Dugu Bo's face carried a hint of embarrassment.
He had initially wanted to see how Su Cheng would continue to embarrass himself.
After all, this guy was young but always carried himself with confidence and ease.
Unexpectedly, the other party actually knew he was secretly enjoying the show.
Glancing at Dugu Bo, Su Cheng's expression eased slightly.
Sure enough, this old guy had arrived early.
When he proposed the wager earlier, he never expected to rely on it.
If he were facing the former Qian Renxue, Su Cheng might have had some confidence. But now, he truly couldn't read the current Qian Renxue, nor could he fathom her intentions.
Proposing the bet was just to make it easier to unleash his full strength. Without taking risks to experience the strength of a Titled Douluo.
With the presence of the Sword Porcupine Douluo, his sword skills might be suppressed before he could even use them, and he might not be able to delay enough time.
Fortunately, the current Qian Renxue seemed to have a twisted sense of amusement, giving him this opportunity.
After the battle ended, Su Cheng was ninety percent sure that Dugu Bo was definitely nearby.
The two had been fighting for a while, and with the fluctuations in his aura from the subsequent sword techniques, Dugu Bo, as a Titled Douluo, couldn't possibly be unaware.
Moreover, the opponent had also learned some of Su Cheng's soul skills. If he noticed something was wrong, he would certainly come over in time.
In terms of solo combat, Dugu Bo's strength was indeed at the bottom among Titled Douluos.
But if he didn't use his full strength and tried to conceal his aura as much as possible, it would still be possible to hide himself from others who weren't deliberately probing, especially at the level of the Sword Porcupine Douluo, it would be difficult to easily detect.
With Dugu Bo's appearance, the situation on the field subtly changed once again.
Titled Douluos below level 95, even if there was some gap between them, it was not realistic to forcefully keep each other.
At this moment, with a Titled Douluo like Dugu Bo by Su Cheng's side, even if their combat power was inferior, it wouldn't be difficult to retreat.
Qian Renxue could keep Su Cheng and Ning Rongrong, but she couldn't keep Dugu Bo.
Unless she disregarded the risk of leaking information, she would rather risk alerting the two great empires and angering the top three sects than take them away.
But judging from her previous words and actions, although she was outspoken, she hadn't reached the point of complete madness and must have considered the subsequent consequences.
"Poison Douluo?"
Qian Renxue's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, quickly regaining her calm demeanor, and said lightly, "When did you arrive?"
"Just arrived not long ago, you continue," Dugu Bo said calmly, with the demeanor of a bystander.
"So this is your trump card."
Seeing this, Qian Renxue no longer paid attention to him and turned to look at Su Cheng.
"Would he dare to offend the Hall of Souls for you?"
Su Cheng hadn't spoken yet, but Dugu Bo directly spoke, "Is the Hall of Souls so formidable? I've never been afraid of offending anyone."
Qian Renxue frowned slightly, somewhat surprised.
She didn't expect Dugu Bo to choose to protect Su Cheng.
There are not many Titled Douluos on the continent's surface, and Poison Douluo Dugu Bo is someone she has heard of.
Although he came from humble beginnings, he managed to cultivate to the level of a Titled Douluo on his own, and his martial soul, the Emerald Demon Poison Snake, has also evolved into the Emerald Demon Poison Snake Emperor.
But the information about him before showed that he was reclusive and rarely interacted with the outside world.
Prince Xue once saved him, and in return, he became a guest of the royal family, but he never showed any deference to the royal family.
Even when facing Prince Xue, he always acted as he pleased, disregarding authority and power.
Now he was treating Su Cheng as an equal, which was really hard for her to understand.
While feeling surprised, she also felt a bit frustrated.
If she missed this opportunity today, Su Cheng would definitely become more vigilant in the future, and if she left Tian Dou City again, it would be difficult to act for a short time.
For a moment, everyone had their own thoughts, and the atmosphere quieted down.
Only the leaves rustled in the wind.
After a moment of silence, Su Cheng organized his words and broke the silence.
"Today, it's not difficult for you to take me away, and it's also difficult for Senior Dugu to stop you. But after you take me away, it will be troublesome to deal with the aftermath.
"I have other things to do in the Star Dou Empire, and I also need to treat Senior Dugu's stubborn illness.
"Qian Renxue, go back to the Hall of Souls. With your talent, staying here is a waste of time.
"I promise that today's events will not be mentioned to anyone, including Ning Rongrong. I will find a way to explain it. Senior Dugu will do the same.
"Wait for me for a few years, and I will come to the Hall of Souls myself."
Until he figured out Qian Renxue's current state, Su Cheng didn't dare to say too much.
He could only negotiate with her using information that could be disclosed.
