In Douluo Continent, there is a proper way to die.

Chapter 104: The groundwork is laid (4000 words)

As Yinlan finished speaking, Yinluo, Qianrenxue, Guyuena, Shelong, Cixue, and Guimei also emerged from the spatial rift.

Just as She Long and Ci Xue were Qian Renxue's two henchmen, as the two henchmen of the Papal Palace, wherever Lao Ju was, Lao Gui was there too. These two were always intertwined and inseparable.

I must say again, Tang Buddha's creative ability is, in a sense, truly twenty years ahead of the industry (laughs).

After explaining the situation to both parties in a few words, Dugu Bo put away the spirit ring and looked at Yin Lan, who was clutching her heart and sighing, "You little brat, next time give me a heads-up. This old man almost had a heart attack from being scared."

"Come on, we're not that much older than each other," Yue Guan said with a mocking expression on her young and beautiful face. "I was wondering why you were running around the continent like a madman a few years ago, even daring to steal from my herb garden. I never thought that the Bi Lin Douluo, who is famous throughout the world for his 'poison,' could even poison himself. You're really something!"

"Hmph!" Dugu Bo was speechless after being rebuked by Yue Guan. Knowing that he was in the wrong, he could only suppress his anger and let Yue Guan spew nonsense, his face turning blue and purple.

Back then, the poison inherited from Dugu Xin far exceeded his own strength and he could not suppress it. In desperation, Dugu Bo, who lost his composure, sought a way out everywhere, which is how he formed a grudge with the Spirit Hall.

However, considering the need to conceal their strength, coupled with Dugu Bo's "poisonous intimidation" and the intervention of Prince Xue Xing of the Heaven Dou Empire, now was not a good time for the Spirit Hall to break off relations. Therefore, the Spirit Hall gave Xue Xing face, and in the end, Yue Guan did not seriously pursue the matter with him. Otherwise, Dugu Bo would have been killed long ago. It should be noted that Yue Guan never fights alone; he always brings Gui Mei along for a group fight.

Dugu Bo thus owed Xue Xing a favor, which also became Xue Xing's trump card in protecting herself during the royal power struggle.

"What are you humming about? You have such a bad temper. If it weren't for the Second Miss's intervention, you old poisoner would have died somewhere in the shadows, your body already rotting!" Yue Guan continued to attack.

"What? Died from poisoning?" Still confused, Dugu Yan realized the crucial point and grabbed her grandfather, her face still showing lingering tension. "Grandpa, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

"Hey, that's all in the past. Look, Grandpa's fine now, isn't he? Don't overthink it..." Dugu Bo was feeling overwhelmed. Yue Guan was still ranting on, and Dugu Yan was pressing him relentlessly. He was completely exasperated.

"Huh?" Yinlan was taken aback, looking at Dugu Bo with some confusion. "Grandpa Dugu, you haven't told her yet?"

In the original history, Dugu Bo did not explain to Dugu Yan because he felt there was no hope of curing the poison, so he wanted to keep it from Dugu Yan for the rest of his life, so that his granddaughter could live a carefree life. Now that Dugu Bo himself has been cured of the poison, why hasn't he explained things to Dugu Yan?

"The child is still young," Dugu Bo muttered softly, "I'm afraid of scaring her, so I haven't had a chance to explain."

"Pretentious," Gu Yuena commented sharply.

"Then you should explain to Sister Yanzi now. Once you're ready, we'll begin the detoxification process." Yinlan had no choice but to wave helplessly at Dugu Bo before reaching out and pulling Gu Yuena closer to speak to her alone.

"Sigh... Yan Yan, I'm sorry, Grandpa has been lying to you all along..." Dugu Bo sighed, then took Dugu Yan's hand, not daring to look at his granddaughter, and began to explain.

As the old man and the young man chatted, they embraced and burst into tears. It was a heartbreaking sight, until a loud "Why?" interrupted them, and the emotions they had built up vanished.

Everyone instinctively looked over, and the voice came from the direction of Gu Yuena and Yin Lan, and it was Gu Yuena who shouted it out.

"You still say she's being dramatic? Didn't we promise to help her to the end? It wasn't much trouble, it was just something you could do easily," Yinlan said, gesturing to the onlookers that everything was alright, while hugging Gu Yuena's arm and pressing her body against hers. "Please, Sister Na'er~"

Who am I? Where am I? What happened? Where did I come from? Is this still that little devil?

Gu Yuena, who wasn't very bright to begin with, had never seen Yin Lan's offensive before. Her pair of purple eyes seemed to turn into circles, and she stammered, "Let me...let me explain first, I only...only helped them because of you!"

