"Heh."
Qian Renjue withdrew his gaze.
With a gentle smile on his face, he placed a hand on Dugu Yan's shoulder.
"Miss Dugu, please get up first."
"Mm."
Dugu Yan carefully stood up, but when she accidentally caught sight of Qian Renxue, she immediately avoided her eyes.
"Hmph."
Qian Renxue let out a cold snort.
She dusted off the dirt that had clung to Qian Renjue's sleeves, saying nothing more about how the Dugu family should be dealt with.
"I'm sorry."
Dugu Yan lowered her head, clenching her fists tightly, her voice filled with humiliation.
In just over a month, she had never imagined she would experience something like this.
Qian Renjue turned his attention toward Dugu Bo.
Smiling faintly, he said, "I believe that just now, Senior Dugu might have already guessed our family name."
"The Qian family of the Spirit Hall?"
Dugu Bo's tone was uncertain.
After all, he had just seen clearly that Qian Renjue's wings were black—quite different from the righteous and radiant image usually associated with Spirit Hall.
"That's right."
Qian Renjue straightened his posture and nodded.
"I am the son of the former Pope, Qian Xunji, and the current Holy Son of Spirit Hall—Qian Renjue."
Qian Renjue quite liked this way of introducing himself. It carried memories that were hard to forget.
A flicker of complicated emotion flashed in his eyes before fading away.
He raised his hand slightly toward Qian Renxue and introduced her:"This is my elder sister—"
"Qian Renxue."
Qian Renxue looked straight at Dugu Bo, her expression emotionless as she said her name.
She held Qian Renjue's hand, giving it a slight squeeze.
Dugu Yan, kneeling beside Dugu Xin, looked up at Dugu Bo with pleading and pain in her eyes.
"Grandfather…"
As her voice fell, Dugu Bo's dark green hair shook slightly, and his body slowly bent down.
The Thornfish and Snake Spear Douluo released their grip at that moment.
Dugu Bo's forehead struck the ground heavily, and after a brief pause, he said slowly,"I, Dugu Bo, am willing to submit to the Spirit Hall!"
"I only beg Your Highnesses to show mercy and grant the Dugu family a chance."
His body trembled.
The spine that had never bowed before heaven itself now seemed slightly hunched.
"As long as Senior Dugu is sincere—"
Before Qian Renjue could finish, Qian Renxue interrupted.
"Wait, Jue! Elder Sister still has one condition."
"Ah? What condition, Sister?"
"I want her."
Qian Renxue smiled faintly, extending her slender finger toward Dugu Yan, who was kneeling on the ground.
With a cold smile toward Dugu Bo, she said,"I want her to serve as my brother's personal maid. After some time, she will accompany us to Spirit City."
"What? That's impossible—cough!"
Dugu Xin tried to rise to his feet, but the kneeling Dugu Bo's gaze turned dark.Even Qian Renjue was stunned for a moment.
"I—I'm willing! I, Yanyan, am willing to be a maid!"
Dugu Yan quickly fell to her knees again, panic flashing in her eyes as she looked at Qian Renxue, terrified she might change her mind and strike her down.
"What about you, Dugu Bo?"
Qian Renxue raised her brow slightly, questioning him.
"I—I agree!"
Dugu Bo shut his eyes in pain, his fingers digging shallow grooves into the soil beneath his hands.
How was this any different from sending his granddaughter into a den of wolves?
Qian Renxue nodded in satisfaction.
"Also, you must have heard what I said earlier. As for this medicine field—"
"I am willing to dedicate it to the Spirit Hall, and I will remain here to guard it."
Dugu Bo respectfully followed up before she could finish.
"In that case, I shall spare your Dugu family this once."
Qian Renxue's face showed a trace of joy.
She waved her hand and ordered, "Thornfish, treat their wounds first."
"Yes, Miss."
Thornfish Douluo nodded and immediately began tending to Dugu Bo's injuries.
"Thank you, Miss… thank you, Young Master…"
Dugu Yan's voice trembled with tears as she thanked them again and again, her heart full of grievance.
She had once been a noble young lady too.
Qian Renjue sighed helplessly. "Sister Lingyuan, please help her up first."
"Yes."
Lingyuan Douluo stepped forward at once.
Qian Renjue looked toward Qian Renxue.
"Sister, I'll handle ensuring the Dugu family's loyalty. As for the maid… how about we just forget it?"
"Hmph! There's no discussion about this. We agreed already!"
Qian Renxue's tone was firm as she clung to Qian Renjue's arm.
"Since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is difficult to capture for now, Sister will first get you a beautiful snake girl to serve you."
"But Sister, she's still just a child."
"Hmm?"
Qian Renxue raised her brow.
She lifted her hand and pinched Qian Renjue's cheek in annoyance.
"What are you thinking?! A maid serves you, not… for other nonsense!"
"I—I didn't say anything like that!"
Qian Renjue quickly backed away a few steps, escaping her grip.
"Anyway, this matter is decided. I'll personally train her."
Qian Renxue had already made up her mind.
She was even thinking about setting rules for Dugu Yan—to ensure she wouldn't be too forward, and only after she matured would such matters even be considered.
Qian Renjue rolled his eyes helplessly.
With Bibi Dong and Hu Liena around, what need was there for another maid?
"Jue, where are you going? Didn't you hear Sister talking to you?"
Qian Renxue called out as Qian Renjue walked toward the medicine field and hurried after him.
Leaping lightly, she hooked an arm around his neck.
"Sister! Don't trample the plants—be careful with the flowers and herbs!"
"..."
After a brief round of playful scolding, the two ended up walking hand in hand through the medicine field.
"Sister, don't go any further."
Not long after, sensing a faint wave of icy energy, Qian Renjue stopped her.
"Jue, what's this place?"
Qian Renxue looked curiously at the "hot and cold spring" before them, waiting for his explanation.
Qian Renjue smiled and said,"Sister, from ancient records, this spring is called the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. It's one of the rarest wonders in the world, a convergence point of the purest heaven and earth energies—something that might not appear even once in ten million years."
"Ten million years?!"
Qian Renxue might not have understood many things, but she definitely understood how long that was.
"Other than growing herbs, does this place have any other use?"
"Sister, didn't you notice that some of the herbs around here are the ones recorded in Sister Chrysanthemum's Illustrated Book of Immortal Herbs?"
Qian Renjue pointed with a smile to a large golden flower.
"That's Elder Chrysanthemum's spirit—Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum!"
Qian Renxue immediately recognized it, and her heart skipped wildly.
Activating her Eye of Insight, she examined the area carefully—many of the surrounding plants matched the immortal herbs she had read about in the ancient records.
Remembering the effects described in those records,she couldn't help feeling a rush of excitement.
"Jue, do these immortal herbs really have such effects?"
"Of course they do!"
Qian Renjue couldn't hide the joy on his face either.
Although these herbs might not provide much immediate improvement for him and Qian Renxue,their long-term benefits for soul masters were immeasurable.
In her excitement, Qian Renxue also felt a touch of doubt.
"Then why didn't the Dugu family ever use them?"
"Sister, if we hadn't studied the ancient records ourselves, we might not have recognized them either."
"So that's it!"
Qian Renxue smiled faintly, her tone turning mocking.
"Guarding a treasure mountain without knowing it—the Dugu family really is rather laughable."
"The Dugu family has had their share of misfortune."
Qian Renjue shook his head.
Their martial spirit's flaws and their missed chance at these immortal herbs—truly, fate had been unkind to them.
...
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(End of Chapter)