The Unlucky One

Dugu Bo had really picked the winning side! Say what you will, but as the weakest Titled Douluo in the original story, nobody could beat him when it came to choosing sides!

In Spirit City's Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu sat in his usual spot at the very back, meditating with his eyes closed.

The other worshippers sat on either side of him, imitating him with their eyes closed.

Just then, someone pushed open the door, rousing all the half-asleep worshippers.

Qian Daoliu looked up and saw that it was Snake Lance Douluo, whom he had sent to protect Qian Renxue.

"Snake Lance, why aren't you staying by Xue'er's side? What are you doing back at the Worship Hall? Don't tell me something happened to her!"

At his words, Snake Lance Douluo immediately shook his head and replied,

"Reporting to the Grand Elder, the young mistress is fine. She asked me to deliver this letter and this bag of Gold Soul Coins to you."

As he spoke, he took the two items from his sleeve and respectfully handed them to Qian Daoliu.

Hearing that Qian Renxue was unharmed, Qian Daoliu breathed a sigh of relief and accepted the letter and the Gold Soul Coins.

The letter read: Grandpa, I stole this bag of Gold Soul Coins from someone who was swindling money from commoners. I hope you can return the coins to their rightful owner.

Qian Daoliu nodded and murmured,

"Xue'er really has grown up. She's already thinking about the common people."

At the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo's family knelt respectfully before Chen Qi and the others. They had sworn to follow Chen Qi to the death.

Young Dugu Yan knelt beside her father, Dugu Xin, utterly confused. She couldn't understand why her grandfather, who had recently refused Xue Ye's invitation to enter the palace, had suddenly decided to make a handsome older brother his master.

Watching Dugu Yan look around at everything, Qian Renxue couldn't explain why, but she felt a sense of wariness rising in her.

She looked at Chen Qi and pulled him aside.

"Chen Qi, I think Dugu Bo's family has ulterior motives for wanting to follow you. Especially that little girl—I can tell at a glance she's got no good intentions."

If you're going to be possessive, then just single out Dugu Yan. Why drag Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin into it? They were innocent bystanders.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

He waved his hand, went over to Dugu Bo, and pulled him to his feet.

"Stop making your whole family kneel. I can't accept this."

"This is how I show my loyalty to you. If you don't accept us, we'll keep kneeling."

With that, he knelt even more fervently. Watching him, Chen Qi wondered if he had some kind of peculiar fetish.

If you knew him, you'd recognize him as Dugu Bo. If you didn't, you'd think he was Tai Tan, the Strength Clan's leader.

He'd fawned over Tang Hao until he'd forgotten the world existed. He was one step away from lying in bed waiting for Tang Hao.

"I never said I wouldn't accept you. I'm just worried about your strength."

At Chen Qi's words, Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin understood at once and spoke together.

"I, Dugu Bo (Xin), swear by my Martial Soul that I will never betray my master, Chen Qi!"

Swearing by one's Martial Soul was equivalent to swearing on the Heavenly Dao in other fantasy novels. Anyone who broke such an oath would have their soul and spirit annihilated.

"Good. I'll accept you as my subordinates."

"Thank you, Master!"

Chen Qi smiled. Now this was what it meant to be the protagonist! For the past few years, he'd been following Qian Renxue around. He hadn't just been unable to show off—he'd even lost his freedom.

Fortunately, Qian Renxue wasn't too much of a spoiled young lady. If it had been Ning Rongrong, he'd have been dead as a doornail by now.

"Hehe, Chen Qi's men are my men. From now on, you'll all follow me, Qian Renxue!"

Qian Renxue spoke up. As Chen Qi's master, it went without saying that his Martial Soul's subordinates belonged to her too.

Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin froze for a moment, then remembered that Chen Qi seemed to have called Qian Renxue his master.

The two of them bowed to her.

"Greetings, M-Master."

"Hehe, good boys. Chen Qi, you really do think of me. You knew I was short on people, so you specially found these two to be my subordinates."

In an instant, Qian Renxue stole all the attention from Chen Qi. His teeth ground together, but he didn't dare say a word.

If he really did anything, Sima's system would surely turn back time and make him go through it all again.

Looks like the system was the one who belonged to Qian Renxue.

"That's right, Master. I've devoted myself to you, ready to work myself to the bone and die for you."

Chen Qi practically ground the words out through clenched teeth. One day, when he was no longer constrained by his Martial Soul, he'd have to teach Qian Renxue a proper lesson.

He'd make her understand who was really in charge.

After taking Dugu Bo's family as his subordinates, it was time to get down to business. He couldn't leave all these Immortal Herbs as mere decorations.

He looked at the two Immortal Herbs closest to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, one blue and one red. They were the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot, which in the original story could grant immunity to ice and fire.

"Master, take that blue plant and that red plant at the same time. Once you've eaten them, jump straight into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."

Hearing Chen Qi's words, Dugu Bo froze. Those two plants were the most terrifying in the entire garden. Forget eating them—even getting close to them brought either bone-deep cold or unbearable heat.

And he wanted her to jump into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? She wouldn't even have a body left to bury.

But since Chen Qi had said it, Dugu Bo was only a subordinate. He had no choice but to tell Qian Renxue to fend for herself.

Qian Renxue looked puzzled.

"Chen Qi, didn't you say all the plants here were poisonous?"

"That's why I told you to take them at the same time. The cold and heat will cancel each other out, then you jump into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to help your body absorb them."

Qian Renxue nodded. That did sound reasonable.

Watching the two plants and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Pufferfish Douluo thought that if Qian Renxue really went through with it, she'd have only the slimmest chance of survival.

"Young Mistress, you absolutely mustn't! These two herbs are incredibly potent. Taking them will torture a person to death! And this lake—I wouldn't dare try going in myself. If you jump in, not even your bones will be left!"

"Uncle Pufferfish, it's all right. Chen Qi is my Martial Soul. How could he hurt me? If something happened to me, he wouldn't escape death either, so don't worry."

As she spoke, she walked over to the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot. Even just standing near them, she could feel both scorching heat and bitter cold.

"Chen Qi, do I really have to eat them?"

Qian Renxue was a little afraid. It was hard to imagine what would happen to her body after she took them.

"Aw, it's fine. Trust me—my method can't go wrong. Once you absorb them, you'll be immune to both cold and fire."

Chen Qi gently reassured her, then walked over to the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot. To his surprise, he didn't feel particularly cold or hot.

Could it have something to do with him being a Martial Soul?

Chen Qi scratched his head. He felt like he could even pick up the two Immortal Herbs with his bare hands.

He decided to just do it. Without another thought, Chen Qi grabbed the stems of both plants. There was none of the heat or cold he'd expected; they felt gentle, and he could hardly feel anything at all.

"Master, open your mouth. After you eat these two Immortal Herbs, don't hesitate—jump straight into the lake. If you delay even a second, your life will be in danger."