Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

Outside of Heaven Dou City – Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

After arriving at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Dugu Bo had not left. He stayed there to keep his granddaughter Dugu Yan company and also to wait for Cheng Xiao to return and cleanse her of the venom in her body.

To his pleasant surprise, the torment brought by the poison in his system had significantly lessened, and the bottleneck that had kept him stuck at Rank 91 for many years was showing signs of breaking through.

The prospect of a breakthrough filled Dugu Bo with excitement. For ordinary Spirit Masters, every level beyond Rank 90 was a massive hurdle. Dugu Bo had been at this bottleneck for nearly a decade—ten whole years! Now that he was on the verge of advancing, how could he not be ecstatic?

As soon as Cheng Xiao returned to the academy, Dugu Bo immediately sought him out. He had been waiting far too long for this day, when Cheng Xiao would finally help free Dugu Yan from the torment of the poison within her.

"Cheng Xiao, my grandfather said you could remove the poison from my body. Can you really do it?" Dugu Yan asked through clenched teeth.

To avoid burdening her grandfather with guilt, she had always endured the pain alone when the poison flared up, knowing how much it hurt him. After all, the same poison had killed her father, originating from their Spirit—the Jade Phosphor Serpent.

"Don't worry, Yan. This kid cured your grandpa's poison, and you see how much better I look now?" Dugu Bo comforted her with a gentle pat on the head.

"Trust me, Sister Yan. We'll cleanse that poison right away." Cheng Xiao's eyes flashed as he formed intricate hand seals. Mysterious, ancient incantations flowed from his lips. As the magical words echoed, subtle changes began to manifest in Dugu Yan's body.

Compared to treating Dugu Bo, cleansing Dugu Yan was far easier. Due to her youth, the poison hadn't spread throughout her body, making the treatment much simpler.

With streams of pure energy flowing into Dugu Yan's body, the toxins lodged deep in her bones and meridians were gradually neutralized. Bit by bit, the toxic essence dissolved, transforming into clouds of poisonous vapor that drifted out of her body.

About half an hour later, Dugu Yan fell into a peaceful sleep. Dugu Bo nodded at Cheng Xiao before swiftly carrying his granddaughter away in a flash.

Once they left, Cheng Xiao sat cross-legged and began meditating to restore the energy he had consumed. Unlike other Spirit Masters who absorbed spirit power, Cheng Xiao absorbed the purest form of energy—Heaven and Earth Essence. Though this energy was essentially the same as spirit power, the version he used was more refined and potent.

---

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

Cheng Xiao remained at Heaven Dou Academy, spending all his time cultivating. His dedication earned even Dugu Bo's admiration. The eccentric Titled Douluo found himself respecting the boy more with each passing day.

Over time, Dugu Bo's perception of Cheng Xiao changed. Despite his youth, Cheng Xiao seemed far more mature than others his age. His relentless cultivation reminded Dugu Bo of his younger self, who had also trained desperately to overcome the curse of the Jade Phosphor Serpent and become a Titled Douluo.

Because of his toxic Spirit and reclusive nature, Dugu Bo had few friends among Spirit Masters, who feared his venomous abilities. Yet Cheng Xiao was unaffected by the poison, or perhaps Dugu Bo's venom couldn't harm him at all. This gave Dugu Bo a sense of kinship with the boy, and their relationship evolved into one that was both friendly and instructive.

"Hey, kid. When is that person you mentioned supposed to arrive?" Dugu Bo asked as he barged into Cheng Xiao's room, casually pulling up a chair and sitting down without ceremony.

Cheng Xiao opened his eyes from meditation, watching as Dugu Bo poured himself a cup of tea. With a small smile, he replied, "He should be here soon."

"You said that two days ago," Dugu Bo grumbled, downing the tea in one gulp. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "The more I look at you, the more you remind me of myself when I was younger. How about you become my apprentice?"

"Nope." Cheng Xiao immediately refused, putting on his neatly folded clothes and smiling slyly. "Old man, don't forget the promise you made to me."

"Promise?" Dugu Bo blinked, then suddenly remembered. "Ah, you mean I promised not to fight that person, right? Don't worry. If I said I wouldn't, then I won't. I'm a man of my word."

"Good." Cheng Xiao chuckled. If Dugu Bo kept his promise, things would go smoothly. Otherwise, revealing who was coming would almost certainly result in a fierce battle.

After finishing his morning cultivation, Cheng Xiao and Dugu Bo left the academy. Because Dugu Bo disliked crowds, they often dined outside the city to avoid unnecessary attention. No one would expect a Titled Douluo to casually eat in disguise, which worked perfectly for them.

---

However, just as they stepped outside the academy gates, a sharp, feminine voice rang out, accompanied by a powerful surge of spirit energy.

"Well, well, old poison. Long time no see."

Hearing the voice, Dugu Bo immediately positioned himself in front of Cheng Xiao, shielding him. His expression darkened as he glared at the golden chrysanthemum that spun lazily in the air.

"Chrysanthemum Douluo, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Spirit Hall? Or are you here to finish me off?" Dugu Bo asked coldly.

"Finish you off? You give yourself too much credit." Yue Guan, Chrysanthemum Douluo, sneered. "If I wanted to kill you, do you think I'd come alone? Don't meddle in matters that don't concern you and get out of my way."

"What if I refuse?" Dugu Bo's eyes glinted coldly as nine spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—rose around him. His Jade Phosphor Serpent Spirit manifested behind him, its orange-yellow eyes locking onto Chrysanthemum Douluo.

"Old poison, don't push me!" Yue Guan growled. "I'm not here to fight you!"

"Heh, Chrysanthemum Douluo, I'm pushing you. What will you do about it?" Dugu Bo taunted fearlessly.

Though he knew Yue Guan was stronger, Dugu Bo wouldn't back down. He suspected Yue Guan was here for Cheng Xiao, either to kill him or force him to join Spirit Hall. Given their friendship, Dugu Bo wouldn't allow Yue Guan to take Cheng Xiao away without a fight.

Yue Guan's patience snapped. "I told you not to call me that!" he roared. His nine spirit rings shimmered, and a powerful pressure at Rank 95 exploded outward. Golden petals drifted from the air, transforming into countless blades that shot toward Dugu Bo.

"Chrysanthemum Douluo, take this!" Dugu Bo shouted, counterattacking without hesitation. Despite his lower rank, he wasn't afraid—his venomous abilities gave him an edge.

But before their attacks could collide, Cheng Xiao appeared between them in a flash. A massive magic circle spread beneath his feet, and a powerful barrier formed around him.

"Song of Protection!"