Chapter 146: with translation of chapter title

Logically speaking, a mechanism like this, if used long‑term by people, would normally leave traces, but this waterfall is over twenty meters wide and its height is about two hundred meters, so even knowing it's in the middle section makes it hard to find it directly at once.

However, Gu Xuan's action and observation skills are naturally top‑notch; within a quarter hour he easily found the mechanism—a protrusion with a Blue Silver Grass growing on it. Gu Xuan did not harm the Blue Silver Grass, he gently pressed down the protrusion.

Then a stone‑cave entrance two meters high and one meter wide appeared before him. Gu Xuan's eight dragon swords behind him detached and formed a skateboard that pulled him along. Just in case, he also put on shoe covers—showing his professionalism.

Gu Xuan basically left no traces at all; even if Tang Hao returned later he wouldn't know who had been there, and he couldn't infer Gu Xuan's age or identity from any traces.

Entering the cave, the cave isn't large—only about ten meters wide. In the center there is a small stone pool; this pool resembles the large pool outside, and beside it grows a Blue Silver Grass with golden threads and silver edges.

Oh, no, wrong—it should be the Blue Silver Emperor; this is Tang San's mother.

After Gu Xuan entered, the Blue Silver Emperor swayed slightly, then its extended branches and leaves drew together, as if it were afraid of something.

Seeing this, Gu Xuan's mind twitched slightly and he muttered to himself: "I never expected—Tang Hao actually planted the original Blue Silver Emperor here? If I took it away, I wonder what Tang Hao would think!"

"If it weren't for that bastard Tang Hao gravely injuring His Majesty the Pope, which ultimately led to the Pope dying before treatment could be given, I wouldn't have been sidelined!"

That's right—Gu Xuan is framing someone, but whether the Blue Silver Emperor has consciousness or not, he directly labeled himself as a member of the Spirit Hall.

What if the Blue Silver Emperor could communicate with Tang Hao in some special way? That would be like handing over a natural black pot. Thinking this, Gu Xuan gave a sly smile—this is just how the world works: make many friends and few enemies.

Afterward Gu Xuan began to survey the cave, and then above the Blue Silver Emperor he discovered a vine; with his gloved hand he pulled it, and a lead box fell down.

Two dragon swords flew from beneath Gu Xuan's feet to catch the lead box without touching it.

However, the lead box is still quite heavy—at least a hundred catties—and it actually perfectly blocks the aura of the soul bone; even at such close range Gu Xuan felt no soul‑bone aura.

To confirm, Gu Xuan's right hand turned into dark‑gold claws, the Dark Gold Terror Claw extended, and he pried open the lead box directly; the box had no seal, only a heavy lid.

Opening the lead box, a rich life‑force aura surged forth, and the Blue Silver Emperor below trembled violently, but Gu Xuan had no interest in her.

Taking the Blue Silver Emperor away now would be useless; even planting it in the Binghuo Liangyi Yan would require time to mature.

It's even possible that Tang Hao could track it down via the link between his soul ring and the Blue Silver Emperor, so overall Gu Xuan chose to abandon the Blue Silver Emperor.

After confirming the soul bone, Gu Xuan closed the lid and stored the lead box in his Soul Tool, then glanced at the stone wall inside the cave and revealed an evil smile.

Since he's already posing as a Spirit Hall member, he might as well go all out.

Only see Gu Xuan's Dark Gold Terror Claw extend, and he began to write in a dragon‑soaring, phoenix‑dancing style on the stone wall; after a quarter hour he nodded at his work, very satisfied, and left the cave.

He came bare‑handed, bringing no gifts, and instead walked off with the other party's cherished hundred‑thousand‑year soul bone.

However, Gu Xuan isn't completely heartless; he wrote the enemies' sayings on it, so Tang Hao won't be driven to blind rage and will have a place to vent.

"Little Xuanzi, I'm really eager to uphold justice!" Gu Xuan's eight dragon‑sword wings fluttered behind him, his fourth soul ring flashed repeatedly, and his figure swiftly vanished into the depths of the mountain range.

