After learning that these were all rare treasures, each one worth several million Gold Soul Coins, and that consuming them could help a Soul Master build a stronger foundation, Dugu Bo had completely changed. The guilt he'd felt just moments ago over nearly knocking out Tang San because of his precious granddaughter was nowhere to be seen.
Now he wished he could go back and hit Tang San a few more times. If he hadn't considered that the boy might be able to remove the poison from him and his granddaughter—and that his father was the Clear Sky Douluo—he'd even have wondered whether to kill him to keep him quiet.
"Yan Yan, how did you learn the names of these Immortal Herbs, their effects, and how to use them? And how did you turn that mixed... Immortal Herb into Gold Soul Coins?"
After calming down, Dugu Bo began asking how his granddaughter had learned about the herbs' names and uses. He was even more curious about how she'd conjured up eight million Gold Soul Coins.
"Grandpa, I didn't conjure them up. I got them by trading with someone."
Dugu Yan corrected her grandfather's wording. She sorted through her thoughts before continuing, "This morning, my consciousness entered a strange place. There were quite a few other people there, too."
"That place lets you talk to people over a distance, and you can trade and buy or sell things there. You can get anything from rare natural treasures to even more miraculous items."
"That's where I learned the names and effects of these Immortal Herbs. The one I just dug up was traded to someone who called himself the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe. I don't know his real identity. He paid me in Gold Soul Coins."
Dugu Yan left out the complicated details, explaining everything in just a few simple sentences her grandfather could understand.
After hearing her out, Dugu Bo froze on the spot, his face full of astonished disbelief.
Her consciousness had entered a strange place? There were lots of people there? They could talk to each other over a distance and trade all kinds of items?
It sounded too bizarre. In all his years, he'd never even heard of anything like it.
If the mountain of Gold Soul Coins hadn't been sitting right in front of him, he would've thought his precious granddaughter had lost her mind.
After several seconds, he suddenly came back to himself. His expression grew tense as he stared at Dugu Yan and pressed her, "You said you sold it to someone claiming to be Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire?"
"Yes. Everyone who enters that place can hide their real identity." Dugu Yan nodded.
Dugu Bo eagerly asked, "Yan Yan, what about you? Did you use an alias to hide your identity?"
"I did," Dugu Yan replied, then added with some dejection, "But that guy called Xue Qinghe recognized me."
Hearing that his granddaughter had hidden her identity, Dugu Bo had just begun to relax when he nearly stumbled a few steps in the next instant, once again looking as if he might fall to his knees in front of her.
"Then doesn't that mean lots of people know you sold the Immortal Herb?"
Dugu Bo was extremely nervous. He might be a Titled Douluo, but if word got out, he wouldn't be able to protect this place.
"Grandpa, don't worry. The Group Leader said something, so no one will dare come after the Herb Garden." Dugu Yan understood her grandfather's concern and quickly reassured him.
"That's good. That's good." Dugu Bo breathed a sigh of relief.
"But, Grandpa, even if no one there dares to target the Herb Garden, we can't let our guard down. Add a few more layers to the Poison Array all around the place, just in case someone breaks in."
Dugu Yan added that no one in the group would target their Herb Garden, but an outsider might still find a way inside.
"Grandpa knows."
Dugu Bo understood, of course. Now that he knew how valuable the Immortal Herbs were, he was even more concerned about them than his granddaughter.
Having decided to strengthen the Poison Array around the place later, Dugu Bo asked another question out of curiosity. "By the way, Yan Yan, who did you say the Group Leader was? And were there any people you knew in there?"
"The Group Leader was the one who created that place. And there were quite a few people I knew."
Dugu Yan thought for a moment, then listed the names she knew.
"There was Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall, and the three girls from Shrek Academy I told you about before. Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, was one of them. I don't know who the others were. Oh, right, there was someone called the Sea God Island High Priest. Her strength must be extraordinary—maybe even greater than the Pope's."
As soon as Dugu Yan said this, Dugu Bo drew in a sharp breath. The Pope of Spirit Hall was in there too!
She was a person he could only look up to, and Spirit Hall was even more powerful than the two great empires.
But when his granddaughter mentioned the Sea God Island High Priest, Dugu Bo's pupils contracted. Stronger than the Pope of Spirit Hall? Could she be the legendary Bo Saixi, a senior among the three peerless powerhouses on the mainland, who was said to be invincible in the ocean?!
Dugu Bo could feel his heart starting to give out. His granddaughter's words had been confirming one astonishing thing after another. He needed to take a fast-acting heart-saving pill to calm himself down.
Meanwhile.
Ning Rongrong hurried back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and immediately went to find her father, along with Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
She didn't waste any time, explaining clearly and directly that she'd received an incredible opportunity.
Her account was much like Dugu Yan's. To make it easier for her father and grandfathers to believe her, she described Wu Xing as the mightiest divine being in the Upper Realm.
At first, the three of them weren't convinced. But when they saw Ning Rongrong take out a Hundred-Year Soul Ring and toy with it in her hand, they believed her.
After all, who could take out a Spirit Ring and play with it?
Ning Fengzhi immediately made the call: they would gather enough funds right away and secure the Aromatic Silk Beauty that could change the fate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was undeniably wealthy. In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, they'd gathered a target sum of Gold Soul Coins.
Then, to their amazement, Ning Rongrong contacted Dugu Yan and began the trade.
As the Gold Soul Coins disappeared, an Immortal Herb shimmering with light appeared in her hand. The three of them realized that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had struck it rich. Rongrong really had been chosen by a divine being.
"Dad, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, this is the Aromatic Silk Beauty. After you consume it, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda. It can also strengthen your foundation and consolidate your cultivation. There'll be no problem reaching Titled Douluo."
Ning Rongrong didn't consume the Immortal Herb herself. Instead, she handed it to her father, Ning Fengzhi.
"Rongrong, you should consume this Immortal Herb." Ning Fengzhi didn't take it. He wanted his precious daughter to use it.
This was his daughter's opportunity. How could he take it from her?
Ning Rongrong didn't refuse. After all, she had the Chat Group. Even if Dugu Yan ran out of Aromatic Silk Beauties, she could save up enough points to exchange for one in the Mall for her father later.
When she consumed the Aromatic Silk Beauty in front of Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda, and her Soul Power rose from level 28 to level 30. At that moment, the three men's last trace of doubt vanished.
He, Ning Fengzhi!
His biological daughter, Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
Had the bearing of a divine being!!!
Before you continue