Misunderstanding

"Yu Tiancheng!" Tailong immediately confronted him as soon as he came out, his booming voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Tell me! What did you do to that girl? Look at what you've bullied her into!"

Yu Tiancheng: "...?"

He looked toward Dugu Yan. She was staring fixedly at him with tear-filled eyes, her lips trembling. Clearly, her emotions had reached their limit.

"Miss Dugu, you..."

"Yu Tiancheng!" Dugu Yan rushed forward, completely forgetting about decorum. She grabbed both of his sleeves tightly, her voice trembling badly. "Is everything you said true? You can really cure my grandfather's poison?"

There was far too much information in those words, and the surroundings instantly fell silent.

The anger on Tailong's face froze.

The students in the distance who had been waiting to watch a drama about "seducing someone and then abandoning her" all widened their eyes.

Wait... poison? Curing an illness? Saving Poison Douluo?

Had they gotten the wrong script?

Ye Lingling sighed and walked out from behind Dugu Yan. Her usually cool voice held a trace of helplessness. "Classmate, you've misunderstood. Yanzi came to find Yu Tiancheng because he may be able to remove the chronic poison accumulated in her grandfather, His Excellency Dugu Bo's body. She's simply anxious. It isn't what you think."

"Chronic... poison?" Tailong turned his head with difficulty and looked at Dugu Yan.

The girl was still clutching Yu Tiancheng's sleeve tightly, crying with genuine emotion. But she clearly hadn't been bullied. This was something heavier and more desperate—the panic of watching a beloved family member fall off a cliff while being powerless to catch him.

"So... you didn't bully her?" Tailong's voice was as dry as sandpaper scraping against something.

Yu Tiancheng glanced at him without saying anything. The meaning in his eyes was clear: What do you think?

"Then why is she crying like this..."

"Her closest relative's life is hanging by a thread." Yu Tiancheng's voice was calm, but it struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer. "If it were you, wouldn't you be anxious?"

Tailong's dark face flushed red—a rare sight.

He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something, but realized he couldn't produce a single word of explanation.

Suppressed laughter came from the distance. Several students could no longer hold it in.

"Come inside and talk." Yu Tiancheng no longer looked at him. He stepped aside and opened the courtyard gate. "This isn't the place to talk."

Only then did Dugu Yan notice the dense crowd around them. Her face flushed slightly, and she released his sleeve, but she didn't stop walking. She hurried after Yu Tiancheng into the courtyard.

Ye Lingling followed them in as well. As she closed the gate, she turned back and gently nodded at Tailong, who was still standing there dumbfounded. "Thanks for showing us the way, but it really was a misunderstanding."

The courtyard gate closed.

Tailong stood where he was, feeling like an idiot.

Outside the gate, the discussion had already exploded.

"Hahaha, Tailong, your imagination is too wild!"

"They came to ask for help saving a life, and you went and imagined an entire drama!"

"Yu Tiancheng can cure Poison Douluo's poison? Is that for real?"

"Dugu Yan came crying and begging in person. How could it be fake?"

The news spread like wildfire, instantly sweeping through Blue Tyrant Academy.

Inside the courtyard.

Yu Tiancheng poured tea for the two visitors. Looking at Dugu Yan, who was still wiping away her tears, he got straight to the point.

"Everything written in the diary is true. I can remove the accumulated poison from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor spirit."

Dugu Yan's whole body trembled. She abruptly raised her head. "R-Really?"

"But there are two problems." Yu Tiancheng held up two fingers. "First, whether your grandfather trusts me. Second, I need several herbs from his herb garden to use as medicinal catalysts."

"I'll convince Grandpa!" Dugu Yan said urgently. "I'm familiar with the herb garden too. I'll take you—"

"That's precisely the problem." Yu Tiancheng interrupted her. "I can't leave the academy right now."

"Why not?"

"My aunt, Principal Liu Erlong, won't allow me to go to Sunset Forest. She thinks it's too dangerous." Yu Tiancheng smiled bitterly. "She's confined me to the academy."

Dugu Yan grew anxious. "How can that work? My grandfather..."

"So I need your help." Yu Tiancheng looked at her. "Or rather, we need a reason that will make Principal Liu unable to refuse."

Ye Lingling pondered. "You mean..."

"Miss Dugu," Yu Tiancheng said seriously, "I need you to come with me to meet my aunt. As Poison Douluo's granddaughter, you can personally explain to her how serious the situation is and ask her to allow me to go to Sunset Forest—and, preferably, to agree to let you accompany me."

"With you there, entering your grandfather's herb garden will go much more smoothly. It will also serve as a guarantee. Poison Douluo's granddaughter accompanying me personally is certainly safer than me barging in alone, isn't it?"

Dugu Yan understood. She nodded forcefully, fighting spirit rekindling in her eyes. "Good! Let's go meet Principal Liu right now!"

She stood up. "As long as I can save Grandpa, I'll do anything!"

At that moment, a cool voice rang out from beyond the courtyard. "There's no need to look for me. I'm here."

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Liu Erlong entered in a red robe, striding forward. Her gaze swept over the three people inside before finally settling on Yu Tiancheng, her expression complicated.

"Principal Liu!" Dugu Yan immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Dugu Yan of Heaven Dou Royal Academy respectfully asks you to allow Yu Tiancheng to go to Sunset Forest! This concerns my grandfather Dugu Bo's life. Please!"

Dugu Yan still couldn't be sure whether Liu Erlong had a Diary Copy, so she explained everything directly.

Liu Erlong looked at the girl's swollen eyes and pleading expression, then glanced at Yu Tiancheng, whose expression remained calm. The last trace of hesitation in her heart faded.

"Forget it." She sighed. "Since things have come to this..."

Before she could finish speaking, a jade-green streak of light suddenly descended from the sky and landed precisely on the stone table in the courtyard.

It was a jade slip engraved with a sinister-looking snakehead.

Dugu Yan's expression changed. "It's Grandpa's Message Jade Slip!"

Dugu Bo had been watching Dugu Yan's movements in Heaven Dou City all along. Early that morning, he had noticed that something was wrong with her and followed her the entire way. By now, he understood the whole situation.

She hurriedly picked up the jade slip and infused it with Soul Power. Several lines of murderous text appeared on its surface.

"Yan'er, since someone boasts that he can cure me, have him come."

"Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. If he does not arrive within three days, do not speak further."

"If he deceives you, or cannot cure me..."

"I will have his entire family buried with him."

The final four words had practically been carved into the jade slip by force with Soul Power. The killing intent radiating from them caused the temperature in the courtyard to drop sharply.

Liu Erlong's gaze turned cold. Soul Power flickered around her, and her red robe stirred despite the lack of wind.

Ye Lingling instinctively took half a step back, her face paling.

Even the crowd watching from outside the courtyard felt the chill spreading through the walls. The noisy chatter abruptly ceased.

Only Yu Tiancheng remained seated on the stone bench, his expression as calm as if he were looking at an ordinary note.

He lifted his teacup and took a sip before raising his eyes to Liu Erlong.

"Aunt, may I leave now?"

Liu Erlong stared at the jade slip brimming with killing intent. After a long while, she slowly nodded.

"You may go." Her voice was as cold as ice, each word distinct. "But I'm going with you."

"If Dugu Bo wants to lay a hand on you, he'll have to get past me first."