Returning to the Icefire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo Lying in Wait

Dugu Yan stood off to the side with her arms crossed. Though she still had faith in Yu Tianheng, the thought of Meng Chen's absurd Soul Ring configuration kept her from chiming in.

Yu Feng, however, leaned close to Yu Tianheng and quietly reminded him, "Brother Tianheng, let me know before you challenge him next time so I can bet on Meng Chen in advance."

"Get lost!"

Yu Tianheng raised his foot to kick him, but Yu Feng had been prepared and swiftly ducked behind Osler.

As everyone joked around, Ye Lingling walked up to Meng Chen and took the initiative to greet him.

"Meng Chen, congratulations on breaking through to Soul Ancestor."

Meng Chen turned to her with a smile. "Sister Ling Ling, long time no see."

The way he called her Sister Ling Ling was perfectly natural, but Ye Lingling froze for a moment.

Six years ago, her mother had intended to adopt Meng Chen. Had that succeeded, he truly would have called her sister.

Although the two had missed six years of growing up together, she did not dislike that form of address.

"Mother already knows that you've broken through to Soul Ancestor."

"She asked me to ask whether you have time to visit our home tomorrow. You can also check whether any pages are missing from those medical texts."

Without giving it much thought, Meng Chen agreed directly.

"Alright. I'll come by tomorrow morning."

Ye Lingling nodded and arranged a time with Meng Chen.

However, after listening to their conversation from the side, Dugu Yan felt that things were not so simple.

Ye Cixin had not invited him sooner or later, but had chosen to invite Meng Chen to the Ye Residence right after he broke through to Soul Ancestor. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed like she was trying to get to him first.

But with so many people around, she did not press the matter. She merely planned to interrogate Ye Lingling after they returned.

After parting ways with Yu Tianheng and the others, Meng Chen returned to the dormitory building, only to find that Xiao Wu had not yet gone to sleep.

Though it was already late, she sat in the living room hugging the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, with a meal she had saved for Meng Chen placed on the table.

When she saw Meng Chen push open the door and enter, Xiao Wu smiled and immediately rose to greet him.

"A-Chen, what did that crown prince want to talk to you about? Why are you back so late?"

"He wanted to recruit me and offered me some resource channels, but I didn't agree to join the royal family."

Meng Chen briefly recounted what had happened that night, then mentioned his visit to the Ye Residence the next day.

The moment Xiao Wu heard that Ye Lingling had personally invited Meng Chen, she immediately wrapped her arms tightly around his.

"I'm going too."

"The last time you went to the Ye Residence alone, you weren't quite right after you came back. This time, I'm coming with you."

Meng Chen recalled Ye Cixin's excessively enthusiastic hospitality.

If he really went alone again, he might not be able to handle it. Bringing Xiao Wu would be safer.

Meng Chen pinched Xiao Wu's cheek. "Alright, I'll take you with me tomorrow."

"But Auntie Ye only invited me to look through medical texts. You're not allowed to cause trouble."

"I wouldn't cause trouble."

Xiao Wu released his arm in satisfaction, then urged Meng Chen to eat.

By the time Xiao Wu returned to her room to rest, night had completely blanketed the academy.

Meng Chen did not go to sleep. Instead, he went to the study and recopied several precious medicinal herbs recorded in the Ye Family's medical texts.

Although he had already taken the immortal herbs from the Icefire Yin Yang Well, there were still many medicinal herbs there that were difficult to find elsewhere.

Moreover, Ye Xishui planned to set up a soul tool array around the Icefire Yin Yang Well and turn it into a secret research site.

This could not be delayed for too long. Otherwise, if Dugu Bo strengthened his defenses, entering the herb garden would only become more troublesome.

Meng Chen put away the list of medicinal herbs. "Auntie Ye, let's go."

Scarlet light lit up the study, and Ye Xishui appeared.

Meng Chen said to Ye Xishui, "It has been some time since Dugu Bo discovered that his medicinal herbs were stolen. If that old poisoner isn't foolish, he'll most likely be guarding the herb garden tonight. I'll have to trouble you then, Auntie Ye."

Ye Xishui nodded, and the power of space enveloped them both.

Scarlet light flashed. Meng Chen felt the world spin around him, and before long, they had traveled from Heaven Dou Royal Academy to the skies above Sunset Forest.

They did not descend directly into the Icefire Yin Yang Well, instead stopping outside the mountain hollow.