"Mua~" Yinlan jumped up and gave Gu Yuena a side profile shot. The fat dragon, who was completely emotionally clueless, was no match for the powerful direct shot and was defeated on the spot, turning into a steam princess.

Damn, I'm so envious!

The expressions on Qian Renxue and Yinluo's faces became distorted.

"Are you done talking, Grandpa Dugu?" Yinlan reached out and touched the teardrop-shaped pendant on his fair neck, which could store living things, and took out an item. "Shall we begin?"

It was a black branch, and at the top of that branch grew a palm-sized, pearl-like golden fruit.

"What a waste! What a waste!" Before Dugu Bo and his grandson could say anything, Yue Guan fell back into his previous frenzied state upon seeing the fruit.

"...Why are you doing this again?" Ghostly tugged at his partner silently. "Do you even know what that is?"

"I don't know, but it must be a divine herb. My senses are definitely not wrong!" Yue Guan didn't recognize this divine herb, but that didn't stop him from determining its status through his senses. He looked at the ghost with some envy, "Ghost, do you think it's too late for us to switch jobs now?"

"Elder Ju, Elder Gui, we're still here," Qian Renxue said quietly. "Why don't you switch sides and join mine?"

She Long and Ci Xue also looked at them with strange expressions.

"I was just saying," Yue Guan chuckled twice, "Don't take it to heart, young master."

"This is the Star Luo Spirit Pearl, a kind of immortal herb that is closest to humans," Yin Lan said, introducing the immortal herb in her hand. "Taking it can help you build the prototype of your soul core in advance and collect the toxins in your body in advance. Once you have accumulated enough, it can help you form your soul core. As for what the soul core is, Grandpa Dugu knows. You can ask him yourself."

"Laoju, do you know what a Soul Core is? What kind of special effect does it bring?" Ghost nudged his old friend with a blank look and asked in a low voice. Qian Renxue, Shelong, and Cixue also gave him questioning looks.

"Hmph! Of course!" Yue Guan said, hands on her hips, completely unconcerned. "I didn't know either!"

Damn it, what are you so smug about!

The group was speechless.

In fact, Yinlan had also struggled with whether or not to take the Star Luo Spirit Pearl herself, but in the end she gave up. She was confident that she could condense her soul core on her own without the help of this immortal herb.

As for why the Star Luo Spirit Pearl was chosen for Dugu Yan instead of the Earth Dragon Golden Melon... it's because Yinlan discovered something very serious.

Unlike many fanfictions that portray it as having earth dragon bloodline and being able to purify dragon-type martial souls, this Earth Dragon Golden Melon was actually a pure earth-attribute immortal herb, as she specifically checked with her creative power.

Then she remembered something. The name of the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in the original work refers to the fact that after eating it, the eater can obtain the "power of the earth dragon's reversal". It means that after eating this thing, the strength attribute can be improved and the earth attribute can be obtained. In fact, it has nothing to do with "earth dragon". Eating this thing will not cure Dugu Yan's poison.

"Thank you... thank you, Second Miss." Dugu Yan had just finished crying, her eyes were still a little red and swollen, and she was still sobbing as she spoke. She looked timid as she took the Star Luo Spirit Pearl from Yin Lan's hand. She was completely unrecognizable from the fearless big sister she used to be.

In the past, she was extremely fond of her bright purple hair and her unique dark green eyes. She even developed a habit of painting her nails green, which she regarded as a sign of her powerful poison skills. But who knew that the truth was so different.

"Alright, what's the relationship between me and Grandpa Dugu? Don't be so formal, just call me by my name," Yinlan stepped forward and wiped away the tears from Dugu Yan's eyes. "My name is Yinlan, and from now on, you're under my protection!"

Dugu Yan nodded with teary eyes, and without saying much, she took the Star Luo Spirit Pearl under Yin Lan's guidance, then sat cross-legged and began to absorb it.

...What a wicked and sinful woman.

Gu Yuena, Qian Renxue, and Yinluo couldn't help but think about it.

"Hahaha, that's true," Dugu Bo laughed, winking at Yue Guan, completely oblivious to Yin Lan. At this moment, he had no idea that his little cabbage was being robbed by another little cabbage. He solemnly bowed to Yin Lan, "I won't thank you enough, Lanlan. From today onwards, our Dugu family will obey your orders!"

