Subduing Dugu Bo!

Ning Xiaochun's words were like a massive boulder cast into a deep pool, stirring up monstrous waves in Dugu Bo's heart. Within the mansion's living room, the atmosphere grew so oppressive it was nearly suffocating.

Dugu Yan clutched her grandfather's sleeve tightly, her small face pale, her eerie green eyes filled with terror and confusion.

Shui Bing'er stood quietly a short distance away, her ice-blue eyes fixed on Ning Xiaochun, who was shielded by the two Title Douluo, ripples of strange emotion stirring within her.

This six-year-old boy, facing the terrifying killing intent of the Poison Douluo, was actually able to calmly drop such earth-shattering remarks...

Dugu Bo stared fixedly at Ning Xiaochun, his gaze as sharp as a blade, as if he intended to dissect the child's very soul.

After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse and strained, every word carrying a venomous chill:

"What do you know? And on what grounds do you claim you can cure us?"

Ning Xiaochun was sweating internally, but he forced himself to maintain a calm expression.

He knew he had bet correctly. For a powerhouse of Dugu Bo's caliber, mere monetary power might be tempting, but what would truly shake him and force him to sit down and talk had to be something touching his core interests and fatal weaknesses—the threat to his own life and that of his granddaughter, Dugu Yan.

"This junior is untalented, but I have dabbled in martial soul theory and certain curiosities."

Ning Xiaochun began to "bluff"; after all, the knowledge of a transmigrator was his foundation.

"The Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor is the most potent poison in the world. Senior, you achieved your title through it, and its power is peerless. However, every medicine has its side effects, let alone this kind of innate, lethal toxin. This junior surmises that because you have tested poisons on your own body for years to cultivate your techniques, the toxins have long since seeped into your marrow, becoming intertwined with your soul power and life force."

"In daily life, you may be able to suppress it with your immense cultivation, but it is like holding gunpowder; once it can no longer be suppressed, or if your body suffers a mishap, it will... erupt violently, and even the gods could not save you."

He paused, his gaze shifting to the even paler Dugu Yan, his tone carrying a hint of sympathy:

"As for Sister Dugu Yan, she inherited your martial soul. Although her cultivation is currently shallow, the toxicity of the Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor has likely already taken root and accumulated within her body. As her cultivation increases and she uses her martial soul more frequently, this toxin will only deepen. This junior dares to guess that if it is not resolved, Sister Yan... will likely suffer the backlash of the poison within ten years, and by then..."

He did not finish, but the implication could not have been clearer.

"Ten years?!" Dugu Yan gasped, her delicate body swaying, nearly unable to stand.

She had always believed her grandfather was an omnipotent Title Douluo, and she had only thought herself occasionally unwell; she had never imagined such a fatal crisis was hidden within!

Dugu Bo's body jolted violently; he steadied his granddaughter's shoulders, his arms trembling slightly.

Ning Xiaochun's words were like a cold dagger, precisely piercing the deepest fear in his heart.

He could feel the toxins within him becoming increasingly difficult to control; each suppression required more effort, and the environment of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was his only lifeline.

And Yan'er... he had indeed discovered the nascent source of poison within his granddaughter, which was his greatest heartache! Ten years? Perhaps... even less than that!

"Who... who exactly are you?"

Dugu Bo's voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling, no longer purely filled with killing intent, but rather with suspicion and the urgency of someone clutching at a straw.

"My name is Ning Xiaochun, son of Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, an auxiliary-type soul master who fears death but wants to live well, and wants those I care about to live well, too."

Ning Xiaochun answered candidly, even with a touch of self-deprecation. He took a small step forward; although he remained within the protective range of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, his posture was very humble, and his tone carried twelve parts sincerity.

"Senior Dugu, as I said, we are not here to seize your sanctuary. The ten million gold soul coins are a gesture of sincerity, meant to tell you that we come with the best of intentions, hoping to trade the highest price for an opportunity for mutual cooperation."

"But since what you value most is your life and safety, the gold coins are merely a bonus." Ning Xiaochun's small face stiffened, appearing exceptionally serious. "The real main event is—the cure!"

Dugu Bo's eyes flickered violently: "A cure? Based on what? You, a wet-behind-the-ears child, an auxiliary-type soul master, what do you know about curing poison? Even I, having studied the way of poison for a lifetime, am at my wit's end!"

"One person's wisdom is limited, but many minds can achieve much. Just because you cannot do it, Senior, does not mean others cannot, nor does it mean we cannot find a way by pooling our ideas."

Ning Xiaochun did not flinch, his eyes bright. "Besides, who says curing poison must involve fighting poison with poison or using medicine to counteract medicine? Sometimes, changing your perspective might open up a whole new world."

"What perspective?" Dugu Bo asked instinctively.

Ning Xiaochun did not answer directly. Instead, he shifted his tone, his small face showing a hint of "admiration" and "sincerity" as he looked at Dugu Bo:

"Senior Dugu, actually... to be honest, the moment I saw you, I felt a special sense of kinship. That aura of yours... well, of being a lone wolf who protects his family, reminds me of my Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone."

"I know this request might be a bit abrupt, but... if, and I mean if, I could luckily be of help to you and Sister Yan, would you be willing to... adopt me as your god-grandson?"

Silence.

A deathly silence.

The expressions of Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong became extremely bizarre.

Chen Xin's mouth twitched, while Gu Rong wore an expression that said, "Did I hear that right?" before his shoulders began to shake suspiciously.

Ning Fengzhi's face turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

A god-grandson? Adopting the Poison Douluo as a god-grandfather? Then where does that leave me, his biological father?!

This brat, to win someone over, really... really uses every means possible! Who on earth did he inherit this thick skin from?!

Shui Bing'er's ice-blue eyes also flashed with astonishment. Looking at Ning Xiaochun's "earnest" little face, then at Dugu Bo's dark green hair and cold temperament, she found it truly difficult to connect the word "kinship" to the situation.

This child... fearless in the face of danger, calculating every step, and now playing the emotional card, asking to be adopted? Is he really only six years old?

This level of cunning and courage, along with this ability to be both flexible and brazen... Shui Bing'er suddenly felt that her understanding of this "fiancé" had only just begun.

Dugu Bo was also stunned by Ning Xiaochun's sudden "adoption" request.

He looked at the little boy before him—big-eyed, handsome, and articulate—and for some reason, the killing intent and vigilance in his heart dissipated significantly, replaced by a feeling of absurdity.

This kid has thick skin, a sharp mind, and plenty of guts! He is clearly terrified of death, yet when it's time to step up, his tongue is sharper than any adult's.

"Hahaha!" Dugu Bo suddenly threw his head back and laughed, his voice hoarse but carrying a sense of relief and liberation.

"Good! Good lad! You've got guts! Just for this courage and... shamelessness, I admire you! Fine! If you can truly resolve the poison in me and Yan'er, never mind adopting you as a god-grandson, even if I had to be your bodyguard for ten years, what of it? And if you fail..."

His laughter ceased, his green eyes fixed on Ning Xiaochun. "I'll still acknowledge you as the god-grandson who dared to spout nonsense and make demands in front of the Poison Douluo! But whether your little body can withstand my poison when the time comes, that will be up to fate!"