Dugu Bo

At the foot of the mountain that afternoon.

With a slap, Yang Yunhai, carrying vines on his back that hung down along the cliff face, landed on the ground.

"Here, I've secured it up top." He raised a hand and passed the fixed safety rope to Zhu Zhuqing.

"Thanks." She took the rope, tied it around her waist, turned to face the cliff, and began climbing the rock wall.

"I should get started too." Watching Zhu Zhuqing climb higher, Yang Yunhai turned and walked toward the cliff face on the other side. Once he drew near, he backed away five meters, raised his right hand, and pressed his middle and index fingers together. As Soul Power surged, Thunder Arcs spread across his fingertips.

"Discharge!" With a light flick of his hand, a finger-thick bolt of electricity shot out instantly, striking the rock wall ahead with a crack and leaving behind a scorched black mark.

The next moment, he spread his five fingers, and Thunder Arcs once more filled his fingertips. As time passed, a thumb-sized golden spark flickering continuously with electricity gradually took shape above his palm. From afar, it looked like a Thunder Ball woven from a net of lightning.

A few breaths later, Yang Yunhai frowned slightly and flung it out. "Boom!" A bright explosion thundered against the cliff face.

"My control is still lacking. I can't compress it much further." Yang Yunhai pondered for a moment, then shook his head and headed toward an area thick with Blue Silver Grass.

He sat down cross-legged, summoned his martial soul, and activated his Soul Power. Vine after vine rose from the ground.

They intertwined, twisted, and stretched. Gradually, a thigh-thick serpentine vine formed, its head conical and its body covered in barbs. Then, as though it had come alive, it slithered behind Yang Yunhai's left shoulder.

It kept turning its head, coiling, and making ramming motions.

Half an hour later, another snake head slithered up behind his right shoulder.

"Too bad my Spiritual Power isn't enough, and my control is still a bit lacking. Otherwise, perhaps I could make better use of my martial soul's ability to store energy and turn the Vine Snake into a true assistant capable of fighting independently." Opening his eyes, he glanced to either side and could not help but sigh.

Time passed swiftly. An hour soon went by, and a faint landing sound came from the distance.

Yang Yunhai turned to look, and his brows immediately furrowed.

Zhu Zhuqing had already descended to the ground. Her lovely body was slightly bent forward, her right wrist pressed against the stone wall to support herself. Her left hand hung naturally at her side, trembling uncontrollably along with her legs.

From afar, both her palms were stained with blood. Her hair at her temples was damp, and salt stains could faintly be seen around her ears and neck.

She was really pushing herself. Yang Yunhai hurriedly rose and reached her side in a few leaps, steadying her by the shoulders.

"I'm fine. I just need to rest for a while," Zhu Zhuqing said softly through clenched teeth.

"Your hands are blistered and bleeding, and you're still saying you're fine." Yang Yunhai shook his head and slowly poured Soul Power into her body.

As he did so, he said, "Your body is completely exhausted right now, so you can't sit down and rest yet. I'll use Soul Power to treat your injuries first and loosen up your muscles. Then I'll help you walk around a little before carrying you back to the Wooden House to rest."

"Thank you." Zhu Zhuqing kept it brief.

"It's nothing." Yang Yunhai smiled and focused on channeling Soul Power into her.

Before long, he withdrew his hand and supported Zhu Zhuqing as they walked toward the Wooden House. Once they had walked enough, he bent down, scooped her up around the waist, and hurried toward the Wooden House.

Zhu Zhuqing did not speak along the way. She merely lowered her head slightly and rested it on Yang Yunhai's shoulder.

Soon, they returned to the Wooden House. Yang Yunhai set Zhu Zhuqing down in an armchair inside.

"Sit and rest for a while. Rub the spots that are still sore. When I get back, I'll heat some water so you can bathe."

"Mm." Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly as she watched Yang Yunhai leave the Wooden House.

