Fear Is Normal

Danheng was not an unreasonable person. Since the other party had offered something that interested him, he would spare his life.

"You'd better not be lying. Otherwise, you know the consequences."

"Go check on your granddaughter first. If I'm not mistaken, the toxins in your bodies are all due to a Spirit Soul Defect, aren't they?"

Sitting down again, Danheng directly sought confirmation of his suspicion from Dugu Bo, who was still gasping for breath.

"Hah... that's right. Your Excellency has a sharp eye."

At this point, Dugu Bo had become honest. Why had he gone and stupidly provoked Danheng in the first place?

"You can't solve the problem in your own body. Is there nothing you can do about your granddaughter's either?"

Dugu Bo gave a bitter smile and forced himself to his feet. Turning away, his voice carried a touch more desolation.

"If there truly were a way, Your Excellency would not have seen the poison in Yan'er's body."

"The world fears my poison arts, but who knows that my poison has harmed not only others, but myself as well?"

Suddenly, Dugu Yan appeared in Dugu Bo's line of sight.

"You two should talk first. I'll come back later. Remember to take me to see your Herb Garden."

Dugu Bo had been agonizing over how to bring it up to Danheng, never expecting him to take the initiative to leave.

"Your Excellency, aren't you afraid I'll run away?"

"...Do you think you can get away?"

"..."

Dugu Bo nearly choked on his own words. How had something so stupid come out of his mouth?

"Grandpa! You came, so why didn't you tell me?"

By the time Dugu Yan reached Dugu Bo, Danheng had already left. Seeing his granddaughter's obedient, adorable appearance, Dugu Bo felt an ever greater ache in his heart.

"If Teacher Qin Ming hadn't told me, I wouldn't even have known Grandpa was here."

Noticing that Dugu Bo's complexion was somewhat poor, Dugu Yan immediately stepped forward and asked,

"Grandpa, what's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

Dugu Bo forced out a smile and affectionately ruffled Dugu Yan's hair. His eyes held only the kindness of a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.

"Of course not. Grandpa was just so happy to see Yan'er that he couldn't say a word. Hehe."

"Grandpa, that doesn't sound convincing at all."

Dugu Yan pouted. He was still trying to placate her as if she were a three-year-old!

"Uh... haha, I really can't hide anything from Yan'er."

Dugu Bo laughed awkwardly. Had his act become so terrible that even his own granddaughter could see through it?

Seeing Dugu Bo admit it, Dugu Yan immediately giggled like a child who had won.

"Yan'er... I will definitely find a way to let you live."

Looking at his granddaughter, Dugu Bo's heart, long silent, rekindled with fighting spirit.

He had reached the rank of Titled Douluo and could forcefully suppress the toxins through his strength and that strange spring in the Herb Garden, allowing himself a few more years to live. But Dugu Yan did not possess his level of strength.

The thought of Dugu Yan being tortured by the poison until she wished she were dead only strengthened Dugu Bo's resolve.

Not far from where the grandfather and granddaughter were chatting, a sneaky figure occasionally poked his head out to look in their direction.

"Strange, where did that Danheng go?"

"What do you want with me?"

The sudden voice startled the person so badly that he nearly jumped out of his skin. Fortunately, Danheng grabbed him in time.

"I remember you. Yu Tianheng, what do you want with me?"

Yu Tianheng looked at Danheng, who had appeared beside him without warning like a ghost, and his heart had yet to settle.

No wonder. Danheng had gotten right in front of him without him noticing. Danheng's strength was likely far greater than Qin Ming's.

"Mister Danheng, Tianheng has something he wishes to ask you."

After calming down, Yu Tianheng stared intently at Danheng, as though he wished to see through him completely.

"Go ahead."

"Um... this may be presumptuous, but I still wish to know: what is your Martial Soul?"

Yu Tianheng pressed his lips together, awaiting Danheng's answer.

For the first time—no, rather, for the first time at the academy—Yu Tianheng had come into direct contact with Danheng.

For some reason, when facing Danheng, he felt an inexplicable sense of fear.

After thinking it over repeatedly, Yu Tianheng arrived at a conclusion he was unwilling to believe.

That sense of fear came from his Martial Soul.

What was his Martial Soul? The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, hailed as the number one beast Martial Soul of the assault type in the world!

What kind of Martial Soul could make even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon so afraid?

"My... Martial Soul?"

Danheng froze. Since arriving on Douluo Continent, this was the first time someone had directly asked him that question.

"That's right. My Martial Soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Mister Danheng should have heard of it."

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, hailed as the number one beast Martial Soul of the assault type in the world?"

"Precisely. But for some reason, I discovered that my Martial Soul fears you. That is why I truly wish to know what your Martial Soul is."

Hearing this, Danheng fell into thought. The matter of his Martial Soul was easy enough to handle—he only needed to let Yu Tianheng have a look. It was normal for every beast on this continent to fear a Vidyadhara.

Especially since Yu Tianheng's Martial Soul was also draconic. Its reaction to a Vidyadhara would naturally be even stronger.

Danheng was merely wondering how many remarkable people there were in Heaven Dou City.

A prince, a Titled Douluo, a genius of the Upper Three Sects... should there also be an heir of Spirit Hall?

Of course, Danheng was only entertaining the thought. He understood something of the delicate relationship between Spirit Hall and the two great empires. How could Spirit Hall's heir possibly come to the Heaven Dou Empire?

After all, no matter how powerful Spirit Hall was, even if it truly intended to remain neutral, it would inevitably draw suspicion. How could one allow others to sleep soundly beside one's bed?

But if the thing sleeping soundly was not a person, but a fierce tiger capable of killing you with one slap, then it was better to let it keep sleeping.

"Uh, Mister, if it is inconvenient for you to answer, then Tianheng will not ask. Please forgive my presumption."

Seeing that Danheng had not responded for a long time, Yu Tianheng could not help but panic. Had he crossed this powerful man's line?

"It's fine. My Martial Soul is also a dragon, just a rather special one. Fear is normal. There is no need to feel ashamed."

Danheng waved a hand and summoned a Vidyadhara phantom. His clothes immediately underwent subtle changes.

Two dragon horns gradually formed on his forehead, leaving Yu Tianheng staring dumbfounded.

Look at that Martial Soul Possession state. Why didn't their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon look that cool?

Yet even as Yu Tianheng marveled, the fear he felt toward the Vidyadhara phantom grew stronger and stronger, until even breathing became somewhat difficult.

Only after Danheng withdrew the phantom did Yu Tianheng come back to his senses. His back was already drenched in cold sweat.

"Now that you have seen my Martial Soul, please do not spread word of it. You should understand why."

"I understand."

Yu Tianheng nodded heavily. He knew full well that if he leaked the news, his end would likely be quite ugly.

Elsewhere, within the Crown Prince Residence in Heaven Dou City.

"Xue Beng was threatened by someone?"

A golden-haired beauty looked at the intelligence report delivered by a servant, the corner of her lips lifting slightly.