Meanwhile, Lin Changgeng was considering whether to take Dugu Bo into his service.
In all honesty, Lin Changgeng wanted to recruit Dugu Bo. Although Dugu Bo had initially tried to attack him and Wang Qiu'er, that was because they had trespassed in his Herb Garden. Just think about it-if someone barged into your home uninvited, wouldn't you strike first, too?
Dugu Bo wasn't exactly evil, but he wasn't exactly good, either. He walked the line between righteousness and wickedness. Once someone earned his approval, he would fiercely protect his own. Take Tang San, for example: time and again, Dugu Bo had rescued him from mortal danger, charging in even when he couldn't win. In the original story, when Xiao Wu's identity was exposed during the Soul Master Tournament, Dugu Bo had helped Tang San withstand the pressure despite knowing he was outmatched. During the battle at Jialing Pass, a single word from Tang San had been enough for him to massacre an entire city. He had obeyed even though he knew the slaughter would ruin his reputation.
Besides, Dugu Bo had led a miserable life. He had lost his father in his youth, his wife in middle age, and his son in old age. Even after becoming a Titled Douluo, he had suffered the ravages of poison, and his granddaughter had been steeped in toxins since she was in the womb. After his poison was cured, Tang San had even swallowed up his family's entire legacy. Ten-Thousand Years Later, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had become the Tang family's private property.
His reason for wanting to recruit Dugu Bo was simple, too. At this stage, Dugu Bo ranked among the weaker Titled Douluos, but that was only because his poison had dragged him down for years. Once that problem was resolved, his combat strength would surge. His strength might not shoot straight up to rank ninety-six or ninety-seven, but rank ninety-five was certainly within reach.
The solution was simple as well. There happened to be two earth dragon golden melons here. He could have Dugu Bo eat one to improve his aptitude, then have Wang Qiu'er teach him the Soul Core Method. That would solve Dugu Bo's problem perfectly. As for Dugu Yan, her cultivation was still low, so eating an earth dragon golden melon would be enough. He couldn't finish all the Immortal Herbs himself anyway, so he might as well put them to good use winning people over.
Beside him, Wang Qiu'er watched Lin Changgeng remain silent and knew he was weighing his options.
Seeing Lin Changgeng deep in thought, Dugu Bo didn't dare speak either. After all, he had no idea what Lin Changgeng was thinking.
"Senior Dugu, what I'm about to say may come as something of a shock," Lin Changgeng said.
Although he had his mighty general Wang Qiu'er beside him to watch his back, he still needed to show the proper courtesy.
Dugu Bo's heart lurched. A shock? Could he have noticed something? But aside from my poisoning and my granddaughter, what could possibly shock me that much?
Dugu Bo took a deep breath and said, "Go ahead."
"You've been poisoned," Lin Changgeng said bluntly.
Dugu Bo's expression turned stern at those words. "What nonsense are you spouting? I'm the world's foremost poison Soul Master! How could I be poisoned by my own poison?"
"See? You're getting worked up again." Lin Changgeng spread his hands and continued, "I have grounds for saying this."
"Let me ask you," Lin Changgeng continued. "Whenever it's overcast and raining, don't you feel a numb itching along both sides of your ribs that gradually grows worse? It strikes once at noon and once at midnight. Given your current condition, each episode should last a full two hours or more.
"And every night, around midnight, you feel stabbing pains like needles piercing the crown of your head and the soles of your feet. Your whole body convulses for at least an hour. I don't need to describe how that agony makes you wish you were dead, do I? Would these symptoms appear if you weren't poisoned? Not only have you been poisoned, but the poison has already seeped into your marrow.
"You said earlier that this was your Herb Garden. I imagine you're only alive today because you were lucky enough to find this place, and you became a Titled Douluo by relying on its environment.
"From what I can see, you've also been stuck at a bottleneck for a long time, haven't you?
"You haven't broken through in all these years. Besides, at your age, you must have children and grandchildren. My guess is that your poison is so overbearing that it harms your descendants as well. Think about it. You're still alive because you found a treasure land and absorbed rare treasures of heaven and earth. But what about your descendants?
"Without your good fortune, no matter what they do, they won't live to thirty before the poison flares up and kills them. And after living this long, you must have quite a few enemies. What will happen to your descendants if you die?"
Lin Changgeng's words brought Dugu Bo's past back to him, and then his thoughts turned to his granddaughter.
After a while, Dugu Bo spoke. "Yes, my poison is passed down to my descendants. Now I have only one granddaughter left. Her name is Dugu Yan. My son and daughter-in-law died from the poison when she was three."
"Then the answer is obvious." Lin Changgeng raised his eyebrows. "Your descendants weren't as fortunate as you. They died young because of the jade phosphor snake poison, and now you have only one granddaughter left. Surely you have to think about her future. You wouldn't want to die too soon and leave her to be bullied, would you?"
As soon as those words fell, Dugu Bo pictured the life his granddaughter would lead after his death.
First came the foreseeable pursuit by Spirit Hall. Back when he had become a Titled Douluo, he had refused Spirit Hall's recruitment, and they had ordered him hunted down. Although Prince Xue Xing had saved him by a stroke of luck, who could guarantee that the prince would continue protecting Dugu Yan after his death?
Then there were the covetous eyes of the great powers and the nobility. His granddaughter was something of a young genius, and she was quite pretty. Their family's jade phosphor snake martial soul was of high quality, too. What those powers and nobles would do to obtain it after his death hardly needed spelling out.
The more Dugu Bo thought about it, the more frightened he became. He wasn't even dead yet, and Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect had already shown an interest in courting Dugu Yan. Perhaps he was using her to win Dugu Bo over. But what about after his death? Once he died, only Dugu Yan, a talented young woman, would remain. They might well turn her into nothing more than breeding stock.
That was something he could never accept.
Seeing Dugu Bo's reaction, Lin Changgeng thought, I've got him. Having someone powerful backing me really is comfortable. I don't have to feel my way forward so cautiously at all.
Dugu Bo looked at Lin Changgeng, remained silent for a long time, then sighed.
"Since you can describe my symptoms, I assume you have a solution. Tell me. What do you want this old man to do?"
Dugu Bo was no fool, of course. Since Lin Changgeng had pointed out his problem, he must have a way to solve it. The only question was what price he would have to pay.
"It's always a pleasure dealing with clever people," Lin Changgeng praised him, then continued, "I do indeed have a solution."
"However..." Lin Changgeng changed tack. "Senior Dugu, you've already given me your Herb Garden. What else do you have besides that?"
Dugu Bo realized he was right. He had already offered them his Herb Garden, the one thing of value he could present. What else did he have besides the garden? Could it be Dugu Bo himself?
But after glancing at Wang Qiu'er beside him, he couldn't quite understand. He was merely a rank ninety-one Titled Douluo, nowhere near her match.
Seeing that Dugu Bo had begun to guess, Lin Changgeng stopped keeping him in suspense. "I want you, Senior."
Before you continue