Ding, Enter the Poison Code (Requesting Follow-Reads, Requesting Recommendation Tickets)

"What do you mean, fair or unfair? We clearly caught this Spirit Beast first. Old Poison, don't you dare twist the facts!"

Yue Guan could naturally tell that this Man Faced Demon Spider had been injured by Dugu Bo's poison. Though it would not be fatal, it was only a matter of time before it collapsed.

But he had already made his move, and Dugu Bo had been a thorn in his side his entire life. Though it had all been harmless little squabbles, it was genuinely infuriating.

Now, it was time for him to become a thorn in the other man's side.

"Damn it, Chrysanthemum Guan, are you deliberately picking a fight with This Old Man?!"

"Oh, congratulations, you guessed right. But there's no prize for you. Ohohohoho~~~"

"Bastard, Chrysanthemum Guan, are you trying to start a fight?"

"Hmph, Old Poison, you can't beat me anyway. Save your effort, unless you want to lose all face in front of your son."

Yue Guan showed no fear whatsoever at Dugu Bo's teeth-gritting expression. Pinching his fingers in an orchid gesture before his mouth, he continued to mock him in a bizarrely affected tone.

"Damn it!!!"

Dugu Bo was so furious that his beard bristled and his eyes bulged, but he cast a wary glance at Gui Mei.

The other side had two Soul Douluo. He could not defeat either one alone, and if they fought, he would definitely be the one at a disadvantage.

Endure!!

I'll endure!!

"Chrysanthemum Guan, I advise you not to get carried away."

"Hehe, I am getting carried away. What can you do about it? Are you going to come bite me?"

"Ohohohoho~~~"

"Argh! You infuriate me to death!!!"

"Dead Chrysanthemum, This Old Man will fight you to the death!!"

With that, Dugu Bo stopped holding back. Yet rather than summoning his Martial Soul, he threw a fist directly at that punchable face.

"Hm? Old Poison, don't call me Dead Chrysanthemum!!"

Yue Guan instantly flew into a rage as well and threw a punch of his own.

Within a few moves, the two were grappling on the ground like street thugs, constantly exposing each other's embarrassing history as they fought.

Gu Han: ...

Bibi Dong: ...

Dugu Xin: ...

Gui Mei: ...

Gu Han rubbed his forehead. Although the original story said that Dugu Bo and Chrysanthemum Douluo did not get along, it had also said that they held no deep-seated grudge against each other.

Looking at them now, this was hardly mere incompatibility. They were clearly a pair of old rivals.

He glanced at Gui Mei again. The man had his arms folded and was watching the show.

Apparently, he was used to it.

Bibi Dong lightly poked Gu Han's arm and whispered, "Junior Brother, that green-haired old man is called Dugu Bo. He and Senior Yue Guan have some minor disagreements. That one is his son, Dugu Xin."

At that moment, Dugu Xin stood there with a helpless look on his face. His expression of wanting to speak but stopping, then stopping but wanting to speak again, made him seem like an honest man.

Apparently, he was not good with words.

"Uh, Senior Sister, I can tell."

Gu Han nodded, staring speechlessly at the two men grappling on the ground.

Gu Han actually had a favorable impression of Dugu Bo. On Douluo Continent, most of those who could grow into Titled Douluo were deeply loyal and devoted people—setting aside the very few exceptions.

Dugu Bo was one of that majority.

Though he loved freedom, he became a guest adviser of the Heaven Dou Empire because he owed Prince Xue Xing a favor.

Then, because of another favor, he served Tang San with his life, ultimately even ending up shattered to pieces.

Once someone like that was successfully won over, there was no need to worry that he would ever betray you.

With that in mind, Gu Han could not help speaking up. "Senior Yue Guan, Senior Dugu, stop fighting. Would you hear me out?"

"What?"

"Don't interrupt!"

Hearing Gu Han's voice, Yue Guan and Dugu Bo turned their heads at the same time. Yet their hands remained pressed against each other's faces, and neither had any intention of letting go first.

"Uh..."

Gu Han froze for a moment, then quickly recovered. Without any intention of beating around the bush, he said, "Senior Dugu Bo, this junior has studied some medicine. Judging by the facial complexions of you and your son, it seems that you have been poisoned by something."

