53: Chapter 53 Guest Elder

In the afternoon, the sound of footsteps echoed once again from the entrance of the valley.

Bai Qi looked up and saw Dugu Yan walking in, holding Ye Lingling's arm.

Dugu Yan was wearing a light green dress today, which made her complexion look even better.

A smile played on her face, and she looked around as soon as she entered. Seeing Bai Qi sitting by the spring, she pulled Ye Lingling along and walked over quickly, spinning around in front of Bai Qi as she spoke.

"How is it? Not bad, right? Also, I just heard Grandpa say you jumped into that lake—are you okay?"

After saying that, Dugu Yan looked Bai Qi up and down with concern in her eyes. Her hand reached out instinctively, wanting to check if Bai Qi was injured, but she pulled it back halfway.

Bai Qi shook his head.

"I'm fine. And the dress suits you very well. But didn't you just visit yesterday? Why are you back again today?"

Dugu Yan huffed and sat down opposite him, pulling Ye Lingling down as well, before saying,

"I came to see my grandpa; what does it have to do with you? Also, I'm here to... try and persuade you again to join the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy."

By the time she reached the second half of the sentence, her voice clearly lacked confidence, and her eyes avoided looking at Bai Qi.

Bai Qi smiled helplessly and poured tea for them.

"I won't be going to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. However, I actually want to persuade you to come to my academy."

Bai Qi spoke while pouring tea, his tone as casual as if they were just chatting about family matters.

Dugu Yan was stunned for a moment, her hand pausing as she took the teacup.

"You want me to go to Lanba Academy?"

Bai Qi nodded and said seriously,

"Yes. If you come to Lanba Academy, I can treat you better. Although most of your poison has been cleared, the subsequent conditioning is also very important."

As he spoke, he looked earnestly at Dugu Yan.

"I'll check your pulse once a month and adjust your prescription. I guarantee that within half a year, the poison in your body will be completely cleared. If you're at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, I can't exactly go running over there every month just to check your pulse, can I?"

Dugu Yan bit her lip, her fingers tightening slightly around the teacup.

She turned to look at Ye Lingling, hoping for some advice from her best friend. Ye Lingling shook her head gently, her lips moving slightly as she mouthed four words.

"Decide for yourself."

Dugu Yan then looked at Dugu Bo. Dugu Bo sat not far away, holding a teacup, and said expressionlessly,

"Decide for yourself, don't look at me. Go if you want to, don't go if you don't. You're an adult now."

Dugu Yan took a deep breath, looked at Bai Qi, and asked,

"Then I'll go, but can you guarantee that we'll get a good ranking in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament?"

Bai Qi smiled, his smile filled with absolute confidence.

"With me there, the championship is as good as ours."

Dugu Yan was silent for a moment, her fingers circling the teacup several times before she finally nodded.

"Fine. Then I'll go back and inform the academy. But let me set the record straight: if I'm not comfortable there, I'll leave at any time."

Bai Qi raised his teacup and clinked it against hers; the crisp sound was particularly pleasant in the valley.

"It's a deal."

Ye Lingling sat quietly to the side, watching the two clink glasses without speaking. Dugu Yan glanced at her and asked,

"Lingling, do you want to come too?"

Ye Lingling was slightly taken aback. She put down her teacup and pondered for a moment, suddenly realizing that Dugu Yan was her only close friend at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. She then nodded and said,

"Okay."

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling stayed for a while longer, and the group chatted a bit more about Lanba Academy.

The more Dugu Yan listened, the better it sounded, and the hesitation on her face gradually dissipated—mainly because Bai Qi was very good at painting a bright future.

She looked at the sky and saw that the sun was starting to sink into the west, so she stood up and said,

"Then we'll head off first. Since we're leaving, there are handovers to be done at the academy, so I need to prepare in advance. It's a bunch of troublesome matters."

Ye Lingling stood up as well.

Bai Qi saw them to the valley entrance.

Dugu Yan walked a few steps, then suddenly turned around, waved at Bai Qi, and pulled Ye Lingling along as they disappeared into the mist.

Only Bai Qi, Liu Erlong, and Dugu Bo remained in the valley.

Liu Erlong walked out of the tent, carrying her packed belongings. She walked to Bai Qi's side and glanced at Dugu Bo without speaking. The pack wasn't large and was nothing for someone like her, but Bai Qi still reached out, took it, and placed it into his storage ring.

Bai Qi also knew it was time to leave.

He turned and walked over to Dugu Bo. There was a hint of sentimentality in Dugu Bo's eyes.

