Chapter 26: Rejuvenation (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Outside the mansion gates, the silence was so profound that a falling needle could be heard. After Herar spoke those words, the Soul Douluo attendant standing beside him clearly sensed a shift in the expressions of the senior figures present. They seemed uneasy… yet, strangely, there was also a glimmer of anticipation.

He was startled by his own thought. What could possibly make these individuals, any one of whom was a generation older than him, feel such trepidation?

The crowd remained motionless, exchanging glances, waiting for the first person to make a move. Herar was in no hurry; he simply stood there and waited.

A long while later, the elderly man with the cane, who had been the first to arrive, slowly stepped forward. Everyone’s gaze immediately converged upon him. Facing these complex stares, the elder remained impassive. After scanning the crowd, he said, "We are all old men with one foot in the grave; what is there to fear? Is it possible that what lies ahead is a mountain of blades or a sea of flames that will devour us?"

Without waiting for a reaction, he walked straight inside.

All eyes remained fixed on him until he vanished into the depths of the mansion. When no unusual sounds followed, others began to step forward. It was as if a starting signal had been triggered; one by one, more people moved ahead and disappeared into the estate, leaving only a few stragglers outside, including Zhu Yun, who wore a scarlet robe embroidered with bird patterns.

Zhu Yun glanced at them and remarked coolly, "Are you not going in?"

The group looked at one another and laughed in unison. "Heh, we fear the Duke's mansion may not hold so many of us. It is better to wait quietly outside. He Zuo has always been kind-hearted; surely he will not mind sharing the secret of eternal life with us."

"Hmph!" Zhu Yun snorted, seeing right through their intentions. Ignoring them, he strode into the mansion. Seeing that the others refused to enter, Herar signaled the Soul Douluo attendant to close the gates.

"Bang—"

Watching the heavy doors slam shut, the expressions of those left outside shifted in inexplicable ways.

Upon entering the mansion, He Zuo—the elderly man with the cane—immediately noticed soul-guide lamps, rarely seen in the Dou Ling Empire, lighting up one by one along a small path, as if guiding him specifically.

As he stepped onto the path and ventured deeper, he abruptly came to a halt. His eyes, partially hidden by sagging skin, widened in utter disbelief and terror. At the end of the path lay a garden, yet it was this very garden that filled him with profound dread. Possessing a top-tier plant-type martial soul, he had a chilling realization: that garden… seemed to be alive.

A person who had followed a step behind him gasped, "Such dense vitality!"

"Fool! Don't move!"

How could He Zuo, who had sensed the life force so thick it was nearly tangible, causing the surrounding plants to grow with grotesque vigor, not have realized the danger? It was precisely because he had discovered it that he dared not make a single move. How could such vitality, comparable to the core of the Star Dou Great Forest, exist within the heart of Dou Ling City?

Sure enough, as the man greedily absorbed the vitality into his body, the distant garden stirred. Countless plants of disturbing shapes came to life! Roots and branches blocked out the moonlight, turning the scene into something out of a nightmare.

"Gah—!"

At that moment, the man who had been savoring his youthful restoration suddenly grabbed his throat with both hands. His eyes bulged, bloodshot, and He Zuo saw something writhing beneath his skin. Before long, his complexion turned purple. He clawed at his mouth, as if something was lodged deep within. Then, a scene that chilled the blood occurred: numerous fine roots crawled from his throat like worms. Blood poured from his ears and nostrils, followed by the sprouting of tree branches. Green buds burst forth from his sparse hair. In a matter of moments, he had been transformed into a tree-man.

He Zuo’s pupils constricted. He finally understood why the vitality felt wrong—it was poisonous.

Seeing a living man transformed so violently, the followers behind were seized with horror. "Damn it! This is definitely a trap!"

Believing the evening to be a scheme orchestrated by their host, they unleashed their soul power with roars of fury. Hundreds of yellow, purple, and black soul rings blossomed in the dark sky, among which a deep red ring stood out, visible even from a thousand meters away.

On the highest observation deck of the Imperial Palace, the Emperor of Dou Ling chuckled. "My Imperial Preceptor has truly not disappointed me." He turned to his guard. "Golden Knight, tell the Shadow Soul Guards to prepare to collect the remains. These ancient relics have soul power approaching that of a Titled Douluo; it must not be wasted. Let them pave a smoother path for my eternal life!"

The Golden Knight Douluo, standing behind the maniacally laughing Emperor, remained silent for a moment before answering, "Yes!"

Back at the Duke’s mansion, the dozens of Soul Douluos realized that the plants, while eerie, only posed a threat to those at the Soul Emperor level. They were quickly suppressed. During the chaos, they failed to notice a figure moving gracefully toward the severely wounded Soul Douluo. A slender finger tapped lightly on the man's forehead.

Someone finally spotted the figure and shouted, "Who are you!"

The others turned their heads, and some recognized him. "It's the Alchemist!"

"Capture him and force him to reveal the mastermind!"

"Shut your mouths, all of you!"

A massive, verdant ancient tree erupted from the ground. Countless vines hung from its vast canopy, precisely snaring everyone who was still releasing soul skills. These men, one or two hundred years old, were held by their fates in He Zuo's grip as easily as newborn kittens.

Zhu Yun, who had prudently held back and escaped disaster, sneered, "A bunch of juniors. This one has already spoken, yet you still refuse to stop? Truly, the ignorant are fearless."

Sometimes living a long time does not mean one is the strongest, but it does mean one knows the most. Those not caught by He Zuo were all nearly three hundred years old and knew exactly who he was: a prodigy who had once rivaled the Dragon God Douluo, who had resided in the Sea God Pavilion for four hundred years. That blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring was the proof. Even if he wasn't a Titled Douluo, he was a match for one, and could even kill one. It was a mystery to everyone why he had never broken through to that rank despite having the talent to do so.

He Zuo ignored the thoughts of the juniors. His bright eyes were fixed intently on the actions of Lu Chun.

The tree-man Soul Douluo was gradually returning to normal. The vitality within him had not dissipated but had condensed and been fully absorbed. His skin, once covered in black spots, became smooth and lustrous. His snowy hair turned jet-black from the roots up. His very appearance was being reversed. In the blink of an eye, the decrepit old man had become a youth of no more than twenty.

Finishing this, Lu Chun turned to look at the crowd. His clear voice reached every one of them:

"You come seeking eternal life?"

"I possess a method to achieve it."

These words left everyone’s mind blank.