As for the others, they had long fled at the first sign of trouble.
The area where Huo Rui and Dugu Bo's attacks had collided earlier was now completely petrified. Those watching from afar were left wide-eyed, marveling at the sheer terror of both combatants' power.
Huo Rui had once fought against an 89th-level Soul Douluo—Ge Long, one of the top-tier Soul Douluos whose martial soul was the Yazi, a supreme True Dragon martial soul. If not for some issues with its inheritance, it might have been considered the strongest beast-type martial soul in the world.
And Ge Long himself claimed to be on par with Dugu Bo—a testament to the pride of True Dragon martial souls.
But now, bitterness welled up in Huo Rui's heart.
"Marshal Ge Long, you've deceived me so cruelly! In my Soul Sage days, I could hold my own against you when I went all out. Now that I'm a Soul Douluo, am I supposed to believe I'm only on par with Dugu Bo? Is this what you call 'equal strength' between the two of you?"
Still, there was no turning back now. Not a trace of fear lingered in Huo Rui's heart; instead, her fighting spirit burned even fiercer.
Reassessing her stance, the silver dragon head reappeared.
"Dugu Bo, even if I die today, I'll make you pay!
Fatal Series—Dragonfall—"
Huo Rui condensed her energy to its peak once more, preparing to charge forward again.
But while Huo Rui could endure, Dugu Bo found himself increasingly uncomfortable.
If he could use his ninth soul skill, things would be straightforward. However, using this somewhat restrained spirit bone skill made him feel awkward and restricted.
For someone as decisive as Dugu Bo, this was infuriating!
"Hold on, Huo Rui! There's no need for us to fight! When did I kill Ye Wen? Where did you hear such false information? If you keep acting recklessly, don't blame me for not showing mercy!"
Huo Rui, who was about to charge again, froze mid-action.
However, she didn't dispel the soul power swirling around her body. Instead, her eyes flared red as she shouted:
"Dugu Bo, what nonsense are you spouting?
At this point, do you think a Title Douluo like yourself can deceive me?
Ye Wen is such a good child, only a mere Soul Elder in strength. Yet your servant said you took him out.
If you weren't afraid of dirtying your estate by killing him here, why would you do such a thing?
You might have even taken him somewhere hidden to experiment with your poisons and torture him.
How dare you deny it!"
Dugu Bo listened with a face full of exasperation. What kind of absurdity was this? Did his servants really talk about him like that?
Wait—no.
Dugu Bo suddenly realized something. Didn't Huo Rui just say her servant mentioned taking Ye Wen out? Why was she imagining all these wild scenarios!?
This was clearly a case of reputation damage! Dugu Bo couldn't help but grow indignant.
"What nonsense are you spouting, Huo Rui! Am I really that evil?"
This time, Huo Rui didn't respond. Instead, she gave Dugu Bo a look, letting him figure it out for himself.
Dugu Bo opened his mouth to defend himself but noticed the strange glances from bystanders in the distance. His lips twitched involuntarily, and he fell silent for a moment.
Reflecting briefly on his life, Dugu Bo realized that he'd spent his youth obsessively cultivating, isolating himself from others. Add to that his reputation as a poison master and his frequent mood swings due to toxin exposure—it wasn't surprising that people viewed him this way.
Sighing softly and rubbing his temples, Dugu Bo said:
"Believe me or not, I truly haven't harmed Ye Wen. He's currently studying and practicing in my private medicinal garden.
Look at how you've destroyed my home, yet I haven't killed you. If this were my old self, I wouldn't have held back.
Clearly, I bear no ill will toward you. Here's what we'll do: wait here for a moment, and I'll bring Ye Wen over so you can see for yourself."
Without waiting for Huo Rui's response, Dugu Bo commanded the Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor beneath his feet and sped off toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
For a moment, Huo Rui hesitated. Was she mistaken, or was Dugu Bo planning a trap to ambush her when she weakened? Would he return to kill her once she was defenseless?
But Huo Rui was decisive. She quickly dismissed her doubts and followed him while still in her peak state. Whether or not he attacked, following him wouldn't hurt.
(A/N: A clarification on the True Body mechanic. If a True Body is broken, the soul master suffers backlash and severe injuries. However, if their soul power depletes naturally or the duration expires, it doesn't harm the soul master. Once their soul power recovers, they can activate their True Body again without any cooldown restrictions.
This mechanic seems to have been retconned later by the author, as both the protagonists and the Spirit Hall began using it freely.)
By now, most of the Dugu residence lay in ruins, and the surrounding soul masters exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do next.
At this point, the barely alive steward rasped weakly:
"Help…"
Upon hearing this, the crowd snapped out of their daze. There were still wounded people to tend to—it wasn't the time to stand around idly. As for Dugu Bo's problems, let the Title Douluo and Emperor Xue Ye deal with them.
Dugu Bo naturally sensed Huo Rui following him, but he didn't stop her from accompanying him to his secret base. After all, given Ye Wen's relationship with both parties, their futures were inevitably intertwined.
Moreover, Dugu Bo acknowledged Huo Rui's strength. This potential in-law was someone he could respect!
However, Dugu Bo now pondered another issue: his actions over the years had seemingly tarnished his reputation.
"It seems it's time for a change—for my sake and for Xiao Wen's."
Thinking of Ye Wen, Dugu Bo suddenly smiled.
"Brilliant! Didn't Xiao Wen often say that medicine and poison go hand in hand? Perhaps Xiao Wen's pharmacy could be the perfect place to redeem my reputation."
With two high-level soul masters traveling at full speed, the secondary-level soul beast forest known as Sunset Forest posed no threat. Aside from a few exceptionally powerful soul beasts, none dared to block their path. Within half an hour, they reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Facing the toxic barrier surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, though Huo Rui couldn't fly, her overwhelming soul power rendered the ordinary toxins ineffective. She charged straight through, breaking into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The commotion Huo Rui caused caught Ye Wen's attention immediately. He instinctively turned and saw her at a glance.
When Ye Wen spotted Huo Rui, he was visibly startled. Hadn't he already sent a letter home to assure them of his safety? Why had she come in person?
But Huo Rui paid no heed to Ye Wen's confusion. She rushed forward and embraced him tightly.
"Thank goodness, Xiao Wen, you're safe."
Huo Rui's choked voice brought Ye Wen back to his senses. Instinctively, he gently patted her back, trying to comfort her.
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