That afternoon, Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
A brown streak of light cut across the sky, its unrestrained pressure rolling the air, forcing trees and flowers below to bend.
"A Titled Douluo?" Several instructors and students turned their heads in shock.
"There's a Titled Douluo approaching." In the council office, Meng Shenji, sensitive in spiritual power, rose abruptly to his feet.
"Most likely Senior Dugu has gotten word and is here to hold us accountable," Zhi Lin said with a bitter smile.
"Let's go out and welcome him first." Meng Shenji sighed.
The two left the office together.
Outside the council building, Dugu Bo descended gracefully, his presence startling both committee members.
"And you are…?" Meng Shenji cupped his fists.
"I am Dugu Bo!" Dugu Bo snorted coldly. "What is your academy doing? You can't even guard one person properly!"
The two committee members froze, then Meng Shenji reacted quickly, bowing. "Senior Dugu is right. It was the academy's negligence."
"Enough." Dugu Bo waved a hand.
"This can't all be blamed on you. For someone to bypass the Royal Knights so easily, their strength must be formidable and they came prepared. My purpose today is simple. From now on, I will take residence in the team dormitory and personally guard it."
"As for the changes in me, there's no harm in telling you. My martial soul has evolved, completely transformed. As for the reason, you will immediately send word to the royal family, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Spirit Hall, asking them to come here at once. I will give a full explanation. Better to make things clear today than have anyone coveting me later. If trouble comes, don't blame me for not warning you."
"Yes, I'll have someone arrange it immediately." Meng Shenji nodded quickly, turning to the side.
"Elder Zhi, I'll trouble you with this."
"Of course." Zhi Lin suppressed his surprise, cupped his hands to Dugu Bo, and hurried off.
Meng Shenji then gestured, "Senior Dugu, please, come inside."
Dugu Bo nodded and strode into the council building, Meng Shenji following.
Outside, the gathered crowd burst into chatter.
"Lord Dugu's martial soul evolved? He looks like a different man—he's gotten so much younger!"
"Yes, his physique is stronger, even his hair and eye color changed. Shave that beard and I wouldn't recognize him."
"You know, he actually looks quite handsome now."
An hour later, at the foot of the academy, a luxurious carriage rolled to a stop.
"Greetings to Teacher, greetings to Your Holiness." Xue Qinghe bowed respectfully to Ning Fengzhi, who stepped down from the carriage.
"No need for formality, Qinghe." Ning Fengzhi smiled kindly.
As the two spoke, the sound of wheels crunching came from another direction.
Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and Xue Qinghe all turned their heads. Another carriage—Spirit Hall's.
The vehicle stopped, Salas lifted the curtain, and Chrysanthemum Douluo was the first to step down.
'Why is Chrysanthemum Douluo in Heaven Dou City? Could last night…' Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong shared the same thought.
"Greetings, Your Holiness," said Xue Qinghe with courtesy.
"It's been a while, Sect Master Ning." Chrysanthemum Douluo gave a thin smile.
"Let's skip the pleasantries." His tone was cool. "Sect Master Ning, don't overthink it. I'm only here by coincidence. Come. I hear that old fossil Dugu Bo's martial soul has evolved, and I'm curious to see for myself."
Ning Fengzhi inclined his head and gestured politely. "After you, Elder Chrysanthemum."
Before long, in the guest hall of the council building—
"Hmph, Yue Guan! So you're here too." Dugu Bo's expression darkened the moment he saw Chrysanthemum Douluo enter. His eyes narrowed like blades. "The intruder who trespassed last night, was that you?"
"Old poison, don't you spit nonsense!" Chrysanthemum Douluo shot back. "Attacking a junior in the dark? I'd never lower myself like that. If I had, your granddaughter would've been dead long ago." His brow arched coldly.
"But the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan… I recall they sent people to trail your granddaughter's squad during training at the Great Spirit Arenas."
From the start he was fanning the flames.
Ning Fengzhi quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Please, both of you, don't quarrel. Let's keep this civil."
"Hmph." Dugu Bo seized the chance to cool it, snorting as he gestured to sit.
Chrysanthemum Douluo, sneering, took a seat with Salas near the back. Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong sat toward the front, their gazes fixed on Dugu Bo in surprise.
'Such a drastic change… this feels just like when Yang Yunhai transformed. Could he also have taken an Immortal Herb?'
From the main seat, Dugu Bo nodded. "Since everyone is here, I'll speak plainly. The changes in me, even my martial soul's evolution, are because I consumed an Immortal Herb. My granddaughter as well."
'Two herbs?' Everyone present stiffened. Chrysanthemum Douluo's brows furrowed.
Dugu Bo lifted his right hand. Soul power surged, and a miniature brown dragon manifested in his palm.
Chrysanthemum Douluo's face sank, Salas's brows tightened.
Just its form revealed it—a dragon martial soul, with fearsome might. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor was already not weaker than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Now, it had evolved further. Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong exchanged shocked looks.