Not long afterward, once her muscles had eased somewhat, she pushed herself up and staggered over to the window. Looking out, she saw Yang Yunhai in a short-sleeved shirt, carrying a nearly three-meter-long Round Wood that would have taken one person to wrap their arms around. He was performing squats in the distance, his movements steady and methodical.

At the sight, Zhu Zhuqing unconsciously bit her lip.

Growing stronger, endlessly stronger, until she could disregard the fate those people had forced upon her—this had always been why she worked so hard. But now, it seemed she still was not working hard enough. The gap between her and Yang Yunhai also seemed to be growing wider and wider.

At that thought, her hands hanging at her sides clenched into fists, and her gaze became even more resolute.

Half an hour later, the half-closed door creaked open, and Yang Yunhai strode inside.

He looked around, but Zhu Zhuqing was not in the living room, so he glanced toward her room. Through the half-open door, he could clearly see Zhu Zhuqing sitting on the bed with her eyes closed, cultivating.

Smiling faintly, Yang Yunhai did not disturb her and turned directly toward the kitchen.

He started a fire to cook while setting another pot of water to boil.

Two quarters of an hour later, he carried two large buckets of hot water to Zhu Zhuqing's door and knocked.

"Zhuqing, the hot water's ready. I'll carry it in and pour it into the bathtub for you."

Only then did Zhu Zhuqing, who had been cultivating on the bed, open her eyes. As she propped herself up, she replied softly, "Sorry to trouble you."

"It's fine." Yang Yunhai pushed open the door, carried the hot water inside, and headed for the bathroom.

The Wooden House the three Education Committee members had arranged for him to build had wells in every room's bathroom, allowing water to be drawn directly. But due to the limited conditions, there was no way to heat it automatically. They had to boil the water themselves, carry it inside, pour it into the bathtub, and add cold water to adjust the temperature.

As for adjusting the temperature, that depended on each person's physical tolerance. He had no intention of helping with that.

A short while later, Yang Yunhai carried the empty wooden buckets out of the room and returned to the kitchen. He then carried two buckets to his own room as well. After enjoying a comfortable hot bath, he changed clothes and returned to the kitchen. He brought out the still-warm food and placed it on the dining table in the living room.

Before long, Zhu Zhuqing emerged in small steps, her black, loose-fitting nightgown unable to conceal her curvaceous figure.

After quietly finishing dinner, the two returned to their rooms to cultivate.

The night passed without incident. The next day, they rose early. After eating the breakfast Yang Yunhai had made, they jogged together to the Training Ground. Once the morning training was over, they returned to the Wooden House together. After lunch and a brief rest, they began another round of training that afternoon.

The difference was that, having adapted after the first day, Zhu Zhuqing was no longer as bedraggled as she had been yesterday when she came down.

Although her hands were still blistered, after Yang Yunhai helped heal them, her body was no longer so drained that she could barely walk as on the first day. After returning to the Wooden House and resting briefly, she cultivated for a while, then voluntarily took on the task of boiling water and cooking rice, ensuring that Yang Yunhai had a hot bath waiting as soon as he came home. Of course, Yang Yunhai still cooked the dishes. Zhu Zhuqing knew her own cooking skills well enough and could only learn first.

So while Yang Yunhai stir-fried the dishes, Zhu Zhuqing voluntarily took on the role of his assistant.

Days passed just like that, and a week went by quickly.

"I haven't seen Grandpa in days. Tianheng, my grandpa should be returning to his residence in Heaven Dou City today. So this afternoon, I'm planning to spend some time with him. Do you want to come with me?" After morning training ended, Dugu Yan turned to look at Yu Tianheng.

"I think I'll pass." Yu Tianheng instinctively shrank back.

"Is my grandpa really that scary?" Dugu Yan pursed her lips, her expression clearly saying that she was unhappy.

"Meeting the parents really is an extremely terrifying thing. It's even more exhausting than cultivation!" Osler loyally stepped in to smooth things over.

"..." Dugu Yan immediately rolled her eyes at him, but she did not argue.

