At the door.
Zhu Zhuyun raised her hand to open it, yet couldn't bring herself to push forward.
Suddenly, she flashed a radiant smile and turned her head.
"Why so cold? Everyone from your Dugu Family is like this—utterly dull!"
She took a deep breath, feigning nonchalance.
After glancing around, she picked up two teacups from the nearby table and poured tea into them.
Slowly, she walked toward Dugu Feng.
The closer she got, the more her fair cheeks flushed pink, her body trembling slightly—clear signs of inner turmoil.
Dressed in a form-fitting leather outfit that cinched her slender waist, her figure was accentuated with graceful curves.
It was a wonder how such a delicate waist could support the weight of her upper body.
Standing there, she towered over the seated Dugu Feng.
She handed him a teacup.
"Now isn't the time for tea!"
Dugu Feng smirked, smashing the cup to the ground with a clatter before seizing Zhu Zhuyun's wrist.
He preferred things straightforward.
Zhu Zhuyun hadn't expected such force from him.
Losing her balance with a gasp, she was abruptly pulled into his embrace.
Staring into Dugu Feng's icy expression, she felt a pang of bitterness—her charms had no effect on him.
"If you've made up your mind, why put on an act?"
Dugu Feng mocked.
Her body softened as she let out a self-deprecating laugh, then flashed a confident smile. "I suppose I was being pretentious.
Tonight, I'll serve you."
With a twist, she rose to her feet.
In one fluid motion, she shed her leather outfit, leaving only a pink undergarment.
A glimmer flashed in her eyes as her Martial Soul Avatar manifested, her body becoming as supple as a cat's.
She pressed herself tightly against Dugu Feng.
She intended to give him an unforgettable night—even if she had to sell herself, she'd make sure it was at a high price.
The lamplight flickered in the room.
An intoxicating, passionate atmosphere filled the air.
The next morning.
Zhu Zhuyun lay there, pale and utterly spent, her body bare.
It took a long while before she regained some strength.
"I want that pearl."
She tried to keep her voice gentle, though impatience bled through.
Dugu Feng, already dressed, stood admiring the view.
"You already have it."
"I do?" Zhu Zhuyun froze.
Yesterday, the pearl had been taken from her lips by Dugu Feng.
Amidst last night's chaos, she had no memory of swallowing it.
"Dugu Feng, you're toying with me!"
Her eyes reddened with fury.
She had given herself to him completely.
To manipulate and motivate Dai Wei, she had remained chaste—until last night, when she lost herself to Dugu Feng.
The enormity of her sacrifice now felt like a dream.
Regret gnawed at her—she never should have entered his room.
Last night, it was as if she had been bewitched, lured by a devil.
"Feel for yourself."
Dugu Feng's tone was indifferent as he willed the remaining Core Pearl inside her to release a surge of warmth.
Zhu Zhuyun gasped in delight.
The heat flooding through her limbs was as exhilarating as a breakthrough.
Her complexion visibly brightened.
Her fair, jade-like skin flushed red all over.
Zhu Zhuyun darted forward like a spirit cat, appearing beside Dugu Feng in a flash.
"Hehe, I misjudged you. From now on, I'll serve you wholeheartedly!"
With the pearl secured, her anxious heart finally settled.
Yet, an even greater fear of Dugu Feng rose within her.
How had he done it? She had no idea.
His methods were far too mysterious and unfathomable.
"The taste was good. Train well!"
Dugu Feng offered a few words of encouragement.
Seeing his dismissive attitude, Zhu Zhuyun had no choice but to dress and leave the private room.
Returning to her own quarters, she calmed down.
From now on, with this pearl inside her, she would be under Dugu Feng's control.
Hmph, right now, I'm only a Soul Ancestor—I can't sense this pearl's influence. But once I reach Soul Saint or Soul Douluo, I refuse to believe he can still control me like this. When that time comes, I'll seize this pearl for myself. Such a treasure should belong to me!
Yet, the thought that Dugu Feng's strength would also advance rapidly made her confidence waver.
His talent was a hundred times greater than Dai Wei's. In the future, he would undoubtedly become one of the continent's top powerhouses.
Zhu Zhuyun's mind churned, her eyes flickering with shifting emotions.
Meanwhile, in his room, Dugu Feng assessed the status of his eight Core Pearls.
Currently, he possessed one himself, while Dugu Yan, Zhu Zhuyun, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Yan, and Shi Nian each held one. The two Emerald Dragon Snakes shared a single pearl.
The total energy had reached thirty-five points.
This progress was remarkably fast—largely thanks to the contributions of the Ten-Headed Fiery Sun Serpent Inner Core and the Blue Silver Emperor Grass Seed.
After evolving into eight pearls, the rate at which they digested the energy from the Ten-Headed Fiery Sun Serpent Inner Core had increased dramatically.
The inner core, which had served Dugu Feng for years, was finally exhausted.
At the same time, the Blue Silver Emperor Grass Seed had been reduced to an imperceptible speck, its remaining energy fully absorbed by the pearls.
This demonstrated just how much energy was required for the pearls' advancement.
Dugu Feng was satisfied with the progress.
The increase in the pearls' energy had greatly aided the strengthening of his body—a gradual, continuous enhancement.
In terms of physical prowess alone, he believed he could rank among the top on the entire Douluo Continent.
The Overlord Venom formed after absorbing his fifth Spirit Ring—he would claim it without fail.
By now, the five consecutive days of Soul Duels had concluded, and the results were announced without any major surprises.
As Dugu Feng cultivated, he also waited to return to Heaven Dou City.
Over the next three days, the six great families held further discussions, finalizing their shares for the next six years.
However, Yu Luomian's presence at the meeting guaranteed that he would stir up trouble.
He proposed a wager.
For nobles, gambling was a common pastime—especially in the Great Soul Arena, which was itself a venue for such contests.
But the content of the wager left Dugu Feng puzzled.
Recently, two unstoppable genius teams had emerged in the Great Soul Arena.
Though their Soul Power Levels weren't particularly high, they had each achieved nearly thirty consecutive victories in team battles within their tier.
Such a streak had drawn countless nobles and gamblers to place bets on them.
The length of their winning streaks, the time it would take for them to reach Gold Spirit Duel Team status, and the outcome of their eventual clash—all had become subjects of wagers.
Yu Luomian suggested using the result of the two teams' future confrontation as the basis for their gamble.
Each faction would stake one-tenth of their Great Soul Arena profits for the next six years as an under-the-table bet.
After the outcome of the duel is determined, the secret bets from the six factions will be revealed, with the winner claiming the loser's stakes.
This was no small wager.
If the total profits from the Great Soul Duel were counted as ten shares, each faction would receive less than two shares.
To stake one whole share at once—losing it would mean halving their profits for the next six years or more.
Did Yu Luomian truly have such confidence in victory?