Tang San smiled calmly, saluting Grandmaster, Flender and Liu Erlong,
"Teachers, I've let you worry. In fact, senior Dugu didn't have malicious intentions bringing me here, he only wanted to examine the properties of Eight Spider Lance's poison. Senior Dugu saw that I had outstanding gifts, and decided to instruct me in some poison related matters. How come you were fighting with senior Dugu?"
Listening to Tang San, not just Grandmaster's trio, but even Dugu Bo stared blankly. None of them had expected Tang San to say this.
Grandmaster somewhat doubtfully looked at Tang San, but he couldn't see any flaw in his disciple's expression,
"Is it really so? But, just now senior Dugu said he had already killed you?"
Tang San smiled:
"That was just senior Dugu joking with you. With senior Dugu's identity and status, how would he bully a junior like me?"
Dugu Bo looked at Tang San's back, every kind of emotion flitting through his heart. Nobody wanted to wear the dunce cap, and Tang San was instead covering up for him. Especially hearing that last line made Dugu Bo's old face blush. Indeed, bothering a junior like Tang San, with his identity and status, was indeed disgraceful.
Tang San turned to look at Dugu Bo, still with a smile,
"Oh, by the way, senior Dugu, what you said yesterday about the characteristics of Dugu Yan's venom, I've discovered that there are still ways to remove her poison, what do you say about letting me look into it with you?"
Hearing Tang San mention Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo started. He knew that what Tang San was telling him was that he had already found a way to remove his granddaughter's poison.
Following Tang San's impromptu performance, Dugu Bo's mind gradually calmed. Weighing the pros and cons, his killing intent slowly faded.
Because he had discovered that if he killed these four, not only wouldn't it bring him any advantages, it might even bring him a great deal of trouble. Before even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan behind Liu Erlong and Grandmaster, what they said about Tang San's father alone was enough to give him a headache. From Tang San's talent and what Grandmaster and the others said before, Dugu Bo had naturally determined that they hadn't tried to fool him. After all, at that time they had all thought Tang San was already dead.
But if he didn't kill them, with Tang San covering it up, this enmity would all disappear into thin air. And if this kid could relieve his and Yan-yan's side effects, then it would be his gain.
Dugu Bo being a sly old fox, as soon as he thought of this the cold expression on his face vanished, and he very naturally said:
"Fine, we'll talk it over later. I didn't expect your teachers to be so caring. Just now I tried out their strength, and very nearly got the worst of it."
Flender's trio looked at each other. None of them quite dared believe their ears. They had all clearly felt Dugu Bo's intense killing intent, how could this old freak change shape so flawlessly, making it a test?
Dugu Bo walked up to Tang San's side, raising his hand to amiably rub his head, saying to Grandmaster's trio: "Your disciple is indeed outstanding. Honestly, I would make him my disciple. This old man has never been in the habit of explaining things to others, but for this kid, today I'll make an exception. Just now I only wanted to test whether you all have the qualifications to be his teachers. You're quite good, even if your strength really isn't the best, I truly admire your willingness to die as friends."
Dugu Bo's last words really weren't empty. He had always been petty, and dealt with matters according to his own preferences, but he really did somewhat admire how Grandmaster's trio calmly faced death.
Flender looked at Dugu Bo's calm expression, suddenly not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Again looking at Dugu Bo's amiable attitude towards Tang San, in a moment he no longer knew what to believe.
Tang San said:
"Teachers, you go back first. Senior Dugu's knowledge of poison is wide and deep, and since my Blue Silver Grass also possesses poisonous qualities I would like to learn from senior Dugu a while, is that alright?"
Grandmaster looked doubtfully at Tang San. Of course he knew Dugu Bo's status among poison Spirit Masters, and if he truly wanted to instruct Tang San, then it would naturally be of enormous benefit for Tang San. But he all along felt somewhat strange. This Dugu Bo's change was too great.
However, people were all afraid to die, and right now they didn't have a good reason to doubt Dugu Bo's own explanation.
Dugu Bo calmly smiled, saying: "What? You're worried about leaving little San here with me? Or afraid I'll snatch your disciple? Don't worry, I've already made sure you're qualified to be his teachers, I wouldn't fight with you over it again. This kid's talent has amazed me greatly. In six months to a year you'll get your disciple back in one piece. Even if I haven't known him long, I'm still quite fond of this kid."
