Dugu Bo: Who Are You Ordering Around?

"Tang Xuan, did you really do this?" Yu Tianheng leaned closer and whispered.

Even he felt pain just looking at Xue Beng's injuries.

Tang Xuan's voice, however, carried no attempt at concealment. "Bullshit. At most, I made Xue Beng swell up a little. I'm guessing someone beat him up themselves just to frame me."

"Isn't that right, Your Highness the Prince?"

Though Xue Xing had been exposed, he showed no embarrassment whatsoever.

Instead, he barked loudly, as though whoever shouted louder was in the right.

"Tang Xuan! You heartless, faithless wretch! Today, this prince will make you pay!"

Tang Xuan snorted disdainfully. "Why are you yelling so loudly? It's not like I'm deaf. Make your move. I'll take whatever you throw at me."

Seeing Tang Xuan so relaxed,

Xue Xing felt as though all his strength had nowhere to go.

In his imagination,

Tang Xuan, a seven-year-old child facing such a lineup, should have been terrified into begging for mercy.

He should have called on Xue Qinghe for help.

Only then could they pin the charge of harming his brother on Xue Qinghe.

But why was this not going according to plan?

Then Xue Xing reconsidered.

It was better if Xue Qinghe did not show up.

Compared to being confined by the Emperor for a few months, having some of his authority stripped away, or even being removed as Crown Prince for "harming his blood brother,"

he would rather see Xue Qinghe lose the support of Tang Xuan, an unparalleled genius.

After all, inheriting the throne in the proper order was not the only way to sit upon the Imperial Throne...

"Hmph, you do have a sharp tongue. I hope you can stay this tough later." Xue Xing sneered. "The man beside me is the famed Poison Douluo, Dugu. With a casual dose of Poison, he can leave an entire city barren. Guess how many seconds you can last against him?"

Dugu Bo stepped forward in response.

As though proving his identity, he erupted with an intense green light.

Two yellow, two purple, and five black—Nine Soul Rings rose one after another beneath his feet.

Behind him,

a jade-green serpent as thick as a water barrel stared coldly at Tang Xuan.

Goosebumps covered Tang Xuan's body as his chilling gaze shifted between Xue Xing and Dugu Bo. "Old Dog Xue Xing, you really are quite capable. You actually managed to turn the Poison Douluo, whose Poison dominates the world, into your thug."

Called an Old Dog,

Xue Xing was not angered in the slightest. Instead, he said with great interest, "What? Scared? Didn't you rely on Xue Qinghe as your backer and run wild without restraint? Where is your backer now? Why hasn't he come to save you yet?"

"To tell you the truth, before I came here, this prince sent Xue Qinghe word that I was coming to hold you accountable. Yet he turned a blind eye. Can you guess why?"

Tang Xuan rolled his eyes, too lazy to bother with him. He looked at Xue Xing as though he were a complete idiot.

Yet Xue Xing was utterly immersed in his own world.

Tang Xuan's disregard was interpreted by him as silence.

"Hahaha! Because he doesn't dare! You, Tang Xuan, are merely a chess piece of Xue Qinghe's, a blade he used against me. But before Dugu, you no longer have any value to him. He has ab~an~doned you!" Xue Xing drew out the final three words especially long.

His tone was like that of a nasty relative bullying a child.

In Xue Xing's eyes,

Tang Xuan had only just arrived in an unfamiliar environment.

He was at his most sensitive and vulnerable.

And if, at such a crucial time, he learned that he had been abandoned and ignored,

regardless of whether it was true, he surely could not remain unmoved.

Sure enough,

Tang Xuan put on a panicked expression and shouted, "Bullshit! Brother Xue would never be that kind of person. He just hasn't had time to get here yet."

Seeing this,

Xue Xing laughed even more happily. "Whether it's true or not, you'll find out soon enough. Dugu, please teach this brat a lesson."

At those words, Dugu Bo's brows furrowed imperceptibly.

This old bastard Xue Xing really had the nerve to ask him to make a move?

This Old Man was a dignified Titled Douluo. Coming here to lend you some presence was already shameless enough.

Tang Xuan was merely a tiny Spirit Master. Even if this was to force Xue Qinghe's hand,

couldn't a dignified prince find even a Soul Douluo?

