"...Let's Hear it then."
Though Dugu Bo was a solitary and temperamental man, he deeply cared about his own kin. If there was even a sliver of hope for a cure, he had to listen.
With that mindset, his tone softened noticeably.
Seeing the timing was right, Gu Han spoke up, "Elder Dugu, the poison affecting both you and Brother Dugu Xin likely comes from your martial soul itself."
"Mhm, you're not wrong."
Dugu Bo nodded. A martial soul and its master were intrinsically linked. The Jade Phosphor Serpent lineage had struggled with the internal toxicity of their martial souls for centuries. Now that the truth was out, there was no point hiding it anymore.
When Dugu Xin heard his father admit it, he finally confirmed his own suspicions—his body's condition really was caused by his martial soul. He turned to Gu Han, cupping his fists respectfully.
"Please, Brother Gu Han, enlighten us."
"Beast-type martial souls fuse directly with the body. Each time a soul ring is absorbed, excess toxins from the fusion process remain within, unable to be refined. That's the root cause of your bloodline's condition."
"Enough with the preamble, boy. Get to the point."
Dugu Bo, ever the impatient sort, interrupted. Much of what Gu Han was saying he already knew, but now he was convinced the young man really might have a solution.
"Alright," Gu Han nodded. "If the toxins can't be refined, they might be diverted into a soul bone instead. Of course, this is only a temporary measure—aside from external soul bones, most bones have limited storage capacity."
"That's it! Why didn't I think of that?!"
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up like someone splashed him with cold water. He didn't even care that Yue Guan and Ghost were present. While he didn't get along with Yue Guan, he knew neither of them were the type to exploit this information maliciously.
He immediately activated his soul power, guiding the poison into the torso bone he possessed—and in the next moment, his eyes gleamed.
"It works!"
When he looked at Gu Han again, his gaze was clearly different—one of growing admiration.
"Young man, what's your name?"
Gu Han cupped his hands. "I'm Gu Han, greetings, Elder Dugu."
"Haha! No need to be so formal. Both I and my son owe you a debt. We won't contest the Man-Faced Demon Spider anymore."
"As for joining Spirit Hall… allow me to consider it further after I return."
"Of course. Spirit Hall's doors are always open to you, Elder."
Gu Han smiled. Now that he'd secured Dugu Bo's goodwill, there was no need to push for immediate results. After all, time was still on his side—and he hadn't even revealed the true cure yet. He didn't believe Dugu Bo could ignore that forever.
"Just remember, Elder Dugu," Gu Han added, "soul bone capacity is limited. If you overfill it, the toxins could erupt all at once, causing unbearable pain—or even death. It's best to store the poison in limb bones first. That way, if it reaches critical mass, you can amputate to survive."
When dealing with someone like Dugu Bo, Gu Han opted for a direct, blunt approach—laying out the danger from the start. That way, the man would always keep the permanent solution in mind.
"Hahaha! I appreciate the warning. I like your style, kid."
Dugu Bo laughed heartily, his opinion of Gu Han rising even further. He respected people who didn't beat around the bush.
"Xin'er, let's go."
"Yes, Father."
Dugu Xin nodded and turned to Gu Han, cupping his fists again. "Brother Gu Han, thank you. When we get the chance, let's sit down for a proper drink. Farewell."
"Wait!"
Just then, Bibi Dong's voice called out, stopping the father and son in their tracks.
They turned in surprise toward the young girl who had spoken. They had just learned from Yue Guan that she was the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, but why had she suddenly called out to them now?
"Is there something you need, Holy Maiden?" Dugu Bo asked respectfully.
"Elder Dugu," Bibi Dong replied, "since this soul beast was originally your target, I won't take what rightfully belongs to you. I also have other goals in mind. So this Man-Faced Demon Spider—you should absorb it."
Her words left everyone stunned. She was giving up a soul ring that was already within reach?
"Senior Sister…"
Gu Han started to speak, but Bibi Dong quickly shot him a wink and a playful smile. He immediately shut up, recognizing that this was part of her plan.
"Xiao Dongdong, you…"
"Senior Yue Guan," Bibi Dong said aloud, "don't forget—our real target is the Purple-Winged Demon Spider. This one's fine, but I want a higher-tier soul ring."
Her words were loud and clear, not only asserting her ambition, but also sparing Dugu Bo from losing face.
Gu Han felt a warm sense of pride—his teachings and stories hadn't gone to waste. Bibi Dong was no longer a naïve little girl; she now understood the value of forging alliances.
"Hmm…"
Dugu Bo's expression flickered. To be honest, he was tempted. After all, this was the soul beast he had tracked for days. But having already tried to give it up, how could he just take it back now?
Wouldn't that make his earlier words meaningless?
Wouldn't Yue Guan mock him for it?
At that moment, Bibi Dong gently tugged Yue Guan's sleeve. He instantly got the message and raised a graceful finger to his lips.
"Old poison freak, since our Holy Maiden has spoken, we'll leave this soul beast to you. If you feel guilty, you can owe her a favor instead, how's that?"
"I—uh… then this old man will owe the Holy Maiden a favor…"
Dugu Bo's old face flushed red. Even his words came out stammered. It was the first time he'd ever been this shameless.
"Hahaha! Old Ghost, Xiao Dongdong, Xiao Han—let's go!"
Yue Guan was positively gleeful, strutting away like a proud peacock. He waved his hand and led the trio away from the clearing.
Watching Yue Guan's swaying backside, Dugu Bo's mouth twitched. For some reason… he really wanted to kick him.
But he held it in. Let the man have his moment.
Dead Chrysanthemum… enjoy it while you can. The next time you mess up in front of me, I'll mock you so hard you'll wish you never opened your mouth.
"Father?"
Dugu Xin glanced at his father, who was still staring at Yue Guan's behind in a daze. His thoughts strayed to a strange place—but he quickly shook his head. No way. That's definitely not it. Father must be plotting revenge in his head.
Dugu Bo snapped out of it when he heard his son's voice. Seeing Dugu Xin still standing there, looking confused, he gave him a sharp smack on the head.
"What are you gawking at? Stop standing around—go absorb that soul ring!"
"Ah! O-okay!"
Clutching his head, Dugu Xin rushed over to the unconscious Man-Faced Demon Spider, summoned his martial soul, and ended its life before beginning the absorption of his fourth soul ring.
Dugu Bo? Just a little pawn in the bag now… Heh heh~~
~~~
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