Dugu Bo

"Yanyan, darling, Grandpa's here to see you!" A middle-aged man pushed open the door and entered. His dark green hair lent him an air of mystery and danger.

"Grandpa, why are you here?" Dugu Yan threw herself into Dugu Bo's arms and coquettishly asked.

Dugu Bo had spent his entire life using poison, yet he had never expected his own poison to backfire on him. In the end, it killed his son and daughter-in-law. Even his only granddaughter had been steeped in poison since childhood. Though Dugu Yan had grown up and started school, Dugu Bo still came to see her often, afraid that something might happen to her.

Yet today, Dugu Bo was astonished to discover that the poison within his little granddaughter's body had actually been brought under control.

Dugu Bo immediately asked with concern, "Yanyan, what happened? How was the poison in your body controlled?"

Dugu Yan poured a medicinal pill from the porcelain bottle in her hand and directly fed it into Dugu Bo's mouth. She was afraid that if she merely told him about it, her grandfather might misunderstand Little Youquan out of concern for her. Nothing was more convincing than letting him experience it himself.

Before Dugu Bo could ask what his little granddaughter had fed him, he felt a warm current arise in his lower abdomen. The long-forgotten warmth and comfort nearly made him moan aloud. It took all his self-control not to embarrass himself in front of his granddaughter.

"Grandpa, sit down and meditate to digest the medicinal power first. We can talk about everything else afterward," Dugu Yan said.

Dugu Bo obediently sat down and began meditating, circulating his Soul Power as he digested and absorbed the medicinal power.

Very soon, Dugu Bo discovered that his body, which had been eroded by poison for many years, was enveloped in long-lost warmth. Even the pain that had plagued him for years eased somewhat.

However, perhaps because his poison had already seeped into his very bones, although the poison rebounding against his body had been controlled, the effect on him was not especially significant. Still, the medicinal power was enough to control the poison in his granddaughter Dugu Yan's body, sparing her from the agony of the serpent poison's backlash.

Dugu Bo opened his eyes and seriously asked Dugu Yan, "Yanyan, can you tell Grandpa who gave you this medicinal pill?"

Dugu Yan snorted, pretending to be upset. "What are you planning to do, Grandpa? You're not allowed to bully my friend. She only wanted to help me, and you've already seen how effective this medicinal pill is."

"Silly girl, what are you thinking? Grandpa wants to discuss it with her and see whether there's a way to completely control this Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison. Her medicinal pill works well, but it won't have much effect once you become a Soul Emperor. Grandpa has played with poison his whole life. Maybe the two of us can find a solution together. Besides, Grandpa owns an apothecary. If she can truly help you, what would it matter if I gave it to her?" Dugu Bo's gaze toward Dugu Yan was filled with affection, concern, and a trace of guilt.

"Grandpa!" What Dugu Yan least wanted to see was that guilty expression on her grandfather's face. A martial soul backlash was not something anyone could control. Her grandfather had raised her since she was little; it had truly not been easy for him. Dugu Yan had never blamed this unfortunate old man.

"All right, all right. Yanyan, tell Grandpa about this mysterious little companion of yours." Dugu Bo smiled and patted Dugu Yan's head.

Dugu Yan could only tell Dugu Bo about everything that had happened between her and Youquan these past few days.

"Youquan? She's connected to the Flame Sect?" Dugu Bo stroked his chin. "Get some rest. Grandpa will be leaving now."

"Grandpa, I'll introduce you to Little Youquan when the time comes. You're not allowed to go find her yourself. What if you frighten her?" Dugu Yan warned.

"Got it." Dugu Bo nodded dismissively and dashed out like a gust of wind.

Very soon, Dugu Bo found Youquan. Looking at the tiny little girl before him, he was truly curious how she had managed to solve a problem even he could not solve.

"Who's there?!" Sensing that someone was watching her, Youquan struck out with a Soul Handprint.

"What a peculiar method of attack." Dugu Bo was somewhat surprised as he stepped out from the shadows.

"I did not know Poison Douluo had come. Forgive me for failing to welcome you properly. My younger sister is still young; if she has offended you in any way, I hope you will be magnanimous," Xue Qinghe hurried over and pulled Youquan behind him protectively.

"Poison Douluo?" Youquan asked curiously.

"That's right. This is Dugu Yan's grandfather, Senior Dugu Bo, Titled Poison," Xue Qinghe explained to Youquan.

Although Youquan and Dugu Yan were friends, Dugu Bo was unpredictable. He did not dare risk Youquan's life so casually.

"So you're Sister Yanzi's grandfather." Youquan nodded, then asked Dugu Bo, "Senior, did you come because of the medicinal pill I gave Sister Yanzi?"

"Medicinal pill? What medicinal pill?" Xue Qinghe asked strangely.

"Didn't Sister Yanzi help me when we first met and even treat me to a meal? To repay her, when I saw her suffering from the backlash of her poisoned body, I specially refined some medicinal pills that could temporarily control the backlash," Youquan explained to Xue Qinghe.

"That's right. I came to find you because of that medicinal pill," Dugu Bo said.

"Is there something wrong with the medicinal pill?" Xue Qinghe did not relax his guard in the slightest. He knew that Youquan could refine medicine, but he had not expected her to be making medicine for Dugu Yan. What if this doting grandfather thought Youquan had ulterior motives and came looking for trouble?

"There's nothing wrong with the medicinal pill. Its effects are excellent. I came to discuss with Miss Youquan whether there is a way to completely resolve my granddaughter's poison." Dugu Bo was somewhat impatient under Xue Qinghe's questioning, but because it concerned his granddaughter, he had no choice but to explain patiently.

"Crown Prince Brother, I want to speak with Senior Dugu alone." Youquan tugged on Xue Qinghe's sleeve.

Xue Qinghe sighed helplessly and could only withdraw. "Little Youquan, call for someone if anything happens."

"Don't worry." Youquan nodded.

"I didn't expect the Crown Prince to care so much about you." Dugu Bo curiously sized Youquan up. He was becoming increasingly curious about this little girl.

"Senior, I know you came to ask whether the poison in Sister Yanzi's body can be completely resolved. I can tell you with certainty that it can." Youquan looked at Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo, without the slightest hint of fear.

Before Youquan could finish speaking, Dugu Bo excitedly said, "What's the method? What do you lack? Tell me directly, and I'll find it for you at once."

"Senior, please listen to me first." Youquan stopped the excited Dugu Bo.

Only then did Dugu Bo calm down. That was true. If this poisoned body were so easy to resolve, it would not have troubled him for so many years and implicated so many people.

"Not only do I have a way to resolve the poison in Sister Yanzi's body, I can also help Senior control the poison that has plagued you for so many years." Rather than making Dugu Bo more excited, Youquan's words calmed him down.

"But?" Dugu Bo asked calmly.

"But unfortunately, I have no way to do it right now," Youquan said helplessly.

"What do you need?" Dugu Bo asked. Youquan having something she wanted did not make him look down on her; instead, it put him at ease. If she had no demands at all, he would be even more wary.

"It isn't that I need anything. It's that I don't have the ability yet," Youquan explained helplessly.

"What do you mean?" Dugu Bo asked in confusion.

Youquan could only release her martial soul. "My martial soul is unusual. Fire and ice elements coexist within it, which directly prevents me from using flames normally. The medicinal pills I gave Sister Yanzi are the limit of what I can refine right now."

Hearing Youquan say this, Dugu Bo was both surprised and somewhat disappointed. Still unwilling to give up, he asked, "Since you said it, there should be some way, right? Just tell me what you need. Even if you want this old man's life, as long as Yanyan can be safe, I would not hesitate."