Sparring

Outside the village entrance, a dark green figure approached from afar.

His face was gaunt, and his long dark green hair was unmistakable. Wasn't that Dugu Bo? He first glanced at the bustling construction site in the distance, surprise flashing through his eyes, before entering the village.

Luo Can sensed his arrival as well and went up to greet him, holding Qian Renxue's hand.

The three soon met.

"Senior Dugu, you must have had a tiring journey." Luo Can smiled and cupped his hands.

Dugu Bo waved a hand without exchanging further pleasantries. He directly took a jade bracelet, green all over, from his robes and handed it to Luo Can. "This is the Baibao Bracelet. All the poisonous herbs and toxins you wanted are inside."

Luo Can accepted the jade bracelet and gave it a slight probe with his mental power. He immediately sensed mountains of various highly toxic substances within, every single one a treasure.

He nodded in satisfaction and took out four bottles of medicinal liquid from his Storage Soul Tool.

"Here. This medicine can dissolve the toxins accumulated in your body. Take one bottle a month for four months straight. If the problem still isn't resolved, come find me again."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. He swiftly took the bottles, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "Haha, good! Good! Good! The poison from my martial soul's backlash, which has plagued me for most of my life, can finally be cured!"

After putting away the medicine bottles, he continued, "It has only been a month, and you've already set up the framework of your force? How many disciples does the Pavilion have now?"

"There are currently 284 registered disciples in the Pavilion," Luo Can answered truthfully. "Aside from the hundred-odd members of the Ye Clan, most are low-level Spirit Masters. Still, there are indeed some promising seedlings among them. I've designated them as core members and am putting all my effort into training them."

"Two hundred eighty-four." Dugu Bo pondered briefly, then nodded. "That is already no small scale for a beginning. With your abilities, given time, it will surely become a force to be reckoned with."

"You flatter me, Senior." Luo Can smiled, then stepped aside and brought Qian Renxue forward. "Oh, right, Senior Dugu. Let me introduce you. This is the Vice Pavilion Master of the Fate Defying Pavilion."

Hearing this, Dugu Bo's gaze fell upon Qian Renxue.

The golden-haired young woman before him was lovely and graceful, with an extraordinary bearing and a faint air of nobility. Her face seemed somewhat familiar to him, yet he could not recall where he had seen her.

Suppressing his doubts, he spoke courteously out of respect for Luo Can. "I am Dugu Bo. May I ask how the Vice Pavilion Master is addressed?"

A proper smile appeared on Qian Renxue's face. "Senior Dugu, my name is Bai Xue. I have long heard of Poison Douluo's great reputation, and I am fortunate to meet you today." She paused, admiration glimmering in her eyes. "My cultivation has only recently taken shape. It is rare for me to encounter such a distinguished senior as you. Might I have the honor of seeking your guidance?"

"A spar?" Dugu Bo froze and glanced at Luo Can, only to see him standing there with a smile, showing no intention of stopping her.

Since this woman is Luo Can's Vice Pavilion Master, she must have some skill. I've just obtained the antidote and am in a good mood. Giving a junior some guidance can count as repaying a favor.

"Very well." Dugu Bo stroked his beard and smiled. "It has indeed been years since I last exchanged blows with anyone. Today, I'll stretch these old bones."

The smile on Qian Renxue's face grew even sweeter. "Then thank you for your guidance, Senior."

Watching from the side, Luo Can silently lit a row of candles for Dugu Bo. Given what he knew of Qian Renxue, the moment she made that request for a "spar," Dugu Bo was destined to take a beating today.

The three quickly arrived at a secluded, deserted patch of woodland outside the village.

Qian Renxue and Dugu Bo stood facing each other as invisible auras began clashing in the air.

Almost at the same instant, phantom images of their martial souls emerged behind them!

Behind Dugu Bo, the enormous Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor appeared, raising its head in a hiss. Behind Qian Renxue, an elegant Black Swan spread its wings.

The two terrifying presences crashed together.

Dugu Bo's heart immediately tightened. He had not expected this woman's martial soul to be a mutated swan, and that aura... she was a Title Douluo.

Where did Luo Can find such a monstrous woman? he muttered inwardly, his expression turning solemn. I wonder whether she has any connection to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

At that moment, Spirit Rings rose beneath both their feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.

Their Spirit Ring configurations were identical!

Clearly, Qian Renxue only wanted to have some fun and had not displayed her full strength.

"In that case, this old man won't hold back!" Dugu Bo shouted as he attacked first. His Third Spirit Ring lit up, and a sheet of green poisonous mist surged toward Qian Renxue.

However, Qian Renxue's response made Dugu Bo's eyelids twitch.

Facing the poison mist, she neither dodged nor avoided it. The surging Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison flowed into the Black Swan like rivers returning to the sea. The poisonous mist vanished, while Qian Renxue remained completely unharmed.

Qian Renxue smacked her lips and commented:

"Mm, rich toxicity, with a lingering kick. Fine poison."

Dugu Bo: "..." In all his decades across the continent, this was the first time he had seen someone treat his poison like a tonic!

Before he could react, Qian Renxue moved. Her body seemed to transform into a streak of black light, so fast that only a faint afterimage remained in the air. Without using any Soul Skill, she threw a simple, unadorned punch straight at Dugu Bo's face.

The fist wind howled. Dugu Bo's expression changed, and he hurriedly raised his arms to block.

Bang!

