Poison-Infused Okra, Troubles Brought by Yu Xiaogang

Seven days had passed, and the seed sprouted once more.

A tender shoot emerged, wreathed in white light, and soon a small, elongated plant appeared in Fang Xuan's palm.

"What is this? An okra!"

As the plant formed, information automatically surfaced in his mind.

[Poison-Infused Okra (Spiked Okra): Edible. Consuming it grants the ability to infuse toxins. Soul skills cast will carry a neurotoxic agent capable of interfering with the target's internal Soul Power circulation. The potency is directly proportional to the quantity consumed and one's own Soul Power. (Consumption nourishes the yin and tonifies the kidneys, beautifying the skin and complexion.)]

"???!"

Something was wrong—this thing was very wrong!

What was this about nourishing the yin and tonifying the kidneys? He had just gotten married, and now this thing was being shoved at him; it was hard not to associate it with other matters.

To prove he had no need for such things, Fang Xuan absorbed the Poison-Infused Okra, replacing his fourth soul skill with it.

[Fourth Soul Skill: Mystic Spiked Poison Okra (Can manifest physical form)]

[Effect: All attacks gain the effects of consuming the Poison-Infused Okra. A shield of spikes manifests on the body; receiving an attack reflects damage and inflicts neurotoxic paralysis.]

It was a dual-form skill. Fang Xuan had possessed such skills before, so he wasn't particularly surprised.

Yet, looking at this skill, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being hunted down.

"Ahem, occasionally supplementing one's health doesn't seem so bad. After all, taking care of the body is a good thing."

At dusk, the kitchen was filled with the savory aroma of cooking. Fang Xuan looked at a plate of freshly stir-fried okra, sniffed it, and picked up a piece to put in his mouth.

A slimy, smooth sensation spread across his palate. The texture was as terrible as ever, though the taste was actually quite decent.

"The taste is fine. I'll let Lingling have a try later."

Watching the sun dip toward the horizon, Fang Xuan figured it was about time to go pick her up.

After finishing the okra on the plate, Fang Xuan stood up, ready to head out and bring Ye Lingling home.

At the gates of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Ye Lingling stood quietly beneath an old ginkgo tree.

The setting sun filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a layer of fragmented gold upon her.

She wore a simple white dress today, the hem embroidered with faint silver patterns. As she moved, the lines rippled like water, resembling moonlight shattered upon a lake.

Her dark hair was loosely pinned up with a white jade hairpin, and a few stray strands brushed against her cheeks in the evening breeze, making her face appear even more luminous and jade-like.

Her brows were slightly arched, and her amber eyes held a touch of gentleness.

A light breeze blew, and she raised a hand to tuck away the stray hair. Her sleeve slid down to reveal a slender wrist, adorned with a red string tied to a white jade bell the size of a grain of rice, yet it didn't make a single sound.

She stood there, her back straight yet not rigid, her neck as graceful as a swan's. With the sunset light hitting her from behind, she was enveloped in a soft golden halo, her robes fluttering—truly like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

Passing students stole glances at her in twos and threes, but no one dared to approach, likely aware that she was already a married woman.

Ye Lingling was completely oblivious to these gazes, her eyes lowered as she looked into the distance, as if waiting for someone.

The current Ye Lingling had undergone a tremendous transformation from the inside out. She was no longer as shy or aloof as before, and her temperament had become much more easygoing.

However, this flower was already spoken for; no matter how beautiful, it was not for others to covet.

Not to mention, this flower had been cultivated by the man himself.

"Why hasn't he come yet? He's so slow."

Dugu Yan leaned against a nearby tree trunk, grumbling with dissatisfaction.

Yu Tianheng stood guard beside her, his expression calm, as if he were long accustomed to this.

"I have to say, you've really changed since getting married. It's making me a bit uncomfortable."

This was the truth; Ye Lingling's change was so drastic it was as if she were a different person, leaving Dugu Yan feeling somewhat unadjusted.

"Then you should go get married too. He's already sent the betrothal gifts to your door, yet you're still keeping him hanging."

Ye Lingling found the situation between Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng quite strange. They had clearly accepted the betrothal gifts, and the most critical issue—the defect in their martial souls—seemed to have been resolved as well.

