In the courtyard.
Li Zhexian raised his teacup.
"So, are we going straight to it, or following procedure?"
Dugu Yan frowned delicately.
"Of course we're following procedure."
"If you don't beat —"
The words were halfway out of his mouth—
Dugu Yan instantly corrected herself.
"If you can't defeat , how dare you ask for my serpent venom?"
Her gaze toward Li Zhexian was full of dissatisfaction.
Seriously? You want sothing without giving anything in return? You think all the benefits should be yours?
"Sigh..."
Li Zhexian shook his head and sighed.
"Fine, let's do this."
Dugu Yan stared at his empty hands and nonchalant, lazy posture. With a flick of her red lips, venomous fangs appeared.
"Li Zhexian, get serious!"
"I want a real fight!"
With that, she surged forward on a wind tinged with the scent of blood.
Whoosh—!
In a blink, Dugu Yan was in front of him. She raised her leg, twisted her waist, and unleashed a ferocious spinning kick. Her loose pants stretched tight like steel, the strike aid directly at Li Zhexian's face.
Li Zhexian crossed his arms to block.
Boom—!
A trendous force slamd into him.
He was pushed back several ters, sliding across the ground. A tingling pain spread through his arms.
A trace of anger flickered across his handso face.
"Dugu Yan, I really am going to teach you a lesson!"
With a flip of his palm, the Qinglian Sword appeared in his hand, its chilling radiance dropping the courtyard's temperature in an instant.
"Co on, I'm begging you to teach !"
Dugu Yan's voice trembled with suppressed excitent.
She locked eyes on the sword-wielding Li Zhexian, licked her red lips, and charged forward again.
Swish—!
Swish—!
Within the courtyard, sword light shimred coldly, mingled with waves of poisonous mist.
A few minutes later—
Li Zhexian had subdued the injured and battered Dugu Yan.
"You lost. Give your serpent venom."
Seeing the familiar teacup before her, Dugu Yan shook her head.
"I won't!"
"We agreed—if I beat you, you'd give the venom."
"I don't care!" she snapped, baring her teeth at him in defiance.
Li Zhexian was so stunned he laughed in disbelief.
"Fine, refuse the wine and drink the punishnt instead!"
"Alright, alright, alright!"
He seized the back of her neck and pressed her red lips against the rim of the teacup.
"Spit the poison for !"
Dugu Yan's cheeks flushed red. She opened her mouth to prepare—
But just then—
BOOM—!!!
The courtyard gates exploded open.
Startled, both Li Zhexian and Dugu Yan looked up.
An elder in gray robes stord in, eyes wide with fury, his long green hair flaring in the air like fla.
"Grandfather!" Dugu Yan shouted in alarm.
"Dugu Bo?!"
Li Zhexian reacted instantly, releasing Dugu Yan and darting out of the courtyard.
"You dare lay hands on my granddaughter, brat?!"
Toxic green mist surged around Dugu Bo, a putrid wind whipping through the air.
He was livid. His precious granddaughter had been manhandled like this!
"Die!"
Dugu Bo's movent was so fast it bordered on teleportation.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Li Zhexian.
His withered palm struck out, the air exploding with deafening force.
Hearing the roar behind him, Li Zhexian's eyes flared with fierce resolve. He swallowed the wine already hidden in his mouth.
Whoosh—!
A purple Spirit Ring rose at his feet.
His Spirit Power surged like boiling water.
With a powerful sweep of the Qinglian Sword, he turned and slashed.
"Second Spirit Ability—Three Swords of Elegance!"
"First Move of the Qinglian Sword Song—Yaoguang Sword!"
It was clearly broad daylight.
But a streak of starlight fell from the sky, descending upon his blade.
The sword, sharpened to its absolute peak, burst forth with a radiant and terrifying brilliance. Even Dugu Bo narrowed his green eyes at the glare.
Zzzzz—!
BOOM—!
A sword and a palm collided with raw, explosive force.