Even if your talent was terrible, Xue Xing, you were still a Soul Ancestor. If you couldn't invite someone, couldn't you do it yourself?

Tang Xuan's description had been right after all. He really was a Fatty Fish.

But he owed him a favor.

No matter how dissatisfied Dugu Bo was, he could not say anything.

He released only a trace of a Titled Douluo's Momentum,

yet it pressed everyone present until they could barely breathe.

Tang Xuan, who faced that pressure head-on, swayed like a candle flame in the wind.

Only by using the Mysterious Iron Heavy Sword as a cane could he barely straighten his back.

"Tang Xuan, why hasn't your Brother Xue come to save you yet? Could it be that he isn't coming?" Xue Xing mocked. "In my opinion, you might as well submit to this prince. At least this prince has Dugu's help and can guarantee that whenever you encounter any crisis, I can provide you assistance."

"And this prince will do everything in my power to nurture you. Spirit Rings, Soul Bones—whatever you want, this prince will give it to you, until you become a Titled Douluo. What do you say?"

Xue Xing's feelings toward Tang Xuan were actually rather complicated.

He wanted to destroy him to strike at Xue Qinghe, yet he also wanted to recruit him.

After all, Tang Xuan's talent was simply unprecedented.

If he died just like that, it would truly be a waste of heaven-sent talent.

"Heh. Even if I die, I'll never be a dog for a Fatty Fish." Tang Xuan struggled to straighten up and sneered.

"Hmph! You're still talking tough when death is at your door. Dugu, cripple him for me!" Xue Xing was so furious that stars danced before his eyes.

First Fatty Fish, then Old Dog Xue Xing—did they really think he had no pride?

Since he could not be used by me, then die!

Dugu Bo did not move.

He merely gave Xue Xing an indifferent glance.

Bone-piercing cold stabbed into Xue Xing's mind.

Xue Xing's gaze instantly cleared. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Du-Dugu, this little prince meant... please help me cripple him."

"Hmph. I won't." Dugu Bo snorted coldly.

Who did he think he was ordering around? Did he really take him for a lackey?

Xue Xing immediately panicked. "Dugu, we agreed on this. I used my final favor to exchange for your help. You can't go back on your word!"

But Dugu Bo waved a hand. "You only asked me to pressure Tang Xuan, to force Xue Qinghe to act or frighten him into not acting. You never said you wanted Tang Xuan crippled."

"Now I have pressured Tang Xuan, and Xue Qinghe has not acted. I have fulfilled everything I promised you. From this day onward, I, Dugu Bo, have nothing to do with you, Xue Xing."

After saying that,

Dugu Bo ignored Xue Xing's expression, as though his mother had died.

He withdrew his pressure and walked into a corner.

Then he "dragged" Dugu Yan out from behind Yu Tianheng.

"Yan Yan, why are you hiding behind that boy? Are you hiding from Grandpa?"

There was only so much space here.

Dugu Bo was a dignified Titled Douluo.

Even if he looked with his nostrils, he should have noticed his precious Granddaughter.

Instead of her usual delight at seeing her Grandpa, Dugu Yan's face was full of mockery. "Oh? Isn't this the famed Poison Douluo? You looked quite impressive just now, didn't you? Following outsiders here to bully my friend?"

Dugu Bo's old face reddened. "Be good, Yan Yan. Grandpa didn't want to bully the young either, but a favor owed had to be repaid. From now on, I can finally be free of it."

Promises mattered most to him in his life.

As long as he had promised something,

unless it involved his Granddaughter,

he would do it no matter how shameless it was.

"No matter the reason, Grandpa, you have to apologize to Tang Xuan! Otherwise, who would dare be friends with me in the future?" Dugu Yan said with her hands on her hips.

"Uh..." Dugu Bo was somewhat troubled, but seeing the increasingly dangerous look in his Granddaughter's eyes, he finally relented. "Fine, fine, fine. Grandpa will apologize, all right?"

After all, he, Dugu Bo, was the one in the wrong. He had never been one to fuss over small matters, and an apology was hardly a big deal.

Making his Granddaughter happy was nothing to be ashamed of.