Out of the corner of his eye, Ghost Douluo glanced at his old friend. Bowing slightly toward Bibi Dong, he timely interjected, "Old Yue, Xiao Hai once defeated Yu Tianheng, and that was despite being 8 levels lower. That no doubt hurt the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's face."
"And afterward, the method of using a soul bone to transfer poison to treat Dugu Yan also came from Xiao Hai. So, looking at cause and effect, without Xiao Hai there would've been none of this."
"Now the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan offered a soul bone as a betrothal gift and were rejected, which in turn angered Dugu Bo. This debt, the clan will surely place on Xiao Hai as well."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's brows instantly furrowed.
Ghost Douluo nodded slightly and continued, "So, in times when neither you nor I can stay by Xiao Hai's side to protect him, perhaps Dugu Bo is the right choice."
Straight to the heart.
It was both official business and personal.
Chrysanthemum Douluo was convinced. Though reluctant in his heart, he had to admit Ghost Douluo was right. Bibi Dong wanted to use his disciple as a bridge to win over Dugu Bo, this Titled Douluo.
And he, in turn, needed Dugu Bo to protect his disciple.
Besides, the Pope had spoken. Could he refuse?
'Just take it as being for my disciple's sake.'
Thinking this, he bowed respectfully to Bibi Dong. "Subordinate obeys!"
"Mhm." Bibi Dong nodded faintly. "You may both withdraw."
"Yes, Your Holiness." The two bowed and turned to leave.
The moment they stepped outside the Pope's Hall, Chrysanthemum Douluo couldn't hold back his complaints.
"That Xiao Hai too—why'd he have to get tangled up with Dugu Bo's granddaughter? Perfectly fine, and he goes out of his way to treat her?"
Ghost Douluo gave him a side glance. "Xiao Hai didn't know you two don't get along."
"From his perspective, you as his teacher weren't around. He didn't know about that person in the palace. To avoid exposure, he couldn't run to Salas every time. With a female companion to think about, of course he needed to find a local protector."
"And who else was within reach, powerful, yet without major political ties, if not Dugu Yan's grandfather, Dugu Bo?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo was silenced, then sighed. "If I'd known, I should've brought Xiao Hai straight to Spirit City back then."
"I disagree." Ghost Douluo's tone was calm. "Adversity tempers wisdom and the ability to act. Look at this period—Xiao Hai's been finding every possible resource to protect and arm himself. With this Heaven Dou Academy experience, his path will be smoother and longer in the future."
"..." Chrysanthemum Douluo was struck silent, then rolled his eyes coquettishly. "Can't out-argue you."
"Forget it. I'll head to Heaven Dou City to pay that old poison a visit."
Ghost Douluo nodded slightly.
---
Days later, within Heaven Dou City's Spirit Hall.
The Heaven Dou Team was undergoing training battles at the Great Spirit Arena, staying at the Violet Hotel. Dugu Bo's presence had been detected nearby, clearly to protect Yang Yunhai from retaliation tied to Dugu Yan's situation. After all, when Dugu Yan fought in the Arena before, Dugu Bo hadn't appeared.
Hearing Salas's report, Chrysanthemum Douluo snorted.
"Dugu Bo still knows how to repay kindness, but his eye for people is truly terrible."
"To think he agreed to let someone like Yu Tianheng, a spineless good-for-nothing, date his granddaughter."
Even though the man was helping protect his disciple, Chrysanthemum Douluo still had to sneer.
He turned to Salas, nodding slightly. "Salas, you did well. If you hadn't kept men watching Heaven Dou Academy, my disciple might've already been abducted by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
"This is what subordinates ought to do," Salas replied politely.
Chrysanthemum Douluo nodded, brushing his fingers. A white jade porcelain bottle appeared in his hand. "I, Yue Guan, hate owing favors. Take this. Add a few drops to hot bath water—it soothes muscles and strengthens bones. Personally refined by me, far better than the rubbish sold on the market. You've got a grandson, don't you? Let him use it."
Salas's face lit up. He carefully received it with both hands.
"Many thanks, Elder Chrysanthemum."
Anything refined by Chrysanthemum Douluo was a treasure. Spirit Hall's current Golden Generation had reached near Soul King levels at such a young age thanks in no small part to his concoctions.
"Mhm." Chrysanthemum Douluo inclined his head. "Prepare me a room. I'll be staying here at the Hall for a while."
His disciple was either in the Arena or the hotel, with Dugu Bo watching nearby—too inconvenient to meet. Neither could he approach Dugu Bo openly here in the city.
The best chance would come when the Heaven Dou Team left Heaven Dou City for other main cities on their so-called tour. Dugu Bo would surely follow, and then he could intercept him on the road.
"Yes." Salas bowed and went to make arrangements.
"Mhm. In the meantime, I'll disguise myself and watch my disciple fight," Chrysanthemum Douluo mused, then left.
---
At the same time, within Heaven Dou City's Great Spirit Arena.
In the lounge, Qin Ming sat at the table, brows furrowed. "I'm sure you've all noticed. Lately, our team's victories in group battles have come mainly from Xiao Hai's stable control with his Martial Soul. Aside from that, the rest of you haven't had much chance to showcase personal skill or teamwork. This goes against the purpose of live combat training."
"Winning is important, yes. But honing yourselves through battle is even more so."
Hearing this, the team looked embarrassed.
Yang Yunhai's control was simply overwhelming. Once he bound an opponent, no one could escape. The rest of the team's role was basically just to finish them off. The winning streak was exhilarating, but they hadn't really exerted themselves.
Qin Ming was clearly adjusting things to prevent them from relying too heavily on Yunhai's control.
"So next, I'll have Xiao Hai pause from team battles, and instead focus on duo matches and solo fights." Qin Ming continued, "In the duo matches, Xiao Hai will rotate pairing with each of you, one-on-one, to build familiarity with your abilities. As for the solo fights, I think you've all seen his progress."
Everyone nodded. They understood.
They had to admit, Yunhai's grasp of his Martial Soul was terrifying. In his hands, the Blue Silver Grass could be whip, net, even basket—limitlessly versatile. In real battle, his methods grew ever stranger, so even teammates couldn't fully predict him. He was practically using the Arena as a laboratory.
This arrangement, in truth, was Qin Ming encouraging Yunhai's experimentation.
"Since you've got such talent in developing soul skills, then use more solo matches to sharpen it," Qin Ming said.
"That said—Yan Yan, you'll temporarily replace Xiao Hai as team controller," Qin Ming looked at Dugu Yan.
"And Zhu Zhuqing, you'll move from rotation into the team's main lineup," he added.
"Yes, Teacher Qin Ming," the two girls answered together.
"Good. Then everyone go sign up for today's solo fights. I'll handle the team registration."
"Yes!" the team chorused, rising together.
(End of Chapter)
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