Contradiction

Wang Chuan looked at Dugu Bo, who stood beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes. His gaze swept over the faint purple patterns at the man's temples, caused by years of poison erosion. His tone was earnest yet carried an unquestionable resolve. "Your Eminence, your poison injuries have already penetrated deep into your bones. Your meridians, internal organs, and viscera have all been corroded by toxins. This is by no means something that can be cured in a short time. The treatment plan I mentioned before was conservatively estimated to take half a year as a basic cycle, and it may require even longer afterward. During this lengthy treatment period, I must personally return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to reassure my master Chen Xin, my parents, and the teachers at the academy. Even if Senior Sister has already delivered word for me, as long as they do not see me in person, they will worry day and night. They may even suspect whether Senior Sister's message was true or whether she was coerced."

As his words fell, Wang Chuan clearly saw Dugu Bo's hand tighten slightly at his side, his fingertips rubbing the dark embroidered patterns on his sleeve. He was obviously still weighing the pros and cons. Wang Chuan took a deep breath and stepped half a pace forward. His voice lowered, but every word became even clearer. "And there is something else, Your Eminence, that I did not dare mention rashly before. Senior Sister returned alone to deliver the news. If my master still cannot find any trace of me, given how much he cares about me, he may inevitably take his anger out on Senior Sister. He may think that she and the Dugu Family joined forces to conceal my circumstances. That would not only damage the bond between Senior Sister and me as fellow disciples, but might also completely intensify the conflict between you and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. That is absolutely not a situation I wish to see."

At this point, Wang Chuan straightened his back. The youth stood especially tall amid the mist rising from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes, and a sharp pride belonging to a blade wielder flashed through his eyes. "Rest assured, Your Eminence, I will never break my promise. I am the sole personal disciple of Sword Douluo Chen Xin. From the day I became his disciple, I have taken 'keeping one's word' as my rule. At the same time, I am a cultivator who has entered the path through the blade. 'A promise worth a thousand gold' has long been carved into my bones and blood. You have entrusted your life to me and given me the chance to treat you. I will not disappoint you, much less commit an act of betrayal."

"How dare he!" When Dugu Bo heard that it might affect his granddaughter, his gaze instantly turned fierce. A faint purple mist surged around him, the deadly poison lingering in his body nearly spilling out of control. Yet he forcefully suppressed it in an instant, leaving only a helpless sigh. "Fine, fine. What you say makes sense, brat. This time, it was indeed this old man who failed to think things through. I only wanted to treat my poison injuries as quickly as possible and failed to consider the ties you youngsters have. Go, then. Settle your family matters quickly and return early. This old man's body is not in such a hurry."

He understood better than anyone that although he was a Titled Douluo, he was no match for Chen Xin. If he truly offended the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Sword Douluo beyond reconciliation, then forget treating his poison injuries—even finding a foothold on the Douluo Continent would become difficult. It would be better to trust this "little monster" once. It could also be considered for the sake of his granddaughter's safety.

"Thank you for your trust, Your Eminence!" Wang Chuan bowed. The tension in his youthful features immediately eased somewhat, and his tone became lighter. "I will return as quickly as possible. I will not delay on the road and will certainly not hold up your treatment."

"Why are you still calling me Your Eminence?" Dugu Bo waved his hand, and a rare, faint curve appeared at the corner of his lips. That smile looked especially genuine on his weathered face. "They are all empty formalities. They sound too distant. With your talent, even calling you a monster does the word 'monster' an injustice. This old man has lived for so many years, yet I have never seen a junior your age who could see through the root of my poison injuries. From now on, I'll call you Little Monster, and you can call me Old Monster. It will sound more comfortable that way."

After speaking, he said no more. Green poisonous Soul Power suddenly circulated around him, opening a safe passage ahead as easily as moving an arm. The poisonous mist around that passage, even the extreme aura emitted by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes, was kept entirely outside. Dugu Bo stepped into the passage first, then turned back to Wang Chuan. "Stay close to this old man. The poison formation outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes can cost even a Titled Douluo half his life if he takes one wrong step."

Wang Chuan hurriedly followed. The two figures darted swiftly through the poison formation, and in less than half an incense stick's time, they had left the poison-shrouded valley and sped toward Heaven Dou City.

The moment they entered Heaven Dou City's gate, Dugu Bo stopped and said to Wang Chuan, "This old man will send you no farther. There are many sect informants in the city, so it is inconvenient for me to show myself. Return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect on your own, and be careful on the way." Before his words had even faded, his figure flickered and vanished into the crowd as though melting into the shadows. He had never wished to become too entangled with top powers like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Sending Wang Chuan this far was already his limit.

Wang Chuan did not delay either. He cupped his hands toward the direction in which Dugu Bo had disappeared, then identified the direction of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. With a tap of his toes, the Soul Power within him stirred slightly, and he became an afterimage weaving through the streets of Heaven Dou City. His steps were light, his heart filled with concern for his master and family. He only wanted to return to the sect as quickly as possible and put their minds at ease.

Meanwhile, within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Chen Xin sat inside the Sword Hut at the highest point of the sect. The Seven Kill Sword gleamed with cold light, reflecting the concern in his eyes. Over these past days, he had remained in the Sword Hut nearly every day, using the connection between master and disciple to search for Wang Chuan's aura. Yet he had found nothing, and the anxiety in his heart had long accumulated to its limit.

The instant his fingertips touched the blade, Chen Xin suddenly raised his head. Wild joy flashed through his eyes—the familiar aura he had worried over day and night was rapidly approaching from outside the city, growing clearer and clearer!

