Winning Dugu Bo Over

"A deal? Let's hear it."

"That's right. I imagine you're desperate to rid your body of its poison,

but despite spending your whole life studying poison, you're helpless against the poison in your own body.

Still, that's all right. I can cure your poison!"

"Hahahahaha...

Are you joking, brat?"

Dugu Bo burst out laughing at Dai Chengqian's words.

After laughing for a while, Dugu Bo turned a cold, sinister gaze on Dai Chengqian and said,

"I've spent my entire life studying poison, and even I can't cure it. Yet you claim you can?

Do you take me for a three-year-old?

What proof do you have that you can rid me of this deadly poison?"

Dai Chengqian spread his hands.

"Sorry, I can't prove it just yet,

but I immediately pointed out that you were deeply poisoned. Has anyone else managed that in all these years?

Besides, as a prince of the Star Luo Empire, I have no reason to deceive you.

I have a way to resolve the poisoning in your body.

The deal I'm proposing won't harm you. In fact, it will very likely benefit you.

You'll certainly be interested."

Dugu Bo said nothing. He watched Dai Chengqian quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Seeing this, Dai Chengqian recalled how Tang San had handled Dugu Bo in the original story, then spoke slowly.

"Senior Dugu, after all these years, the poison in your body has actually become extremely severe.

The reason its backlash hasn't killed you yet is this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Yin and yang are balanced here, giving this place an incredibly powerful suppressive effect on poisons. It has suppressed the deadly poison inside you. Although it can't eliminate it, it can at least keep you alive for a very, very long time.

However, while you're safe for now, as the poison keeps accumulating, it will erupt someday.

Even if you don't fear death yourself, I know you have a granddaughter named Dugu Yan, correct?"

When Dai Chengqian mentioned his granddaughter, Dugu Bo's gaze turned icy.

"What does this have to do with Yanyan? What are you trying to say?"

Dai Chengqian continued.

"Dugu Yan has practiced your Poison Technique since childhood. The poison has long since seeped into her body. I imagine you've already noticed, haven't you?

Unlike you, she doesn't have a Titled Douluo's strength to suppress the poison inside her.

Once the poison in her body erupts, you may find yourself, white-haired, burying your black-haired granddaughter.

Surely you don't want to see that happen?"

At the thought of his dear granddaughter, Dugu Bo frowned.

After all his years of studying the poison in his own body, he understood that it did indeed come from his Poison Technique.

Just recently, he had discovered signs of poisoning in Dugu Yan's body.

After discovering them, he had told Dugu Yan to stop practicing the Poison Technique. But how could his granddaughter bear to abandon the technique she had practiced since childhood? She stubbornly refused to listen.

At his age, he wasn't afraid of dying, but he had only this one granddaughter. He couldn't leave her to her fate.

This Sixth Prince of the Star Luo Empire had analyzed his condition clearly and logically.

If his demands were acceptable, perhaps they could make this deal.

Dugu Bo stroked his beard, then looked up at Dai Chengqian.

"Tell me what you want."

Dai Chengqian stepped toward Dugu Bo and said earnestly,

"I would like to ask you to join our Star Luo Empire,

or rather, to join my faction and become my retainer.

Rest assured, it would only be in name. Unless there's an emergency, I won't disturb you without good reason."

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"

Dai Chengqian replied calmly,

"That's right. That's all.

Once you agree, I'll tell you how to resolve the poison backlash affecting you and your granddaughter.

Oh, and there's another benefit besides that.

You can also have your granddaughter join my team. I'll lead her to first place in the continental elite martial arts tournament.

What do you think? Are you satisfied with this deal?"

"Hahaha, brat, you really know how to catch a white wolf with empty hands."

Dugu Bo snorted coldly and said,

"You certainly have a smooth tongue, but after all that talk, you still haven't explained how to cure this poison. Are you trying to fool me?

As for taking Yanyan to first place in the continental advanced soul master elite tournament, that's even more laughable.

You make it sound like victory is guaranteed. Do you think Spirit Hall's team survives on vegetables alone?"

Faced with Dugu Bo's doubts, Dai Chengqian replied without losing his composure,

"Senior Dugu, don't be hasty. To demonstrate my sincerity, I'll tell you the method for curing your poison right now.

