The air crackled with tension.
"What's so authentic? We clearly found this soul beast first. Don't think you can just snatch it, old poison."
Yueguan's gaze swept over the half-paralyzed Human-Faced Spider. The poison lacing its body was unmistakably Dugubo's work—potent enough to guarantee its death, just not instant. But still… Dugubo had interfered while Yueguan was fighting, a petty move that had left him simmering.
And now, it was payback time.
"Damn you, Chrysanthemum Guan, are you trying to make an enemy out of me?" Dugubo snarled.
"Heh—congratulations, you guessed right. But sorry, no prizes today. Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho~" Yueguan's laugh was infuriatingly drawn out.
"Bastard! You looking for a fight?"
"Hmm, old poison, you can't beat me anyway. Better save your energy. Wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of your son."
Yueguan's mocking tone was light, but his orchid-finger flourish made it clear he wasn't taking Dugubo seriously at all.
"Abominable!" Dugubo's beard practically bristled with fury… but behind the glare was wariness.
Two titled Douluo. If Yueguan fought seriously, Dugubo wouldn't last.
Still… there were limits to a man's patience.
"Chrysanthemum Guan, don't get too full of yourself."
"Ha! I am full of myself. What can you do about it? Bite me?"
"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho~"
"I'm so angry I could—! Dead chrysanthemum! I'll kill you!"
And that was that. Dugubo lunged—no martial soul, just a straight punch to Yueguan's smug face.
"Old poison, I told you—don't call me dead chrysanthemum!"
Yueguan sprang forward, meeting fist with fist.
What followed was less a duel of titled Douluo and more a street brawl—shoving, grappling, tossing out insults and each other's black history without restraint.
…
Gu Han: "..."
Bibi Dong: "..."
Dugu Xin: "..."
Ghost Douluo: "..."
Gu Han pressed a hand to his forehead. Sure, he'd read that Dugubo and Ju Douluo didn't get along in the original story—but this was on another level.
He glanced at Ghost Douluo, who stood there with arms crossed, watching like this was a familiar comedy routine.
Beside him, Bibi Dong poked his arm, voice low. "Brother, that green-haired old man is Dugubo. He's… had some disagreements with Yueguan. The younger one is his son, Dugu Xin."
Dugu Xin, for his part, stood awkwardly—silent, but with the air of a man who'd rather be anywhere else.
Gu Han nodded. "Yeah… I can tell."
Truth be told, Gu Han had a good impression of Dugubo. In Douluo Continent, most who reached Douluo rank valued loyalty. Dugubo was one of those. The kind of man who'd risk his life for a favor, and once won over, would never stab you in the back.
Which made him worth recruiting.
"Senior Yueguan, Senior Dugubo—enough fighting. Can you hear me out for a moment?" Gu Han called.
"What?"
"Don't interrupt me!"
Both turned to glare at him—hands still pressing each other's faces into the dirt, neither willing to let go first.
Gu Han hesitated for a beat, then spoke plainly. "Senior Dugubo, I've studied some medicine. And from what I can see… you and your son are both poisoned."
The words hit like a thunderclap. Dugubo shoved Yueguan aside and fixed Gu Han with a cold stare.
"You'd better not talk nonsense, boy. I've played with poison my whole life—how could I be poisoned?"
But inside, his heart gave a jolt. This was… something only he knew.
Gu Han met his gaze evenly. "Senior, don't be alarmed. If I say I have a way to resolve it, will you hear me out?"
Dugubo's brows are knitted tighter. A lifetime of experience told him—this youth wasn't bluffing.
"Senior, let me describe your symptoms.Numbness along both ribs, worsening for an hour or so. Twice a day—at noon and midnight. And every three nights, a stabbing pain at the crown of the head and the soles of the feet. The spasms last at least half an hour.
"Am I wrong?"
Dugubo's eyes widened. The kid was dead-on.
"Father, is that true?" Dugu Xin asked quietly.
Dugubo didn't answer—but his silence was enough.
"Then I'm right," Dugu Xin said grimly. "We've been poisoned by our own martial soul, haven't we?"
He wasn't talkative, but he wasn't stupid either. Those odd pains he'd been feeling lately… Now it made sense.
Yueguan burst out laughing. "Oh, old poison—you've played with venom your whole life, only to be poisoned by it yourself!"
Then, almost sincerely, "Old poison, if you joined Spirit Hall, maybe we could help you find a cure."
"Hmph. My own affairs are none of your concern." Dugubo's voice was cold as steel. He turned to his son. "Xin'er, finish that spider. If we can't have it, neither will they."
"Father…" Dugu Xin hesitated. If Spirit Hall could help them… joining might not be so bad.
"Enough!" Dugubo cut him off.
"Senior Dugubo," Gu Han interjected, "at least let me tell you a temporary way to suppress the toxins. If you join Spirit Hall, I'll give you the permanent cure. How about it?"
Dugubo's gathered soul power dissipated. His eyes narrowed, but there was interest there now.
"…Speak."
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