When the holidays ended, Lu Chen and Xiao Wu returned to the academy and continued studying the elementary Soul Master curriculum.
Six months into the new term, Lu Chen successfully broke through to Level Thirty Soul Power.
He had been hoping the system would reward him with a God-Bestowed Soul Ring, but unfortunately, it didn't. That meant he would have to hunt a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast himself!
One night, after leaving a letter by Xiao Wu's pillow, Lu Chen quietly left Nuoding Primary Soul Master Academy.
Moonlight fell across his shoulders. Lu Chen took one last look at the academy gates, then disappeared into the night.
A Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast was beyond Lu Jinnian's ability to handle. Lu Chen planned to head to the Star Dou Great Forest alone to hunt his Third Soul Ring!
The next morning, when Xiao Wu woke up, Lu Chen had already left Nuoding City.
After reading the few lines in the letter, she clenched the paper tightly in both hands and left Nuoding Academy as well.
By then, Lu Chen had reached a border city in Fasinuo Province and boarded a carriage bound for the Star Dou Great Forest!
Three days later, Lu Chen, wearing his Dust Concealment Mask, appeared in a Small Town a hundred kilometers from the Star Dou Great Forest.
Lu Chen entered a shop that sold antidotes and restorative potions. Picking up a bottle of antidote, he asked, "Boss, how much is this?"
Before long, a fat middle-aged man appeared in front of him. He had a pair of ratlike mustaches above his lip, and his shiny black hair was plastered to his scalp with some unknown substance.
When Lu Chen saw the boss, two words flashed through his mind: Crooked merchant!
Sure enough, the boss grinned, showing a row of yellow teeth. He held up five fingers and said, "Five Gold Soul Coins!"
Before Lu Chen could reply, a crisp female voice came from behind him. "One Silver Soul Coin!"
Lu Chen turned around and saw a girl in her teens standing outside the shop.
She had short, pale purple hair and a remarkably spirited look. Her waist was slender and supple, her figure well-proportioned, and her light green eyes held an uncanny charm.
The boss drawled, "Little girl, don't go making things up. You should know I'm the most honest merchant around."
The girl came up beside Lu Chen and said to the boss, "A potion made with Poison-Dispelling Grass and Seven-Star Flower can only ease mild toxins. This antidote is barely any better than plain water!"
Seeing the unusual color of the girl's hair and eyes, Lu Chen had already guessed who she was.
The boss frowned slightly and asked, "Little girl, who are you? Where are your parents?"
"I'm Dugu Yan. My grandfather is Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo!"
As soon as Dugu Yan finished speaking, the boss's face broke into an ingratiating smile. "So you're the granddaughter of His Excellency Poison Douluo! I was blind and didn't recognize someone important!
"This potion costs one Silver Soul Coin—no, one Copper Soul Coin!"
Watching the boss's fawning expression, Lu Chen handed him a Silver Soul Coin, then said to Dugu Yan, "Thanks!"
Seeing Lu Chen leave, Dugu Yan hurried after him. She looked over his mask and asked, "Little brother, what's your name? Why are you here alone? Where are your parents?"
Although Lu Chen was wearing a mask, Dugu Yan could still tell that he was younger than her.
"My name is Lu Chen. I've never seen my parents," he replied flatly.
Dugu Yan immediately realized she'd said the wrong thing and hurriedly apologized. "I'm sorry, I—"
"It's fine. I don't mind," Lu Chen said calmly.
Lu Chen truly didn't mind, but Dugu Yan heard his words differently.
Looking at Lu Chen, she couldn't help thinking of her own miserable childhood. Her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Watching Dugu Yan on the verge of tears, Lu Chen was dumbfounded. Come on, was Dugu Yan really that fragile? I only said I didn't mind, and now she's about to cry?
Just as Lu Chen stood there at a loss, an old man appeared behind him.
The hairs on Lu Chen's back stood on end. He spun around and leaped backward, putting several yards between himself and the old man.
"How dare you bully my granddaughter!"
The newcomer was Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo was tall and lean, with dark green hair and a beard. His eyes glittered like emeralds, and his cheeks were hollow. His green hair was a tangled mess.
Lu Chen stared at Dugu Bo. He felt as if a venomous snake had fixed its gaze on him, and cold sweat ran down his back.
"Grandpa, you've got it all wrong!"
Dugu Yan stepped in front of Lu Chen and glared at Dugu Bo, puffing out her cheeks.
Dugu Bo's icy expression instantly turned gentle when he saw Dugu Yan. In a warm voice, he told her, "All right, Grandpa was just teasing him. I wasn't really going to bully him."
Watching Dugu Bo perform his sudden change of face, Lu Chen thought, Is today just not my day?
Dugu Yan pouted. "I don't care! If you don't compensate Lu Chen, Grandpa, I'll never speak to you again!"
At her words, Dugu Bo's old face took on a fawning smile. "Yan Yan, what would you like me to do to make it up to him?"
A sly glint flashed in Dugu Yan's eyes. "Grandpa, why not help Lu Chen hunt for a Soul Ring?"
Lu Chen quickly waved his hands. "I'm grateful for your kindness, Miss Dugu, but there's no need!"
After speaking, Lu Chen turned to leave this place of trouble. But Dugu Bo blocked his way, his green eyes fixed on him. "Boy, don't tell me you think this old man isn't good enough?"
Lu Chen swallowed involuntarily, then composed himself. "Of course not. Your Excellency Poison Douluo's name is renowned far and wide—"
Before Lu Chen could finish, Dugu Bo patted him on the shoulder. "Since that's settled, leave your Soul Ring to me!"
Lu Chen could only force a smile. "Then I'll have to thank you, Senior!"
Dugu Yan then eagerly brought Lu Chen to the hotel where they were staying and arranged for him to share a room with Dugu Bo.
Lu Chen wanted to refuse, but after seeing Dugu Bo's look that said, You'll regret it if you object, he could only nod.
Night fell. Lu Chen left his room and went to an open area to complete that day's Daily Ten Thousand Sword Swings Mission.
Beneath the moonlight, Lu Chen repeatedly swung the Asura Demon Sword in his hands.
[Host has completed the Daily Ten Thousand Sword Swings Mission. Reward: Jade Phosphorus Yuan Detoxifying Pill!]
A jade-green pill appeared inside Lu Chen's Storage Soul Tool.
[Jade Phosphorus Yuan Detoxifying Pill]: Suppresses Snake Venom coursing through the body, eases the burning pain in the meridians caused by toxic backlash, and stabilizes turbulent Soul Power.
High above the hotel, Dugu Bo calmly watched Lu Chen complete all ten thousand sword swings. Judging from his Soul Power fluctuations, he must be a Soul Elder. This boy has the makings of a Title Douluo! He's a few years younger than Yan Yan, but that doesn't mean it won't work. After all, I'll have to leave Yan Yan eventually...
When Lu Chen returned to the room and saw Dugu Bo watching him, he realized the old man had been observing him the whole time.
Dugu Bo spoke first. "Yan Yan told me both your parents are dead. Just what's your background, boy?"
Lu Chen smiled faintly. He had been expecting Dugu Bo to question him. "Senior, I'm just a Rogue Cultivator."
Dugu Bo nodded. As far as he could remember, there were only a handful of powerful swordsmen, and none of them had any descendants.
Dugu Bo said no more. He flopped onto the bed and began pondering how to bring Lu Chen over to his side the next day.
After all, he had to consider his precious granddaughter's feelings. Otherwise, he could simply poison Lu Chen and force him to marry into the Dugu Family.
As far as Dugu Bo was concerned, feelings could always be cultivated later in life!
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