Dugu Bo stood firm.
Li Zhexian's cheeks flushed violently, and he forcefully swallowed the tallic taste rising in his throat. He retreated rapidly. He was sent flying.
Just then—
A tall figure rushed in from behind.
They collided, crashing hard into the courtyard wall.
Li Zhexian was relatively fine—
The soft cushion behind him had absorbed most of the impact.
But Dugu Yan, who had rushed to catch him, took the full force of the collision. She spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.
"Yan Yan!"
Dugu Bo's aged face shifted.
"What are you doing?!"
Dugu Yan stumbled forward, arms outstretched to shield Li Zhexian.
"Grandfather, stop."
"Li Zhexian didn't force ."
"It was… . I went to him willingly."
At her words, Dugu Bo narrowed his old eyes.
He looked past her and stared at the white-clothed youth now rising to his feet like a drawn blade.
"Li Zhexian…"
"So young, yet already capable of wielding such a sharp sword."
"You must be that 'Sword Wine' kid—the fastest ever to earn the Gold badge at the Spirit Arena."
As he spoke—
A wide sleeve covered his hand.
Within, a deep wound lay in his palm.
Dugu Bo appeared calm—
But inside, stormy waves crashed.
A Titled Douluo like him… actually injured by a teenager?!
True, he hadn't used any Spirit Abilities.
But still—it was unbelievable.
Li Zhexian bowed respectfully, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Senior Dugu Bo."
Dugu Bo gave a quiet nod and glanced at his granddaughter still standing protectively in front of the boy.
With a wave of his sleeve, a dicine bottle flew toward Li Zhexian.
Li Zhexian caught it and looked over, confused.
"You're a strange one."
"I don't know how you resisted my poison…"
"But you took so internal damage. That's a healing tonic."
Li Zhexian chuckled lightly.
"Many thanks, Senior Dugu."
Truth be told—
He didn't hold a grudge over that blow.
Whether or not Dugu Yan had approached him willingly, he had forced her to spit venom.
Living by so dogmatic "you wronged , so I must kill you" code wasn't his style.
Besides…
Li Zhexian glanced at the blood still dripping from his sword.
He hadn't exactly co out the loser—
Dugu Bo was wounded too.
"Good kid. Interesting…"
Dugu Bo had lived long enough to read people at a glance.
He saw clearly the openness in the boy's heart.
People said Dugu Bo was temperantal and cruel—but no elder disliked a righteous and clear-minded youth.
"Li Zhexian, I'm leaving." At this mont, Dugu Yan, who had been silent, suddenly whispered. With that, without waiting for Li Zhexian's response, and without looking at Dugu Bo, she stumbled out of the courtyard.
Dugu Bo opened his mouth—
But in the end, all he could do was shake his head bitterly.
Having seen that earlier scene…
He couldn't deny it—
His granddaughter, tornted for years by serpent poison, had developed psychological issues.
"Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison…"
"Is there truly no cure?"
Dugu Bo turned and walked away.
The once-upright, spear-like silhouette now slightly hunched.
"Sigh."
Li Zhexian let out a long breath.
Now he understood why Dugu Yan kept coming to him.
It all stemd from the tornt of her Martial Soul. The poison had twisted her psyche.
He looked at her fading figure—
Especially the red abrasions on her pale arm, where she'd just shielded him.
Suddenly, Li Zhexian said:
"Maybe… I can cure the Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison."
——
Dugu Yan froze mid-step.
Fwoosh—!
A foul wind tore through the air.
Dugu Bo appeared before Li Zhexian in an instant. His withered hand clutched the boy's shoulder, green light flaring in his eyes.
"Boy!"
"What did you just say?!"
"You can cure the Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison?!"
If anyone else had said it, Dugu Bo would've scoffed.
But Li Zhexian was different.
From the start, he'd noticed the boy was completely immune to his poison.
Maybe—
Just maybe… there was hope!
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