"When do you plan to set out?" Ye Ren set down his teacup, his gaze resting on Zhao Liuyun.
"This weekend. The academy will be on break, so Dugu Yan should be heading home. Senior Dugu will most likely be at the estate then as well."
Zhao Liuyun had already calculated everything. In his mind, Dugu Bo would certainly prefer to stay at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well on normal days. He spent at least every night there; otherwise, he would have succumbed to the poison long ago.
Seeing Zhao Liuyun's clear logic and realizing this wasn't an impulsive whim, Ye Ren's last bit of intent to dissuade him vanished. He only hoped that the toxicological inheritance the boy had obtained was powerful enough to actually neutralize the poison within Dugu Bo. That would be a favorable outcome for everyone.
After waiting a few days and preparing all the necessary tools for harvesting immortal herbs, Zhao Liuyun reviewed the "Medicinal Chapter" in his dreams one last time. Finally, the next weekend arrived.
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows, Zhao Liuyun bid farewell to the Patriarch, Ye Ren, and the Matriarch, Yun Ying, stepping out of the Ye Estate alone. He navigated through a crisscrossing network of alleys before turning into an expansive, empty boulevard.
The street was exceptionally wide, enough for İki carriages to pass side-by-side. High walls loomed on both sides, offering glimpses of pavilions and towers within; these were undoubtedly the homes of the eminent and wealthy. Though the street connected two bustling marketplaces, it remained deathly silent, with only the sound of the wind whistling over the walls.
This was entirely due to Dugu Bo's reputation. Stories of him being a cold-blooded killer had been embellished over time, and his ferocious name was so prominent that people were truly terrified.
Arriving at the estate gates, Zhao Liuyun looked at a squad of iron-clad guards. He cupped his hands in a polite salute to the leader and handed over a visiting card. "I trouble you to pass word: Zhao Liuyun, a junior fellow student of Miss Dugu Yan, has come to pay a visit."
He had casually fabricated a connection.
"A junior fellow student? Visiting?" A flicker of surprise crossed the guard's eyes.
Those who guarded the estate knew that while Dugu Bo was eccentric and morally ambiguous, he was not a man of indiscriminate slaughter. However, outsiders were unaware of the truth; for years, no one had dared to knock on these doors. This youth was the first.
"Wait here." The guard took the card and hurried inside to report.
He returned a short time later. "The Master bids you enter."
Dugu Bo is actually here!
Zhao Liuyun felt a surge of joy. He nodded slightly and followed a servant behind the gates. After traversing a winding corridor and passing through a courtyard lush with flowers and trees, a medicinal garden suddenly opened up before him.
This estate had been a gift from Prince Xue Xing as a token of gratitude. However, since only two people lived in the main house, Dugu Bo had leveled more than half of the grounds to create medicinal fields.
"The Master is currently planting herbs," the servant whispered before bowing and departing.
Zhao Liuyun glanced at the retreating figure and stepped into the garden alone. At first glance, the garden was a sea of fresh green, but closer inspection revealed seedlings of various toxic herbs. They were likely being raised here before being transplanted to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Dugu Bo was stooped over a seedling bed, his fingertips lightly touching a tender leaf as he concentrated on the plant's growth. Dugu Yan was absent; perhaps she had gone out with Yu Tianheng.
Zhao Liuyun bowed deeply and addressed him respectfully: "Junior Zhao Liuyun pays his respects to the Jade Phosphor Senior."
After a moment of silence, Dugu Bo slowly brushed the dirt from his hands and straightened up to face the visitor.
Zhao Liuyun finally saw his appearance clearly. A gray robe draped over a tall, thin frame that was as straight as a spear. However, he did not possess the refined elegance of Ye Ren; instead, he exuded a sense of sickly desiccation. His dark green hair and beard were messy, and his emerald eyes were like deep green gems shimmering with a cold light. His cheeks were sunken, and his face was as rigid as stone, devoid of any emotion.
With a light flick of his wrist, the visiting card appeared in his palm. Dugu Bo glanced at it before the paper crumbled into ash. His voice was as cold as ice. "Zhao Liuyun, a prospective guest elder of the Ye family. Yan-yan says your combat prowess is extraordinary and that you broke through from Rank 24 to Rank 25 in just four months. You are indeed a talent."
