Chapter 182: A Deal with Tang San
Heaven Dou Empire.
In the imperial city, a heavily decorated carriage slowly rolled out of the grand Heaven Dou Arena. As it made its way down the street, pedestrians who noticed the symbol on the carriage instinctively stepped aside with respectful glances. Embroidered on the side was an image of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, the unmistakable mark of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan—the most revered support-type spirit clan in the land.
Inside the carriage, Dai Yao enjoyed the plush, luxurious interior. Despite the speed, the ride was exceptionally smooth, a far cry from the carriages he was used to.
"Money really does make life easier," he thought to himself, but quickly brushed it off. His gaze then settled on the young man sitting across from him, a youth with an ordinary appearance but an extraordinary presence—Tang San, the protagonist.
"He's exactly as the novels described—so unassuming."
Dai Yao wondered why this meeting had taken place after ten rounds of competition when, in the original story, Tang San had met Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe right after Shrek Academy's battle with Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's second team. "It must be because Salas delayed Shrek's matches in the first round, shifting the timeline and leading to this."
Dai Yao's thoughts were interrupted by Ning Rongrong, who had caught him looking at Tang San. Her eyes moved back and forth between them before she spoke up. "Dai Yao, why does it seem like you're paying so much attention to Third Brother?"
Tang San smiled at this and said, "Brother Dai Yao, I must say that today's match was an eye-opener. I never thought there'd be someone our age with such terrifying strength."
"You're too kind," Dai Yao replied humbly.
Ning Fengzhi watched the exchange thoughtfully. Here were two young spirit masters of such exceptional talent that he could already imagine them someday shaking the very foundation of the spirit master world. Tang San, with his twin spirits, especially his second spirit—the legendary Clear Sky Hammer—was destined to become a Titled Douluo if he could continue to grow unhindered. And Dai Yao, despite not possessing twin spirits, had a rare, high-quality spirit. Even Dustheart, a Sword Douluo, had admitted his own spirit fell short in comparison. On top of that, Dai Yao had pushed the boundaries of spirit rings, absorbing rings far beyond the norm. He, too, was destined for greatness.
"Truly, they are a matchless pair," Ning Fengzhi marveled, envisioning the two competing for supremacy on the battlefield one day. "One from Clear Sky Sect, and the other headed to Spirit Hall—their paths will inevitably clash, and the first confrontation will likely take place right here in this tournament."
Tang San sensed Dai Yao's intent and asked, "Brother Dai Yao, is there something you need?"
"There is," Dai Yao replied with a faint smile. "I've heard that you have an exceptional knowledge of medicinal herbs, even those that most people can't recognize. I happen to be very interested in this field and was wondering if you'd consider exchanging some of that knowledge with me?"
Dai Yao's request was driven by his own lack of expertise in identifying the vast array of medicinal herbs within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Other than a few noted in the original story, he was in the dark about most herbs in that legendary garden. Without understanding their types and properties, he hadn't dared to test them himself, wasting the garden's full potential. Access to Tang San's knowledge could change everything.
Ning Fengzhi, recalling the wonder of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum that Dai Yao had given him, felt a strange sensation and asked, "Dai Yao, didn't you give me a rare herb, the Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, which allowed my spirit to evolve into the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda? I'd have thought you knew all about such herbs."
Dai Yao explained, "I came across an ancient text that allowed me to recognize only a few of these treasures, but there are many more I can't identify."
Tang San's heart tightened. He still remembered how Dai Yao had once safeguarded him during their encounter in the Star Dou Great Forest. Although he should have felt grateful, there was an inexplicable hostility he couldn't shake—almost as if Dai Yao had taken something precious from him. Tang San had also sensed a deep fear of Dai Yao in Xiao Wu's eyes, which only fueled his suspicions.
Now, hearing Dai Yao speak of herbs, Tang San's mind raced. He was astonished by Dai Yao's familiarity with rare herbs and suspected that, as Ning Fengzhi suggested, Dai Yao might have more of them.
Suddenly, Tang San recalled a peculiar story Dugu Bo had once shared, mentioning that he'd entrusted his private herb garden to a young man. Could that young man be Dai Yao?
