Chrysanthemum Douluo Was Shocked—May You Fend for Yourself

Ning Chen curled his lip. When soldiers came, generals would block them; when water came, earth would dam it. Either way, he was getting cut.

A moment later.

A bewitching figure sped over from within the city, carrying a refreshing chrysanthemum fragrance.

The newcomer was tall and slender, with a delicate, handsome face. He was Yue Guan, one of Spirit Hall's elders, bearing the title "Chrysanthemum."

"Your Highness, Holy Son!"

The moment Chrysanthemum Douluo saw Ning Chen, the usual seductive look on his face was instantly replaced by immense relief.

He then rushed up to Ning Chen in a few strides and said excitedly,

"My little ancestor, you're finally back! Do you know that if you'd stayed away any longer, Her Holiness the Pope would have torn Spirit Hall apart?"

"Where in the world have you been these past few days? You scared us to death!" Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice was full of worry and lingering fear.

Even now, he shuddered at the thought of Her Holiness the Pope flying into a rage over the Holy Son's disappearance.

Seeing Chrysanthemum Douluo looking as though he were about to cry, Ning Chen felt somewhat guilty. He cleared his throat and said,

"Ahem, well... Chrysanthemum Elder, I just went out to gain some experience. Sorry for making you worry."

"Gain experience?" Chrysanthemum Douluo's mouth twitched as he was about to say something.

Just then, his gaze fell upon Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan behind Ning Chen.

When he clearly saw Dugu Bo's old face, the excitement vanished from his own face, replaced by extreme vigilance and hostility.

"Well, well, Dugu Bo?" Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice instantly turned cold.

"You old poison freak, why are you with His Highness the Holy Son?"

A powerful wave of Soul Power burst from Chrysanthemum Douluo. The air behind him warped slightly, and the phantom of a massive Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum appeared and disappeared.

Sensing Chrysanthemum Douluo's hostility, Dugu Bo also snorted coldly and refused to yield.

"Chrysanthemum Guan, after all these years, you're still the same—effeminate as ever."

Dugu Bo crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Chrysanthemum Douluo with ill intent.

He and Yue Guan had formed a grudge over certain matters long ago, and neither could stand the other.

"You're courting death!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo immediately flew into a rage, and his aura became even sharper.

The two Titled Douluo were on the verge of fighting right at the city gates.

"Enough!"

Ning Chen barked impatiently.

He stepped forward, standing between the two of them as he said,

"I don't care what grudges you had in the past, but from today onward, they're wiped clean!"

Ning Chen turned to Chrysanthemum Douluo and said in an unquestionable tone,

"Senior Dugu Bo is now one of us in Spirit Hall. From now on, you are colleagues. Turn hostility into friendship, understand?"

What?!

Chrysanthemum Douluo was completely dumbfounded upon hearing this.

He stared at Dugu Bo in disbelief, then at Ning Chen, and stammered,

"Y-Your Highness, Holy Son, you... what did you say? This old poison freak... he... he joined Spirit Hall?"

This was simply absurd!

Dugu Bo was famously solitary and arrogant, usually ignoring everyone. How had he suddenly joined Spirit Hall?

Ning Chen could not be bothered to explain. He simply nodded.

"That's right. What, do you have an objection?"

"N-No, I wouldn't dare!" Chrysanthemum Douluo hurriedly shook his head.

Since His Highness the Holy Son had personally spoken, even if he had ten thousand objections, he had to swallow them.

Still, he truly could not understand what earth-shattering thing the Holy Son had done during this trip to somehow bring back Dugu Bo, a stone from a latrine.

Chrysanthemum Douluo then took a deep breath, suppressing his shock and displeasure, and said to Dugu Bo with a fake smile,

"Hehe, who would have thought it? Old poison freak, you actually came to your senses one day."

"Since this is His Highness the Holy Son's will, our past grievances are hereby forgotten. In the future, Elder Dugu, please guide me."

Dugu Bo snorted coldly and could not be bothered to argue with him.

"Hmph. If you're not going to fuss over it, then I naturally can't be bothered to fuss over it either."

Only after seeing that the two had temporarily reached a peace agreement did Ning Chen nod in satisfaction.

Just then, Chrysanthemum Douluo seemed to recall something. His expression changed as he hurriedly said to Ning Chen,

"Oh, Your Highness, Holy Son, forget all that for now! You need to hurry and see Her Holiness the Pope!"

"Right now, you're probably the only one in all of Spirit Hall who can put out her anger," Chrysanthemum Douluo said with a fearful expression.

"If you don't go soon, we really won't be able to hold on any longer."

Ning Chen's heart skipped a beat.

It seemed his teacher was truly furious this time.

"Alright, I'll go now." Ning Chen nodded, then pointed at Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan behind him.

"Chrysanthemum Elder, take the two of them to Elder Hall first to register their identities and arrange accommodations."

"Yes, Your Highness, Holy Son," Chrysanthemum Douluo replied respectfully.

Just as Ning Chen was about to leave, Chrysanthemum Douluo added,

"Your Highness, Holy Son, it's late. Her Holiness the Pope should not be at Pope Hall right now. You... should go directly to the back mountain and find her at her courtyard."

As he said this, his eyes carried a trace of sympathy.

Everyone knew that Her Holiness the Pope's private courtyard was the most forbidden place among forbidden places.

The Holy Son had run away from home this time, and now he had been summoned to the private courtyard for a private talk. His fate would probably be...

Naturally, Ning Chen understood Chrysanthemum Douluo's implication. He shrugged indifferently.

"Alright. Thank you for telling me, Chrysanthemum Elder."

With that, he did not linger. The Emperor-Slaying Sword appeared beneath his feet out of thin air.

Amid the envious cries of the surrounding crowd, Ning Chen rose upon his sword and flew toward Spirit Hall's back mountain.

Dugu Yan raised her head, watching his dashing figure depart. Her eyes gleamed with admiration.

Meanwhile, Chrysanthemum Douluo watched Ning Chen leave and silently prayed in his heart,

"Your Highness, Holy Son... may you fend for yourself..."

Spirit Hall's back mountain was a tranquil, beautiful region, completely different from the solemn grandeur of the front halls.

Ancient trees towered overhead, birds sang amid fragrant flowers, and a clear brook trickled through the area like a paradise beyond the world.

Deep within the back mountain stood an exquisite, elegant courtyard.

This was the private residence of Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall.

At this moment, Ning Chen stood outside the courtyard entrance, feeling a little uneasy.

He looked up at the tightly shut vermilion gates. There was not even a guard outside, and the silence felt a little too strange.

Damn it, something's wrong with this atmosphere. Ning Chen swallowed and muttered inwardly.

The calm before the storm. This is absolutely the calm before the storm.

He then took a deep breath and spent a long while preparing himself mentally.

What am I afraid of? It's not like I'll die. At worst, she'll spank me.

With that thought, Ning Chen steeled himself and raised his hand to push open the courtyard gates.

"Creak..."

The heavy gates gave a soft sound and slowly opened.

The sight behind them made Ning Chen pause in surprise.

There was no murderous scene in the courtyard like he had imagined.

The courtyard was not large, but it was meticulously maintained.

All kinds of rare flowers bloomed quietly beneath the moonlight, filling the air with a faint fragrance.

And beneath the stone pavilion at the center of the courtyard, an incomparably beautiful figure sat quietly.