Yu Yuanzhen couldn't help but burst into laughter.
At that moment, seeing the tall elder before him so calm and dignified, all of Dugu Bo's anger instantly vanished, and his killing intent turned into surprise and uncertainty.
He withdrew his aura, cupped his fists, and cautiously asked, "May I ask who you are, sir?"
Seeing Dugu Bo switch so quickly from arrogance to humility, if Yu Tianming were one of those lackeys from a novel in his past life, he'd probably have jumped out right away, riding on someone else's power to scold Dugu Bo for being blind, then start getting cocky.
But he chose to consider the bigger picture instead and introduced, "This is Yu Yuanzhen, Thunder Douluo, the Patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
The prestige of the three great clans—who didn't know of them across the Douluo Continent?
Hearing this, Dugu Bo instantly broke out in a cold sweat. It was as if a bone-piercing chill shot from the top of his head straight to the soles of his feet. He trembled like a leaf, unable to move or speak.
He knew that if he hadn't been noticed from afar, there might have been a chance to escape. But now that he had appeared right before Yu Yuanzhen, how could there be any way out?
After all, Dugu Bo was a seasoned veteran. His wisdom and tenacity weren't something ordinary people could compare to. Within a second, he overcame the fear of death, knelt down trembling, and said:
"I was ignorant and failed to recognize Thunder Douluo in person. Please forgive my offense."
He no longer hoped to escape alive and could only pray for Yu Yuanzhen's mercy.
Dugu Bo wasn't without pride as a Spirit Master. It was just that his son and daughter-in-law had passed away a few years ago. If he were to die here too, his six-year-old granddaughter would be left alone to face this cruel world.
Even though Dugu Bo had immediately bowed and begged for mercy, Yu Yuanzhen's gaze only grew colder.
Yu Yuanzhen took a step forward, subtly shielding Yu Tianming behind him. His entire body began to transform—dragon scales emerged on his skin, and his already over-two-meter frame grew even taller, standing like a massive humanoid dragon.
"I had thought of sparing you," he said coldly, filled with killing intent. "But only the dead can truly keep secrets."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo, who was kneeling, stopped trembling. At such a close distance, and as only a Spirit Douluo, he had no power to resist—he simply waited in silence for death.
Yu Tianming wanted to save Dugu Bo and quickly said, "Why not let this elder join our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to strengthen our position?"
Seeing Yu Yuanzhen still full of murderous intent, Yu Tianming added, "I heard Senior Dugu's only granddaughter is currently in Heaven Dou City. Since dragons and snakes are of one family, why not bring her into our clan to be nurtured?"
Now that his background had been exposed, Dugu Bo, worried for his granddaughter, hurriedly said, "I, Dugu Bo, am willing to serve you loyally, so long as you spare my granddaughter."
Yu Yuanzhen was silent for a moment, thinking: If Dugu Bo's only granddaughter were to marry into the clan in the future, then at least his bloodline would remain under control. It might be worth sparing him.
His thoughts moved fast. Yu Yuanzhen retracted his dragon form and said indifferently to Dugu Bo, "Since you are willing to join our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, then stand up."
"Thank you for your grace, my lord." Dugu Bo rose unsteadily to his feet, hesitated a little, then said:
"Heavenly treasures belong to the virtuous. This land should indeed go to your clan. But I've been deeply poisoned. I hope, my lord, you'll allow me to stay here from time to time to suppress the toxins."
Extreme heat and cold both restrain poisons, and a place like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, a natural treasure of the world, suppresses poisons even more effectively. That's the only reason such exotic herbs can coexist here.
Ever since Dugu Bo found this place a few years ago, he managed not only to suppress the toxins in his body and survive, but also showed signs of breaking through from level 89 to Title Douluo. If he left this place for too long, however, his life would be in danger.
He seemed to realize his request was a bit much and sounded like he was pushing his luck. His voice grew quieter and quieter.
Yu Yuanzhen originally wanted to kill him, and Yu Tianming, worried for Dugu Bo's life, quickly said, "I can sense that Senior Dugu is deeply poisoned. Why not wait until we find his granddaughter, then allow him to stay here and guard the place against intruders? The herbs here are strange and potent and cannot be used recklessly. Once the clan figures out how to utilize them, they might even help cure Senior Dugu's poison."
Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Tianming exchanged a glance. Both understood each other's thoughts but didn't speak them aloud.
"If your allegiance is sincere," Yu Yuanzhen said, "then our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will naturally find a way to detoxify you."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo knelt again. He knew the poison in his body was already beyond cure, but to eliminate Yu Yuanzhen's suspicions and protect himself and his granddaughter…
He put on a show of being moved, raised one hand high, and choked out, "I, Dugu Bo, swear upon my martial soul—never to betray the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"A teachable man," Yu Yuanzhen said, stroking his beard and nodding with satisfaction. As for helping him detoxify? That never even crossed his mind.
Right now, Yu Yuanzhen's only concern was obtaining a record of the herbs from the Po Clan, so his family could use them first.
Four years ago, news spread that Tang Hao, young master of the Clear Sky Clan, killed Qian Xunji, the former Pope of Spirit Hall. After that, the Clear Sky Clan went into seclusion.
Although Spirit Hall didn't retaliate directly against the Clear Sky Clan, they launched large-scale attacks on its affiliated powers.
Among them, the four single-attribute clans—Power, Defense, Agility, and Piercing—suffered the heaviest losses.
Suddenly targeted by the continent's greatest power and losing their protector, the four clans faced massive setbacks and could only scatter to survive.
The Power Clan, with the Strength Gorilla as their martial soul, moved to the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire and survived by forging iron tools.
The Defense Clan, with the Armored Giant Rhinoceros as their martial soul, settled in Dragonrise City in the north of the Star Luo Empire, making a living building fortifications.
The Piercing Clan, whose martial soul was the Piercing Soul Spear, also settled in the north, in Dragonhide City near Dragonrise, specializing in poison brewing and medicine refining.
The Agility Clan, with the Sharp-tailed Swallow as their martial soul, also stayed in the Star Luo Empire. But aside from being fast, they had no real survival skills and lived the hardest lives of the four.
Coincidentally, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's base was located near the border of Star Luo and Heaven Dou Empires, in Longji City, close to both the Piercing and Defense Clans. They had long heard of the Piercing Clan's excellent skills in poison and medicine, but had previously avoided contact due to Spirit Hall's pressure.
Now, faced with countless rare herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and unable to use them, Yu Yuanzhen naturally thought of the Piercing Clan first.
Seeing the two of them now acting like loyal ministers meeting a worthy lord, and with Dugu Bo's life no longer in danger, Yu Tianming said to Yu Yuanzhen:
"I know how to use the two herbs above the spring. Please protect me while I take them."
He wanted to quickly consume the two he could recognize—Eight Petal Ice Crystal Grass and Fiery Apricot Delicate—before anything unexpected happened.
(End of Chapter)
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