Chapter 166: Grandpa Just Found Himself a Backer
However, Dugu Yan didn't act spoiled in front of Dugu Bo like she usually did.
She stood in place, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her clothes, her face full of hesitation and inner conflict.
Her lips moved several times, yet she couldn't bring herself to speak.
Dugu Bo noticed something was wrong.
He put away his smile.
"What's wrong, Yan Yan? What exactly happened? Is there anything you can't tell Grandpa?"
When her eyes met Dugu Bo's concerned gaze, Dugu Yan trembled ever so slightly.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke. "Grandpa, I want to ask you something. You must tell me the truth."
"Alright, Grandpa will tell you the truth."
Dugu Bo nodded, though a faint unease rose in his heart.
This was the first time Yan Yan had ever been this serious in front of him.
Dugu Yan said, "Grandpa, have you… have you become someone else's subordinate? Recognize someone as your master?"
The moment these words came out, Dugu Bo's expression froze instantly.
He stood there, stunned.
His eyes widened abruptly, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
Staring at Dugu Yan, even his voice changed tone.
"Yan Yan, you… How do you know about this?"
That reflexive reply was equivalent to a direct admission.
"!!!"
Dugu Yan felt as if her heart had been tightly grasped by a hand, instantly sinking to the bottom.
She had still held onto a trace of hope, thinking the people in the chat group were talking nonsense.
But her grandfather's reaction shattered all her hopes completely.
She staggered back a step.
Her face was full of shock, her voice rising several degrees.
"Is it actually true?!"
"Grandpa, you really became someone else's subordinate?"
"You're a Titled Douluo! The Poison Douluo with the strongest poison techniques! How could you become someone else's subordinate?"
Seeing the shock on his granddaughter's face, Dugu Bo's old face immediately showed a trace of embarrassment.
He touched his nose, his gaze somewhat evasive.
After coughing twice, he hurriedly explained, "Ah, Yan Yan, you can't put it that way."
"What do you mean by 'subordinate'? Grandpa is… Grandpa is just finding himself a powerful backer."
He muttered inwardly: Across the entire continent, there probably isn't a bigger backer than the Pope of Spirit Hall, right?
Not to mention that the young master has limitless potential and is highly valued by the Pope.
Clinging to such a backing is an enormous benefit for him and for Yan Yan!
"A backer?"
Dugu Yan frowned tightly, not understanding.
"Grandpa, you yourself are a Titled Douluo. You are already the biggest backer. Why would you need to find another?"
"Yan Yan, you don't understand."
Dugu Bo waved his hand, his tone becoming increasingly serious.
"There are many people on this continent stronger than Grandpa."
"My poison may look powerful, but when facing true top-tier experts, it's not enough at all."
"Moreover, this Jade Phosphor Serpent poison in my body has plagued me my whole life. It harmed my children and almost harmed you as well."
"Do you think the method of forcing out poison using soul bones came out of nowhere? And where do you think your soul bone came from?"
"All of these were methods given by that young master."
"Without him, Grandpa might not care, but Yan Yan, sooner or later, you would also suffer a backlash from this poison."
"!"
Dugu Yan was instantly stunned.
A few days ago, Grandpa had approached her about this matter and even used a soul bone to force out poison for her.
So it turned out… It was because of that so-called "young master"?
Dugu Yan came back to her senses.
Thinking of a possibility, she asked urgently, "Grandpa, what exactly is the name of this young master you're talking about?"
"Ah?"
This time, Dugu Bo was instantly put in a difficult position.
His expression stiffened as he opened his mouth but couldn't speak for a long while.
This matter was absolutely top secret!
Whether it was him submitting to Spirit Hall and recognizing Bibi Dong as his superior, or acknowledging Lin Qingmo as the young master—
Once this leaked out, Pope Bibi Dong would definitely not spare him.
Bibi Dong had specifically instructed that this matter must not be disclosed to any third party.
But looking at his granddaughter's anxious eyes, he couldn't bear to lie to her.
Still, Dugu Bo felt his life was more important, so he said vaguely, "This… Yan Yan, the young master's identity is absolutely confidential. It can't be casually revealed."
"Just don't ask. Knowing it won't do you any good."
"Can't say?"
Dugu Yan caught his evasive gaze, though she wasn't surprised.
But a name had already surfaced in her mind.
She took a deep breath, looked at Dugu Bo, and asked word by word, "Grandpa, is this young master of yours called… Ah Qing?"
"???"
The moment these words were spoken—
Dugu Bo froze.
Ah Qing… wasn't that what the Pope called the young master?
Hiss!
How did Yan Yan know?
He suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Dugu Yan's arm.
"Yan Yan, how do you know the young master's name? Where exactly did you hear it from?"
His reaction gave Dugu Yan the clearest answer.
"..."
Dugu Yan's heart shrank violently, and a chill shot from the soles of her feet straight to her head.
She staggered back a step, her face instantly turning pale.
Only one thought remained in her mind: everything said in the chat group was actually true!
Every word spoken by Ah Qing from another world was real.
Her grandfather had truly acknowledged someone as the young master, truly becoming someone's subordinate.
And that person was Lin Qingmo from the chat group.
Seeing her granddaughter's face turn deathly pale, the unease in Dugu Bo's heart grew heavier and heavier.
He didn't know how Dugu Yan had learned about this.
But this matter was too important, and no mistakes could be allowed.
He held her shoulders, his expression more serious than ever, his tone extremely grave.
"Yan Yan, listen to Grandpa."
"This matter concerns both of our lives and the overall situation of the entire continent."
"What you've heard, what you've seen, and the young master's name must not be told to anyone."
"Not even your most trusted teammates or closest friends. You can't say a single word. Do you understand?"
Seeing her grandfather so serious, Dugu Yan understood the gravity of the situation.
She nodded with a complicated expression and softly replied, "I understand, Grandpa. I won't say anything. I promise."
Only after her promise did Dugu Bo finally relax.
He rubbed her hair again.
"Alright, don't think too much about it."
"This young master is a true heaven-defying genius. Following him will only bring us benefits, no harm. You'll understand in the future."
"..."
Dugu Yan said nothing more.
But inside, a storm had already risen.
At this moment, her mind was filled with Lin Qingmo's avatar in the chat group and the things he had said.
Just what kind of person was this man called Ah Qing?
Even her grandfather, a Titled Douluo, was willing to acknowledge him as a young master.
And who was the Titled Douluo master behind him who had truly subdued her grandfather?
Even Grandpa regarded that person as a great backer, which meant they were at least more powerful than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, one of the upper three sects.
With more and more questions, Dugu Yan's curiosity about Lin Qingmo reached its peak.
End of Chapter