Then We'll Use a Trick

"Left without saying goodbye?" Dugu Yan did not believe it and hurriedly took the letter Dugu Bo handed her.

When Mu Zhe had said goodbye to her, he had clearly said that once he finished cultivating, he would return to cure her poison. That was also the main reason she had been willing to believe Dugu Bo's claim over the past three years that Mu Zhe was cultivating.

She opened the letter and found words left by Dugu Bo within, saying that Mu Zhe had long since departed. The date written on it had already passed quite some time ago.

That proved Dugu Bo had indeed left this letter before. Dugu Yan simply had not seen it.

"That's impossible!"

When she saw the date in the lower-right corner of the letter, Dugu Yan immediately cried out, "I read every letter over and over again. Why have I never seen this one?!"

Dugu Yan glared viciously at Dugu Bo as though she were looking at some bastardly old man.

"Did you just write this and bring it out to fool me?"

A cold sweat immediately broke out on Dugu Bo's back. He had no idea how many times he had cursed inwardly. Wasn't a woman in love supposed to have lower intelligence? How had she spotted the problem the moment she read the letter?

"Yanyan, you know your grandfather. I'm the one who loves you most. How could I lie to you? If I said Mu Zhe left without saying goodbye, then he left without saying goodbye."

Dugu Bo swore solemnly, but the moment he finished speaking, he regretted it. His heart felt as though it had been placed on an execution ground.

"Who left without saying goodbye?"

Hearing a voice that seemed to come from nowhere, both grandfather and granddaughter were startled.

In an instant, delight appeared on Dugu Yan's face. Even though she had not heard that voice for three years, she still recognized it. It was Mu Zhe!

Dugu Bo's heart lurched. He, too, recognized that familiar voice, but was that bastard a man or a ghost?!

That Spiritual Power from that day had been no weaker than his own. Had he not chosen to flee, his fate would surely have been the same as the Medicinal Garden's—vanishing without a trace.

When a handsome young man appeared in the hall, Dugu Bo's heart sank even further. This little monster was not dead. Then what he had just told Yanyan...

"Mu Zhe!"

After hearing that familiar voice, Dugu Yan had already guessed. Once she clearly saw Mu Zhe's face, she threw herself straight into his arms.

"How could you disappear for three whole years?!"

Overjoyed to the point of tears, Dugu Yan buried herself against Mu Zhe and pounded his chest with her little fists.

Mu Zhe gently patted the girl's back, soothing her emotions. "Didn't we agree that I would come back to find you once I finished cultivating?"

Only after crying for quite a while did Dugu Yan speak again. "But just now, my grandfather said that you..."

"Oh, Yanyan, since Mu Zhe was coming back, I wanted to give you a surprise, didn't I?"

Hearing this, Dugu Bo hurriedly tried to salvage the situation.

If he did not make a move now, he would truly lose his precious little granddaughter.

Mu Zhe glanced at the old man, utterly speechless. How had he never noticed before that Dugu Bo could be so shameless when trying to win Dugu Yan's favor?

Back in the void, Mu Zhe had seen Dugu Bo's little stunt. The old man had even claimed that he left without saying goodbye.

After releasing the girl in his arms, Mu Zhe finally turned to Dugu Bo and greeted him. "Long time no see, Mister Dugu."

Dugu Bo promptly replied, "Little monster, has your cultivation gone smoothly these past few years?"

Inwardly, he sighed. It truly had been a long time.

In his mind, Mu Zhe had died, come back to life, died again, and come back to life again.

When Mu Zhe first entered the spring, he had believed Mu Zhe was dead. But later, that plant had said that Mu Zhe was still alive.

Then several more years passed, and he believed Mu Zhe had died again. After that, he even encountered a terrifying Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Mu Zhe had been dead beyond doubt, yet now he was alive again.

Even as a Titled Douluo who had lived for many years and considered his heart as still as water, he was deeply shaken at this moment.

