A Chance Encounter with Dugu Bo

About five days later, Yu Mingxiao finally arrived at the entrance to Sunset Forest.

Sunset Forest was also considered a great forest, though the overall strength of its Soul Beasts was far inferior to that of the Star Dou Great Forest. Still, it was far more dangerous than the state-raised Soul Hunting Forests.

Yu Mingxiao had been relatively relaxed while traveling through the outskirts, but the deeper he went, the more cautious he became, keeping himself on full alert.

After all, no one would help him here. Unknown dangers lurked everywhere.

Since he did not know the exact location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he could only search for places shrouded in poisonous miasma.

He remembered that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was surrounded by the highly toxic miasma released by Jade Phosphorous Seven Absolute Flowers.

Gradually, he spent an entire day wandering through Sunset Forest, yet found nothing.

Sunset Forest was vast, and its terrain was simply too complex.

The next day, Yu Mingxiao continued deeper into Sunset Forest, leaping between branches as he traveled through the woods.

"Hmm? There's a fight ahead?"

Standing atop a branch, Yu Mingxiao looked down and saw a figure battling a snake-type Soul Beast.

From a distance, he could make out green eyes and green hair. It was a middle-aged man.

"With such rare hair, could he be Dugu Bo?" Yu Mingxiao muttered as he stroked his chin.

It was not unusual to encounter Dugu Bo in Sunset Forest. The Dugu family was based in Heaven Dou City.

And Heaven Dou City was the nearest major city to Sunset Forest, so it was perfectly normal for Dugu Bo to come here to hunt Soul Rings.

He was not yet the Poison Douluo of the future. He was roughly twenty years older than Yu Xiaogang, and judging by the five Soul Rings beneath his feet, he was only a Soul King at present...

After watching for a while, Yu Mingxiao withdrew his gaze and jumped down from the branch, having no intention of interfering in Dugu Bo's battle with the snake Soul Beast.

The less trouble, the better. If he went up and helped someone hunt a Soul Beast for no reason, they might not only fail to thank him, but grow wary of him instead. They might even suspect ulterior motives and bring needless trouble upon him.

However, just as he was about to search for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in another direction, the man who was likely Dugu Bo proved unable to defeat the Soul Beast and ran toward him.

Yu Mingxiao's face darkened. He raised a hand and slapped the man running toward him.

The man had just fought a fierce battle against the snake Soul Beast and was in poor condition. How could he block such a sudden strike? He was sent flying and crashed to the ground.

"You..." Half the man's face immediately swelled up. Lying prone on the ground, he raised a trembling finger at Yu Mingxiao.

"What do you mean, 'you'? Were you trying to drag me into this?" Yu Mingxiao said coldly.

Although he was only ten years old, his Soul Power had already reached rank forty-seven. He had developed quickly, and together with his calm, mature bearing, he looked like a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth.

"Brat, I didn't even notice you were nearby. Who would've thought you were here? The Shakya Giant Serpent is already coming after us."

The man snorted and slowly rose to his feet.

"Hisss..."

The Shakya Giant Serpent flicked its tongue as it closed in on Yu Mingxiao and the green-haired man.

Judging by its length, this Shakya Giant Serpent was likely around fifteen thousand years old.

"Brat, you seem to have some skill. How about we join forces and deal with this snake? I'll reward you handsomely afterward."

Perhaps because Yu Mingxiao had just slapped him, or perhaps simply because of his personality, the man's tone was far from friendly.

"Is that how you ask someone for help? Want another slap?" Yu Mingxiao raised a brow and said coldly.

"Don't get so smug. I was careless just now—I didn't dodge!" the man shouted through gritted teeth.

While the two argued, the Shakya Giant Serpent launched its attack. Its thick body shot toward the man like an arrow.

At the same time, the man used Martial Soul Possession. A diamond-shaped green scale appeared on his forehead, his eyes turned into vertical pupils, and his legs fused together into a thick snake tail.

He moved nimbly and easily avoided the Shakya Giant Serpent's lunge.

At that moment, Yu Mingxiao moved as well.

He instantly activated Martial Soul Possession. His second Soul Ring suddenly lit up, and several basketball-sized spheres of light slammed into the giant serpent.

Golden light erupted. The serpent's scales shattered, and blood sprayed through the air.

"Hiss—"

The Shakya Giant Serpent cried out in agony.

Its cold serpent eyes turned toward Yu Mingxiao, no longer paying attention to the green-haired man.

Compared to the other man, it hated Yu Mingxiao more for blasting it apart.

Yu Mingxiao did not dare let his guard down. The second Soul Ring beneath his feet glowed as the phantom of a Radiant Sacred Dragon emerged behind him, and several more spheres of light crashed down...

The green-haired man caught sight of Yu Mingxiao's Soul Ring configuration and froze.

But they were still in battle, so he hurriedly suppressed his shock. The third purple Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up as he shouted, "Snake Shadow Raid!"

A huge phantom of a Jade Phosphorous Snake shot forth and bit at the Shakya Giant Serpent.

Caught in a pincer attack, the Shakya Giant Serpent had just had its scales blasted apart and its flesh scorched, only to be torn apart from behind by the Jade Phosphorous Snake phantom. It was instantly beaten to the brink of death.

Before long, the green-haired man killed the Shakya Giant Serpent. A black Soul Ring slowly rose from the serpent's corpse.

The green-haired man's gaze immediately turned fervent. Once he absorbed this Soul Ring, he would become a Soul Emperor.

He slowly composed himself and looked at Yu Mingxiao. "Thank you for helping me, young friend. I, Dugu Bo, am deeply grateful."

Though he was proud and arrogant, he clearly distinguished gratitude from grudges.

Without this youth's help, he truly would not have been able to take down that Shakya Giant Serpent.

So it really is Dugu Bo... Yu Mingxiao's heart stirred, though his expression remained calm. "Gratitude isn't something you can just say. You need to show it with action."

"Tell me what you want. As long as it isn't excessive, I can grant it." Dugu Bo crossed his arms, his tone indifferent.

"I don't lack anything you can give me."

Yu Mingxiao shook his head and said softly, "I am from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. If you join the clan, I'll help you cure the deadly poison that has plagued your family for generations."

If this Dugu Bo was willing to join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, it would be a good thing. Though he would not count as much of an expert in the future, he would at least be a rare Title Douluo-level combatant.

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?" Dugu Bo's expression instantly darkened. "I love freedom and dislike being controlled by a clan. But... how do you know that my family has suffered from deadly poison for generations?"

"You don't need to worry about that." Yu Mingxiao curled his lip, impatience written all over his face. "Looks like you want to be poisoned to death. I'm trying to save you, yet instead of appreciating it, you keep asking so many questions."

With that, he turned and walked away, a trace of coldness flashing through his heart.

This guy had lured the Soul Beast in his direction earlier. If Yu Mingxiao had not been unsure of his methods, and if this had not been an unsuitable place for a conflict, he would have wanted to kill him.

Yu Mingxiao had already made up his mind. Once he returned to the clan, he would have someone secretly follow Dugu Bo in Heaven Dou City and find an opportunity to settle this score with him properly.

"Wait!"

Dugu Bo's voice suddenly rang out. "I agree. I'll join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"