Bold as Brass

"I never expected Dugu Bo to be this vigilant."

Chen Ling clicked his tongue inwardly in amazement.

Given the gap in their strength, it would have been normal for Dugu Bo to remain completely unaware from beginning to end, let alone notice his trail.

He truly had not expected the Poison Douluo's senses to be so sharp.

"Let's go, Xiao Wu."

Chen Ling called softly. A dense, condensed shield of Soul Power instantly spread around him, enveloping both himself and Xiao Wu and cutting off the poison surrounding them.

He had deliberately concealed their tracks earlier only to pinpoint the exact location of the Icefire Yin Yang Well.

Now that their target had been located, there was naturally no need to keep skulking around.

Soon, the instant the two stepped into the valley, a furious shout exploded through it, making even the poisonous mist at its edges churn slightly.

"Fine! I was wondering why I kept feeling like someone was following behind me. You two young brats have some real nerve." Dugu Bo stood atop the cliffside, looking both furious and amused.

Yet deep in his eyes was a trace of admiration that was difficult to detect.

At this moment, he had completely confirmed that these two seemingly inconspicuous young people were the ones who had followed him all the way here.

Anyone would be angered by being followed the entire way without noticing, but at the same time, their concealment techniques and tracking skills filled him with curiosity.

This was how the strong of Douluo Continent were: proud by nature, yet appreciative of talent. They were always especially tolerant toward juniors with genuine ability. Even if the juniors had offended them, they would show a little more patience.

"You were able to follow me all the way here and safely pass through the poison array I laid down. You do have some skill. Since that is the case, as long as you can..."

Dugu Bo was preparing for a classic Douluo Continent-style wager. Admiration was one thing, but young people still needed to learn the might of a Titled Douluo.

But before Dugu Bo could finish speaking, a flush of red spread directly across his face, just like yours after losing twenty ranked matches in a row that night.

It was not a blush of attraction. It was fucking rage overheating.

Damn it, a Titled Douluo? Why didn't you say so earlier?

Purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, red, red, red!

Nine distinctly graded Soul Rings rose one after another beneath Chen Ling's feet, layering around his body as an immense and terrifying wave of Soul Power instantly swept through the entire valley.

The Soul Ring durations under the system's weakling-crushing mechanic seemed to be calculated cumulatively. He had elbowed three people so far, and the durations of their Soul Rings had simply been added together. He rather liked that method of calculation.

His originally black seventh Soul Ring had successfully become a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring after triggering the system reward from Tang Hao.

Dugu Bo swallowed.

If this had been an ordinary Titled Douluo, he would have risked his life and fought with his neck held high.

The Soul Power fluctuations emanating from the man before him seemed to be on the same level as Chrysanthemum Pass. He had fought a level ninety-five Titled Douluo before, though he had not won.

But this person was different. That bizarre Soul Ring configuration, combined with those three red rings, nearly scared Dugu Bo senseless.

Fortunately, he had spent years walking the line between life and death, and his mental fortitude had long been honed to an extreme. In a brief instant, he forcibly suppressed the shock and panic in his heart.

Where there is life, there is hope.

If the other party had wanted his life, there had been countless perfect opportunities along the way. There was no need to wait until reaching the Icefire Yin Yang Well to reveal himself.

It seemed the other party's target had been this herb garden from the very beginning.

Having figured that out, Dugu Bo immediately made up his mind and secretly prepared two plans: negotiate if possible, and flee at once if negotiations failed. He would never linger for a fight.

Chen Ling could not be bothered with unnecessary back-and-forth and spoke bluntly. "Dugu Bo, I'll give you two choices. First, submit to me, and I'll help you and your granddaughter completely eradicate the poison afflicting you for years. Second..."

He was just about to utter that cold word, "die," when Dugu Bo suddenly performed an instantaneous surrender, smooth as silk.

"Dugu Bo has drifted through half his life, only lamenting that he had never met a worthy master. If my lord does not disdain me..."

"Stop, stop! Cut it out!"

Chen Ling's face immediately darkened. He was honestly a little embarrassed; that classic line was not something one could casually pick up.

Besides, you were the mighty Poison Douluo. Where was your integrity? Your bottom line?

But Dugu Bo understood things perfectly. Seeing Chen Ling call a halt, he immediately rose with the flow. His speed at changing faces was unparalleled, his emotional transitions utterly seamless.

Dugu Bo was the shrewdest of them all. The moment he heard his poison could be cured, what was there left to say? Submission it was. Working for a powerhouse like Chen Ling was not embarrassing.

Most importantly, he had no choice.

The poison throughout his body had long seeped into his bones. He relied entirely on the unique environment of the Icefire Yin Yang Well to suppress and sustain it. If Chen Ling completely occupied this place, he would lose his only means of balance and would sooner or later die suddenly from his own poison's backlash. Submission was his only path to survival.

Xiao Wu stood obediently to the side, blinking her lively eyes. One moment, the two had been at each other's throats; the next, they were chatting enthusiastically like superiors and subordinates who had known each other for years. Her face was full of innocent confusion.

She did not step forward to disturb them. She merely gently swayed her pink rabbit ears and lowered her head to look at the Blue Silver Emperor sapling in the flowerpot in her hands.

Ah Yin's branches and leaves stretched freely, as though she wanted to take root here.

Following the direction indicated by Ah Yin's outstretched branches, Xiao Wu found an open patch of ground. She then took out a small shovel, turned into a diligent little rabbit, and began digging a hole with all her might.

Meanwhile, Chen Ling did not waste any time either, directly throwing three plans in Dugu Bo's face.

Though he actually did not recognize most of the Immortal Herbs here, that did not stop Chen Ling from making grand promises. He would bluff Dugu Bo first.

One of those plans was precisely the detoxification method Tang San had proposed in the original work. But Chen Ling bluntly pointed out its drawbacks, clearly informing Dugu Bo that this method could only temporarily suppress the poison and treated the symptoms rather than the root cause.

He truly intended to take Dugu Bo in as a subordinate. He had only brought it up to pad out the options and send Dugu Bo a message.

He could cure Dugu Bo's condition himself.

Dugu Bo was instantly overjoyed after hearing him out. The final trace of doubt in his heart completely vanished, and his attitude became even more respectful. "This old servant understands! Thank you, Master!"

Strength was always the best source of authority.

If it had been someone of mediocre strength, let alone making him bow in submission, Dugu Bo would most likely have killed them immediately to eliminate future trouble.

But when facing a powerhouse like Chen Ling, submission was the wisest choice.

Even if there was the slightest falsehood in Chen Ling's words, Dugu Bo had no room to regret his decision under the current circumstances.

"You needn't be so restrained. In daily life, you can simply call me Dean." Chen Ling raised a hand to gently help him up, his smile mild and his bearing composed.

"Dean? Could it be that Master comes from some Soul Master Academy?" Dugu Bo was somewhat surprised. He had thought Chen Ling came from some reclusive clan or Spirit Hall.

"Very soon."

Chen Ling smiled faintly, leaving behind a baffling remark. Dugu Bo was utterly confused, but wisely refrained from asking further and obediently waited in silence.

Chen Ling turned around and began to examine this famous sightseeing spot.

The Icefire Mandarin Duck Hotpot.