Yet—none of Tai Tan's attack could hit Lu Ping.
Lu Ping's figure flickered like a mirage, fire shadows overlapping and dispersing as if alive. Every attack Tai Tan launched passed straight through afterimages, striking only blazing phantoms that burst apart into sparks.
To Tai Tan, it felt like fighting a slippery serpent made of flame—untouchable, elusive, and utterly malicious.
His already-injured right arm screamed in protest each time he forced it to move, but he dared not stop.
A clash between a Soul Sage and a Soul Douluo was no small matter.
The commotion spread rapidly. Merchants abandoned their stalls, blacksmiths rushed out from workshops, and even distant guards began converging. The fight made weaker soul masters feel suffocated.
Yet Lu Ping remained eerily calm amid the chaos. While weaving through attacks, he suddenly raised his clawed hands.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Claws of Hell!"
BOOM—!
Violent flames erupted from his hands, surging upward like blood-red serpents. His arms were instantly coated in burning infernal fire, the flames twisting unnaturally .
Before Tai Tan could react, another soul ring flared.
"Sixth Soul Skill: Magma Melt."
The air around Lu Ping's fists distorted violently.
Red-gold liquid fire seeped from his palms, dripping like molten metal fresh from a divine forge. Wherever it fell, the stone ground hissed and liquefied, forming glowing pits of magma.
Then—
His third soul ring lit up in rapid succession.
"Third Soul Skill: Impact Thrust!"
Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Lu Ping's speed increased like an arrow.
And then—Lu Ping appeared directly before Tai Tan.
His target was the already-injured arm.
Tai Tan barely had time to widen his eyes.
CRACK—!!!
"ARRRGH—!!!"
A heart-rending scream tore through the streets of Gengxin City.
For the first time, civilians learned something unforgettable—A Soul Douluo's scream of pain…was no different from theirs.
Lu Ping stood several steps away, flames dissipating slowly.
In his hand—Was Tai Tan's charred, severed hand.
Blood poured freely as Tai Tan collapsed to the ground, his massive body crashing helplessly. He wailed in agony, voice hoarse and broken, rolling amid shattered stones like a fallen beast.
Lu Ping loosened his grip.
The burnt limb dropped onto the street with a dull thud.
With that—
Lu Ping turned and walked away.
----
Night-Secret hideout of the Twilight Hermit Order.
Lu Ping arrived silently.
Inside the dim chamber, a figure cloaked entirely in shadows waited for him. Flickering candlelight failed to reveal the person's face.
The cloaked figure chuckled softly.
"Look… look who has arrived. Based on this morning's battle," the voice continued amusedly,"people have already started calling you 'Hell's Hound.'"
"Anyway teaching Tai Tan a lesson was already on the list, he has been annoying the Spirit Hall branch here for so many years."
Lu Ping shrugged indifferently.
"Yes, I heard."
Then he frowned slightly.
"But why am I being summoned? I thought my task was only to purchase weapons from Lou Gao."
The cloaked man's tone shifted—amusement fading into solemnity.
"This is no longer a simple task."
He paused.
"I received a revelation from HER."
Lu Ping's posture straightened instantly.
His gaze sharpened as he looked at the cloaked man, who spoke
"You will lead a group of personnel."
"Begin preparations, A small war is about to begin" the cloaked man said slowly.
----
Sunset Forest
Ice–Fire Yin Yang Well
Mists rose lazily from the Ice–Fire Yin Yang Well, one half scorching with crimson heat, the other exuding bone-chilling frost. The two extremes intertwined yet never merged, forming a surreal and sacred balance.
Chu Yue walked carefully along the familiar stone path, holding a jade bowl filled with a faintly glowing concoction. The medicinal fragrance drifted through the air carrying a trace of warmth.
She stopped beside a stone platform.
Dugu Bo, Poison Douluo, lay there with his eyes closed, his breathing steady but heavy.
"Elder Poison," Chu Yue said softly, careful not to disturb the balance of the environment.
"Please take the medicine."
Dugu Bo's eyelids fluttered open.
He slowly sat upright, his movements far more restrained than what one would expect from a Titled Douluo. Taking the bowl from Chu Yue, he gave a faint, self-mocking smile.
"I'm sorry, little Yue," he said after a moment.
"I've become a burden. My wounds… they're healing far too slowly."
After the battle with Tang Hao, the injuries he had suffered should have healed within two months at most, relying solely on his terrifying vitality. Yet now—months had passed, and the damage still lingered.
There was something wrong.
A foreign energy, strange and stubborn, clung to his meridians like a curse, quietly eroding his recovery.
Chu Yue shook her head immediately.
"It's nothing, Elder Poison," she replied earnestly.
"With your guidance—and cultivating in this natural treasure land—we've advanced by leaps and bounds."
As if on cue, footsteps approached from behind.
Jun Wuhen emerged from the forest shade, his aura far more stable and imposing than before. His temperament carried a calm sharpness, a sign of recent breakthroughs.
"Yes, Elder," Jun Wuhen added respectfully.
"Without your guidance, we would never have progressed this fast. Even while injured, you still went out to hunt soul beasts for our breakthroughs. We truly… cannot thank you enough."
Dugu Bo chuckled softly as he finished drinking the healing concoction. A faint green glow rippled through his veins, easing the pain—though not eliminating it.
"I'm just fulfilling the duty of an elder," he said.
"And besides, watching you youngsters grow stronger is far more entertaining than rotting away alone."
Chu Yue smiled, pride unconcealed.