One month later.
After a fierce period of competition, the five qualifying spots for the Heaven Dou City preliminary rounds were finally determined: Godwind Academy, Thunderclap Academy, Skywater Academy, Blazing Academy, and Shrek Academy.
During this time, Lin Mu only watched the opening ceremony and ignored all subsequent matches.
To him, even the strongest team among the five, Godwind Academy, was merely a stepping stone for the Royal Fighting Team. The gap between them was like a chasm.
If the captain of Godwind Academy, Feng Xiaotian, had focused all his energy on cultivation instead of technique development, he might have been a formidable opponent. Unfortunately, there are no "ifs" in reality.
Even with his self-created soul skill, the Stormwind Demon Wolf's Thirty Six Successive Chops, Feng Xiaotian could at most deal with powerful Attack-type Soul Kings who lacked ten-thousand-year soul skills. Once an opponent possessed a ten-thousand-year soul skill or a true domain, his self-created skill would lose its advantage.
Developing a self-created soul skill to improve strength when one's base cultivation is not yet strong enough is putting the cart before the horse.
Generally speaking, one can only naturally create a soul skill suitable for oneself after experiencing countless trials and life-and-death battles, not through the kind of painstaking academic research Feng Xiaotian did in isolation.
Furthermore, Feng Xiaotian wasn't a peerless genius like Tang Chen. His painstakingly created Stormwind Demon Wolf's Thirty Six Successive Chops was ultimately inferior to the Clear Sky Sect's Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method. The Clear Sky Nine Absolutes and the Great Sumeru Hammer were even more impressive, directly elevating the Clear Sky Hammer to the status of the number one weapon martial soul in the world for a reason.
In fact, Feng Xiaotian's innate full soul power combined with a top-tier mutated martial soul was a near-perfect configuration. With proper cultivation focus, he could have grown to become a Super Douluo at the very least. With some fortuitous encounters, reaching the Limit Douluo level wasn't impossible.
While Lin Mu felt some regret that Feng Xiaotian had squandered such a good hand, he didn't intend to interfere, and taking him as a disciple was out of the question.
Firstly, he couldn't possibly accept a disciple of similar age. It would be awkward.
Secondly, the Hurricane Armor's speed boost is impossible to replicate or teach. Even if he took this disciple, he could only teach him some movement theories, not significantly improve his fundamental strength.
Sunset Forest.
A gray-robed figure traversed the dense forest, seemingly searching for something specific.
After a long while, he stopped outside a thick wall of poisonous miasma. His eyes grew sharp as he thought to himself, 'Now most of the Sunset Forest has been investigated... only this area protected by the poisonous miasma remains.'
This gray-robed figure was Tang Hao.
Although Tang San had said that Ah Yin didn't want to see him, how could he simply give up?
In his opinion, Lin Mu must have bewitched Tang San, wanting to destroy their family for his own gain.
In the past month, his mood had gradually changed from excitement at knowing that Ah Yin had a chance to be resurrected to deep unease. Perhaps Lin Mu wanted to completely replace him in Ah Yin's life after her resurrection.
He absolutely could not allow such a thing to happen!
"Ah Yin... wait for me. I will definitely save you!"
Looking at the poisonous miasma in front of him, Tang Hao took a deep breath, then put on a mask and rushed inside as fast as he could, suppressing his presence.
Meanwhile, near the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Dugu Bo, who was carefully cultivating herbs, immediately sensed someone forcibly trespassing into the poisonous miasma formation.
"It must be the Young Master again," Dugu Bo initially thought, assuming it was Tang San, who had entered the miasma several times in the past month to visit his mother.
However, not long after, a gray-robed figure suddenly appeared in the distance, causing Dugu Bo's expression to instantly turn serious.
"This aura... is at least that of a Titled Douluo."
Dugu Bo's pupils constricted, his mind racing. This person had forcibly entered the miasma without the proper antidote or technique; their purpose was definitely not simple.
But with his own Titled Douluo level being at the bottom of the hierarchy, he was likely no match for a serious intruder.
"Ah Yin!"
