章 48: [DD]: 48
Han Li turned his head to the other side and noticed that Dugu Yan's aura was gradually stabilizing. He quickly darted into the nearby bushes.
After a moment of hesitation, considering the return journey, he decided to heed his master's advice and put on the backless outfit. Internally, he resolved to order custom clothes as soon as he returned; wearing them was simply too uncomfortable.
When he emerged after changing, he found that Dugu Yan had already finished absorbing her soul ring and was happily chatting with the other two.
"Xiao Li, your blessing worked!"
As soon as she saw him, Dugu Yan excitedly ran over and grabbed his arm to share her experience.
"Really? So, Sister Yan, what soul skill did you acquire? Why don't you tell us?"
Han Li followed her lead and asked with a smile.
"My third soul skill is called 'Sky Fire Feathers'. The skill effect is that once activated, it grants a fifty percent speed and flame attack range increase, and quickly shoots out a wave of feathers formed from condensed flames. How about it? Not bad, right? I've completely inherited the ability."
Dugu Yan said somewhat proudly.
"It's indeed impressive. Not only does it have an amplification effect, but it also includes area-of-effect attacks. Sister Yan, you're amazing." Han Li gave her a thumbs-up.
"Of course."
"By the way, Xiao Li, what is your third soul skill? Also, Grandpa told me you have wings now. Let me see."
Dugu Yan looked curiously at Han Li, who had already changed into a new set of clothes.
Seeing Guang Ling and Dugu Bo also turning their gazes towards him, Han Li summoned his martial soul. The bowstring had a striking arrangement of black, purple, and black rings.
A flash of light and three arrows condensed from soul power passed through the third soul ring and ended up in his hands. He handed an arrow to each of the three.
"Here, you can feel them for yourselves."
The three took the arrows and immediately noticed something unusual. The arrows, coated in a layer of green light, changed weight in their hands—sometimes as light as a feather, other times as heavy as a thousand pounds.
"This is my third soul skill. The name doesn't matter, I haven't thought of one yet. Its effect is that the arrow's flight speed increases by one hundred percent and it inherits the Greenshadow Godly Eagle's ability to control its mass. As for the upper limit, I'm not sure yet, but based on estimates, it ranges from three to ten times. I can use it for my usual attacks, and I can also control the arrow speed to some extent."
As he spoke, he quickly drew his bow and performed a three-shot rapid-fire at a nearby open space.
Under his control, although the three arrows were shot one after another, they landed simultaneously in the same spot.
Then, he shot another arrow, and the three saw it slowly float mid-flight before suddenly accelerating and hitting the distant ground, creating a large crater upon impact.
"Hiss..."
The three of them looked at the large crater in the distance and recalled how the arrow initially seemed so light as if it could be easily swatted away. They couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
Why did it feel like Xiao Li's attacks were becoming increasingly sinister? A similar thought crossed all their minds.
"And what about the dual swords? What is their soul skill?" Guang Ling asked instinctively.
"The dual swords inherit a similar ability. Besides increasing attack speed by one hundred percent, I can also control their mass. Unlike the arrows, when their mass changes, I don't bear the same weight; they remain at their original weight," Han Li explained. This time, he did not switch to demonstrate; it wasn't necessary.
The three listened, feeling a bit unnerved. They could already imagine a scene where Han Li effortlessly swings a light blade, and the opponent is forced to their knees, their feet sinking into the ground.
"Alright, as long as you're satisfied," Guang Ling remarked after a while.
"And the wings? The wings? Xiao Li, show me what your wings look like," Dugu Yan urged, coming to his side and instinctively lifting his cloak. She saw his backless outfit and his awkward expression and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Alright, stop laughing. I'll custom-order new clothes as soon as we get back," Han Li said through gritted teeth, feeling both angry and cold. Why should a man wearing a backless outfit be laughed at? He didn't realize that Dugu Yan was laughing at how uncomfortable he looked.
"Alright, alright, we can talk about the clothes later. Tell us what abilities your wings have given you," Dugu Bo said, waving his hand dismissively. He was more interested in the effects of the soul bone.
Han Li stepped back two paces, and two enormous azure eagle wings unfolded from his back. They were almost twice the length of his outstretched arms, enveloped in dense wind energy. The entire wing looked as if it were carved from blue jade, with feather patterns etched into it. The azure glow continuously flowed over them, making them appear stunning.
"So beautiful," Dugu Yan exclaimed in awe. She stepped forward and touched the wings. Though they looked like they were made of jade, they felt soft to the touch and had a pleasant texture.
