Dugu Bo spoke with complete seriousness.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei were a little doubtful. They turned to Xu Xiao in unison.
"Big Brother, can this man really be trusted?"
Neither Yue Guan nor Gui Mei was a fool. They simply had unsociable personalities.
Xu Xiao smiled. If he didn't know what Dugu Bo was like, he definitely wouldn't have done this.
But this was Dugu Bo. He might be moody and proud, but he kept his word. That much made him trustworthy.
If it were anyone else, Xu Xiao would have killed him if he could, even knowing who he was. But Dugu Bo was different. Xu Xiao knew him inside and out, and naturally wanted to recruit such a talent.
"My two brothers don't trust you."
"If you can convince them that you truly want to follow us, I'll make good on my promise to you."
Xu Xiao put the matter directly in Dugu Bo's hands.
Dugu Bo froze for a moment. How could this guy treat his brothers so well?
After a brief hesitation, Dugu Bo gave a snort. "I, Dugu Bo, don't want to die, but I'm not afraid of dying, either."
"If you two insult me with your shallow judgment, you can kill me right now."
When had he, Dugu Bo, ever suffered such humiliation? He didn't want to die, but that didn't mean they could insult him.
There were no cowards in the Dugu Family!
Yue Guan and Gui Mei were stunned. Surely they couldn't actually kill the man.
After conferring, the two spoke up. "Hmph. We'll believe you for now. If you dare betray us, we'll hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
Dugu Bo ignored them and chuckled as he looked at the pair. He didn't care what Yue Guan and Gui Mei thought.
The only person whose opinion mattered to him was Xu Xiao's. In his eyes, Yue Guan and Gui Mei still had to listen to Xu Xiao, didn't they?
Xu Xiao was the one in charge.
"Enough. Since you've decided to follow us, Dugu Bo, I won't make things difficult for you."
"Second Brother, Third Brother, you can spar with him from now on, but no killing blows."
Xu Xiao gave them a warning, so Yue Guan and Dugu Bo wouldn't bicker every other moment.
In the original story, those two had never gotten along. But Dugu Bo couldn't beat Yue Guan. It seemed that even here, Dugu Bo still couldn't beat him.
No wonder Yue Guan had said he couldn't stand Dugu Bo when they first met.
So their feud hadn't started because Dugu Bo was being hunted after all.
Yue Guan glared at Dugu Bo. "Hmph. If Big Brother hadn't said anything, I'd want to beat you up every day."
Dugu Bo curled his lip. "You only win because of that thousand-year Soul Skill of yours."
Wait—Dugu Bo seemed to realize something. "Y-Your First Soul Ring is a thousand-year one?"
Only now did Dugu Bo react. He'd been too busy trying to survive to think about it earlier, and only now stared at Yue Guan in astonishment.
What a windfall! This was a real windfall!
Dugu Bo now truly believed that this Big Brother could help him deal with the poison in his Martial Soul.
Xu Xiao said, "You're not ready to know about that yet, Dugu Bo. Just know that if you follow us, we won't mistreat you."
"Dugu Bo, do you still have any family?"
Dugu Bo shook his head. "My father's dead, and my mother's dead too. You could say I have no family left at all. I'm pretty much on my own."
Xu Xiao asked, "You have a considerable fortune. Can you hold on to it?"
Dugu Bo gave a bitter laugh. If his father were still alive, he could have protected it. But now, he had nothing. On his own, it was only a matter of time before the Heaven Dou nobles devoured everything he owned.
"Go back, take your fortune, and come find us in Sunset Forest."
"From now on, you're one of our brothers."
Xu Xiao spoke calmly. Dugu Bo had no strength right now and couldn't protect his family's wealth. Better to let some of it go. He'd have plenty of chances to take it back later.
Dugu Bo stood frozen, hearing only that last sentence: You're one of our brothers.
Was I, Dugu Bo, no longer alone?
A smile spread across Dugu Bo's face before he realized it. "All right, Big Brother. I'll head back right now."
"There's nothing at home worth holding on to, anyway. I'd rather follow you, Big Brother."
Xu Xiao nodded. "Wait until your injuries have healed before you leave."
Dugu Bo understood poison. His family's Martial Soul poison had made him familiar with toxins from childhood. And anyone who understood poison also knew how to treat injuries.
Dugu Bo listed the medicinal herbs that would help him recover. Xu Xiao had Yue Guan stay behind while he went to look for the herbs with Gui Mei.
They returned before long.
Two days later, Dugu Bo had fully recovered and said goodbye to Xu Xiao and his two sworn brothers.
"Big Brother, after spending these past two days with him, I'd say Dugu Bo's worth getting to know, even if he's a little proud."
After watching Dugu Bo for two days, Gui Mei had changed his opinion of him considerably.
Yue Guan curled his lip. "Second Brother, he's nothing special. He's not as great as you say."
Yue Guan still couldn't stand Dugu Bo. "Big Brother, will Dugu Bo really come back?"
Xu Xiao only smiled.
"If it were someone else, I wouldn't be sure. But he's Dugu Bo. He's proud, but he keeps his word."
Gui Mei nodded in agreement. "Third Brother, Dugu Bo's actually not bad."
Yue Guan waved a hand. He had his own judgment; he simply didn't like the man.
Xu Xiao patted Yue Guan on the shoulder. "If you don't like him, just spend less time around him."
Xu Xiao wasn't about to force them to like Dugu Bo.
"Don't worry, Big Brother. I won't let my feelings get in the way of our plans."
"Let's go, Big Brother. We still haven't found that stronghold."
Yue Guan knew what mattered and rarely let personal feelings get in the way. He simply disliked Dugu Bo; he wouldn't let that affect their plans.
The three exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.
"We're sworn brothers. How could we let someone else come between us?"
"Let's go!"
The three set off once more in search of that hidden treasure.
A week later, Dugu Bo met up with Xu Xiao and his brothers in Sunset Forest.
"Well, look who it is. I thought you weren't coming back," Yue Guan teased.
"Hmph, you damned chrysanthemum! How about we fight, if you've got the guts?" Dugu Bo said scornfully. He figured that if he could dodge one of Yue Guan's Soul Skills, he might be able to turn the tables.
On the way back, he'd given it a lot of thought. If he were at full strength, he ought to be able to dodge one Soul Skill.
Then it would be his turn to strike back.
Yue Guan scoffed. "You've got plenty more years on me, but your Soul Power is only five levels higher. Someone like you isn't fit to spar with me."
"You!"
"Hmph. I'm not going to argue with a kid."
Dugu Bo gave a soft snort. It was true, but he really didn't want to admit it.
Xu Xiao and Gui Mei simply listened to the two bicker, making no move to stop them.
Having these jokers around made Xu Xiao's otherwise dull life a little more entertaining.
Perhaps it was because Dugu Bo had joined them, but that hidden treasure site really did seem fated to be found by him. In just one month, the four of them found it.
A steady stream of poisonous mist drifted out from outside.
"Big Brother, Gui Mei, Chrysanthemum, get back! Hurry!"
Dugu Bo cried out, sensing the faint traces of poison in the air.
Xu Xiao wasn't a fool, either. He led them back.
"Looks like we found it."