To the east of Nuoding City, a few kilometers away, deep in a small patch of dense forest.
Ye Qiu had already been tossed to the ground by Tang Hao. He was hunched over, mouth wide open, panting heavily. Cold wind rushed into his lungs, chilling him to the core. Fortunately, he was in good physical condition—he looked worse than he felt. He was just acting the part convincingly.
"Kid, did you train for nothing to become a Soul Elder?" Tang Hao sat cross-legged on the grass, unable to resist mocking Ye Qiu.
"It's because you were way too fast, Uncle Haozi…"
Ye Qiu cleared his slightly dry throat and plopped down on the ground. After catching his breath for a while, he looked at Tang Hao with wide black eyes full of confusion and shock.
Tang Hao pulled out his wine gourd and took a long swig.
Alcohol not only dulled his sorrow but also eased the pain in his body. Ever since that fateful battle, Tang Hao had been running on fumes. His internal injuries were far worse than they appeared.
Sensing Ye Qiu's gaze, Tang Hao raised his eyebrows.
"What are you staring at me for? Got something to say, just spit it out."
Ye Qiu swallowed, moistening his throat, and cautiously asked, "Uncle Haozi… are you a Title Douluo?"
"Hm?"
Tang Hao gave him a calm glance and replied indifferently, "What if I am? What if I'm not? Do I owe you an explanation?"
"Uh…" Ye Qiu scratched his head awkwardly, chuckled, and said, "I was just curious. Since you're such a powerful Soul Master, why'd you let Little San live such a hard life?"
"Hard life?" Tang Hao's eyes widened as he rebuked angrily, "How was it hard? Hasn't it always been like that? And hasn't he grown up just fine?!"
A flash of hatred and guilt flickered in Tang Hao's eyes. Over the years, the one who suffered the most had clearly been him!
"..."
Ye Qiu stared blankly at Tang Hao, as if stunned by his roar.
After a while, seeing Tang Hao calm down, Ye Qiu asked, "Uncle Haozi… you have a story, don't you?"
"Hmph! Enough. I didn't drag you out here to ask questions." Tang Hao snorted and stopped talking. He gulped down the remaining wine, tossed the gourd aside, then lay down on the grass. He covered his eyes with one arm, and a hoarse voice came out. "Tell me, how have you and Little San been all these years?"
Ye Qiu pouted.
This guy really beats around the bush. If you want to ask about the immortal herbs, just say it! Why all this roundabout nonsense? Ye Qiu didn't comment further, but silently jotted this down in his mental notebook.
You're playing these games with me today? Fine. One day, I'll have Ah Yin return the favor—with interest.
"Ahem…"
Ye Qiu cleared his throat and began recounting.
Starting from enrollment, he glossed over most of the academy life. Anyone who's been to school or worked knows—it's just the same old routine. Seeing the same people, being managed by the same staff, repeating a few classes.
Nothing much to talk about. So he focused on Tang San's deep longing for his father and their close dormitory friendship—how they often sparred and practiced combat skills together.
Ye Qiu told the story succinctly and clearly, painting himself as a close confidant, the good big brother in whom Tang San confided his longing for his father.
"Whew—"
Ye Qiu exhaled a long breath, took a water bottle from his soul tool, and sipped a few mouthfuls. "Uncle Haozi, I've said everything. Want a drink?"
He offered his water bottle to Tang Hao.
Tang Hao peeked at it and lost interest. He somehow pulled out another jar of liquor, sat up, and said disdainfully, "A real man drinks wine when he's thirsty!"
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
You drink horse piss and call yourself a real man? Look at you—sneaking around in the shadows, barely surviving.
Fine, don't take it. I didn't want to share anyway. And now you dare mock me? Tch.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ye Qiu forced a shy smile and agreed, "Uncle Tang is right! Once we're back, I'll train Little San to hold his liquor properly—teach him how to be a real man!"
"Pfft—cough cough—!"
Tang Hao, in the middle of chugging wine, nearly choked to death. The jolt stirred his internal injuries, and his face turned a bit pale. Using his immense soul power, he suppressed the surging blood and snorted coldly.
"You're just kids! Still wet behind the ears. What do you know about being real men?!"
Ye Qiu froze, clearly offended. "Uncle Haozi, that's where you're wrong! I already have a girlfr—"
"Enough! I don't want to hear it. Drinking only causes trouble." Tang Hao interrupted firmly, but a small smile appeared on his face. "Still, you've done pretty well for yourself—already got your lifelong matters settled."
"Heh heh, of course." Ye Qiu grinned proudly. "I'm not like your Little San—so uptight, pretending to be pure and noble. Spending every day with that single old guy Yu Xiaogang—always hiding under the covers fiddling with who knows what."
Tang Hao's face darkened, feeling a bit stifled.
"Hmph! Don't know how the two of you spend so much time together, yet turn out so differently. Not just in romance—even your cultivation levels are far apart!"
When cultivation was mentioned, Ye Qiu cursed inwardly.
Knew it! This old fox went through all this just to ask about the immortal herbs. So much roundabout nonsense—what a waste of breath!
Tang Hao, done speaking, looked at Ye Qiu with clear curiosity, waiting for an explanation.
"Heh heh…" Under Tang Hao's puzzled gaze, Ye Qiu chuckled proudly, clearly unable to hide his smug expression. He teased, "Uncle Tang, you don't know the full story yet."
"Oh? So you weren't done earlier?" Tang Hao asked with interest.
"Exactly. The semester just started, so I didn't go into it." Ye Qiu grinned and, as he spoke, pulled out a handful of grass-scented candy from his soul tool, offering them to Tang Hao. "Here, Uncle Haozi—have a candy. Consider it a wedding sweet."
"Wedding sweet?!"
Tang Hao raised an eyebrow. Could everything this kid said be true?
"That's right—wedding candy! Just last month, I got myself a fiancée." Ye Qiu's face lit up as he handed over more candy.
"Haha! You little brat—looks like you really left Little San in the dust. Well, congrats!" Tang Hao laughed as he took the candy and unwrapped one to pop into his mouth.
"Thank you." Ye Qiu nodded slightly.
"But… what's your fiancée got to do with your cultivation surpassing Little San?" Tang Hao asked, chewing thoughtfully, eyeing Ye Qiu curiously.
"Of course it's related! Uncle Haozi, listen up—let me tell you the whole story…"
Ye Qiu slapped his thigh, stood up, and began an animated retelling. As usual, the tale included: being hunted down, discovering medicinal herbs, an old grandpa mentor, and the engagement to his fiancée.
After the vivid storytelling, he wiped the imaginary sweat from his forehead and sat back down. "That's the gist of it. My cultivation level only recently increased."
"Didn't expect you to have such a wild first experience out in the world." Tang Hao nodded with a smile. "Wonder which unlucky girl got entangled with you…"
"What do you mean unlucky? We even signed a marriage contract!" Ye Qiu's face darkened slightly in dissatisfaction. He pulled a large marriage certificate from his soul tool and waved it in front of Tang Hao.
When Tang Hao saw the engraved name on the marriage document, his eyes suddenly lit up with sharp intensity!
The old poison freak from the Dugu Clan?!
At that moment, Tang Hao finally believed Ye Qiu's tale.
If it was Dugu Bo, capturing this brat for alchemy really did sound like something he'd do. That weirdo's personality… turning his medicine catalyst into his grandson-in-law wasn't far-fetched at all.