Old Grudges, Love and Hate

"And back in the day, the Old Man had Innate Level Nine Soul Power talent—calling him a peerless prodigy wouldn't be an exaggeration."

"So from the very start of his journey venturing the continent, the Old Man was determined to solve the defect in your family's Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul."

"And Chrysanthemum Douluo's martial soul is called the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum."

"Its original form is a Heaven and Earth Rare Treasure rarely seen in the world, ranking within the Immortal Grade category."

"If an ordinary person obtained it, even with just Innate Level One Soul Power, they could undergo a complete transformation and defy fate."

"Directly becoming an Existence Not Weaker Than Innate Full Soul Power."

"So, when Chrysanthemum Douluo first ventured the continent, his goal was to find an Immortal Grade treasure akin to his martial soul, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum."

"As for the Old Man, he aimed to fix the inherent defect of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul."

"Thus, after they met each other, the Old Man learned from Chrysanthemum Douluo that if they could find an Immortal Grade treasure compatible with your family's Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul, the Martial Soul Defect could be completely resolved."

"After that, with a shared goal, they naturally began to venture the continent together!"

Listening to Mu Qingyu's account.

Gu Changge was surprised, but he had to acknowledge the Mystery of Fate.

If that was really the case, with the Old Man's obsession and Chrysanthemum Pass's fixation on Immortal Grade treasures.

The two of them could indeed have come together and ventured the continent side by side.

"Then isn't that a good thing?"

Dugu Yan asked, puzzled: "Chrysanthemum Douluo was chasing Immortal Grade treasures, and Grandpa was too. With the same goal, why did they fall out later?"

Ye Lingling leaned against Gu Changge's arm, her big eyes blinking as she listened intently.

"Later on—"

Mu Qingyu sighed, her gaze turning distant: "It was all because of that Azure Python Poison backlash problem!"

"The Old Man and Chrysanthemum Douluo, from the time they met in their youth, had been searching for the Trace of Immortal Grade!"

"But how easy is it to find those Immortal Grade treasures!"

"They roamed the continent for decades without seeing a single trace of an Immortal Grade! They did find plenty of Natural Treasures weaker than Immortal Grade, though."

"But those things were of little use in fixing your family's martial soul defect."

"As time passed, Yan Yan's Father grew up and got together with Yan Yan's Mother!"

"Yan Yan's Father's talent, while not as good as the Old Man's, was still Innate Level Eight Soul Power."

"About twenty years ago, his soul power broke through to the Five Ring Soul King level. Then the Azure Python Poison backlash started becoming hard to suppress."

"In a panic, the Old Man passed his immature Poison Pill Condensation Method to Yan Yan's Father, hoping he could take that path and break through the Dead End."

At this point, Mu Qingyu glanced at Dugu Yan and softened her tone: "But that immature Poison Pill Condensation Method was too dangerous. Not only did your father fail, but it also accelerated the Soul Poison's backlash."

Hearing this, Ye Lingling instinctively tightened her grip on Gu Changge's arm, her small face tense with worry.

"At that time, Chrysanthemum Douluo had a rare treasure called the Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng. Though not Immortal Grade, it could be called Half Immortal Grade."

"After Yan Yan's Father's Soul Poison backlash, the Old Man, desperate for a cure, went to Chrysanthemum Douluo and begged for the Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng to extend Yan Yan's Father's life!"

"But since the Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng wasn't mature yet and had zero compatibility with the Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul, even if given, it would only prolong life temporarily. Once the Medicinal Effect faded, it would be useless."

"So Chrysanthemum Douluo refused."

Mu Qingyu shook her head slightly as she spoke.

"Logically, Chrysanthemum Douluo wasn't wrong to do that. But back then, how could the Old Man think that far?"

"After decades together, he couldn't even get a Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng. The Old Man fell out with Chrysanthemum Douluo on the spot, and they've been estranged ever since!"

"Later, while Chrysanthemum Douluo was away on business, the Old Man sneaked into his Medicine Garden and dug up the Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng by the roots!"

Gu Changge thought to himself, that was indeed the Old Man's style.

Neither wholly righteous nor wholly evil, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals.

"And then what?"

Ye Lingling, immersed in the story, asked softly.

"Then it turned out just as Chrysanthemum Douluo had predicted!"

Mu Qingyu spread her hands: "The medicine didn't match the illness, so the Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng couldn't save Yan Yan's Father. It only extended his life by less than a year."

"When Chrysanthemum Douluo returned and found the Jade Dragon Snow Ginseng taken by the Old Man, he was furious. They fought several times."

"Those fights were real, with both of them going all out!"

"Luckily, with Ye Lingling's grandfather and Ghost Douluo mediating, things didn't spiral completely out of control!"

"After that, their grudge was set in stone!"

Mu Qingyu paused, then suddenly smiled: "Actually, after all these years, they've both figured it out. But those two old men are too stubborn to save face—neither wants to be the first to back down!"

"So the whole thing just got stuck like that!"

"And that's how it became like this—neither willing to bow their head first, always having to trade insults, throw a few punches, and then talk."

Mu Qingyu stretched as she spoke. "What's frustrating is that after all these years, neither of them can actually get the upper hand!"

"Chrysanthemum Douluo's cultivation has been steadily rising—he's at level ninety-four now!"

"But Old Man's eighth and ninth soul skills are top-tier!"

"Plus, he's got that Medusa Petrifying Skull, also top-grade!"

"So in a one-on-one fight, even though Chrysanthemum Douluo's martial soul is immortal-grade and his cultivation surpasses Old Man's, he still can't beat him!"

It was clear that Mu Qingyu was genuinely exasperated and speechless about the relationship between Dugu Bo and Chrysanthemum Pass.

As for Gu Changge, after hearing this old tale, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

No wonder their relationship was so bizarre.

Chrysanthemum Pass could clearly drag Gui Mei along and have Dugu Bo strung up and beaten.

Yet he didn't do it, and instead accepted Dugu Bo's Flying Dragon Riding Face.

So it all boiled down to two stubborn old fools locked in a melodramatic saga of Love and Hate.

"So there's such a complicated history between them!"

Dugu Yan took a long time to digest this tangled relationship.

"Then Aunt Mu, what about what Uncle Ye said earlier—that this matter has something to do with me? How so?"

After processing the complexity of Dugu Bo and Chrysanthemum Pass's relationship, Dugu Yan spoke up again.