"Didn't I already tell you? We're here to find an opportunity for Xiangxiang. Don't be afraid. Dugu Bo set up this poison miasma, and it isn't all that powerful. Just stay inside the protective barrier I put up, and you'll be fine."
"Dugu Bo? The Poison Douluo?!" Bai He froze for a moment, then went pale with shock as realization struck.
"Hao, this Titled Douluo isn't someone you should provoke. His poison is terrifying..."
Liu Hao raised a hand to cut him off. "I'm a level 99 Limit Douluo. Handling him would be child's play. Just relax and watch from the sidelines."
"...All right."
Recalling Liu Hao's terrifying aura and his claim to be a God King's descendant, Bai He ultimately chose to trust him.
Once Bai Chenxiang had recovered, Liu Hao released her waist. After all, he was an upright gentleman and naturally wouldn't keep taking liberties with her (he was afraid of losing affection points).
Watching Liu Hao maintain the Soul Power barrier, Bai Chenxiang couldn't help feeling a trace of security.
Bai Chenxiang's affection +1. Current affection: 39.
Huh? We haven't even spoken just now. Why did this little girl's affection go up anyway?
Liu Hao was somewhat surprised to hear the system's notification.
"System, could it be that I actually have charm, and I just never noticed before?"
"You damned host, without my help, you wouldn't have a scrap of charm! Are you a masochist? Do you feel uncomfortable all over unless someone gives you a scolding?"
"..."
Sure enough, after being scolded, Liu Hao felt comfortable all over. He stopped running his mouth and led the grandfather and granddaughter straight into the poison miasma.
Beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, an old man with dark green hair and beard, dressed in gray robes, sat cross-legged in cultivation, his expression grave.
He was none other than Dugu Bo. It was noon, and the weather was overcast and damp. The toxins in his body had begun acting up again, leaving the space between his ribs unbearably numb and itchy.
Suddenly, Dugu Bo opened his eyes, revealing a pair of emerald-green pupils that looked rather eerie.
"Damn it! Someone has broken into the poison miasma."
He hurried to his feet and flew toward the intruders, forcing himself to endure the discomfort between his ribs.
As he drew closer and saw that solid, powerful Soul Power barrier, which seemed to protect two children with ease, Dugu Bo's heart jolted.
A Titled Douluo?!
But he doesn't look like any of those Spirit Hall people I know. Who could this be?
Although he couldn't identify the visitor right away, Dugu Bo felt slightly reassured.
As long as he wasn't from Spirit Hall, there shouldn't be much of a problem.
Besides, the man had brought two children along. That gave him even less reason to worry. Surely they hadn't come looking for trouble.
"You there. What brings you trespassing into my territory without cause?"
Flying up to them, Dugu Bo called out to the three people inside the poison miasma while releasing his Martial Soul and Soul Rings.
A phantom Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor more than ten meters long rose out of thin air behind him. Nine Soul Rings-yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black-also appeared, proving his strength as a Titled Douluo.
He unleashed the full force of his pressure, displaying his might in an attempt to make the other party see that he wasn't someone to be trifled with.
However, in the next instant-
Boom!
A pressure dozens of times stronger than his shot skyward, instantly crushing his aura to nothing.
Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically, and his heart skipped several beats.
This... how is this possible? How can someone this powerful exist?!
Could he be a Limit Douluo? Qian Daoliu? That old fellow should be the only one on the continent with such terrifying strength right now, shouldn't he?
Damn it. If this man attacks, my chances of survival will be slim.
But there's no reason for this. I only refused to join Spirit Hall. I've never gone out of my way to do anything against them.
Dugu Bo racked his brains but couldn't make sense of it. He could only steel himself and remain where he was, warily watching the old man he suspected was Qian Daoliu.
After all, if his opponent truly was that legendary figure, he would have no chance of escaping an attack.
In that case, he might as well wait and see what happened. If worse came to worst, he could only compromise for now and join Spirit Hall.
"Dugu Bo, being tormented by your own poison doesn't feel very good, does it?"
Liu Hao spoke with a smile as he stepped to the front.
