Chapter 185: The Visitor at Dugubo’s Mansion—Has Dugubo Pledged Loyalty?
Upon this breakthrough, Lin Yu used the remaining chance from a random system reward to exchange for a Heavenly Gift Soul Ring, which he absorbed and attached to his Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul as his seventh soul ring.
With the seventh soul skill added to the Chaos Green Lotus, the bottleneck preventing Lin Yu from advancing to Soul Saint vanished. After breaking through to level seventy in the Star Dou Great Forest, Lin Yu spent nearly a year cultivating, bolstered by the effects of the three refined immortal herbs.
During this time, Lin Yu hadn't even utilized the pure soul power he had earned from system penalties. Yet with the accumulation of his year-long efforts and the essences of the three transformed herbs, his power surged past level eighty in an instant!
Upon reaching Soul Saint rank and activating the true form of his Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul, Lin Yu fully unlocked the power of the Chaos Domain. Confident in his newfound strength, he felt that even without using the Chaos Ancestral Dragon Fusion, he could still stand against several titled Douluo.
Having prepared everything, Lin Yu gathered some additional immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and stored them in his soul tool. Then, with the Wind Thunder Wings from his external soul bone, he sped toward the Dugubo Mansion.
Meanwhile, within the mansion, Dugubo had been sighing in resignation. He knew that after his garden's reveal in the livestream, visitors would inevitably come seeking the treasures of his herbal paradise. Sure enough, after preparing refreshments in the reception hall, the first visitor soon arrived.
This first guest was an old acquaintance—Prince Xue Xing, the same man who had helped Dugubo drive away Tang San and the Shrek Seven in the livestream.
Led by a servant to the reception hall, Prince Xue Xing, his face marked with a sly smile, clasped his hands and greeted Dugubo warmly, "Ha! Congratulations, Dugubo! I didn't expect the legendary Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well from the livestream to be your garden. To possess so many rare immortal herbs, you are truly the envy of all."
Rising to greet the prince, Dugubo bowed back with a somewhat helpless expression. "Your Highness flatters me. I know you've come for the garden's herbs. If it were in the past, I would have gladly let you pick a few, but unfortunately, the garden is no longer mine."
Prince Xue Xing's brows furrowed, and his old, shadowed face showed clear displeasure. "Dugubo, you and I have known each other for years. Our relationship doesn't need any sugarcoating. If you don't want to give me the herbs, just say so. No need for excuses about giving it to someone else. Surely, you've already handed it over to my royal brother?"
Sighing, Dugubo shook his head, his tone bitter. "No, Your Highness. I didn't give it to His Majesty. I gave it to someone else."
Prince Xue Xing's expression darkened. "To someone else? And just who might that be?"
Dugubo sighed once again and explained, "About a month ago, someone challenged me and defeated me. Not only that, they had a way to cure the Jade Phosphor Poison that afflicts my family. The agreement was that if he could truly cure us, I would pledge the loyalty of the Jade Phosphor Clan to him and give him the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
"What? Did someone defeat you? And they could cure the Jade Phosphor Poison? Was it Tang San and his father?!" Prince Xue Xing was stunned. Given his understanding of Dugubo, he knew the man never lied, no matter how unbelievable the story might sound.
"No, it wasn't Tang San and his father," Dugubo replied, his eyes flashing with cold malice at the mention of their names.
"Then who was it?" the prince demanded.
"I can't tell you that, Your Highness. But he saw the livestream and will be coming here soon. Once he arrives, we'll resolve the matter of the herbs," Dugubo replied, unwilling to disclose Lin Yu's identity at this time.
Though displeased, Prince Xue Xing stroked his snow-white beard and took a seat in the hall, resigned to wait. He believed that with so many forces interested in the herbs—his brother Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School, and Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—it was inevitable that the mysterious benefactor Dugubo spoke of would have to share the garden's treasures.
Shortly after, three more figures arrived—Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin from the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Sent by Emperor Xue Ye, they too sought the immortal herbs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. After Dugubo explained the situation to them, they, like the prince, took seats in the hall to await the mysterious individual.
Later still, Yu Yuanzhen, the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Ning Fengzhi, accompanied by Sword Douluo Chen Xin, also arrived at the mansion, similarly drawn by the legendary garden of immortal herbs.