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Just then, Tang Chen, who had been sitting cross-legged not far away, slowly opened his eyes. The calm aura that had surrounded him suddenly erupted with an incredibly sharp edge the moment his eyes opened.
His figure flashed, and like Gui Mei, he instantly appeared in front of Xiao Ruier, speaking in a deep voice, "Both of you, stop fighting! We're on the same side!"
The air around them seemed to solidify slightly as his words fell.
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's previously tense expression immediately changed. His weathered green eyes flashed with confusion as he stared intently at Tang Chen, finding him more and more familiar the longer he looked.
The Red King was momentarily startled, his rapidly flying body pausing in mid-air. He was still blazing with flames, and a hint of surprise crossed his heart.
"On the same side?" he thought. "Then why don't you know each other? What's going on?"
He turned to look at Dugu Bo and saw that the other person was just as puzzled.
"Senior Dugu, it's been a long time," Tang Chen said, slowly raising his right hand. A blue light flickered in his palm, and a Blue Silver Grass vine with brilliant golden patterns quietly emerged.
"You... you are...?"
When Dugu Bo saw the Blue Silver Grass in Tang Chen's hand, his pupils violently contracted. He looked at the young man in disbelief, his voice trembling.
"I'm Tang Chen," he replied. "My appearance has changed a bit because of my Spirit's second Awakening, so it's normal that you didn't recognize me right away."
Tang Chen offered a slight smile and reached into his embrace, pulling out a jade-green sachet. The sachet was smooth and warm, intricately woven with dense patterns, and as green as fine jade. With a casual toss, the sachet transformed into a streak of light and landed in Dugu Bo's palm.
"You should recognize this, right?" Tang Chen asked, a faint smile in his eyes as he looked at the Spirit Master floating in mid-air. "The Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse you personally gave me."
Dugu Bo was momentarily stunned. He lowered his head and gazed at the sachet in his hand, his fingertips trembling. This was indeed the living storage Spirit Tool he had given Tang Chen back then—the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse.
"I did give this item away, but one item alone probably isn't enough to prove you're Tang Chen," he said.
The next second, a complex look flashed in the depths of his eyes. He raised his head, staring at the blue-clad young man not far away, his voice hoarse. "Perhaps you killed him, then stole his treasure..."
At this point, the Spirit Power within Dugu Bo surged again. If these three people in front of him were truly Tang Chen's murderers, then he likely wouldn't escape death today. But even if he died, he vowed to take at least two of them down with him.
Looking at Dugu Bo, Tang Chen's expression remained unchanged; in fact, he wore a half-smile. "Your hair seems to have returned to its original color. It looks like the residual poison in your body should be mostly resolved, right? Now that I've told you this, do you believe me?"
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's expression relaxed several points. After all, only he, Dugu Yan, and Tang Chen knew about the detoxification process.
"You... you really are Tang Chen?"
"But how did you suddenly get so handsome? Even your face..."
Dugu Bo's voice held a hint of disbelief, and at the same time, his demeanor shifted from vigilance to pure joy.
"Didn't I just tell you?" Tang Chen sighed with a wry smile. "My appearance changed because of my Spirit's second Awakening."
"A Spirit can undergo a second Awakening? Quickly, teach me how!"
Hearing this, Dugu Bo grew excited. The green light that had been restrained on his body lit up again, and his figure flickered, rushing directly toward Tang Chen.
Seeing this, the Red King's expression suddenly changed, and his figure flashed again, instantly blocking Dugu Bo's path.
Staring at the Red King who had suddenly appeared in front of him, Dugu Bo reacted as if he had seen a ghost, retreating with lightning speed—at least twice as fast as when he charged forward. That slap from the Red King earlier had severely injured him.
Xiao Ruier, seeing the commotion, frowned slightly and immediately sent a telepathic message to the Red King. "Uncle Red King, this is a misunderstanding, please withdraw for now."
The Red King was momentarily stunned, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. He looked up at Dugu Bo not far away, and after a brief moment of thought, he finally nodded. His figure swayed and instantly vanished from his original spot.
"Senior Dugu, when did you get so timid? This doesn't suit your style as the Poison Overlord of the world," Tang Chen said with a laugh after witnessing the scene.
Dugu Bo's old face flushed. He said testily, "Don't give me that, kid. That Red King's Spirit Power Rank is at least ninety-six or ninety-seven. There are probably very few people on the entire Douluo Continent who can match him. That slap I took just now wasn't easy to handle!"
With the Red King gone, Dugu Bo's figure flickered, and he landed in front of Tang Chen. His gaze then shifted slightly, landing on the golden-haired girl behind Tang Chen. He furrowed his brows and asked in confusion, "And this is?"
"Her name is Xiao Ruier. She's my friend and also a member of the Royal Fight Team."
Dugu Bo nodded in understanding. "So that's how it is," he said indifferently. "I just got back from Heaven Dou Royal Academy not long ago. A few days ago, some people calling themselves Shrek Academy came to the Academy. Prince Xue Xing asked me to go over and cause them some trouble. In the end, under my pressure, they were driven right out."
At this point, Dugu Bo couldn't help but smile, casually waving his hand. "There was one guy among them who looked very much like you used to. I almost mistook him for you at the time. By the way, do you really have a younger brother, kid?"
Hearing this, Tang Chen and Xiao Ruier, who was beside him, exchanged a smile but remained silent.
Seeing the two suddenly exchange smiles, Dugu Bo couldn't help but curl his lips and snort. "What are you two laughing at? Tang Chen, do you really have a younger brother, kid?"
"I won't tell you now; you'll naturally find out in the future." Tang Chen simply raised his hand, gently patted Dugu Bo's shoulder, smiled without speaking, and said indifferently.
Dugu Bo was utterly confused upon hearing this, muttering incessantly to himself, but he didn't press further. He just narrowed his eyes and changed the subject. "Oh, there's one more thing I need to tell you."
"The leader of your Royal Fight Team seems to have also left with those Shrek Academy people. I think you might as well not go back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, kid. Just Cultivate with me; I can guide you much better than that Spirit Emperor."
"Did Qin Ming still leave, just like in the original story?"
Upon hearing this news, Tang Chen frowned slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He then raised his head and looked at the crescent moon in the night sky, muttering to himself, "Although the environment of Heaven Dou Royal Academy is good, it's not my own power after all. Now that Qin Ming is also gone, and my strength has improved a lot, why not..."
Thinking of this, Tang Chen suddenly raised his head, his gaze falling on Dugu Bo in front of him. He said seriously, "Senior Dugu, I have an idea that requires your help."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo was stunned. Then his expression became a bit strange. "You're not thinking of having me experiment with some Medicinal Pill for you again, are you, kid? Do you know I had diarrhea for several days after eating those things you refined before?"
"It's not about Medicinal Pills," Tang Chen chuckled, then waved his hand and said solemnly, "I want to create an Academy, and I want you to be the principal. What do you think?"