"What is your relationship with Ning Rongrong?"
After listening, Qian Renxue turned her gaze to Su Cheng.
Su Cheng was first stunned, then somewhat helpless.
He didn't expect her first reaction to be asking this.
"I really have nothing with her. You also know that I've accepted Sword Douluo Chen Xin as my master. She doesn't want to call me junior brother, so Ning Fengzhi let us address each other as siblings. Apart from this, there is nothing else."
"Ning Fengzhi wants you to marry into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"It's impossible. Have you thought about how young she is? Even if Ning Fengzhi has such intentions, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo wouldn't agree." Su Cheng's tone was somewhat helpless.
"You agree?" Qian Renxue's expression was somewhat smiling yet not smiling.
"I don't agree."
After hearing this, she didn't continue speaking.
She took a step forward.
The two had just fought, and they were not far apart.
At this moment, with Qian Renxue taking the initiative to approach, the distance between the two quickly narrowed to just a few feet.
Dugu Bo, who was silently watching from not far away, frowned.
But seeing that although she seemed slightly frivolous, there seemed to be no malice.
Coupled with someone nearby who restrained him with their aura and locked down Su Cheng, making him hesitate to act rashly, he felt a bit tricky for a while.
If the other party refused to let go, he really had no good solution. He couldn't win in a fight, and he wasn't confident in rescuing Su Cheng either. The only means he had was to threaten to expose the Hall of Souls' plan.
Fortunately, the other party's goal now was just to capture rather than kill, which gave him some comfort.
"However, these two seem quite well-matched."
Qian Renxue herself didn't need to mention it.
With a tall and slender figure, delicate and perfect features, highlighted by her golden hair, she appeared even more noble and divine. The black coronation robe added a touch of solemnity to her sacred aura, yet also added a hint of gloom and cruelty, creating an exotic beauty.
And these were just the tip of the iceberg hidden beneath her cynical demeanor.
Underneath the deep sea, there were still hidden and profound ice glaciers.
Giving off a contradictory yet harmonious sense of mystery.
Facing her, Su Cheng's temperament was equally outstanding, not inferior to Qian Renxue.
Although he was young, under the cultivation of a Soul Douluo, his height was above 1.7 meters, standing opposite Qian Renxue without appearing immature.
Perhaps due to the enhancement of his martial soul, his face carried a hint of youthful sternness, like a unsheathed sword soaring into the sky.
But this was just superficial; beneath the sharp blade was a profound serenity, akin to the depth and tranquility of the earth.
The two stood together like a painting.
One was mysterious and unpredictable, like floating clouds in the sky, distant and ethereal.
The other was majestic and tranquil, like towering mountains and flowing rivers, timeless and steadfast.
At this moment, Dugu Bo's gaze hardened.
He saw Qian Renxue gazing at Su Cheng, raising her fair hand and reaching toward his face, leaning forward slightly.
Suddenly, "Hmm..."
Her fingers paused, emitting a muffled grunt.
Su Cheng saw in Qian Renxue's eyes, which were close to him, alternating between golden and black glints.
Her black clothing occasionally flashed with golden light, and her aura fluctuated violently.
In his keen perception, there were faint signs of instability in her spiritual sea.
Not far away, the Porcupinefish Douluo also seemed surprised, furrowing his brows as he looked at his young mistress, hesitating to make a move.
Spirit deviation?! Is there such a thing in the Douluo Continent's cultivation of soul masters?
Su Cheng's expression turned solemn.
Indeed, her current state was problematic.
He didn't know what her situation was now, but logically, this was the best time to counteract her and seize the opportunity to escape.
In this situation, with him using his sword intent to attack the Porcupinefish Douluo's lock on him, and with the Titled Douluo worried about Qian Renxue's safety, he might not risk confronting him.
In fact, the Porcupinefish Douluo had already relaxed his suppression on him, shifting his focus to Qian Renxue.
With a slight pause in his expression, Su Cheng immediately took action.
But he didn't use his sword intent.
The Five Elements Domain spread out, and the continuous effects of vitality covered Qian Renxue.
Observing the situation, Dugu Bo, who had been silently watching nearby, raised an eyebrow, as if wanting to say something but eventually chose to remain silent.
Su Cheng's Eternal Sword quivered.
Ninth Sword, The Beginning of the End.
Plants flourish, life continues.
Feeling the surrounding domain, Qian Renxue's entangled golden and black aura paused simultaneously, and then her breath calmed.
The intense fluctuations of golden light and black mist in her eyes also ceased.
"Cut it, it's boring."
With a soft murmur, the black mist in Qian Renxue's eyes disappeared, and a golden radiance emerged.
