"Take her as my disciple?"
Dugu Bo froze.
He had thought Yu Xiaogang would seize the opportunity to make some demand, perhaps even ask him to serve him, but he had never expected such a casual remark.
He weighed it in his mind.
There was nothing wrong with having her become his disciple. Though the young man before him had little cultivation, merely a Soul Elder, his perspective, experience, and knowledge were all exceptionally profound.
He could see through his poison at a glance and even offer a way to cure its root cause. Having Yanyan become his disciple would hardly be an indignity.
"Very well. I agree on Yanyan's behalf."
"May I ask your name, sir?"
Yu Xiaogang cupped his hands. "I am Yu Xiaogang."
"Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang?"
"Oh? You know of me, Senior?"
"Hahahaha! Who on the continent hasn't heard of Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang? Even I have heard of those new theories you've promoted these past few years! The New Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul, The Development and Prospects of Soul Tools, and that treatise on sustainable development with the Soul Beast Clan... I found them quite astounding."
"Now that I've met you in person, you truly are a man of vast learning. No wonder you could spot my hidden ailment at a glance. You certainly live up to your reputation."
"Hehe, you flatter me, Senior."
Yu Xiaogang smiled and shook his head, his tone modest.
"They're merely a few immature ideas."
Dugu Bo waved a hand and said solemnly, "There's no need for modesty, Grandmaster. In all my decades traveling north and south, I've never met anyone else with your insight."
"I can rest easy entrusting Yanyan to you. I'll bring her tomorrow to perform the discipleship ceremony."
"Very well."
Yu Xiaogang nodded, then looked thoughtful. "That works out nicely. I'll need some time to prepare if I'm to completely cure your poison and Yanyan's. All those medicinal herbs won't be easy to find."
"Medicinal herbs?"
Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow and burst into laughter.
"If you need medicinal herbs, Grandmaster, I have them! I have a Medicine Garden growing all kinds of rare herbs from across the continent. It will certainly meet your needs."
"Oh?"
A suitably surprised delight flashed through Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
"Is that true?"
"It certainly is!"
"Excellent!"
"The sooner, the better. I'll take you to my Medicine Garden tomorrow, Grandmaster."
"That would be splendid."
Early the next morning, Liu Erlong had just emerged from the bedroom, her hair still hanging loosely over her shoulders. She yawned as she walked into the sitting room, then froze on the spot.
Yu Xiaogang and Dugu Bo were sitting beside the tea table, each holding a cup of tea, chatting and laughing about something. The atmosphere was as warm as if they were old friends of many years.
"What's this?"
Liu Erlong rubbed her eyes, wondering whether she was still half-asleep.
Yu Xiaogang turned and beckoned to her with a smile. "Erlong, you're awake? Just in time. This is Senior Dugu Bo. You should know him."
Dugu Bo set down his teacup and actually cupped his hands toward her, his tone friendly. "You must be my younger brother's wife? I'm Dugu Bo. A pleasure, a pleasure."
Liu Erlong's mouth opened, her mind buzzing.
His younger brother's wife?
This old poisoner called her his younger brother's wife?
She instinctively returned the greeting and exchanged a few pleasantries, while her mind continued racing.
Why was Dugu Bo here? And why did he seem so close to Yu Xiaogang? Just last night, they had clearly still...
Wait, Yu Xiaogang hadn't slept with her last night. Had he been waiting for this old poisoner?
As her thoughts ran wild, that phrase, "younger brother's wife," suddenly dragged them back.
He called me his younger brother's wife... Then Yu Xiaogang...
Ah~ Yu Xiaogang~
Yu Xiaogang rose and walked over to her. Seeing her gradually reddening cheeks and fluttering eyes, he smiled and raised a hand to pat her cheek. "All right, all right, come back to your senses. We still have things to do today."
"Ah... Oh."
Only then did Liu Erlong return to her senses, trying hard to suppress the jumble of thoughts in her head.
Yu Xiaogang smiled. "I'll explain later."
Dugu Bo stood as well. "I'll fetch Yanyan first. We'll meet at the city gate."
An hour later, the four of them left Heaven Dou City and boarded a spacious carriage, traveling along the main road toward Sunset Forest.
Inside the carriage, Dugu Yan formally performed the discipleship ceremony before Yu Xiaogang.
"Dugu Yan pays her respects to Teacher."
Yu Xiaogang smiled and extended a hand in a gesture for her to rise. "Stand up."
"Yes."
Although Dugu Yan still had some doubts, Dugu Bo had thoroughly prepared her along the way, telling her that Teacher Yu possessed vast learning and extraordinary insight, and that she would certainly lose nothing by becoming his disciple.
Dugu Yan did listen to her grandfather, so she respectfully accepted him as her teacher.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host on accepting Dugu Yan as a disciple.] [Dugu Yan's potential: below God-level. Does not meet the system's disciple acceptance criteria. Rewards will be issued once her potential meets the standard.]
Heh, the system's pretty accommodating.
Dugu Yan's Innate Soul Power was rank seven, which indeed fell short of god-level potential.
Once he obtained an Immortal Herb to improve her, she should meet the standard.
The carriage jolted along, and the outline of Sunset Forest gradually came into view.
Led by Dugu Bo, the four passed through layer upon layer of dense forest, finally arriving before a secluded valley.
A thick layer of poisonous miasma shrouded the valley's entrance.
The instant they stepped into the valley, the view opened up before them.
Yu Xiaogang's steps halted, his pupils widening slightly.
The sight before him was breathtaking. At the center of the valley lay a depression roughly a thousand feet across, with a pool of spring water at its heart. The water was extremely peculiar: one half was crimson as blood, steaming with heat, while the other was blue as ice, radiating biting cold.
White mist churned where the two streams of spring water met, heat and cold intertwining to form a strange balance.
The air was filled with spiritual energy of heaven and earth so dense it almost seemed impossible to disperse. A single breath cleared the lungs and opened every pore.
Plants of every kind grew all around the spring, varied in shape and brilliant in color.
Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back, pride covering his face. "Grandmaster, this is my Medicine Garden. What do you think?"
Yu Xiaogang drew a deep breath and slowly released it. "Truly extraordinary. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth here is so concentrated that ordinary Soul Masters and Soul Beasts cannot absorb it directly. Only plants, uniquely favored by nature, can adapt to this environment."
He looked around, his gaze passing over the rare medicinal herbs in their varied forms, a smile gradually rising at the corners of his mouth. "Excellent, Senior Dugu. With all the medicinal herbs in your Medicine Garden, I'm completely confident I can cure your poison and Yanyan's. You can both rest assured."
"Hahahaha!"
Dugu Bo laughed loudly and clapped his hands.
"That's wonderful! Yanyan, hurry and thank your teacher!"
"Huh?"
Dugu Yan froze for a moment, then hurriedly bowed to Yu Xiaogang.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
Yu Xiaogang smiled and waved a hand, his gaze already resting on a few particular herbs.
He stepped into the Medicine Garden. He now possessed nearly all the knowledge of the entire Douluo Continent and could recognize these Immortal Herbs at a glance.
He soon found his target.
A plant that was golden all over, with a dragon-shaped melon covered in fine, dense scale patterns.
Earth dragon golden melon. It could strengthen dragon energy and evolve one's bloodline and Martial Soul.
Another grew beside the cold pool, its stems and leaves a lush, glistening green. A white lotus bloomed at its tip, its petals as clear and translucent as jade.
The Jade Stem Green Heart Lotus. It could increase Soul Power and purify the essence of a Martial Soul.
Before you continue