Yet, there was still no progress between them, leaving Ye Lingling completely bewildered. After all, she had no experience in such matters; she was a master of "taking the corner at high speed," and she wasn't on the same track as Dugu Yan.

"Who's keeping him hanging? It's his own family's business that isn't settled yet."

Dugu Yan felt incredibly helpless at these words, casting a resentful look at Yu Tianheng, which made him feel quite awkward.

"What's going on?"

Judging by Dugu Yan's tone, the problem didn't seem to lie with the two of them, but rather within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

"What else could it be? It's all thanks to this kid's second uncle."

"Second uncle?"

Ye Lingling was confused. What did the two of them have to do with Yu Tianheng's second uncle?

"Ever heard the name Yu Xiaogang?"

Ye Lingling shook her head. She didn't know much about the situation within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect; she knew far more about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"He's a famous figure, though not for a good reputation. He was famous back when we were still small, and he..."

It was not difficult to investigate Yu Xiaogang's affairs; Dugu Yan found what she needed with a simple search.

But she hadn't realized the extent of it until she looked; the findings were truly shocking.

"Academic plagiarism, hooking up with the Spirit Hall Saintess—the current Pope, Bibi Dong—in his younger years, then breaking up with her only to set his sights on his own cousin, nearly causing a scandal."

"That cousin is named Liu Erlong, right?"

Dugu Yan didn't remember clearly, so she turned to look at the slightly embarrassed Yu Tianheng beside her to confirm the answer.

Although Yu Tianheng's face was full of awkwardness, he could only nod helplessly.

After all, it was the truth; there was no point in him trying to hide it.

Having received her answer, Dugu Yan continued, appearing to have investigated quite thoroughly.

"His own martial soul isn't even a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. I heard it's a mutated soul—I forgot the specifics, but I heard it's obsessed with farting. It's pretty ridiculous regardless."

"On top of that, the guy is decades old and his Soul Power is still stuck at level 29. He's a complete waste."

"Of course, that's not even the most outrageous part. The most outrageous thing is that this man is his own uncle's son—Yu Yuanzhen's own flesh and blood."

"My grandfather used this to stir up trouble, saying their family bloodline has issues. What if I ended up giving birth to something like that in the future?"

"It made his grandfather so furious at the time that he nearly started a fight with my grandfather right then and there."

"..."

Ye Lingling fell silent after listening.

Wasn't this just deliberately looking for trouble? Yet, the concern wasn't entirely unreasonable; after all, Dugu Bo only had Dugu Yan as his sole descendant, so excessive worry was to be expected.

Of course, it was far more likely that the other party was just looking for a pretext to pick a fight.

Recalling the actions of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan on the day of her wedding, it seemed they were essentially copying someone else's homework.

One had to remember that Dugu Bo had used this exact tactic to build momentum for Fang Xuan back then.

Now that someone was using that same move against them, it would be a miracle if they didn't take offense.

In short... this didn't seem like something she could get involved in.

"So, what's the situation now?"

Just then, Fang Xuan's voice came from the side, giving the three of them a start.

"Seriously? How do you walk without making a sound? Would it kill you to give a heads-up?"

Startled, Dugu Yan immediately flared up, berating Fang Xuan for such immoral behavior.

"I didn't want to interrupt since you were so engrossed in your story. Besides, I walked over in plain sight; it's not my fault you didn't notice me."

Fang Xuan looked innocent. He had been standing there for a long time and had heard every word of Dugu Yan's complaints.

He felt like laughing. He never imagined that the affairs of the two of them would somehow get dragged into Yu Xiaogang's business.

However, it fit Dugu Bo's personality perfectly. He had been wondering where the old man had disappeared to these past few days.

So, he had angered Yu Yuanzhen so much that he had run off to hide.

Not paying much attention to Dugu Yan's reaction, he only wanted to take his wife home; after all, this matter had nothing to do with him.

But just as he took Ye Lingling's hand to leave, Yu Tianheng called out to him.

"Brother Fang Xuan, I know you have a sharp mind. Could you help me come up with an idea for this situation?"