Chapter 43: Unfortunately, There Are No "What Ifs"(Bonus)

Standing at the entrance of the academy, Ye Qiu couldn't help but smile as he watched Xiao Wu follow a few meters behind Tang San.

Only when the fine hairs on his arm settled back to normal did he confirm that Tang Hao's gaze had withdrawn.

Ye Qiu slowly turned around and left, heading in the opposite direction of Xiao Wu.

He was going to the Sunset Forest to input the extraction code for the immortal herbs.

Yes, Ye Qiu planned to deceive Dugu Bo—or rather, help him suppress the poison in his body.

After all, Dugu Bo was alone.

So what if he ate the immortal herbs?

In this world, talent alone wasn't enough—without connections, survival was difficult.

When out in the world, one's identity and status were self-earned.

Dugu Bo was the perfect candidate—an independent Titled Douluo with no factional ties, his only family being his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, who desperately needed saving. Ye Qiu was confident that he could easily win Dugu Bo over.

From what he remembered, Dugu Bo's symptoms resembled rheumatism, which made the "extraction code" relatively easy to recall.

Besides, most fanfictions mentioned it.

Immortal Herb Extraction Code:

Whenever it was cloudy or rainy, Dugu Bo experienced a tingling itch along both sides of his ribs, which gradually intensified and lasted for over an hour, occurring at noon and midnight.

Every late night, around the third watch (midnight), a needle-like pain would pierce through his head and the soles of his feet, followed by full-body convulsions lasting at least half an hour.

…

Since Ye Qiu had only recently arrived in this world, even with a clear destination in mind, he proceeded with extreme caution.

After all, he could only rely on himself for protection along the way.

Things would be much easier in the city—his status within the Spirit Hall provided him with free meals, lodging, and even guards to keep watch at night, ensuring him a good night's sleep.

It took him half a month to reach the Sunset Forest, where he began searching for the poisonous mist near the forest's center. He encountered several thousand-year-old soul beasts along the way.

Fortunately, he quickly activated his martial soul and turned into a pool of black liquid, allowing the soul beasts to trample over him without inflicting real damage. He then slowly found a safe place to recover.

Persistence paid off!

After three days, Ye Qiu finally located the poisonous mist outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

…

Nuoding Academy.

Each academic year consisted of one semester, with a vacation lasting nearly two months.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for a new term to begin.

This would be Ye Qiu's final year at Nuoding Academy.

Xiao Wu and Tang San had returned from Holy Spirit Village early.

"Xiao Wu, do you want to grab a meal together?"

Inside Dorm Seven, Tang San had just finished tidying up his belongings when he walked over to Xiao Wu and extended an invitation.

Xiao Wu had already finished unpacking and was sitting on her bed, staring unblinkingly at the dormitory entrance. Upon hearing Tang San's voice, she glanced at him briefly before looking away and gently shaking her head.

"Xiao San, I'm not hungry. You go ahead."

"Alright then."

Tang San knew that Xiao Wu was waiting for Ye Qiu. His expression stiffened slightly, but he reassured her, "Don't worry. Ye Qiu promised he'd come back. He wouldn't go back on his word. He's probably on his way right now."

"Mm, I know he'll be back."

Xiao Wu nodded slightly and smiled, never once looking at Tang San as she continued watching the door.

"…"

Tang San opened his mouth, then sighed helplessly and turned away, looking somewhat dejected.

As the only girl in Dorm Seven, after years of living together, even the usually reserved and disciplined Tang San couldn't help but develop some feelings for Xiao Wu.

However, she had given her heart entirely to Ye Qiu. No matter how much he tried to get closer, she never responded in kind.

During Ye Qiu's absence, Tang San often wondered:

If, back then, when Xiao Wu had looked at his bed, he had invited her to share a blanket with him, would she be waiting for him instead?

Unfortunately, there were no "what ifs."

Ye Qiu was still here, and all Tang San could do now was treat Xiao Wu as a little sister.

After Tang San left, the dormitory fell silent.

Xiao Wu stared at the door in a daze, pouting in frustration. Then, she walked over to Ye Qiu's bed and began rearranging the bedding she had previously tidied up for him.

…

A few kilometers outside Nuoding City.

Ye Qiu, dressed in black combat attire, his short black hair slightly disheveled, was currently being carried through the air.

The man holding him had long dark-green hair and a matching beard. He wore a gray robe, his tall and straight figure resembling a javelin. His eyes gleamed with mischief as a sly grin played on his lips.

"Senior Dugu, just drop me off here. Sorry for the trouble," Ye Qiu said with a forced smile as he gazed at the small city in the distance. Dugu Bo's flying speed had left him choking on wind the entire way.

"Jie jie jie!"

Dugu Bo let out a sinister laugh before descending into a small grove and tossing Ye Qiu to the ground.

"Kid, I don't know why you want to come back to this small place. If you ask me, you should've just listened to my Yan Yan and gone to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy instead."

"Come on, Senior! Can't you be a little gentler? I could've broken something!"

"Keep this up, and I'll complain when I get back!"

Ye Qiu tumbled twice mid-air before landing, finally managing to steady himself. He shot a resentful look at the eccentric yet formidable Poison Douluo.

"Haha! With your physique, you'd be fine even if I threw you harder," Dugu Bo chuckled, stroking his green beard. "Didn't you survive falling off a cliff and crashing into Yan Yan's bath barrel when you tried to steal herbs?"

"You still have the audacity to bring that up?! Speaking of Yan Yan, I haven't even called you out on your actions yet! Just because you want a grandson doesn't mean you can drug us!" Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

"Hmph! What's wrong with sealing the deal early? Watching you youngsters being all lovey-dovey makes my liver ache!"

Dugu Bo thought back to how his granddaughter had gone from wanting to kill Ye Qiu for seeing her naked to constantly sticking by his side. The memory alone gave him a headache.

But the most infuriating thing was Ye Qiu himself.

This brat actually had the audacity to string his granddaughter along while playing the "already taken" card—giving Dugu Yan unfulfilled longing. Did he think he had the guts of a bear or a leopard?!

How could he call himself "already taken" when he spent all his time wrapped around Yan Yan's legs in the name of "faster cultivation" and "better poison purification"?

What kind of nonsense was that?!

Noticing Dugu Bo's increasingly sharp gaze, Ye Qiu felt guilty and quickly looked away.

He couldn't let Dugu Bo tie him down!

If that happened… what would become of the bunny he had worked so hard to raise?!

How could he still provide a warm home for all his future beloveds?!

So of course, Dugu Yan needed to make a clear stance first! He was willing to take responsibility, but he wasn't about to walk into a disaster zone!

No matter how enviable it might seem, exhausting oneself over romance was not worth it.

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Ok here are the Bonus chapter's if you want more pls complete 300 goals.