Yang Yunhai shook his head without joining the conversation. He gestured to the other teammates, then left with Zhu Zhuqing.

Half an hour later, at a certain residence in Heaven Dou City.

"Grandpa, I'm back." Dugu Yan walked in with cheerful steps.

"So, has anything interesting happened at the academy lately?" Upon meeting her, Dugu Bo opened with his usual line.

He had been staying in his Secret Herb Garden during this time, so he knew practically nothing about what had been happening in Heaven Dou City.

"There is something." Dugu Yan nodded slightly. "An extremely powerful Control System Spirit Master joined our team."

After training together for several days, she had to admit that Yang Yunhai's Martial Soul control abilities were truly formidable. His individual combat strength was also somewhat overpowered—more than enough to effortlessly thrash any member of their team without giving them any chance to fight back.

"Oh?" Dugu Bo raised a brow. "How powerful?"

For his proud and arrogant granddaughter to praise someone so highly, the person had to have some real skill.

"His name is Yang Yunhai, and this year..." Dugu Yan immediately began recounting everything.

"Black as ink on the outside, jade-like in texture... Damn, isn't there one in my herb garden?" Upon hearing Dugu Yan's description of the bamboo shoot, Dugu Bo was immediately startled. But after hearing Yang Yunhai's speculation, his heart sank again.

He had to admit that it made some sense. The older one lived, the more one cherished one's life. He truly did not dare eat it recklessly.

Having treasure in hand but finding that it was unsuitable for him—at that moment, Dugu Bo felt even worse than if he had eaten shit.

At the same time, he silently lamented Yang Yunhai's good fortune.

The appearance Yang Yunhai had described was virtually identical to the one in his own herb garden. That was enough to prove that Yang Yunhai had been telling the truth. After all, how could a commoner Spirit Master possibly know of such a rare treasure unless he had truly encountered it by accident?

"What a lucky child." In the end, that was all Dugu Bo could say.

"Still, someone like him is indeed worth befriending. This child is not only diligent, but his thinking is also wildly imaginative and unlike that of ordinary people. Interacting more with someone like him will also benefit your Martial Soul cultivation." He looked at his granddaughter with a smile.

Honestly, this was the first time he had heard of someone playing the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul in such creative ways.

Dugu Yan immediately rolled her eyes. "I know, Grandpa."

"Also, there's something else." Dugu Yan continued. "Once, in the dormitory living room..." She went on to tell him about how Yang Yunhai had sensed her wrist with his Martial Soul and asked her for poison, then asked, "Grandpa, do you think he sensed something?"

"He's just a little brat who can't even recognize medicinal herbs. What could he possibly understand?" Dugu Bo's first reaction was disbelief.

If that brat Yang Yunhai, who had never studied pharmacology, could casually place his Martial Soul on someone and sense poisoning, then go on to develop a method of absorbing poison, then wouldn't this old fellow who had studied and used poison for decades have learned it all for nothing?

"That's true." Dugu Yan nodded, then said quietly, "To be honest, I kind of hope that brat succeeds."

"..." Dugu Bo immediately fell silent. Thinking of the pain his granddaughter had endured over the years, his heart could not help but ache, though he still wore a smile.

"Then wait until that brat succeeds before telling Grandpa. I'll go find him and test the results."

"Forget it. If anyone goes, it should be me. If you go, you might scare him." Dugu Yan curled her lips.

"Suit yourself." Dugu Bo replied casually. In any case, he did not believe that a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul could develop any ability to absorb poison.

Absorbing Soul Power was one thing, while absorbing poison was another. In his view, they were completely different matters.

"Alright, enough about that. It's not often that the two of us get together. Tonight, grandpa and granddaughter are going to have a proper feast."

"No problem! I've already told Instructor Qin Ming and Tianheng that I won't be returning to the dormitory tonight."

"..."

PS: Finally, the everyday transition period after first entering the academy is coming to an end. That wasn't easy. Even writing about steamed buns and soy milk in the previous chapter got censored. Sigh, looks like I still have to be an honest person.