Mu Zhe nodded. "I gained quite a lot. I returned this time to resolve Yanyan's Martial Soul flaw."

As he spoke, Mu Zhe projected his consciousness into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well within his body and took out a strange melon. It was a small golden melon the size of two fists, its surface seemingly covered in dragon scales.

Earth Dragon Golden Melon, an Immortal Herb-level heavenly treasure. It possessed the power to make the earth dragon turn over. It was earth-attributed, and fusing with it could improve one's control over the power of the earth.

"This Immortal Herb is called the Earth Dragon Golden Melon. It contains Earth Dragon bloodline. Yanyan's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul can be considered a dragon-kind Martial Soul. By fusing with the Earth Dragon power within it, her Martial Soul can evolve. That way, there will be no need to worry about the Martial Soul's flaw."

"The Earth Dragon Golden Melon does not require any special method of consumption. Just eat the entire melon."

After saying that, Mu Zhe handed the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in his hand to Dugu Yan.

"Evolve a Martial Soul?"

Dugu Bo had never seen the fruit of the Earth Dragon Golden Melon, but from the patterns on it, he still recognized it as a plant that had grown in his Medicinal Garden.

"With this?"

His Martial Soul had originally been a Jade Phosphorous Serpent as well. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor had evolved only after all nine of his Spirit Rings came from snake-type Soul Beasts. Naturally, he did not believe that one small melon could evolve a Martial Soul.

Moreover, most of the plants in his Medicinal Garden contained highly potent poison. Even if he, a poison-attributed Titled Douluo, consumed them, he would suffer backlash for several days. Who knew whether the thing Mu Zhe had taken out was poisonous?

"Hmph, I believe Mu Zhe!"

Seeing Dugu Bo question Mu Zhe, Dugu Yan immediately stepped forward and made a face at him.

Girls really do grow up and leave their grandfathers behind!

With an irritated snort in his heart, Dugu Bo flicked his sleeve and left. Since Mu Zhe dared to return, he presumably would not deceive them and must have confidence in himself.

Otherwise, Dugu Bo did not believe Mu Zhe could withstand the fury of a Titled Douluo.

"Mu Zhe, is this Earth Dragon Golden Melon really so miraculous?"

Although she had seemed to trust Mu Zhe completely in front of Dugu Bo, her grandfather was quite knowledgeable, and she believed that Martial Soul Evolution was extremely difficult.

If the Earth Dragon Golden Melon did not work, she would have to persuade Mu Zhe to run away.

"Don't worry. When have I ever lied to you?"

Mu Zhe smiled and reached out to stroke Dugu Yan's head.

"Go refine and absorb it quickly."

"Mm-hm."

Dugu Yan nodded sweetly, then seemed to remember something and continued.

"Lingling hasn't seen you in a long time either. Go see her."

"Don't you need me to stay with you while you refine it?"

Dugu Yan's heart stirred for a moment, but she shook her head. She could usually still get news of Mu Zhe from her grandfather, but Ye Lingling had no source of information at all.

After Mu Zhe left, Ye Lingling had become even more withdrawn.

Even so, quite a few people still bothered her, especially Osler and Yu Feng from the team.

More than three years had passed, and the Heaven Dou Royal Battle Team had already been formed. The team consisted of the same seven people as in the original story: Yu Tianheng, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Osler, Yu Feng, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling?

Only after hearing Dugu Yan mention her did Mu Zhe remember the quiet, elegant girl who often came to his courtyard to seek his guidance.

He remembered that he had even worked with Ah Yin to tease her back then.

Dugu Yan added, "Could you give Lingling an Immortal Herb too?"

She and Ye Lingling had been close friends for many years, so naturally they should share blessings. Besides, she liked Ye Lingling very much. If Mu Zhe could win Ye Lingling over as well, would they not be able to serve one husband together...

"Of course."

Mu Zhe smiled. Since he had teased her, he naturally had to marry her. If he could not win her over, then he would use a trick.