On the stone steps leading to the Worship Hall, Qin Yao walked ahead, while Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan followed at an unhurried pace.
All along the way, Yue Guan's gaze never left Qin Yao's back.
This young man had astonished him again and again.
In the Pope Palace, Qin Yao had handled His Holiness's pressure and attempts to win him over without a single misstep. And that was before even considering the Immortal Herbs he had brought back.
If even Fourth Worship Qin Xiong could break through to Level 98 with just one Immortal Herb, what kind of paradise must that place be?
Yue Guan had always cherished flowers and plants, and curiosity was eating him alive.
The two walked in silence, with only the faint sound of their footsteps breaking the quiet.
"Elder Yue Guan."
Qin Yao spoke without turning around.
"I heard there's been some friction between you and Poison Douluo Dugu Bo?"
Yue Guan paused for a moment, then quickly recovered. In his somewhat effeminate voice, he replied:
"Your Highness, they're just some old grievances. Nothing serious."
That was what he said, but inwardly, he couldn't help wondering.
Why had His Highness the Holy Son suddenly brought this up?
Qin Yao kept walking and continued,
"Dugu Bo is now my follower, and an elder of the Spirit Hall."
"Although he hasn't officially joined the Elder Hall and is instead directly under the Worship Hall, he's still one of our own now."
"Elder Yue Guan, what do you say? Can the friction between you two be settled here and now?"
Yue Guan immediately understood what Qin Yao meant.
That Old Poison, Dugu Bo, now belonged to His Highness the Holy Son. If Yue Guan kept dragging up the past, he'd be showing disrespect to His Highness.
He'd better go along with it!
Besides, the conflict between him and Dugu Bo had originally started because the Spirit Hall tried to recruit him. Things had simply escalated from there.
"Your Highness is right."
Yue Guan bowed slightly.
"Old Poison and I had some misunderstandings in the past. Since he now serves Your Highness, we're colleagues. Our past grievances can be wiped clean."
Yue Guan's attitude was perfectly proper.
Naturally, he had to be loyal to His Holiness the Pope. But this Holy Son had the entire Worship Hall behind him—he wasn't someone Yue Guan could afford to offend.
Besides, he really wanted to see those Immortal Herbs.
Then Yue Guan ventured,
"Your Highness the Holy Son, may I ask when I might be allowed to see those Immortal Herbs?"
"Soon."
Qin Yao tossed out two words, then turned a corner. Instead of continuing toward the Worship Hall, he headed for another courtyard beside his own.
It was where Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan lived.
Seeing this, Yue Guan hurried after him.
Before long, the two of them were standing at the courtyard gate.
"Dugu Bo."
Qin Yao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly inside.
The gate soon opened, and Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan came out together.
When Dugu Bo saw Yue Guan behind Qin Yao, his perpetually stiff face changed. His dark green eyes visibly narrowed.
"Chrysanthemum Guan!"
At that form of address, Yue Guan's mouth twitched. A trace of displeasure appeared on his handsome face.
"Old Poison!"
Just as the two were about to square off again, Qin Yao gave them a cool glance.
"From today onward, you're both serving the Spirit Hall. Your past grievances end here."
At his words, both men fell silent.
Dugu Bo bowed to Qin Yao.
"I'll follow Your Highness's orders."
Yue Guan also put away his displeased expression and saluted Qin Yao.
For a moment, the atmosphere was awkward.
Dugu Yan was the quick one. She hurried forward to salute Qin Yao, then gave Yue Guan a small bow as well.
Yue Guan's gaze settled on Dugu Bo, sizing him up from head to toe.
He noticed that not only had the deathly aura around Dugu Bo disappeared, but he also looked much younger. Even his graying hair seemed to be turning black, and his Soul Power felt denser than before.
The effects of an Immortal Herb were simply unbelievable.
Yue Guan couldn't suppress his envy.
"Old Poison, looks like you came away with an enormous windfall this time." Yue Guan's tone was thick with envy.
Dugu Bo caught the envy in his words and immediately grew smug, a smile spreading across his face.
"Of course. Follow His Highness the Holy Son, and good things are bound to come."
He shot Yue Guan a sidelong glance and drawled,
"What is it, Chrysanthemum Guan? Jealous?"
"If you are, it's simple."
"Just swear your loyalty to His Highness the Holy Son."
"Then we'll all be working for His Highness. Maybe he'll be pleased and reward you with an Immortal Herb too. When that happens, forget Level 96—I bet you could even break through to Level 97!"
He might as well have written "recruiting new followers" across his face.
Yue Guan was so choked by his words that he couldn't speak for a long moment. His face flushed red.
His Highness hadn't even asked for his loyalty, so if Yue Guan offered it on his own, he'd look like a turncoat. But the allure of those Immortal Herbs was simply too great!
Qin Yao watched the two old rivals bicker without getting involved.
He turned to Yue Guan and said, "Elder Yue Guan, now that your grievances are settled, let's get down to business."
He led them into the main hall of the courtyard.
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan tactfully stood to one side.
Qin Yao walked to the center of the hall and looked at Yue Guan, whose face was full of anticipation. Slowly, he raised a hand.
In an instant, precious light shimmered.
More than a dozen plants of different shapes, each glowing with dazzling radiance, appeared out of thin air on the huge round table in the middle of the hall.
In a flash, a rich medicinal fragrance, almost tangible, mixed with all manner of strange scents and filled the entire hall.
Some gave off a delicate fragrance that lifted the spirits.
Yue Guan, standing behind Qin Yao, froze completely.
As an elder of the Spirit Hall and a powerful Titled Douluo, what hadn't he seen?
But the scene before him shattered everything he thought he knew.
"My heavens..."
Yue Guan's voice trembled. He reached out toward a large pink flower, but his hand stopped abruptly in midair, as if he feared the mundane dust on his body might defile such a divine treasure.
"The Aromatic Silk Beauty..." Yue Guan murmured, his breathing quickening.
"Nemesis of a hundred poisons, immune to all evil! With it around, no poison can get near you!"
His gaze shifted to another Immortal Herb, pure white from root to tip and shaped like an orchid.
"The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid! Its medicinal properties are the mildest. It strengthens the body and replenishes the source, cleansing impurities from a Soul Master's body. It's a treasure that Auxiliary Soul Masters can only dream of!"
Then he spotted a golden tulip.
"The Aromatic Silk Beauty! Magnificent and luxurious. Take it, and you can absorb the essence of heaven and earth, the radiance of the Sun and Moon!"
Yue Guan examined the plants one by one. Every time he recognized one, his heart pounded harder and the color in his face deepened.
These legendary treasures, mentioned only in ancient texts, were all real! And now, they were gathered here!
Watching Yue Guan lose himself over the plants, Dugu Bo couldn't have been more pleased.
He cleared his throat and drawled,
"Chrysanthemum Guan, look at you, acting like you've never seen the world. They're just a few Immortal Herbs. Is there really any need to get so worked up?"
He said "just a few," but there was no hiding the smugness on his face.
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