Chapter 26: Chrysanthemum Douluo Retreats in Defeat
Bang! Bang! Bang!—
A black figure and a white figure clashed relentlessly, each collision detonating the air with explosive force.
The two had already fought for two rounds. According to Chrysanthemum Douluo (Yue Guan) himself, if it went on for one more round, he would lose.
Yue Guan began to grow anxious.
After all, he had already boasted—if he couldn't defeat Dugu Bo in front of his two subordinates, it would be a huge loss of face. For someone as prideful as him, that was hard to accept.
With that in mind, his attacks became increasingly fierce.
At the level of a Titled Douluo, after the enhancement of nine soul rings, even the physical body reached an extreme peak.
Even without using their martial souls, many Titled Douluo could easily crush a Soul Douluo.
Fists, elbows, knees, and legs—all could become terrifying killing weapons.
Bang! Bang! Bang!—
Every part of their bodies shone with different lights as they collided again and again.
A rose-gold aura radiated from Chrysanthemum Douluo—this was the soul power cultivated from his martial soul, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. It was not only razor-sharp, but also granted him considerable defensive power.
A faint green glow surrounded Dugu Bo—this was the power of his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor.
It not only strengthened his body, but also carried… extreme poison.
Because Dugu Bo had long secluded himself in the Sunset Forest, very few people truly knew him. Aside from a select few, most had never even heard his name.
Chrysanthemum Douluo was no exception—he knew very little about him.
As the clash continued, a barely noticeable smile appeared on Dugu Bo's face.
Yue Guan gradually felt his body becoming heavy, as if filled with lead. His movements slowed more and more.
Catching the faint, sinister smile at the corner of Dugu Bo's lips, Yue Guan's heart suddenly sank.
Not good—I was careless!
After another clash, Yue Guan abruptly retreated. Feeling the growing weakness in his body, he glanced at his fist—now already tinged green—and glared at Dugu Bo.
Grinding his teeth, he snapped,
"Damn it! You actually resorted to tricks!"
Dugu Bo spread his hands, looking completely innocent.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Your soul power is several levels higher than mine. Neither of us used our martial souls—doesn't that already give you the advantage? And yet you accuse me of cheating?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo attempted to use his soul power to expel the poison, only to find that it clung to him like a bone-deep parasite, extremely difficult to remove.
Dugu Bo merely smiled. Was the poison of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor so easy to dispel?
Moreover, his poison wasn't pure—it was a composite toxin, infused with the effects of the soul rings he had acquired later.
In truth, even against a Titled Douluo, his poison was potent enough. The problem was that once an opponent was on guard, it became difficult for it to take effect.
Poison spreading through the air could easily be detected by powerful Titled Douluo, rendering it useless.
Close combat, however, allowed him to silently inject poison into his opponent through contact.
But his soul power level was relatively low, and the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor wasn't particularly fast. This meant he rarely had opportunities to land hits.
That left him in an awkward position—better than those below, but inferior to those above.
Hence the nickname: the "floor-level" Titled Douluo.
Control-type abilities suited him best, especially large-scale control.
His two ninth soul ring skills paired perfectly with his poison.
Azure Sky Annihilation Thunder was not only powerful, but its lightning could paralyze. Once it struck, his poison would naturally take effect.
His other ability, Azure Sky Sluggish Divine Light, was a control skill designed to complement the former.
For Dugu Bo, these two soul skills were an excellent combination.
Yue Guan's face turned increasingly green. He tried to purge the poison quickly, but discovered it was far from easy.
Staring deeply at Dugu Bo, he said through gritted teeth,
"I'll remember this, Dugu Bo!"
"Let's go!"
Clearly, the latter was directed at Hu Yanzhen and the red-robed bishop Max.
Without waiting for their response, Yue Guan turned and vanished rapidly from sight.
If he didn't leave now, he would truly lose face.
Max and Hu Yanzhen exchanged confused glances before hurriedly following him.
Watching them leave, Dugu Bo let out a breath of relief and slowly descended to the ground.
"Grandpa, you're amazing! You scared that sissy away in just a few moves!"
As soon as he landed, Dugu Yan ran toward him, cheering.
Dugu Bo laughed heartily and lifted her into his arms.
"Hahaha! Grandpa's impressive, right? Train well, Yanyan—one day you'll surpass Grandpa!"
"Let's go! Time to head home!"
Their laughter echoed through the forest as Dugu Bo soared into the sky with his granddaughter, heading toward the Sunset Forest.
The Sunset Forest lay in the southern region, vast and densely covered.
Towering trees dominated most of the terrain, while numerous mountains surrounded it, forming a natural barrier.
This was why Dugu Bo had lived in the forest's core region for so many years without being discovered.
Due to its immense size, complex environment, and hot climate, life in the Sunset Forest thrived rapidly. Many spirit beasts found habitats here similar to their natural environments.
Thus, it became the second-largest gathering place of spirit beasts on the Douluo Continent—second only to the Star Dou Great Forest.
(Of course, that excluded the ocean.)
Because it wasn't far from Heaven Dou City, many spirit masters from nearby cities chose it as their primary hunting ground.
Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest, powerful spirit beasts were fewer—but for low- and mid-level spirit masters, it was more than sufficient.
Fewer powerful beasts also meant a much lower risk.
As a result, many spirit masters gathered at the forest's outskirts, including numerous academy teachers and students in uniform.
Flying overhead, Dugu Bo paid them no attention, simply carrying his granddaughter toward the forest's core.
Soon, they arrived at the location of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
A ring of green poisonous formation surrounded the valley.
Grandfather and granddaughter stopped before it. Dugu Bo led her through a hidden passage he had left within the formation.
This poison array not only prevented spirit beasts from entering and damaging his herbs, but also served as a warning system.
If anyone—or any spirit beast—intruded, Dugu Bo, as the creator of the formation, would sense it instantly, no matter how far away he was.