"Oh, that's fine."
Bai Mu spread his hands casually.
"I can give you the method to try first."
He paused, his smile growing brighter.
"If you think it works, then you'll hand over the [entire] Blue Tyrant Academy to me [completely]. How about it?"
Liu Erlong froze.
Use it first… pay later?
There was really such a good deal?
"Are you serious?"
Her eyes lit up.
If it was use first and pay later, then there was nothing to lose!
If it truly allowed Xiaogang to break through and evolve his martial spirit…
Then maybe—just maybe—she could help him regain his confidence, give him the courage to properly face their relationship.
Truthfully speaking, Blue Tyrant Academy had only been founded on a whim back then.
Handing it over to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wasn't unacceptable.
For the sake of her happiness, the students would just have to endure a little hardship.
Once they became affiliated with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, surely they wouldn't be mistreated… right?
"Very good. You've made the right choice."
Bai Mu smiled in satisfaction. With a flip of his hand, he took out two items from his spirit tool.
One was a stalk of purple ganoderma, its surface lustrous, releasing a faint and refined fragrance.
The other was a round gourd, golden-yellow in color—yet if one looked closely, a barely perceptible trace of [pale purple] shimmered within the gold.
Both were Immortal Herbs imbued with evil poison.
The former had been nurtured from the very beginning with the mysterious toxin of the Evil Poison Chain, greatly amplifying the medicinal effects of the ninth-grade purple ganoderma. Its efficacy was no weaker than that of the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.
The poison would lie dormant within the consumer's body. As the medicinal power of the ganoderma activated, the toxin would slowly spread through the internal organs and skeleton.
As for the latter, not only had evil poison been added, but Bai Mu had also secretly fused a Z-cell into it.
"This ninth-grade purple ganoderma solidifies the foundation and nourishes the origin. It benefits qi and enhances strength. If Yu Xiaogang consumes it, he can break through Rank 30."
"As for this Earth Dragon Golden Gourd—it's a legendary Immortal Herb, carefully cultivated by me. It greatly enhances strength, defense, and spirit power, and has miraculous effects on strengthening dragon bloodlines. I guarantee it's fully mature."
"Have Luo San Pao consume the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd and refine it properly. It will definitely evolve."
As he spoke, Bai Mu casually tossed both items over.
"Is it really that miraculous?"
Liu Erlong caught them carefully and examined them closely.
The ninth-grade purple ganoderma looked extraordinary at a glance—clearly a top-grade medicinal treasure. Eating it shouldn't be a problem.
But this gourd…
"Give it to Luo San Pao to eat?"
She looked up at Bai Mu, momentarily dazed.
Luo San Pao?
That pig-like dragon that could only release gas?
Was it really worthy of consuming such a treasure?
If Xiaogang ate both instead…
"Oh, of course the effects would be better if a person ate it," Bai Mu said lightly, spreading his hands.
"But I was afraid you wouldn't trust me."
"So I'm just wasting one on Luo San Pao."
He continued smoothly,
"Grandmaster's disciple Tang San is my good brother. He'll definitely recognize the ninth-grade purple ganoderma—though he may not know about the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd."
"To avoid any misunderstanding about my 'good intentions,' it's safer to give this one to Luo San Pao."
His expression was upright and sincere, as though he were being genuinely considerate.
Yet inwardly, Bai Mu was laughing.
As long as these two herbs are consumed, even if you, Yu Xiaogang, someday become a Titled Douluo, you'll still never escape my control.
Frankly speaking, if no one ate them, they'd just go to waste.
And Immortal Herbs?
He had plenty.
If it worked, there would be plenty of entertainment ahead.
"If your items are real, then all is well," Liu Erlong said coldly.
"If they're fake, don't blame me for not keeping my promise."
She put the items away without further comment.
"Haha—do as you wish."
Bai Mu smiled faintly and turned toward the window.
"In any case, if it succeeds, the 'entire' Blue Tyrant Academy will belong to me."
"I've said it—even if Emperor Xue Ye and Yu Yuanzhen show up, they won't be able to change it."
As his words fell, his figure had already vanished into the night.
"…Phew. Then it must be real."
After confirming that Bai Mu was gone, Liu Erlong took out the ninth-grade purple ganoderma and the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd once more, examining them carefully.
She turned them over again and again.
With her level of knowledge, she couldn't find anything wrong.
"Xiaogang…"
She gazed at the items in her hands, emotions surging in her eyes.
"I hope that when we meet again, you'll finally pull yourself together… and stand by my side with resolve."
With that hope in her heart, she wrote a letter and sent it out via carrier pigeon.
---
A few days later, in a city of the Heaven Dou Empire.
"Erlong… we meet again…"
Flender looked at the woman who had haunted his dreams for years, his voice trembling slightly.
"Yes. Long time no see, Boss Flender."
Liu Erlong smiled and nodded, using the familiar title from their past.
"Sister Erlong…"
A trace of bitterness flashed through Flender's heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
"Is everything you wrote in the letter… true?"
"Yes."
She nodded seriously.
"These are treasures I obtained by chance from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. If you give them to Xiaogang, then barring accidents, they should allow him to break through."
She handed over the spirit tool, her beautiful eyes filled with both anticipation and worry.
"Xiaogang doesn't like relying on external aids. You'll need to persuade him carefully. These are extremely precious."
"…Alright. I'll convince him."
Flender accepted the items and sighed deeply.
"Why the sigh?" Liu Erlong asked. "Is something troubling you?"
"The Shrek Academy I run finally recruited seven monster-level genius students this year," Flender said bitterly,
"but one of them was abducted by a mysterious person while out."
"The students haven't been able to cultivate properly since."
"In that case," Liu Erlong said thoughtfully, "why not come to Heaven Dou City?"
"With the quality of your students, if they join another academy, they could definitely become main team members and compete in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament."
"This…" Flender hesitated. "I'll need to think about it."
---
One day later, Shrek Academy.
"Boss Flender, why did you suddenly call Little San and me over?"
Yu Xiaogang walked over with a haggard expression, followed by Tang San.
Ever since being completely outclassed by Bai Mu, Xiaogang had fallen into deep discouragement.
Even his pride and joy—his theories—no longer stirred his interest.
"Don't ask yet," Flender said solemnly. "Look at these first."
He placed the two items before them.
"A ganoderma… and a gourd?"
Yu Xiaogang frowned in confusion as he looked them over.
"This is—this is the legendary ninth-grade purple ganoderma?!"
Tang San's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the ganoderma.
"Ninth-grade purple ganoderma?" Yu Xiaogang was startled.
"Isn't it just a slightly higher-grade medicinal herb?"
"Teacher," Tang San said after calming himself,
"this is a ninth-grade purple ganoderma—an extremely precious Immortal Herb, second only to the truly legendary ones."
"After consuming it, it solidifies the foundation, nourishes the origin, strengthens qi, and increases power. In simple terms—it enhances talent and internal spirit power."
"Enhances… spirit power?"
Yu Xiaogang's heart skipped a beat.
"Exactly," Tang San said firmly.
"Teacher, if you consume it and refine it properly, you'll definitely be able to break through Rank 30."