Excitement was one thing, but Oscar still needed to uphold his persona. If he made Dugu Bo uncomfortable, the latter could simply expel him with a single sentence.
After all, Oscar currently didn't have the power to contend with a Titled Douluo. Perhaps Gai Yue could exchange a few moves with Dugu Bo, but only just a few nothing decisive.
The terror of a Titled Douluo was not just talk. No one who stood at the peak of the soul master world was simple.
As they casually chatted, Oscar had already achieved the result he most desired internally. Still, he wanted to push for more leverage.
The atmosphere was right. Seeing Dugu Bo in a rare relaxed mood, Oscar hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask,
"Senior, have you never considered purging the poison from yourself and Dugu Yan? This toxin not only causes you immense harm, but for Dugu Yan as well, it must be an unbearable torment."
The atmosphere, which had been casual and peaceful, suddenly cooled. Dugu Bo's eyes dimmed slightly, and a hint of sorrow appeared on Dugu Yan's face.
"With your knowledge, you know that if I had a solution, I wouldn't still be like this." Dugu Bo sighed. "But how did you know that I, too, am afflicted by the poison? I'm a Titled Douluo are you suggesting I can't control my own poison?"
By now, Dugu Bo was no longer surprised that Oscar could perceive his secret. Their previous conversations had made him realize Oscar's knowledge was on par with his own.
This question wasn't for clarity it was a test. He wanted to see how deeply Oscar understood the darkest part of his affliction.
Oscar kept a calm smile:
"I know you're testing me, Senior. And I believe I've seen through your secret. I just hope that speaking it aloud won't offend you."
Dugu Bo's eyes flickered, then glanced at Gai Yue who sat silently atop a giant tree nearby. After a moment of silence, he finally said,
"Fate brought us together go ahead and speak. But if you're right, I hope you can keep it to yourself. Otherwise… even if I admire you greatly…"
Dugu Bo didn't finish the sentence, but Oscar understood.
"Then allow me to humbly offer my analysis."
Dugu Bo nodded slightly. Dugu Yan quietly stirred the campfire with a twig, but her ears perked up attentively.
Oscar paused for a moment, then calmly began:
"Your Excellency, whenever it rains or the weather turns overcast, you experience an intense itching sensation in your abdomen one that gradually intensifies."
Just those two lines caused Dugu Bo's pupils to contract. He no longer doubted Oscar's abilities what he said was exact.
Oscar continued:
"This condition flares up twice daily, at noon and midnight. At your current state, each episode lasts over an hour."
"Then, around the third watch of the night, you feel a stabbing pain at the crown of your head and the soles of your feet. Your body spasms violently for at least half an hour."
"The agony is unimaginable. I can't begin to fathom how you've endured it for so long. That's why I'm certain this poison hasn't merely infected your body. It's seeped into your marrow."
Dugu Bo's earlier shock faded into melancholy. Oscar had pierced the core of his pain a torment he had endured for decades.
If not for his breakthrough into the Titled Douluo realm, he likely would've died from this suffering long ago.
Hearing this, Dugu Yan's sorrow grew. Seeing that her grandfather did not deny Oscar's words, a powerful sadness surged within her.
"Grandpa… Why… why didn't you ever tell me?" she cried. "I thought the pain I endured was already… unbearable… but you…"
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wept uncontrollably. From a young age, it was always Dugu Bo comforting her through the episodes of pain. She had believed that someone as powerful as him could never truly understand her suffering.
But now she learned his pain was ten times worse.
Dugu Bo shot a faint glare at Oscar, then gently pulled Dugu Yan into his arms and softly comforted her:
"Yan Yan, you're a big girl now. Don't cry. This pain is nothing for me. What hurts me more is that I couldn't find a way to cure you… that you had to suffer this."
Watching the heartbreaking scene unfold before him, Oscar couldn't help but be moved. Even Gai Yue, up in the tree, silently looked down at Dugu Bo with newfound depth in his eyes.
So the fearsome Poison Douluo had such a painful history? This was life even those with immense strength bore unimaginable burdens.
Still gently patting Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo whispered not sure if he was speaking to Oscar or to himself:
"Do you know what it's like for a child just two or three years old to scream in pain day and night, unable to sleep, unable to speak clearly, with no understanding of the world only pain?"
"I lived through it. But I never dared recall those memories. That was the darkest time of my life. I possessed terrifying strength, but couldn't even solve this one 'small' problem could only watch my precious granddaughter…"
Hearing this, Oscar felt a stinging at the corners of his eyes. When he'd read the original story, he never imagined this level of emotional weight.
But now, seeing the grandfather and granddaughter before him, hearing these painful confessions… he felt Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan might be among the most tragic people on the continent.
Then there was his teacher, Gai Yue whose entire clan had been wiped out when he was just a child. He alone had escaped.
What kind of pain did he have to endure to survive that?
By contrast, Oscar suddenly felt incredibly fortunate.
After a long silence, Oscar finally spoke:
"Senior, do you really think I could diagnose your condition… simply from a bit of book learning?"
Dugu Bo, still gently comforting Dugu Yan, initially dismissed the remark until a thought struck him. He turned sharply to look at Oscar, his eyes now filled with astonishment and hope.
"What are you saying? Do you mean… do you actually have a way to resolve the poison afflicting me and Yan Yan?"
But even as the words left his mouth, Dugu Bo hesitated. Was he being too naïve?
Oscar's vast knowledge had impressed him, but this poison he had searched his entire life without finding a perfect cure. Could an eleven year old boy truly possess the solution?
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