The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well Is Mine

"Fine, I'll take it! Come on, my young friend, one look at you tells me you're destined for great things. Don't hold a grudge against an old man like me..."

Dugu Bo pleaded and wheedled for ages before Lu Chuan reluctantly tossed the Poison-Locking Pill back to him.

Dugu Bo caught the Medicinal Pill and swallowed it without a moment's hesitation.

The pill dissolved as soon as it reached his throat. A rich, gentle medicinal power surged through his body, swirled in his lower abdomen, then slowly flowed into every limb.

Before he could savor the feeling, Lu Chuan raised a hand, channeled his Soul Power, and used his poison-guiding technique.

Pale white Soul Power slowly enveloped Dugu Bo, guiding the Jade Phosphorous Serpent venom ravaging his body toward a single point.

Feeling the poison drawn out of him, Dugu Bo shuddered with relief.

It was as if he had spent decades on the brink of release and had finally been set free.

"Ahh~~"

Half an hour later, all the poison in Dugu Bo's body had been absorbed into the Poison-Locking Pill.

A dark green bead turned slowly within his Dantian.

"Whew—done. From now on, the Poison-Locking Pill will keep absorbing the poison in your body."

Ding! Congratulations, host. You have completed client Dugu Bo's commission.

Dugu Bo will work under the host. He cannot harm the host in any way and must carry out the host's orders.

Whoa. So this is the reward for making someone work for me.

Isn't this just like a Command Spell from the Holy Grail War? Except it's permanent.

Lu Chuan rubbed his chin and tried issuing an order.

"Dugu Bo, squat down and spin around."

"? Brat, you think... Hey, hey, hey?!"

Dugu Bo opened his mouth to rebuke him, but before he could finish, his body stopped obeying him.

His legs bent, and he squatted obediently on the ground. Then he began shuffling in a circle.

He desperately channeled his Soul Power to regain control. It flowed normally, but his body refused to listen.

"What did you do to me?! Why can't I control my body?!"

Shocked and furious, Dugu Bo shouted as he spun against his will.

Lu Chuan smiled faintly.

"Remember the contract you signed? It operates on the level of rules. Once both parties complete the trade, they have to abide by it.

Didn't Xue Qinghe tell you? He found out when he traded with me."

Dugu Bo froze. Then anger shot straight to his head.

He finally understood. Xue Qinghe had done it on purpose! He had used Dugu Bo to test this brat and watched him walk right into the trap.

"Damn you, Xue Qinghe! You set me up!"

Dugu Bo growled through clenched teeth, seething with regret and anger.

He had only just escaped the torment of the poison in his bloodline, only to find himself shackled and at Lu Chuan's beck and call.

"Enough. Stop spinning. Now I order you never to harm me or anyone close to me in any form, directly or indirectly. You can't even speak ill of us, and you also can't... (another twenty thousand words omitted)"

Lu Chuan counted off his fingers. Only after closing every loophole he could think of did he nod in satisfaction.

"That's all."

Dugu Bo nearly coughed up blood in anger. The brat hadn't left him a single opening!

He took a deep breath, forced down his despair, and pleaded in a subdued voice.

"Fine, I accept it! But can we agree to leave my granddaughter out of this?"

Lu Chuan waved a hand and gave Dugu Bo a reassuring look.

"Relax. I'm a respectable businessman. Why would I go after your granddaughter?"

"Good! You have my thanks!"

Dugu Bo's feelings were a mess. He wished he could go back and slap his past self twice.

If he had known the contract had this kind of power, he would have bargained for a fixed term of service no matter what.

Instead, he had signed away the rest of his life.

He was the mighty Poison Douluo, yet from now on, he would have to obey a young man's every whim. The thought made him simmer with resentment, but there was nothing he could do to resist.

Lu Chuan smiled and patted Dugu Bo on the shoulder.

Dugu Bo would be useful. His cultivation might not be particularly high, but his ability to spread poison was a formidable deterrent on the Douluo Continent.

Your sect's Titled Douluo is powerful? Fine. Dugu Bo can leave your entire sect dead except for its Titled Douluo.

"Oh, right. Bring your granddaughter over later. I'll cure her poison."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up at once. All his resentment vanished.

His granddaughter's life was at stake. He didn't want to waste a second.

"Why wait? I'll go right now!"

Afraid Lu Chuan might change his mind, Dugu Bo unleashed his Titled Douluo Soul Power and shot toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy, cutting through the air at tremendous speed.

Lu Chuan shook his head. He really is impatient.

Zhu Qing's safety was assured now, and he had gained the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and its Immortal Herbs.

All that remained was to find the Immortal Herb Illustrated Catalog.

Should he get it from Little Scumbag or Chrysanthemum Douluo?

With the trade contract in place, neither could give him a fake or incomplete copy. It hardly seemed to matter.

But he already had a grudge against Little Scumbag and absolutely couldn't help him. He could trade information about the brat's mother for it, or fool him into accepting some junk.

Heh, heh, heh~

Meanwhile.

At the Crown Prince's Residence, Xue Qinghe frowned at Snake Lance Douluo.

"Uncle She, what happened with Dugu Bo? Did something go wrong with his Martial Soul?"

Snake Lance Douluo shook his head and answered honestly.

"I don't know. I didn't dare get close enough to eavesdrop, but I did hear Dugu Bo shout at the end that you'd set him up, Young Master."

Xue Qinghe raised an eyebrow. His grave expression eased, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Heh. Looks like that crooked merchant got Dugu Bo too. Leave him be. This was inevitable from the moment I used him."

He had tested Lu Chuan's strength and dragged Dugu Bo down with him.

Ah, seeing someone else get taken for a ride too feels wonderful.

Then he put away his smile and gave an order.

"Go to Spirit Hall on my authority and request Spirit Bones. The more, the better. Bring back some precious medicinal herbs too. That crooked merchant must have plenty of good things."

Snake Lance Douluo paused, then cupped his hands.

"Young Master, the Pope might..."

Xue Qinghe's gaze turned cold.

"Uncle She, Spirit Hall belongs to my family. She doesn't get to decide! If she refuses, go to my grandfather!"

"Yes. I'll go at once."

Snake Lance Douluo bowed and accepted the order. Not daring to say more, he slipped into the hall's shadows and vanished without a sound.

Xue Qinghe was alone in the hall.

He slowly closed his eyes and let out a long breath, releasing the anger pent up in his chest. His fingers loosened.

The two halves of a broken writing brush fell onto the brocade-covered desk and rolled across it.

He clasped his hands behind his back and stood silently by the window, looking at the view outside.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Dugu Yan was training with her teammates.

A figure descended from the sky, and Dugu Bo's voice rang out.

"Yanyan! Come with me, quickly!"

Dugu Yan froze at the sound of his voice and turned toward her grandfather as he hurried over.

She could tell at once that his entire bearing had changed.

"Grandpa? What happened? Why the rush?"