Chen Xin subconsciously flicked his gaze toward Ning Rongrong, narrowing his eyes as if to say: Why didn't you tell me Xiao Tian actually has an external soul bone?
Caught red-handed, Ning Rongrong shot him a mischievous grin. She stuck out her little pink tongue and blinked innocently, pretending she hadn't hidden anything at all.
Ning Fengzhi and the other elders of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect caught the expression and couldn't help chuckling. Their little princess was blatantly siding with Xiao Tian. Was she… playing favorites already?
The thought made them sigh in unison. If it were just a childish crush, that would be one thing. But Xiao Tian wasn't just anyone—he already had Xiao Wu beside him. And yet Ning Rongrong's feelings were so clear to see.
Forget it, the three elders thought as their short-lived amusement faded into resignation. They knew how picky their precious Rongrong could be. Xiao Tian's strength and talent had set her standards impossibly high. If she missed out on him, how would she ever be satisfied with anyone else? The possibility of their little princess growing up stubborn and alone… well, that thought worried them far more than Xiao Tian's love life.
"Haha! Good, very good," Meng Shenji's deep laughter rang out. He clapped his palms together and regarded Xiao Tian with open delight. "Xiao Tian, you've given us yet another surprise. From now on, if you ever need anything, you come to us directly. We'll do our best to grant it—as long as you can lead our academy to the championship in this Soul Master Tournament!"
His words were telling. Yu Tianheng was no longer the rightful captain of the Heaven Dou Imperial Team. The crown had silently shifted to Xiao Tian, because his strength far surpassed everyone else's.
Zhilin leaned forward, still concerned. "But Xiao Tian, are you alright? The pressure from my test just now was no small matter."
Xiao Tian shook his head, calm as still water. "On the contrary, I should be thanking you, Elder. Because of that pressure, my soul power has just advanced by another rank. And this external soul bone of mine is now even more compatible with me."
Outwardly, everyone thought he'd advanced from level 43 to 44. Only Xiao Tian knew the truth—it was 53 to 54.
But that secret pressed upon him. When am I supposed to reveal my real strength? he thought. During the tournament, every member would be tested. Sooner or later, there'd be nowhere left to hide. Perhaps then, the mask could finally be lifted.
Just as tension gave way to thought, the door to the VIP room creaked open. A tall, white-haired figure stepped inside. His eyes were as sharp as venomous blades; even his aura carried a faint toxicity.
The three Education Committee members stiffened, then lowered their heads respectfully. "Your Majesty, Poison Douluo… what business do you have here?"
Ning Fengzhi's own brows furrowed. Even Gu Rong and Chen Xin went taut with vigilance. Could it be that Xue Beng or Prince Xue Xing had set this poisonous old monster on Xiao Tian?
Ning Rongrong's heart clenched. She whispered, "Father…"
Ning Fengzhi simply gestured for silence, bidding her watch before panicking.
The Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, gave all of them a short glance. His gaze eventually settled on Xiao Tian, and when his eyes fell upon the spread of translucent, sword-like wings on Xiao Tian's back, even he felt a shudder. His pupils contracted, desire flickering before he suppressed it with iron will.
So this is Xiao Tian… the one Yanyan mentioned, he thought.
"I'm here to find Xiao Tian." His tone was flat, his expression unreadable.
Gu Rong immediately snorted coldly. "Old poison, don't tell me you've been ordered to pick a fight? Xiao Tian is under our protection. I didn't think Xue Beng's tricks would move so quickly—he already sent a lackey like you?"
"…???" Dugu Bo's face went stiff as he stared at them like a man wrongly accused. He wanted to raise his hands and cry out, What crime did I commit just by walking in the door?
Since when had Xiao Tian and Xue Beng turned into enemies? Wasn't this boy supposed to just be starting school?
"No," he said firmly, "my coming here has nothing to do with Xue Beng. Xiao Tian requested me himself. There's something I need to speak with him about."
That single line threw Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, Chen Xin, and even the Education Committee into stunned silence. Since when did Xiao Tian and Dugu Bo have dealings with each other?
Dugu Bo wasn't lying. Xiao Tian had indeed asked Dugu Yan to summon him. It was only natural that curiosity had driven him here. What he hadn't expected was to find the leaders of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect gathered around Xiao Tian like hounds guarding treasure.
Xiao Tian calmly folded back his wings, bowed lightly toward Ning Fengzhi and the others, and said, "Yes, I called Senior Dugu Bo here."
The onlookers exchanged bewildered looks. So it was true.
"How about we speak alone?" Dugu Bo asked. His tone, surprisingly, carried no hostility.
Originally, he had half-planned to beat Xiao Tian into submission until answers spilled. But with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect shielding the boy, violence wasn't possible. Better to tread carefully, especially since Yanyan had personally begged him not to act rashly.
Chen Xin immediately stepped forward. "Old Poison, Xiao Tian is a friend of our sect—and a partner to our Rongrong. If you dare harbor ill intent toward him…" His eyes flashed like twin swords, the threat echoing without words.
Ning Fengzhi followed with a calm but firm tone. "Dugu Bo, handle whatever business you have. But see to it that Xiao Tian returns to us unharmed."
That made Dugu Bo's heart twitch. Could he have underestimated this twelve-year-old boy's standing? Just what had Xiao Tian done to win such trust from them?
Xiao Tian smiled easily. "Senior, shall we take a walk?"
He turned to the girls at his side. "Xiao Wu, Zhuqing, Rongrong—head back to the dormitory first. We'll eat out together tonight."
The three nodded—though not without casting suspicious looks at Dugu Bo—and reluctantly took their leave.
Outside, the academy path stretched quiet beneath the shaded trees. Dugu Bo finally broke the silence, his voice low and sharp. "Boy, you're awfully calm. Do you not fear me? What's to stop me from releasing a cloud of poison and killing you where you stand?"
His emerald-green eyes gleamed with threat.
Xiao Tian didn't even flinch. "Senior, if you kill me, you doom yourself. Think it over—if I'm gone, who will cure you? If it were only your life at stake, that would be one thing. But what about your granddaughter, Dugu Yan? Do you want her to die young?"
Dugu Bo stiffened.
Xiao Tian continued, his voice steady, precise, cutting into the old man's biggest fear. "At her age, her martial soul hasn't fully matured. But once she reaches Soul Saint, the venom of the Green Phosphorus Snake will spike to its deadliest point. If fate is cruel, her snake will even evolve into the Green Phosphorus Snake King. At that moment, her body will collapse under the toxin. She will die instantly."
The words hung heavy, every syllable falling like lead.
"You've walked this earth for decades," Xiao Tian went on, "and managed to ascend to Titled Douluo. But don't tell me your daily life isn't agony. How long have you endured the venom's corrosion yourself? How much longer can you last?"
Dugu Bo's eyes went wide. His breath caught in his chest.
Impossible, he thought. No one knows. Not even Spirit Hall knows!
"You… who exactly are you? How do you know about the poison in me? This is my deepest secret. Even the sects have never discovered it!" His tone cracked into open suspicion. For the first time, Poison Douluo looked shaken.
But Xiao Tian didn't falter. He stopped walking, looked Dugu Bo straight in the eyes, and slowly announced, word by word:
"I can save you."
Those four words landed like stones in a still pond.
Dugu Bo's lips twitched. He wanted to scoff, to sneer at the absurdity of believing a twelve-year-old boy could undo decades of torment. Yet… his heart, tightly wound in shackles of venom and despair, stirred faintly at the possibility.
"…Why should I believe you?" The old man's voice was low, gravelly, almost reluctant.
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