Dugu Bo Swears Loyalty!

Just then, Moonlight Pavilion's heavy doors were slowly pushed open.

An old man and a young girl walked in from outside.

Leading the way was a tall yet somewhat gaunt elderly man.

His hair was grayish-white, but upon closer inspection, faint traces of pale green could be seen.

The old man held the hand of a little girl who looked to be seven or eight years old, delicate as a doll.

The girl wore neat short hair, her large eyes darting about.

She curiously examined Moonlight Pavilion's luxurious yet elegant decor.

"May I ask what business you two have at Moonlight Pavilion?"

A maid hurried over. Though the old man did not appear to be some great noble from the way he was dressed,

Moonlight Pavilion's rules had always been to treat people with courtesy.

The old man smiled faintly, his manner surprisingly gentle and respectful.

"Please trouble yourself to announce us. Tell him that this old man, Dugu Bo, has brought his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, to pay a visit to Lord Ronan."

Dugu Bo!

Upon hearing that name, the maid first froze.

Then her face instantly turned deathly pale, and her legs gave out beneath her, nearly making her kneel on the spot.

In the Heaven Dou Empire, some might not know the current emperor's name, but absolutely no one failed to know the fearsome reputation of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo!

He was a terrifying existence capable of slaughtering an entire city by himself!

"P-Poison Douluo, Your Excellency!"

"P-Please wait, I'll report this at once!" the maid stammered before scrambling upstairs.

Before long, Ronan slowly descended from upstairs with Tang Yuehua at his side.

When Ronan's gaze fell upon Dugu Bo, standing in the center of the hall, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

"Old Dugu, this change of yours... is really something." Ronan looked Dugu Bo over from head to toe, clicking his tongue in amazement.

The Dugu Bo before him bore no resemblance to the man from a year ago.

His distinctive head of green hair had now almost entirely turned a normal white.

Though there was still a faint pale-green tint to it, it looked far more normal than before.

At the sound of Ronan's voice, Dugu Bo's body abruptly trembled.

Without hesitation, he released his granddaughter's hand and stepped forward twice.

Before everyone's shocked eyes, he bowed deeply to Ronan, performing an extremely solemn salute!

"This old man, Dugu Bo, greets Lord Ronan! I shall never forget Your Lordship's life-saving grace!"

Dugu Bo's voice trembled slightly, his tone brimming with irrepressible excitement and gratitude.

"Grandpa..."

Seeing her all-powerful grandfather perform such a grand salute to a young man, Dugu Yan's eyes widened in astonishment.

Ronan calmly accepted Dugu Bo's bow, then waved his hand. A gentle stream of Soul Power lifted Dugu Bo back up.

"It seems you successfully put the advice I gave you into practice," Ronan said with a smile.

"Yes, my lord!"

"After receiving Your Lordship's guidance a year ago, this old man immediately began trying to force the Green Phosphorus Snake Emperor Poison within my body into my Spirit Bone."

"That process... was a hundred times more painful than descending through the eighteen levels of hell!"

"Several times, this old man thought I was going to die."

At this point, lingering fear flashed through Dugu Bo's eyes. "But this old man endured it!"

"Now, all the poison in my body has been compressed into that Medusa Skull Bone."

"Not only have I completely escaped the agony of the poison's backlash, my cultivation has even reached rank ninety-two!"

"I've advanced another step!"

"More importantly..."

Dugu Bo turned around and lovingly stroked Dugu Yan's head.

"The poison in Yan Yan's body has also been forced into a Spirit Bone using the same method."

"She will never again have to suffer that torment worse than death!"

As emotion overtook him, the eyes of this Poison Douluo, who had killed without mercy, actually reddened slightly.

He looked at Ronan again, his gaze becoming firmer and more resolute than ever.

"Lord Ronan, this old man is a crude fellow and does not know how to speak pretty words."

"But I know that even a drop of kindness must be repaid with a spring, let alone the grace of saving the bloodline of my Dugu family!"

Dugu Bo suddenly pounded his chest and declared with ringing conviction.

"From this day onward, this old life of mine belongs to Your Lordship!"

"As long as Your Lordship gives the word, if you tell me to go east, I, Dugu Bo, will never go west!"

"Even if you tell me to assassinate the Heaven Dou Emperor or face the Spirit Hall Pope head-on, this old man will not so much as furrow his brow!"

Dugu Bo spoke those words with absolute firmness, without the slightest pretense.

Clearly, this solitary and unruly Poison Douluo had sincerely brought his granddaughter here today to pledge allegiance to Ronan and offer his token of loyalty!

A rank ninety-two Titled Douluo, and one especially skilled in area attacks and poison, was unquestionably a powerful force that could not be ignored!

"Good. Since you, Dugu Bo, think so highly of me, Ronan, then from now on, you are one of mine."

Ronan did not stand on ceremony and directly accepted Dugu Bo's loyalty.

He walked up to Dugu Bo, patted his shoulder, and said in a deep voice,

"But don't go saying things like assassinating the emperor or taking on the Pope head-on. It would be bad if word got out."

Fortunately, there were no outsiders here right now. Otherwise, if this got out, the trouble would be enormous.

"Still, now that you mention it, I do have something that would suit you."

"Please give your orders, my lord!"

Dugu Bo's spirits lifted, and he immediately lowered his head respectfully.

Ronan spoke slowly. "Sunset Forest. That valley filled with Immortal Herbs—the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

"You should understand the value of that place even better than I do."

Dugu Bo's heart tightened, and he nodded repeatedly.

He had spent a long time at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and understood its miraculous nature very well.

"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well is extremely important. Nothing must go wrong there!"

Ronan's tone became incomparably stern.

"Without my permission, no one—not even the heavens themselves—may take a single step into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!"

"Those who trespass will be killed without mercy! Can you do that?"

Rather than feeling that the task was beneath him, Dugu Bo was overjoyed upon hearing it.

A place with an environment as uniquely blessed as the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was simply the perfect sacred ground for cultivating his poison arts and nurturing his Spirit Bones!

Ronan was sending him there to stand guard. How was that a task? It was clearly an immense reward!

"Rest assured, my lord!"

Dugu Bo abruptly dropped to one knee, clasped his fists, and his voice boomed through the hall like a great bell.

"This old man swears here that so long as I, Dugu Bo, still draw breath,"

"I will never allow anyone to touch so much as a blade of grass at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well! I will defend Your Lordship's treasured land unto death!"