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At first, Ju Douluo thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He instinctively rubbed them and looked again, only to freeze in utter disbelief.
Ye Wen and the others were Dugu Bo's prized treasures. After living for seventy or eighty years, Dugu Bo had finally found some joy in life, so he was naturally displeased with his old rival scrutinizing them like this. With an unfriendly tone, he said:
"What more do you want, Chrysanthemum Guan? If you've got nothing else to say, leave now. Otherwise, if you force us into a fight, it'll be a battle to the death!"
Ju Douluo glanced at Dugu Bo, then at Ye Wen and the others. He opened his mouth several times but couldn't find the words.
'Good heavens!' As one of only three soul masters on the entire Douluo Continent who possessed immortal herbs as martial souls—and someone who had spent his entire life searching for such herbs—fate had played a cruel joke on him!
(A/N: The Nine-Heart Begonia has an extraordinary effect and should also be considered a type of immortal herb, which is why we count it among the "three.")
What was he seeing? These young members of the Medical Alliance each carried faint traces of immortal herb energy, and a few even radiated an overwhelmingly potent aura, as if they had just consumed immortal herbs recently. What kind of cosmic joke was this?
With stiff movements, Ju Douluo turned to Dugu Bo. "Old Poison, tell me the truth—did you stumble upon an immortal herb nest? How else could all of them carry the aura of immortal herbs?"
After finishing his conversation with Dugu Bo, Ju Douluo's body trembled again in disbelief. He had also detected a faint trace of immortal herb energy emanating from Dugu Bo himself?
And then there was the Snow Swan Kiss that Dugu Bo had produced earlier. Though that particular herb didn't inherently possess poison—it merely amplified toxicity hundreds or thousands of times over—it was still an immortal herb!
At this point, Ju Douluo didn't need Dugu Bo to answer. The conclusion was clear: Dugu Bo had somehow hit the jackpot and discovered an immortal herb nest, acquiring multiple immortal herbs.
Ju Douluo's Adam's apple bobbed, and his breathing grew rapid.
Dugu Bo hadn't expected Ju Douluo to not only have unparalleled knowledge of immortal herbs but also possess such incredible deductive reasoning skills. Now that Ju Douluo had guessed the possibility of Dugu Bo possessing the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo began to feel a headache coming on as he tried to think of a way to brush off the matter.
But at this moment, Ju Douluo spoke up. "Old Poison, we've fought for so many years, and familiarity breeds respect. If you give me one immortal herb today, we can settle all our past grievances."
Saying this, Ju Douluo shook his head repeatedly, contradicting himself. "No, immortal herbs are far too precious—you definitely wouldn't just give one to me. Here's what I propose: if you give me one immortal herb, I'll grant you a favor of your choice and add five million gold spirit coins. What do you say?"
Upon hearing Ju Douluo's offer, Dugu Bo shamefully felt a pang of temptation. But when he thought about the myriad uses of immortal herbs and Ye Wen's ongoing development of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo quickly suppressed his greed.
He understood the difference between a single meal and lifelong sustenance. For the sake of future generations, how could he possibly be swayed by such a paltry sum? Dugu Bo shook his head repeatedly and replied:
"Stop dreaming, Chrysanthemum Guan. How could I possibly give you something as precious as an immortal herb? Keeping it for repeated use is far more valuable than selling it to you. Besides, our cultivation levels are now equal. Why would I ask you for help with something I can't accomplish myself?Â
You're just an elder of the Spirit Hall, not the Pope. Stop making grandiose promises you can't keep."
Rebuked by Dugu Bo, Ju Douluo's expression darkened. Yet, he couldn't refute Dugu Bo's words because they were grounded in reality. Despite being a Title Douluo, Ju Douluo was merely a hired hand among the Spirit Hall's elders, far from having the authority to mobilize resources to assist Dugu Bo.
However, thinking of his close companion, Ju Douluo reluctantly added:
"Don't underestimate me, Old Poison. Though our cultivation levels are similar, I still have a trusted brother who can perform a spirit fusion technique with me!Â
Together, my brother and I, along with you, could even challenge a level 96 or 97 Super Douluo. Don't you think having such powerful allies in critical moments would be invaluable?"
To this, Dugu Bo simply sneered and shrugged dismissively.
Who didn't know about the Domain of Gui Douluo and Ju Douluo? But the domain's sole purpose was to trap enemies or restrict their soul skills—it couldn't directly harm those caught within. Someone else still had to deal the finishing blow.
Meanwhile, Dugu Bo's wide-area poison attacks, combined with the Snow Swan Kiss, were already formidable enough to terrify anyone. And with Chen Gang's near-unstoppable single-target output powered by his ultimate fire, their duo could easily take on a level 96 or 97 Super Douluo.
So why waste an immortal herb? Just for Ju Douluo and his brother to lend a hand once? It simply wasn't worth it.
Dugu Bo now regarded the immortal herbs and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as family heirlooms. How could he possibly sell out his foundation for such a trivial gain?
However, Ye Wen stood by with an expression of exasperation. While Dugu Bo had rejected Ju Douluo's offer well, he had inadvertently revealed a crucial piece of information—that Dugu Bo still possessed immortal herbs.
If the Spirit Hall learned through Ju Douluo that Dugu Bo had immortal herbs, there was no guarantee they wouldn't be blinded by greed and forcibly demand them—or even launch an attack.
Don't assume the Spirit Hall's recent actions seem irrational. If Bi Bi Dong, that love-struck lunatic, learned of an immortal herb capable of improving her former lover Yu Xiaogang's aptitude, she would undoubtedly storm Dugu Bo's doorstep without hesitation.
Such is the power of love-sick minds!
Ye Wen sighed inwardly. 'Why did you waste so many words, Dugu Bo? You could've just sent him away. Now you're only creating unnecessary trouble for your otherwise stable foundation.'
Just as Ju Douluo's expression twisted with reluctance, considering whether to sweeten the offer further, a black figure silently appeared beside him.
When Ye Wen noticed this shadowy figure, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. There was no doubt this was another Title Douluo—and given his close relationship with Ju Douluo, there was only one person it could be: Gui Douluo.
As Ye Wen tensed, fearing that Gui Douluo might join in and potentially snatch the immortal herbs after a few persuasive words from Ju Douluo, Gui Douluo calmly patted Ju Douluo on the shoulder.
"Enough, Chrysanthemum Guan. The Pope's mission takes priority. Stop embarrassing yourself here."
Instantly, Ju Douluo shot Gui Douluo a resentful look, as if silently accusing him: 'We've been partners for so many years—how could you side with outsiders against me?'
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