's somewhat weary voice echoed gently as he slowly withdrew his hands from Poison Undying's back, forming a seal to return his Soul Power, and exhaling a long, turbid breath.
Di Tian's ruthlessness exceeded expectations. Poison Undying's bones and muscles were shattered, and the Black Dragon Soul Power was incredibly difficult to deal with. If not handled carefully, not only would Poison Undying's foundation be completely destroyed, but it could also harm Xu Xiaoyun himself.
Of course, it wasn't without gain: he had tangled with the Black Dragon Soul Power for several days, gaining many subtle insights he hadn't considered before. Integrating these insights would definitely elevate his strength to the next level, saving him much time in comprehension.
Catching up to Di Tian with this was a pipe dream, but there was a good chance of catching up to Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui; at the very least, he could get close.
Xu Xiaoyun sometimes thought that battling these top-tier ferocious beasts was a great opportunity. Practical combat truly was the best teacher.
Poison Undying chuckled, supporting his numb knees as he rose, and said tremblingly, "Thank you, Brother Xu, this time. I, Poison Undying, owe you a favor."
In his dazed state, he had long known that two fierce Soul Powers were intertwined within his body: the dark and domineering one was Di Tian's, while the relatively weaker, gentler, but ceaseless one was Xu Xiaoyun's.
Xu Xiaoyun's Soul Power was water-attributed; it could unleash monstrous waves and raging seas, or it could heal the dying and bring forth life-giving rain. When one's cultivation reached the Limit Douluo level, how Soul Power was wielded was all a matter of one's will.
Di Tian had broken over a hundred of his bones, and now they were all reconnected, clearly Xu Xiaoyun's doing. Not even a healing-type Super Douluo could have done better.
It could even be said that after being injured by Di Tian, the only person in the world who could save him was Xu Xiaoyun. Otherwise, no one could remove the Black Dragon Soul Power Di Tian left in his body. He couldn't possibly ask the half-dead Mu En for help, and he wasn't familiar with the Clear Sky Sect's Grand Sect Master at all.
Xu Xiaoyun smiled nonchalantly, waving his hand. "I brought you out, old man. As a venerable Limit Douluo, I can't just let a living person get into trouble. I need to maintain that much face."
With that, Xu Xiaoyun's tone shifted, and he stared deeply at Poison Undying. "Besides, if you died out there, I'm afraid your Body Sect disciples would think I plotted to kill you for your secret techniques."
Poison Undying chuckled awkwardly at this. His Body Sect disciples were indeed straightforward, making such misunderstandings easy.
Moving his Storage Ring, Poison Undying casually pulled out a palm-sized booklet and handed it to Xu Xiaoyun, saying earnestly:
"I, Poison Undying, am a man of my word. Old Turtle, you saved my life. I won't spout nonsense about repaying such a great kindness later. This is the supreme secret technique passed down through generations of my Body Sect Masters. You may read it as you wish."
"It records the precious insights of my Body Martial Soul ancestors throughout history. I believe its value won't disappoint you."
Xu Xiaoyun didn't stand on ceremony either. He took the secret technique and began to read it, occasionally nodding lightly and commenting, "Your Body Sect's research into the Body Martial Soul is truly profound. But isn't this awakening method a bit too brutal? Squeezing disciples' potential to their breaking point?"
Poison Undying waved his hand carelessly. "Everyone has potential within them. If it's stimulated, they become a genius. If not, they can only remain ordinary. Our Body Sect's founder stimulated a Second Awakening in a desperate situation, which is how our Body Sect, passed down for years, came to be."
"For ten thousand years, our Body Sect has always been like this, consistently one of the top sects in the Soul Master world. This fully proves that our method is correct."
"No wonder many people from your Body Sect are eccentric and don't care about their own lives, nor do they care about the lives of others."
Xu Xiaoyun suddenly understood, shaking his head with a sigh. "But, old poison, arrogance needs capital. It's fine for you to dominate the human world, but what a terrifying existence the Beast God is? How can you and I contend against him?"
