Dugu Bo's Rage, The Moment of Slapping Faces

Qian Daoliu suddenly looked up, a ripple of emotion flashing through his golden eyes—the aura of a Titled Douluo was approaching rapidly.

A few breaths later, a figure entered the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well; it was none other than Dugu Bo.

He swept his gaze across the chaotic scene, where the once-orderly herb garden had been dug up into pits and mounds, with nearly a third of the herbs vanished into thin air. His face instantly flushed a deep, bruised purple.

"Who?! Who the hell did this?!"

Dugu Bo's roar caused the surrounding water vapor to churn violently. His eyes were bloodshot and hideous, and the corners of his mouth twitched with rage.

He had only been away for a few days to accompany his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, and upon returning, he found his "herb garden," which he had cultivated for years, completely ransacked!

In particular, those dozens of herbs brimming with extraordinary energy—though he had never dared to touch them for fear of their toxicity, he knew they were far from ordinary.

Even if he didn't know their specific effects, how could plants capable of storing such vast amounts of energy be anything but treasures?

But now, not even a single leaf remained!

"Ah—!" He trembled with fury, his emerald-green soul power expanding as toxic mist swirled around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"Which blind piece of trash dares to touch this Seat's belongings?!"

"Shut your mouth!"

A low shout rang out like a thunderclap, and Qian Daoliu stepped slowly from behind a massive boulder.

Qian Renxue had been meditating behind that rock, perfectly positioned in Dugu Bo's blind spot. Since his spiritual power was not top-tier, he hadn't sensed Qian Daoliu's presence in the slightest.

Dugu Bo whipped his head around, staring at Qian Daoliu with vigilance. The fury in his eyes was almost tangible: "Who are you?!"

"It must have been you who stole my herbs!" He didn't wait for a response, shouting sharply, "To steal from this Seat? Do you even know who this Seat is?!"

As his words fell, two yellow, two purple, and five black soul rings rose from beneath his feet, swirling and dancing as they unleashed the pressure of a Titled Douluo.

Behind him, the phantom of a massive Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor slowly emerged. Its serpent eyes were as cold as a frozen pool, its fangs were menacing, and a aura of lethal poison swirled around its body.

"Hand it over!" Dugu Bo's voice was as vicious as a serpent's hiss, his eyes flashing with crazed killing intent. "Otherwise, don't blame this Seat for making you taste the agony of ten thousand poisons devouring your heart, leaving not even a bone behind!"

"Noisy."

Qian Daoliu couldn't be bothered to waste words. He slowly raised his left hand and made a light, grasping motion.

A solid, giant hand of golden energy manifested out of thin air, gripping Dugu Bo like an iron vice. Even the phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor behind him was crushed and distorted, letting out a shrill, mournful hiss.

"Ho... how is this possible?!" Dugu Bo's eyes widened, his rage instantly replaced by extreme shock. His mouth hung slightly open, but he couldn't utter a single sound.

He was a Titled Douluo! One of the strongest powerhouses standing at the pinnacle of the continent!

How could he be controlled so easily without even seeing the opponent's martial soul?

The sacred power contained within that giant golden hand was like the nemesis of all toxins, causing his prideful poisonous soul power to wither instantly, leaving him without even the strength to resist.

"Who... who exactly are you?!" Dugu Bo's voice trembled uncontrollably, his heart churning with turbulent waves—this level of strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Titled Douluo!

"Grandfather, who is making all that noise?"

Qian Renxue walked out from behind the rock, rubbing her temples, clearly having been woken up.

When she saw Dugu Bo gripped in mid-air by the golden hand, she let out a light chuckle: "So it's you, Dugu Bo. What are you doing here?"

Over the years she had spent in Heaven Dou, she had gained a thorough understanding of all the various factions.

For the past two years, Dugu Bo had been helping Prince Xue Xing against "Xue Qinghe," and she had long since uncovered the man's background in secret, though Dugu Bo had never seen her true face.

"Who are you?!" Dugu Bo struggled as he looked toward Qian Renxue.

"You broke into my herb garden, what exactly are you trying to do?!"

"So this is your herb garden." Qian Renxue paced, her gaze sweeping carelessly over the remaining herbs. "There are quite a few varieties, but unfortunately... from now on, it belongs to me."

Dugu Bo froze for a moment, then quickly weighed the pros and cons.

Since the opponent could subdue him so easily, fighting back would be like throwing an egg against a rock.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the resentment and anger in his heart, and said in a dry voice: "Let me leave, and this place... is yours."

As long as he could save his life, he could find ways to make up for this loss later. As the saying goes, as long as the green hills remain, one need not worry about firewood.

"Grandfather, let him go." Qian Renxue said softly to Qian Daoliu.

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly and withdrew the golden hand.

Dugu Bo stumbled as he landed, taking a few unsteady steps before finally standing firm. The look he gave Qian Daoliu was now filled with deep, profound awe.

Qian Renxue walked slowly toward him, a faint, mocking smile playing on her lips as her gaze fell upon his face, which was still slightly distorted from shock: "Dugu Bo, do you know who I am?"

