Chapter 13: The Killer's Blade
Dugu Feng's eyes widened in shock—so this matter even involved the Clear Sky Clan.
Years ago, their withdrawal from the world had reshaped the entire continent's balance, and the transition had been nothing short of brutal and bloody.
Most major clans must have taken part in the ensuing chaos.
From what he knew of the Douluo world, the ripples of that event had continued to spread for years.
By the time of the future Soul Master Tournament, the Elephant Armored Sect would no longer be so closely allied with the Four Elements Academy and would instead align with Spirit Hall.
When Huo Wu later discussed merging the teams, she had mentioned that Spirit Hall had always been courting the Four Elements Academies, though they resisted direct allegiance.
Once Bibi Dong took power, she began to dismantle rival powers one by one.
That likely meant this was the period when she brought the Elephant Armored Sect under her influence.
Could Spirit Hall already be involved in this affair?
Dugu Feng suspected so. It seemed entirely possible.
He frowned and said, "Old Scorpion managed to secretly track Huyan Lie and even discovered his goal was a soul bone—so how was he caught off guard and seriously wounded by the same man?
Could it be that reinforcements met up with Huyan Lie after he entered Sunset Forest and discovered Old Scorpion tailing them?"
He had to warn Old Snake—not to underestimate their enemies.
Old Snake paused for a heartbeat, then smiled slyly. "Young Master, you thought of the same thing I did. Excellent, excellent. Now I'm even more certain that under your lead, our clan's glory will shine brighter than ever."
I don't believe a word of it, Dugu Feng thought dryly. This old chatterbox is still as scheming as ever.
Seeing the boy ignore his flattery, Old Snake's smile faded. His tone turned serious. "Young Master, from here on, we must be cautious. You remember the Serpent's Breath technique I taught you? Hold your breath, close your pores.
From this point onward, Sunset Forest is our hunting ground."
"Understood," said Dugu Feng. He was already prepared.
Serpent's Breath—the meditative "hibernation" state from Old Snake's training—was perfect for concealing one's presence.
They slowed their pace, creeping deeper into the forest's heart.
Occasionally, high-level soul beasts crossed their path, but the icy, poisonous aura radiating from Old Snake made them flee instantly. Among the beast hierarchy, venomous serpents stood near the very top.
Then, Dugu Feng witnessed something strange.
Old Snake suddenly stopped before a massive tree whose gnarled root cavity looked large enough for a person to crawl through.
After a short wait, a gleaming Jade Phosphor Serpent slithered out from the hollow.
Seeing the shimmering luster of its scales, Dugu Feng estimated it to be at least a five-thousand-year soul beast, eyes intelligent and brimming with awareness.
Old Snake appeared to be… communicating with it.
And this scene repeated as they advanced—one serpent after another emerging to greet him.
Could all these snakes be his servants? Dugu Feng thought with disbelief.
"These beasts are my friends," Old Snake said, noticing his expression. "They're the true masters of this forest.
I spent many years cultivating here, forged ties with the serpent kings. They regard me as one of their own."
So that's where the term 'local snake' really comes from… Dugu Feng thought wryly.
Still, it proved incredibly useful—their serpent allies made it easy to track movements throughout the forest.
They traveled another half-day until night fell.
Dugu Feng leapt silently into a tree, vanishing among the branches.
Meanwhile, Old Snake spread toxins around the area's perimeter.
"My friends guided us well. Huyan Lie's group is nearby. Maybe tonight we can wait for our prey," Old Snake murmured, grinning wickedly as he perched among the leaves.
Both of them drew preserved serpent meat from their storage tools. Eating quietly, they prepared themselves—no one could predict what the night would bring.
Dugu Feng attuned his senses to his dan pearls.
They had absorbed some energy during his soul ring acquisition, the green portion within them now slightly larger.
He had an idea.
Focusing his soul power, he directed the warmth of one dan pearl through his arms, channeling it into the two Nine-Sectioned Jades on his wrists.
Their growth was still slow. His own body was already sustained by one dan pearl—the second could serve to nurture the snakes instead.
Only when they reached thousand-year or even ten-thousand-year levels would they truly aid him.
He immersed himself in deep cultivation, steadily strengthening both himself and his serpents.
Suddenly, pain pricked his body—first at the soles of his feet, then stabbing up to his skull.
It was poison flare again.
It was the third watch of the night.
But this time the pain was sharper—his Jade Phosphor Violet Poison had grown stronger, refined by the ring he had fused.
More of the venom had become part of his very flesh, enhancing his martial spirit's innate toxin.
That was the price of the Poison Cultivation path—each new poisonous soul ring brought greater power… and greater torment.
In contrast, Dugu Yan's first skill, Jade Phosphor Crimson Poison, was an excitatory toxin, amplifying her neural activity and boosting speed and attack by twenty percent—a control-type enhancement.
Her ring had not come from a poisonous beast, which allowed her to delay her poison flare until the Soul King stage.
For others like Little Snake, it would come no later than Soul Emperor level.
That was the essential difference between the Poison and Serpent branches.
Enduring the agony, Dugu Feng's thoughts wandered—an act of disciplined habit. He analyzed his cultivation path as a way to distract his mind from the pain.
Sensing their master's distress, the twin Nine-Sectioned Jades suddenly sank their fangs into his wrists, channeling their own poison into his veins.
This was routine for him—during poison flares, he always let them bite. His own venom flowed back into them in return.
With the dan pearl's assistance, he never feared harming them.
The rotating pearl released a strong suction, drawing out residual poison while helping the serpents digest and strengthen from it.
It was mutual evolution—each benefiting from the other.
He did not know how much time had passed before the pain faded.
Exhaling deeply, Dugu Feng realized he had endured his first poison flare since becoming a true soul master.
Then, a faint hiss broke the silence.
Someone was coming.
Dugu Feng tensed, shrinking every motion, sinking into complete stillness.
This was what he excelled at—the art of the hibernating serpent.
He released no aura, no warmth; all energy was pulled inward, absorbed by the dan pearls.
His senses sharpened to a razor's edge. Through slitted eyes, he peered into the darkness toward the sound.
Hundreds of meters away, a tall man in black sprinted through the forest.
His movements radiated lethal intent, as if he had just escaped a massacre.
But what shone brightest in the night was the massive blade in his hand.
The weapon was as tall as its wielder, gleaming faintly crimson along the edge where dried blood still clung.
This was a killer's blade.
(END CHAPTER)
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