Her black attire turned snow-white.
In Su Cheng's bewildered gaze, the fluctuating golden light and black mist in Qian Renxue's eyes came to a halt.
"What was that just now?"
"Teacher."
Qian Renxue's eyes held complex emotions.
It encompassed feelings Su Cheng couldn't comprehend—affection, joy, satisfaction, as well as sadness, regret, and resentment.
"...Xiao Xue?"
Qian Renxue remained silent.
After a moment of silence, she extended her hands and cupped Su Cheng's cheeks.
Then, her body leaned forward.
Su Cheng was momentarily stunned.
Shortly after, a cool pair of lips pressed against his.
After a brief friction, she lifted her head, a blush appearing on her face as she gazed at Su Cheng with watery eyes.
Softly, she said, "Teacher is now a child. You should call me sister."
"Sister?"
Su Cheng touched his lips, looking at the current Qian Renxue, his face showing contemplation.
Noticing his actions, Qian Renxue's eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes not avoiding his, staring directly at him.
Looking into those familiar eyes, he then turned his gaze to the moist and tender lips before him.
Su Cheng slowly extended his palm, brushing the strands of hair falling in front of Qian Renxue's forehead.
Then, moving downward, his fingers gently caressed her fair cheeks.
The touch was like stroking a piece of sheep-fat white jade—smooth, warm, and with gentle contours.
As his fingers touched her, Qian Renxue's originally slightly blushing face quickly warmed up, and warmth transmitted through her fingertips.
Her eyes finally flickered away, feeling somewhat at a loss.
Su Cheng tilted his head.
Then, his lips slowly approached hers, and his tongue parted her lips.
Beneath the cold lips and teeth, there was a soft and warm touch.
A faint sweetness lingered at the lips, and the breath that blew over became rapid and scorching.
Qian Renxue's eyes became moist, seemingly on the verge of shedding tears. Her phoenix eyes slightly closed, and her eyelashes carried a hint of moisture.
After a long time, Su Cheng raised his head.
Qian Renxue, however, seemed to still be immersed in the moment. Only when she felt the warmth leaving did she open her eyes, a trace of misty confusion in them.
Seeing this, Su Cheng let out a light laugh.
"You, me..."
Qian Renxue's lips opened and closed, seemingly unsure how to react.
Clearly, everything that had just happened was a bit too stimulating for her.
Up to now, she had never experienced such a profound impact.
Looking at Qian Renxue's bewildered expression, Su Cheng actually had many questions he wanted to ask.
Whether that world truly existed.
Why she returned to this world with memories.
What her life was like after his death...
However, he didn't know how to broach these topics.
When he finally spoke, it was about something else.
"What just happened with you?"
After hesitating for a moment, he added, "And, who were you before?"
In fact, he wanted to ask if she was experiencing a mental split.
But it seemed impolite to put it that way.
And, indeed, Su Cheng was genuinely concerned about Qian Renxue's current state.
Her previous appearance, while not evil, was definitely far from the sacred and compassionate demeanor one would expect from an angel.
Hearing his questions, Qian Renxue finally came back to her senses.
While still silently savoring the strange sensation from before, she instinctively denied, "...Nothing happened."
Su Cheng pursed his lips, choosing not to press for more answers.
He believed that Qian Renxue knew what was going on.
If she didn't want to talk about it, forcing her would be meaningless.
He just stored this matter in his heart, planning to look for similar case studies later.
Su Cheng turned to look at Dugu Bo in the distance. "Senior, what about the Immortal Grass I asked you to fetch?"
At this moment, Dugu Bo, who had been bewildered by the series of changes, looked somewhat dumbfounded, his gaze shifting rapidly between Su Cheng and Qian Renxue.
Previously, he thought that these two definitely had some issues.
But now, he realized that his judgment was too shallow.
It wasn't just some issues!
The waters here were simply unfathomable.
Compared to his current astonishment, Porcupinefish Douluo appeared much more composed.
With the demeanor of an old monk in meditation, he stood alone under the tree, his eyes slightly closed, paying no attention to everything happening around him.
"Dugu Senior?"
Seeing Dugu Bo still pondering there, Su Cheng, feeling helpless, raised his voice slightly and called out again.
"What?"
"I asked you to fetch the Immortal Grass," Su Cheng reminded.
"Which one?"
"...The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower."
"Oh, so one of the herbs I prepared earlier was meant for her?" Dugu Bo's thoughts were still clouded.
Su Cheng couldn't help but feel speechless, wondering if Dugu Bo's mind had gone awry, as he seemed unable to communicate properly.
"One of them?"
Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes, repeating Dugu Bo's words with a puzzled expression, casting a doubtful glance at the two men.