Douluo Dalu (Soul Land 1): Infinite Lottery System

Once matters here were settled, Xiao Tianyang temporarily parted ways with Fei Xue and Zhou Cheng, returning to Shrek Academy with Saber.

As for Huo Wu's situation, it was a private affair and thus not his concern.

The immortal herbs Xiao Tianyang had brought out were of decent quality, though not exceptional. While they carried a 70% chance of inducing martial soul evolution, their effects were undoubtedly inferior to Huo Wu's.

Truthfully, Xiao Tianyang had weighed many factors before making his decision.

When Huo Wu had first made her request, he had been inclined to refuse.

Both Huo Wu and Qian Renxue shared an unusual connection with him, and being sharp-witted, neither would recklessly flaunt what they had gained. They understood propriety—aware that spreading rumors would only bring Xiao Tianyang unnecessary trouble.

So while it might seem like he had handed out the herbs carelessly, there had been careful deliberation behind it.

At the very least, Qian Renxue rarely acted impulsively. With her martial soul evolved and her strength enhanced, she would take precautions to ensure no one discovered the change.

As for Huo Wu, her martial soul had already undergone one evolution during the competition. Xiao Tianyang's herb couldn't trigger another transformation. Instead, its primary function was to stabilize her foundation and condense her soul power.

The secondary effect was to refine the fire attributes of her soul and amplify its potency.

This so-called "attribute refinement" was a mysterious concept.

For instance, Xiao Tianyang had once wielded heavenly flames—each with unique properties and extraordinary effects. However, developing such traits was no simple feat.

After all, his heavenly flames were supreme fires from another world. Their unique characteristics stemmed from the laws governing them, not his innate talent.

Thus, while Huo Wu's immediate strength might see only minor improvements, if the final result aligned with Xiao Tianyang's expectations, her potential would take a massive leap forward.

This was an investment—one with no visible payoff now but immense future benefits.

It was precisely because of his personal ties to these two women that Xiao Tianyang had gifted them the immortal herbs.

As for the Nine Suns Divine Art, he believed it could aid Huo Wu, given their shared fire-attribute martial souls.

Honestly, he hadn't given much thought beyond that.

After all, it was just a cultivation technique. So long as it wasn't leaked to outsiders, the worst it could do was allow faster training—nothing more.

However, just as Xiao Tianyang returned to Shrek Academy and prepared to rest, he found an uninvited guest waiting in his room.

His initial surprise quickly gave way to irritation as he snapped, "You little bastard, where have you been all this time?"

The intruder was none other than Bubu.

What followed was a round of playful scolding and roughhousing.

Though nothing major had happened in Bubu's absence—and Qian Renxue hadn't needed constant supervision—Xiao Tianyang had grown accustomed to the dog's presence. Without him, he felt an odd emptiness in his heart.

Even when Bubu was around, he was often elusive—only appearing during meals, late at night, or when searching for something.

But such was human nature—once a habit formed, breaking it was difficult.

"Woof!"

Bubu raised his hindquarters, covering his head with his front paws while wagging his tail pitifully, eyes brimming with exaggerated tears.

Unfortunately, this act might work on others, but Xiao Tianyang wasn't fooled.

Still, no matter how much he scolded or pretended to be angry, he could never truly bring himself to harm Bubu.

So, with a mix of amusement and exasperation, he picked up a slipper and tossed it at the dog. "Come here and tell me where you've been wandering off to this whole time."

At this, Bubu visibly trembled.

Turning hesitantly, the dog opened his mouth and retrieved a letter from his storage space.

"What's this?" Xiao Tianyang's heart sank slightly at Bubu's behavior.

Even when being disciplined, Bubu never acted this guilty. That left only two possibilities: The letter was extremely important, and Bubu had read its contents, making him nervous or the letter had been stored away for a long time, and Bubu had simply forgotten to deliver it.

Xiao Tianyang was inclined to believe the latter—because this was exactly the kind of thing Bubu would do.

"Bring it here," he said sternly. "If something important was delayed because of you, I'll turn you into a hot pot!"

His tone was severe, though Bubu knew Xiao Tianyang would never actually harm him.

Still, if the situation was as serious as implied, defiance wouldn't end well.

As the saying goes, a wise dog knows when to retreat. Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is the best option…

Like a thief, Bubu began inching backward.

With his stealth and concealment skills, slipping away unnoticed should have been easy.

But this only applied to outsiders.

Xiao Tianyang and Bubu shared a unique bond. While he usually ignored it, the moment he focused, Bubu couldn't escape his awareness.

"Hm?" As Xiao Tianyang unfolded the letter, his gaze flicked upward. "Get back in position. Take one more step, and I'll break your legs."

Defeated, Bubu slunk back to his original spot.

It wasn't that he feared Xiao Tianyang would actually cripple him—but with his master's attention fixed on him, escape was impossible.

Resigned, Bubu obeyed.

Xiao Tianyang, satisfied, turned his focus to the letter.

With a quick scan, his expression froze.

Simultaneously, a cheerful chime sounded in his mind.

Ding! Congratulations, Host, for completing the side quest [Conspiracy]!

Reward obtained: Level 1 Lottery Ticket x1!

Yet Xiao Tianyang felt no joy.

His voice was stiff as he looked at Bubu. "This letter is signed 'Xiaoxue,' meaning it was written nearly half a year ago…"

Bubu wanted to deny it but could only nod.

Xiao Tianyang exhaled, suppressing his frustration. "Fine. I won't blame you for this. Let's just leave it at that."

Surprised by the leniency, Bubu perked up, immediately bounding over to playfully nudge Xiao Tianyang.

But Xiao Tianyang's mood had darkened.

Truthfully, he had long questioned the meaning of this mission.

He had uncovered clues through Miao Zhenshan, gradually peeling back the layers of deception—yet the [Conspiracy] quest had remained stagnant.

It had puzzled him before, but now, after reading the letter, everything became clear.

What they had discovered earlier was merely what their enemies wanted them to see.

The true killing blow lay hidden—waiting for them to grow complacent, believing they had unraveled the conspiracy.

"It seems both teacher and I are in deep trouble this time… Bibi Dong's cunning is beyond measure." With a silent sigh, Xiao Tianyang steeled himself for the storm ahead.

…

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