Chapter 157 - 49

! Chapter 49: The Three-Day Appointment!Facing Dugu Bo's hostile questioning and the Jade Phosphor Serpent poison surging around him, Fu Ze's expression remained unchanged. He calmly cupped his fists and said in a deep voice:"I am Fu Ze. I have been instructed by my Young Lord to deliver a letter specifically to Your Excellency, the Poison Douluo."His voice was neither arrogant nor subservient. At the same time, the dense spirit power aura belonging to a Level 95 Titled Douluo was briefly released and immediately retracted, allowing Dugu Bo to instantly perceive the spirit power that far surpassed his own.Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Fu Ze from head to toe, the vigilance and surprise in his eyes intensifying.He was eccentric, but certainly not brainless.Not only was the opponent unfathomably strong, but his demeanor was also calm and steady, clearly not that of an ordinary Loose Cultivator.That phrase, "Young Lord," made his heart tighten even more!The power capable of commanding such a strong individual was likely extraordinary.The poisonous mist swirling around him unconsciously retracted by a third. Although his tone remained cold, it lacked some of its previous insolence:"This old man has never met your Young Lord. What letter could there possibly be to deliver?"Fu Ze did not speak further. Following the sound transmission instructions from Fu Shiyan's plant incarnation hidden nearby, he directly took the slip of paper from his bosom.He did not hand it over directly. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, the slip of paper was steadily levitated by pure spirit power, slowly flying towards Dugu Bo and stopping about a foot in front of him."Your Excellency will know once you read it."Dugu Bo let out a cold snort, still cautiously wrapping the slip of paper in spirit power. After carefully sensing and confirming it was non-poisonous, he levitated it before his eyes. His gaze, carrying scrutiny and a hint of disdain, fell upon the lines of text.However, the very first line—"Jade Phosphor Serpent poison, consumes the body and corrodes the soul; at midnight, the pain pierces the very marrow of the bone"—was like an ice pick, fiercely stabbing into his heart!The fingers holding the slip of paper suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white. His face instantly became extremely grim, and his pupils violently contracted.How is this possible?! This is a secret that even Yan Yan doesn't know! How did this person find out?!Following the immense shock came intense anger and the panic of having a secret exposed!Without thinking, he almost subconsciously denied it sharply: "Nonsense! When did this old man ever get poisoned?! Absolutely ridiculous!"However, as he frantically read further and saw, "Your granddaughter, Dugu Yan, has decent talent, but the hidden bloodline danger has already manifested. If not eradicated, she may struggle to surpass the Spirit Saint realm," the fire of his denial was instantly frozen, as if doused by a basin of ice water.Yan Yan... his most beloved granddaughter, his only weakness.The other party not only knew his own symptoms but also pointed out Yan Yan's hidden danger, which was still minor and almost imperceptible!Reading further: "The wondrous Medicinal Garden, where Ice and Fire Share a Source; rare herbs grow alongside, surrounded by intense poison. Wasting heavenly resources, a pearl covered in dust, guarding a treasure mountain only to sigh in vain." Dugu Bo felt a chill shoot straight from his tailbone to the crown of his head, and the hand holding the paper began to tremble slightly.That Medicinal Garden was his biggest secret, a treasure trove absolutely unknown to anyone except Yan Yan!Not only did this person know about it, but they even criticized him for "wasting heavenly resources" and "guarding a treasure mountain only to sigh in vain"?The final line read: "The bearer of this letter can resolve your generational calamity, and I can fulfill my need for medicinal ingredients. Three days from now, at the southeastern entrance of the Sunset Forest, wait quietly."Detoxification? Generational calamity? Acquiring ingredients?After reading this passage, his mood was like someone trapped in despair suddenly seeing a sliver of hope.He abruptly lifted his head, green light blazing fiercely in his eyes, staring intently at Fu Ze. His voice, hoarse and distorted from desperately suppressing his emotions, said:"Utterly arrogant! You expect this old man to believe this nonsense based only on a slip of paper fabricated from hearsay?"You are merely coveting this old man's possessions!Who exactly is your Young Lord? How did he discover all this?! If there is a single lie, this old man will..."Although he was making fierce threats while inwardly fearful, he dared not truly break ties with the other party.Both the oppressive feeling caused by the Level 95 spirit power Fu Ze had previously released, and the overly precise, critical information on the slip of paper, had thrown his mind into chaos.At this moment, Fu Shiyan's plant incarnation in the shadows saw that Dugu Bo was starting to lose composure and knew the time was ripe. Using spirit power sound transmission, he clearly passed instructions into Fu Ze's ear.Receiving the instructions, Fu Ze maintained his composure when faced with Dugu Bo's questioning, and responded using the rhetoric taught by Shiyan:"Why is Your Excellency so eager to deny it? You yourself know best what the truth is.""As for how my Young Lord found out..."He paused, his gaze meeting Dugu Bo's suspicious and frightened eyes with an open expression:"My Young Lord possesses unique and profound research regarding the pharmacology of herbs, the origin of Spirits, and even many strange diseases and exotic poisons in the world.""The backlash caused by the Spirit defects of both Your Excellency and Miss Dugu Yan, as well as the characteristics of the many rare herbs in the Ice and Fire Shared Source location and the principles of mutual generation and restraint—my Young Lord has long understood all of it.""It is precisely because he understands that he possesses the solution."Seeing Dugu Bo's expression constantly changing, he continued speaking as instructed by Shiyan:"The Young Lord stated that he has no intention of making an enemy of Your Excellency, nor is he the type to covet your possessions and seize them through coercion.""The reason I was sent here this time is merely to deliver an invitation for a mutually beneficial transaction.""Everything written on the paper is true. The specific antidote and the strategy to eradicate the hidden danger have already been prepared by the Young Lord.""Whether it is true or false, Your Excellency can verify it in person when you meet him three days from now.""As for Your Excellency mentioning that we covet your possessions!"Before Fu Ze finished speaking, his right hand slowly summoned the Heavenly Ruin Halberd, and nine spirit rings slowly rose along with it.The spirit power pressure of Level 95 fell directly upon Dugu Bo!Everything depends on Your Excellency's own judgment."And seeing Fu Ze's nine rising spirit rings, especially the final blood-red 100,000 Year Spirit Ring!Dugu Bo's face was extremely ugly, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After all, if the opponent truly had malicious intentions, he would have no room to refuse anyway.More importantly, the information on the slip of paper was too fatal, precisely seizing all his weaknesses and secrets, forcing him to believe in this sliver of hope!Ultimately, the desire for relief from his own suffering, the worry for his granddaughter's future, and that faint thread of hope overcame his suspicion and fear.He took a deep breath and slowly spoke: "Fine... this old man will see what kind of divine being your Young Lord is, and what heaven-defying methods he possesses!"He tightly clenched the slip of paper in his hand, then turned and walked into the poisonous mist."Three days from now, at the southeastern entrance of the Sunset Forest, this old man will definitely arrive on time!"He left this sentence behind, no longer looking at Fu Ze. His figure flickered, and the surrounding poisonous mist swirled, rapidly blurring his silhouette, leaving behind only a faint trace of pungent odor.Fu Ze only slightly relaxed after confirming that Dugu Bo's aura had completely moved away.He nodded slightly towards the direction where Fu Shiyan's plant incarnation was hidden, and then also transformed into an inconspicuous streak of light, quietly leaving the edge of this Poisonous Array area.