Dugu Bo sighed.

"You're really leaving?"

Bai Qi nodded.

"All good things must come to an end. However, I'll be back; after all, I'm still thinking about your medicine garden."

He said with a smile, his tone relaxed.

Hearing this, Dugu Bo laughed and scolded him.

"If you dare come back to steal, this old man will break your legs."

But the smile on his face was irrepressible, and even the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.

Then, Bai Qi took out a medallion from his storage ring; it was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School young sect masters token that Ning Rongrong had given him.

He handed it to Dugu Bo and said,

"Old freak, since you're unwilling to be a Guest Elder at the academy I'm at, then take this medallion. You can use it if something comes up."

Dugu Bo took the medallion and looked down. His pupils suddenly constricted, and a flash of shock crossed his eyes as he said,

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's young sect masters token? You kid have a connection with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School too?"

He turned it over and over, confirming it was the real thing and not a forgery.

Bai Qi smiled.

"You could say that. If you have any problems you can't solve in the future, take this medallion to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and they will help."

Dugu Bo was silent for a moment. Then he suddenly threw the medallion back to Bai Qi, who caught it instinctively.

"Little freak, I've changed my mind. That Guest Elder position at your Lanba Academy—I'll take it."

When Dugu Bo said this, his tone carried a bit of boldness, and his chin tilted up slightly.

Bai Qi took the medallion, stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"Didn't you say you don't like being tied down?"

Dugu Bo huffed, his hands behind his back, and said with his head held high,

"I'm only holding the title; I won't be doing any work. Don't look for me if there's trouble, and definitely don't look for me if there isn't."

Bai Qi put the medallion back into his storage ring and said with a smile,

"Then many thanks, Old freak."

Dugu Bo waved his hand and took out a spirit tool bag from his robes, throwing it to Bai Qi.

The bag was dark green all over, its opening embroidered with ancient patterns in gold thread, emitting faint Soul Power fluctuations.

After Bai Qi caught it, he weighed it in his hand and asked with feigned confusion,

"Old freak, what is this for? I already have a storage spirit tool."

Dugu Bo said with a smile,

"It is impolite not to reciprocate. Since you trust me enough to give me that medallion, then I naturally have to give you something as well. Besides, this one is different from yours. Yours can only hold inanimate objects, but mine is called the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, and it can hold living things."

Bai Qi's heart stirred, but his face remained impassive as he deliberately raised an eyebrow and said,

"Doesn't that mean, Old freak, that you want me to empty out your medicine garden?"

Dugu Bo's expression changed, his voice becoming a few pitches sharper.

"You dare! If you dare touch a single plant in this old man's garden, I'll chase you to the ends of the earth to catch you!"

Bai Qi burst out laughing and stopped teasing him. He turned and walked to the edge of the herb garden, squatted down, and began picking Immortal Plants suitable for Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Ah Yin, and Meng Yiran.

He picked several Immortal Plants that originally belonged to Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong, and then selected a few others that might be suitable for the rest.

Liu Erlong stood to the side, a slight smile on her lips as she watched his busy back. She didn't rush him, simply waiting quietly.

Dugu Bo sat on a rock, holding his teacup as he watched this scene, suddenly feeling a bit of reluctance to see them go.

After Bai Qi finished picking the Immortal Plants, he tied the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse to his waist, walked to Liu Erlong's side, and waved at Dugu Bo.

"Old freak, we're leaving."

Dugu Bo put down his teacup, stood up, brushed the dust off his robes, and said only one thing.

"Once you're at the academy, wait for this old man."

Bai Qi smiled, turned around, and walked out of the valley with Liu Erlong.

Dugu Bo was left alone at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to ponder, drinking the pot of tea Bai Qi had left for him.

Thinking about that young sect masters token belonging to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—he knew Ning Fengzhi, a man who essentially put profit first. Seeing the young sect masters token, Dugu Bo knew that Ning Fengzhi had placed his bets on Bai Qi.

Once out of the valley, Bai Qi glanced at the direction and said to Liu Erlong,

"Teacher Erlong, let's not rush out of the Sunset Forest yet. Let's go find an Earth Core Fire Dragon Lizard and settle your eighth spirit ring first."

Liu Erlong looked at him, her heart warming as she nodded.

"Okay."

She paused, then added,

"That medallion you just offered Dugu Bo... what was it?"

Bai Qi said casually,

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's young sect masters token. Ning Rongrong gave it to me."

Liu Erlong didn't ask any further upon hearing this. The two walked side by side, heading deeper into the Sunset Forest.