Dugu Bo flashed away, vanishing from where he stood.
When he appeared again, he was already concealed in the poisonous mist, secretly watching to see who had intruded.
But the instant he made out the newcomers, his nerves tightened!
The golden-armored Yue Guan and the shadow-like, elusive Gui Mei were none other than Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo of Spirit Hall?
"What are those two doing here? Did they come looking for me? But how did they know I was hiding here?"
Dugu Bo was on high alert!
His strength ranked near the bottom among the Titled Douluo, while the two Douluo before him were each stronger than he was—and they also possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill renowned across the continent.
If those two had truly come for him, he knew he'd be in grave danger!
Just then, Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice rang out. "Since you've discovered us, hurry up and show yourself. Hiding away like that—are you scared?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo had obviously spotted Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo's heart tightened, and green light flashed in his eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he still chose to reveal himself.
He kept a safe distance from Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, fixing them with an unfriendly gaze. "Yue Guan, Gui Mei, my Spirit Hall and I have always kept to our own sides of the river. You've brought people to force your way into my home today. What exactly do you mean by this?"
Yue Guan didn't answer. Instead, he said in a surprised tone, "So you really were hiding here. I always wondered why we couldn't find you after you ran off."
Dugu Bo's expression changed. "What do you mean?"
He remained wary. Did they really come for me?
Yue Guan smiled with effeminate charm, then said, "Don't be nervous. We didn't come for you this time. As long as you cooperate and let us complete our task, we guarantee we won't do anything to you."
A task?
Dugu Bo looked toward Su Ming and Hu Liena.
He'd heard that Spirit Hall had four members in its Golden Generation. These two were presumably two of them.
Yue Guan had just mentioned a task. Could it have something to do with those two?
Sure enough, as Yue Guan finished speaking, Su Ming stepped forward.
Looking at Dugu Bo, Su Ming spoke politely. "Poison Douluo senior, we didn't come here today to start a conflict with you. We heard you have a treasured place here where all kinds of strange medicinal herbs grow. For certain reasons, we need to pick a few."
"Of course, we won't take them for free. Whatever you ask for, we'll do our best to provide."
At Su Ming's words, Dugu Bo was first surprised.
How did this boy know he had such a treasured place?
Even Yan Yan didn't know much about it.
And from his tone, he even knew what medicinal herbs grew there.
Could this boy have been here before?
But if he really had, Dugu Bo would surely have noticed him.
Dugu Bo stared into Su Ming's eyes, as if trying to discern something.
But Su Ming's gaze was calm and steady. Even with all his experience reading people, Dugu Bo couldn't spot a thing.
"You've come to the wrong place. I don't have any treasured place here, let alone any medicinal herbs." Dugu Bo chose to feign ignorance.
That place was his absolute secret. He would never let outsiders enter at will—especially people from Spirit Hall!
"You filthy loach, don't push your luck—"
Yue Guan was about to use force, but Su Ming raised a hand to stop him.
Su Ming said, "Poison Douluo senior, the fact that we came here proves we know this place exists."
"As far as I know, you understand very little about the herbs growing there. Rather than guard a treasure you don't know how to use, why not trade some of it for something useful? For example... your granddaughter's life?"
At that, Dugu Bo's aura instantly tensed. "What have you done to Yan Yan? I'm warning you, if you dare hurt her, I'll kill you even if it costs me my life!"
Su Ming gestured for Dugu Bo to calm down. "Don't worry. We haven't done anything to Dugu Yan. I'm simply telling you that I can cure the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison in your granddaughter's Martial Soul."
"You... who exactly are you?" For the first time, Dugu Bo's gaze at Su Ming held a trace of fear!
Not only did he know about the treasured place, he also knew about the flaw caused by the Jade Phosphorous Serpent's poison—and exactly how to eliminate it!
How long had this Spirit Hall fellow been secretly investigating him?
Su Ming continued, "You have two choices. First, I cure your granddaughter's poison, and you let us in."
"Second, we beat you up, then go in anyway."
"You can think it over carefully."
After speaking, Su Ming checked the time, as if he were counting down.
Dugu Bo watched Su Ming and the others with a dark expression. He knew there was no peaceful way out of this today.
These people had clearly come well prepared. They even had a way to deal with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison that had left him utterly helpless.
If he didn't let them in today, he'd surely get a thorough beating!
Dugu Bo's gaze kept wandering over Su Ming. Along with his unwillingness, a trace of shock showed on his face.
This Spirit Hall fellow had prepared both a stick and a carrot. He'd clearly planned from the start to keep Dugu Bo in his grasp!
Suddenly, Su Ming looked at Dugu Bo. "Time's up, Poison Douluo senior. Have you made your choice?"
Su Ming's voice remained gentle and calm, but the calmer it was, the more menacing it felt!
Beside him, the nine Soul Rings at the feet of Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo began to spread. They released their immense Soul Power at the same time, their auras locking firmly onto Dugu Bo.
At a single command from Su Ming, they would charge Dugu Bo without hesitation!
Cold sweat beaded on Dugu Bo's forehead.
He knew he had no choice today. "Spirit Hall is too powerful. I admit defeat. Take whatever medicinal herbs you want from the treasured place!"
With that, Dugu Bo stepped aside, clearing the way ahead!
Su Ming smiled faintly and moved forward with Chrysanthemum Douluo.
As he passed Dugu Bo, he said, "Don't worry. I'll cure your granddaughter's poison. I'm not lying to you."
Dugu Bo merely fixed him with a cold stare and said nothing.
But in his heart, he found himself trusting the boy a little, for reasons he couldn't explain.
If a few medicinal herbs really could buy a way to cure the poison, then it wasn't impossible to accept.
After all, Su Ming was right about one thing: he guarded a treasure without knowing how to use it.
As for Su Ming, he hadn't been surprised by Dugu Bo's concession at all.
With a cure for his granddaughter's poison as bait, and the overwhelming power of Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo behind him, Dugu Bo had no leverage to bargain.
Hu Liena followed behind Su Ming, her beautiful eyes fixed on his back.
That brief moment had been the first time in a long while she'd seen Su Ming like this.
Calm in the face of danger, with everything under control.
He had the air of a true powerhouse.
She'd only ever seen that kind of bearing in her own teacher.
She couldn't help wondering: how had Su Ming grown up?
Why, at the same age as everyone else, did he always seem so much more mature?