He left, taking nothing but the soul bone—not even a scrap of cloud! If any tomb‑robbers saw this they'd surely condemn Gu Xuan for doing a half‑assed job; after all, they're in this line of work, what enemies should they fear? Gu Xuan returned to the inn where Ye Lingling was staying, heart full of joy and excitement, and upon arrival he gave her a tender swallow‑into‑the‑forest embrace; although Ye Lingling is only a B‑cup, the warm comfort he gave her was already enough.

By the time he got back to the inn it was noon; after loafing around with Ye Lingling for half a day, the next day Gu Xuan took Ye Lingling toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

Stealing the residence was just a side‑note; obtaining a fifth soul ring for Ye Lingling was the main goal.

(Tang Hao: "Stealing a house on the way? I damn well thank you!") Last night, as Ye Lingling slept, she hugged Gu Xuan's arm and asked where he had gone yesterday; Gu Xuan casually replied, "I went to suck up the autumn wind—after the tournament ends, hubby will give you a love token!" Hearing this, Ye Lingling blushed, rested her head on Gu Xuan's arm and began to drift off to sleep, but her heart was indeed pounding.

She feared Gu Xuan wouldn't come, and also feared he'd mess around—after all, their marriage is already set, so that's that.

Fortunately, viewing that process requires payment, and Gu Xuan currently lacks VIP access, so he can't watch it.

All right, Gu Xuan is just lustful but timid; when he turns eighteen he'll sleep with seven a day, snag the title of 'Seven‑Stab Lad of One Night' and give girls a blissful life.

After leaving Nuoding City, the two reached the Star Dou Great Forest in five days. This time they were purposefully hunting for spirit beasts; earlier, a sect Soul Master who had broken through to Soul Saint came to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings and discovered a twenty‑thousand‑year‑old pure white lotus, also a top‑tier plant‑system healing spirit beast, which suits Ye Lingling perfectly.

Gu Xuan knew the location, because plant‑system spirit beasts rarely move; even a ten‑thousand‑year‑level plant‑system spirit beast can shift its position, but the odds are low.

But when Gu Xuan arrived at the spot he came up empty, leaving him somewhat regretful; if he had come for the news earlier and taken that pure white lotus, it would have been good.

Fortunately, when the pure white lotus moves its roots and stems remain on land; besides its healing ability it also has purifying power.

So Gu Xuan began to track the faint traces left by the pure white lotus as it departed.

However, the Star Dou Great Forest is huge, so a round trip takes even more time.

Meanwhile, inside the Tian Dou Great Soul‑Battle Arena in Tian Dou City, the All‑Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament is in full swing.

The Seven Treasure Academy's Seven Treasure team also finally had their first battle.

The current Seven Treasure team already has the strength to vie for the final championship; its captain, Du Gu Yan, is twenty years old, martial soul: Ancestor, a fifty‑four‑level control‑system Battle Soul King.

The vice‑captain, Ning Rongrong, is fourteen years old, martial soul: Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda, a forty‑eight‑level assistance‑system Soul Ancestor.

Team member Li Li, martial soul: Human Face Demon Spider, thirteen years old, a forty‑two‑level control‑system Soul Elder.

Team member Zuo Yan, martial soul: Phoenix Divine Wings, fifteen years old, a forty‑five‑level speed‑attack system Soul Elder.

Team member Yang Po Jun, martial soul: Soul‑Breaking Spear, seventeen years old, a forty‑seven‑level strong‑attack system Soul Ancestor.

Team member Ma Bao, martial soul: Blazing Warhorse, seventeen years old, a forty‑eight‑level strong‑attack system Soul Ancestor.

Team member Zhan Yu, martial soul: Steadfast Shield, seventeen years old, a forty‑seven‑level defense‑system Soul Ancestor.

All are Soul Ancestors; over three years each person's progress has been enormous—this is the result of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect's full‑scale cultivation.

Of course, those seven are the main team; moreover, Du Gu Yan and Ning Rongrong didn't plan to play in the preseason, so five talents cultivated within the sect were chosen as substitutes.

In the preseason, the Seven Treasure team also intended to hide its strength; as control‑system members, Li Li and Zuo Yan took the field with five Soul Ancestor substitutes.

The five Soul Ancestor substitutes are all around twenty years old, equally strong in ability, though their talent falls short of the seven main Seven Treasure members; nevertheless, they are destined to become Soul Saints, even embryos of Soul Emperors.

ps: Typos will be corrected later.

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(End of chapter)