"Now, recalling Di Tian's methods, I still feel a lingering fear. The more I think about it, the more unfathomable his strength seems."
Before healing Poison Undying, Xu Xiaoyun had thought that perhaps teaming up with Long Xiaoyao could achieve a stalemate with Di Tian. Now, he had erased that idea.
Poison Undying let out a muffled grunt, his face showing unwillingness, but he didn't say much more.
At this moment, looking inward at his injuries, he deeply understood that the price he paid was enormous. Xu Xiaoyun could heal his external and internal injuries, but not the damage to his essence.
During their previous confrontation, Di Tian's last punch went straight for his Soul Core. If Xu Xiaoyun hadn't blocked it for him, his Soul Core might have even been crippled by Di Tian on the spot, which was why he pointed the finger at Di Tian.
Even so, Di Tian's attack still damaged the origin of his Soul Power. He would never be able to advance further in this life; he might even start to decline in strength, as he was already too old.
In fact, if it hadn't been for this extent, Di Tian wouldn't have stopped.
The Body Sect and the Star Dou Great Forest had a long-standing grudge. Poison Undying had three Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings from the Star Dou Great Forest, had injured Red King, attacked the Auspicious Beast, and even tried to capture the Auspicious Beast to make it a Soul Ring. In Di Tian's eyes, it was like dancing on a grave and asking for more, or a complete cremation!
If the Auspicious Beast had been in Poison Undying's hands, Di Tian might have been able to endure it. But with the Auspicious Beast not in his hands, and still acting so brazenly, was the Golden Eyed Black Dragon King's reputation just for show?
It was rare that there was no annoying Shrek Golden Tree this time, only Xu Xiaoyun, who had just entered the Limit Douluo realm, stepping in to protect him.
How could Di Tian not seize the opportunity to kill Poison Undying?
Xu Xiaoyun and Poison Undying both understood Di Tian's intentions at this moment, rendering them speechless.
One's eyes showed sadness and sorrow, while the other's eyes surged with determination and madness.
At this moment, Xiao Changfeng walked closer, unbuckled his belt, and took out the Ninth Grade Purple Ganoderma he had originally intended to give Xu Fu. "Poison Sect Master, I went back to the Star Dou Great Forest earlier and found this. It might help you with your injuries."
Poison Undying's eyes narrowed, his pupils suddenly contracting, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Found in the Star Dou Great Forest? Is this the legendary Immortal Herb?"
Xiao Changfeng shook his head candidly. "No, but I think this is more suitable for your recovery, Poison Sect Master."
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was a neutral Immortal Herb, capable of forging an indestructible body; the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd was an earth-attributed Immortal Herb. Neither was suitable for healing. Instead, the Ninth Grade Purple Ganoderma, one of the finest ganodermas, was more suitable for healing and restoring vitality.
Poison Undying was silent upon hearing this. He naturally understood the unspoken meaning: the other party had found an Immortal Herb, but gave him a plant more suitable for healing, believing that he needed healing more than breaking through.
As for whether it could fully heal him, everyone knew the chances were slim.
"Ninth Grade Purple Ganoderma, a good thing. Thank you—"
Poison Undying sighed as he accepted the Ninth Grade Purple Ganoderma, lowering his head, his eyes flickering with light and shadow. He remained silent for a long time.
Suddenly, he looked up, staring at Xu Xiaoyun, and asked, "Old Turtle, does your Xuanming Sect have any ambition to make a name for yourselves?"
Xu Xiaoyun frowned. "What do you mean?"
Poison Undying chuckled, "You old turtle, as a dignified Limit Douluo, with such a talented disciple, don't you think it's a great pity to always stay cooped up in Xuanming City and rarely venture out?"
"To be frank, the Heavenly Soul Empire's imperial family has discussed cooperation with our Body Sect, inviting us to serve as their Nation Protecting Sect. They've made many promises, such as—"
Poison Undying candidly laid out the conditions the Heavenly Soul Empire offered the Body Sect, then continued emphatically,
"If your Xuanming Sect is interested in the position of Nation Protecting Sect, our Body Sect can yield it to you.
