Chapter 168: Cause

When the Ultimate Lightning surged into the alchemical furnace, the nascent poison pill inside began undergoing some transformation.

When a crack appeared in the furnace, Tie Li subconsciously tried to withdraw the lightning.

"Don't pull back, it's about to succeed." Du Gu Bo hurriedly shouted.

He stared at the furnace, his expression brimming with excitement; with this poison pill, his poison technique could unleash greater power.

Du Gu Bo absorbed two Immortal Herbs, and the Bi Lin Snake Emperor fused top‑tier fire poison with ice‑poison; his poison, in a sense, is on the same level as Tie Li's Black Thunder, infinitely close to the Ultimate Attribute.

However, the poison pill he was forging required the Ultimate Attribute to aid its formation, and Tie Li thought of a possibility.

Given his Douluo‑rank cultivation and his ties to the Tian Dou Imperial House, he might have found something in certain ancient texts.

"Very good, let's go!"

The furnace sprouted a web of cracks; Du Gu Bo supported Tie Li's back and they quickly retreated dozens of meters away.

"Sizzle—"

A faint white mist poured from the fissures, and everything around the furnace melted away at a visible speed.

Du Gu Bo's face lit up; his soul power enveloped his body as he surged into the white mist.

In an instant, the white mist vanished, revealing his figure.

The poison pill's whereabouts were unknown, but from his expression it seemed the pill was complete, and its quality was decent.

"Now that we have this poison pill, we'll make Juhua Pass truly suffer!"

Thinking of Juhua Pass's plight, Du Gu Bo couldn't help but let a smile tug at his mouth.

"Senior, have you been refining this poison pill lately?"

Tie Li scanned the Ice and Fire Dual‑Aspect Eye but saw no sign of Tang San; according to the original timeline, Tang San should have been snatched by Du Gu Bo into the Ice and Fire Dual‑Aspect Eye by now.

Even if the current timeline differs from the original, the Shilake Academy team should have faced First Team in a Team Soul Battle; Tang San broke Du Gu Yan's Bi Lin Snake poison, which would inevitably catch Du Gu Bo's attention.

Given Du Gu Bo's usual temperament, he would certainly have seized Tang San, but after witnessing Yang Wudi's poison skills, he no longer believed his own Bi Lin Snake poison was unrivaled;

Tang San's breaking of his granddaughter's Bi Lin Snake poison did surprise Du Gu Bo, yet unlike the original timeline he didn't immediately abduct Tang San; instead he observed him covertly to learn his background.

He discovered Tang San's terrifying background and decisively gave up.

"Indeed, this poison pill cost me a great deal of effort; you've done me a huge favor this time. If you ever run into trouble, feel free to come to me."

Du Gu Bo escorted Tie Li to the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

"By the way, the girl from Shilake Academy, you'd better not provoke her. She's a member of the Zhu family of the Xingluo Empire, married for generations to the Xingluo Royal Family; her fate has long been bound to the Third Prince of the Xingluo Royal Family," Du Gu Bo warned appropriately.

Tie Li merely nodded, offering no reply.

Du Gu Bo also mentioned the Four Great Single‑Attribute Families; the Tian Dou Imperial House is willing to grant them protection, and now all four families reside within Tiandou City, each with a sizable temporary settlement.

The Seven Treasure Glass Sect has recently extended an olive branch to the Four Great Single‑Attribute Families.

The severely depleted Seven Treasure Glass Sect, eager to swiftly return to its peak, sees absorbing the Four Great Single‑Attribute Families as one of the quickest routes.

After bidding farewell to Du Gu Bo, Tie Li didn't rush into Tiandou City but returned to the academy first.

He planned to rest for a night and enter Tiandou City the next day.

Just upon reaching the academy gate, he saw members of the Second Team looking grimy and bedraggled.

They had taken part in a Team Soul Battle at Tiandou City's Grand Soul Battle Arena today, but unfortunately ran into an exceptionally strong squad.

With the Five Soul Sect's two Soul Masters configuration, only Gu Qi and Ning Ning among the Second Team members reached the Four‑Ring Soul Sect level.

"Boss, when did you return?"

Tuo Yu's eyes lit up upon seeing Tie Li; they had previously been speculating whether Tie Li would come back before the Soul Master Competition.

The Second Team members already knew Tie Li's identity and thought he might skip the Soul Master Competition, yet the Spirit Hall announced the champion's reward for the competition.

Three whole soul bones—that can be called the most generous prize in the history of the Soul Master Competition.

The left‑arm soul bone of the 70,000‑year‑old Yinlei Magic Dragon is a huge lure for Thunder‑Attribute soul masters.

"What's wrong with you?" Tie Li looked at them and asked.

"Sigh, we ran into a team and lost to them," Tuo Yu didn't hide it, summarizing the situation.

"Boss, have you prepared to enter this Soul Master Competition?" Zhang Xiaohe couldn't help asking.

For a moment, everyone's gaze fell on Tie Li; if the team had a Soul King, it would undoubtedly boost the team's strength enormously, they would

Which team nowadays still has a Soul King stationed within it?

Even the FiveElementsAcademy competes based on the number of Soul Ancestors in the team and the coordination among members.

Tie Li merely nodded, which thrilled them greatly.

The Continental Soul Master Elite Competition has persisted to this day; it's not just about glory, but also about proving and embodying one's own worth.

The Second Team members each have family or sect backing, proving their worth, which can allow them in the future

Especially lately, the seven members of the Shilake Academy team have seen their Soul Power Levels rise very quickly.

They all speculate whether the Seven Treasure Glass Sect has supplied them resources, already

In contrast, most members of the Second Team have their Soul Power Levels stuck around Thirty‑Five.

The Shilake team's sudden surge has put them under great pressure.

Ning Ning's position within the Seven Treasure Glass Sect is awkward, unable to

but Ning Rongrong is Ning Fengzhi's daughter, so the Seven Treasure Glass Sect providing resources to Shilake Academy makes sense.

Even if the Seven Treasure Glass Sect was heavily squeezed by the Spirit Hall, its sect foundation still remains.

Tuo Yu didn't conceal anything, recounting the events of the past year, especially those within Shilake Academy.

Tie Li also hadn't expected that, even without Immortal Herbs, they could raise their Soul Power Levels to Forty before the Soul Master Competition began.

How did they manage that?

Yet even reaching Forty in Soul Power Level can't compare to the advancement in the original timeline.

The Immortal Herb grants them an essential transcendence; the Soul Power Level is merely a side effect.

As the Seven Treasure Glass Tower breaks its limit and advances to the Nine Treasure Glass Tower; expelling Evil Fire, fully advancing to the Fire Phoenix martial soul, Diamond Indestructible Body, etc.

Now what they are improving is only the current Soul Power Level.

When doubt arose, (he) recalled Du Gu Bo telling (him) that the Four Great Single-Attribute Families are all in Tiandou City, and Tie Li thought of another outcome.

(End of chapter)