"Stop touching them, I can feel that," Han Li said uncomfortably, flapping his wings lightly to push her away, not noticing that her eyes brightened even more.
"Yep, I call them Qing Ling, as a tribute to my master who captured it. It only has one ability, which is to grant me extreme speed. The soul bone's flight speed is equivalent to that of a Greenshadow Godly Eagle of the same age, completely ignoring wind resistance," Han Li explained. He then flapped his wings with satisfaction. A streak of azure light flashed, and he was already on the other side of the clearing. Another flash of azure light, and he was back to his original position.
Finally, he no longer needed to use his hands and feet for propulsion. He was very pleased with this, although he regretted that it lacked a lightning attribute; otherwise, he could have named them Wind and Thunder Wings.
But it didn't matter. With lightning on the left and fire on the right, aided by the Thunder, Han Li felt that once he fully mastered their use, he could even combine them for a "nitro acceleration" mode, which would look cool.
Yes, at that point, he could disguise himself with ice blades, and during aerial combat, he could cosplay as Extreme Wind: Meteor Kill. He had to admit, it was quite an exciting prospect.
Thank you, gods, your gifts are truly impressive.
Relying on his excellent body coordination and strong mental power, Han Li quickly familiarized himself with the use of the wings. Although it was still unrealistic to apply them directly in battle, simple flight posed no problem.
Thus, this soul hunt concluded quite successfully.
After a brief discussion, the four decided to fly directly out of the forest from above.
However, Dugu Yan's flight speed was still a bit slow. Her speed boost only activated when her soul skill was used, and she didn't have the soul power strength of the two titled Douluo. So, Dugu Bo had to carry her as they headed towards the small town.
Flying unobstructed in the sky was indeed much faster than traveling on the ground, especially with the protection of the two titled Douluo, allowing them to travel at full speed without worry.
The moon had just risen when the four of them reached the outskirts of the small town. They retracted their wings and walked into the town.
After finding Sebastian, the group settled next to the carriage, bought some ready-made food from the town, and had a simple celebration.
Yes, this was also a farewell feast, as tomorrow morning, the three of them would part ways with Dugu Bo.
By the campfire, Dugu Bo clinked glasses with Guang Ling, took a sip of the small wine, and looked at the two young people chatting and laughing nearby. He sighed, "It's good to be young."
"You're not that old yourself. Haven't you regained your youth? From the outside, you're just a middle-aged man. And if you count the lifespan gained from your title, you're practically a young man. If you're envious, it's not too late to marry again."
Perhaps because they were about to part, Guang Ling's words were much less aggressive. Though he was still teasing, the intensity had diminished significantly.
"Hmph, not everyone is like you, with a child's face and a personality that stays young."
Dugu Bo's retorts had become much sharper.
"Are you looking for a fight?"
Guang Ling's face darkened. He had let Dugu Bo off the hook, yet here he was, attacking him again.
"Ah, don't mind me, just speaking casually. Please take care of Yan Yan when she gets to Wuhun City. I'll handle things on my end first."
Dugu Bo waved his hand nonchalantly and looked at Guang Ling.
"You don't need to worry about that. She's my disciple's wife; of course, I'll take care of her."
Guang Ling replied in a sarcastic tone.
"Didn't you refuse before?" Dugu Bo glanced at him.
"Does it matter whether I agree or not? Your granddaughter has already absorbed the soul bone. If she can run away from Xiao Li, then call me incompetent," Guang Ling said smugly.
"Damn it, neither you nor your disciple are any good, both of you have hearts as black as coal," Dugu Bo muttered under his breath.
"Why resort to personal attacks? We represent the righteous Martial Soul Hall, whereas you, old man, have the worst reputation. We haven't even complained about you," Guang Ling retorted, his tone neither hard nor soft.
"Yes, yes, I have the worst reputation. But, well, Martial Soul Hall isn't that bad on the continent. At least you guys get things done," Dugu Bo laughed, seeming less repulsed by Martial Soul Hall than before.
After all, he was already on this "pirate ship," so how could he leave? Moreover, he found Han Li and Guang Ling to be to his liking, even if they were a bit heartless. Luckily, he wasn't a saint either, so they were all in the same boat, no one judging the other.
"Han Li is at level thirty-four, and Yan Yan is at level thirty-three. It still feels a bit unreal, especially since that kid is not even eight years old," Dugu Bo said, changing the topic to the two young ones, feeling a bit vexed.
