Dugu Yan's Resentment: Good! Tang Yu! I'll remember you!

"Don't—!"

"Grandfather!!"

Watching Dugu Bo being beaten down, Dugu Yan had already cried herself hoarse, tears streaming down her face.

"Yan Yan...!"

Dugu Bo's heart was filled with regret. If only he had known Tang Tian was this powerful, he would have abandoned those Immortal Herbs long ago and immediately fled with his granddaughter.

But now, both he and his granddaughter would likely die here.

Because Dugu Bo could clearly sense that Tang Tian intended to kill him.

"Body free as the wind, vanishing in an instant!"

"Clear Sky Nine Slash, Instant Form!"

"Die!!"

Tang Tian's killing intent surged as he prepared to slay Dugu Bo with this strike.

"It's over..." Dugu Bo's heart turned cold, despair written on his face.

He knew he was doomed. In that moment, instead of resisting, he dropped to both knees: "I beg you! Can you spare my granddaughter?!"

"Don't! Grandfather!!"

At that same moment, Tang Yu spoke up to stop him: "Father! Stay your hammer!"

"Yu'er, in the Soul Master World, soft-heartedness can sometimes be your undoing." Tang Tian paused but showed no intention of holding back.

Tang Yu understood what Tang Tian meant.

He felt that Dugu Bo had already been thoroughly offended. If they spared his life, he might not only fail to be grateful but could secretly seek revenge later.

Because Dugu Bo's reputation in the Soul Master World was not good.

Such mercy would only harm themselves.

Moreover, Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo—a formidable threat.

But in Tang Yu's view, killing Dugu Bo like this would be a waste. Instead of killing him, it would be better to gain a powerful ally.

And turning Dugu Bo from foe to friend wasn't actually that difficult.

"Father! This isn't soft-heartedness. Sparing his life could be of great use to us."

Tang Yu's firm tone made Tang Tian hesitate. In the end, just as he was about to land the killing blow, he withdrew his power.

He asked, puzzled: "Yu'er, you want me to spare his life—are you thinking of winning over the Poison Douluo and making him submit to our Clear Sky Sect?"

Having narrowly escaped death, Dugu Bo let out a long sigh of relief.

But if the price of survival was submitting to the Clear Sky Sect and serving others, Dugu Bo would rather die.

Because what he hated most in life was having his freedom restricted.

Back then, even when the Martial Soul Hall wanted him to join, and he was hunted half to death by Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, Dugu Bo never yielded.

Dugu Bo said weakly: "If you want me to submit to the Clear Sky Sect, then just kill me."

"Hear that, Yu'er? There's no way he'll submit to our sect." Tang Tian had expected this, and killing intent flared in his eyes again.

"It's not necessarily about making him submit to our Clear Sky Sect." Tang Yu, holding Dugu Yan hostage, walked up to Dugu Bo and said calmly: "Senior Dugu Bo, every time it's overcast or rainy, you feel numbness in your ribs, stabbing pain in your crown and soles like needles, full-body spasms, and unbearable suffering, don't you?"

"You! How do you know?!" Dugu Bo's face changed drastically, utterly shocked.

No one knew about this except himself—he hadn't even mentioned it to his granddaughter Dugu Yan.

Tang Yu didn't answer and continued: "You've dominated the world with poison, played with toxins your whole life, yet you're helpless against your own poison's backlash. However, I can solve the backlash poison problem of your Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul."

"What! You... you can solve it?" Dugu Bo looked at Tang Yu in disbelief.

Tang Tian also glanced at Tang Yu with some surprise.

"I can." Tang Yu smiled and said seriously: "If I solve your backlash poison problem, Senior Dugu Bo, would you be willing to serve us father and son?"

Tang Yu meant them, not the entire Clear Sky Sect.

"Of course, you only need to serve us for ten years. During that time, we won't restrict your freedom, nor will we make you do anything that crosses your own bottom line. You just need to show up when we need you."

Dugu Bo fell silent, his mind racing.

Tang Yu pressed on: "Your granddaughter has been steeped in poison since the womb. When her poison flares up, it will only be worse than yours."

"Even if you're willing to die, and we agree to spare your granddaughter, she won't live past thirty."

"Live and solve the backlash poison, or die together with your granddaughter."

"I think Senior Dugu Bo understands what the right choice is."

Agree and get the poison cured; disagree and both die.

Dugu Bo knew he had no choice. Serving for ten years was something he could accept. He took a deep breath: "Fine! If you really can solve our backlash poison problem, this old man is willing to serve the two of you for ten years!"

"I, Dugu Bo, am hardly a good man. I've always acted on my own whims, but I keep my promises. What I agree to, I will do!"

Tang Yu looked at Tang Tian: "Father, what do you think?"

"Heh, good kid, we'll spare his life then." Tang Tian shook his head with a chuckle and withdrew his Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul.

Tang Yu released Dugu Yan as well, then directly offered the classic Soul Bone solution: "Senior Dugu Bo, to resolve the backlash poison of your Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul, you simply need a container—and that container can be a Soul Bone."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up at the words. "You mean I should force the poison inside my body into a Soul Bone!?"

"That's right. That way, the poison won't backlash against you anymore."

"But a Soul Bone is a limited container—it will eventually fill up. And injecting poison into a Soul Bone carries its own risks. If the Soul Bone area suffers a violent external impact, causing the poison to burst out all at once, that could be fatal in battle."

"So this method only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."

"However, I do have another way to completely resolve the backlash poison problem. But that depends on Senior Dugu Bo's performance over the next ten years." Tang Yu's face bore a faint, confident smile.

This was the art of checks and balances—Dugu Bo understood.

But being able to temporarily solve the backlash poison problem already filled Dugu Bo with immense excitement and satisfaction.

He kept his promise, lowering his posture and cupping his hands in a bow. "Dugu Bo greets the two masters! For the next ten years, whatever orders you have, this old man will carry them out without delay."

"Good, then let's part ways here. Senior Dugu Bo, we'll meet again soon." Tang Yu smiled, then left together with Tang Tian.

"Hey! Wait, you... what's your name!" Dugu Yan's face held a hint of shyness as she called out to Tang Yu.

He turned and smiled at Dugu Yan. "My name is Tang Yu."

"Tang Yu..." Dugu Yan murmured the name to herself, then bit her lower lip, her eyes carrying a trace of resentment. "Fine! Tang Yu, I'll remember you!"

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Dugu Bo's heart churned with mixed emotions. "Those two clearly took the rare herbs I truly cherished and gave me a thorough beating—yet in the end... I feel as if I've received a great favor..."