Lin Family Manor.
"What? Yu'er, is what you're saying true?!"
After being granted the title of Marquis by Emperor Xue Ye, Lin Zhan, who had always tended towards a life of leisure, suddenly straightened up, ignoring the "Complete Guide to Lin Family Inherited Soul Rings" that had fallen to the ground in his hand.
He then slumped back into his chair, somewhat dazed and confused. "How is this possible? Xiao Xin... Uncle Dugu is a Title Douluo, and he's also the most skilled in using poison. How could he not cure Xiao Xin's poison..."
Dugu Yan's father, Dugu Bo's only son, had been Lin Zhan's classmate for many years in Heaven Dou City.
The two had a very good relationship. Despite his illustrious background, Dugu Xin didn't show the same disdain for Lin Zhan as others, despite his orphan status.
On the contrary, due to special circumstances, Dugu Xin had been in poor health since childhood, and coupled with his father being an eccentric like Dugu Bo, no one his age wanted to play with him.
By a twist of fate, Lin Zhan and Dugu Xin, two ostracized individuals, came together (don't get the wrong idea). From that moment on, they became friends.
When Lin Yu's mother, Yu Rou, looked at Lin Zhan, a hint of worry appeared in her azure eyes.
She hadn't been in Heaven Dou City in her youth, and she joined the Spirit Hall much later, unlike Lin Zhan, a hidden agent who had been in the shadows for over thirty years. She wasn't highly regarded in the Pope's Palace.
After their marriage, she hadn't deliberately sought to understand Lin Zhan's past, but as his wife, she could tell that Dugu Xin might be Lin Zhan's true friend.
After a moment of distraction, Lin Zhan sighed, "A Title Douluo, so that's what it means?"
He then looked apologetically at Shui Rou sitting beside him, "Rou'er, would you please come with me with Yu'er?"
Yu Rou's lips curved into a beautiful smile, "Brother Zhan, we're husband and wife, don't be so polite. Let's go, I also want to meet your friends from your youth."
Gently stroking Lin Yu's soft hair, Yu Rou smiled and said, not caring if Lin Yu had any objections, she hurriedly left the manor and headed towards Heaven Dou City.
The speed of a Soul Saint was indeed fast; the family of three quickly arrived in Heaven Dou City.
Led by Lin Zhan, they passed through some old alleys covered in moss and marked by the passage of time before finally reaching their end.
A solitary, not particularly tall, mansion gate stood there, bearing the simple three characters: Dugu Residence.
Before Lin Zhan could knock, the door of the Dugu family opened, and an elderly man with dark green hair also opened it. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Dugu Bo.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The three of them bowed simultaneously. Dugu Bo, whose face showed a slight smile but could not hide his weariness, waved his hand. "It's been more than ten years since we last met. You've indeed done well, lad. You've certainly earned the qualifications to be granted a title. But you don't hold a grudge against Xiao Xin and me for not seeing you for over ten years, do you?"
Having arrived at the Dugu family, Lin Zhan's mood had eased somewhat, but he was still quite eager to see Dugu Xin, since this meeting might be the last.
"Uncle, you jest. Although I don't know what happened, I believe you have your reasons. If you won't see me, then so be it."
Dugu Bo's expression softened. "Come with me, but you can't get close, otherwise… sigh, never mind, you'll understand when you see."
The four of them entered the Dugu family's ancestral residence together. Led by Dugu Bo, they arrived at an underground site. Before they had gone far, they heard a very painful sound.
Soon after, a man with long, dark green hair, locked in a specially made iron cage, was acting like a madman, venting his frustrations everywhere. A sweet, fishy smell wafted over, clearly the poison emanating from his body.
Dugu Bo casually waved his hand, dispelling the toxins from this space. He then used his soul power to create a simple seal, preventing the toxins from spreading further.
"Xiao Xin... is there really no other way to solve this except for him becoming a Title Douluo?"
Indeed, the one imprisoned in this specially made dungeon by Dugu Bo was Dugu Xin.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo closed his eyes and nodded heavily. He had already planned that after Lin Zhan saw Dugu Xin, he would take him to the medicinal garden he had unexpectedly discovered.
After a while, Dugu Xin seemed exhausted from venting his anger and fainted. The pain of the poison engulfing his entire body was enough to drive a person mad.
Seeing his former friend in such agony, Lin Zhan felt a pang of sorrow.
He had originally planned to say a few words to Dugu Xin, but now…
"This poison might be curable, and Uncle Dugu isn't beyond saving!"
A slightly childish voice rang out, and Dugu Bo's aura suddenly erupted, his emerald eyes fixed on Lin Yu. "What did you say? Xin'er can still be saved!"
Lin Zhan and Yu Rou's faces darkened, but the couple could only do their best to resist the pressure released by Dugu Bo. They thought they should apologize to Dugu Bo first, and then teach Lin Yu a lesson later.
But before Lin Zhan could speak, Dugu Bo suddenly dissipated his Title Douluo aura and said to Lin Yu with a warning, "Boy, don't try to amuse yourself with this, understand?"
Although Dugu Bo had an eccentric personality and a bad reputation, he would never kill someone without reason or on a whim.
Besides, Lin Yu was his junior; would Dugu Bo get angry with a child?
As Lin Yu had prepared beforehand, he casually took out a yellowed, tattered booklet with only a few pages from his wristband soul tool. It was the immortal herb catalog he had "snagged" out.
When Lin Yu opened it, revealing the page for the Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb, it immediately drew the attention of the three people present.
Perhaps out of eagerness to keep his prize, or perhaps out of trust in Lin Zhan, the usually suspicious Dugu Bo didn't suspect anything and became excited upon seeing the familiar description.
Lin Zhan, without any hesitation, snatched the immortal herb catalog from Lin Yu's hand and handed it to Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo took the Immortal Herb Manual from Lin Zhan's hand and read it word by word, muttering repeatedly, "There's hope! There's hope! Xin'er is saved!"
From murmurs to shouts, he then looked at Lin Zhan and his family, "Is it really fate? I only casually protected him back then, yet it brought Xin'er a glimmer of hope!"
Dugu Bo, who had never believed in or bowed to fate or destiny, was now somewhat delirious.
However, it was understandable; he had protected Lin Zhan back then, and Lin Yu had brought life to Dugu Xin—a seemingly preordained moment.
But he also remembered his son. After entrusting Lin Zhan and his family to look after Dugu Xin, he left Tian Dou City.
The moment Dugu Bo left, Lin Yu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine; he then remembered that his parents were still there!
P.S.: First of all, Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin have a very good relationship with Lin Zhan. Dugu Bo is not the kind of person who kills innocent people indiscriminately. Secondly, being able to save his son is something that someone like Dugu Bo would be willing to risk his life for.
Also, at this time, Dugu Bo had not yet experienced the pain of losing his son, and his personality was not so extreme.
(End of this chapter)