Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

Since Xu Bai's status was no longer what it once was, and Shui Xuan's identity had risen significantly after becoming one of the few exposed Rank 7 Soul Engineers on the continent, Xu Bai could no longer bypass the blockade outside the city. However, Chen Ming merely shifted his spiritual power slightly, causing the guards to ignore the two of them, and boldly led Xu Bai into the city. As Xu Bai gazed at the familiar sights he hadn't seen in decades, tears welled up in his eyes, and his steps involuntarily quickened. Before long, he and Chen Ming arrived outside Shui Xuan's residence.

Shui Xuan's residence was a large courtyard. Although it didn't appear to have many defensive soul tools or guards, Chen Ming could sense several Soul King and Soul Emperor-level energy signatures in the corners of the courtyard. Inside, there were even two Soul Sages in hiding.

For this era on the Sun Moon Continent, this was nearly the highest level of defense. Even on the Douluo Continent, such a defensive setup would be considered quite formidable on paper.

But Chen Ming, still relying on his old tricks, swept his spiritual power over the area, causing the soul masters to disregard the two of them. After confirming the presence of the sole Soul Douluo in the courtyard, Chen Ming directly teleported himself and Xu Bai a short distance inside.

In a courtyard with a pond, an aged Shui Xuan was seated on a rock in the middle of the pond, shirtless, meditating in a posture similar to the "five hearts facing the sky" technique.

His body, overly aged, had grown so emaciated that his skin clung tightly to his bones. His hunched back and shiny bald head made his frailty even more evident, while a carefully groomed pure white beard hung down to his chest.

From a distance, Shui Xuan in his meditative state resembled an old turtle crouched on a rock. His long white beard, draped over his hunchbacked frame, covered nearly half his body.

Beside him, a Xuanming Turtle, whose cultivation had just surpassed the hundred-year mark, was lazily stretching its neck to catch small fish in the pond. Its tail, more elongated and flexible than that of ordinary turtles, splashed playfully in the water, spraying droplets onto Shui Xuan's aged body and his long white beard.

In essence, the person meditating on the rock exuded an aura more turtle-like than the Xuanming Turtle itself. Meanwhile, the turtle splashing about in the pond seemed more like an innocent child.

Since this was Shui Xuan's cultivation space, there were no servants or attendants nearby. Even the guarding soul masters remained stationed outside the courtyard. The first to notice Chen Ming and Xu Bai's arrival was the Xuanming Turtle playing in the pond.

The turtle froze momentarily upon seeing the two figures appear before it, then immediately climbed to Shui Xuan's side. It repeatedly nudged Shui Xuan's frail body with its head while stirring the water with its water-attribute soul power, creating ripples and waves.

Turtles, being creatures without vocal cords and relying solely on their respiratory systems, were subject to the occasional adherence to real-world logic in the otherwise fantastical world of Douluo Dalu. No matter how extraordinary the Xuanming Turtle's bloodline might be, one with under 10,000 years of cultivation couldn't produce a roar or vocalization.

Though this particular Xuanming Turtle, having been raised by Shui Xuan like a child from a young age, was far more intelligent than most soul beasts, its intelligence was akin to that of a human child of four or five years old. It had no idea how to respond in such a situation—wanting to cry out but unable to do so, it could only continue disrupting Shui Xuan.

Under the Xuanming Turtle's interference, Shui Xuan, who had been immersed in meditation, finally woke up. However, due to his advanced age, it took Shui Xuan a moment to realize that strangers had entered the courtyard. He simply patted the turtle's head and reassured it.

"Calm down, little one. Big Brother is here."

Despite initially trying to alert Shui Xuan about the intruders, the Xuanming Turtle was easily pacified by Shui Xuan's soothing words. It settled down and stopped paying attention to Chen Ming and Xu Bai.

Perhaps in the little turtle's mind, Xu Bai was a familiar face who had merely been absent for a while, with no noticeable changes in appearance. As for Chen Ming, who seemed like a shadowy figure, the turtle simply ignored him.

As Shui Xuan prepared to resume his cultivation, the helpless Chen Ming released the concealment of Xu Bai's aura and gave him a gentle push forward with his soul power. It wasn't until Xu Bai's foot stepped into the pond that Shui Xuan straightened his back slightly and squinted at him.

"Xiao Bai, how many times have I told you to knock before entering the house? This is—"

As Shui Xuan looked at Xu Bai, whose appearance was nearly identical to that of twenty years ago, he subconsciously began to recite the phrase he had not uttered in decades. However, halfway through his words, Shui Xuan suddenly remembered that his troublesome disciple had been exiled to the south twenty years ago for fighting with a prince over a woman.

Staring at Xu Bai, who looked no different from how he had two decades ago, and then at the black-robed Chen Ming, whose presence felt intangible like an illusion, Shui Xuan fell silent for a moment before a relieved smile appeared on his face.

"So, my time has come, hasn't it? Xiao Bai, I've always been afraid of what death would be like. I didn't expect you to go first and come to meet me. But why is it not your mother, Ah Xiang? Are you still unwilling to forgive me?"

"Teacher, after all these years, you're still thinking about my mother? Back then, I always wondered why my father—no, wait, Teacher, I'm not dead!"

Xu Bai let out a small laugh, kneeling in the pond and letting the water soak through his clothes. On his knees, he slowly crawled over to Shui Xuan, tightly grasping the frail arms that seemed as though they might snap at any moment. After a long moment of silence, he spoke.

"You're… not dead?" Feeling the warmth radiating from his disciple's arms, Shui Xuan awkwardly glanced at the Xuanming Turtle beside Xu Bai, which was now rubbing its head against him. The situation couldn't have been more uncomfortable.

"I'm not dead either."

Cough.

"I'm just old, and I've been busy. I recently forged a few soul cannon shells and developed a few new soul tools. Lately, I haven't been in great health and thought my time was near, so I…"

Shui Xuan stood up from the rock, reached out to help Xu Bai out of the pond, and looked at his disciple and the black-robed man in the distance with an embarrassed smile.

"Xiao Bai, is it you? After all these years, you haven't aged a bit? And your soul power… ahem… your soul power hasn't grown much either. But why does it feel so intense? Did something extraordinary happen to you?"

"Teacher here's what happened…"

Xu Bai led Shui Xuan over to Chen Ming and quickly explained his experiences.

Upon learning that the black-robed figure standing before him was a demigod from another continent, who had effortlessly transformed his disciple and flown with him from the southern regions of the continent, Shui Xuan's expression became one of disbelief.

"Your Excellency… Could it be that you are the current Sea God Douluo of Sea God Island, Lord Bo Saixi?"

Shui Xuan, having lived for over a century, was no simple character. Unlike Xu Bai, who was ignorant of what a demigod or an Ultimate Douluo was, Shui Xuan immediately made a connection after hearing Xu Bai's account.

Although his reasoning was incorrect, it still piqued Chen Ming's interest.

"I am not Bo Saixi, the current Sea God Douluo of Sea God Island. But since you know of Sea God Island, you must also know about the existence of the Douluo Continent, correct?"

"I am a demigod from the Douluo Continent. As for my name, you wouldn't have heard of it. After all, I have only been active on the continent in the past few decades (less than twenty years)."

"I initially thought you were simply a resident of the Sun Moon Continent. However, not only do you know about Sea God Island, but you also know the name of the current Sea God Douluo. It seems your identity, or that of your family is not as simple as it appears."