Withdrawing his martial soul, Dugu Bo went on. "The truth is, my so-called illness, and my granddaughter's as well, were never what outsiders believed. They were poison—hereditary venom born from our martial souls."
He recounted Yang Yunhai's analysis of the poison's origin.
"Because of this mixed poison, my clan dwindled to near extinction." Dugu Bo's tone softened with genuine sorrow. "I scoured the continent for years, searching in vain for a cure. Otherwise, my son would not have…"
The room fell silent.
"Heh, who would've thought the great Poison Douluo would be defeated by poison itself," Chrysanthemum Douluo sneered.
Ning Fengzhi, who had been about to offer condolences, swallowed the words back.
Ignoring him, Dugu Bo said coldly, "Until Yang Yunhai joined the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"It was he who devised a method using a soul bone to draw out the poison, curing both me and my granddaughter."
'So that's why Dugu Bo values Yang Yunhai so much. He saved their lives!' The realization struck everyone, including the two committee members.
'But what does this have to do with the herbs?' Ning Fengzhi wondered inwardly.
Dugu Bo continued. "It was only after being cured that I could consume the herbs. In truth, I discovered them years ago."
"They lay in the Sunset Forest, in the Poison Miasma Zone, beside the bones of two dragon beasts. Two stalks of ganoderma."
He began describing them.
"Land Dragon Golden Melon?!" Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes widened before he could stop himself.
"You know about it?" Ning Fengzhi turned toward him.
"I've heard of it." Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice was bitter. "Said to be bathed in dragon blood. For dragon-type martial souls, it can trigger true dragon evolution and grant earth affinity, massively boosting defense." He looked back at Dugu Bo. "Old poison, if I'm right, your martial soul guided you to it, didn't it?"
"You're not entirely ignorant," Dugu Bo said coldly. "Yes, I felt my martial soul resonate, like a starving wolf sensing prey. The closer I came, the stronger the pull. I knew it would benefit me."
"Pure dumb luck!" Chrysanthemum Douluo spat, jealousy in his tone.
Dugu Bo's eyes sharpened. "Hmph. Jealous? Just admit it instead of sniping."
Turning back, he went on, "The second herb I found from even farther away, guided by the same resonance." He described it.
Ning Fengzhi glanced at Chrysanthemum Douluo. "Elder Chrysanthemum, do you recognize it?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo's expression soured. "Nine-Grade Dragon Ganoderma. Similar effect, though without the earth attribute. And yes, only dragon martial souls get the strongest effect."
'So both herbs resonate with dragon martial souls.' Ning Fengzhi nodded inwardly, his suspicions confirmed.
He asked aloud, "Are they only useful to dragon martial souls?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo shook his head. "No, nearly any beast martial soul can consume them. But only dragon-type martial souls gain the greatest effect, enough to resonate. To others, they may look like common fungi."
Ning Fengzhi sighed. "So that is the might of Immortal Herbs."
Chrysanthemum Douluo lifted his chin proudly. "Naturally. My own martial soul is such a treasure."
'No wonder he could become a Titled Douluo. These herbs truly are extraordinary.' Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but feel envy.
He asked, "If you had them years ago, why didn't you take them then, Senior Dugu?"
"Because he couldn't," Chrysanthemum Douluo said with a cold laugh.
"And why is that?" Ning Fengzhi pressed, though he already guessed.
"Ask him yourself." Chrysanthemum Douluo smirked.
Dugu Bo gave a weary sigh. "Because of the poison in me. When I tried even a taste, my blood boiled and the toxins nearly exploded. It was clearly a tonic that would amplify blood energy—and therefore the poison."
"Ah, so that's it." Ning Fengzhi understood. For others, a great tonic. For Dugu Bo, a death sentence.
"That's why I carried them all these years, waiting until the poison was gone." Dugu Bo's voice grew colder. "Until I became a Titled Douluo, until Yan'er entered the Royal Academy… and got involved with Yu Tianheng."
"Yu Tianheng?" Ning Fengzhi's eyes flickered. Chrysanthemum Douluo's brows rose.
Dugu Bo's face hardened. "That boy's intentions were clear from the start. If not his own idea, then arranged by Yu Yuanzhen. At the time, with poison still in me and my age catching up, I thought at least Yan'er would have someone to rely on. So I tolerated it."
"In fact, I intended to give him one of the herbs. As a Titled Douluo already, I thought it might benefit him more. But his character was too rigid, too disappointing."
"And when the chance came to prove himself, he failed."
Dugu Bo's eyes glinted with disdain. "When Xiao Hai suggested using a soul bone to cure Yan'er, I offered a simple test. All I asked was a 5,000-year soul bone. And Yu Tianheng… said he'd write home to ask his clan."
Everyone present was stunned.
'So dull? Xiao Hai practically spelled it out, and he still missed it. No wonder Dugu Yan broke up with him.'
Not only betraying a benefactor, but a friend, a teammate, even his own partner's life. Truly pathetic.
(End of Chapter)
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