(A/N: 2nd Chapter of the Day, I Hope You Like It!)
I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the latest chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Link: Patreon.com/NineClouds69
--- Chapter 53 ---
It took them fifteen minutes or so to reach Heaven Dou City, which was fast enough because only one of them was a Title Douluo.
Han Yuan used his self-created skills and carried Han Yue with him, and Liu Erlong utilized the Scarlet Dragon's explosive flame to propel herself forward like a rocket.
Then, Dugu Bo led them to the Dugu Mansion.
The Dugu Mansion is 'strategically' located on a small mountain in the corner of Heaven Dou City near the Sunset Forest.
Dugu Bo chose this spot for two reasons. The first reason is because he didn't want to poison others accidentally, and the other was to access his garden in the shortest time possible.
That's why the area Dugu Bo owned around Dugu Mansion is somewhat desolate. No one dares to live near the infamous Poison Douluo, making the rent prices here cheap.
Upon entering the main gate, Han Yuan and the ladies caught sight of an ancient mansion standing at the foot of the small mountain. The natural rock formation and forest surrounded the mansion, making it part of nature.
The paved stone path led them into the mansion, where a few servants bowed to Dugu Bo and greeted them politely.
Han Yuan glanced at these servants, "They are actually poison-type spirit masters."
"They are from a special village that awakened spirit masters with poison-type martial souls." Dugu Bo replied. "I took them in because a few years ago, a "righteous" spirit master blindly massacred the village, thinking they were evil."
"He mistook them for the Fallen..."
"However, I knew that guy was just looking for fame."
"In the end, that guy ended up beneath the very ground he killed those villagers. I made sure so."
"Good riddance." Han Yuan said with a snort.
"Haha, right?" Dugu Bo laughed, though it sounded heartbreaking.
The term "Evil Spirit Master" was not popularized until 10,000 years later because Slaughter City no longer exists to contain them.
In the era where Spirit Hall is still standing firm, those spirit masters who have taken the wrong, wicked path and killed innocent lives to cultivate themselves are called the Fallen.
However, the "Fallen" term is often loosely used to do evil.
Many spirit masters, who acted benevolently, slaughtered innocent lives and then blamed it on the Fallen. Someone like the person in Dugu Bo's story acts righteously only to gain a sliver of fame.
Surprisingly, Spirit Hall is very efficient in catching these "wicked" people and throwing them to Slaughter City to rot there. The only minus is that these people become food for Asura's divine power and inheritance.
Of course, as the Douluo Dalu's series continues, the crisis of Evil Spirit Masters becomes worse.
Many people use "Evil Spirit Master" to describe others when they don't even act like evil and only possess a martial soul with said quality due to strange mutation. Ultimately, it becomes a scheme for people to overthrow others.
After briefly considering this, Han Yuan couldn't help but lament, "Poison doesn't equal evil. Poison can also treat others. Don't judge someone by their power, but their characters..."
Dugu Bo, Liu Erlong, and Han Yue were stunned, yet that line resonated with their feelings.
"Haha, you're right, Young Master! As expected of you!" Dugu Bo laughed more cheerfully now.
Han Yue smiled, "Xiao Yuan is very wise."
Liu Erlong pouted and looked away, "Hmph, I admit those words are pretty good."
"..." Han Yuan gave them a blank look.
He only said random things, and they called him wise?
He knew he was good, but not that good!
Anyway, forget about that. Han Yuan and others entered the mansion and met with a familiar face.
"Sister Yanyan, we met again!" Han Yuan greeted the teal-haired young lady in a green dress.
"Xiao Yuan, you're here~!" Dugu Yan's eyes lit upon seeing Han Yuan as she strode to his side and hugged him out of impulse, making Han Yue frown slightly.
Dugu Yan stared at him warmly and said, "Thank you for the medicine. I got a lot better after eating one."
Han Yuan smiled softly, "I'm glad to hear that."
Cough!
Dugu Bo cleared his throat, "Yanyan, you shouldn't hug Young Master like that."
"Young Master?" Dugu Yan glanced between her grandfather and Han Yuan in confusion.
Dugu Bo created an energy barrier around them and gave his granddaughter a wry look before explaining what happened last night.
When Dugu Yan learned that Han Yuan had healed her grandfather and had a method to cure her and her father, she couldn't help but cover her mouth in happiness and stare at Han Yuan with teary eyes.
"Thank you, Young Master..." Dugu Yan said with a sincere smile. The pure maiden unconsciously developed an unknown feeling for this handsome boy but was still far from realizing it.
Han Yuan waved lightly, "Just call me Xiao Yuan like before, Sister Yanyan."
"Your case is different from Senior Dugu."
Dugu Bo rubbed his beard cunningly, 'Hmm, Young Master seems to accept Yanyan well. Not bad! There is still a chance for them!'
'Haha, my Dugu Family haven't lost hope at all!'
Of course, Dugu Bo didn't say these thoughts out loud. From how Han Yue and Liu Erlong looked at Han Yuan, Dugu Bo knew their feelings toward the handsome boy were not "simple" sister to brother or stepmother to son.
Wait, was Liu Erlong even Han Yuan's stepmother?
Dugu Bo shook his head weakly, "I don't know anymore..."
The world has become too bizarre ever since Dugu Bo met Han Yuan.
"Yanyan, how is your father?" Dugu Bo changed the topic smoothly.