Calming his thoughts, Tang San carefully responded, "Brother Dai Yao, it's not that I don't want to share, but the knowledge I have about these herbs is not mine to give freely."
Dai Yao had anticipated Tang San's reluctance and was prepared with a counteroffer. He reached into his spirit storage pouch, pulled out a jade box, and opened it to reveal an exquisite eight-petal orchid.
"What if I offer this herb in exchange?" Dai Yao asked.
Tang San's heart skipped a beat. The flower had eight delicate petals, each glistening with a pure, crystalline white that conveyed an air of otherworldly elegance. Recognizing it instantly, he exclaimed, "The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid?"
"What's that?" Ning Rongrong asked, pressing her hands against the carriage windows as she gazed at the flower, her light blue eyes filled with curiosity.
Dai Yao looked at Tang San, inviting him to explain.
Tang San swallowed, his eyes alight with admiration, and addressed Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong, "This is the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid. It needs to be stored in gold or jade to preserve its essence; otherwise, it withers. Its medicinal properties are gentle yet potent, making it easy to absorb and excellent for strengthening the body and purifying internal impurities."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong were stunned. For support-type spirit masters like themselves, who typically developed their abilities more slowly, this herb could help make up for that disadvantage. Ning Fengzhi even thought about offering to purchase it, but remembering that they still owed Dai Yao for the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, he decided against it.
"I'll trade this Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid for your knowledge about immortal herbs. What do you think?"
Why use the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid? The reason was simple. The immortal herbs that Dai Yao knew about were either already consumed or too valuable to give away.
Only two remained: the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and the Autumn Water Dew.
The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid was clearly more valuable than the Autumn Water Dew, yet Dai Yao deliberately chose to use the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid to negotiate with Tang San.
The reason was that, although the Autumn Water Dew was not as valuable as the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, it was far more beneficial to Tang San.
In the original story, after consuming the Autumn Water Dew, Tang San's Purple Demon Eye evolved to the Mustard Seed Realm, allowing him to break through Shi Nian's illusion.
Without this immortal herb, Tang San would likely have died at Shi Nian's hands.
Thus, while Dai Yao dared not confront Tang San directly at this moment, he was more than willing to use his knowledge of the storyline to orchestrate Tang San's downfall through the hands of others. This would eliminate the greatest threat to the Spirit Hall, even before it could fully mature.
Tang San exhaled softly, a conflicted look flashing across his face. He was reluctant to pass on the Tang Sect's knowledge of immortal herbs to Dai Yao, but he also wanted the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid. After a moment of silence, he finally said:
"Brother Dai Yao, could we find another way?"
"What kind of way?"
Dai Yao's interest was piqued.
"How about we make a wager? Let's bet on the outcome of the match between our two academies. If you win, I will hand over the knowledge about immortal herbs with both hands. But if I win, you'll give me the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid for free. What do you say?"
Hearing Tang San's proposal, Dai Yao was tempted but immediately suppressed the thought.
The wager sounded favorable to Dai Yao. After all, he had already defeated Divine Wind Academy. If he won, he wouldn't even need to part with the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and could still obtain the knowledge about immortal herbs. Why not?
But this was, after all, the world of Douluo Continent.
Tang San, the future God King, seemed to have a buff for wagers. No one ever won a bet against him. Even Qian Renxue, who had a god-level advantage over Tang San while he was merely a Titled Douluo, lost a wager due to his miraculous comebacks.
Dai Yao didn't believe his current advantage surpassed the gap between god-level Qian Renxue and Tang San at that time. Therefore, the moment Tang San proposed the wager, Dai Yao refused without hesitation.
After taking a few breaths, Dai Yao replied:
"No, I won't accept that."
"This wager is too unfair to you, Brother Tang. My current strength far surpasses yours. If I win, not only will you lose the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, but you'll also give me the knowledge about immortal herbs. Wouldn't that leave you with nothing?"
Hearing Dai Yao's response, Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration.
By now, everyone knew that with Dai Yao on their team, Auckland Academy was the strongest of the 28 teams. Tang San's wager seemed like a guaranteed win for Dai Yao.
But unexpectedly, Dai Yao showed such magnanimity, refusing a wager that was clearly in his favor.
