Official Action

After learning of Jiang Lin's situation from Meng Shenji, Xue Qinghe did not act immediately.

He spent three days combing through every family in Heaven Dou City with the surname Jiang—not a single one could produce a retainer at the Title Douluo level.

This result was within his expectations, yet it made him even more certain that the young man's background was far more secretive than he had initially judged.

Two days later, a secret envoy from Emperor Xue Ye brought back an answer from Prince Xue Xing that was not quite an answer:

Prince Xue Xing personally admitted that he had issued the recommendation letter, but the person who had entrusted him with the task was the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

As for the relationship between Dugu Bo and the young man, Prince Xue Xing claimed he did not know.

"Dugu Bo."

Xue Qinghe sat under the window of the East Palace study, his fingertips tapping lightly on the tabletop, a faint, elusive smile playing on his lips.

He recalled the scene he had witnessed in the Sunset Forest—the phantom of the Jade Phosphorus Poison Dragon churning and roaring amidst the sky-filling poison mist, while that young man leaped from the shadows, a halberd piercing the vital point of a Golden Thunder Python.

At that time, Dugu Bo had called him "Young Master."

For a Title Douluo to call a youth "Young Master"—this was far more than a simple retainer relationship.

Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi sat in the sect's reception hall, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea.

Standing before him was an elderly man in grey, the intelligence manager stationed in Heaven Dou City by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He was currently bowing slightly, reporting a "minor matter" that had occurred at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy recently.

"A Title Douluo as a retainer, a young Soul Ancestor, and Dugu Bo's connections."

Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup, a thoughtful expression appearing on his gentle face.

"Dugu Bo has always been a lone wolf, yet now he is running errands and acting as a go-between for a youth; this is truly rare. Tomorrow, I shall pay a visit to see exactly what kind of person this young friend Jiang Lin is."

In Dugu Bo's eyes, however, Ning Fengzhi's visit to Jiang Lin was a matter for tomorrow; today, he had something else to attend to.

In the east of Heaven Dou City, the lintel of the Ye Manor was not particularly imposing. The plaque above the door bore only the two ink-brushed characters "Ye Manor," the calligraphy lean and elegant, devoid of ostentation.

But anyone in Heaven Dou City with a bit of insight knew that behind this unassuming wooden door lay the most prestigious medical family in the entire Heaven Dou Empire.

Dugu Bo stood before the door with Dugu Yan. The gatekeeper clearly recognized this famous Title Douluo and, without even bothering to announce them, respectfully led the grandfather and granddaughter into the main hall.

Ye Zhilan arrived in a hurry upon receiving the news.

She appeared to be in her thirties, with a gentle face and a plain-colored long dress. A single silver hairpin adorned her hair, and a faint, refreshing scent of medicinal herbs clung to her.

Ye Lingling, who followed behind her, had once had a brief encounter with Jiang Lin. However, she clearly did not know that the person asking for directions at the academy that day was the very "Young Master" Dugu Bo spoke of; she merely stood quietly by her mother's side, her expression as indifferent as ever.

"To what do I owe the honor of the Poison Douluo's visit?"

After taking her seat, Ye Zhilan got straight to the point, her tone polite yet neither servile nor overbearing.

Although the Ye Family had no Title Douluo to anchor them, the reputation and connections accumulated over several generations gave her sufficient confidence when facing one.

"I wouldn't dare call it an honor."

Dugu Bo picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "I have come today to discuss a partnership with the Head of the Ye Family."

He set down his cup and slowly laid out the speech he had prepared.

The gist was simple: the faction he represented was refining a special type of medicine and required professional personnel skilled in analyzing medicinal properties and processing herbs.

The Ye Family was the best medical family in Heaven Dou City; if they were willing to cooperate, both sides would get what they needed, and the Ye Family would gain access to the pharmacological knowledge and medicinal resources derived from the refining process.

The terms were generous and the tone sincere; it sounded like a perfectly normal business proposal.

But Ye Zhilan did not respond immediately after hearing him out.

She sat upright in her chair, her fingers tracing a silent circle along the rim of her cup.

Having managed the Ye Family for many years and dealt with all walks of life, she found that although Dugu Bo's words were airtight, she had a vague feeling that his visit today was likely not as simple as a mere "partnership."

"Senior Dugu,"

Ye Zhilan set down her teacup and met Dugu Bo's gaze calmly. "Your side's terms are indeed generous, but may I ask—what grade of pill is this Soul Refining Pill? How does it compare to the existing prescriptions of our Ye Family?"

Dugu Bo was waiting for her to ask. He stroked his beard, a shrewd glint of amusement flashing in his emerald eyes.

"The Soul Refining Pill has only one function: it allows one to ignore rank restrictions and increase cultivation speed.

The value of such a pill is something you, Head of the Ye Family, should be well aware of without me needing to say more."

He paused deliberately, his gaze lingering on Ye Zhilan's face for a moment before he added slowly, "However, this is only the most basic type.

Have you ever considered whether the person and the faction capable of producing such a prescription might possess other things ten or even dozens of times more valuable than the Soul Refining Pill?"

This was Dugu Bo's own conjecture; through his recent interactions, he was confident that Jiang Lin must have even better things he had yet to reveal.

Ye Zhilan narrowed her eyes slightly, remaining silent.

"I'll be blunt."

Dugu Bo placed his teacup on the table, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice.

"If the Head of the Ye Family wishes to truly come into contact with those things, a mere partnership is not enough.

You need to join us. The Ye Family will remain independent, and we will not interfere in your family affairs, but core resources can only be shared after joining. I can guarantee that the weight of those things is worth your serious consideration, Head of the Ye Family."

Ye Zhilan remained silent for a long while.

She lowered her head to look at the tea in her cup, which had already gone cold. The surface of the water was perfectly still, reflecting her calm expression.

"Senior Dugu, I understand what you mean. However, this matter concerns the lives of dozens of people in the Ye Family. Please allow me to consult with the elders of the clan before giving you an answer." Her tone was neither servile nor overbearing.

"No rush."

Dugu Bo stood up and beckoned to Dugu Yan. "I only came today to deliver a message. Whenever the Ye Family Head has made up her mind, she can come to Dugu Manor to find me at any time."

With that, he took his granddaughter and took his leave. Ye Zhilan did not press them to stay; she personally saw the grandfather and granddaughter out of the manor gates. She stood at the entrance for a long time, only slowly withdrawing her gaze once Dugu Bo's figure had disappeared at the end of the alley.

"Mother," Ye Lingling walked to her mother's side and asked softly, "what could those 'things' he mentioned be?"

Ye Zhilan did not answer, merely shaking her head slightly as she took her daughter's hand and turned back into the manor.

Half a month later, Fire Leopard Sect.

The mountain gate of the Fire Leopard Sect was situated within a volcanic cluster on the southwestern border of the Heaven Dou Empire. The crimson rock faces were covered in black patterns left behind by cooled lava, and the air was perpetually filled with the acrid scent of sulfur.

The disciples of the Fire Leopard Sect had long grown accustomed to this smell, even coming to believe that it was the scent of power. Their martial souls were mostly related to fire leopards, and for generations, they had been renowned for their fire control techniques and fire-attribute soul skills, making them a dominant force on the border of the Star Luo Empire.