Crown Prince's Residence's Consecrated Guest! Dugu Bo Senses An Anomaly! Combat Skill Training Begins! This Late at Night...

Inside the reception hall.

Dugu Yan looked at Qian Renxue with confusion, then glanced at her grandfather.

She had met Qian Renxue many times before, but today her grandfather had repeatedly instructed her to be exceptionally respectful when seeing the Crown Prince.

She was deeply puzzled.

She did not know what medicine her grandfather was selling in his gourd, and he refused to tell her when asked.

Furthermore...

Since when had the relationship between her grandfather and Prince Xue Xing become so terrible?

One had to know that it was only at the invitation of Prince Xue Xing that her grandfather had become a consultant for the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and she had joined the Heaven Dou Royal Academy under Prince Xue Xing's jurisdiction precisely because of this connection.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, this old man has brought Yan Yan here this time because of the poison in our bodies."

Dugu Bo went straight to the point.

"I previously received guidance from a senior who said that I could obtain the antidote from you. I hope Your Highness will grant this, and this old man is willing to pay any price!"

"What? Grandfather, you are poisoned?"

Dugu Yan stood up abruptly, looking at Dugu Bo in shock and suspicion.

"Yan Yan, do not be rude. Sit down first; I will explain this to you in detail later."

Dugu Bo pressed his hand down and turned back to Qian Renxue.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, please forgive her, Yan Yan is ignorant..."

"There is no need for that, Poison Douluo. Miss Dugu Yan and I are old acquaintances."

Qian Renxue smiled slightly, took a white jade medicine bottle from her sleeve, and placed it on the table.

"On my way back to Heaven Dou, I did indeed meet a senior and received his guidance in cultivation. Before leaving, he gifted me three medicinal pills for healing. I consumed one, and it just so happens that two remain. Since it was that senior's instruction, I naturally would not dare to hoard them."

Dugu Bo hurriedly and excitedly accepted it, opening the stopper.

Two purple medicinal pills lay inside the bottle, and a scorching aura rushed toward his face.

Under this heatwave, the toxins within his body were actually faintly suppressed.

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, and without pretense, he immediately took one and swallowed it.

As the pill entered his stomach, it felt like a ball of raging fire burning along his meridians.

The toxins that had accumulated in his body for many years melted away like snow, leaving no trace behind.

Subsequently, the pure medicinal power dispersed throughout his body, nourishing the meridians that had been eroded by the poison for years.

A moment later, Dugu Bo opened his eyes.

A silent aura radiated from his body.

Not only had all the toxins in his body been purged, but even his green hair had turned black.

Even more astonishingly, his cultivation, which had been stagnant for many years, broke through to level 92 at this very moment.

Confirming that the pill was effective and had no side effects, Dugu Bo hurriedly handed the last pill to his granddaughter and stood guard for her.

Dugu Yan's poisoning was not as deep as Dugu Bo's, so the time taken to purge it was even shorter, lasting only a breath or two.

Not only did the faint, cold aura that had previously clung to her body vanish completely, but her hair color also changed from purple to black.

Furthermore, the remaining medicinal efficacy caused her cultivation to soar by five full levels.

She stepped into level 47 in one go.

"Many thanks to Your Highness the Crown Prince for saving our lives! My grandfather and I will never forget this kindness!"

Dugu Bo stood up and bowed deeply.

"If you have any orders, please do not hesitate to command us!"

"You are too polite, Senior Dugu. It was merely a small effort; do not take it to heart."

Qian Renxue rose to steady him, offering a faint smile.

"Of course. If you do not mind, I would like to invite you to hold the title of honored guest at the Crown Prince's Residence. I greatly admire your mastery of poison and hope to occasionally receive your guidance."

"Hehehehe, this old man would be honored! Truly honored!" Dugu Bo laughed and accepted.

His herb garden was ruined anyway, and he had nowhere else to go for the time being. Besides, the more he looked at Xue Qinghe, the more he liked him. He glanced at his granddaughter. A talented man and a beautiful woman; living in close proximity, perhaps some sparks would fly between the young ones. Dugu Yan, unaware that her grandfather had already "sold" her out, was currently overjoyed by her sudden surge in cultivation.

