"I fought that old chrysanthemum… and, well… I lost."
Dugu Bo's gaze drifted awkwardly as he spoke. He had gotten a bit carried away, thinking that with his recent surge in strength, he could finally contend with Chrysanthemum Douluo.
Who could have expected that, all these years, Chrysanthemum Douluo had merely been toying with him, never once using his full strength? At the start of the fight, Dugu Bo had relied on his recent improvements to gain a slight upper hand, even throwing out a few mocking remarks.
That was all it took.
Provoked, Chrysanthemum Douluo stopped holding back. Within just a few exchanges, he had Dugu Bo pinned flat on the ground.
If not for the fact that Chrysanthemum Douluo harbored no killing intent—and had merely mocked him a few times while pinning him down—Dugu Bo might have died without anyone even knowing what had happened.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was supremely yang in nature, unyielding and indestructible, completely immune to toxins. Chrysanthemum Douluo's understanding and development of his Martial Soul had reached an extraordinary level; even the venom of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor—evolving toward a draconic form—could not corrode him in the slightest.
Moreover, Chrysanthemum Douluo himself possessed formidable strength, having long stood at level 95. Among Titled Douluo, each level represented a vast gap, and level 95 marked the threshold of a Super Douluo. In terms of sheer Spirit Power alone, he far surpassed Dugu Bo, who had only just broken through to level ninety-three.
Whether in terms of compatibility or raw power, Chrysanthemum Douluo overwhelmingly outclassed Dugu Bo. The fact that he hadn't killed him all these years only showed how much restraint Yue Guan had been exercising.
"…Uh…"
Even with Chen Ming's rapid thinking, he found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
After all, Dugu Bo had just gotten a taste of newfound confidence—only to be thoroughly beaten down. Anyone would find that hard to process.
"Oh, right. I already gave those Major Spirit Ascension Pills to Yan Yan and that girl Ye Lingling. After learning their effects, both of them were completely shocked. Ye Renxin still wants to meet you to talk about your ideas on pill refinement… but…"
Dugu Bo hesitated, his voice faltering, before finally covering his face in embarrassment.
"…that old chrysanthemum is at Ye Renxin's place right now. He said he wants to meet you."
It was humiliating—truly humiliating.
He had just sworn with full confidence that Chen Ming's problems would be his own. Yet after going out for a stroll, he ended up getting pinned to the ground by Chrysanthemum Douluo. And now, he had to bring Chen Ming to meet him…
"Big brother, it's fine, really. It's just an exchange in the field of medicine—I'll go," Chen Ming said calmly, offering reassurance. "Who knows? Maybe in a few days, I'll have drained Chrysanthemum Douluo of all his medical knowledge."
There was no trace of worry in his tone.
If he had been hesitant about dealing with Spirit Hall before, that hesitation was now gone.
Although he had yet to even step foot inside the Crown Prince's residence, he was, at least in name, one of the most outstanding young talents recruited by "Xue Qinghe." And the current Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was, in truth, Qian Renxue of Spirit Hall in disguise. As long as he didn't provoke anyone into a murderous rage on the spot, Chen Ming was confident that nothing would happen to him.
As for whether Chrysanthemum Douluo would suddenly lose control and kill him…
Chen Ming had already analyzed his personality. He wasn't someone like Tang Hao—volatile and prone to explosive violence. Even if they didn't get along, escaping unscathed wouldn't be difficult.
"I'm about to reach level 30 anyway, and I've stayed in this treasure land for nearly a year. Going out for a while is only natural."
"Alright… alright. This time, I really…" Dugu Bo clenched his teeth, thumping his chest as he made a solemn vow. "If that old chrysanthemum dares to harm you, I'll self-destruct and take him down with me!"
...
Chen Ming searched through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for a while before finally selecting a thousand-year medicinal herb. Carefully, he uprooted it along with its roots and transplanted it into a potted container.
It was a flower known as the Seven-Colored Hibiscus Brocade.
According to Chen Ming's knowledge, its medicinal effects were rather mild and lacked any particularly special properties. Yet it was extraordinarily beautiful, and quite rare, making it a plant valued far more for its appearance than its practical use.
At a thousand years of age, it could emit a gentle, soothing fragrance that calmed the mind. However, compared to truly precious medicinal treasures, its effects were fairly ordinary.
Within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, thousand-year herbs were little more than roadside weeds. And yet, Chen Ming deliberately chose this one—for the sake of preparing an appropriate gift for Chrysanthemum Douluo.
After all, one of Chrysanthemum Douluo's defining traits was his love of flowers. The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was obviously out of the question, and ten-thousand-year herbs were too valuable to part with. A thousand-year ornamental flower, however, was just right.
Led by Dugu Bo, Chen Ming quietly returned once more to the Nine Heart Begonia residence. Instead of entering through the main gate, they vaulted over the wall and headed straight toward a courtyard. Before they could even push the door open, the sound of two people chatting pleasantly drifted out from within.
Dugu Bo's expression darkened as he shoved the door open.
Inside, they saw Ye Renxin—and a figure dressed in white who carried an unmistakably feminine air.
Ye Renxin fit the classic image of an old physician: silver-haired, aged skin, and impeccably dressed. There was a sternness about him that came from years of medical practice, yet it was tempered by a gentle kindness unique to the elderly.
As for Chrysanthemum Douluo… he was a different story altogether.
He possessed an almost delicate, enchanting beauty that could easily be mistaken for that of a woman. Despite wearing men's clothing and making no exaggerated gestures, his very presence gave the impression of someone androgynous, leaning distinctly toward feminine elegance.
"Old Poison, why is your face as black as the bottom of a pot?" Chrysanthemum Douluo teased, glancing at Dugu Bo's dark expression before shifting his gaze to Chen Ming.
"And this must be that young genius everyone's been talking about? Truly unbelievable—who would have thought someone your age could already master both medicine and poison? Incredible… simply incredible."
With a casual flick of his sleeve, a gentle ripple of Spirit Power spread like a breeze, pulling two stools into place.
"Come, have a seat."
He spoke as though he were the master of the room, yet Ye Renxin showed not the slightest displeasure, merely watching with a calm and amiable expression.
Dugu Bo sat down first. Chen Ming, meanwhile, reached into his Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse and retrieved the Seven-Colored Hibiscus Brocade. The moment it appeared, a warm, sweet fragrance spread throughout the room.
"Senior Chrysanthemum Douluo," Chen Ming said politely, "I've heard that you have a fondness for flowers. This is a small gift from me—please accept it."
The instant Chrysanthemum Douluo laid eyes on the flower—so exquisite it seemed like a work of art—his eyes widened. Rising to his feet, a delighted smile spread across his face as he quickly stepped forward and took the potted plant into his arms.
"What a magnificent Seven-Colored Hibiscus Brocade! Such beauty is truly rare. Its petals flow like silk threads, its seven hues shimmering in harmony. It fills even a humble room with fragrance—vibrant, yet never vulgar. This is a treasure among treasures. Even in all my years of collecting, I've rarely seen something of this caliber."
"Most people either use such a treasure as medicine or simply admire it for its appearance, not realizing that both are a waste. What they don't understand is that its true use lies elsewhere—one must capture a common Ice Silk Worm from the Extreme North and feed it these petals…"
..
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