Taking a literal divine-tier pill that was perfectly suited to enhance my body as well as my martial souls. Obviously took a while. But as I awoke, so much of my body felt... Truly different as my body cracked and popped stiff joints as I came out of the tense meditation.
First, I could sense the spirit energy around me far, far easier. And with how I already had innate max spirit power at level 10, I could tell my 'innate' spirit energy tier had hit level twenty, similar to that cheat Qian Renxue.
So, just with my innate life level, I now had Qian Renxue's divine level start, so cultivation would innately be far easier.
I looked around only to see that I had been seemingly moved into Dugu Bo's cabin, so I quickly came out so I could check my Martial Souls with some more room.
Across the Yin Yang Pool I saw Dugu Bo and Tang Wutong were hovering over some Fiery Toad Spittle.
A highly toxic herb that could be used to poison someone, with the orange oils covering it's petals. Or, if used properly, it could be used to dilute and even cure ice alignment poisons and venom.
The sound of the wooden door of the cabin closing made both Dugu Bo and Tang Wutong look at me sharply and as they got close. I summoned my Dragon Tripod Cauldron... But realized that it had turned a bright gold, and it was no longer a tripod-style cauldron.
Instead, there were eight legs on the cauldron, with each leg of the cauldron being the tail of one of the Eight Dragon Kings. "Your cauldron has evolved rather clearly Tian Long... Now it fits your Tian name truly it seems." Dugu Bo said with an odd look in his slitted evil eyes.
"What will its new name be, Tian Long? Or did your Martial Soul tell you what it was called?" Tang Wutong asked as she closely inspected the space and earth dragon kings especially.
I looked down at my cauldron and said thoughtfully. "Dragon King Cauldron." And while I wanted to also check how my Mountain Martial Soul had changed as well. I didn't want to unveil it in front of Dugu Bo for no reason either.
I then smiled helplessly and said to Dugu Bo. "And speaking of my martial soul... I am very much at the peak of level forty still. Would the great Poison Douluo be willing to help me snag a forty thousand-year spirit beast?"
At rank forty, having a forty thousand-year spirit beast with the aid of the External Spirit Bone I had would be the best solution. And for becoming a Spirit King at Rank 50. I could likewise probably get a seventy-five thousand-year spirit ring.
And beyond that. With the aid of another high-tier spirit bone and a fuck load more alchemy. I was confident in taking in 100,000-year spirit rings from that point forward.
Inwardly, however I grinned as my evolved cauldron and my far stronger mental strength meant that I woudn't 'need' to hunt down actual hundred thousand year spirit rings. I could just artificially age my spirit rings with alchemy!
Dugu Bo's face turned dark before he snorted and said flatly. "Brat! You were asleep for literally half a week, don't you feel any shame from keeping a grandfather from his sickly and perfect granddaughter?"
And with zero shame, I tilted my head to the side and said with my watery eyes. "Grandpa... Pleaseeee?"
The normally so cool-faced Tang Wutong actually cringed with Dugu Bo's face twisting in disgust as he said flatly. "No, no, you little monster, have at least some damned shame, will you. I am taking you two brats back to Heaven Dou and dropping you off in the academy with my name attached to you. Don't push your damned luck any further."
Dropping the cutesy look I tsked out loud as Dugu Bo grabbed me and Tang Wutong by the back of our clothes and I just became a limp weight that he had to drag through the air at high speed.
But as we were flying, I felt Tang Wutong grab my hand and then begin drawing with her finger slowly across the palm of my hand. For a brief moment, I thought that Tang Wutong had lost her mind.
But I realized she was passing me a message that consisted of. 'I cleared out the well. I got a bag that safely keeps herbs long term.'
Dugu Bo's even further improved level meant we also got back to Tian Dou City all too quickly and the two of us were flown over the massive campus of Tian Dou Academy. As we flew over it, I also noted the many mimicry environments.
Environments that allowed a cultivator to cultivate a good, possibly twenty percent better, by immersing themselves within an environment that tied in with their martial soul.
Something that Shrek... Could never afford, clearly.
