Mysterious Guest

Two grayish-white beams shot from Dugu Bo's eyes, streaking straight toward Guimei.

"Old Poison, do you think we've lived all these years for nothing?"

Yue Guan's effeminate voice rang out.

At the instant Dugu Bo unleashed his Spirit Bone Skill, Yue Guan and Guimei crossed paths, their Soul Power merging as one.

"Spirit Fusion Skill, Netherworld Static Domain."

Black-and-white radiance instantly swept across the entire valley.

The air, the dust floating overhead, even the two petrifying beams Dugu Bo had just fired—all of it froze in midair at that moment.

Dugu Bo still wore that savage expression, his entire body locked in place, unable to move even a finger.

Guimei flashed forward and appeared directly behind him, one hand clamping tightly onto Dugu Bo's shoulder.

Icy Soul Power surged into Dugu Bo's internal organs like a tide, firmly restraining him.

"Old Poison, run, then. Go on, let me see you run again."

Yue Guan walked over with a cold laugh, extending a slender finger to pat Dugu Bo's stiff face.

The Soul Power in Dugu Bo's body was completely sealed, and his body went limp as he collapsed to the ground.

His emerald eyes glared viciously at Yue Guan.

If looks could kill, Yue Guan would have died countless times already.

Yue Guan rubbed his slightly sore wrist, then turned to Guimei beside him and asked in confusion,

"Hey, Old Ghost, why did you come too? Didn't the Holy Son only tell me to bring people here and dig up the herb garden? Shouldn't you be keeping watch in Heaven Dou City? What are you doing here joining the fun?"

Guimei expressionlessly swept a glance over Dugu Bo on the ground and said in a hoarse voice,

"The Holy Son sent me."

"Half an hour ago, the Holy Emperor Warriors stationed outside Blue Ba Academy spotted this Old Poison sneaking out through the back gate. He headed straight for Sunset Forest."

"The Holy Son could tell with his toes that this old bastard had gone back to his nest to fetch Immortal Herbs and save someone."

At that, the corner of Guimei's mouth curled into a smile, though it looked rather chilling on his face.

"The Holy Son specifically instructed us not to kill him. Capturing him alive would be enough. The Holy Son said... to bring this Old Poison back so he could meet an old acquaintance."

"Meet an old acquaintance?"

Yue Guan froze for a moment, completely baffled. But when he thought of his Holy Son's godlike methods, he shrank his neck and did not ask any further.

He chuckled and pointed at the dozens of jade boxes packed full behind him.

"Fine, since we're done here, let's go. I scraped the place bare, roots and all. I didn't leave behind so much as a single hair that the Holy Son ordered taken."

Guimei nodded. Without another word, he gripped Dugu Bo by the back of the neck with one hand and lifted him like a dead dog.

"Let's go!"

The two Titled Douluo turned into streaks of light, carrying Dugu Bo and the Immortal Herbs as they vanished into the rain curtain of Sunset Forest.

At this moment, inside a side hall of the Heaven Dou Sacred Hall.

It was resplendent in gold and jade, warm as spring.

Qian Renxue sat idly in a large chair, holding a cluster of glistening purple grapes. Her slender fingers peeled one and naturally brought it to Ye Yuan's lips as she muttered softly,

"Xiao Yuan, you really shouldn't have let Yue Guan go alone. That was the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. What if he hid some precious treasure and refused to hand it over? Wouldn't we suffer a huge loss?"

Ye Yuan casually bit into the grape, savoring its sweetness, and amusedly rubbed Qian Renxue's head.

"Don't worry, Xue'er. Although Uncle Chrysanthemum can be a little unreliable at times, he is absolutely loyal to Spirit Hall. If you doubt someone, don't use them. If you use someone, don't doubt them."

He knew very well how Chrysanthemum Douluo had been stabbed to death by Tang San's halberd in the original story.

Bibi Dong, seated nearby, wore a dark-purple silk qipao with an extremely high slit today. Her pair of full thighs, wrapped in sheer black stockings, were crossed together.

She elegantly held a teacup. Seeing how Qian Renxue looked as though she wanted to cling to Ye Yuan's entire body, Bibi Dong narrowed her phoenix eyes and teased her with a half-smile.

"Little Xue, you guard Xiao Yuan every day as if you're guarding against thieves. You don't even trust Yue Guan. If there are a few more women around Xiao Yuan in the future, I'm afraid your vinegar jar will flood all of Heaven Dou City."

"Bibi Dong! Stop mocking me!" Qian Renxue's pretty face reddened as she haughtily puffed out her chest.

"I'm protecting Xiao Yuan's assets! Those Immortal Herbs are all Spirit Hall property!"

Bang!

Before the two women could continue bickering, the side hall's doors were violently shoved open.

"Holy Son! This subordinate has brought Old Poison back for you!!"

Yue Guan's shrill, effeminate laughter instantly echoed through the hall.

Yue Guan entered gleefully and neatly arranged dozens of exquisite jade boxes atop a nearby redwood table.

Then, with a heavy swing of his arm, Guimei directly hurled Dugu Bo from his grasp onto the smooth white-jade floor in the center of the hall.

Dugu Bo rolled several times across the floor, gasping roughly in a miserable state.

Although his Soul Power was sealed and every meridian in his body throbbed with agony, he still retained the pride of a Titled Douluo.

He forced himself into a half-kneeling position, his poisonous emerald eyes fixed on Ye Yuan at the head of the hall as he cursed through gritted teeth.

"You yellow-haired brat! You're the newly appointed Holy Son of Spirit Hall! Bah!"

Dugu Bo spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto the floor and said disdainfully,

"If you have the guts, give this old man a swift death today! Don't get smug too early, Spirit Hall! Once His Excellency Tang Hao recovers from his injuries, once Xiao San awakens his Twin Spirits, you shameless scum will all be buried with this old man!!"

"Tang San and Xiao San will definitely tear you to pieces!!"

Hearing Dugu Bo's hysterical curses, Qian Renxue immediately drew back her long legs in white stockings. Frost covered her exquisite face, and her hand had already settled on the hilt of the Angel Holy Sword.

"Old Poison, you're at death's door and still talking tough. Do you believe I'll cut out your tongue right now?"

"Xue'er, there's no rush."

Ye Yuan smiled faintly and pulled back the somewhat irritable Qian Renxue, gently patting the back of her soft hand.

Then Ye Yuan rose unhurriedly and walked over to Dugu Bo at an unhurried pace.

He crouched down, looked at Dugu Bo's old face, which had turned somewhat green from poisoning, and smiled playfully.

"So you want death? Tang San will come save you? Dugu Bo, do you really think you matter that much to Tang San?"

"Xiao San and I are friends despite our age difference! We're as close as brothers!!"

Dugu Bo roared.

"Enough. Don't put on some melodramatic act about past lives and present lives before me."

Ye Yuan clapped his hands with an amused smile, turned around, and softly called toward the carved screen at one side of the hall.

"He's here. Come out."