After identifying the immortal herb, Lu Buliang was certain that there were still other celestial herbs near the Ice and Fire Well that had never been mentioned in the original story—precious, unharvested treasures. He intended to study the medicine refining and poison crafting techniques of the Breaking Clan and return later to claim them all. If time didn't permit, he would destroy them instead. He couldn't risk leaving them for Tang San.
At a time when his stance was still unclear, letting such rare treasures fall into someone else's hands would be the same as aiding the enemy.
His current plan was to secretly use Dugu Bo's name to negotiate with the Breaking clan. With Dugu Bo—a titled Douluo—backing him, the Breaking clan wouldn't dare make any moves against him.
Now, Lu Buliang had an additional task: to help Dugu Bo resolve the backlash from the snake venom within a year.
This was something he volunteered for—not just because he didn't dislike Dugu Bo, but also because he had a good relationship with Dugu Yan. Helping the grandfather and granddaughter rid themselves of the poison was not just an act of friendship, but a form of reciprocation.
After all, Lu Buliang wasn't stealing—he was trading.
Even if the immortal herbs weren't cultivated by Dugu Bo himself, they grew on his land. Since Lu Buliang took something from him, he naturally needed to give something in return.
Strolling through the poison formation and firm in his next steps, Lu Buliang began to research how to establish the Shadow Army.
The [Shadow Grave Domain] possessed the ability to seal and summon the shadows of the dead. Once a certain number of these shadows were sealed within the domain, it would evolve—allowing more shadows to be stored, expanding its range, and enhancing its effects.
Eventually, when the [Shadow Grave Domain] expanded enough to envelop the entire world, it would usher in ultimate darkness.
That was the message that had appeared in Lu Buliang's mind when he first acquired the domain. There was also knowledge about how to seal the shadows of the dead within it.
Any deceased lifeform could have its shadow sealed within the domain. To gain access to a shadow's abilities, one needed to bind it to a physical object—such as a mask, a ring, or even a spirit ring.
This binding process wasn't complex.
It was like fishing from your own pond. If the domain was the pond, then the sealed shadows were like the fish. If you saw a fish you liked, you just had to scoop it out with a net.
The same principle applied to binding the shadow: pick the one you want and seal it into an item.
Once you wore that item, all the powers the deceased had in life would be yours.
Not only that, but it would also awaken the darkness deep in your soul, allowing you to summon a dark soldier modeled after that dead individual.
Currently, the [Shadow Grave Domain] didn't contain any shadows, but that was only temporary.
Lu Buliang began to wonder: since only the shadows of the dead could be sealed, could it be that the Spirit Hall in Spirit City had a holy place where the corpses of past titled Douluos were stored?
If such a place existed, he'd strike gold.
Sealing the shadows of those titled Douluo into the domain would mean he could gain their powers—and command an army of dark warriors formed from their shadows.
The [Shadow Grave Domain] had no cap on storage. Once the limit was reached, the domain would expand and evolve. More shadows could be stored, and the domain's effects would improve.
Unlimited shadow seals would mean an ever-expanding domain—until it enveloped everything.
In terms of might, the [Shadow Grave Domain] was on par with the Slaughter King's [Slaughter Domain]—both were among the most domineering domains in the world.
The only way to resist a domain like this was to nullify it entirely.
On the Douluo Continent, perhaps only the Sea Dragon Douluo from Sea God Island and his [Domain of Magic Dispelling] could restrain the [Shadow Grave Domain].
Still, the domain had its flaws—it was affected by the number of spirit rings the user possessed.
While Lu Buliang could seal as many shadows as he wanted, he could only bind a limited number of them through items.
As a Spirit Elder with three rings, he could only bind three shadows simultaneously.
If he wanted to bind another, he would need to remove one of the existing bindings—unless he acquired a fourth spirit ring. With each ring, he could bind one additional shadow.
If he reached the rank of Titled Douluo and obtained his ninth ring, and the domain's limits remained unchanged, he would only be able to bind nine shadows.
