"Friend, please come out and talk." Chen Xin amplified his voice with Soul Power, and his deep voice spread through the air.
An old man dressed in a green robe, his head full of white hair, flew out from the shadows and stopped at a distance. He cupped his hands toward Han Yu and the others. "So it's the esteemed Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. I'm Dugu Bo. My respects to both seniors."
"So it's the esteemed Poison Douluo. I'm Ning Fengzhi. I only acted as I did just now because I wished to meet you. I hope you'll forgive me." Ning Fengzhi stepped forward with a smile and gave a slight bow, his tone easygoing.
Ning Fengzhi had sent people to approach Dugu Bo back when he was a Soul Douluo, but Dugu Bo was cold by nature and had scorned the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's offer. He had even resorted to violence.
Now that they met again, Dugu Bo had become a Titled Douluo. Ning Fengzhi couldn't help feeling that it was a shame.
"Now you're joking, Sect Master Ning. I wouldn't dare. May I ask why your sect wished to see me?" A trace of scorn flashed through Dugu Bo's eyes as he asked with a smile plastered on his face.
Ning Fengzhi was at a loss for words. Why had they come? At first, perhaps they had only wanted to meet a Titled Douluo and see if they could recruit him. Now, naturally, it was for the herbs below, each one shimmering with precious light.
"Why waste your breath on him? He's just a newly minted Titled Douluo without a sect or school. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has claimed this herb garden. Get lost." Disgust showed on Gu Rong's face, and his voice brimmed with anger.
Among those sent to recruit Dugu Bo years ago had been a collateral relative of Gu Rong's. After the recruitment failed, Dugu Bo's poison arts damaged the man's foundation, leaving him stuck at the Soul King level for the rest of his life. He was miserable every day, his spirit broken.
Meanwhile, Dugu Bo had advanced to Titled Douluo. When old enemies met, their eyes burned red. Gu Rong looked down on this bully who preyed on the weak from the bottom of his heart, and his words crackled with hostility.
Han Yu raised an eyebrow and glanced over the Immortal Herbs below.
With two powerful Titled Douluo on their side, taking down Dugu Bo would be no problem at all, especially with Ning Fengzhi there to support them.
But if a fight broke out, there was no way the Immortal Herbs below would survive.
"You!... You two seniors behave like this, and you're not afraid the whole world will laugh at you?" Dugu Bo's face flushed red with anger, but he didn't dare talk back.
"Enough nonsense. Are you leaving, or dying?" Gu Rong's eyes brimmed with killing intent as he spoke in a low voice.
Dugu Bo's face darkened. His gaze shifted back and forth between Chen Xin and Gu Rong, and he began to consider retreating. He had only recently become a Titled Douluo; he was no match for veteran Titled Douluo.
Just then,
the poisonous miasma suddenly opened a passage on its own. A girl who looked about eighteen walked in with a cheerful smile, curiously studying the unfamiliar faces.
Whoosh—
A golden bolt of lightning flashed past.
"Yanyan!"
Dugu Bo cried out in alarm. He started to move, but Gu Rong and Chen Xin pinned him in place. All he could do was watch as Han Yu unleashed his Soul Skill.
Han Yu had already appeared behind the girl. The Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords crackled with violent Evil-Warding Divine Thunder, their blades a mere inch from her neck.
"Old man, this is your granddaughter, right? If you don't want her turned into a pile of charcoal, then surrender at once. I guarantee she won't lose a single hair." Han Yu kept his eyes fixed on Dugu Bo and spoke unhurriedly.
When Dugu Bo didn't respond, Han Yu gave a cold snort and sent several bolts of Evil-Warding Divine Thunder into the girl's body.
In the next instant, the girl trembled all over, her legs giving way. She could only stay upright with Han Yu's arm braced against her neck, pain filling her eyes.
"Stop!" Dugu Bo's face turned ashen, his voice full of unwillingness.
"Han Yu, well done. Let me put a few safeguards on him." A trace of satisfaction flashed through Gu Rong's eyes. He rubbed his hands together in the air and signaled to Chen Xin. "Give me a bit of your sword intent."
Chen Xin frowned slightly, clearly displeased with this approach. He sent out a few streams of his sword intent, then fell silent.
Gu Rong rubbed a ball of Soul Power into shape, laced with spatial fluctuations and sword intent.
With a broad smile, Gu Rong slowly merged it into Dugu Bo's head, then nodded in satisfaction.
This ball of Soul Power was extremely powerful. Detonating it would certainly kill Dugu Bo, and only Gu Rong and Chen Xin working together could dispel it. If anyone else's Soul Power touched it, it would explode.
It could only be planted if the Soul Master offered no resistance at all.
"Hmph. Your sect's hospitality is certainly unique. Now release my granddaughter." Dugu Bo was seething with frustration as he spoke sarcastically.
He knew they wouldn't kill him. As a Titled Douluo, he was certainly worth recruiting for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but he simply couldn't swallow his anger.
He could accept submitting to a sect, and he'd already been considering it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent his granddaughter to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to spend time with that Yu Tianheng. But he simply couldn't accept being forced into it in such a humiliating way.
Gu Rong laughed heartily, not the least bit angered. No matter how talented his collateral relative's descendant was, his future strength could never compare to that of a Titled Douluo. This meant the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect now had three Titled Douluo.
Han Yu let out a sigh of relief and withdrew all the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder.
The girl trembled along with it, then collapsed limply into Han Yu's arms.
"Han Yu, don't do this again." Chen Xin gave a soft snort. His face was rather grim, and his voice carried a hint of anger.
"Yes, Teacher." Han Yu shivered and scratched his head sheepishly.
Seeing this, Gu Rong smiled and patted Chen Xin on the shoulder. He turned to Han Yu and said, "Han Yu, come meet Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. He'll be serving as an honored elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect from now on."
Han Yu nodded and glanced at Gu Rong with admiration.
He'd been threatening to kill him just moments ago, but the instant he planted that restriction, he'd changed his tune.
"Greetings, Poison Douluo. I'm Han Yu, Holy Son of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect." Han Yu gave him all the courtesy due from a junior.
"Hmph, you, a Holy Son? What a joke." Dugu Bo was so angry his beard bristled.
"I only did it because I was forced by the circumstances, Poison Douluo. Don't worry, I didn't hurt your granddaughter. I only put her to sleep." Han Yu shook his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and pointed toward the girl Ning Rongrong was supporting.
Dugu Bo, having recognized the situation, gave Han Yu a long look. As if resigning himself to his fate, he sighed, laid Dugu Yan flat on the ground, fed her a few pills, and examined her injuries.
Gu Rong walked over to Chen Xin, a mysterious look on his face and a trace of excitement in his voice. "All right, you old fossil. Why are you sulking? Listen, Han Yu has done a great service.
"These herbs are definitely no ordinary plants. If Han Yu hadn't stepped in, would you have been able to protect them once the fighting started?"
"Herbs?" Chen Xin turned his head in confusion and studied them carefully.
Knowing nothing about herbs, he could only tell that most of them were extremely old. He hadn't realized they were so important.
"Wait here. I'm going to Heaven Dou City to find a friend's descendant. Their family has practiced medicine for generations; they might have old books that record these herbs." Gu Rong was clearly excited. He didn't explain further to Chen Xin, but summoned a black hole and left.