Though everything below appeared no different from before, Meng Chen soon noticed a faint fishy sweetness mixed into the sulfurous smell in the air.

Poison!

Once someone intruded, the poisonous mist would spread along the hot air and seal off the entire mountain hollow.

"Looks like Dugu Bo really is waiting for us."

A sharp gleam flashed in Meng Chen's eyes.

He took out the Aromatic Silk Beauty. A layer of anti-poison radiance enveloped him and Ye Xishui, keeping the surrounding toxins at bay.

Ye Xishui looked toward the rock wall on the right side of the mountain hollow. Though there was no Soul Power fluctuation there, she had long sensed a figure concealing his aura.

"That old poisoner is hiding by the rock wall on the right. Do you want me to drag him out?"

"Not yet."

Meng Chen did not expose Dugu Bo. Instead, he and Ye Xishui descended directly into the herb garden.

The instant their feet touched the ground, the poison array around them activated.

Thick green poisonous mist poured from cracks in the mountain walls, then sealed the exit overhead. Even the vapor from the Icefire Yin Yang Well was dyed green.

Yet whenever the poisonous mist came within thirty feet of the Aromatic Silk Beauty, it retreated to both sides on its own.

Meng Chen looked around and found that Dugu Bo had marked the spots where the immortal herbs had been picked last time.

Several bait herbs had also been placed beside the soil, clearly intended to confirm whether the intruder would continue harvesting.

"Poison Douluo, after waiting so long, aren't you going to come out and meet us?"

Meng Chen's voice echoed through the herb garden, but there was still no movement from the rock wall on the right.

However, a few breaths later, a venomous python crawled from a crack in the rocks, bared its fangs, and lunged at the back of Meng Chen's neck.

Meng Chen did not turn around. The Thunder Hell Vine had already risen from the ground and accurately ensnared the venomous python.

Lightning erupted, and the python instantly dissolved into a cloud of poisonous mist.

"Your reaction isn't bad."

An aged voice came from the right, and Dugu Bo finally revealed himself.

He stood atop the rock wall, his dark green robe fluttering in the wind, his emerald hair draped behind his shoulders as nine Soul Rings rose around him in succession.

"This old man waited so long, thinking I would catch a few sneaky rats."

"But I never expected that the one who stole this old man's medicinal herbs would be an immature brat."

Dugu Bo did not attack immediately. Instead, he focused his attention on Ye Xishui.

He could not discern this woman's Soul Power cultivation, nor could he sense the aura of her martial soul.

Yet she had ignored the outer poison array and entered the herb garden with Meng Chen. She could not possibly be an ordinary person.

Dugu Bo raised his right hand, and the poisonous mist throughout the mountain hollow contracted.

Though he had confidence in his Serpent Emperor Poison, rashly attacking an unidentified expert would not be wise.

"Speak. Who are you, and why did you steal this old man's medicinal herbs?"

"If you cannot give this old man a satisfactory answer, neither of you will leave tonight."

Upon hearing the threat, Ye Xishui raised her hand, about to suppress Dugu Bo.

But Meng Chen reached out to stop her and walked over to the Aromatic Silk Beauty himself.

"Senior, taking them without permission was indeed my fault."

"That is why I returned tonight: to compensate you for your losses and discuss a deal with you."

Dugu Bo snorted coldly.

"You stole more than ten of this old man's precious herbs, and now you think one word of compensation will make it all disappear?"

"Hand over every one of those herbs first, then cut off one of your arms. This old man may consider letting you leave alive."

At those words, the space around Ye Xishui immediately twisted slightly.

Though she had not summoned her martial soul, a pressure far surpassing that of a Titled Douluo had already blanketed the herb garden.

Dugu Bo's body sank, and the rock wall beneath his feet cracked apart.

He immediately unleashed his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor martial soul to resist, yet the pressure continued to intensify, crushing him until he could barely move.

"Auntie Ye, don't attack yet."

Meng Chen spoke again, and only then did Ye Xishui withdraw her power.

Although the pressure had lasted only a few breaths, Dugu Bo had already confirmed that this woman's cultivation far surpassed his own.

He did not retreat. Instead, he kept his eighth Soul Ring ready to activate at any moment.

"No wonder you dared barge into this old man's herb garden. You have a powerful expert backing you."

"But if you intend to rely on your cultivation to seize it by force, then even if this old man destroys this place, I will not let you have your way."