Tang Hao's speed was indeed very fast, but Dugu Bo could still catch up if he wanted to. However, just as Dugu Bo was preparing to activate his Martial Soul Avatar to chase after Tang Hao, a spiritual voice transmission stopped him in his tracks.
Dugu Bo turned around, positioning himself in front of Ye Renxin, then opened the wall and shielded Ye Lingling behind him. Shortly after, Chen Ming and Dugu Yan arrived, albeit fashionably late.
Under the protection of Dugu Bo and the others, Ye Renxin moved to the courtyard and, together with Ye Lingling, summoned the Nine Hearts Begonia Martial Soul to focus on healing the Soul Masters who had been gravely injured during Tang Hao's sudden assault.
Even though these individuals had suffered multiple fractures across their bodies, with some bones even piercing internal organs due to Tang Hao's raw strength, the potent healing abilities of the Nine Hearts Begonia enabled them to recover their mobility quickly. However, their condition was still far from optimal.
Among them, the Hellhound Soul Master felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation as he regained consciousness. Enduring the pain, he used his razor-sharp claws to tear into his flesh and violently removed the bone fragments lodged in his internal organs. With the help of the Nine Hearts Begonia's healing, he quickly regained his combat readiness and returned to Ye Renxin's side.
Looking at the still-shaken Ye Renxin, the Hellhound Soul Master, who was not much younger than Ye Renxin himself, was filled with regret. He bowed deeply to Dugu Bo to express his apology.
He had witnessed the moment the attacker was driven away by Dugu Bo's intervention. Although he didn't understand why Dugu Bo had appeared here, it didn't stop him from expressing his gratitude. He knew of the good relationship between Dugu Bo and Ye Renxin, as well as the friendship between their juniors, so he felt no need to question Dugu Bo's actions too deeply. After all, given their relationship, Dugu Bo had no obligation to step in.
The key detail was that when the attacker was retreating, the Hellhound Soul Master caught a glimpse of the attacker's soul rings. The ninth ring was red, and the attacker used a hammer-shaped Martial Soul. For someone who had experienced the events of more than a decade ago, it was almost instantly clear who the cloaked figure was. He also understood why the opponent had refrained from using their Martial Soul initially and relied solely on soul bone abilities to suppress him.
"The Clear Sky Clan—how despicable! A dignified Titled Douluo stooping to such shameless tactics! No wonder there were rumors about how the former Spirit Hall Pope, Qian Xunji, met his end at Tang Hao's hands. It turns out that the so-called Clear Sky Douluo, known for his offensive power, is better at sneak attacks like an agility-type Soul Master."
"The Clear Sky Clan, the Clear Sky Douluo... what an impressive offensive specialist!"
The Hellhound Douluo's fiery temper flared up once more. Even in the presence of Dugu Bo, his face twisted with rage, as if he wanted to tear a piece of flesh from Tang Hao's body.
Logically, he believed that, even if he was no match for Tang Hao, he shouldn't have been defeated in a single blow. After activating his Martial Soul Avatar and with Ye Renxin's support, he should have been able to hold out until Dugu Bo arrived.
But the problem was that he had never imagined he would fall victim to a sneak attack by a Titled Douluo. The sheer unexpectedness of being ambushed by someone of Tang Hao's stature had left him incapacitated in just one move. Hesitating for even a moment to avoid accidentally harming Ye Renxin had cost him the battle in an instant.
Humiliation! Utter humiliation!
Dugu Bo glanced at him but had nothing to say. After all, from his perspective, it was perfectly normal for a Soul Douluo to be instantly defeated by a Titled Douluo's sneak attack. Some Soul Masters with weaker defenses—like himself, back when he was only at Rank 91—could lose their combat effectiveness if caught off guard by a Soul Douluo's ambush.
Once everyone had been healed, Ye Renxin, still visibly tense, brought Ye Lingling to a new room in the inn. He then invited Dugu Bo, Chen Ming, and Dugu Yan to sit with him.
Ye Renxin wasn't one to beat around the bush. He immediately took out a gift that Dugu Bo had given him before his departure and placed it on the table. Looking at the now-damaged special device, Ye Renxin's expression was a mix of gratitude and complexity.
"Dugu Brother, tell me honestly—did you know in advance that someone was going to attack me?"
"I did hear about it," Dugu Bo admitted. "But to be honest, I wasn't sure if the information was reliable. I didn't want to alert the enemy prematurely, so I didn't say anything. Instead, I followed you in secret."
Looking at the aged Ye Renxin, Dugu Bo sighed with emotion. Years ago, he had sought Ye Renxin's help to use the Nine Hearts Begonia to cure the deadly poison that plagued his family. Now that his strength had grown immensely, the roles had reversed, and Ye Renxin owed him a favor. Life truly worked in mysterious ways.
Ye Renxin's expression turned even more peculiar as he pointed to the now-useless invincible shield Soul Tool on the table, his heart aching.
"But… but this is too much! I could feel it earlier—that shield unleashed a powerful defensive barrier. Even the Clear Sky Douluo couldn't break it immediately while only using his soul bone abilities. For a support-type Soul Master, this is priceless! How could it be used up so easily?"
"Dugu Brother, if something was going on, you could've just told me! Do you think I wouldn't trust you with our relationship? Why waste such a treasure on me?"
Ye Renxin's heart hurt for the shattered Soul Tool. He lamented that it couldn't remain in his family to protect future generations.
"It could block a Titled Douluo's attack?" Ye Lingling stared at the broken Soul Tool on the table, then, under Ye Renxin's strange gaze, pulled out an identical invincible shield Soul Tool from her pocket. Since it hadn't been activated, it was still intact.
"Yan Yan, are you telling me that the thing you gave me a few days ago and told me to carry with me at all times is something that can block a Titled Douluo's attack?"
Although Ye Lingling had a cold demeanor, she couldn't hide her shock as she looked at her best friend. She had never imagined that her playful friend would possess such a precious treasure—and not just one, but two of them.
Even though it was clear this was a man-made item, not a soul bone, and could only be used once before becoming useless…
But still! This was something that could allow a support-type Soul Master to survive a Titled Douluo's attack, even if only for a short time! At that level of effectiveness, the limitations didn't matter at all!
"Dugu Brother, your generosity is extraordinary!" Ye Renxin exclaimed, momentarily at a loss for words as he stared at his granddaughter's unexpected treasure. Dugu Bo broke the silence.
"Brother Ye, while these invincible shield Soul Tools are indeed rare and valuable, they are by no means irreplaceable. With our relationship, if you need another one, I can find a way to get one for you in the future."
Dugu Bo patted his chest and made a bold promise.
After all, his grandson-in-law employed a group of Soul Engineers, the most advanced of whom was nearing Rank 8. Although these invincible shield Soul Tools were precious, it was still possible to produce a few more with enough effort.
It was as if Dugu Bo was selling someone else's treasure without hesitation. After all, he still owed Ye Renxin several favors.