Knowing that Tang Hao was now likely fully focused on training Tang San, Song Qing felt a sense of urgency. Tang San's growth trajectory had been altered, and he would likely become a much more formidable opponent much sooner.
'I need to accelerate the strengthening of my own forces,' Song Qing thought, his verdant eyes gleaming with determination. 'The time for subtle maneuvering is slowly coming to an end.'
He decided it was time to inform his teacher that the immediate threat from Tang Hao in Heaven Dou City had likely passed. He made his way to her room, a plan already forming in his mind.
"Teacher," Song Qing said, entering Bibi Dong's chambers, his voice confident, "I believe you no longer need to conceal yourself here so cautiously. Tang Hao is unlikely to attack anyone in Heaven Dou City for the time being."
Bibi Dong, who had been reviewing some documents, looked up, her pink eyes filled with a hint of curiosity. "How can you be so sure of that, Qing'er?" she asked, her voice laced with intrigue.
Song Qing offered her a mysterious smile, a playful glint in his verdant eyes. "That, my dear teacher, is a secret for now." He paused, then continued, his tone shifting to one of purpose. "However, I do have a request. I believe it is time for us to summon some of the powerful Titled Douluo elders from the Spirit Hall. We will need their assistance."
Bibi Dong's eyebrows rose slightly. "Assistance for what, Qing'er?"
"We are going hunting, Teacher," Song Qing replied, his smile widening. "We are going to acquire some hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts."
Bibi Dong's eyes widened in surprise. "Hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts? Qing'er, that is no easy task!"
"I am aware, Teacher," Song Qing said calmly. "But I believe the time is right. And as for finding these elusive creatures… you will simply have to trust me on that."
He knew he couldn't reveal the full extent of his Primordial Life Tree Spirit's abilities just yet, but he had mentioned his plant spirit to her before. "You know about my… unique plant spirit, Teacher," he said, carefully choosing his words. "It grants me a… heightened sensitivity to the natural world, especially in forested areas. I believe I can use this ability to locate these powerful spirit beasts."
"A heightened sensitivity?" Bibi Dong mused, her pink eyes thoughtful. She knew Qing'er possessed many secrets and unique abilities. "Very well, Qing'er. I trust your judgment. But you must promise me that you will be careful."
"Of course, Teacher," Song Qing reassured her. "And there's no need to worry about the Great Star Dou Forest or the Sunset Forest. We will be looking in other, lesser-known forests and even venturing to the Extreme North."
"The Extreme North?" Bibi Dong echoed, her brow furrowing. "For what purpose?"
"For ice attribute spirit beasts, Teacher," Song Qing explained. "Not just for myself, but also for Senior Sister Qian Renxue. She has reached level 70 soul power and will soon need a hundred-thousand-year soul ring to truly satisfy her physical limits after consuming those immortal herbs I gave her."
"That makes sense," Bibi Dong nodded, understanding Qian Renxue's unique situation.
"As for Rongrong and Zhuqing," Song Qing continued, "after they successfully absorb their ten-thousand-year spirit bones today, they will likely reach level 40. It won't be long before they need ten-thousand-year spirit beasts for their fourth soul rings as well."
"And Senior Dugu Bo?" Bibi Dong inquired.
Song Qing's expression became slightly more thoughtful. "For Senior Dugu Bo… I want to provide him with a draconic bloodline infusion that will further enhance his poison attribute, making it even more potent. Ice or other conventional elemental attributes might not be the best fit for him. I will need to consider that more carefully."
"And you, Qing'er?" Bibi Dong asked, her eyes filled with concern and affection. "What about your own needs?"
"I will also need to absorb a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast's soul ring to satisfy the fifth soul ring of my Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor," Song Qing replied, his verdant eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Bibi Dong nodded, her mind already working on his request. "Very well, Qing'er. I will summon the elders. How many do you believe we will need?"
"I think five powerful Titled Douluo, including Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo, along with three other strong elders from the Spirit Hall, should suffice," Song Qing said confidently.
Bibi Dong nodded again. "Including myself and Poison Douluo… that will make a total of seven Titled Douluo for this mission. It seems quite… extravagant, Qing'er."
Song Qing smiled. "Only the best for my allies, Teacher. And for myself, of course." He knew that with this level of power, they would be able to overcome almost any challenge they might face in their hunt for these rare and powerful spirit beasts. The time to grow stronger had arrived, and Song Qing was ready to lead the charge.
~~
The very next day, as promised, five formidable Titled Douluo from the Spirit Hall arrived at Dugu Bo's mansion. Their presence exuded an aura of immense power, even in their relaxed states.
By this time, both Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had successfully completed the arduous process of absorbing their respective ten-thousand-year spirit bones. They were both glowing with a newfound energy and excitement.
Ning Rongrong was the first to showcase her newfound abilities. "Qing, Qing! Look!" she exclaimed, her cyan eyes sparkling with delight. She focused her spirit power, and for a brief moment, her entire body seemed to shimmer with an inner light, becoming visibly harder and more resilient. "This is 'Diamond Body'! It makes me so much tougher!"
She then giggled and with another wave of her hand, a perfect illusion of herself flickered into existence beside her. It mirrored her movements exactly. "And this is 'Mirror Image Reflection'! You can even feel its spirit power! It can take one really strong hit for me before it disappears!"
Zhu Zhuqing, equally thrilled, demonstrated her new skills. Her movements became even more fluid and swift, leaving afterimages in her wake. "Qing, the Right Leg Spirit Bone has given me incredible speed and agility! This is 'Frostfire Flash'!" A trail of icy mist and fiery sparks followed her as she moved.
