Chapter 23: Big Trouble

Li Luochen picked up the dragon-patterned stick and began to strike Dugu Yan. In the end, Dugu Yan could only defend herself, focusing on protecting her snake tail. By now, her once green tail had turned a bright red from the blows.

Dugu Yan was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes. She had never endured such humiliation in her life. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved and angry she felt, so she canceled her martial spirit's protection.

Kneeling on the ground, she started to cry loudly, leaving Li Luochen completely stunned.

"You scoundrel! How dare you bully me like this, wuwuwuaaaaaaaa——"

"It's not that serious. You're crying over this? I'm in big trouble now. I can't handle it when people cry, especially in public. This is so embarrassing."

He had bullied a girl into tears and now felt a chill run down his spine. Why did it feel like a bad omen was hanging over him? It seemed like the Grim Reaper's scythe was hovering above his head. 

Li Luochen thought about taking a step back, but this step caused him to bump into someone.

Li Luochen: *Danger!*

He turned his head slowly, as if time had stopped. He saw a tall, thin man who looked as stiff as a javelin, with dark green hair and beard, and eyes that sparkled like emeralds. The man had an illusory presence, as if he were a phantom.

The man's expression was completely stiff, his cheeks sunken, and his green hair messy. He wore only a simple gray robe. 

The green-haired old man spoke, his breath foul-smelling.

"Haha, little brat, you think you can run away after bullying her? It's not that easy. You're the first one who dares to bully my granddaughter."

Li Luochen swallowed hard. "It's over, my life is over!"

Without wasting time, Dugu Bo punched Li Luochen in the face, sending him flying with an uppercut, and then repeatedly struck him, keeping him suspended in the air. (For details, refer to the scene in the anime where Zhao Wuji beats up the teacher from Canghui Academy.)

"Ahhhhhhhh——"

Li Luochen found he couldn't use his soul power or defend himself. He was being beaten mercilessly, though fortunately, Dugu Bo only used his soul power and not any venom.

Seeing her grandfather arrive, Dugu Yan suddenly felt vindicated and stopped crying.

"You've bullied me, and now this pretty boy is getting what he deserves. Grandpa is going to beat him up."

Dugu Yan's eyes were red, but now she was ecstatic. The pain from the beating had subsided, and she almost clapped in delight.

The beating lasted only a few minutes, though it felt like an eternity to Li Luochen.

"Hmph! Boy, it's not that easy to die. I'll make you wish you were dead but unable to die."

Dugu Bo said harshly. He left carrying the unconscious Li Luochen, with Dugu Yan following shortly after.

---

On the other side, at Blue Tyrant Academy,

"Dean, something terrible has happened!"

Flander and Liu Erlong, who had been in the middle of a conversation, were suddenly interrupted.

"If you need to speak, then speak. The sky won't fall while I'm here!"

Liu Erlong roared.

"Huff, huff, that… Senior Luochen beat up Poison Douluo's granddaughter in the street, and then Poison Douluo beat him up and took him away."

A student said anxiously.

"What! Tell me exactly what happened!"

Flander shouted. He had only looked away for a moment, and Li Luochen had already gotten into trouble. And now, it was with a Titled Douluo.

The student described what had happened on the street in detail.

"Sister Erlong, I have to go rescue my student, but you should stay here."

Flander knew he might never return, but for the sake of his student, he couldn't ignore this. However, he didn't want Liu Erlong to take the risk.

"What are you talking about! Boss Fu! Am I, Liu Erlong, such a coward? Your students are my students. Even if I die, I'll go with you."

Liu Erlong said angrily. This was her nature—generous, righteous, and fiercely loyal.

Flander didn't say anything more. He knew that Liu Erlong would follow him to the end. He felt relieved, but now he had no choice but to act.

Flander released his martial spirit, hugged Liu Erlong, and took her to find Dugu Bo.

---

Li Luochen, lying in an unfamiliar cave, slowly opened his eyes.

"A familiar cave. Damn it. Didn't I check the almanac before going out today? I ran into this old poisoner and beat up his granddaughter. My life is over. I'm going to die before I even reach the peak."

"If you're not dead, get up quickly. I don't have time to waste on you."

Dugu Bo, with his hands behind his back, looked particularly terrifying in the dark cave. His green eyes glowed ominously. On the other side, Dugu Yan was staring at Li Luochen with a strange expression.

---

A few minutes earlier:

"What! Grandpa, this pretty boy's bone age is only 12 years old? He's two years younger than me. How can his soul power level be higher than mine? And how can his second soul ring be a thousand years old?"

Dugu Yan was full of disbelief. This pretty boy was actually younger than her, and it was already surprising that his second soul ring was a thousand years old.

"Not only that, I just checked, and he currently has a soul power of level 37. His second soul ring is at least two thousand years old, and his third soul ring is at least six thousand years old. His martial soul is the stick he used to beat you.

His martial spirit is the dragon-patterned stick, a fairly good high-level martial spirit, slightly inferior to our family's green phosphorus snake, but he has achieved such success at such a young age.

I guess his innate soul power is at least level eight."

Dugu Bo said calmly. He already had a rough idea of Li Luochen's current strength. With a level 37 soul power and super-limit absorption soul rings, his combat power was enough to defeat a soul master with the best soul ring configuration.

"What! He actually has at least level eight innate soul power, and my innate soul power is only level seven."

Dugu Yan was shocked and then thought of something.

"Hm? This kid is about to wake up. Yanyan, Grandpa will interrogate him first."

Dugu Bo was very curious about what Li Luochen had meant by "the snake venom in your body and its effects." 

Dugu Bo had dealt with poison all his life, and it had seeped into his bones. Even though he looked strong and healthy, he knew he had no more than twenty years left. He was curious—did this kid see something? Maybe he could help detoxify them, so he was willing to try anything. This was why Dugu Bo hadn't killed Li Luochen.

Dugu Bo now wanted to seize any possible opportunity. Even if it was just to help detoxify his granddaughter, he was willing to give it a try.