Qian Renxue smiled warmly and said, "It's been a long time, Brother Ye. I apologize for the sudden visit, but I had no choice. There's a distinguished guest who wishes to meet Elder Dugu, but their identity isn't suitable for an open meeting. So, I had to act as a cover."
Ye Wen narrowed his eyes slightly, not believing a word of Qian Renxue's excuse.
'If you're looking for Dugu Bo, why drag me into this? Are you using my teacher as an excuse to lure me here?'
"I see. Your Highness has certainly gone through a lot," Ye Wen replied blandly, cutting straight to the point.
"May I ask which senior is seeking my teacher, and what does Your Highness want with me? Please speak plainly—it's already late, and this humble citizen is preparing to retire."
Dugu Bo, being no fool, caught the hidden meaning behind Qian Renxue's words. His curiosity was piqued—what kind of person would make Qian Renxue go to such lengths, even at the cost of her reputation, to arrange this meeting?
At that moment, Qian Renxue stepped outside and sent a series of signals with her soul power toward a specific direction.
The next instant, Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed as a tall, cloaked figure swiftly scaled the walls of his estate and appeared before Qian Renxue.
"Hmph, visiting in the dead of night without using the front door—this evening just keeps getting more interesting," Dugu Bo thought to himself.
The cloaked figure then entered the room with Qian Renxue, using soul power to seal all the doors and windows, creating an air of secrecy.
Ye Wen's gaze flickered. From the precision of the soul power manipulation alone, it was clear that this person was no ordinary individual—their strength was at least that of a Soul Douluo.
At this point, Ye Wen had already guessed the reason for their visit to Dugu Bo.
The cloaked figure removed their hood, revealing a weathered, aged face.
As a senior figure in the world of soul masters and the covert leader of the Medical Alliance, both Dugu Bo and Ye Wen immediately recognized who this person was.
Dugu Bo chuckled lightly. "I didn't expect to see you, Ge Long. What an unexpected guest."
The man appeared to be around fifty years old. His name was Ge Long, an 89th-level Power Attack System Soul Douluo. However, this wasn't his most important title—he was also the pillar of the Tian Dou Empire, serving as the Supreme Commander of the Three Armies, and was known as the Nine-Lives Divine Dragon. In every respect, he was considered the number one figure in the Tian Dou Empire.
This was the information Ye Wen had gathered from the books.
However, having read the original novel, Ye Wen couldn't help but feel conflicted as he looked at Ge Long.
After all, Ge Long's martial soul was Yazi, one of the nine sons of the dragon in Chinese mythology. As descendants of the Yanhuang lineage, it was hard not to be intrigued by such a martial soul.
The Yazi martial soul was a hybrid of a wolf's body and a dragon's head, embodying ferocity and aggression. It was a martial soul that thrived on battle, making Ge Long a natural-born warrior.
In the context of Peerless Tang Sect, the quality of the Yazi martial soul surpassed even Xuan Zi's mixed-blood Taotie martial soul as a Holy Spirit Douluo. Yet, despite all these impressive traits, Ge Long's performance in the original novel was utterly lackluster, leading fans of Douluo to ridicule the empire's military strategies and pin them to the hall of shame.
Some fans even joked that Ge Long's title of Nine-Lives Divine Dragon wasn't because he truly had nine lives, but rather because he somehow managed to survive nine battles through sheer dumb luck.
To this, Ye Wen could only think: 'What a Douluo version of Baki!'
Ge Long bowed respectfully to Dugu Bo. After all, Dugu Bo was both older and stronger than him, so there was no shame in showing deference.
Dugu Bo accepted the gesture with ease, smirking mischievously as he asked, "So, what brings you, little dragon, to my humble abode? Don't beat around the bush—just spit it out. My disciple here has already said he's tired."
Though Ge Long's portrayal in the original novel was underwhelming, his military discipline ensured his actions remained precise and formal. With clear eyes, he spoke:
"Esteemed Elder Dugu, I've come tonight to seek your guidance on breaking through to become a Title Douluo. I've been stuck at level 89 for many years now. Though I've studied the Imperial family's secret methods, it seems something is still lacking within me, preventing me from achieving the breakthrough. I humbly ask for your assistance, and if successful, both myself and the Imperial family will offer generous rewards."
Ye Wen and Dugu Bo simultaneously narrowed their eyes. Ge Long's words confirmed Ye Wen's earlier suspicions.
In the world of soul masters, there was a saying: sixty years of age was the watershed for whether a soul master could break through to become a Title Douluo.
Ge Long, now in his fifties and approaching sixty, faced the decline of vitality that came with age. Unable to find a solution in the Imperial family's secret teachings, he had come here tonight.
Ye Wen's eyes betrayed a hint of disdain. The Tian Dou Imperial Family truly wanted to have their cake and eat it too.
They wanted a Title Douluo but didn't want the world to know they relied on external help to achieve it.
Dugu Bo, on the other hand, was blunt. "Hmph, you've come to the wrong place, little dragon. If the centuries-old Tian Dou Imperial Family couldn't solve this problem, how could our humble Medical Alliance possibly help you break through to Title Douluo?
Enough of this nonsense. Since you have no real business here, we'll take our leave."
With a wave of his hand, Dugu Bo dispelled the soul power sealing the doors and windows, reopening the hall to the outside.
But Ge Long remained steadfast, his expression unchanged as he clasped his hands and said, "Elder Dugu, please don't joke with me. Even Elder Chen Gang managed to break through to Title Douluo at such an advanced age and underwent a martial soul evolution. I refuse to believe the Medical Alliance has no way to help me achieve the same."
At this, Dugu Bo's soul power surged menacingly, his eyes narrowing as killing intent radiated from him.
"Hmph, you've done your research thoroughly—but so what!"
With those words, Dugu Bo unleashed a terrifying wave of soul power that sent Ge Long flying out of the hall.
However, Dugu Bo showed restraint—he hadn't touched Qian Renxue.
Ge Long, though disheveled from the sudden attack, stubbornly clasped his hands again and said, "Elder Dugu, you are also a son of Tian Dou. Why won't you lend us your strength?
The Imperial family and I are willing to offer you any reward you desire—whether it's soul bones or other rare treasures, we can negotiate."
Dugu Bo burst into laughter, infuriated.
Soul bones? Rare treasures?
These items were indeed valuable to ordinary soul masters, and even someone like him, a Title Douluo, might be tempted by a large enough quantity.
But when compared to the opportunity to break through to Title Douluo?
Dugu Bo believed that any soul master, including himself, would unhesitatingly choose to become a Title Douluo!
After all, in the world of Douluo, everything else was secondary—only soul masters reigned supreme.
And becoming a Title Douluo represented the pinnacle of a soul master's journey. Once you reached that level, what soul bones or treasures couldn't you acquire on your own? Why bother trading for them?
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed.