Chapter 42: Sitting on a Mountain of Treasure Without Knowing It

Dugu Bo was filled with regret.

He was angry at himself for sitting atop a mountain of treasure and not even realizing it. If he had known earlier, both he and Dugu Yan could have made far greater progress by now.

Dugu Bo also knew that his earlier reaction had completely exposed him. Since hiding it any further would be pointless, he decided he might as well use this opportunity to coax more information about celestial-grade herbs out of Yang Wudi.

If worst came to worst, he'd just trade one herb in exchange for whatever he wanted from Yang Wudi.

It wasn't that Dugu Bo hadn't considered taking what he wanted by force, but he scrapped the idea — not just because his granddaughter was still outside, but also because he sensed a subtle threat from Yang Wudi. That instinct alone told him it wouldn't be worth the risk.

Now that Dugu Bo had admitted the truth, Yang Wudi suppressed the joy bubbling in his heart and tried to stay calm.

"Your Grace, may I ask… which celestial herbs have you seen before?"

"This one… this one… and this… and this too…"

Dugu Bo pointed them out one by one:

Fiery Apricot Petal

Eight-Spoked Ice Grass

Sky-reaching Chrysanthemum

Water-Nymph Jade Bone

Golden Aromatic Tulip

Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid

Clearwater Autumn Dew

Blood Swan Kiss

and — the Immortal Fragrant Kilo.

But the more he pointed out, the more painful it felt.

"You've seen the Immortal Fragrant Kilo?!"

At that, Yang Wudi skipped past all the others and latched onto the final name. His excitement was so intense that he could barely contain himself.

"If I give you information about this herb — what will you give me in return?"

Dugu Bo asked, calm and collected.

Yang Wudi's voice turned solemn:

"If Your Grace is willing to tell me where you saw the Immortal Fragrant Kilo, the entire Yang Clan will owe you a great favor. One that we'd even repay by fighting Spirit Hall at your command."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up slightly with satisfaction. That was no small promise.

But before he could reply, Yang Wudi added:

"If you already have the herb, I will pledge the entire Yang Clan's allegiance to you in exchange for it."

Yun Yibai's eyes sparkled — he knew the herb would be valuable to Yang Wudi, but he hadn't expected it to be this effective.

Two massive pledges in a row. Even Dugu Bo was caught off guard.

"All this... just for a single herb?" he asked. "Is this Immortal Fragrant Kilo worth that much to you?"

Yang Wudi took a deep breath and spoke from the heart:

"Your Grace, this depends on who's asking. I assume you know of the long-standing hatred the Yang Clan holds for Spirit Hall, and our animosity toward the Clear Sky Clan as well. But what does it matter? Spirit Hall is mighty, and the Clear Sky Clan is still beyond our reach."

"Still, burying our vengeance is something we cannot accept. None of us can."

"We've been enduring in silence all these years, saving our strength for the day we take revenge."

"To do that, we need more than brute force. Poison is one of our sharpest weapons."

"But unlike Your Grace, we're not immune. Creating poison means risking poison. Even during regular alchemy, we suffer from contamination."

"As for rarity — perhaps the Immortal Fragrant Kilo isn't more precious than the other celestial herbs you listed. But it is the best anti-poison herb in existence. Nothing poisonous can function in its presence. Its fragrance neutralizes all toxins. It is the bane of all poisons."

"To me, that makes it more valuable than any other."

"With it, I could refine potions I previously wouldn't dare touch. Its aroma could even enhance certain concoctions, making them more potent. For the Yang Clan, this herb is priceless."

"Honestly, I'd trade my life for it if I had to."

"So that's what the Immortal Fragrant Kilo does? No wonder every time I saw it, there was never a single poisonous plant around it."

Yang Wudi's ears perked up at a particular word:

"Every time?"

That meant Dugu Bo had not only seen it — he'd seen it multiple times.

He very likely still had it in his possession.

"And what about these?"

Dugu Bo deflected, pointing to the rest of the herbs listed in the book.

Yang Wudi continued explaining:

"The Eight-Spoked Ice Grass and Fiery Apricot Petal — both are top-tier poisonous celestial herbs, one with extreme cold, the other with blazing heat."

"The Sky-reaching Chrysanthemum is neutral. It enhances qi circulation, strengthens the body, and can even lead to an invulnerable physique."

"Funny enough — Spirit Hall's Chrysanthemum Douluo has a Martial Soul based on that very herb."

It wasn't clear if he name-dropped Yue Guan intentionally or not.

"Oh~?"

Dugu Bo raised a brow, clearly intrigued.

"So that's what that old flower's Martial Soul is based on?"

He stared at the illustration of the Sky-reaching Chrysanthemum with a strange gleam in his eye.

"Of course, these are celestial herbs — rare treasures of nature. A person can usually only consume one safely in their lifetime."

Yang Wudi said this as a precaution, fearing that now Dugu Bo understood the herbs' true value, he might stop bartering altogether.

"By the way — the Grade Nine Purple Ganoderma that boy ate doesn't quite qualify as a celestial herb. Strictly speaking, it's just a top-tier medicinal plant, though still extremely potent."

Dugu Bo glanced at Yun Yibai, his gaze complex.

To him, this kid was practically a genius trickster — clever, unpredictable, and always a step ahead.

But more importantly, he was the grandson-in-law whom Dugu Bo had chosen.

Even if he found him annoying, that didn't change the fact that he acknowledged him.

Yun Yibai gave him a small nod.

"Are you willing to swear your loyalty — not just to me, but to my descendants as well?"

"I will swear upon the honor of the Yang Clan itself."

A flicker of satisfaction passed through Dugu Bo's eyes.

This way, he was no longer alone.

In the world of Spirit Masters, there were unwritten rules — just like in the martial world.

Unless the master clan betrayed first, subordinate clans could not sever ties. Doing so would bring shame and scorn from all Spirit Masters.

That night...

Dugu Bo and Yun Yibai sat across from each other, sharing tea and conversation.

"Alright, kid — now tell me. Why did you nod earlier?" Dugu Bo asked casually.

"Honestly… I didn't expect to bluff Clan Leader Yang and end up uncovering so much," Yun Yibai replied with a helpless chuckle.

"Knew it! You little brat — you're never up to anything good," Dugu Bo laughed and scolded him.

"But you were right. Once Yang Wudi started asking those questions, it was clear the herbs were important to him."

"And look at what we found out — a trove of rare herb knowledge."

"I have to admit, Senior Dugu… I never knew you had so many treasures either."

"..." Dugu Bo went silent, feeling strangely insulted.

Yun Yibai had acted with careful calculation.

Even though he understood the situation, words alone wouldn't have earned Dugu Bo's trust.

Without a plausible explanation, he risked Dugu Bo thinking he was only cozying up to Dugu Yan for the sake of rare herbs — or even suspecting him of hidden motives tied to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Revealing everything too early would've backfired.

At the time, Dugu Bo already disliked him. No way would he have been trusted — let alone taken into the herb sanctuary.

And most importantly, Yun Yibai had recognized the Yang Clan's value.