"Snake Lance, Pufferfish, you two lead Senior Dugu and Miss Dugu to the North Garden to rest," Qian Renxue commanded.

"The Crown Prince has had a tiring journey, so this old man will not disturb you further." Dugu Bo pulled his granddaughter along and followed Snake Lance and Pufferfish out.

Yet, as he walked, his eyes narrowed slightly. Just a moment ago, during his breakthrough, he had faintly sensed two powerful auras. Clearly, they belonged to these two. He had not expected the Crown Prince's Residence to be such a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. But upon further reflection, no matter how weak the Heaven Dou imperial family had become, they had still endured for so many years. As the Crown Prince, it was only natural to have two powerful experts by his side.

Snake Lance and Pufferfish felt their backs crawl under Dugu Bo's sinister gaze. They had already been on edge due to Dugu Bo's arrival, and when he suddenly broke through, it had nearly caused them to lose control and reveal a trace of their own power. They hadn't expected this old poison master to be so perceptive. They had almost been exposed. The two exchanged a glance, secretly worried about whether Dugu Bo had become suspicious, while simultaneously feeling puzzled. What was going on with their Young Mistress? What mysterious person? What medicinal pill? They had been by Qian Renxue's side the entire time; how did they not know about this? No, they would have to find a moment to ask! They definitely weren't coveting the breakthrough Dugu Bo had achieved; they were merely concerned for the Young Mistress's safety.

After Qian Renxue finished handling the affairs of Dugu Bo and his granddaughter and cleared a pile of backlogged official documents, she set down her brush and looked up to find that it was already pitch black outside. Days of travel had left her feeling as though her bones were falling apart, and the administrative work had drained her mental energy. Her eyelids were heavy, and she just wanted to collapse onto her bed and sleep until the world ended.

But the moment she returned to her room, that "demonic" voice rang out once again.

"Sleep? Why sleep? Such a fine time, how can you waste it on sleeping?"

"Hurry and prepare yourself. The training plan starts tonight!"

"What training plan?" Qian Renxue collapsed weakly onto the couch. "I haven't closed my eyes in two days. Can't you just let me rest and talk about this tomorrow?" She was too tired to even complain about Ling Xiao's ill-timed interruptions; she just wanted a good night's sleep.

"If this is your attitude toward cultivation—"

Ling Xiao's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Then I have nothing more to say; I'll just consider myself blind!"

As his words fell, the room plunged into a deathly silence.

Qian Renxue's originally hazy, sleepy eyes instantly became clear.

She realized that Ling Xiao was not joking!

She immediately forced herself to perk up, rolled over, and sat up:

"Teacher, this disciple knows she was wrong. No matter what kind of training it is, I am willing to accept it!"

After hitting rock bottom over these past five years, her desire for strength had never been more intense.

Although Ling Xiao could be somewhat unserious, he had basically fulfilled every promise he made to her.

He was the only chance she could grasp to help her quickly recover her cultivation and become stronger!

She did not want to disappoint him either!

"At least you haven't lost your drive to strive and progress."

After a moment of silence, Ling Xiao's voice finally rang out again, his tone softening slightly, yet still carrying an uncompromising sternness:

"Previously, this teacher taught you some knowledge regarding the Dou Qi cultivation system, as well as a cultivation technique and a Dou Skill."

"You learned quickly and have barely managed to grasp them, but it is not enough!"

"Since it is a Dou Skill, it must be mastered through combat!"

"Now, pack up and let's go!"

"Understood, Teacher!"

Qian Renxue had a high probability of guessing where he was taking her, but she did not offer a single word of refusal.

She neatly unfastened the ring-shaped jade pendant from her waist, just about to place it on the bed, waiting for Ling Xiao to conjure a substitute for her as he had done last time.

"No need for that. Take out those two Immortal Herbs I gave you earlier!"