Sword Douluo saw his hesitation and added, "Your Excellency, Poison Douluo, the Douluo Continent is in turmoil. Spirit Hall is eyeing Battle Skills, and the Ferocious Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest are coveting resources as well. Guarding this treasure alone must be a strain. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to send five Soul Douluos to remain in the valley and help you guard the cave. We'll cover all cultivation expenses—including Glazed Jade, nourishing potions, and Soul Guiding Cultivation Lamps."
His tone was solemn as he said, word by word, "We'll split the poisonous herbs we harvest in the future, two parts to eight—you get eight, and we get two. The Soul Douluos on guard must also follow your orders and may not enter the cave's inner sanctum without permission. All you need to provide is the treasure site and the seeds. Leave everything else to us."
"An eight-to-two split?" Dugu Bo looked up sharply, his eyes full of surprise. "You only want two parts?" He had assumed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would demand at least half. He hadn't expected such generous terms. Cultivating poisonous herbs was extremely expensive. A single piece of Thousand Year Glazed Jade alone was worth 100,000 Points, and the five Soul Douluos' salaries would be substantial. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was practically paying to cooperate.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and nodded. "We're not after short-term gains, but a long-term partnership. You can exchange the treasure site's produce for Points to improve your strength and protect your granddaughter. With our share of the poisonous herbs, we can earn Points to obtain Battle Skills and make antidotes for our disciples. Besides, given your strength, even if we wanted to pull a fast one, we wouldn't stand a chance. You can rest assured."
His words sounded modest, but there was confidence behind them. Dugu Bo was already a Level 93 Titled Douluo, and he had mastered the basic form of the "Abyssal Poison" Battle Skill, giving him the strength to contend with a peak Level 97 Soul Master. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had no reason to offend him.
Dugu Bo fell silent, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the Cold Jade Bed. He looked at Ning Fengzhi's warm yet resolute gaze, then considered Sword Douluo's steady presence and his own situation. Guarding the treasure site alone was exhausting, his cultivation methods were lacking, his Points accumulated slowly, and he still had to fend off the designs of Spirit Hall and the Star Dou Great Forest. Cooperating with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could solve all those problems.
Most importantly, an eighty-percent share would let him accumulate Points quickly. He could exchange them for a Black-tier Battle Skill for Dugu Yan sooner and rapidly master "Abyssal Poison."
"Fine! I agree to the partnership!" Dugu Bo finally gave in, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes. "But I have three conditions. First, the Soul Douluos guarding the site must wear the protective suits I make, and they mustn't touch any poisonous herbs. Second, I have sole rights to harvest all the herbs during cultivation. You can only take your two parts after the harvest. Third, if the Auction House offers any new resources for cultivating poisonous herbs in the future, you must prioritize buying them for me."
"No problem!" Ning Fengzhi agreed at once, his face lighting up with delight. "I'll send a cultivation elder and five Soul Douluos over tomorrow. We'll start by setting up a 'Poison Gathering Nourishing Array' at the treasure site, then improve the soil with Thousand Year Glazed Jade."
Sword Douluo nodded as well, satisfaction flashing in his eyes. Their patient, drawn-out negotiations had finally succeeded. With Dugu Bo supplying poisonous herbs, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have more leverage in the Auction House's future competition.
Dugu Bo stood and brushed the dust from his clothes. "Come with me. I'll show you the treasure site." He activated his "Abyssal Poison" footwork, his figure turning into a purple blur as he swept toward the depths of the valley. Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo followed close behind, their Soul Power stirring beneath their feet as they easily avoided the poisonous herbs and bogs along the way.
They passed through three concealed poison arrays, and a massive cave came into view. Black miasma swirled around its entrance, and the poisonous force in the air was several times stronger than outside. Even Sword Douluo's sword aura was suppressed to some extent.
"Careful. This miasma can corrode Soul Power," Dugu Bo warned. He released a wisp of pale purple Soul Power, forming a barrier in front of them that slowly pushed the miasma aside.
