Time flowed like water. In the blink of an eye, the day to deliver the "gratitude fee" arrived.
Thirty li west of the city, in a mountain valley.
Prince Xue Xing and Dugu Bo arrived alone beside the massive boulder.
"Sir… will the kidnapper really come?"
Xue Xing nervously placed the spirit tool containing twenty million gold coins and a black card beneath the rock.
"He will… he definitely will…"
Dugu Bo muttered to himself, as if praying.
His gaze swept the surroundings like a venomous snake. His spiritual perception was fully released, not allowing even the slightest disturbance to escape.
They waited from dawn to noon, and from noon until sunset.
By the next morning, there was still no sign of anyone—no figure, no fluctuation of spirit power, not even the faintest abnormal movement.
Neither the academy nor the city had received any news of Dugu Yan.
"Could it be… he's not coming?"
A bad premonition rose in Xue Xing's heart. He silently prayed that he wouldn't receive Dugu Yan's severed limbs.
"That bastard! What on earth is he doing?!"
Dugu Bo could no longer restrain himself. He rushed over, shoved the boulder aside, and dug up the spot beneath it.
The spirit tool was still there.
And beside it—there was a note.
He picked it up. Only five words were written on it:
[Bring the money to the Medicinal Garden]
"Medicinal Garden?"
Xue Xing leaned in, confused. "What place is that? I've never heard of it."
But Dugu Bo's expression changed instantly.
Medicinal Garden.
His Medicinal Garden.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
"Bastard! Bastard!!!"
Dugu Bo roared twice. The ground beneath his feet exploded apart.
He no longer cared about anything else. Grabbing the spirit tool, he turned into a streak of dark green light and shot toward the Sunset Forest.
"Eh?"
Prince Xue Xing froze for a moment—then immediately understood.
That kidnapper had gone to Dugu Bo's Medicinal Garden!
—
Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well
Bai Mu lay lazily on a lounge chair, wearing a Fiery Caterpillar Mask, basking in the sun.
Dugu Yan knelt beside him, carefully massaging his arms and shoulders.
"Say, Swallow," Bai Mu asked casually, "will you hate me for treating you like this?"
"Yes."
Dugu Yan nodded without hesitation.
Her gaze was complicated—fear and resentment intertwined with a deep, resigned obedience. She was terrified of Bai Mu and longed to escape, yet at the same time felt an uncontrollable urge to please him, obey him… even draw close to him.
"Then keep hating me. Anyway, this is just the beginning~ Hahaha…"
Bai Mu laughed like a villain.
To him, the threat of Dugu Yan's snake venom wasn't even comparable to Meng Yiran's Serpent Staff.
"Good girl. A little more strength."
He closed his eyes, enjoying it.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
"Is he finally here?"
In the distant sky, a streak of dark green light tore through the air at terrifying speed.
The oppressive pressure of a Titled Douluo spread out, startling countless birds in the forest.
"Grand… Grandfather…"
Dugu Yan's body trembled. A spark of hope flashed in her eyes, only to be quickly drowned by complicated emotions.
She knew that since Bai Mu dared to wait here, he must have something to rely on.
Even if her grandfather could really defeat Bai Mu… would she truly survive?
In fact, she could already feel that the moment Dugu Bo appeared, her control over her own body weakened dramatically.
"Don't worry," Bai Mu said calmly, patting her hand without getting up.
"If your grandfather obediently becomes my dog and handles the tasks I give him, maybe I'll let him live a little longer."
A few breaths later, Dugu Bo appeared in the sky above the valley.
When he saw the scene below, his eyes instantly turned blood-red.
His granddaughter—the granddaughter of the dignified Poison Douluo—was kneeling beside that masked man, serving him like a maid!
"Yan Yan!"
Dugu Bo shouted hoarsely.
"Grandfather…"
Dugu Yan looked at him with reddened eyes, wanting to speak, yet unable to say a word.
"Yo, old man, why are you so late?"
Bai Mu mocked him openly.
"You're a Titled Douluo, yet you're slower than expected. You're not even as capable as your granddaughter—she's been serving me quite comfortably these past few days."
"Bastard! You're courting death!"
Dugu Bo roared, raising his palm to strike.
But—
"Roar—!"
A dragon's roar echoed through the valley. A dragon-shaped pulse, baring fangs and claws, shot forward.
Dugu Bo halted. A spirit ring lit up as a surge of poison collided head-on with the Dragon Pulse.
Boom!
Energy exploded. Gray mist billowed.
"Who is it?!"
Dugu Bo turned toward the source.
Through the thinning mist, a familiar massive white, spectacled serpent was coiled atop a nearby peak, its strange eyes locked onto him.
"Gaa—!"
Zygarde let out a long cry. With its ability fully unleashed, an overwhelmingly terrifying aura erupted.
"Damn it! It's you again, you cursed snake!"
Old memories surged forth, igniting Dugu Bo's rage even further.
Then he suddenly realized something.
"So… this snake is yours? You were the one who destroyed my Medicinal Garden?!"
"Only noticed now?"
Bai Mu sneered.
"You're a Titled Douluo, old man. Isn't this a bit embarrassing?"
He pulled Dugu Yan into his arms, brazenly provoking Dugu Bo's deepest wound.
"You couldn't protect your son and daughter-in-law."
"You couldn't protect your Medicinal Garden."
"And now—
you can't even protect your most beloved granddaughter."
Bai Mu pinched Dugu Yan's chin, forcing her to face Dugu Bo, and shouted:
"Dugu Bo! Look at yourself—what exactly have you protected?!"
"You… I… Ah!!!"
"Bastard! You deserve to die!"
Dugu Bo's chest tightened violently. A metallic taste filled his mouth, and he nearly spat out blood.
"Lies don't hurt," Bai Mu said indifferently.
"The truth is the sharpest blade."
He continued mockingly,
"Sorry for stabbing your sore spot~!"
"Hahaha… Your Excellency Poison Douluo~
You wouldn't hold it against your future grandson-in-law, would you?"
"You wouldn't want your great-grandson to grow up without a father… right?"
"You! You!!"
Dugu Bo gasped in fury, then suddenly broke into a sinister smile.
"Since the mastermind is right here, then today we'll settle all old and new grudges at once. Stay here forever!"
His eyes flared.
A terrifying beam shot straight toward Bai Mu and Dugu Yan.
Medusa's Gaze!
As long as Bai Mu was petrified, he could解除 Dugu Yan's petrification and save her.
"It's useless."
Bai Mu remained seated, utterly calm.
Invisible Little Soft instantly activated Safeguard and Jungle Healing.
A green protective barrier flared to life.
The Ten-Thousand-Year Skull Spirit Bone skill couldn't penetrate it at all.
Petrification?
Completely useless.
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