Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day of the promised visit arrived. The morning sun spilled into the courtyard of the Li residence, adding a touch of solemnity to the tranquil estate.
At the entrance of the Li residence, Li Zhaoyan and Ye Qingwan stood waiting with Marco, Ye Lingling, and the specially invited Yang Wudi. Today's visit was of great importance, and everyone had made thorough preparations.
"Father, Senior Dugu Bo should be arriving soon, right?" Marco asked softly, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
Li Zhaoyan nodded. "The agreed-upon time is almost here. Although Dugu Bo walks the line between good and evil, he has always been punctual."
Ye Qingwan spoke with some concern, "I hope today's meeting goes smoothly."
Yang Wudi said calmly, "Qingwan, there's no need to worry. Although Dugu Bo has an eccentric temperament, he is not an unreasonable person."
Ye Lingling whispered, "Yanzi is my good friend. I hope we can help her today."
Just then, the sound of hoofbeats came from the distance. A luxurious carriage slowly approached and stopped before the Li residence. The carriage curtain was drawn aside, and Dugu Bo stepped down with Dugu Yan.
Today, Dugu Bo wore a dark green robe, his imposing presence tinged with a hint of gloom. Dugu Yan followed behind him, her complexion much improved compared to a few days ago, though she still appeared somewhat frail.
Li Zhaoyan stepped forward, cupping his hands in salute. "Senior Dugu Bo, your esteemed presence brings great honor to our humble home."
Dugu Bo gave a slight nod, his voice low. "Li Zhaoyan, it has been a long time. I apologize for the abrupt visit today."
Li Zhaoyan smiled. "You are too courteous, Senior. Having you grace us with your presence is our honor."
He turned slightly to introduce, "This is my wife, Ye Qingwan."
Ye Qingwan bowed gracefully. "Greetings, Senior Dugu Bo."
Dugu Bo nodded slightly. "Madam Li."
Li Zhaoyan continued the introductions, "This is Yang Wudi, leader of the Breaking Clan, who has specially come today to accompany us."
Yang Wudi clasped his hands. "Senior Dugu Bo, I have long heard of your great reputation."
A flicker of surprise passed through Dugu Bo's eyes. "Yang Wudi? The master alchemist of the Breaking Clan? I never expected to meet you here today."
Yang Wudi replied indifferently, "You flatter me, Senior. I have only done some minor research into medicines."
Finally, Li Zhaoyan introduced, "This is my son Marco, and my daughter Ye Lingling."
Marco and Ye Lingling bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Senior Dugu Bo."
Dugu Bo's gaze lingered on Marco for a moment, a meaningful glint in his eyes. "So this is the young friend Marco? Truly a talented youth."
He then looked at Ye Lingling. "You must be Lingling! Yan Yan often mentions you."
Dugu Yan said softly, "Lingling is my good friend."
Ye Lingling smiled. "Yanzi, you look much better today."
Dugu Bo looked at his granddaughter, his tone softening slightly. "We must thank young friend Marco for his assistance the other day."
Li Zhaoyan gestured with his hand. "Senior, please come in. Let us continue our conversation in the main hall."
The group moved to the main hall and took their seats as host and guests. Maids served fragrant tea, its aroma wafting through the air, temporarily easing the slightly tense atmosphere.
As the host, Li Zhaoyan spoke first. "How have you been lately, Senior? I heard you have been in seclusion for cultivation."
Dugu Bo picked up his teacup, saying lightly, "Well enough. After reaching Titled Douluo, cultivation becomes increasingly difficult. Seclusion is a necessary measure."
Yang Wudi chimed in, "Senior's Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit is truly unique. Achieving the Titled Douluo realm with it is no easy feat."
A flicker of strangeness passed through Dugu Bo's eyes, "Clan Leader Yang has also studied the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit?"
Yang Wudi replied calmly, "I know a little. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor is a top-tier poison-type Martial Soul. When cultivated to profound levels, one indeed encounters some... special circumstances."
Ye Qingwan said gently, "Yanzi is such a well-behaved child and gets along very well with Lingling."
Dugu Bo looked at his granddaughter, his tone softening slightly, "Yanzi is indeed sensible. It's just... her health has never been good."
Dugu Yan said softly, "Grandfather, I've been feeling much better recently."
The group chatted for a while longer, the conversation consistently revolving around daily trivialities, with no one taking the initiative to mention the treatment from that day. The atmosphere in the living room appeared harmonious, but undercurrents were swirling beneath the surface.
Marco thought to himself, "As I expected, Dugu Bo is testing us. He doesn't want to bring it up first, he's observing our attitude."
Li Zhaoyan understood clearly, "Dugu Bo is waiting for us to mention it first. In that case, it might as well be Marco who breaks the ice."He glanced at Marco and gave a slight nod of indication."
Just then, Dugu Bo finally couldn't hold back. Putting down his teacup, he looked at Marco, "Young friend Marco, thank you for your assistance that day, saving Yanzi."