"Yes, if I hadn't watched Xiao Li grow step by step, I wouldn't believe it either," Guang Ling said, looking at Han Li with a mixture of affection and wonder, almost like a dream. "You know, I just took Han Li out for three months, and when we return, he will have gone from level twenty to thirty-four. How many people do you think will be shocked?"
"Hahaha, the more shocked, the better. I hope it scares that old fart Chrysanthemum Douluo to death," Dugu Bo laughed heartily, clinking his bottle with Guang Ling's and taking a big swig.
As the night deepened, they all returned to the carriage without further ado. Perhaps everyone had slept well the night before.
The next day, as the sky began to brighten, everyone woke up.
Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo huddled together, chatting about mundane family matters, each giving the other advice on what to do next and agreeing on when to meet again. Only then did they return to the table.
After a simple breakfast, it was finally time to part.
Dugu Yan couldn't hold back her tears and threw herself into Dugu Bo's arms. She had rarely been away from her grandfather for more than a month since childhood, and now, thinking about not seeing him for at least six months, she felt a wave of sadness even before leaving.
Han Li and Guang Ling stood by, watching but not intervening, knowing they couldn't help in such a situation.
With Dugu Bo's comforting words, Dugu Yan finally calmed down a bit and reluctantly left his embrace, red-eyed, to stand beside Han Li.
"Alright, you guys should head out first. I won't be taking the carriage; I'll fly back directly," Dugu Bo said, standing outside the carriage and bidding farewell to the three of them, signaling that it was time to depart.
"Alright, Old Poison, we'll meet in Wuhun City."
Guang Ling left these words nonchalantly, turned around, and boarded the carriage.
"Senior, see you in Wuhun City. I'll take good care of Sister Yan," Han Li said, holding Dugu Yan as he promised Dugu Bo.
"Alright, I trust you won't make Yan Yan sad. Yan Yan, go ahead. It's time for you to leave your grandpa and explore a bit."
Dugu Bo smiled warmly. Although his eyes were reluctant, they also held a smile and blessings.
"Okay, Grandpa, I know. You must take care of your health. Also, when you go back, please tell Ling Ling for me that I will return. And make sure you hand her the letter yourself."
Dugu Yan stepped forward to give her grandpa a light hug, reiterated these few sentences, and then followed Han Li onto the carriage, turning back every few steps.
"Goodbye, Senior."
Through the window, Han Li cupped his hands towards Dugu Bo.
"Goodbye then."
Dugu Bo stood by the roadside, watching the carriage gradually leave the small town, getting further and further away. Only when he could no longer see any trace of the carriage did he turn around. Amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, he summoned his wings and soared into the sky.
Several days later, a luxurious carriage, having been away for nearly three months, slowly entered Wuhun City through the city gate.
"So, this is Wuhun City?"
Fully recovered, Dugu Yan stood by the open window of the carriage, sticking her head out and curiously looking outside.
"Yeah, how is it? Not bad, right?" Han Li responded with a smile.
"Yeah, there are so many Soul Masters here. I've never seen so many Soul Masters gathered together before. And unlike in Heaven Dou City, the commoners here don't seem to avoid the Soul Masters."
Dugu Yan, observing the Soul Masters and commoners chatting nearby, retracted her body back into the carriage.
"If you're interested, we can come out together another day. You'll understand better then."
Han Li put away the book he was holding, stood up, and stretched. They were about to reach the foot of the Mountain of Worship and would have to continue on foot.
He had already consulted his master and was permitted to bring Dugu Yan up the mountain. However, until Qian Daoliu gave further instructions, her activities would be restricted to a designated residential area. For now, that would suffice. He had intended to propose to his master that he and Sister Xiu'er move into the city upon their return. This trip would be a good opportunity to finalize that.
Soon, the carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain.
Three people got down from the carriage. After a cordial farewell with Sebastian, they gave him a token of Han Li's identity, telling him that he could come to them if he needed anything. Sebastian then left, overjoyed.
"Let's go, up the mountain. I'll first take you to see where I live now."
Han Li reached out and gently pulled the wandering Dugu Yan, guiding her up the mountain.
Along the way, he continuously smiled and greeted the surrounding guards, who respectfully returned his greetings while also taking note of Dugu Yan's appearance.
As soon as he stepped into the residential area, a familiar voice sounded from ahead.
"Xiao Li, you're back!"
Following the voice, Han Li looked forward and saw Sister Xiu'er quickly running towards him.
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