Dugu Yan was still holding the fox mask. Her eyes suddenly went blank for a moment.
An alternate space unfolded.
Inside a simply furnished study.
The bookshelves were filled with thread-bound volumes. A pot of tea sat on the desk, steam curling into the air. Beyond the window stretched a bamboo grove. The wind stirred the leaves, making them rustle.
Dugu Yan stood in the middle of the study, looking around in confusion.
Qin Chuan sat behind the desk like an old friend who had been waiting for her. He nodded. "Dugu Yan, sit down."
"Okay." Dugu Yan obediently pulled out a chair and sat, placing her hands on her knees.
Her mental defenses were practically nonexistent. A Soul Master in her twenties, with the Jade Phosphorus Serpent Martial Soul, which specialized in poison, naturally had weak spiritual power. On top of that, Qin Chuan's Shadow Hypnosis worked best at close range. Dugu Yan had no chance to resist.
Qin Chuan spoke, unhurried, each word carrying the penetrating force of a mental command. "Dugu Yan, from today onward, I, Qin Chuan, am your closest classmate."
"Qin Chuan... my closest classmate." Dugu Yan repeated after him, her voice soft.
"I can cure the poison affecting you and your grandfather, but we'll need to go to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well for secluded cultivation."
"Cure the poison... Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well... secluded cultivation..."
A memory appeared out of nowhere in Dugu Yan's mind.
In this memory, she and Qin Chuan had been close school friends since childhood. Qin Chuan was exceptionally talented, possessing a rare Heavenly Dao Martial Soul with the miraculous ability to purify poison. Once, he had helped ease one of her poison outbreaks after an accident, and from then on, she had trusted his abilities completely.
These memories seemed to have been carefully woven into her life, fitting perfectly with her existing experiences, without a single flaw.
"Good." Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction.
He didn't add any more instructions. With Dugu Yan, he didn't need to implant emotional control as he had with Xiao Wu and Rongrong. He only needed a guide, a key to unlock the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
The dream faded.
In reality, Dugu Yan blinked.
She was still holding the fox mask, in exactly the same position as before.
Then her gaze swept across the crowd nearby, landing at once on Qin Chuan, who stood three steps away.
A huge smile spread across Dugu Yan's face. She set the mask down on the stall and trotted over. "Wow, Qin Chuan! I can't believe I ran into you here. What a coincidence!"
Qin Chuan put on a suitably surprised expression. "Yeah, what a coincidence. Are you here to browse the market too?"
"Yeah, yeah! I come out for a stroll every few days. If I stay cooped up at home, I'll start growing mold." Dugu Yan grinned and raised the pile of things she had bought. "Look, I got so much stuff."
Qin Chuan glanced at the jumble of trinkets and nodded along. "Your taste is still the same as ever."
"What's that supposed to mean? I have great taste, okay?" Dugu Yan pouted, then changed the subject. "By the way, you said you could cure our poison?"
That was the implanted memory at work.
Qin Chuan's expression turned serious, and he nodded. "However, on the condition that..."
Before he could finish, Dugu Yan cut him off. "All right, I understand. Come on, I'll take you to meet my grandfather."
Qin Chuan chuckled to himself.
[This is way too easy. The implanted memories were perfect. She didn't even hesitate.]
"Okay, then I'll have to trouble you." Qin Chuan nodded.
Dugu Yan shoved the things in her hands into Qin Chuan's arms. "Hold these for me. It's easier to walk when both my hands are free."
Qin Chuan looked down at the roasted chestnuts, wind chimes, and clay figurines in his arms, and smiled helplessly.
Dugu Yan walked ahead, the green hem of her skirt swinging between her legs, her long hair swaying across her back with every step. As she walked, she kept turning to talk to Qin Chuan, an carefree smile on her face.
"Grandfather's health has gotten worse lately. His poison outbreaks are happening more and more often."
"I know. The Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison is eating away at his meridians. The longer it goes on, the more severe the outbreaks become. But don't worry. Give me enough time, and I'll definitely help you."
"I believe you," Dugu Yan said without hesitation.
They crossed several streets and returned to the estate with the vermilion gates in the north of the city.
Dugu Yan pushed open the gate and stepped aside to let Qin Chuan in. "Come on in."
The moment Qin Chuan crossed the threshold, the pale green poisonous miasma brushed past him.
An ordinary person would have felt dizzy and nauseous, but the Heavenly Dao Power within Qin Chuan began circulating on its own, dispelling the faint poison without a trace.
He didn't feel the slightest discomfort.
[The Heavenly Dao Power really can counter the Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison. I can demonstrate that in front of Dugu Bo later to make my case more convincing.]
The courtyard was small but neatly kept.
Bluestone paved the ground, and a few carefully pruned dwarf pines stood on either side. Directly opposite the gate was a quaint main hall.
Dugu Yan called loudly toward the inside. "Grandfather! Grandfather, come out for a moment! Someone's here to see you!"
An elderly man with a tall, thin frame walked out of the main hall.
His face was ashen, and he wore a shabby gray robe. The oversized garment hung on his bony frame like it was draped over a coat rack.
But Qin Chuan knew that beneath this decrepit exterior lay the terrifying might of a ninety-second-level Titled Douluo.
Even with most of his body now ravaged by poison, he could crush most Soul Masters with a single finger.
Dugu Bo came out and swept his murky gaze over Qin Chuan, his brow furrowing slightly. "Yan'er, who is this?"
"Grandfather, this is my classmate, Qin Chuan." Dugu Yan ran to Dugu Bo's side and took his arm. "The one I told you about, the really impressive one."
Dugu Bo's brow furrowed even deeper.
He didn't remember his granddaughter mentioning anyone like this. But Dugu Yan looked completely familiar with Qin Chuan, and she didn't seem to be lying.
[Could my memory be getting worse because of all these frequent poison outbreaks?]
Dugu Bo suppressed his doubts and nodded at Qin Chuan. "Young man, have a seat. Yan'er's friend is my guest."
"Thank you, senior." Qin Chuan bowed respectfully and followed him into the main hall.
The three of them sat down in the hall, and Dugu Yan went to pour three cups of tea. She brought them over.
She handed one cup to Qin Chuan, then leaned close to Dugu Bo's ear and whispered, "Grandfather, I told Qin Chuan everything about our family. He says he can help cure our poison."
Dugu Bo's hand paused as he held his teacup.
He slowly set it down and looked up. At last, a sharp glint appeared in his murky old eyes. "Young friend Qin Chuan, is that true?"
Qin Chuan set down his teacup, his expression calm. "Senior, I can't guarantee a complete cure, but I'm confident I can slow the poison's spread and extend your life."
Dugu Bo said nothing, simply staring intently at Qin Chuan.
The silence lasted several seconds.
The air in the hall suddenly grew heavy.
Qin Chuan felt an invisible pressure spreading from across the room. The Titled Douluo was testing him, sweeping him with his spiritual power.