In the clearing of the valley, a roaring flame crackled as it roasted a large, cleaned fat horse. The black skin glistened, hot oil dripping onto the charcoal below, sizzling and filling the air with an irresistible aroma.
Xiao Tianyang stood nearby, holding a wooden bowl and brush, meticulously applying seasoning to the horse's surface to enhance its flavor and fragrance.
Beside him, Tang San could only watch with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
The reason for his mixed feelings? Some of the ingredients in Xiao Tianyang's wooden bowl were originally part of the medicinal soup Tang San had prepared for him.
Now, it had been repurposed as seasoning.
Tang San couldn't help but wonder: 'Was this really okay?' After all, the medicinal soup was a potent tonic brewed from over a dozen rare celestial herbs.
Even Tang San, skilled in the medicine arts, felt a twinge of uncertainty.
"Alright, stop making that sour face. I will harvest a few more herbs for you later. You'll have more than enough," Xiao Tianyang said, noticing Tang San's expression and curling his lips.
"I'm not worried about that," Tang San replied, shaking his head with a wry smile. "I'm just concerned that this meal might be too much for us to handle. It could last us for days."
"Don't worry," Xiao Tianyang reassured him, waving his hand dismissively. "I've diluted the medicinal soup multiple times. What I'm using now is only one percent of the original potency. Besides, these herbs were just sitting around unused. It's better to put them to good use, don't you think?"
While the two prepared their meal, a fierce battle was unfolding nearby. The Golden Iron Triangle was locked in combat with Dugu Bo.
"I've already told you, I brought them here to settle some matters. Once it's done, they'll return. Why are you still bothering me?" Dugu Bo sneered, his voice cold. "Besides, with your strength, you're no match for me. Let's call it a day and leave it at that."
"No! You have to release those two children today!" Liu Erlong's eyes burned with anger. "Everyone knows how unpredictable you are, Dugu Bo. Who knows what you might do to them?"
"Are you still not done?!" Dugu Bo's patience wore thin. Although he had suffered a minor setback earlier, he had held back out of consideration for Xiao Tianyang's background.
But the Golden Iron Triangle's persistence was testing his limits. Despite being outmatched, they refused to back down. Were they truly willing to risk their lives?
Without further hesitation, Dugu Bo summoned his Martial Soul Avatar. The massive tail of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor swept through the air, compressing it with a sharp whistle.
He had no intention of killing them, of course. His strikes were precise, meant to incapacitate rather than fatally wound.
But just as he prepared to strike, a dark shadow flashed behind him. A fist shot forward, roaring through the air like a thunderclap.
"Ah!" Dugu Bo let out a sharp cry, retreating a hundred meters in an instant. His face paled as he was forcibly reverted to his human form.
"Old Poison, you've got quite the nerve, daring to lay hands on my disciple!"
The voice that followed sent a shiver down Dugu Bo's spine.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the Extreme North? Why are you back?" Dugu Bo stammered, his confidence wavering.
"It's one thing to bully my disciple, but to capture him? Do you really think I, Miao Zhenshan, am just for show?"
Miao Zhenshan's voice boomed like thunder, resonating with such force that it seemed to command the submission of all creatures in the Sunset Forest.
Dugu Bo, directly targeted by this aura, felt an overwhelming pressure. At this moment, he wished he could disappear.
If he had known Miao Zhenshan would return so soon, he would never have tried to resolve the conflict by capturing Xiao Tianyang.
Now, he had not only bullied Miao Zhenshan's disciple but also taken him captive. There was no way to explain his way out of this.
"Old Poison, this is your first mistake. Don't blame me for bullying the weak!"
The nine soul rings around Miao Zhenshan's body lit up, and his form expanded as he leaped into the air. His fist, though simple in motion, carried the force of a collapsing mountain—unstoppable and devastating.
"Fine, let it be. I only hope those two boys can cure my granddaughter. If they can, I can rest in peace beneath the Nine Springs..."
Dugu Bo resigned himself to his fate, ready to face death with dignity.
But he wasn't one to go down without a fight. Even in death, he would make it a spectacular one.
Just as he prepared to strike, a figure faster than him intercepted the blow.
"Boom!"
The ground shook as if struck by lightning, and a shockwave erupted, sending Dugu Bo flying backward. The ground beneath them caved in, as though an invisible hand had pressed down from the heavens, leaving a crater at least several centimeters deep.
"It's you, kid?!" Miao Zhenshan, who had withdrawn his fist and retreated, couldn't help but twitch at the sight. He was both speechless and shocked.
"Master, you're too ruthless! Was that necessary?" Xiao Tianyang shook his hands, wincing as he landed on the ground.
"How was I supposed to know you'd rush out like that? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Miao Zhenshan glared at him.
"I couldn't help it! Saving someone is like putting out a fire—it can't wait. Who knew you'd start throwing punches without even letting him explain?" Xiao Tianyang retorted, curling his lips.
"Kid, I'm here to help you settle this. Why are you defending him?" Miao Zhenshan was baffled.
Last time, when Chen Xin bullied him, Xiao Tianyang had let it go. Now, he was doing the same thing again. Did this kid enjoy being beaten?
"Can't you let me explain first?" Xiao Tianyang spread his hands. "Although we arrived suddenly, we were actually invited. Didn't I leave a note behind?"
"Doesn't that mean you were captured by Senior Poison Douluo?" Yu Xiaogang, who had been observing the scene, chimed in, equally confused.
"Ah, Grandmaster, you're here too." Xiao Tianyang quickly performed a respectful bow before explaining, "Of course, that's not what I meant by the note. Besides, Senior Poison Douluo is a Titled Douluo. How could I leave such obvious clues under his nose? Right, Grandmaster?"
Seeing Xiao Tianyang's meaningful glance, Yu Xiaogang nodded in understanding. "Perhaps we did misunderstand..."
He then turned to Dugu Bo, cupping his fists in a respectful bow. "We should have trusted your explanation earlier. Please forgive our rash actions."
Both Miao Zhenshan and Dugu Bo were stunned. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, transforming a deadly confrontation into a simple misunderstanding.
"Could it be that the note this kid left had a double meaning, open to interpretation?" Dugu Bo mused, both surprised and impressed.
…
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