Old Poison, How About Giving Me Half the Medicine Garden?

Ling Yun had secured five Immortal Herbs, but he clearly had no intention of stopping there.

He stood at the edge of the Medicine Garden for a long while. The more he looked, the more he felt he would lose out by leaving now. The real value of a place like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had never been just a few Immortal Herbs. It was this precious land that could keep growing medicinal plants year after year.

Taking five plants was like plucking a little wool.

Securing long-term access would be taking the whole sheep home.

Seeing him linger, Dugu Bo immediately grew wary. "You've taken what you came for. Why are you still staring at my Medicine Garden? Let's get one thing straight: five plants means five plants. Not one extra leaf."

Ling Yun turned back with an innocent look. "Old Poison, what kind of person do you take me for? Do I look like someone who goes back on his word?"

Dugu Bo nodded without hesitation.

"You do."

Tang San, standing nearby, almost failed to hold back a laugh.

Ling Yun's skin was thick enough that he acted as though he hadn't heard. Instead, he began to analyze the situation in earnest. "Look, you've guarded this place for years, but you barely recognize any of these herbs. At most, you've used them to suppress your poison. Now that there's a way to deal with it, this place naturally isn't as useful to you as it used to be."

Dugu Bo's gaze turned hostile. "So what are you trying to say?"

"Let's cooperate."

Ling Yun raised a finger, his tone turning serious. "The Medicine Garden stays yours. I won't take it from you. But if I need medicinal plants in the future, I can come and take some. Not for free, of course. I help you and Dugu Yan deal with your poison, and you give me permission to use the Medicine Garden. We both benefit."

Even Tang San couldn't help giving him another look.

A moment ago, it had only been five plants.

Now he was negotiating long-term access.

His appetite had grown rather quickly.

Dugu Bo laughed in exasperation. "How did I never notice how thick-skinned you were, boy? You treat someone once and expect to collect fees for the rest of your life?"

"That depends on the patient." Ling Yun showed no embarrassment. "You charge an ordinary person the ordinary rate. You can't charge a Titled Douluo the same, can you? Besides, when your granddaughter keeps cultivating her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison, are you saying she'll never need my help again?"

That struck exactly where Dugu Bo cared most.

Once his own poison was dealt with, he could take his time recuperating. But Dugu Yan was still young, and the poison could affect her cultivation for decades to come. Even if it was purged from her body now, as long as she continued cultivating her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul, it could enter her body again.

After a moment's silence, Dugu Bo finally asked, "Can you keep Yan Yan from suffering a backlash from the poison in the future?"

"There's a way, of course, but it'll need to be adjusted gradually according to her condition." Ling Yun did not overpromise. "The safest approach is to change where the poison is stored from the start. You only began fixing the problem after decades. If she starts early, the results will definitely be much better than yours."

Dugu Bo thought it over, then finally relented. "Fine. If you need medicinal plants in the future, tell me first. Just don't strip this place bare."

Ling Yun's eyes lit up.

"Deal."

Hearing this, Tang San suddenly had a deeply complicated feeling.

A moment ago, Ling Yun had been a guest here. How had he suddenly become something like half an owner?

And with so many medicinal plants here that Tang San had only read about in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, he could hardly keep from itching to get his hands on them. After hesitating, he asked, "Senior Dugu, there are many medicinal plants here, and some aren't of much use to you. If I need any in the future, could I trade other things for them?"

Dugu Bo did not answer at once. He looked at Ling Yun first.

Ling Yun immediately grinned.

"Little San, you learn fast."

Tang San's expression stiffened slightly. "I'm just asking."

"I never said you weren't." Ling Yun walked over and patted his shoulder, his tone exceedingly friendly. "But you're a step too late. I'm half the administrator of this Medicine Garden now. If you want to pick anything, remember to submit an application first."

Tang San finally turned to Dugu Bo.

After two seconds of silence, Dugu Bo actually nodded. "He does know more about medicinal plants than I do. If you want to harvest anything particularly valuable, you can ask him first."

Tang San was at a loss for words.

A moment ago, he had been the one identifying the herbs.

How had Ling Yun become the administrator while he was doing that?

Ling Yun felt immensely pleased with himself.

Now that was cutting someone off at the pass.

What was the fun in merely snatching a few Immortal Herbs from Tang San? The truly satisfying part was that whenever Tang San wanted to pick one in the future, he would have to go through Ling Yun first.

Joking aside, Ling Yun had no intention of shutting Tang San out entirely. The Medicine Garden was vast and held far too many plants. Having someone knowledgeable about medicinal properties around would help him avoid wasting quite a few good things.

"Little San, don't make that face," Ling Yun said with a smile. "If you really need something later, just trade for it. I'm always reasonable. At most, I'll charge a small management fee."

Tang San took a deep breath and decided not to argue with him for now.

Just then, a faint ripple of Soul Power came from outside the valley.

Dugu Bo's brows twitched. "Someone's coming."

No sooner had he spoken than a figure swept in through the entrance.

The newcomer was a tall young woman with short purple hair falling beside her ears, delicate features, and an aura remarkably similar to Dugu Bo's.

After landing, she looked first at Dugu Bo. Her gaze then lingered on Ling Yun and Tang San, and she frowned.

"Grandpa, who are they?"

Before Dugu Bo could answer, Ling Yun straightened and swept his gaze over Dugu Yan's face, lips, and exposed arms.

After only a few glances, his relaxed expression grew a little more serious.

The buildup of poison was more obvious than I'd expected.

Dugu Bo clearly noticed the change in his expression and immediately asked, "Well?"

Ling Yun did not answer directly. Instead, he beckoned to Dugu Yan.

"Come here and let me take a look."

Dugu Yan froze for a moment, her expression souring. "Who are you?"

Ling Yun pointed at Dugu Bo and answered as naturally as could be. "The physician your grandfather just hired. Strictly speaking, I'm also your family's long-term aftercare service."

Tang San silently turned his head away.

He suddenly had a feeling Dugu Yan was not going to like this physician very much.

Dugu Bo, however, was in no mood for jokes. "Yan Yan, listen to him. Let him examine you."

The confusion on Dugu Yan's face deepened.

She knew her grandfather's temperament well.

For a Titled Douluo to speak in that tone, the young man before her, who looked about her age, was clearly not as simple as he appeared.

Ling Yun stopped joking too.

Dugu Bo's poison was an old ailment. Dugu Yan's was what would truly determine whether their arrangement could last.

If he handled it well, his access to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would be secure. If he handled it badly, Dugu Bo might go back on every condition he had just agreed to at any moment.