As well as the building being massive, clearly influenced by the massive amount of wealth the nobles and the royal family put into the Tian Dou Royal Academy.
"Follow me, we are going to go meet that old goblin Meng Shenji." Dugu Bo said without much patience. This clearly showed how much he wanted to take that elixir to his granddaughter to evolve her martial soul.
No one dared stop the stern faced Poison Doulou as even the guards standing in front of the well-decorated office building for the massive academy's staff just... Looked at the floor as though saying, 'I can't get in trouble if I don't see you.'
And without even knocking Dugu Bo pushed open the door leading to Meng Shenji's office with a sharp voice ringing out. "Why aren't-" Then that voice was choked back all to quickly as Meng Shenji obviously looked up and saw who entered his office.
Meng Shenji looked like a rather kindly old man, honestly. Quite alot like Nuoding's school's own principal who was a kindly old Spirit King who had retired to the countryside.
But I knew that Meng Shenji was actually a level 86 Soul Douluo whose kindly old man vibe hid a man who regularly fought to keep the Royal Academy from being a complete den of depravity by the nobles who filled it.
"Ah... Lord Poison. How can I help you?" Meng Shenji said even while giving me and Tang Wutong quick looks before focusing on the Title Douluo who was clearly in a rush.
Dugu Bo was entirely blunt as he said flatly.
"These two little monsters are going to enroll in Tian Dou's Royal Academy at MY invitation. This brat is Tian Long, the actual prodigy disciple of that wretch Yu Xiaogang who found out about Whale Glue. And this is his sister disciple, Tang Wutong. Their talents and current strength are even better than the primary members of the Tian Dou Team as well!"
Then Dugu Bo turned on his heels and left a cold message behind with a sickly scent of poison in the air. "I am their backing... Keep the two princes from them, as I have taken that brat under my wing."
My lips twitched at the completely shameless way that Dugu Bo said that I was HIS disciple at this point. How could that old snake call me his disciple when I knew more about poison than he did???
But still. It was a good reputation shield to keep other shit heel nobles away from us. As in all cultivation worlds. People with strong backing often thought they were immune to the consequences of their actions.
And with our level-ups enhancing our already sped-up puberty, Tang Wutong was already turning into a beauty. A beauty that would easily get the attention of nobles who thought that she, a 'commoner' was an easy target.
Still, I looked towards Meng Shenji away from the left open door as Dugu Bo had booked it. And I coudn't help but idly wonder if the Title Douluo was literally going to grab Dugu Yan and all but kidnap her as he took her home to take that elixer.
"Ahem. So... As Dugu Bo said, my name is Meng Shenji. I am the Principal of Tian Dou Royal Academy. Tian Long, Tang Wutong, it is a pleasure to meet you. Could you please state your ages and exact cultivation levels?"
We stated our ages and then both of us brought out the real value in our spirit rings as we announced our levels.
"Butterfly Goddess, Attack System, rank Thirty Six," Tang Wutong said proudly as she showed off her Yellow, Purple, and darker Purple Spirit rings.
Then I spoke next as my own spirit rings came out in Purple, Purple, and then heavy Black. "Dragon King Cauldron, All Around system Rank Forty." I said calmly. Well alot more calmly then Meng Shenji who looked like somewhat just deleted his soul.
"Level forty at your age... And with a third soul ring over ten thousand years. How, how is that even possible? Whale glue can't protect from the mental shock of ten thousand-year-aged spirit beasts?" He said dully as though reality just made zero sense at this point.
And I realized something right then and there. You know who else probably had a metric fuck load of treasures and goodies I could use for alchemy? The royal family of course. Just because I had paved my way to divinity with this divine pill that almost killed me.
That didn't mean I didn't want a massive amount of other herbs to mess around with my alchemy for whenever Tang Wutong and I made our own force. Let her rebuild her Tang Sect, and I could make an Alchemy Hall within it.
Either way, such an organization could provide me with faith energy whenever I reached the Upper Realm. I just need to make sure that Tang Wutong wasn't an idiot and would learn to incorporate spirit tools technology into her hidden weapons.