As evening approached, the afterglow of the setting sun painted the horizon a magnificent orange-red.
Lin Yan arrived at the school gate as scheduled and met up with Dugu Yan, who was waiting there. Together they rode in the Dugu Family's luxurious carriage to the Dugu Manor, located in the core area of Heaven Dou City.
The Dugu Manor covers a vast area, but its style is not extremely luxurious. Instead, it exudes a solemn and ancient atmosphere. The towering courtyard walls are a deep, dark green, as if they have been immersed in some special aura for many years.
Two menacing serpent-shaped stone sculptures stand on either side of the mansion gate, their eyes inlaid with eerie green gemstones that gleam Youyou in the twilight, giving off an invisible sense of oppression.
Dugu Yan was clearly the absolute core of this place. When the guards at the gate saw her, they immediately bowed and paid their respects with utmost deference.
She led Lin Yan through several courtyards with practiced ease, arriving at the main hall of the mansion.
The main hall was very spacious, but the furnishings were relatively simple and the color scheme was dark. A faint, peculiar herbal scent permeated the air. It was not unpleasant, but it made people involuntarily tense.
At the head of the hall, a person sat upright on a large rosewood chair.
This person was tall and slender, looking as straight as a javelin. His hair and beard were dark green, and his eyes shone like emeralds.
He simply sat there casually, yet his entire being gave off an ethereal feeling, as if he were a physical entity formed from boundless poison, poised to unleash destructive power at any moment.
He was none other than the world-renowned Titled Douluo, the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, who was unparalleled in poison.
Sensing someone enter, Dugu Bo slowly raised his emerald green eyes, his gaze landing on Lin Yan as if it were a tangible object.
His gaze held scrutiny, inquiry, and an undisguised chill and oppressiveness.
Lin Yan dared not be negligent and quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully according to the etiquette of a junior meeting a senior, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant. "Junior Lin Yan greets Senior Poison Douluo."
However, before he could finish speaking, an immense aura, like an invisible mountain, suddenly erupted from Dugu Bo and pressed down precisely on Lin Yan!
This aura wasn't a direct impact of Soul Power, but rather the Soul Power pressure of Titled Douluo, carrying Dugu Bo's unique coldness and deadly poison, penetrating straight into the depths of the soul.
Lin Yan felt a sudden heaviness all over his body, as if he had instantly sunk into a swamp. The air became incredibly thick, and breathing became difficult.
That chilling aura, like countless tiny venomous snakes, tried to burrow into his veins and erode his will.
He groaned, but his back remained ramrod straight. The Supreme Purity Breathing Technique within his body quietly accelerated its circulation, and a balanced, peaceful, and inexhaustible internal force flowed through his meridians, stubbornly resisting the pressure and erosion from the outside world.
His face was slightly pale, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, but his eyes remained clear and firm, without the slightest hesitation or panic.
Dugu Bo remained expressionless, but the green light in his eyes intensified.
The pressure he released steadily increased, rapidly climbing from the initial Soul Elder level to Soul Ancestor, and then to Soul King... He wanted to see what extraordinary qualities this boy, who was said to be only at the Soul Grandmaster level but dared to boss his granddaughter around and even throw away his Soul Bone to obtain a secret technique, possessed!
When the pressure reached the Soul King level, Lin Yan's body began to tremble slightly, and his bones made a faint "creaking" sound, clearly indicating that he was approaching the limit he could currently withstand.
But he gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and with his extraordinary willpower and the resilience of the Supreme Purity Breathing Technique, he held on and did not kneel down.
Seeing this, Dugu Yan was both anxious and angry.
She hadn't expected her grandfather to make things so difficult for Lin Yan right from the start.
She immediately rushed to Dugu Bo's side, grabbed his arm, shook it vigorously, and said coquettishly, "Grandpa! What are you doing! Lin Yan is my friend, he came to help me! Stop it!"
Dugu Bo glanced at his granddaughter, whose face was full of anxiety and dissatisfaction, and then at Lin Yan, who still stood stubbornly under the pressure of the Soul King level, his eyes unyielding. A hint of surprise and admiration flashed in his eyes.
His imposing aura receded abruptly like a receding tide, and the suffocating sense of oppression vanished instantly.
"Hehe..." The cold expression on Dugu Bo's face melted away like ice and snow, revealing a smile that seemed kind but was actually full of meaning. "Young friend Lin Yan, you are indeed extraordinary! At such a young age, you were able to withstand my imposing presence. This temperament and foundation far surpass your peers. No wonder Yanzi speaks highly of you."
Lin Yan felt a sudden lightness throughout his body, and almost stumbled due to the excessive force. However, he quickly adjusted his breathing and posture, circulating the Supreme Purity Breathing Technique within his body for several cycles to suppress the discomfort.
He took a deep breath, cupped his hands in greeting again, and spoke with the same respectful tone, but with a hint of humility. "Senior, you flatter me. My cultivation is meager; before you, I am like a firefly compared to the bright moon. I had already pushed myself to my limit just now. Thank you for your mercy."
His words were clever; he acknowledged the vast difference between himself and his opponent, pointed out that the opponent's actions were a "test" rather than an "attack," and implied that the opponent had not gone all out, thus giving both sides a way out.
Upon hearing this, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes. This lad not only possessed considerable talent and perseverance, but was also quite astute.
"Haha, good!" Dugu Bo stood up, walked to Lin Yan, patted him on the shoulder, and his attitude seemed much more friendly.
"I was being presumptuous. I've always heard Yanzi talk about how capable you are, and I couldn't resist testing your mettle. Indeed, a hero emerges from among the young! Come, to apologize and to thank you for your help to Yanzi, I've specially prepared a table of food and wine. Let's eat and chat!"
The banquet was held in an elegant side hall. The dishes were not extremely luxurious, but they were all quite exquisite. Moreover, they were clearly prepared with Lin Yan's possible tastes in mind, mainly focusing on light and fresh flavors. It was obvious that they had been prepared with care.
Dugu Yan sat next to Lin Yan, occasionally serving him food, and enthusiastically recounted the wonderful feelings she experienced when fusing with the Soul Bone and guiding the poison, her smile never fading.
Dugu Bo sat in the main seat with a faint smile on his face. He occasionally echoed his granddaughter's words, but his gaze always seemed to linger on Lin Yan.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Dugu Bo finally steered the conversation to the core issue.