"Lu Yuan, are you dragging me to that grove again?"
"If we don't go today, then we'll head straight for Sunset Forest!"
Grinning shamelessly, Lu Yuan tugged Dugu Yan by the wrist as he swaggered out of Tiandou Royal Academy. By now, the gatekeeper had long since given up any thought of stopping him. Whenever Lu Yuan wanted to leave, he left. No one dared stand in his way.
Dugu Yan narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me you're planning to steal my grandpa's medicinal herbs again."
Lu Yuan's expression instantly soured. "Steal? Yan Yan, how can you call it stealing? If you marry me, your grandfather won't have to prepare a dowry. The poor old man already has blood in his urine from stress. What herbs can he even afford to give? Hmph! What I'm taking is my own stuff in advance. Got it?" He jabbed her forehead with his finger.
He emphasized again, puffing out his chest like a child making a point. "It's not stealing—it's taking back what's mine!"
Before she could argue, he burst into laughter, dragging her along at a half-run. His excitement was obvious.
Through Xue Beng's loose lips, he'd learned that old Dugu Bo would be busy with Xue Xing over a long chess game today. That meant the Eyes of Ice and Fire—his herb garden of heaven-defying treasures—would be unguarded. It was the perfect opportunity.
"Goose, hop on!" Lu Yuan drew the dark longsword from his back and tossed it beneath his feet. His mood surged instantly, irritation vanishing like mist.
"Yes, flying swords!" he whooped, raising a jar to his lips.
"Tons… tons…"
The trees around them blurred into streaks as they shot forward. Dugu Yan clung tightly to him, wind whipping her hair. Even now, she couldn't grasp it—this boy had never once been seen cultivating seriously, yet somehow his power kept growing stronger.
Dugu Bo's Forbidden Garden
"My grandpa's herb garden is surrounded by poisonous fog," she warned anxiously as they approached the remote valley.
But before she even finished, Lu Yuan charged straight into the miasma. The moment his sword tip pierced the air, the fog hissed and dispersed in all directions, melting away like shadows before sunrise.
"Relax! With me here, you'll breathe easier than at a spa!" He laughed, striding proudly forward.
His gaze finally landed on the heart of the garden—the Eyes of Ice and Fire. The twin springs bubbled fiercely, one boiling hot, the other freezing cold, yin and yang intertwining in a mesmerizing whirl. Around them bloomed the legendary immortal herbs, each glowing faintly with energy.
Excitement flashed across Lu Yuan's blurred eyes. Just like I remember…
Good thing his memory hadn't failed him. Without these herbs, even identifying which did what would've been impossible. But with his sword, things were simple.
The dark blade cut into the earth with flawless precision, separating roots from soil. No poison, no fire, no frost could resist it. Dozens of precious herbs came loose, perfectly intact, as though the land itself yielded to his drunken command.
"Tons… tons…"
He sipped happily between each dig.
"This velvet chrysanthemum looks good—great for vitality. Mine!" Dig!
"Eight Petal Immortal Orchid! Perfect gift for a girl. Heh, shovel!"
"Lovesick Heartbroken Red… Qi Luo Tulip… come with Papa!"
Bag after bag filled up quickly.
"Lu Yuan, hurry!" Yan urged, biting her lip. "If my grandpa returns and finds his garden raided again, he might faint from rage!"
"Haha… don't worry. Look at this haul!" He leaned on her shoulder, grinning at the stuffed pouch of herbs. "Next time I come back, I'll guard this place carefully. If that Tang San even thinks about showing up…" His drunken smile flashed sharp as steel. "I'll chop him down."
Tribute Wine Ride
"Come celebrate with me, Goose! Drink!" He raised another jar with a carefree laugh.
"No! Absolutely not. The last time you got me drunk, I—I don't even want to think about what happened." She turned red, burying her face in her hair.
"Bah, don't waste tribute wine! Hic!" He swung her closer, forcing the speed faster. To her horror, the sword ride now felt less like traveling and more like clinging to a roller coaster gone off rails.
"Slow down! You'll kill us both!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his chest despite herself.
