Xiao Wu knew she was very much on the clock as she also believed me that some Soul Douluo or even a true Title Douluo could be on their way even now.
So with that final back-popping hug, she fled Shrek, she fled Soutou City before the vultures fell upon it, and as Tang Wutong came back over with her hands in her pockets. I swore to myself.
I was going to fucking kill Yu Xiaogang with my own hands for this betrayel. The secret of Whale Gel was my own secret, my alchemy was my own cheat and talent.
His dumbass telling the world I had ways of breaking the established Ring Age Limits was going to haunt me for the next few years.
"Let's get going. It's going to be a long trip towards Heaven Dou City." I said with a helpless sigh.
There was a pained look on Tang Wutong's face for a moment before she spoke more quietly. As we left Shrek and made our way towards Soutou City so we could get a carriage at least.
"Tian Long... How long until you can make elixirs that can heal a soul of rather grievous wounds?"
I blinked at that question that came out of nowhere, and I gave Tang Wutong a look as I asked in confusion. "Did... You mess up your cultivation and hurt your soul? Are you ok?"
She shook her head and then said evenly. "Not me, but a family member's soul was majorly depleted. I, I hope that you have a solution."
To which I simply shrugged and said helplessly. "I mean... Yeah, I could make them in theory, so long as I had the energy stores of Spirit King. But the main issue is materials, honestly."
I helplessly smiled as although the cultivation system in this world was as bare bones and at the bottom of the cultivation universe as possible in terms of power and exploration. The biggest issue was the fact that the so-called 'heaven and earth' materials were all extremely, extremely rare.
Which was why everyone and their little brothers in every Douluo worldline whether it be fan-fiction or even the later canon worlds ALL relied on the Yin/Yang Heaven Well that was filled with immortal herbs.
Dozens of immortal herbs that mind you... Could basically write even a normally talented person a ticket to godhood.
"How many materials affect souls in a healing way? If they are known, can we get our hands on them anyway?" I shook my head. This world's logic ran off brain-dead romance and Unga Bunga Smash logic with the Martial Souls that were driving Soul Beasts to extinction.
Things weren't going to be so easy... Unless I could get my grubby mits onto Dugu Bo's garden.
Then it was smooth sailing at that point.
"Soul King level soul energy, huh." Tang Wutong spoke thoughtfully before she nodded with a small smile crossing her face as she said calmly. "With your talent, Tian Long. I know you will reach that level within a few years."
My face pinched as I then said helplessly but quietly, even as we reached the gates of Soutou City, where we could get a carriage.
"Wutong... Remember, I planned to get a ten-thousand Soul Ring for my third soul ring. And even you need help to get your own third soul ring. Who can we rely on to help us?"
A ten-thousand-year soul beast was equivalent to a Spirit Emperor at level 60+. Something that Tang Wutong and I couldn't deal with even if Tang Wutong had her still low-level hidden weapons.
Tang Wutong's face at my words became rather awkward... As we did just leave a school that would have happily helped us get our spirit rings. But they couldn't protect us from any Soul Douluo, looking to make their clans stronger, who had no shame.
'Honestly it's weird... Zhao Wuji has bullied Tang Wutong more than once in sparring sessions. And he never got his ass beat by Tang Hao? Where is he anyway, as he is the reason I am fleeing honestly.' I thought in some annoyance.
If I knew one of the powerful Title Douluo was watching over Tang Wutong and me. I woudn't fear anyone basically.
We remained quiet for a good bit as I commissioned a carriage that would take us to Heaven Dou City in a four-day trip. And within half an hour, we were on our merry way towards the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.
And it was on the way that Tang Wutong spoke rather bluntly as she folded her arms over her chest. "What is our plan now, Tian Long?"
I took a deep breath as I considered how to frame this in front of Tang Wutong without giving certain things away. And then finally I said. "We will try to enroll into Heaven Dou's Royal Academy... My secret of Whale Gel getting out and my other alchemy talents will make both the Royal family and the school itself eager to accept me, and by extension, you as well, with your talent."
"Having both the royal families' indirect protection as well as the protection of the three deans who are strong Soul Douluo will give us some good direct protection... And more importantly, by playing so many sides. I can get the resources I need for alchemy without being leashed to tightly to any one force."
As being within the Academy, should we get onto their main battle team. We would have access to the Blue Lightning Dragon Clan through Yu Tianheng, as well as the Dugu family in Dugu Yan as well.
Those were just the families with Title Douluo behind them. The other members of the team all had their own noble backgrounds as well.
Tang Wutong slowly nodded before she asked with a pointed look. "And what about Star Luo and Spirit Hall? You're making so many connections here in Heaven Dou. What if they feel threatened?"
I gave Tang Wutong a wide-eyed 'innocent' look as I said easily. "I have... Zero hatred of the Star Luo Empire? I am even making some Innate Soul Pill's so that our beloved lustful tiger's six children in the future will be peerless geniuses for their empire."
And then I shrugged with a chuckle as I added. "As for Spirit Hall... I will play the still devoted disciple of that trash Xiaogang. And they won't touch a hair on my head."
Having the protection of the Tian Dou empire came with the protection of a certain stupid love-brained little angel as well should I throw her a bone. So with both Qian Renxue and Bibbi Dong letting me go about my business, I wasn't worried about Spirit Hall actually at all.
As the carriage pulled us across the stone-paved road and we hit our first pot hole... I swore that when I got established, I was going to make a flying spirit tool or something to travel the world.
'Wait, the world of Heavenly Jewel Change is just 'next door' as it were. I wonder if I could also figure out the Jewel cultivation system and their Consolidated Equipment that were basically built in Martial Souls.
Where you could slot in the jewels you cultivate into the equipment to give them special abilities without needing to hunt Spirit Beasts or anything.