Flender gave Grandmaster a meaningful glance, slightly saluting Dugu Bo:
"Poison Douluo's words have always carried enormous weight, since you say this, then we'll take everything just now as a misunderstanding. Let me apologize to you on behalf of us three. Little San being able to study with you for a time is his good fortune. Only, this child has been with us for several years and is just like our own child, I don't know whether we can come visit him while he studies with you?"
Dugu Bo calmly said:
"Of course you can, but not too often."
Hearing this, the Golden Iron Triangle trio's hearts were relieved. Grandmaster nodded to Dugu Bo, saying:
"Since it's like this, I'll trouble senior."
Dugu Bo glanced at Tang San at his side, indifferently saying:
"It's no trouble, not a bit of trouble."
Making a throwing motion, three pills fell into the hands of the Golden Iron Triangle trio,
"Suck on these drugs while leaving and you won't be influenced by the poison formation. This medicine can be used repeatedly. Don't forget them when you come again later."
Flender said with a smile:
"Very well, then us three juniors will take our leave. We will come visit senior officially some other day."
Dugu Bo nodded and didn't stop them, letting the trio depart. Before leaving Grandmaster looked closely at Tang San, but still didn't say anything, going down the mountain with Flender's help. Even though the three of them had spent a lot of spirit power, as long as they were a bit careful, leaving this Sunset Forest wouldn't be a problem.
Watching the departing trio, Dugu Bo withdrew his hand from Tang San's head, coldly saying:
"Kid, why did you cover for me? What are you after?"
Tang San turned his head to look at Dugu Bo,
"This was our deal. You promised me three things, don't tell me you forgot?"
Dugu Bo snorted,
"That's only if you can cure me and Yan-yan. However, I'm more and more doubtful, are you really only thirteen? You really are a little freak. It's almost time, if you can't pass my test, you'll die."
Tang San suddenly laughed,
"Old freak, didn't you say you always kept your promises? Just now it seemed to me that you told my teachers you would return me to them intact."
Dugu Bo looked across at him,
"I did say that, however, a corpse is still an intact body."
"You..."
As Tang San looked at him with amazement, Dugu Bo already turned to walk up the mountain.
Actually, when Dugu Bo's killing intent vanished he had already decided to let the Golden Iron Triangle and Tang San live. When he kidnapped Tang San he hadn't expected there to be so many and troublesome powers behind them. Really killing Tang San wouldn't bring him any advantages, only a large amount of trouble. Even though he did as he liked, he wasn't a lunatic without apprehension.
Therefore Dugu Bo had already decided not to kill Tang San even if he didn't pass his test and couldn't cure him and his granddaughter. He hadn't lied before when he said he liked Tang San. Everything Tang San had showed in their short time together had caused a bit of affection in Dugu Bo's heart.
Grandmaster's trio below the mountain weren't in any hurry to leave. This place was protected by Dugu Bo's poison, so the trio stayed there to rest a bit instead of heading out into an ocean of spirit beasts after consuming so much spirit power.
Flender lowered his voice and said to Grandmaster:
"Xiao Gang, would you say that Dugu Bo really wants to teach little San?"
The feeling of a new lease on life was still pretty good. As long as they could live, nobody wanted to die. But after calming down, he clearly felt that this whole matter was somewhat problematic.
Grandmaster shook his head, lowering his voice:
"There's definitely a problem here, but with Dugu Bo's status, he wouldn't be so close to little San without some special reason. Moreover he seemed a bit apprehensive about what little San said."
Flender nodded:
"However, no matter what is said, little San shouldn't be in danger for the moment, otherwise Dugu Bo wouldn't let us off. Especially when he already knows little San's background, if he acts against little San, he'll be out of luck. Able to become a Title Douluo, he's naturally an astute person, he wouldn't easily pull down that kind of trouble on himself."
Grandmaster sighed lightly, saying:
"Right now we can only live in hope. We mustn't tell everyone about this once we're back, we'll just say we've arranged for some secret training for Tang San. We mustn't influence the other childrens' cultivation. Additionally, we'll also have to keep this matter confidential for the moment, we can't rush out blindly again unless we first find Tang San's father. A Title Douluo level power really isn't something we can handle."