So What Was All That Mind Game Between Us Supposed to Be?

"What did you say?!" Dugu Bo's eyes brimmed with killing intent. "Boy, you'd better explain yourself!"

At this point, Dugu Bo could be completely certain.

Tang Xuan already knew the greatest secret in his heart.

Yet he still clung to a sliver of hope.

Not because Dugu Bo was some naïve, kind-hearted man.

But because Dugu Bo did not dare gamble on whether Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword hung above his head!

Dugu Bo dared to fight for his life.

He dared to flee even more.

But if he acted ruthlessly against Tang Xuan now—

If Chen Xin was truly lurking in the shadows—

Then his granddaughter Dugu Yan's life would absolutely be lost.

Nothing terrified Dugu Bo more than the thought of Dugu Yan being harmed.

"What am I saying? Don't you already have the answer in your heart?" Tang Xuan finally stopped beating around the bush. "How does it feel to be tormented by your own natal poison? Sister Yanzi's cultivation is still low, so her symptoms aren't obvious yet. But you... an itchy numbness along your ribs? Full-body spasms? Or perhaps the crown of your head and the soles of your feet..."

"Enough!" Dugu Bo cut him off sharply, his face shifting from green to white. "You—how did you see through it? Did Chen Xin tell you?"

"Senior Dugu, if I said I guessed, would you believe me?" Tang Xuan flashed a brilliant smile.

Dugu Bo only felt a stifled breath lodged in his chest with nowhere to vent it.

Did Tang Xuan take him for a three-year-old?

Guessed? Guessed his ass.

If Tang Xuan did not want to say it, then fine. It was not like Dugu Bo wanted to hear it anyway.

After a long while, Dugu Bo finally suppressed his frustration and said in a low voice, "What do you want? What do you want me to do?"

Naturally, he did not naïvely believe Tang Xuan had risked being silenced just to reveal the truth in front of him and show off.

No one was that idle.

And no one was that stupid.

But...

Tang Xuan looked at him as though he were an idiot. "Didn't I tell you my goal from the very beginning? Becoming the lifesaver of the Poison Douluo, whose poison dominates the world—how impressive would that sound?"

"Huh? You mean you can cure it?" Dugu Bo's gaze instantly cleared, and all killing intent vanished.

Naturally, he did not think Tang Xuan was fooling him.

As he had said, they were both people of standing.

Who had the spare time to come all this way just to joke with him?

"I can cure it, but..." Tang Xuan's expression became somewhat troubled.

Dugu Bo thought Tang Xuan was about to name his terms and immediately patted his chest. "As long as you can detoxify this old man and Yan Yan, as long as it is within my, Dugu Bo's, ability, you may name any condition you want."

Tang Xuan was somewhat surprised to hear that.

He had thought Dugu Bo would offer him three conditions, just as in the Original Work.

But while the conditions still existed, there was no longer any limit on their number.

The price could not be called small.

It was practically the same as Dugu Bo selling the rest of his life to Tang Xuan.

But on second thought, Other than slaughtering a city, anything Dugu Bo could do, Chen Xin could do even better.

It seemed Dugu Bo feared that if he did not make a sufficiently generous offer, he would lose his competitive edge before Tang Xuan.

"Then I truly must thank you, Senior." Tang Xuan smiled helplessly. "But the conditions are secondary. The poison in both you and your granddaughter runs far too deep. I still have some confidence in curing Sister Yan Yan, but for you... unless we find supreme-grade medicinal herbs or an extreme environment, I suggest you prepare yourself mentally."

To Dugu Bo, Tang Xuan's words were practically a direct hint.

Sure enough, Dugu Bo's face lit up. "Tang boy, I really can find an extreme environment. The medicinal herbs growing there are each incredibly potent, and it isn't far from the academy. How about you come take a look with me?"

This was exactly what Tang Xuan had been waiting for, but he could not appear too eager. "That works, but let me tell Rong Rong first. After all, you don't want my grandpa chasing you across the world with his sword, do you?"

If he suddenly vanished without a trace, Chen Xin would plow through every inch of the continent searching for him.

"Wait, what? Chen Xin isn't here?" Dugu Bo was dumbfounded.

Then what had all that mind game between him and Tang Xuan been supposed to be?

"What nonsense are you talking about? What does this have to do with my grandpa?" Tang Xuan gave him a baffled look, then his expression turned grave. "Could the toxins have already reached your brain? This can't be delayed. Take me back so we can send word and leave at once."

Dugu Bo:...

I really should thank you for your concern.

Back at the academy.

Tang Xuan first asked Qin Ming for leave, with no set return date.

His reason was that he would be studying the art of poison under Dugu Bo.

At first, Ning Rongrong absolutely refused to agree.

She made a fuss about following Tang Xuan.

But Tang Xuan firmly refused.

Even a Titled Douluo risked exploding to death if they remained in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for too long.

With Ning Rongrong's tiny frame, the moment she stepped inside, she would be reduced to a puddle of flesh.

In the end, Tang Xuan had no choice but to repeatedly promise that he would return as soon as possible and bring her a gift before he finally managed to calm Ning Rongrong down.

Even so, Ning Rongrong's eyes were still red-rimmed.

She clutched Tang Xuan's sleeve tightly, refusing to let go.

The two had grown up together and had never spent even a single day apart.

Now, Tang Xuan's return date was uncertain.

What was more, he was leaving with Dugu Bo, that "kindly" old poisonous snake.

Ning Rongrong's sense of security had already dropped to rock bottom.

"Alright, if we keep dawdling, it'll be dark soon." Dugu Bo impatiently grabbed Tang Xuan, ready to leave.

Although he had a granddaughter too and understood Ning Rongrong's feelings.

Tang Xuan was still supposed to save his life.

He truly had no time to waste.

"Wait, wait, wait. I can fly myself; I don't need you to carry me." Tang Xuan broke free from Dugu Bo's large hand.

Then, beneath Dugu Bo's astonished gaze, he spread the Mysterious Wing Soul Bone.

Dugu Bo could travel swiftly while carrying him.

But the experience was truly awful.

The previous two times had nearly shaken Tang Xuan's dinner from the night before out of him.

Flying himself might be slower, but at least it was more comfortable.

"This thing... is an External Soul Bone? You really are one lucky brat." Dugu Bo's eyes were full of envy.

He was a mighty Titled Douluo, yet after a lifetime of toil, he possessed only a single soul bone.

Although it was over Fifty-thousand-year in age, it was still far inferior to an External Soul Bone.

"Just luck." Tang Xuan became Lucky Bro, though he could not help feeling puzzled. "You didn't know I had an External Soul Bone? Sister Yanzi didn't tell you?"

"Hey, Tang Xiao Xuan, what do you mean by that? Do I look like someone who blabs? Something as important as an External Soul Bone isn't something I'd casually tell outsiders about." Dugu Yan looked slightly displeased.

But her displeasure was not even one ten-thousandth of what showed on Dugu Bo's face: Me? The Poison Douluo who dominates the world with poison—and your own grandpa at that—and I'm an outsider?

Perhaps Dugu Bo's expression was simply too comical.

Not only did it quietly ease Ning Rongrong's sadness.

She even began to think Dugu Bo was a silly snake.

Then.

Ning Rongrong rushed into Tang Xuan's arms and took a deep breath of his unique scent before gradually releasing him.

She watched Tang Xuan leave.

Whoosh, whoosh~

As two successive sounds of air being torn apart rang out.

The figures of the old man and the youth gradually vanished beyond the horizon...