Lin Yaodong's Growth

Heaven Dou City.

"We've finally arrived. Heaven Dou City, the largest and most prosperous city in the entire Heaven Dou Empire."

Looking at the vast, magnificent city before him, Lin Yaodong couldn't help saying it aloud.

In fact, he wasn't the only one. Even Chen Mo was a little awed. A city on this scale could probably only be seen in a fantasy world.

Its style was entirely different from that of a technological city of steel. Whoever saw it for the first time would probably feel their heart ripple involuntarily...

Chen Mo said, "First, let's find somewhere to settle in. Also, I want to see Dugu Bo within three days. Little Dong, arrange it."

Lin Yaodong said, "All right, big brother. I'll arrange it right away."

Although Lin Yaodong appeared calm on the surface, he was already roaring inside.

Revenge! This is definitely retaliation! All I did was see through that little scheme of yours. Do you have to be so petty?

What kind of big brother acts like this?

Arrange it.

Finding a place to stay is easy enough, but who is Dugu Bo?

He's a Titled Douluo!

How am I supposed to arrange a meeting between you two? Aren't you afraid he'll arrange for me to be dealt with instead?

Dugu Bo was a newly risen Titled Douluo, temperamental, sinister, and vicious, quick to take lives. His reputation in the Soul Master World was far from good.

Honestly, even knowing that his big brother Chen Mo wouldn't harm him and would only set him up at worst, Lin Yaodong was still a little nervous.

Chen Mo said, "Don't panic. You only need to find Dugu Bo's residence and deliver this letter to him. When the time comes, he'll naturally come to see me."

With that, Chen Mo handed Lin Yaodong a letter.

Only then did Lin Yaodong breathe a sigh of relief. That was more like it. Otherwise, how could he possibly arrange for a Titled Douluo to meet his big brother?

Chen Mo continued, "Also, you weren't in the right state of mind while driving the carriage just now. I've told you before: if your heart isn't still, nothing can be accomplished. Recite the Steadiness Character Formula and the Stillness Character Formula properly again later. Oh, and one more piece of information: Poison Douluo has been poisoned."

Lin Yaodong immediately composed himself. "Yes, big brother. Yaodong understands."

Two days later, at Dugu Bo's residence.

The gatekeeper said, "Who are you? This is Poison Douluo's residence. Leave at once, or if my master gets upset, a big fellow like you might just lose your life."

Lin Yaodong smiled amiably. "Thank you for the warning, brother, but His Majesty Poison Douluo is precisely the person I've come to see."

"This is a calling card from my big brother for His Majesty Poison Douluo. Please pass it on for me, brother. This is a small token, hardly worthy of your consideration."

Lin Yaodong handed the gatekeeper a letter and slipped him a large bag of silver coins along with it.

The gatekeeper's reaction was: I'm just a gatekeeper. When have I ever seen anything like this? Who knew there were benefits to guarding a gate? In an instant, the young gatekeeper had discovered a whole new world...

Looking at the bag of silver coins Lin Yaodong had handed over with the letter, the young gatekeeper was visibly stunned for a while. Only then did he look around and timidly accept it.

One glance at his movements was enough to tell he was a novice.

The young gatekeeper looked a little embarrassed as he said, "But I'm not qualified to see my master either. At most, I can hand this over to the steward, but I don't know whether he'll pass it on to my master.

"I've heard that ever since my master became a Titled Douluo, quite a few people have sent gifts and brought calling cards, hoping to get acquainted with him, but the steward has turned them all away."

Lin Yaodong smiled amiably. "That's all right. Just hand this over to the steward. Also, please pass on a message for me. Tell him: Poison Douluo has been poisoned, and only my big brother can save him."

With that, Lin Yaodong placed another bag of silver coins in the gatekeeper's hand.

This time, the gatekeeper's hands were noticeably nimbler.

"Rest assured, I'll definitely deliver your message and letter to the steward. You have my word of honor."

Lin Yaodong smiled. "Sorry for the trouble, brother."

His big brother did often set him up, but what he taught him was all genuinely useful!

Useful.

Petty men are drawn by profit; gentlemen are drawn by righteousness.

With minor figures, money was often the most direct, simplest, and most effective method. Combined with a few conversational techniques, it made getting things done easy.

It had never failed Lin Yaodong, and this time was no exception. It worked wonders.

Before long, the young gatekeeper had delivered the letter and the message.

The gatekeeper said, "That's what the man said. He didn't look like he was lying to me, either. I thought the matter was of great importance, so I hurried over to report it to you, my lord."

The steward said, "All right, give it to me. I know about the matter now. Go back and keep watch at the gate."

The gatekeeper said, "Yes, my lord. I'll take my leave."

The steward frowned. Over the past year, there had been eighty, if not a hundred, people like this. In the end, all they wanted was to get close to Lord Poison Douluo.

This time, the reason was even more absurd. Poison was Lord Poison Douluo's greatest specialty, so how could he possibly have been poisoned?

He was about to toss the letter away. Lord Poison Douluo had long since instructed him that he had no interest in dealing with such people and that the steward could handle them himself.

But just as he was about to discard it, the steward remembered something. Hadn't the eldest young master seemingly died of poisoning?

Thinking that the matter might not be so simple, the steward kept the letter.

The steward thought, I'd better leave this matter for my lord to decide personally.

When Chen Mo saw Lin Yaodong return, he casually asked, "How did everything go?"

Lin Yaodong told him what he had done over the past two days.

Chen Mo said, "Oh? Then how can you be sure the steward will definitely put it in Dugu Bo's hands?"

Lin Yaodong answered honestly, "I can't be certain of that. I'd say the chances are fifty-fifty.

"I looked into that steward. He's followed Dugu Bo for over forty years and is deeply loyal to both Dugu Bo and the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Clan. He's been with Dugu Bo ever since Dugu Bo settled in Heaven Dou City.

"So he should know the real cause of Dugu Bo's son's death more than ten years ago. He should have died from poisoning.

"That's why, if the steward hears me say that Dugu Bo has been poisoned, he's very likely to take it to Dugu Bo.

"Big brother, you said Dugu Bo had been poisoned. I'd been wondering what use that statement was, so I looked up information about Dugu Bo.

"And I really did discover something: members of Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Clan rarely live past fifty, and the higher their cultivation, the shorter their lives tend to be.

"Normally, the higher a person's cultivation, the longer they should live. But the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Clan is different. After reaching the Soul Saint level, few live more than five years.

"Following that line of thought and considering what you said, big brother, could there be such a possibility?

"Dugu Bo's poisoning isn't an isolated case. Could the entire Jade Phosphorous Serpent Clan be poisoned? And that poison most likely comes from their pride-the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison.

"So you already knew that the entire Jade Phosphorous Serpent Clan was afflicted by Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison. Is my analysis right, big brother?"