"Hm?!"

Dugu Bo was instantly shocked. He shoved Yue Guan away and fixed Gu Han with a hard stare, his tone turning grim.

"You brat had better not talk nonsense. Poisoned? This Old Man has played with poison his whole life. How could I possibly be poisoned?"

Dugu Bo was shocked. He naturally knew the flaws in the martial soul of their Jade Phosphorous Serpent Lineage very well.

But only their own people knew about this, and they only discovered it in old age. How had this boy seen through it?

If Gui Mei had not been poised to strike, he might have gone over to question him properly—or even silenced him forever.

Gu Han had only brought up the matter because Yue Guan and Gui Mei were present. Seeing the coldness in Dugu Bo's eyes—

Gu Han spoke without the slightest panic. "Senior Dugu, don't be hasty. What if this junior says he has a way to resolve it?"

"Hmph, I don't know what you're talking about!"

Dugu Bo frowned. The problem with their Jade Phosphorous Serpent Lineage had gone unresolved for centuries. Did this green boy really dare spout such nonsense before him?

"Senior, don't play dumb. Let me first describe your symptoms."

"Whenever it rains, you feel numbness and itching along both sides of your ribs. It gradually worsens and lasts for more than an hour, occurring once at noon and once at midnight. Every night, around midnight, your scalp and the soles of your feet suffer needle-like stabbing pain, and your whole body convulses for at least half an hour."

"Senior, was this junior correct?"

Dugu Bo was utterly stunned. This boy really had some skill—he had actually discerned his condition just by looking at his face.

"Father, have you been hiding something from me?"

Dugu Xin looked at Dugu Bo in confusion. He naturally knew what his father was usually like. His reaction was so intense now—could what the other party said really be true?

Dugu Bo's eyes flickered slightly, and he did not directly answer his son's question.

"Then it seems this little brother was right. Father, both you and I have been poisoned. If I'm not mistaken, it's the poison of our own martial souls, isn't it?"

Dugu Xin was merely not good with words; he was not stupid. Seeing his father like this, how could he fail to understand what was happening?

No wonder he had recently been feeling unwell. Especially around midnight, he would always feel faint stinging pain on his scalp and the soles of his feet. The sensation was particularly noticeable on rainy days.

"Hahaha, Old Poison, I never thought that after playing with poison your whole life, you'd end up poisoning yourself."

Yue Guan knew his old rival's temperament very well. Seeing his reaction, he immediately burst into laughter before trying to persuade him.

"Old Poison, for the sake of our years of friendship, if you're willing to join Spirit Hall, perhaps we can help you think of a solution."

"Hmph! My affairs are none of your concern."

Dugu Bo snorted coldly. Stubborn to the extreme, he looked toward Dugu Xin and said, "Xin'er, go deliver the final blow to that spider. If we can't absorb it, they shouldn't even think about absorbing it either."

"Father..."

Dugu Xin raised a hand, seemingly intending to persuade his father. After all, if Spirit Hall could help them resolve their poison problem, joining them would not be so bad. Besides, he had a better impression of Spirit Hall than of the Two Great Empires.

"Enough nonsense!"

Dugu Bo cut Dugu Xin off coldly.

"Senior Dugu, how about this? I'll first tell you a method that can temporarily resolve your poison. If you are willing to join Spirit Hall, I'll tell you the method to cure it completely. How does that sound?"

Seeing that Dugu Bo intended to act personally, Gu Han hurriedly spoke up.

Too much was as bad as too little. To invite someone like Dugu Bo, who valued freedom, to join a faction was extremely difficult unless there was a personal favor involved.

Gu Han intended to offer a small benefit first and let Dugu Bo owe him a favor. As for what choice he made afterward, that would depend on Dugu Bo himself.

Besides, he had already given him the opportunity. If Dugu Bo still chose to stand with the Heaven Dou Empire more than thirty years later, then he could not blame Gu Han for showing no mercy.

He would never allow a biological weapon of mass destruction to join another faction.

The Soul Power Dugu Bo had gathered dissipated. He was somewhat moved, and his tone softened.

"Let's hear it."