Old Poison, Why Are You Getting So Worked Up?

A massive Water Shuriken tore through the woods, its edges wrapped in a layer of green Soul Power. Leaves caught in its path were shredded the moment they drew near.

Dugu Bo's casual expression finally vanished. With only Ling Yun's Level 40 Soul Power behind it, the thing could not possibly threaten him.

The problem was that it also carried his own power. His earlier strike had been casual, but a Titled Douluo's casual strike and a Soul Ancestor's were worlds apart.

"Not bad, kid." Dugu Bo raised his right hand.

The two forces collided. A muffled thunderclap burst through the woods, and several nearby trees snapped in half on the spot.

Tang San raised a hand to shield himself from the flying stones, his Purple Demon Eye fixed on the clash ahead.

He wanted to know just how far Ling Yun could take this strike he had borrowed by force. The answer came quickly: Dugu Bo stepped back once. By the time the Water Shuriken exploded completely, he had retreated three steps.

The way Tang San looked at Ling Yun changed. During their sparring match that afternoon, he had only thought Ling Yun was strong. Now he realized the man's methods were outrageous.

As the dust cleared, Dugu Bo looked somewhat disheveled compared with the man who had barely spared Ling Yun a glance moments ago.

Ling Yun braced his hands on his knees and panted. "Well? Taste familiar?"

Dugu Bo glanced down at his sleeve. "You borrowed this old man's power?"

Ling Yun looked up with a grin that practically begged for a beating. "Don't make it sound so distant. I just held on to it for a while, then returned it the way it came."

Dugu Bo was not angry. Instead, he studied Ling Yun in earnest. A Level 40 Soul Ancestor had held out until now by combining three Soul Skills with a Self-Created Technique.

"Interesting. Tang San has already surprised this old man enough. I didn't expect Blue Tyrant Academy to have someone like you hidden away too." Dugu Bo nodded.

Ling Yun bristled. "Hey, old man, you sure talk a lot. What do you mean, 'someone like me'?"

A vein twitched at Dugu Bo's temple. In all his years, there had been people who dared speak to him that way.

But this was the first time a Level 40 Soul Ancestor had done it to his face.

Liu Erlong leaned against a tree, blood still at the corner of her mouth. Even so, Ling Yun's words nearly made her laugh in exasperation. At a time like this, the brat was still running his mouth.

"Xiao Yun, stop forcing yourself."

She could tell that the last strike had nearly drained Ling Yun's Soul Power. Both his arms were still bleeding, and sheer will was all that kept him standing. If he truly angered Dugu Bo, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Ling Yun did not look back. He merely shifted half a step, shielding Liu Erlong more completely.

Dugu Bo noticed, of course. "You can barely stand, and you still want to protect someone else?"

"Obviously. She's my teacher. Letting you hit her once was embarrassing enough. If I let you do it again, how am I supposed to show my face at Blue Tyrant Academy?"

Liu Erlong's face darkened. What did he mean by 'she's my teacher'? But this was plainly no time to dwell on it.

Dugu Bo suddenly laughed. "You've got guts. Unfortunately, haven't you forgotten something?"

As his words fell, the air around them seemed to sink. Ling Yun's smile vanished. The full pressure of a Titled Douluo's Soul Power bore down on them without restraint.

Dugu Bo had not been serious before. Now he was.

Before Ling Yun could gather water again, it felt as though a mountain had come down on his body.

Tang San fared even worse. Dugu Bo had already had him under control, and his face went white at once. He had barely begun circulating his Mysterious Heaven Skill when a violent wave of dizziness struck. With a thud, Tang San dropped unconscious.

Ling Yun managed to turn his head and glance at him.

"Little San, you really are use—"

Before he could finish, it felt as though a hammer had struck his own head. His vision darkened.

Ling Yun gritted his teeth and looked at Dugu Bo. "Can't win without crushing me with your level, huh? Old Poison, you fight dirty."

Then he fell flat on his face.

Dugu Bo stood in silence for several seconds. At last, his ears had some peace.

He looked down at Tang San, then at Ling Yun.

He had only meant to take one person today. It seemed he was getting a two-for-one deal.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Dugu Bo took them both and soon vanished into the depths of the woods.

