On the way back, Dugu Bo rode a tamed flying Soul Beast, a Jade Scale Eagle with a wingspan of over five meters. It carried Dugu Ce, Yu Tianlong, and Yu Xiaogang toward Heaven Dou City.
Dugu Ce's injuries had yet to heal. He leaned against the soft cushions his father had laid out for him and slept soundly. Yu Xiaogang huddled in a corner the entire way, hugging his knees and saying nothing. No one knew what was going through his mind.
Yu Tianlong sat on the eagle's back, looking down at the mountains and rivers rushing past below as he planned his next steps.
About half a day later, the Jade Scale Eagle landed outside the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's residence.
As soon as Yu Xiaogang touched down, he didn't even stop to say goodbye. Head lowered, he hurried toward the family gates, as though some terrible beast were chasing him.
His back was stiff and lonely, radiating a coldness that kept everyone at arm's length.
"That boy's got quite a temper." Dugu Bo watched him go and gave a mocking laugh. Then he turned to Yu Tianlong. "What about you, young friend? Going home, or..."
"Senior Dugu," Yu Tianlong smoothly picked up the conversation, a harmless smile appearing on his face.
"This junior has an impertinent request. After Little Silver absorbed the poison in your son's body just now, it seemed to still be hungry for more. I'm bold enough to ask if I might accompany you back to your residence and impose on you for a few days. That way, Little Silver can continue helping your son regulate the residual poison in his body, and, besides... I've always been curious about the art of poison. I'd like to ask you to teach me a thing or two."
At this, Dugu Bo paused in surprise, then threw his head back and laughed.
"Not bad, kid! You've got guts! When other people hear the name Dugu Bo, they run for the hills. But you, you're actually asking to come to my house! Aren't you afraid I'll poison you into a toad?"
"If you wanted to harm me, you wouldn't have agreed to the clan leader's request in the Star Dou Forest." Yu Tianlong replied with a smiling face, unafraid in the slightest.
A hint of admiration flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes. This kid was not only talented and courageous, but sharp, too. He spoke and acted with perfect tact. Though he clearly wanted something, he still managed to put it in a way that made people comfortable.
He had lived more than half his life and met plenty of so-called "geniuses." They were either arrogant and conceited, or timid as mice, afraid to take a step.
There weren't many like Yu Tianlong, who had both ability and the sense to read the situation.
"Good! Since you've called me Senior, I can't be stingy. Come, back to my residence with me. I'll show you what the true art of poison is!"
Dugu Bo waved his hand and rode the Jade Scale Eagle into the sky once more, heading toward Heaven Dou City.
Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, was far more prosperous than Blue Lightning City, home of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Shops lined the wide streets, and pedestrians jostled shoulder to shoulder. Vendors' cries and hawkers' calls rang out without end.
Dugu Bo's residence stood in a relatively quiet part of the city's western district. The grounds were spacious, but the estate made no show of its wealth: gray walls, dark tiles, and two stone lions before the gates. It was hardly different from the home of any wealthy family.
Yet once he stepped inside, Yu Tianlong finally understood what a "Poison Douluo's" residence was really like.
A faint, indescribable scent hung in the air. It was something like the fragrance of flowers, or medicinal herbs, but if you paid close attention, you could detect a trace of sickly sweetness beneath it.
The flowers and trees planted in the courtyard were all more vivid in color than ordinary plants: roses red as blood, vines so darkly purple they were nearly black, and shrubs whose leaves were covered in strange patterns... Every one of them was deadly poisonous.
The pond water was a clear jade green, and several strangely alluring lotuses floated on its surface. Fine, backward-pointing barbs covered their stems.
"Have a look around if you want, just don't touch anything. If you die, that's on you." Dugu Bo waved a hand casually, as if he were simply telling him to watch his step. "I'm not responsible."
Yu Tianlong: "..." He suddenly felt that this Senior's way of speaking was poisonous in its own right.
Dugu Bo first settled the unconscious Dugu Ce, then personally helped him recover with his inner energy for an hour. Only after confirming that the residual poison in his son's body had been completely cleared and his injuries were stable did he finally breathe a sigh of relief and go to the sitting room to entertain Yu Tianlong.
The sitting room was much more ordinary. It had redwood tables and chairs, and several landscape paintings hung on the walls. It looked no different from the home of a family of scholars.
Dugu Bo took the seat of honor and gestured for Yu Tianlong to make himself comfortable, then instructed the servants to bring tea and refreshments.
"Try this tea, young Tianlong. It's nothing rare, but it's a local specialty I brought back from the south. You can't get it anywhere else." Dugu Bo lifted his teacup, blew away the foam, and took a sip.
Yu Tianlong picked up his cup as instructed. The tea was a clear amber color, with a delicate fragrance, a mellow taste, and a lingering finish. He took a sip and praised it. "Excellent tea."
"You've got a discerning palate, kid." Dugu Bo set down his cup and studied him with a mix of scrutiny and curiosity.
"Tell me, what do you really want by coming back with me? Don't use 'helping Ce'er regulate his condition' as an excuse. I can handle that little bit of residual poison myself. There's no need to bring your little Silver beast into it."
Yu Tianlong's heart tightened. He knew he couldn't fool this old hand. But he hadn't intended to hide everything; he just needed a reasonable way to bring it up.
He set down his teacup and answered seriously, "Senior, you see through everything. This junior does have another request."
"Oh?" Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow, signaling for him to go on.
"You've already seen my Silver Luo San Pao. It can absorb all kinds of elemental energy to strengthen itself, including poison. But ordinary elemental energy can only do so much for it.
"I've heard there are places in the world where the power of the elements gathers in its most extreme form. If Little Silver could cultivate in one of them for a while, it would surely benefit greatly."
At this point, Yu Tianlong paused and looked at Dugu Bo earnestly. "Senior, you're widely traveled and knowledgeable. Have you ever heard of such a place?"
He didn't say the name "Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well" outright. Instead, he chose a more tactful approach, letting Dugu Bo name it himself.
Dugu Bo's hand paused slightly around his teacup, and a flicker of something difficult to discern crossed his eyes.
"Extreme elements... a treasured place..." He murmured the words, his gaze turning distant, as though he'd been drawn into some memory.
The sitting room fell silent for a moment.
Yu Tianlong's heart leapt into his throat. He knew his gamble had paid off.
Dugu Bo definitely knew about the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well! And judging by his reaction, he had probably been there already—and might even have made it his own secret territory!
After a long while, Dugu Bo set down his teacup and gave Yu Tianlong a long look before speaking slowly. "You... You've certainly asked about something with a bit of history."
Yu Tianlong was overjoyed, but kept it off his face. He simply waited quietly for what came next.