Then we can work together and severely deal with those ambitious scoundrels from the Sun Moon Empire!"
As his words fell, the three individuals, both in the open and in the shadows, felt an inexplicable sense of absurdity.
We've almost finalized our terms and deeply intertwined our interests, and now you're inviting us? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?
Xu Xiaoyun was silent for a moment, then closed his eyes and shook his head. "I appreciate your good intentions, but I cannot agree."
Poison Undying stared intently at Xu Xiaoyun. "Why? You are a Limit Douluo, one of the top three strongest individuals in the world. Although I don't know what lucky encounter you had, I can see your vitality is abundant. Living another hundred years is no problem at all."
"If you don't think the conditions are good enough, I'll talk to the Heavenly Soul Empire's imperial family. We can fight for whatever you want!"
"Old poison, you think too highly of me, and you underestimate the Sun Moon Empire's power."
Xu Xiaoyun's voice grew much heavier as he slowly opened his calm eyes. "Leaving aside everything else, just one Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shell can destroy the main gate of your sect or mine. Perhaps you and I can protect ourselves, but what about everyone else?"
"Even if it's you and me, how many Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells can we withstand head-on?"
"My Xuanming Sect can maintain peace by staying out of external affairs. Once we get involved, it's like tying all our disciples to a war chariot; the blood won't stop flowing, and they'll never get off. This title of 'nation protector' is truly deadly."
Poison Undying's eyes instantly reddened, and he exclaimed, "But if the Three Great Empires of the original Douluo Continent fall before the Sun Moon Empire, will your Xuanming Sect still be able to rest easy as it does now?!"
Xu Xiaoyun calmly replied, "As long as I live, no one can touch my Xuanming Sect. Whoever dares to touch it, dies! All I care about now are the lives of my Xuanming disciples."
He gave a self-deprecating laugh, then continued, "Old poison, let me tell you some truths. I don't believe the Three Great Empires are a match for the Sun Moon Empire. I've been to the capitals of all four empires, and to Shrek City."
The Soul Guided Technology of the Three Great Empires and Shrek City lags behind the Sun Moon Empire by hundreds of years, if not more. On the original Douluo Continent, only the Soul Guided Technology of the Star Luo Empire and Shrek City is somewhat decent, but it's still far behind the Sun Moon Empire. I don't want you to lead the Body Sect into this abyss.
Poison Undying snorted, "It's just Soul Guided Devices. What if the Sun Moon Empire is ahead of us? If I can't block a few Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells, can't I just dodge them?
I've already investigated; Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells are also crucial strategic weapons in the Sun Moon Empire, with only three in the entire country. What's there to be afraid of?"
Jing Hongchen, hidden in the shadows, really wanted to laugh when he heard Poison Undying's words. He even wanted to jump out and curse them as "frogs in a well," but he desperately held back his amusement, convincing himself that this was a good thing.
The enemy hadn't discovered their true strength, which meant their secrecy efforts were excellent.
"Then, old poison, have you ever considered why the Heavenly Soul imperial family didn't seek out established sects like the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile School, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, or the Clear Sky Sect, but came to your Body Sect instead?
As early as the war with the Martial Soul Hall ten thousand years ago, they collaborated closely with the Heaven Dou Empire. Their ties with the Heavenly Soul Empire are not something you can compare to."
Xu Xiaoyun looked directly at Poison Undying and spoke earnestly, "The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile School is no longer what it once was, but the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family and the Clear Sky Sect are still powerful, certainly not beneath us. I don't believe the Heavenly Soul Empire didn't approach them, nor would they be stingy with benefits."
"They didn't get involved, so why should you? Your Body Sect doesn't lack geniuses or resources. How much use is the title of 'Nation Protecting Sect'? Is it worth the lives of your disciples? And when have you ever cared about outsiders' opinions of you?"
"Enough! Old turtle, you don't need to say anything more!"
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