Chapter 64: The Jade Nine-Segment

Dugu Yan lay on her bed, feeling deeply conflicted.

Thinking back to Meng Bei's bold actions earlier, her heart was still racing, and she felt an inexplicable excitement.

She couldn't help but recall how Meng Bei had been getting closer to her—those intentional or unintentional touches. It was becoming clearer to her: Meng Bei must have feelings for me.

Truth be told, Dugu Yan didn't dislike the idea of being liked by Meng Bei. If anything, it felt… pleasant.

Until now, she had always treated Meng Bei like a younger brother.

But this sudden shift in perspective—while slightly awkward—wasn't entirely unwelcome.

However—

Dugu Yan shook her head, and the image of a familiar face flashed in her mind.

Yu Tianheng.

She already had someone she liked.

Though Yu Tianheng might not match Meng Bei's looks and his talent fell short, he held a much larger place in her heart.

After all, she had only known Meng Bei for a few days, whereas she had been close to Yu Tianheng for much longer.

She wasn't the type of woman to be fickle. She wouldn't abandon Tianheng just because Meng Bei seemed more outstanding.

Her determination grew stronger.

Now, Dugu Yan began rehearsing how she would reject Meng Bei when he inevitably came to confess.

For example:

"Meng Bei, you're a good person, but I've always seen you as a younger brother…"

Or:

"Meng Bei, I already have someone I like. I can't leave Tianheng."

She went through countless versions of her rejection, feeling torn.

Some seemed too harsh—what if they hurt Meng Bei? That wasn't her intention. But if her rejection wasn't clear enough, what if Meng Bei misunderstood it as "playing hard to get"? That would make things even more complicated.

"Ugh, this is so annoying!"

Dugu Yan grabbed her hair in frustration.

In the end, she carefully selected a line that wasn't too stiff but still expressed her stance clearly.

She practiced it over and over in her mind, preparing for when Meng Bei would inevitably come to find her.

Then she waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

But Meng Bei never showed up.

"Why isn't he coming to find me?"

"Did he… forget about me?!"

Dugu Yan felt completely thrown off.

After what had happened, shouldn't Meng Bei come looking for her? Whether to apologize, confess, or even deny it—he should've said something!

But to forget her entirely? How was that even possible?!

That night, Meng Bei slept soundly, completely oblivious.

Meanwhile, Dugu Yan tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She couldn't believe Meng Bei would simply forget her.

She even imagined that Meng Bei might try to "sneak in" during the night, so she set up traps behind her door. But by dawn, there was still no sign of him.

Actually, after Meng Bei finished absorbing his spirit bone, he had intended to find Dugu Yan.

But then Ning Fengzhi and his group stormed the place, and Meng Bei, eager to watch the spectacle, went to observe instead.

This was his first time seeing a Title Douluo-level battle, and he couldn't miss it.

At the base of the mountain, Ning Fengzhi arrived with Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo in tow. Seeing this, Dugu Bo wasted no time activating his treasured Nine-Segment Jade.

From the outside, the Nine-Segment Jade appeared as nothing more than a three-inch-long, translucent green snake. It looked unassuming, except for its crystal-like beauty.

However, when Dugu Bo threw it into the array's core—located between the two mountains—the entire place erupted.

The sky darkened as a massive poisonous fog surged out, covering the mountains like an endless sea of clouds. It was so dense that even the moonlight couldn't penetrate.

What made it so powerful was Dugu Bo's years of meticulous work. He had planted countless rare poisonous plants and herbs, many harvested from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Some he recognized, others he didn't—even he felt uneasy touching some of them.

When the Nine-Segment Jade disrupted the balance of the array, the poisons exploded into an unstoppable force. Even Dugu Bo himself couldn't completely control it now.

Sword Douluo, underestimating the poison, attempted to fly through it. However, the corrosive fog quickly began to erode his protective sword aura, forcing him to retreat.

On their second attempt, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Ning Fengzhi combined their strength. Their joint soul power barely held the poison at bay, and they started to make progress.

But halfway through, Dugu Bo unleashed his Medusa's Gaze. The fog blocked their senses, and the attack struck home. Unable to counter it, the group was forced to retreat again.

After two failed attempts, Ning Fengzhi and the others no longer dared to act recklessly.

At first, they had underestimated Dugu Bo. As a newly promoted Title Douluo, they believed Bone Douluo alone could defeat him. With Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi's support, they thought it would be effortless.

Instead, they were given a harsh wake-up call.

From the sky, they watched the poison fog enshrouding the valley, unmoving and impenetrable. Ning Fengzhi's expression turned grim.

"As expected of the Poison Douluo. We really underestimated him."

Bone Douluo, nursing his shoulder, nodded in agreement.

Dugu Bo's Medusa's Gaze had struck his wings. Now that his Martial Soul had been withdrawn, the damage transferred to his physical body. Even with his immense strength, he was still feeling the effects.

The group fell silent.

It was clear that rescuing Meng Bei wouldn't happen anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Dugu Bo returned to Meng Bei after driving Ning Fengzhi's group away.

"Brat, there's been a change of plans. The half-month I promised you is no longer an option. I'm giving you three days. If you can't win Yan's heart in that time, I'll handle it myself!"

Meng Bei pretended to look shocked.

"Three days? Love takes time to grow!"

Dugu Bo's face darkened.

"Don't waste my time. You have three days—no more, no less. Don't try to delay. There's no room for negotiation!"

With that, Dugu Bo left, his face grim.

Things had spiraled out of control far quicker than he anticipated. He had thought Prince Xue Xing could buy them at least two weeks. Instead, not even a full week had passed before the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan arrived.

And Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were far stronger than he'd expected. His Nine-Segment Jade was at its peak now, but in time, the poison would weaken.

If he didn't resolve this quickly, he might not be able to hold them off.

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