Dugu Bo

"Drip, drip~"

Cold droplets struck the ground.

Yu Cheng felt dazed. He forced his eyes open and found himself surrounded by nothing but pitch-black darkness.

"Buddy, where is this?"

He asked inwardly.

"This is Dugu Bo's cave. He ambushed you."

Youth Yu Cheng explained.

"Fuck, when did Dugu Bo show up? Why didn't you warn me?"

Yu Cheng asked in confusion.

Could Dugu Bo's spiritual power have far surpassed Youth Yu Cheng's?

Youth Yu Cheng had once said that if a Soul Master was powerful and deliberately concealed his aura, he would have no way to warn Yu Cheng either.

"Do you even hear yourself?"

Youth Yu Cheng curled his lip.

Yu Cheng had shut him inside the Ash Box, leaving him unable to sense the outside world.

Only after Yu Cheng had been knocked unconscious did his subconscious sense danger and release him again.

But it had already been too late.

"Oh!"

Embarrassment flashed across Yu Cheng's face before vanishing. He recalled that he had put Youth Yu Cheng in confinement.

Just then, a chilling voice rang out:

"Kid, if you're awake, there's no need to keep pretending. Your composure isn't bad. You seem like a veteran."

Yu Cheng turned his head and, by the faint light, saw an elderly man standing behind him.

The old man was tall and thin, with dark green hair and beard. His eyes gleamed like emeralds.

"This junior, Yu Cheng, greets Senior Dugu."

Yu Cheng rolled over and rose to his feet, speaking respectfully.

"Kid, you know me?"

Dugu Bo stroked his beard, surprise in his voice.

"I heard about you from Yan Yan."

Yu Cheng answered honestly.

"Yan Yan?"

A glint flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes, and his robe stirred despite the lack of wind.

This kid called his granddaughter so intimately?

What was their relationship?

"Are you very familiar with Yan Yan?"

Dugu Bo stared at Yu Cheng and asked coldly.

He recalled seeing Dugu Yan not long ago. Aside from showing off the pills she had obtained, she had never stopped praising Yu Cheng whenever she mentioned him.

A theory master, extraordinarily talented, a Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring...

Naturally, Dugu Bo knew of Yu Cheng's Whale Rubber Theory.

He had even captured quite a few Soul Masters for experiments. Otherwise, he would never have dared let Dugu Yan absorb a two-thousand-year third soul ring.

Dugu Bo did not particularly care that Yu Cheng could refine medicine. He himself was a master alchemist who had studied the art for decades.

However, Yu Cheng had actually noticed that Dugu Yan was suffering from martial soul poison?

That shocked Dugu Bo greatly.

He had rushed to Heaven Dou Academy in a hurry precisely to verify it. After all, he too was afflicted with Vicious Poison and helpless to do anything about it.

But now, something even more shocking had emerged.

His precious granddaughter was about to be stolen by some pig!

Absolutely not!

"Sister Yan and I are teammates. We fight side by side, so naturally we know each other well."

Yu Cheng answered.

Dugu Bo's stare made him uncomfortable. The old man gave off an eerie feeling.

"Kid, aside from being teammates and friends, what other relationship do you have with Yan Yan? Have you done anything that went beyond friendship?"

Dugu Bo pressed, an invisible aura locking onto Yu Cheng.

"No, no! Senior, you've misunderstood!"

Yu Cheng hurriedly waved his hands.

He had a feeling that if he said yes, Dugu Bo would probably slap him flying.

"Sister Yan and I have only held hands a few times. We absolutely have not crossed any boundaries between men and women!"

Yu Cheng declared solemnly.

He needed to take Dugu Yan's pulse when examining her body. In a sense, that did count as holding hands.

"You've already held hands?"

Dugu Bo's Soul Power surged.

He had not expected that after merely going into seclusion for a while, his granddaughter had nearly been tricked away.

No wonder Yan Yan smiled so happily whenever she mentioned this kid.

After a long while, the pressure disappeared.

"Phew~"

Yu Cheng gasped for air.

Dugu Bo really does have a strange temperament. He grumbled inwardly.

"Kid, I won't interfere with you youngsters' affairs. But Yan Yan is still young. If you cross the line between men and women, I absolutely will not let you off!"

Dugu Bo said coldly.

Dugu Yan was already over fifteen. Many commoner girls her age were already mothers.

But Soul Masters were different.

Before the age of twenty was the golden period for a Soul Master's cultivation.

Indulging too much in relations between men and women was highly detrimental to future development.

"Senior, you jest. I'm still young myself. By the way, Senior, why were you looking for me?"

Yu Cheng changed the subject.

If they continued, and Dugu Bo asked for details about Dugu Yan's daily life, he would be exposed.

He was merely using Dugu Yan as a shield. They were just ordinary friends.

In the original story, Dugu Bo's personality was unpredictable and moody.

The only person he truly cared about was Dugu Yan.

To avoid being harmed by Dugu Bo, Yu Cheng had no choice but to resort to this measure.

Hearing this, Dugu Bo stopped dwelling on their relationship.

He stared at Yu Cheng and asked coldly, "Kid, how did you discover the Snake Venom inside Yan Yan's body?"

"When I examined Sister Yan, I found that her blood actually contained the toxins of a Jade Phosphorous Serpent. That was very wrong!"

Yu Cheng said frankly.

"What is wrong with it?" Dugu Bo asked.

Yu Cheng rubbed his chin and said gravely, "The venom of serpent-type Soul Masters is usually stored within their martial souls and does not harm the Soul Masters themselves. But clearly, the toxins in Sister Yan's body have gone out of control."

"Her poison can harm not only enemies; she herself has also been deeply poisoned."

Dugu Bo asked, "You have studied serpent-type martial souls extensively?"

Yu Cheng explained, "While researching the Whale Rubber Theory, I spent a year at Fasnuo Main Hall. I came into contact with many Soul Masters who possessed serpent-type martial souls, so I have seen quite a lot."

"Mm."

Dugu Bo nodded slightly.

Naturally, he had heard of Master Yu Cheng's reputation.

Spirit Hall's complete edition of the Whale Rubber Theory contained extensive experimental data on Soul Masters, including records of many serpent-type martial souls.

"Phew~"

Yu Cheng exhaled, finally feeling somewhat relieved.

He knew that Dugu Bo should have begun trusting him.

Heaven Dou Academy.

Yu Cheng's disappearance had thrown the entire academy into chaos.

In the conference room on the top floor of the teaching building.

Besides Qin Ming, Yu Luomian, and several Committee Members, there was another special guest present: Ning Fengzhi.

Ning Fengzhi had originally come to discuss Ning Rongrong's enrollment.

The direct disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, aside from cultivating within the sect, would all spend some time studying at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Connections were no less important to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect than martial soul inheritance.

Ning Fengzhi had not expected that Master Yu Cheng, whose name resounded across the continent, would disappear at Heaven Dou Academy.

"Second Chief, if anything happens to Yu Cheng, I will..."

Qin Ming spoke in a low voice, his tone stern.

"What will you do?"

Yu Luomian held his head high, refusing to yield in the slightest.

He had merely fought Qin Ming once. What did Yu Cheng's disappearance have to do with him?

"Please calm down, you two. Now is not the time to argue."

Ning Fengzhi spoke up to mediate.