In other words, Lu Buliang could only command nine shadow generals and their corresponding nine shadow legions.
To break through the ring limitation would require a special opportunity—just like how one evolved their martial spirit.
Perhaps when he reached Rank 70 and obtained his martial avatar, or when he broke through Rank 100 and became a god—or maybe when the domain itself evolved—the limitation would disappear.
Then, he'd be able to bind limitless shadows and forge an army of thousands.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Lu Buliang walked through the poison formation. By the time he stepped out, he had already exited Dugu Bo's medicinal garden and returned to the Sunset Forest.
At that moment, deep crimson lights flickered in the night.
Hundreds of meters ahead, countless glowing eyes stared menacingly at him.
With his heterochromatic eyes, Lu Buliang saw that these glowing lights were the eyes of soul beasts. Under the bright moonlight, the shadows of soul beasts moved across the forest floor.
More than twenty soul beasts of various sizes and forms were encircling him.
Are they sensing the Ice and Fire energy in my body? Lu Buliang thought. The medicinal effects of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot had not fully merged with his body, and their celestial aura still leaked out. Soul masters might not be sensitive to it—but soul beasts were different.
Their Instincts told them that this aura was extremely beneficial to them.
If they could feast on Lu Buliang's flesh and blood, their cultivation would soar—and their bloodlines might even evolve.
How could such a tempting opportunity not lure them?
As the soul beasts closed in, Lu Buliang used his first spirit skill to lock onto their shadows. Among them, the strongest was a massive, snow-white scorpion-like beast.
He remembered this species from Instructor Zhilin's theory classes—it was called the Giant Earth King, a high-tier fire-attribute soul beast with a natural talent skill called Magma Fissure Strike. White ones had thousand-year cultivation, red were under a thousand, and deep blue were over ten thousand.
Every five hundred years, its tailbone would grow an extra segment. Judging by its tail and color, the one in his sight was at least six thousand years old.
Beside it was a pink scorpion-like soul beast of similar size, surrounded by smaller ones of its kind.
Zhilin had introduced these in class too. They were called Pink Maiden soul beasts. The large one in the lead was a variant known as Pink Queen, with a cultivation exceeding three thousand years.
As the scorpions drew closer, the air grew tinted with a faint pink mist. Within just a few breaths, Lu Buliang was enveloped in it.
He remembered reading about the Pink Maidens in the original novel—their mist wouldn't kill instantly but would drive the target into a state of extreme arousal, eventually causing death from overstimulation.
The Giant Earth King and the Pink Queen advanced together, releasing waves of pink poison mist. The numerous Pink Maidens followed suit, saturating the air with their toxins.
Their Intention was clear: drive Lu Buliang into a frenzy, shatter his reason, then let the Giant Earth King unleash a fiery deathblow, so they could feast on his corpse.
Unfortunately, Lu Buliang was immune to all poisons.
Thanks to his unique constitution, the intoxicating toxins were neutralized by the Ice and Fire energies circulating within him.
Unbothered by the mist, Lu Buliang strode forward calmly. His heterochromatic eyes swept across the Pink Maidens ahead—at least a hundred of them, their cultivation ranging from a hundred to a thousand years. The Pink Queen had at least four thousand years of power.
The Giant Earth King? Over six thousand.
Surrounded by this formidable scorpion army, Lu Buliang didn't flinch—in fact, he laughed.
Once, he wouldn't have dared to laugh. But now, he had every reason to be confident in a mass battle.
Because he was no longer alone.
He reached deep into his soul—and summoned the Shadow Army.
From behind him, thirty shadowy figures emerged, masked and cloaked, forming three rows in mid-air. Their synchronized steps matched Lu Buliang's pace as they advanced through the pink mist.
The toxic fog did not affect them. In fact, it added to their eerie aura—like soldiers emerging from a battlefield wreathed in death.
As they marched through the haze, only the faint outlines of their bodies and their blood-red eyes could be seen.
Without a single command, they followed Lu Buliang's every step. But once the order was given—they would charge without hesitation, fighting until their last breath.
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