Dugu Bo counted off on his fingers. "I've done the math carefully. Actually, my granddaughter is only seven years older than you. Not that much. When you're eighteen, she'll only be twenty-five. You're getting a bargain, kid."
Tang San was alarmed. "Bargain my foot! I don't want your granddaughter."
Dugu Bo chuckled and threw an arm around Tang San's shoulder. "Do you think you have a choice? Your research into poison may be impressive, but can you counter an aphrodisiac? Later I'll get you some fine stuff like 'I Love a Stick of Firewood' or something similar. We'll cook the rice first, and then we'll see how you manage to refuse."
"You—" Tang San stared at Dugu Bo's completely earnest expression, and even though he had never once been afraid when facing threats to his life before, he couldn't help but turn pale with fright. "Old... oh, no—Senior Dugu. I know I was wrong. Stop messing with me, alright?"
Dugu Bo declared righteously, "Who's messing with you? I'm merely stating a fact. Is my granddaughter not good enough for you, brat? You little monster may be a bit cunning, but your talent is beyond dispute—your future achievements will be immeasurable. If my granddaughter could follow you, I'd finally be at ease."
"Isn't it the same if she follows Yu Tianheng? He has the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan behind him. According to the teacher, Yu Tianheng is very likely to be the next patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family. That's tremendous power—how can I compare? Besides, your granddaughter and Yu Tianheng may have already cooked the rice—thoroughly cooked, no less."
Dugu Bo was stunned for a moment, and his expression immediately darkened again. "That... is actually possible. Forget it. We'll discuss this later."
Seeing that Dugu Bo seemed to have dropped the idea, Tang San finally relaxed. By now, the two had arrived at the academy gates.
The Lanba Academy signboard had disappeared. In its place hung a massive golden-lettered plaque bearing five brilliant characters: "Shrek Academy." It was signed by Flandre.
Before Dugu Bo could step forward, Tang San hurried ahead. He didn't dare let the old monster go first—if he got into a conflict with the teacher stationed at the gate, things could get ugly.
With Dugu Bo's temper, who knew when he might blow up?
Tang San ran ahead and exchanged a few words with the gate guard. The guard hurried inside the academy.
"Old monster, let's wait here for a bit. And don't forget that you promised me—you won't harm anyone at Shrek Academy."
Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo. At the Ice and Fire Eyes, Tang San had been alone—worst case, only his own life was at risk. But here, things were different. If Dugu Bo hadn't promised not to hurt anyone at Shrek Academy, he never would have dared bring the old monster here.
Dugu Bo raised his head, looking down his nostrils at Tang San, and said nothing.
After a moment, the commotion within the academy caught Tang San's attention.
Flandre, the Great Master, Liu Erlong, along with Zhao Wuji, Lu Qibin, Shao Xin, and Li Yusong—a total of seven people—strode briskly from within the academy toward the main gate.
This lineup of seven could be considered the strongest combination Shrek Academy currently had. They had clearly not assembled merely to welcome Tang San. Their target was naturally the one who held the highest title in the Soul Master world—the Poison Douluo who had once defeated the Golden Iron Triangle.
All seven were Soul Masters of at least the sixtieth rank, forming a complete Soul Master combination. Combined with the Golden Iron Triangle's Martial Soul Fusion Technique, even if they still couldn't defeat Dugu Bo outright, they could at least hold their ground.
When the academy guard reported that Tang San had returned with a seemingly aloof old man, Flandre and the Great Master immediately understood it could only be Dugu Bo. For the sake of caution, they had no choice but to respond this way.
"Master." The moment Tang San spotted the Great Master, he hurriedly waved to the group.
A flicker of emotion shone in the Great Master's eyes. He was about to step forward quickly, but was held back by Flandre. That single small gesture alone revealed how cautious everyone was being.
The Great Master was undoubtedly the weakest among the group in terms of strength, but in the Golden Iron Triangle's Martial Soul Fusion Technique, his presence was absolutely indispensable. If he were attacked individually by Dugu Bo, there would be no chance of survival—and the remaining six would naturally be even less able to withstand Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo saw Flandre's action, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He suppressed any trace of contempt from his expression and thought to himself: So what if there are seven of you? If I wanted to make a move, it wouldn't be impossible to slaughter this entire capital of the Tian Dou Empire.
Although Dugu Bo was not the strongest among Titled Douluo, when it came to wide-area destructive power, absolutely no one could match his poison.
Tang San, of course, had no reservations. He hurried forward to meet them. "Teachers, I've returned."
The Great Master looked at Tang San, his gaze questioning.
Tang San nodded to the Great Master, indicating that he was fine.