A Prince in Trouble
Elsewhere in Tiandou City, Xue Beng was sprinting for his life.
"The bastard Lu Yuan calls himself my bodyguard? I can't even see him!" he cursed, legs wobbling as two assassins chased him close behind.
His Martial Soul—the Heaven Dou royal family's Swan—was hardly suited for fighting. Against two professional killers, he didn't stand a chance. Despair gnawed at him. Hadn't years of pretending to be useless and cowardly been enough to survive?
Am I really going to die like this?
"Boom!" The assassins' attack shot toward his back like a hammer.
But before it could land, a long dark blade slammed down from above, splitting the attack apart. Black flames surged upward, cloaking the alley in shimmering heat distortions.
"Tons… tons… tons…"
"Oi, bastards! Trying to knock over my tribute wine?"
"B-Brother Lu Yuan!" Xue Beng nearly cried himself. Relief and terror mixed in his eyes.
From the shadows, Lu Yuan stepped forward calmly, flask dangling in one hand. "I've been here all along."
"…Can you not do this heart-attack entrance every time?!" the prince croaked, half-fainting in fear.
The assassins exchanged shocked glances. Neither spoke further, simply activating their Martial Souls instantly. Twin auras flared—the pressure of two formidable Soul Kings.
But Lu Yuan just hiccupped loudly.
[Ding! Detected: Host already drunk. Spirit ring duration boosted +30 years. First ring now 2000 years. Spirit ability attribute bonus +10%. Special drunk state bonus applied!]
Lu Yuan chuckled. "Royal tribute wine really is great stuff. Adds thirty years in one sip!"
His grin widened. "Time to fight."
Four Rings Revealed
One step forward—one sea of pressure descended.
Purple, purple, purple… black!
The ground lit up beneath his feet as four spirit rings rose one after another.
When the assassins saw it, their knees nearly buckled.
That configuration simply shouldn't exist. Four rings with the last being black? A monster.
Still, arrogance remained. They were Soul Kings. He was only a Soul Sect. Numbers and rank spoke for themselves, right?
"Surge!" Lu Yuan roared.
His first ring lit. Black flame bloomed violently, fusing with his sword until he himself seemed a demon crawling straight from hell. Heat warped the air, shredding stone walls, shaking floor tiles loose.
"Break through the heavens!" His second ring ignited. Nine streaks of black fire burst forth, consuming the alley.
The assassins screamed, but their souls themselves were dragged toward the blade. When the dark fire vanished, nothing remained but two piles of brittle ash and scattered bones.
Aftermath
"Lu Yuan!" Dugu Yan appeared, racing down the path. Her face paled.
"What the hell—Goose, why'd you bite me?!" Lu Yuan yelped as she slapped his arm.
Her lips trembled. "You were gone ten whole minutes without answering. I thought… I thought you froze from killing for the first time." She hugged him tightly, not realizing her worry was misplaced.
Lu Yuan only blinked. Did I even kill anyone? Can't remember…
Yan's eyes shimmered differently now. She had always known his reputation: teasing girls and drinking endlessly. But today, she had seen him step into another realm altogether.
His spirit rings—three purples and one black—defied every law of cultivation. No twelve-year-old should carry such terrifying rings, yet here he was.
Still, she smiled. Because this terrifying genius was hers.
In the corner, Xue Beng had collapsed to his knees, shaking violently.
Two Soul Kings. Slain in seconds.
"Brother Lu Yuan…" he muttered, voice trembling like a broken reed. "From now on, I'll follow you forever!"
Lu Yuan waved him off lazily. "No need. You gave me a soul bone and I saved your life. Balance settled. Transaction complete."
Xue Beng's jaw dropped. A thigh he'd finally latched onto—already gone.
In truth, he had gained much from their deal. A spirit bone traded for his survival was a bargain. Yet watching Lu Yuan's back disappear into the moonlight, he couldn't help but regret. If only he hadn't cursed him earlier…
Why did I call him a bastard…
But deep down, he knew. If Lu Yuan hadn't been in a good mood today, it wouldn't have ended as lightly as a "transaction." It would've been his funeral.
--
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