As for Liu Erlong, he made no further move against her. She was only a Soul Saint; killing her would make no difference. Besides, the way Ling Yun had desperately stood in front of her had stirred a few old memories.

By the time Flender and the others arrived, they found a scene of devastation.

Broken trees, torn-up earth, and crisscrossing trails of water across the ground.

"Erlong!"

Flender rushed over at once and helped the unconscious Liu Erlong up.

Yu Xiaogang surveyed the area and quickly realized something was wrong.

"Where's Xiao San?"

Xiao Wu's face went white. She forgot everything else and ran into the woods, shouting as she went, "Brother San!"

No one answered. Zhu Zhuqing crouched beside a deep crater, where traces of Water-type Soul Power remained.

There was blood, too.

She reached out and touched it.

"Ling Yun's gone too."

Flender's expression turned grim. Liu Erlong was here, but Tang San and Ling Yun had vanished. Given the destruction around them, their opponent had to be someone far beyond their level.

Zhao Wuji stared at a long gash carved into the ground by a blade of water and frowned. "Don't tell me that kid fought them too?"

Flender fell silent for a moment, then roared at Zhao Wuji, "What are you standing around for? Go find them, you stupid bear!"

Ling Yun did not know how much time had passed.

When he regained consciousness, the first thing he felt was pain.

Both arms felt as though someone had worked them over from end to end with a hammer. The slightest movement made his muscles spasm.

"Hiss..."

Ling Yun pushed himself upright.

First, he checked himself over.

His kidneys seemed to be there too.

"Could be worse. Old Poison showed a little humanity. He didn't take me apart."

After checking his body, Ling Yun froze for two seconds. A thought suddenly struck him. No way. He got to his feet at once and walked toward the cave entrance, ignoring the pain in his arms.

Beyond the cave mouth lay a vast valley. Exotic flowers and herbs, some familiar to Ling Yun and some not, filled it. At its center, a spring stood out above all else.

One half of the spring was scarlet, the other milky white.

Two utterly opposing forces shared the same spring without encroaching on each other. Ling Yun stood there staring for several seconds.

His eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"

The next second, he looked down at himself, then out over the entire Medicine Garden.

He could not hold back any longer.

"Wait, is kidnapping this generous now? You grab someone and throw in an all-you-can-pick Medicine Garden? Old Poison's so hospitable. Did I go too far with the insults?"

A sinister voice came from behind him. "If you think you went too far, you can try saying it again now."

The smile stiffened on Ling Yun's face. Dugu Bo had appeared behind him at some point and stood there with his hands behind his back, watching him without expression.

Ling Yun went quiet for half a second. Then, without warning, he spun and threw a punch.

Smack!

Dugu Bo caught his fist with one hand and looked at him. "You just woke up, and you're already throwing punches?"

Ling Yun answered as if it were obvious. "Who told you to stand behind me? Don't you know you can scare someone to death like that?"

Dugu Bo laughed despite his irritation. "Have you ever seen someone wake up after being kidnapped and immediately punch the kidnapper?"

Ling Yun thought for a moment. "Then have you ever seen a kidnapper provide food and lodging and throw in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"

Dugu Bo's eyes changed.

"You know this place?"

Ling Yun reacted quickly.

"Just a guess."

Dugu Bo stared at him for a long while.

"It had better be."

Ling Yun withdrew his fist and rubbed his wrist, then glanced around. "Where's Tang San?"

"Not dead yet."

"Good." Ling Yun nodded.

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow. "You wake up and ask about him before asking what will happen to you?"

Ling Yun looked disgusted. "Don't get me wrong. I don't care whether he lives or dies. But if he dies here, I won't be able to clear my name. Besides, I need to know whether your kidnapping operation offers one-on-one service or group rates."

Dugu Bo fell silent. He suddenly regretted not taking only Tang San last night. Ling Yun, meanwhile, had turned back toward the Medicine Garden, unable to hide the light in his eyes.

After all these years in this world, what he had been waiting for had finally arrived: Immortal Herbs and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

And an old poisoner riddled with poison who did not know how to cure himself.

A smile slowly spread across Ling Yun's face. "How is this kidnapping? He's delivered an opportunity right to my doorstep."