An old senior of our Star Luo Empire told me about this method.

The main reason you suffer from poison backlash is your Poison Technique. On top of that, because your martial soul is a beast martial soul, the poison fuses with your body.

To keep the poison in your body from harming you, you need to give it somewhere to reside. A soul bone, for example."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up at Dai Chengqian's words.

"You mean I should force the poison into a soul bone?

That would separate the poison from my body, so naturally, it would no longer harm me.

It's a good method, but have you considered that poison inside the body can't simply be forced out?

One mistake could accelerate the backlash."

Dai Chengqian nodded.

"You're right.

You certainly can't force it out using soul power. That would make the backlash even worse for both of you.

To drive it into a soul bone, you must use a prescription made from specific medicinal herbs, then gradually channel the poison from your body into the soul bone. You may even need a Titled Douluo's assistance along the way.

Rest assured, if we reach an agreement, I'll help you handle all of that.

However, you'll need some patience.

This will undoubtedly be a lengthy process. Given enough time, the poison backlash affecting you both will eventually be resolved completely.

Well?

Are you satisfied with this deal now?"

After hearing Dai Chengqian out, Dugu Bo sank into thought.

After considering it for a while, Dugu Bo looked at Dai Chengqian and said,

"I think this deal is worth trying.

But before we make it, I'd like to test something."

"What?"

"You just said that if Yanyan joins your team, you'll lead her to first place in the continental elite martial arts tournament.

What a bold claim.

I want to see what gives you that confidence."

With that, soul rings lit up around Dugu Bo.

Nine soul rings rose: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.

A powerful mental assault surged toward Dai Chengqian.

Qingyue Douluo, who had been hiding in the shadows, paled at the sight. She transformed into a streak of white light and instantly landed in front of Dai Chengqian.

"Dugu Bo, you dare attack a prince of our Star Luo Empire? Do you have a death wish?"

Dugu Bo was slightly startled to see the furious Bai Qingyue.

Although he had guessed that Dai Chengqian's fearlessness meant an expert was secretly protecting him, he hadn't expected it to be her.

Qingyue Douluo, a Titled Douluo who practiced agility-control dual cultivation.

As one of the Star Luo Empire's Guardian Douluos, she possessed formidable combat strength.

If the two fought head-on, he would most likely be no match for her.

Dai Chengqian tugged at the hem of Bai Qingyue's clothes and said with a smile,

"Senior Dugu Bo only wants to test me. There's no need to worry, Qingyue Douluo."

Bai Qingyue glanced back at Dai Chengqian, nodded, and stepped aside.

Dai Chengqian looked at Dugu Bo and said with a calm smile,

"If you wish to test my potential, Senior, please continue."

The terrifying mental pressure of a Titled Douluo surged toward Dai Chengqian.

Dai Chengqian gritted his teeth and resisted. Three soul rings—yellow, yellow, and black—spiraled out around him, yet he refused to retreat even a single step under the pressure.

When Dai Chengqian's black soul ring appeared, Dugu Bo's pupils trembled.

He stared at Dai Chengqian's black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring and said in disbelief,

"Am I seeing things?

Your third soul ring is actually a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?"

Dai Chengqian smiled. "I was lucky and managed to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring."

"No need to be modest. Absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as your third isn't something the word 'luck' can explain.

There probably isn't anyone else on the entire continent who has absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as their third. This truly astonishes me.

And your martial soul seems different from an ordinary white tiger, too.

That old fellow, the Star Luo Emperor, certainly has a fine son."

Withdrawing his martial soul into his body, Dugu Bo looked at Dai Chengqian with inward admiration.

Though a prince of the Star Luo Empire, he showed none of a prince's arrogance in his bearing.

Facing a Titled Douluo like him, he was neither servile nor overbearing, remaining calm and composed.

Not to mention his extraordinary cultivation potential. His future achievements would be boundless.

Just now, he had even thought that if he had a grandson with such cultivation potential, he could die content.

Shaking his head, Dugu Bo smiled at Dai Chengqian.

"Brat Dai, I now have a little more confidence that you can resolve the poison in my body."

The corners of Dai Chengqian's mouth lifted.

"Then our deal is settled?"

"Yes. Just as you said before: you'll help cure my poison, and I'll become your retainer, Sixth Prince."