Dugu Bo shook his head instinctively: "Who are you?"

"This Palace is Qian Renxue, daughter of the former Pontiff Qian Xunji." Qian Renxue's voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly in Dugu Bo's ears. "And this is my grandfather, the Grand Elder of Martial Soul Hall, Qian Daoliu."

"Wha... what?!" Dugu Bo's pupils contracted sharply, and the blood drained from his face instantly, leaving it deathly pale.

Qian Daoliu! The Grand Elder of Martial Soul Hall, that legendary powerhouse who stood at the summit of the continent!

No wonder he had been unable to put up any resistance!

A sense of absurd "balance" flooded his mind—it wasn't that he was too weak, but that his opponent was ridiculously strong!

Before he could recover from the shock, Qian Renxue dropped another bombshell that terrified him to his very core, her words ringing clearly in Dugu Bo's ears: "Besides these two identities, this Palace has one more—the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, is merely my servant."

"It was this Palace who personally propped him up to the position of Crown Prince, helping him eliminate two of his half-brothers."

"You... you..." Dugu Bo's finger pointed sharply at Qian Renxue, his fingertip trembling violently from extreme shock. His footsteps retreated uncontrollably until his back struck the cold rock wall with a dull thud, leaving him nowhere else to go.

He didn't want to hear it! He didn't want to hear a single word! How could these be things he was meant to hear?

Supporting the Crown Prince, purging the princes...

If this were to leak out, the entire Heaven Dou Imperial family would be plunged into a monstrous upheaval!

It was over. He knew too many secrets he shouldn't have known; he feared he would not be leaving here alive today.

A desperate urge to flee rose in his heart, but as his gaze swept over the calm and composed Qian Daoliu not far away, that thought was instantly crushed to dust.

In front of this person, he had absolutely no possibility of escape.

Qian Renxue, as if blind to his terror, continued, "The Xue Qinghe of today is sixteen years old, already a Spirit King, and deeply beloved by the old Emperor and the common people."

"Do you know why? All of this was orchestrated by my own hand."

"This Palace promised to make him a Titled Douluo. The Heaven Dou Imperial family's talent is mediocre by nature, but I have ways to make his cultivation advance by leaps and bounds."

"Those opportunities to perform meritorious deeds, that good reputation among the people—it was all a path meticulously paved by this Palace for him."

Dugu Bo opened his mouth, but his throat felt as if it were blocked by a boulder, unable to emit a single sound.

He finally understood: the "Xue Qinghe" he had been helping Prince Xue Xing deal with for the past two years was merely a puppet controlled by others! And the true mastermind behind it all was the daughter of the former Martial Soul Hall Pope!

"What exactly do you want?" Dugu Bo's voice was dry and hoarse, laced with a hint of despair.

He raised his head, looking at Qian Renxue with complex eyes.

Qian Renxue stopped, standing no more than half a zhang away. Her golden pupils flickered, and she spoke in an utterly commanding tone, "Dugu Bo, this Palace has taken a liking to you. Become my new servant."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's entire body shuddered. He jerked his head up to look at Qian Renxue, his eyes filled with disbelief.

A servant? To make him, a Titled Douluo famous for many years, the servant of a young girl?

This was an utter humiliation! Dugu Bo had been arrogant and untamed his entire life; when had he ever suffered such indignity?

Yet, looking at her haughty golden eyes and feeling the faint, boundless pressure radiating from Qian Daoliu behind her, the sliver of resistance in his heart was instantly crushed by the cold reality.

Refuse? He would likely be ground to dust by this pair of grandfather and granddaughter in the next second.

Survive... he must survive... Yan Yan was still waiting for him to return...

Dugu Bo's heart struggled violently, his expression shifting from initial shock to anger, then to humiliation, and finally, only deep powerlessness remained.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly embedded into his palms, blood slowly seeping out from between his fingers.

Just then, a wild thought flashed through his mind: looking at Qian Renxue, who stood half a zhang away, she might be noble in status, but her cultivation might not necessarily be that high.

If he could only seize her and use her to threaten Qian Daoliu, he might just be able to survive!

As long as he could escape this place and fly far away with Yan Yan, the continent was vast; there would surely be a place for them to hide!

Thinking of this, Dugu Bo's gaze suddenly turned sharp. The spirit power around his body began to quietly condense, his right hand lifting slightly, ready to strike at any moment.

"What? Thinking of using me to threaten Grandfather?" Qian Renxue saw through his intentions, the corners of her mouth curling into a cold, mocking smirk. "Do you think you are worthy? Do you have the ability? Or do you think this Palace is so easily bullied?"

As soon as she finished speaking, six golden wings suddenly unfurled from her back. A sacred aura spread out, and two vibrant red spirit rings rose from beneath her feet, swirling and dancing as they emitted a heart-stopping pressure.

The phantom of an Angel slowly emerged behind her, its golden light piercing through the mist and illuminating Dugu Bo's terrified face.