Marco replied respectfully, "Senior, you're too kind. Yanzi is my classmate, it was only right to help."
A sharp glint flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes, "When Yanzi suddenly fell unconscious that day, did you notice anything unusual, young friend?"
Marco pondered for a moment before speaking cautiously, "While treating Yanzi that day, I discovered a massive accumulation of toxins within her body. These toxins... seem to originate from the Martial Soul itself."
The atmosphere in the living room instantly turned grave.
Dugu Bo's gaze sharpened, "Toxins from the Martial Soul itself? What do you mean by that, young friend?"
Marco said calmly, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the backlash from the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit. The Martial Soul's toxins accumulate in the body, and the longer it goes on, the more severe the backlash becomes."
Dugu Bo abruptly stood up, a cold light flashing in his eyes, "Preposterous! My title is 'Poison'! How dare you claim my Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Spirit would backlash against its own user?"
"Boom!" A terrifying Titled Douluo aura erupted from Dugu Bo. The phantom of a Jade Phosphor Serpent flickered behind him, and the air in the entire living room grew oppressive.
Dugu Yan turned pale with fright, "Grandfather..."
Ye Qingwan and Ye Lingling also felt their hearts palpitate. The pressure from the Titled Douluo made it difficult for them to breathe.
Li Zhaoyan immediately stepped forward, erupting with powerful Soul Power to forcefully withstand Dugu Bo's aura, "Senior, please calm your anger! Marco was merely stating his findings, he meant no offense!"
Yang Wudi also released his Soul Power to protect everyone, "Senior Dugu Bo, please remain calm. Spirit Soul Backlash does indeed exist; this is not meant as disrespect toward you."
Dugu Bo's gaze lingered on Marco for a long time. The Jade Phosphor Serpent phantom slowly dissipated, but the atmosphere remained tense to the extreme.
Marco thought to himself, "Just as I expected. Dugu Bo is extremely sensitive about this issue. However, this is exactly the reaction I wanted..."
He maintained a calm exterior and said respectfully, "Senior, please forgive my offense. I did not intend to be disrespectful, but during the treatment that day, I made a discovery and felt I should report it truthfully."
Dugu Bo slowly withdrew his pressure, but his gaze remained sharp. "How can you be certain it's Spirit Soul Backlash?"
Marco replied calmly, "My Azure Flame Phoenix Spirit seems particularly sensitive to toxins. During the treatment that day, the Azure Flame automatically purified the toxins in Yanzi's body. Moreover, these toxins share the same origin as her Soul Power, clearly coming from the Martial Soul itself."
Yang Wudi added, "Spirit Soul Backlash indeed exhibits these characteristics. Toxins sharing the same origin as Soul Power are difficult to expel naturally and continuously accumulate in the body."
Dugu Bo fell silent for a moment, looking at Marco with complex emotions in his eyes. "Your Azure Flame... can purify these toxins?"
Marco nodded. "Yes. After the treatment that day, Yanzi should have felt much more relaxed."
Dugu Yan said softly, "Grandfather, I truly felt much better after that day. The heavy sensation in my body disappeared."
Dugu Bo's gaze softened slightly but remained cautious. "Why are you telling us this?"
Marco said sincerely, "Yanzi is Lingling's good friend and also my classmate. If I can help her, I'm naturally willing to do my best."
He thought to himself: "Of course, the more important reason is for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well..."
Ye Lingling also said gently, "Senior, Yanzi is my good friend. Seeing her suffer makes me very sad too. If Brother can help her, that would be wonderful."
Dugu Bo looked at his granddaughter, a flicker of pain in his eyes. How could he not know about his granddaughter's suffering? It's just that he had never found a solution over the years.
He took a deep breath, his tone much more relaxed. "In that case... do you have a solution?"
Marco said cautiously, "My Azure Flame can indeed purify toxins, but to what extent requires further testing. Moreover..."
He looked at Yang Wudi. "In this regard, Uncle Yang might be more qualified to speak."
Yang Wudi said steadily, "Spirit Soul Backlash is indeed troublesome, but not unsolvable. We need to formulate a plan based on the specific situation."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes. "Clan Leader Yang has a method?"
Yang Wudi shook his head. "I wouldn't dare say I'm completely confident, but we can try. We need to first understand the situation in detail."
Li Zhaoyan spoke at the right moment. "Senior, this matter is of great importance. Perhaps we should discuss it carefully? Since we're here today, why don't we have a meal first and discuss slowly?"
Dugu Bo pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. Then we'll be imposing."
The atmosphere in the living room finally eased, but undercurrents still flowed. Everyone understood that today's meeting had only just begun, and the real negotiation was still to come.
Marco thought to himself: "The first step succeeded. Next, I need to make Dugu Bo proactively propose an exchange..."
He had already made up his mind: "I must obtain the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."