The mother and daughter had no idea he was there. They exchanged glances, an awkward smile on their faces. The patriarch of the Hell Civet family took the message Zhu Zhuyun sent back, read it, then glanced at Zhao Ling's portrait before addressing the mother and daughter.
"They say the Demon Suppressing Doulou is actually even more handsome than he appears in this portrait. Even the best painters on the entire Douluo Continent can't capture his unique divine aura. What, do you two want to see him with your own eyes?"
Zhu Zhuqing, hearing her father's assessment of Zhao Ling, nodded without a second thought. Zhu Zhuqing's mother also wanted to nod and say yes, but seeing the murderous glint in her husband's eyes, she quickly shook her head repeatedly. Never mind, never mind, my life is more important. No matter how handsome the Demon Suppressing Doulou is, what does that have to do with a married woman like her?
"Zhuqing... you want to go to the Heaven Dou Empire to see the Demon Suppressing Doulou?" The patriarch of the Hell Civet family, seeing his wife sensibly shake her head, put on a gentle, fake smile and asked his younger daughter.
Zhu Zhuqing was stumped by her father's question. For a moment, she didn't know whether to say yes or no. She looked up at her mother and saw her mother frantically winking at her, seemingly trying to tell her something. Zhu Zhuqing didn't understand at first, but then remembering her father's somewhat displeased gaze, she also shook her head.
"No, Qing'er doesn't want to go to the Heaven Dou Empire. Qing'er just wants to stay with Father and Mother right now."
"Mm... That's more like it..." The patriarch of the Hell Civet family finally revealed a genuine smile. His eldest daughter disobeying him and running off to study at that Blue Tyrant Academy in the Heaven Dou Empire already made him quite unhappy. If his younger daughter also started insisting on going to the Heaven Dou Empire, then what dignity would he, as a father, have left? Especially since the mother and daughter had just been criticizing his looks, which really annoyed him. His looks were quite good throughout the Star Luo Empire, weren't they? Otherwise, how could he have married such a beautiful wife and had two daughters as delicate and perfect as porcelain dolls? If it weren't for that inexplicable old charlatan who came to their family three years ago, claiming to tell his two daughters' fortunes, at least one of his daughters would have been the future empress. Now, because of that old charlatan, his two daughters' engagements with the imperial family were annulled.
However, thinking that his two daughters had the potential to become deities in the future, he felt very comforted. But now that he knew that old charlatan was actually the Demon Suppressing Doulou in disguise, he really wanted to kill someone. But he knew he, Zhu, couldn't defeat the Demon Suppressing Doulou, but he could stop his younger daughter from seeking out that charlatan.
Nevertheless, the patriarch of the Hell Civet family still didn't quite understand. According to mainstream belief, the Demon Suppressing Doulou was the strongest person below a deity. But the methods he displayed in their mansion back then were simply not something a Titled Douluo could possess. Could it be... The patriarch of the Hell Civet family recalled the rumors that the Demon Suppressing Doulou had already been able to fight the Grand Priestess of the Pope's Hall to a draw over twenty years ago. So many years had passed; there was no reason for the Demon Suppressing Doulou's strength not to have improved. Could he have already stepped into the realm of a deity and become a living god in the Douluo Continent?
Thinking of this, the patriarch of the Hell Civet family couldn't help but gasp. If this Demon Suppressing Doulou was truly a living god, that would be incredibly surprising. After all, deities were beings whose names were known but whose true forms were never seen. Now, not only had he met a true deity, but his two daughters had also become his disciples. This meant his family had established a connection with a deity. If he could truly help his two daughters become gods in the future, that would be perfect. The Hell Civet family, a family with two gods, would surely become an even more formidable existence than the Clear Sky Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, or even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
However, the patriarch of the Hell Civet family heard that the Demon Suppressing Doulou was extremely philandering, had many wives at home, and was insatiably greedy. He even suspected whether the master-disciple relationship would turn sour once his two daughters grew up. If such a situation truly occurred, there was nothing he could do, but it still felt very unpleasant to have his two daughters ruined by that man.
All in all, the patriarch of the Hell Civet family felt that since his eldest daughter had left home, he couldn't control her. But his younger daughter absolutely needed to be disciplined; he absolutely couldn't let her rush to be harmed by the Demon Suppressing Doulou. Zhu Zhuqing and her mother exchanged glances, saying nothing more, but their gazes simultaneously fell on Zhao Ling's portrait...
The scene rewound to a few nights ago, when Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling returned to their dorm. Their dorm was equivalent to a modern high-class dorm, with two people per room. Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling came to Blue Tyrant Academy together. Their relationship was as close as sisters, so they naturally lived together.
Dugu Yan took out the fragrant weakened Eight Immortals Pill from her storage spirit tool and swallowed it whole. She then sat down cross-legged and began to meticulously refine it. Ye Lingling observed curiously, and after about a minute, she noticed Dugu Yan's spirit power increasing, and at a remarkably fast rate. In just a few minutes, Dugu Yan's spirit power jumped two levels, directly increasing from Rank 27 to Rank 29.
At thirteen years old, Rank 29 spirit power was naturally a bit weaker compared to Tang San, Xiao Wu, and others in the original work. But in Ye Lingling's eyes, it was incredibly unbelievable. One had to know that advancing each rank as a spirit master was quite difficult. It was relatively easier before the Spirit Sage realm. But it wasn't possible to break through two entire minor ranks in just a few minutes. Generally speaking, at their age and strength, breaking through three or four ranks in a year was considered a genius. Yet, her best friend managed to break through two minor ranks in a few minutes. Was this the Demon Suppressing Doulou's method? It was truly unbelievable; describing this method as a miracle wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it? The Demon Suppressing Doulou truly lived up to being the man she admired; not only was he super handsome, possessed the strength of a Titled Douluo, but he could also refine such miraculous pills.
She was envious. Breaking through two minor realms in a few minutes. Ye Lingling now had some regrets. If only she hadn't spoken ill of the Demon Suppressing Doulou against her will, perhaps he might have given her one too, out of consideration for Yan-yan.
When Dugu Yan slowly opened her eyes and felt the changes within her body, her face couldn't help but show joy. In just a few minutes, she had advanced two minor realms, and the increase was incredibly stable, with no signs of unstable spirit power. Most importantly, Dugu Yan vaguely felt that her cultivation aptitude had increased a little. Although it wasn't much, she could clearly feel it. She was very happy that Big Brother Ling had given her such a precious pill. He must surely have her in his heart. If he didn't, how could he give her such a valuable pill?