"There's still a lot to do. You've been cured of the poison, but the flaws in your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul haven't been resolved. I promised to help you and your grandson evolve your Martial Souls, and it's time to fulfill that promise," Yinlan said, looking at Gu Yuena. "Sister Na'er~"

"I know, I know," Gu Yuena felt a chill run down her spine from the tone she was being told. She squeezed out a drop of blood from her fingertip, diluted it several times, and then split it in two before flicking it towards Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan's foreheads. "My bloodline is too strong for mortals, and ordinary people cannot withstand it. I can only dilute it before giving it to you two. Focus your mind and calm your spirits."

The latest novel is first published here!

"Thank you..." Before Dugu Bo could finish his words of gratitude, he felt a powerful energy flow into his body out of nowhere, as if something had been awakened within him. He quickly sat cross-legged beside his granddaughter and began to meditate.

A day passed, and Qian Renxue had already left with She Long and Ci Xue to return to the Tian Dou Imperial Palace to handle matters related to the substitute, while Yue Guan and Gui Mei remained at the Dugu residence.

Dugu Bo had just awoke from his meditation when he saw a beautiful face filled with resentment right in front of him, which was quite frightening. Before he could even vent his joy at his promotion, he was startled again and let out a strange scream: "Chrysanthemum Pass, what are you doing?!"

"I need to see the changes in you two, especially your granddaughter," Yue Guan said, his face full of resentment, "otherwise I won't die in peace!"

"Chrysanthemum Pass! Don't go crazy here. Where's the prison ghost? Take your prison chrysanthemum away right now!" Dugu Bo said with a face full of annoyance, almost cursing.

"So, did you gain anything?" Ghostly asked, curiously approaching him as he woke up.

"You two..." Dugu Bo's forehead creased in a frown, but the next second, as if he had remembered something, his anger vanished instantly, and he looked at the two of them with a smug grin, "Eh? How did you know I'm level 95?"

...Damn it, who asked you that!

Yue Guan was no longer chuckling. He had been stuck at a certain level for a long time because he had gone astray in his training, and he was about to curse when Gui Mei quickly pulled him back.

"Hmm..." Dugu Yan also woke up, her eyes somewhat dazed.

"How is it, Yanyan?" Dugu Bo rushed to his granddaughter's side, his eyes full of expectation. Yue Guan looked at him with the same expectation.

"My Martial Soul seems to have changed," Dugu Yan said, releasing her Martial Soul. Two yellow Soul Rings rose again, and her pupils returned to their cold, vertical form. This time, however, two sharp horns sprouted on her forehead, and dense, emerald-green scales shimmered with a cold luster on her arms. She continued, "And I seem to be level 30... How is this possible?!"

She repeatedly confirmed the fluctuations of soul power within her body, and the bewilderment on her face gradually dissipated, turning into astonishment.

"It should be more than level 30. The exact level will only be reflected after you obtain your third soul ring," Yin Lan handed two packed lunch boxes to the grandfather and grandson. "The dragon bloodline of the Big Fat Dragon is one of the two strongest in this world. Even Grandpa Dugu has leveled up twice. Your martial souls should be no worse than the Yu family's lizards now."

"Hmph, now I can call you little poison dragons," Gu Yuena said arrogantly.

"Since she has said so," Yin Lan said, stepping forward to examine Dugu Yan's spirit possession again before concluding, "then your spirit can now be called 'Azure Phosphorous Sacred Dragon'."

"Sigh." Yue Guan looked on with increasing envy, but as Bibi Dong's subordinate, he was only able to be dragged by Yin Lan to resolve the conflict with Dugu Bo because of their cooperative relationship. Otherwise, if he were to clash with Dugu Bo again one day and he didn't know that Dugu Bo's martial soul had evolved, he might be in serious trouble.

"What? Lao Ju? Do you still want to spar with this old man?" Dugu Bo looked at him with a sly grin.

"Get lost," Yue Guan glared at him, then looked at Yin Lan with Gui Mei. "Thank you for giving this old man a chance, Second Miss. We thank you both."

"There's nothing else, you should all go back now, so as not to cause His Holiness the Pope any trouble." Yin Lan also gave the same order to leave, and gestured for Gu Yuena to open a spatial rift that led directly to Wuhun City.

"Then we shall part ways here, everyone. Farewell." Yue Guan and Gui Mei said politely one last time, and then crossed the spatial rift together.

Watching the two leave, Yinlan let out a long breath and unconsciously took Gu Yuena's hand.

"What's wrong?" Gu Yuena looked at the girl beside her.

"...All the necessary groundwork has been laid. I will not let the future develop into the ending foretold in the prophecy," Yinlan murmured. "I promise..."

"...I will create a bright future."

(End of this chapter)