"Xiao Chuan!" he shouted. The fine cloth in his hand instantly fell to the ground, and the Seven Kill Sword returned with a hum. The next second, Chen Xin shot into the air like an arrow released from a bowstring. The gale stirred by his robes swept up the fallen leaves in the courtyard as he streaked toward the direction from which Wang Chuan was coming. At that moment, his heart was filled only with the excitement of finally finding his disciple.

Dugu Yan arrived at the mountain gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect from Heaven Dou Royal Academy less than half an incense stick's time after Chen Xin left. Lifting her skirt, she panted heavily. Fine sweat covered her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed from running in such haste. In her hand, she tightly clutched an accessory borrowed from Wang Chuan, engraved with blade patterns. She had deliberately brought it as proof that Wang Chuan was safe.

Yet the moment she entered the area around the sect's main hall, a heavy Soul Power pressure descended abruptly. Like a thousand-pound boulder pressing down on her shoulders, it froze Dugu Yan in place and made even breathing difficult.

"Who allowed you to trespass into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?" An aged yet imposing voice rang out. Gu Rong descended from the sky, his immense Soul Power hanging above Dugu Yan's head like dark clouds. Behind him, Ning Fengzhi emerged slowly, a folding fan in hand. Ning Fengzhi was not wearing his usual brocade robes today. Instead, he wore the formal robes of a Sect Master. His normally gentle eyes were narrowed into slits, his gaze sharp as blades. His tone revealed no emotion, yet carried a trace of icy coldness. "Little girl, you are Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan, correct?"

Seeing Dugu Yan nod with difficulty, Ning Fengzhi stepped forward. His folding fan snapped open, concealing the lower half of his face and revealing only those probing eyes. "Then let me ask you this: where is my Xiao Chuan now? How is he? Has he been injured?"

He had deliberately brought Gu Rong with him, already intending to demand an explanation. After all, Wang Chuan was not only a junior whom the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was focused on nurturing, but also Chen Xin's personal disciple. Now that Dugu Bo had taken him away for days, Chen Xin had been even more worried. As those words fell, the atmosphere in the main hall immediately became taut. Even the air seemed filled with the thick scent of gunpowder, as though the slightest improper answer from Dugu Yan would immediately ignite a conflict.

Dugu Yan's heart tightened. Resisting Gu Rong's Soul Power pressure, she slowly took out the blade-patterned accessory from her robes and held it out with both hands. Her tone was sincere yet somewhat urgent. "Greetings, Sect Master Ning and Bone Douluo. I came here precisely because of Wang Chuan. Please rest assured, he is currently safe and sound at my grandfather's treasured grounds. Not only has he suffered no grievance whatsoever, my grandfather even specially prepared rare medicinal herbs to nourish his body. This is Wang Chuan's accessory. I brought it to prove his safety. Moreover, he is a member of our Imperial Fighting Team. We have faced life and death together. Even if I had to give everything I have, I would never allow him to be harmed."

"Safe and sound?" Gu Rong snorted coldly. His Soul Power pressure grew even heavier, causing more fine sweat to seep from Dugu Yan's forehead. Even the hand holding the accessory began to tremble slightly. "Words alone prove nothing. A single accessory cannot count as evidence. Old Poison took Xiao Chuan away, yet you came alone and could not even bring him back. Who knows whether what you say is true? Since that is the case, remain in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for a few more days. Wait until Old Poison sends Xiao Chuan back safe and sound before leaving. How about it?"

Anyone with eyes could tell that his "remain" meant "house arrest." He was merely taking Dugu Bo's status into account and had not stated it too bluntly. Ning Fengzhi stood to one side, lightly tapping his folding fan against his palm. He offered no objection, and the tacit approval in his eyes explained everything.

Seeing that Ning Fengzhi had no objections, Gu Rong reached out, preparing to take Dugu Yan to the guest rooms on the sect's western side. They appeared peaceful, but sect disciples secretly guarded them. They were guest rooms in name, but a place of confinement in truth. Yet at that moment, a cyan figure flew in from outside the hall and firmly stood before Dugu Yan. It was Yu Tianheng, who had rushed over from Heaven Dou Royal Academy upon hearing the news.

"Bone Douluo!" Yu Tianheng bowed deeply to Gu Rong. His tone was urgent and pleading. "Yan Yan's grandfather was the one at fault first in this matter. I do not dare ask for forgiveness from either of you, much less defend Poison Douluo. I only ask that you show mercy. If you need to keep someone as leverage, then exchange Yan Yan for me. I will remain in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a hostage. Or let me stay with her, so I can take care of her daily needs and keep her from suffering here. Would that be possible?"

Gu Rong glanced at Yu Tianheng, his eyes full of disdain and his lips curling into a mocking smile. "Boy, what makes you think you are qualified to negotiate? Our conflict with Old Poison concerns only the Dugu Family. It has nothing to do with your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Taking you captive would only provoke dissatisfaction from that old fool Yu Yuanzhen and bring needless trouble to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Do you think this old man cannot calculate that?"

As his words fell, Gu Rong stirred his Soul Power slightly. An invisible force instantly flung Yu Tianheng aside. He crashed heavily into a stone pillar in the main hall with a dull thud, blood immediately spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"Tianheng!" Dugu Yan cried out, wanting to rush forward to help him, but Gu Rong's Soul Power pinned her firmly in place. She could only watch helplessly as Yu Tianheng struggled to climb to his feet and prepared to step forward to stop them again.