Chapter 134: Soul Guidance Device Fails, Ruins Open! (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"Charles the deputy (Deputy Count, Viscount)?" Wu Qi asked.

The little girl likely didn't understand titles, so asking her was a waste of time.

Back when he was at the Wu Family, Wu Qi had heard of this person's reputation and had even met him.

A Count's deputy, as the name implies, is a subordinate of a Count.

Could it be that the Wu Family was also involved in the mine the other party spoke of?

In an instant, everyone realized that something major must be happening behind the scenes.

But when they pressed for more, He Niannian didn't know anything else.

The new nobles hadn't flown any banners or revealed their names; they simply forced the miners to dig.

Seeing that everyone was lost in thought, Wu Qi reminded them, "Don't get involved in things you shouldn't. We are in an unfamiliar place; if we get too deep, we might miss the Spirit Master Tournament."

Charles was a member of the Wu Family, yet when something happened to him, the Wu Family didn't even make a sound. The forces involved were such that even the Wu Family chose to swallow the loss, so they certainly couldn't handle it.

As they spoke, a Saber-Toothed Leopard with less than a hundred years of cultivation passed by. Qiangu Changkong immediately said, "Boss, here comes a Soul Ring."

Huo Wu and Ning Rongrong rolled their eyes at him.

Wu Qi had accepted the money, but he wasn't really going to just hunt ten-year Soul Beasts.

He Niannian had good talent and had already been delayed for so long; if she absorbed a ten-year Soul Ring, even with innate full soul power, she would be ruined.

"This Soul Ring isn't suitable; let's keep looking."

Wu Qi said this and continued walking forward.

Later that day, they finally found a suitable Soul Ring, its age nearing the limit for a first Soul Ring.

He Niannian knew that Wu Qi and the others were helping her.

She thanked them solemnly and immediately sat down to absorb the Soul Ring.

Qiangu Changkong asked, "Brother Wu, should we take her back? Although she missed a year and a half of cultivation time, it's not too late to mend the fold; perhaps it can be salvaged."

Wu Qi glanced at him. "Sure, have your grandfather come, then we can handle this."

He Niannian and her father were nobodies, but they likely involved other forces behind the scenes. If they took He Niannian away, the people behind it would surely kill them to prevent the matter from being exposed.

But if the Thousand-Jun Douluo came here, it would be different.

Therefore, in principle, Wu Qi did not reject the proposal.

"You still have a grandfather?" Huo Wu and the others were very curious.

To keep his identity from being exposed, Qiangu Changkong had to play the filial son again. "My grandfather passed away long ago."

"Brother Wu means that this matter cannot be done."

After all, he couldn't "resurrect" his grandfather to take He Niannian away.

Feng Xiaotian agreed, saying, "The Captain is right. Don't have kindness where it shouldn't be. Help a little when it's within our power, but if it concerns our own safety, we must never intervene."

In the small town, He Niannian's father kept his eyes on the direction of the forest. Seeing that they hadn't returned yet, his anxiety was written all over his face.

Seeing this, the hotel manager took pity on him and let him sit inside the hotel to wait.

It wasn't until the next morning that Wu Qi and the others returned.

He Niannian had absorbed a four-hundred-year Soul Ring, and combined with the soul power she had previously cultivated, her strength broke through to level fifteen in one go.

Seeing this, her father kowtowed to thank Wu Qi and the others.

After some back-and-forth, they finally sent the father and daughter off.

In the following half-year, Wu Qi and the others didn't encounter anything interesting.

Those who sought them out for soul hunting were mostly middle-aged people of average talent and advanced age.

This day, while Wu Qi was still considering whether to renew the hotel lease, Dugu Bo brought back news.

"The ruins have opened!"

After the Soul Guidance Device guarding the ruins failed, it shattered instantly, causing quite a commotion; it was hard not to notice.

During these six months, Dugu Bo had investigated some things and spoke them all at once.

"This group of people might be disciples of the Xinshan Sect."

Dugu Bo frowned. "It should be a hidden sect; I cannot investigate the specific details. But guarding the secret realm is their mission, and there is a Spirit Douluo powerhouse watching from behind."

"So, as long as we kill them all, it's highly likely no one will come to support them!"

"This..."

Sun Buyu hesitated.

They were students and teachers, not assassins and godfathers!

A major conflict of interest inevitably meant bloodshed. Was he really supposed to lead his students to kill people?

Dugu Bo didn't care much.

In any case, he had his eyes on the treasures in the ruins.

If the Seven Treasures team didn't go, he would go alone.

Feng Xiaotian said in a deep voice, "Killing and being killed is the main theme of the Soul Master World. The appearance of treasures has always been accompanied by struggles of blood and fire."

"If we don't participate and cannot obtain more treasures, we will never be able to break through and become powerhouses of the continent."

"If anyone has any burdens, you can stay behind; those willing to go can come with me."

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes involuntarily turning to Wu Qi, hoping he would make the call.

"I once heard that someone obtained a full set of soul bones over fifty thousand years old in the ruins; there are also those with innate level one soul power who obtained treasures in the ruins that allowed them to break through to become a Title Douluo."

"Decide for yourselves how to choose; those who have decided, follow us."

Saying this, he signaled to Dugu Bo and walked out of the hotel.

"Old man, did you find anything about that mine?"

Dugu Bo shook his head, "This old man did not find the location of the mine, but within the borders of the Hagendasi Wangguo, the shadow of the Xinshan Sect is everywhere."

"If this old man is not mistaken, the power behind the mine should also be the Xinshan Sect."

The intelligence provided by Ning Fengzhi also mentioned the Xinshan Sect, but the length was minimal; it was clear they did not understand this sect either.

The deployment of the Xinshan Sect had infiltrated almost every aspect of the Hagendasi Wangguo; toppling the kingdom and replacing it was not something they could not achieve.

The ambition of this group was simply too great!

Wu Qi sighed, "As of now, we have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg, and it is already this shocking."

"In the future, I fear the Heaven Dou Empire will have a great battle with them."

In the original timeline, after Tang San and the others headed to Sea God Island, they were unaware of many things happening on the continent.

Perhaps it was during that period that the Xinshan Sect completely showed its hand, wanting to topple the Hagendasi Wangguo and take its place.

At that time, a new emperor had ascended the throne of the Heaven Dou Empire, and with the ability of Xue Beng, he could not handle this matter at all.

It stands to reason that later, Bibi Dong took notice and relieved the Hagendasi Wangguo of its predicament.

One must know that when Bibi Dong established the Spirit Hall Empire, the Hagendasi Wangguo responded to her call and became a vassal of the Spirit Hall Empire.

It was only because their territory did not border the Spirit Hall Empire that they dared not take too many actions, which is why they had little presence.

"In the future, I am afraid that dealing with the Xinshan Sect will be unavoidable," Wu Qi sighed in his heart.

At the very least, he could not let the Hagendasi Wangguo lean toward Bibi Dong.

The actions of the Xinshan Sect infringed upon the interests of Xue Qinghe.

In the future, if he wanted to ensure Xue Qinghe's ascension, he would need to build momentum for him.

Using the Xinshan Sect as a target was the best choice!

After weighing the pros and cons, the members of the Seven Treasures Team all joined the ranks of treasure hunters.

Just as Feng Xiaotian said, a Spirit Master who does not strive for resources for themselves will never become a powerhouse!

(End of this chapter)