"But you are not a member of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, and the Ye family would never dare to approach me. Why have you come here today, using the identity of Yan-yan's junior as a pretense?"
He paused, and the chill in the air suddenly solidified. "You have only three sentences!"
Zhao Liuyun was not deterred by the harsh tone. Instead, he took a courageous step forward. "Senior, Dugu Yan has been poisoned."
"First sentence," Dugu Bo's expression shifted slightly.
"It is a hereditary poison. You are poisoned even more deeply—it has entered your bone marrow. You bear the countenance of the dying; your life will not be long."
"Second sentence." A cold glint flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes, and killing intent surged out like a tidal wave. This boy knows too much. He cannot be allowed to live!
The physical pressure of the killing intent was so great that Zhao Liuyun could barely breathe. Yet, he forced himself to endure. "I can cure it."
Dugu Bo's pupils shrank instantly. The killing intent vanished in a heartbeat, and his figure blurred like a ghost, reappearing directly in front of Zhao Liuyun. A withered hand gripped the boy's throat like an iron pincer, and those emerald eyes locked onto him. "Brat, do you know the price of lying to me?"
"I... I wouldn't dare... Liuyun wouldn't dare... deceive Senior," Zhao Liuyun gasped, struggling against the thin, powerful arm.
It wasn't until his face turned a frantic crimson that Dugu Bo suddenly let go.
"Cough... hack... wheeze!"
Zhao Liuyun stumbled back, clutching his neck. He collapsed to his knees, coughing violently for a long time before finally catching his breath. A trace of lingering fear crossed his face. "Phew... Senior, you nearly killed me."
"I was nowhere near," Dugu Bo replied, having regained his calm, though his gaze remained icy. "Brat, if there is a single word of falsehood..." He let out a cold laugh.
"I wouldn't dare deceive Senior." Zhao Liuyun steadied his nerves. The danger of that brush with death was the most lethal hurdle; since he had cleared it, the path ahead should be smoother.
Dugu Bo's voice was now much calmer than at the start, carrying a faint trace of anticipation. "If you cannot produce a method to neutralize the poison, you will still face death."
Zhao Liuyun didn't respond immediately. Instead, he carefully observed Dugu Bo. "Senior is afflicted by a potent toxin that has seeped into your bone marrow and even your bloodline, cursing your descendants. If not for your profound cultivation suppressing it, you would have died long ago."
Zhao Liuyun remembered the details, but he couldn't precisely describe Dugu Bo's symptoms like a medical expert might. Instead, he focused on the core issue.
"Stop wasting words. I want a method!" Dugu Bo snorted. The cold killing intent washed over Zhao Liuyun once more. The overwhelming aura was terrifying; the young seedlings in the nursery wilted, and Zhao Liuyun shuddered, feeling the bone-chilling cold shake his very soul.
Fortunately, Calm Mind took effect, and he maintained his outward composure.
"You're quite composed for a brat..." Dugu Bo remarked, surprised.
Zhao Liuyun smiled slightly, his tone relaxed. "Senior, it would be impossible for you to have lasted until today based on cultivation alone. If my guess is correct, you must have encountered another stroke of luck. You have likely found a 'treasure land'."
A flash of amazement crossed Dugu Bo's eyes. "How did you know?"
Zhao Liuyun explained unhurriedly, "You are deeply poisoned. Even a miracle drug could only grant temporary relief. Since the toxin has entered your marrow, it is like a maggot in the bone. It can only be suppressed long-term by a natural wonder of heaven and earth."
"As the saying goes, 'Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice.' I need that treasure land to help you and your granddaughter neutralize the poison."
"Did the Ye family send you?" Dugu Bo's expression shifted.
"No," Zhao Liuyun denied flatly. "I came of my own accord."
"I once obtained an ancient inheritance that focuses heavily on toxicology. Last time at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, I noticed something unusual about your granddaughter. After several days of careful deduction, I dared to come alone today to try my hand."
"Then you have quite the nerve. You truly aren't afraid of death," Dugu Bo said sarcastically, offering a backhanded compliment.
Suddenly, he reached out and hoisted Zhao Liuyun up. His figure soared into the air, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward the horizon.
"We go now. If we arrive and you still have no solution, you know what the outcome will be!"
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