The inside of the cave was spacious and bright. Dozens of Night Pearls were embedded in the ceiling, illuminating the entire cavern. Hundreds of jade pots lined both walls, each planted with a different poisonous herb: Youluo Grass with silvery leaves, dark red Corpse Heart Flowers still in bud, Bone Gnawing Vines coiled around jade pillars, and several rare Ten Thousand Poisons Flowers with black petals, radiating a frightening poison.
On a stone platform at the far end stood a dozen freshly sprouted seedlings. Their leaves glimmered with a faint purple light, marking them as exceptionally rare. Several black stones lay buried beneath the platform, radiating a dense poisonous force. They were Ten Thousand Poisons Stones, which continuously nourished the poisonous herbs.
"This really is a treasure site!" Ning Fengzhi exclaimed. He reached out to touch a Corpse Heart Flower, but Dugu Bo stopped him.
"Don't touch it! The poison in this Corpse Heart Flower can corrode Soul Bones. Even a Soul Douluo couldn't withstand it." Dugu Bo's voice was stern. He took two black protective suits from his storage ring. "Put these on before you go near the poisonous herbs. They're woven from Ten Thousand Poisons Spider Silk and can block ninety percent of the poison."
Ning Fengzhi accepted the suit and smiled, nodding. "That was careless of me. I'll make sure to follow the rules from now on." After putting it on, he studied the herbs in the jade pots, his eyes full of amazement. "The poison here is even more concentrated than at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well spoken of in the rumors. No wonder you can cultivate so many rare poisonous herbs."
Dugu Bo's lips curled into a proud smile. "This cave formed naturally, and its depths connect to the Ten Thousand Poisons Spring. The poisonous force is inexhaustible. It's just that no one knew how to cultivate the herbs before, so such a fine place went to waste."
The three discussed matters in the cave for nearly an hour before finally settling on a detailed cooperation plan:
1. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would provide: five Soul Douluos to guard the site; two cultivation elders to handle the techniques; three pieces of Thousand Year Glazed Jade each month; three Poison Gathering Nourishing Arrays; and one hundred Soul Guiding Cultivation Lamps. The sect would cover all expenses.
2. Dugu Bo would provide: use of the treasure site, his existing poisonous herb seeds, and instructions for making protective suits to ensure the guards' safety.
3. Distribution of proceeds: Dugu Bo would sell the poisonous herbs harvested each month to the Auction House. The Points earned would be split eight to two, with Dugu Bo receiving eighty percent and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect receiving twenty percent.
4. Partnership term: five years, with an option to renew upon expiration.
After the negotiations, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo left the valley with satisfied smiles. Watching them go, Dugu Bo smiled to himself. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's support, he would accumulate more and more Points and grow stronger. No one would dare mock him as the "weakest Titled Douluo" anymore.
At that moment, a dazzling golden light suddenly shone from the direction of the Auction House. It was clearly visible even from deep inside the cave. Dugu Bo looked up, a trace of confusion in his eyes. "What's that? Has the Auction House made another move?"
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo also stopped at the valley entrance and looked toward the Auction House, their curiosity piqued. Ever since the quick-learning service had been introduced, every new announcement from the Auction House had sent shock waves across the continent. With a golden light this dazzling, something major was surely happening again.
"It seems we should get this partnership underway as soon as possible. The Auction House may have come out with something that could improve poisonous herb cultivation," Ning Fengzhi said, a note of urgency in his voice.
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement, anticipation filling his eyes. No matter what the Auction House announced, as long as he had Points, he could benefit from it right away. His partnership with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was a crucial step toward accumulating them.
At that moment, the outline of the words "Immortal Herb Ranking" was slowly appearing on the Auction House's Golden Light Screen. A faint golden glow still veiled them, and they had yet to fully emerge. The entire continent's attention was drawn to the light. Envoys from all the major powers hurried toward the Auction House, full of curiosity and anticipation. What astonishing news would it bring to the continent this time?
This partnership not only laid the foundation for mutual benefit between Dugu Bo and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but also quietly set the stage for the coming frenzy over the "Immortal Herb Ranking." Now that the cultivation of rare poisonous herbs had become a focus, even more precious Immortal Herbs were sure to spark a struggle that would sweep across the continent.
Before you continue