Seeing the enormous blue-gold plant in the center of the garden, Tang Hao's pupils widened, his face showing disbelief.
He hadn't expected that in just half a year, Ah Yin had grown from a weak sprout of Blue Silver Grass to what she was now. At this rate, perhaps in a few years, he would truly be able to reunite with her.
Truly, perseverance pays off!
Although this past month of searching had been agonizing, at least he had found Ah Yin and confirmed this good news with his own eyes.
After a moment, Tang Hao suppressed his excitement and turned to look at Dugu Bo in the herb garden, his eyes filled with hostility.
This old poisoner was undoubtedly Lin Mu's lackey.
Although Tang Hao didn't take this weakest Titled Douluo seriously in terms of raw power, his previous battle with Lin Mu had aggravated many of his old hidden injuries. Fighting another Titled Douluo now could easily trigger a collapse of his condition.
In addition, he had inhaled a small amount of poisonous gas when he forced his way through the miasma, which was also a nagging problem.
He didn't want to fight Dugu Bo unless absolutely necessary.
"Who are you?! Why are you trespassing on my territory!"
Dugu Bo stepped forward, blocking the path to the Blue Silver Emperor. He stared intently at Tang Hao and loudly questioned him.
Hearing this, Tang Hao pondered for a moment, then directly lifted his hood and said in a deep voice, "Dugu Bo, do you still remember the Clear Sky Douluo?"
"Clear Sky Douluo... Tang Hao?!"
Seeing that extremely weathered but familiar face, Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically, and he felt a sense of foreboding.
If it were any other Titled Douluo, he might have been able to stall for time or use his poison. But this was Tang Hao, the man who had severely injured the former Pope, Qian Xunji. Dugu Bo probably couldn't even withstand a few blows from the Clear Sky Hammer.
"Wait... something's not right."
Suddenly, Dugu Bo's gaze sharpened. He immediately noticed that Tang Hao's aura was unstable, clearly indicating severe internal injuries and a chaotic energy flow.
The only reason he could still stand and move like a normal person was due to his immense reserve of soul power suppressing the pain.
Noticing this detail, Dugu Bo breathed a slight sigh of relief. Since it wasn't Tang Hao at his peak, he might be able to handle him, or at least delay him until help arrived.
"Tang Hao, what do you mean by trespassing on my territory without cause?"
Dugu Bo stood his ground, questioning him with a hint of interrogation.
Seeing that his former reputation had no immediate deterrent effect, Tang Hao's expression grew increasingly grave. A bad premonition crept into his heart.
'Could it be that Lin Mu had anticipated my arrival and prepared Dugu Bo for this?'
After a moment, Tang Hao suppressed his worries and said in a deep voice, "Dugu Bo, I'm only here to see my wife. You'd better get out of my way!"
"How ridiculous! Everything here, every herb, every soul beast, belongs to my Master, Lin Mu. There is no 'wife' of yours here."
Dugu Bo retorted without backing down.
Hearing the word "Master," Tang Hao was shocked. Although Dugu Bo's strength wasn't top-tier, he was still a proud Titled Douluo, yet he was willing to submit to Lin Mu as a servant?
At the same time, an uncontrollable rage rose within Tang Hao.
'Ah Yin is clearly my wife, yet this old poisoner claims she belongs to Lin Mu as property? He is practically asking for death!'
However, now was not the time to deal with this old poisoner; seeing Ah Yin was more important.
"Dugu Bo, you'd better think this through. With your strength, you might withstand a few of my blows, but you will die. I've only come to see Ah Yin, not to take your life. Step aside."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Hao released his Deathgod Domain. The terrifying killing intent pressed down like a mountain, forcing Dugu Bo back several steps, his face pale.
Under the suppression of the Deathgod Domain, Dugu Bo's strength was significantly reduced.
Even so, Dugu Bo still had no intention of backing down. He summoned the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor behind him.
Just as the two sides were about to clash, the Blue Silver Emperor sensed that familiar, terrifying killing intent and immediately reacted.
"Hum."
Blue-gold light shimmered as she conjured a phantom image of a woman in the air.