"You're just being clever, kid. That's all. You understand what I mean, right?" Miao Zhenshan spoke with a stern expression.
"Understood. I'll find a way to resolve this issue," Xiao Tianyang nodded slightly, already forming a plan in his mind.
"Good. Then I won't concern myself with this matter anymore." Miao Zhenshan patted him on the shoulder, glanced at Dugu Bo, snorted, and turned to leave.
"Senior Poison Douluo, since the matter is settled, we won't overstay. We'll take our leave now," Yu Xiaogang and Flender said as they dragged Liu Erlong away.
Before leaving, Yu Xiaogang turned back and added, "Tianyang, Rongrong and the others miss you dearly. If you have time, please visit."
"Don't worry, Grandmaster. I'll be back soon," Xiao Tianyang waved to them, then smiled at Dugu Bo. "Am I right, Senior?"
"Indeed. It's only a matter of days before they can return," Dugu Bo stood up, hands clasped behind his back, resuming his air of seniority.
Xiao Tianyang secretly scoffed, 'This old man was just beaten to a pulp, and now he's putting on airs again. How shameless.'
The master nodded and left with the other two.
Just then, Xiao Tianyang called out, "Grandmaster, since you've come all this way, take this back with you."
Yu Xiaogang turned his head in surprise, but Liu Erlong reacted quickly, catching the half slab of horse meat that flew toward them. The rich aroma instantly filled the air, making even Dugu Bo swallow subtly.
"Are you trying to kill us with this?" Liu Erlong glared at Xiao Tianyang, though her attention was clearly on the meat.
Xiao Tianyang chuckled. "I just made this. Take it back and let them try it."
After the three had completely disappeared, Dugu Bo slowly approached, rubbing his hands together. "Tianyang, do you still have any of what you just gave them?"
Xiao Tianyang's smile was faintly superficial. "Senior, would you like to try it?"
"Ahem, I may have made some mistakes earlier, but hasn't the misunderstanding been cleared up?" Dugu Bo coughed lightly. "Besides, aside from our initial friction, we've cooperated quite well since."
"Then come back with me. Xiaosan must be getting impatient," Xiao Tianyang said, ceasing his teasing and heading toward the valley with light steps.
Five minutes later, when Xiao Tianyang returned, Tang San asked anxiously, "Brother Tianyang, are you alright? Did anything happen?"
"Don't worry. Everything's fine," Xiao Tianyang waved his hand. "I've explained the situation to Grandmaster and the others. Besides, we might be able to cure him in a few days and return early."
"But I can't cure senior Dugu Bo's poison overnight," Tang San hesitated. "What if he uses that as an excuse to keep us here?"
"Don't worry. He won't do that," Xiao Tianyang glanced back. "Right, Senior?"
"Whatever you say," Dugu Bo muttered, not bothering to engage further as he headed straight for the meat roasting over the fire.
Tang San noticed something and whispered, "Brother Tianyang, why does Dugu Bo's gait seem a bit unsteady?"
"Really? He took a direct punch from my teacher earlier," Xiao Tianyang suppressed a laugh.
"I see," Tang San's expression turned dazed.
With a Super Douluo backing them, Dugu Bo wouldn't dare to cause any trouble.
"Kid, don't think I can't hear you just because you're whispering. Do you really look down on a Title Douluo?" Dugu Bo, about to take a bite of meat, nearly choked in anger, his lips twitching as he cursed.
Xiao Tianyang and Tang San exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
This little episode eased the tension between the three, and from a certain perspective, Dugu Bo wasn't so bad. In fact, he shared some common interests with Tang San.
Soon, the three sat in a circle, sharing the half slab of meat.
But after the first bite, Dugu Bo couldn't help but ask the question everyone did after tasting Xiao Tianyang's cooking: "Why does your food increase soul power?"
Under normal circumstances, Xiao Tianyang would have told the truth. But after Miao Zhenshan's warning, he decided to keep it hidden.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Dugu Bo, but the fewer people who knew about this, the better.
As for the reason, it was easy to explain—he simply brought out the medicinal soup Tang San had prepared for him.
But upon hearing the ingredients, Dugu Bo's nose nearly twisted in frustration. With over a dozen types of herbs, it was as if he could feel his heart bleeding.
But what could he do now? Not only did Xiao Tianyang have the backing of a Super Douluo, but their earlier cooperation had also been smooth.
In the end, Dugu Bo could only grit his teeth and accept the situation.
Time passed, and Xiao Tianyang and Tang San grew accustomed to their cultivation life here.
Though it was somewhat monotonous, without the chatter of girls around, they could focus entirely on their tasks.
Meanwhile, when Yu Xiaogang returned to Shrek Academy, he explained to Dai Mubai and the others that Xiao Tianyang and Tang San were undergoing secret training. He also mentioned the powerful figure backing Xiao Tianyang.
Reassured, everyone focused even more on improving their strength.
As a result, despite being separated, both groups made significant progress in their cultivation.
Of course, this was a short-term burst and not sustainable in the long run—at least, that's how Yu Xiaogang saw it.
As for Xiao Tianyang, there wasn't much left for him to do.
The fusion of different flames had already reached its final form, Flame Emperor. Even if there were still some imperfections, Xiao Tianyang was confident he could refine them in time. The system had given him that assurance.
In addition to his daily practice, he took on two more tasks.
The first was honing the synergy between his soul skills and himself. Previously, Xiao Tianyang rarely used soul skills, as opponents of the same level posed no threat.
But now, it wasn't peers he had to worry about—it was the Spirit Hall. This Emperor-like entity on the Douluo Continent demanded his utmost caution.
Thus, he had to push his limits and make every moment count.
The second task was cultivating the celestial herbs Tang San had prepared for the Shrek Seven Monsters. This included the Wangchuan Autumn Dew that Tang San himself intended to use.
This time, Xiao Tianyang didn't rush to ripen the herbs overnight. Instead, he fertilized them daily, adding a drop of the green liquid from the Zhangtian Bottle. He hadn't forgotten that this substance could also accelerate herb growth.
Without even tasting it, Xiao Tianyang could feel his soul power nearing a breakthrough just by being near the six celestial herbs.
…
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