He would rather sacrifice some of his own interests to exchange the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid with Tang San directly.
Hearing this, Tang San felt helpless. He hadn't expected Dai Yao to reject even this wager. His eyes flickered as he resigned himself to the situation and said slowly:
"In that case, I agree to the trade, Brother Dai Yao. However, the knowledge about immortal herbs is complex and systematic. It will take some effort and time to compile it into a book."
"I'll prepare it and bring it to you once it's done."
A trace of joy flashed in Dai Yao's eyes. The long-desired knowledge of immortal herbs was finally within reach. With a hint of teasing, he added:
"Didn't you say that the knowledge about immortal herbs couldn't be passed on to outsiders?"
Tang San chuckled:
"Since Brother Dai Yao is Uncle Ning's friend, you are naturally my friend as well. Sharing it with a friend isn't the same as sharing it with an outsider."
Hearing this, Dai Yao couldn't help but laugh, thinking to himself:
"As expected of Tang San, the master of flexible 'outsider' definitions and double standards!"
After sealing the deal, Dai Yao still felt a sense of urgency.
The tournament was already halfway through, and in the original storyline, it wouldn't be long before Shrek Academy faced Canghui Academy. If the book wasn't completed by then, Tang San might be killed by Shi Nian, and the knowledge about immortal herbs would be lost to Dai Yao forever.
Thus, Dai Yao urged, "Tang San, I hope you can finish the manuscript as soon as possible. I'm on a tight schedule."
Tang San's heart tightened, and he nodded. "Alright, I'll make it a priority."
Hearing this, Dai Yao felt a tinge of excitement. At the same time, a trace of coldness flashed in his eyes.
"Tang San, oh Tang San. Without the Purple Demon Eye, I wonder how you'll break through Shi Nian's illusion. Maybe you'll just helplessly watch Xiao Wu suffer in the illusion."
"Once you, the future greatest threat to the Spirit Hall, are eliminated, unifying Douluo Continent will be a piece of cake."
The atmosphere in the carriage grew lively. Ning Rongrong, ever the little troublemaker, focused her attention on Dai Yao, occasionally asking him questions in an attempt to pry out his secrets.
Meanwhile, Tang San, seated to the side, listened to their conversation. His eyes occasionally flashed with sharp light as he silently memorized details about Dai Yao.
Dai Yao felt slightly exasperated. Under Ning Rongrong's relentless and mischievous questioning, he accidentally revealed some minor details about himself. Fortunately, these were insignificant.
Helplessly, he said, "Rongrong, please stop asking. If you keep this up, you'll strip our academy of all its secrets."
Ning Rongrong smiled sweetly, a playful curve to her lips.
"Brother Dai Yao is so amazing. I only asked a few questions. How could that reveal your strength? Did I upset you, Brother Dai Yao?"
Dai Yao almost felt like he could smell tea in the air. Ning Rongrong's sweet smile seemed to morph into that of a sly little demon. Feeling a headache coming on, he turned his gaze to Ning Fengzhi.
Sensing Dai Yao's look, Ning Fengzhi sighed, covering his forehead. As Ning Rongrong's father, he was all too familiar with her mischievous nature. Sternly, he said:
"Rongrong, behave. I told you earlier that I needed to discuss serious matters with Tang San and Dai Yao. Stop causing trouble now that you're on the carriage."
"Father, you're so biased. When Dai Yao asks for your help, you agree immediately. Am I still your daughter?"
Ning Rongrong pouted in mock displeasure, her lips curling downward.
Ning Fengzhi and Dai Yao exchanged helpless looks. They both knew Ning Rongrong was only pretending, but they couldn't help but sigh.
"Of course you're my precious daughter!" Ning Fengzhi pulled Ning Rongrong into his arms. Her earlier pout instantly transformed into a radiant smile, leaving everyone wondering if her previous sulking was an act.
A short while later, they arrived at an elegantly designed teahouse.
Getting off the carriage, they followed Ning Fengzhi upstairs to a private room on the highest floor. Pushing aside a folding screen, they saw a figure standing ahead.
Dai Yao's eyes froze.
Though this person was only showing their back, their distinguished and refined aura was unmistakable.
It was none other than Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
(End of Chapter)
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