To his considerable annoyance, however, Dugu Bo ignored him and looked straight at Bai He instead.
"With your strength, you must be the legendary Sky Dominator, the level 99 Limit Douluo and Great Enshrined of Spirit Hall, Qian Daoliu, correct?"
"..."
Bai He froze.
Bai Chenxiang looked even more bewildered. My grandfather is Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined? What on earth?
Hmm?
Seeing the three react so strangely, Dugu Bo frowned and realized something was wrong.
"You aren't Qian Daoliu? Then who are you? Could you be the Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo?"
"..."
Bai He didn't dare answer for the moment. After all, the other man was a Titled Douluo, and the Poison Douluo was rumored to be mercurial and unpredictable.
If he said the wrong thing and earned the man's resentment, his clan would be in danger.
Besides, Liu Hao was the strongest person present. Bai He wouldn't dare steal his thunder.
"Du. Gu. Bo."
Liu Hao spoke each syllable with an expressionless face. At the same time, he summoned the Heaven-Reaching Ambrosial Arbor Wooden Stick into his hand, its entire length a deep, spectral blue and radiating strange fluctuations.
The pressure of a God-King-Level Martial Soul spread outward, making everyone present tremble to the depths of their souls.
Purple, purple, black, black, black, red, red, red, red!
Nine Soul Rings rose from beneath Liu Hao's feet and circled his body.
The formidable pressure that had already terrified Dugu Bo surged once again.
At that moment, Dugu Bo finally understood why the three had reacted so strangely.
He had mistaken which of them possessed the strength of a Limit Douluo.
But who could have imagined that the Limit Douluo would be someone who looked so young?
"My young friend..."
Bam!
Before Dugu Bo could offer any further explanation, he felt a terrifying blow strike his chest.
His entire body flew backward. Blood welled up in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful before crashing heavily to the ground.
Immediately afterward, an unbearable, agonizing pain surged through his chest.
"Hhh..."
Dugu Bo's face twisted with pain. He wanted to scream, but Liu Hao's single strike had already knocked all the air out of his chest.
As a result, he couldn't make much sound at all, managing only a few faint rattles in his throat.
Liu Hao had used fifty percent of his strength for that blow, nearly taking the old man's life.
If he hadn't vaguely remembered that Dugu Bo seemed to have a rather pretty granddaughter, he might well have struck to kill.
Seeing that his blow had achieved the desired effect, Liu Hao withdrew his Martial Soul, folded his arms, and coldly watched Dugu Bo groan in pain on the ground.
The sight left Bai He and Bai Chenxiang, who had been watching from the sidelines, dumbfounded.
They had already known that Liu Hao was powerful. Not only was he a level 99 Limit Douluo, but he also claimed to be a God King's descendant and was deeply mysterious.
But they hadn't understood exactly how powerful he was.
Only now, after witnessing Liu Hao subdue another Titled Douluo with a single move, did they truly realize how terrifying his strength was.
He was an existence utterly beyond their understanding.
Bai He felt fortunate that he hadn't offended Liu Hao over the past two days and had gone along with him in everything.
Bai Chenxiang's admiration for Liu Hao grew even stronger.
Bai Chenxiang's affection +3. Current affection: 42.
Huh?
The little girl's affection has gone up another three points. Does she like powerful men?
Good. Admiring strength is good.
Who else on this continent could be stronger than me?
He had taken another step toward his goal of maxing out her affection, which brightened Liu Hao's mood considerably.
Dugu Bo's condition, meanwhile, was getting worse.
What set him apart from other Titled Douluo was that his own power-his deadly poison-would turn against him.
Under normal circumstances, he could still suppress it with the help of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
But the severe injuries he had just suffered had shattered the balance within his body.
The deadly poison began ravaging his body in a frenzied backlash, worsening his condition as his aura gradually weakened.
This left Liu Hao with mixed feelings. Good grief. I only got angry because Dugu Bo ignored me and wanted to teach him a lesson. I never intended to actually kill him!
Thinking of Dugu Yan, whom he might need to win over in the future, Liu Hao hurried forward and channeled Soul Power brimming with boundless vitality into him.
Before you continue