Amid the dull impact, Dugu Bo felt an immense force strike him, sending him stumbling back three steps.

"Fifth spirit skill, Jade Scale Heavenly Shield!" He dared not underestimate her any longer. His Fifth Spirit Ring shone, and a heavy snake-scale shield condensed from dark green Soul Power instantly formed before him.

The amusement in Qian Renxue's eyes deepened. Her figure flashed again, appearing at Dugu Bo's side, and another punch slammed into the side of the shield.

Bang!

The snake-scale shield shook violently as cracks spread across it.

"Fourth Spirit Skill, Jade Phosphorous Bewildering Smoke!" Dugu Bo seized the chance to unleash a wide-range control Soul Skill.

Yet within the poisonous smoke, Qian Renxue was utterly unaffected. Her fists instead rained down on Dugu Bo like a violent storm.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dugu Bo could only defend and had no chance to retaliate. The Jade Scale Shield finally shattered beneath the unbroken barrage of heavy blows.

He felt utterly aggrieved. This woman was incredibly fast, possessed astonishing strength, was practically immune to his poison, and fought with such tricky ruthlessness, always aiming for his face.

"Seventh Spirit Skill, Martial Soul Avatar!" Forced into a corner, Dugu Bo finally grew enraged, and his Seventh Spirit Ring suddenly lit up.

The phantom Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor behind him instantly solidified and merged with his body. A massive Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor over twenty zhang long, its scales grim and chilling, appeared in the forest. The surrounding vegetation immediately withered at a visible rate.

With his Martial Soul Avatar active, Dugu Bo's strength surged, finally allowing him to temporarily stem Qian Renxue's storm-like assault.

Roar! The giant serpent opened its mouth and spewed a stream of dark green poison flame, corroding everything in its path.

Yet before this attack, capable of severely wounding a Title Douluo of the same rank, Qian Renxue once again absorbed it into her body.

Afterward, she even sighed as if savoring it. "Not bad. This mouthful has even more kick."

Dugu Bo: "..."

In the instant his mind was thrown into turmoil, Qian Renxue closed in again.

The next half-incense stick of time became a one-sided "beating."

Qian Renxue's fists, palms, fingers, and elbows never once strayed from Dugu Bo's old face.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Luo Can watched with great enjoyment from the side, barely holding back his laughter. Qian Renxue was absolutely settling a personal grudge under the guise of public business. Every strike went for his face. She was clearly determined to make Dugu Bo too ashamed to show his face.

As for Dugu Bo, despite possessing formidable poison arts and the cultivation of a Title Douluo, he could not use killing moves such as his Eighth and Ninth Spirit Skills or Spirit Bones in what was supposedly a "spar." Against this hooligan-like fighting style, he could only defend and had no ability to strike back.

The spar ended.

"L-Luo Can!" Dugu Bo clutched his burning face and stormed up to Luo Can. "Aren't you going to do anything about her?! Look! Look at my face! She did it on purpose! She kept aiming for my face!"

Luo Can gave a light cough and said solemnly, "Senior Dugu, Xue'er is the Vice Pavilion Master of the Fate Defying Pavilion and also my wife. It would not be very appropriate for me to control her."

"?" Dugu Bo's eyes widened as he looked from Luo Can to Qian Renxue, who wore an expression of innocent obedience. Realization dawned on him. "You brat! You've got some skills! Winning hearts and bringing her into your bed too!"

Qian Renxue had already obediently walked behind Luo Can and even gave Dugu Bo a gentle smile.

Dugu Bo: "..."

He was certain now. If this woman's heart were cut open, it would definitely be black!

As he circulated his Soul Power to ease the pain and swelling on his face, he said irritably to Luo Can, "Enough, enough. This old man can't be bothered with you newlyweds' affairs. Oh, right, how has Yanyan been lately?"

"Yanyan has been very well-behaved and diligent in her cultivation," Luo Can replied. "But for certain special reasons, I have not yet let her obtain her Second Spirit Ring."

Dugu Bo had no objection to this and nodded. "Mm. Take me to see Yanyan later. This old man will stay in town for a few days."

"Alright." Luo Can naturally agreed.

But Qian Renxue's eyes lit up, and she immediately cut in, "Then, Senior Dugu, can I still ask you to 'spar' over the next few days?"

Upon hearing that, Dugu Bo laughed in exasperation. "Why do you want to spar with an old man like me? Isn't there a ready-made Title Douluo standing right beside you? Go fight him!"

Qian Renxue shrugged. "Him? He can't 'beat' me either."

Those words made Luo Can's eyes narrow. He turned to Qian Renxue. "Fine, fine, fine. Tonight, your husband will properly 'spar' with you."

Qian Renxue smiled brilliantly. "Alright, Husband~. I'll be waiting for you."

Dugu Bo did not suspect anything and repeatedly waved them off. "Hurry up and take this old man to Yanyan!"

The three soon found Ye Qingyu, Ye Lingling, and Dugu Yan in the streets of Yaowang Town.

"Grandpa!"

Seeing Dugu Bo from afar, Dugu Yan froze for a moment before quickly running over and throwing herself into his arms.

"Ah, my dear Yanyan!" Dugu Bo caught his granddaughter, and his face, mottled green and purple, instantly filled with a doting smile.

Dugu Yan nuzzled against her grandfather's chest, then raised her little face and asked innocently:

"Grandpa, Grandpa! What happened to your face? Why is it green here and purple there?"

"..."