Dugu Yan sighed, "Father is still in a coma. Auntie Xuelan is helping his body recover with her Nine Heart Begonia, but since she doesn't have purification spirit skills, she could only support his body from breaking apart."
"Xuelan..." Dugu Bo nodded in understanding. "I will thank the current matriarch of Ye Clan later."
Yes, Auntie Xuelan, whom Dugu Yan mentioned, is none other than the mother of Ye Lingling and also the current matriarch of Ye Clan.
She's a support-system Spirit Saint known for being the current best healer on the Douluo Continent.
They walked to the secluded room in the mansion and saw Ye Lingling guarding the door.
"Sister Lingling!" Han Yuan greeted the indifferent-looking girl like he did to Dugu Yan.
"Xiao Yuan, you're here?" Ye Lingling was actually surprised to see Han Yuan here. While she knew Dugu Bo had gone to the Dao Academy, she didn't expect him to bring Han Yuan here so quickly.
Dugu Yan pulled Ye Lingling into her side and briefly explained why Han Yuan was there. The flower girl was too stunned to speak.
After that small encounter, Dugu Bo prepared himself and pushed the door open, allowing everyone to see a mature woman in a white-purple robe with Nine Heart Begonia in her hand, which she used to activate her spirit skills and sustain the patient's vitality on the bed.
The patient on the bed is Dugu Bo's son, Dugu Xin.
Dugu Xin is miserable, wrapped in weird-stenched dark green bandages, and appears like a mummy. Some of his exposed skin is charred black due to the extreme toxicity in his body, constantly releasing pus.
Even then, Dugu Xin is still breathing. He endured all this suffering for a lingering hope of surviving.
Dugu Yan saw this and cried, "Father..."
"Xiao Yuan, please help my father."
"Young Master." Dugu Bo also looked at Han Yuan hopefully.
Han Yuan nodded and walked to Dugu Xin, meeting the mature woman's surprising gaze.
"Senior, my name is Han Yuan." He said calmly. "Let's cut to the chase and treat the patient together."
"Please help me stabilize the patient's condition with your Nine Heart Begonia's recovery skill."
"This..." Ye Xuelan peeked at Dugu Bo, seeing him nod. "Okay, let's do this."
Han Yuan smiled faintly and placed his left hand on Dugu Xin's chest to extract his venom with Sky Poison Pearl, "Extract..."
Swoosh!
A soft, green light appeared from Han Yuan's palm, illuminating the whole room. Under everyone's shocked gaze, Dugu Xin's condition improved, and his body shrunk rapidly due to the loss of liquid and essence.
"Recovery." Ye Xuelan activated her spirit skills, which sent white energy into Dugu Xin's body and healed him rapidly.
Meanwhile, Dugu Xin couldn't help but groan in joy. The damned toxin that plagued his body for years finally disappeared.
Five minutes later, everyone saw a handsome man in a loose bandage. He looked around 90% similar to Dugu Bo, especially with rich brown eyes, a grin on his handsome face, and short brown hair.
"HAHAHA~! I FINALLY RECOVERED!"
"THANK GOD, THANK GOD!"
Dugu Xin hurriedly looked at Ye Xuelan and Han Yuan and kneeled on the ground to him. Although Dugu Xin was in a coma, his spiritual power was very active, so he could hear one or two pieces of information when the group arrived.
So, when Dugu Xin learned that Han Yuan helped his father and became his father's lord, he couldn't help but be shocked.
However, Dugu Xin accepted it quickly when he experienced Han Yuan's skill, which extracted all his venom in mere minutes. That damned venom made him suffer for years!
"Lowly Dugu Xin greet Young Master!" Dugu Xin said with reference. "From now on, I will be loyal to the Young Master and no one else!"
Han Yuan quickly helped Dugu Xin to stand up, "Uncle Xin, you should not move so suddenly like that. You haven't completely adapted to your current condition. As for your pledge of allegiance, I will accept it. We are family now."
'Then, Young Master, please take care of Yanyan, too...' Dugu Xin said in his heart. Even then, he didn't dare to say this.
"Mm, thank you, Young Master."
"I will remember this favor forever!"
"Hahaha~!" Dugu Bo laughed joyfully now that his son was temporarily free from his venom. "Everyone, let's hold a banquet for this joyous occasion! I, Dugo Bo, will pay for everything!"
Han Yuan chuckled, "Senior, you seem to forget something."
"Uh, huh?" Dugu Bo was puzzled.
"Sister Yanyan hasn't received the treatment." Han Yuan said innocently.
"Ack!" Dugu Bo froze on the spot.
Everyone could hear the sound of needle drop in the room
"..." Dugu Xin.
"..." Ye Xuelan.
"..." Everyone else.
"Grandpa, you..." Dugu Yan was speechless.
Dugu Bo endured everyone's judging gaze and frantically said to his granddaughter, "Yanyan, this is a misunderstanding! Grandpa doesn't mean to..."
"Hmph, I hate you, Grandpa~!" Dugu Yan playfully said, causing Dugu Bo to drop on the floor.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Dugu Bo shouted dramatically.
Dugu Yan laughed, "Just kidding, Yanyan knew Grandpa didn't mean to say that. After all, you're the best Grandpa in the world."
"Hahaha~!" Everyone laughed, which lightened the atmosphere.