She then focused again, and a visible resistance seemed to envelop her body. "And this is 'Elemental Resilience'. I can feel a much greater resistance to both ice and fire attacks now!"
Finally, a dark purple aura emanated from her Abyssal Phantom Lion spirit, which had manifested behind her. "My spirit has also gained a new ability! It's called 'Lion's Prestige'!" She focused her gaze, and a silent wave of pressure seemed to ripple through the air. "I can use it to temporarily stun spirit beasts or even spirit masters with beast-type spirits that are of a lower rank than my Abyssal Phantom Lion."
Song Qing clapped his hands together, genuinely pleased with their progress. "Excellent! These are all fantastic abilities! I knew you both would unlock powerful skills."
He nodded to them, his verdant eyes filled with pride. "Now, as I mentioned, we will all be accompanying my teacher, Senior Sister Qian Renxue, Senior Dugu Bo, and the five Titled Douluo who have just arrived, on a long trip. We will be acquiring soul rings for everyone who needs them."
He looked at both girls sternly, though his eyes held a hint of amusement. "I want both of you to remain by my side at all times during this trip. Understand?"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a knowing glance. They had absolutely no intention of leaving Song Qing's side, especially with so many powerful individuals present and the promise of encountering powerful spirit beasts.
"Of course, Qing!" Ning Rongrong said, grabbing his arm.
"We wouldn't dream of it," Zhu Zhuqing added, snuggling close to his other side.
Soon after, the group was ready to depart. Instead of heading directly to the Extreme North, Song Qing led them towards a series of interconnected forests he had sensed holding powerful spirit beasts. He had named this region the Whispering Woods, a vast expanse of ancient trees and hidden valleys.
It wasn't long into their journey when Song Qing's senses, enhanced by his Primordial Life Tree Spirit, picked up the distinct aura of an incredibly powerful spirit beast. It was located in a particularly dense section of the Whispering Woods he had mentally dubbed the Emerald Labyrinth.
"Teacher," Song Qing said to Bibi Dong, his voice filled with a hint of excitement, "I believe I have located a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast that will be perfect for Senior Dugu Bo."
Bibi Dong's pink eyes widened in surprise. "Already? That was remarkably fast, Qing'er."
Dugu Bo, who was flying alongside them on his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, also looked at Song Qing with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.
"What kind of spirit beast is it, little brat?" Dugu Bo asked, his voice gruff but eager.
"It's a draconic beast, Senior," Song Qing replied, a thoughtful expression on his face. "But it doesn't possess a conventional elemental attribute like fire or water. Its aura feels… different. I believe absorbing its soul ring will allow your Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor to finally begin its evolution towards a true draconic bloodline."
Dugu Bo's green eyes widened in astonishment. "A draconic bloodline? For my serpent?"
"Yes, Senior," Song Qing confirmed. "It will become much stronger, its poison will become even more potent, and it will likely gain powerful draconic abilities and immense physical strength."
He then turned to Dugu Bo, his verdant eyes serious. "Senior, in order for you to absorb this hundred-thousand-year soul ring effectively, we will need to make a slight adjustment. You will need to destroy your current ninth soul ring."
Dugu Bo frowned, his expression confused. "Destroy my ninth soul ring? But… that will drop me back to level 90!"
"That is correct, Senior," Song Qing nodded. "But think of it this way. Your current ninth soul ring is powerful, yes, but it is the limit of your current bloodline. By destroying it and absorbing the soul ring of this draconic beast, your new ninth soul ring will be far more powerful, and it will unlock a whole new level of potential for you."
Dugu Bo considered Song Qing's words carefully. He trusted the young man's judgment, and the prospect of his spirit evolving to possess a draconic bloodline was incredibly enticing.
'He's right,' Dugu Bo thought. 'This little brat has never steered me wrong before. And Bibi Dong trusts him implicitly. This is probably the best chance I'll ever get to truly elevate my power.'
"Alright, little brat," Dugu Bo said, a determined glint in his green eyes. "I trust you. Let's do it."
Song Qing nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. He extended his right hand, and the Crimson Soul Emperor's Crown materialized above his head, its crimson gems glowing ominously.
"Senior, I will use the Soul Seizure ability to extract the soul spirit from your ninth soul ring," Song Qing explained. "It will be quick and painless, as long as you do not resist."
Dugu Bo took a deep breath and nodded. "I won't resist."
Song Qing focused his mental energy, and a beam of crimson light shot out from the crown, targeting the ninth soul ring encircling Dugu Bo's body. The process was smooth and swift, the soul spirit within Dugu Bo's ninth soul ring being gently extracted and dissipating into the air. Song Qing made sure not to absorb it into his spirit bone, as he had no desire to replace A'Rou's soul.
With his ninth soul ring gone, Dugu Bo's soul power visibly receded, dropping him back to the level of a ninety-first-ranked Soul Douluo who was in need of a ninth soul ring.
The entire group, now consisting of Song Qing, Dugu Bo, Bibi Dong, Ghost Douluo, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ning Rongrong, Qian Renxue, Zhu Zhuqing, and the three other Titled Douluo, descended towards the location of the hundred-thousand-year draconic beast.
As they approached, the powerful aura of the spirit beast became palpable. It was a magnificent creature, a serpentine dragon with scales the color of polished obsidian and eyes that glowed with an inner, violet light.
Bibi Dong instructed the other Titled Douluo. "You will engage the beast. Dugu Bo will deliver the final blow once it is weakened."
Song Qing, Ning Rongrong, Qian Renxue, and Zhu Zhuqing remained a safe distance away, with Ghost Douluo hovering silently beside them, his shadowy form providing an impenetrable shield against any potential threats. The hunt for the hundred-thousand-year soul ring had begun.