"Protect the Emperor!"
There's an assassin!
The Royal Guard reacted instantly, their spears arrayed and their spirit rings flashing, surrounding the extremely luxurious royal carriage.
"What's the panic?"
An aged yet authoritative voice came from the treetops by the roadside.
Everyone looked up and saw Dugu Bo standing with his hands behind his back in a dark green robe, while Dugu Yan stood quietly beside him with a cold expression.
"Your Excellency Poison Douluo?"
The captain of the guards recognized the newcomer and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but he did not lower his weapon, remaining vigilant:
"May I ask what brings Your Majesty to stop His Majesty's carriage?"
"I had just finished watching the game and happened to be passing by. I smelled a deathly aura coming from this car, which made me feel uneasy, so I stopped to take a look."
Dugu Bo swayed and landed lightly ten meters in front of the carriage like a falling leaf, ignoring the gleaming weapons around him.
The carriage curtain was lifted.
Xue Qinghe helped Emperor Xue Ye out.
Although Emperor Xueye was pale, he still managed a forced smile when he saw Dugu Bo:
"So it was Mr. Dugu."
Sir, you are a guest of my Heavenly Dou Empire, why be so formal?
Since we've run into each other, why don't we return to the palace for a chat?
Dugu Bo was a guest minister in the Xuexing Prince's mansion.
By saying this on a snowy night, Xueye was undoubtedly trying to get closer to him.
But Dugu Bo did not correct it.
Xue Qinghe smiled gently and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Senior Dugu, my father has been unwell recently and was just about to invite you to the palace to take a look. I didn't expect to run into you like this. It's really fate."
Looking at Xue Qinghe's flawless smiling face, Dugu Bo sneered inwardly.
fate?
This is a "destiny" that I specially prepared for you.
"It's not a matter of fate."
Dugu Bo glanced at Xue Qinghe, or rather, Qian Renxue.
Yu Nan explained.
We cannot reveal Qian Renxue's identity directly yet.
To avoid drawing the attention of the Spirit Hall to them.
The next few years of development are extremely valuable.
Prescribe some medicine for Xueye to help alleviate the symptoms.
Finally, he offered to become a guest elder of the Heavenly Dou Empire in exchange for the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.
There shouldn't be any problem!
"Your Majesty doesn't look too well."
Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over Emperor Xue Ye like two sharp swords. His tone was somewhat casual, yet it went straight to the heart of the matter:
"His forehead is dark, and his breathing is weak. If those quack doctors in the palace were to force-feed him those worthless tonics..."
"I fear his death is not far off."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding imperial guards were immediately shocked and glared angrily.
If it weren't for the fact that he was a Title Douluo, they probably would have already rushed up to fight him to the death.
However, upon hearing this, Emperor Xueye was not angry at all; instead, his eyes shone with an astonishing brilliance.
He knew his own body best; these days, he had felt increasingly weak and lacking in energy.
The imperial physicians changed batch after batch, but apart from prescribing some mild tonics, they couldn't find the cause of the illness at all.
Now that Dugu Bo had hit the nail on the head, he saw a glimmer of hope.
"Sir...Sir, can you diagnose my illness?"
Emperor Xueye pushed away Xue Qinghe's support, took two steps forward, and said urgently:
"As the saying goes, medicine and poison are inseparable. You are the foremost expert in poisons in this era, so you must also have unique insights into medical principles."
If you, sir, are willing to lend a helping hand, I will surely reward you handsomely!
Standing to the side, Xue Qinghe suddenly clenched his fist in his sleeve, his heart skipping a beat.
Damn it!
Why would this old poisoner suddenly get involved?
She used a secret poison concocted by the Spirit Hall, colorless and odorless, with an extremely long incubation period.
It seeps in gradually through daily diet and incense, and even a titled Douluo would find it extremely difficult to detect if he were not an expert in pharmacology.
If Dugu Bo discovers that it is poison, wouldn't her years of infiltration be in vain?
"Father..."
A perfectly measured hint of worry appeared on Xue Qinghe's face as he softly offered his advice:
"Although Senior Dugu is highly skilled, he is, after all, a specialist in his field. Your Majesty is of noble birth; if you were to attempt this rashly... I am worried..."
"Does Your Highness not trust this old man?"
Dugu Bo glanced sideways at Xue Qinghe, a cold smile playing on his lips:
"Or does Your Highness believe that watching His Majesty grow thinner and thinner is the proper way to show filial piety?"
This statement was extremely harsh, directly labeling him as "unfilial."
Xue Qinghe's face stiffened, and he quickly lowered his head in fear:
"Qinghe dares not!"
Qinghe was only worried about her father's safety. Since her predecessor was so confident, it was a blessing for her father and for the Heavenly Struggle.
She dared not stop her anymore, otherwise it would seem too deliberate and arouse suspicion.
All one could do was pray silently; the composition of this mixed poison was extremely complex.
Even if Dugu Bo could identify the poison, he might not be able to cure it, let alone find out its source.
"In that case, let's not waste time on this main road."
Dugu Bo waved his sleeve and said calmly:
"Let's return to the palace. I need a quiet environment to take His Majesty's pulse."
...
Inside the sleeping quarters of the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace.
The magnificent palace was deathly silent, with only a few trusted servants and Xue Qinghe guarding the door.
Dugu Bo sat on the edge of the bed, placing three fingers on Emperor Xueye's wrist.
A stream of emerald green soul energy probed into the fingertip and flowed through the meridians of the snowy night.
Dugu Yan stood quietly to the side, looking at her grandfather's solemn expression, and couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
"Old Poison Master, how's it going?"
Yu Nan's voice echoed in Dugu Bo's mind.
"Just as you predicted, senior."
Dugu Bo responded in his heart, his tone solemn:
"This poison was extremely insidious; it wasn't a single toxin, but a mixture of multiple drugs."
What appears to be a nourishing supplement is actually depleting one's vitality.
The toxins have now penetrated deep into the bone marrow; to completely eradicate them is virtually impossible.
"Of course, this is something that old fellow Qian Daoliu has been preparing for for more than ten years."
Yu Nan snorted coldly:
"However, you don't need to cure him completely."
"As long as he doesn't die, and can linger on for a few more years, that's enough for us to obtain the Vast Ocean Universe Cover."
"Understood."
Dugu Bo withdrew his finger, and the emerald green light dissipated.
He frowned, sighed deeply, and slowly shook his head.
This sigh chilled Xueye, who had been watching him intently, and she asked in a trembling voice:
"Sir...is my body...is there really nothing you can do about it?"
Standing to the side, Xue Qinghe appeared concerned, but in reality, he was listening intently, secretly sneering to himself: It seems this old poisoner is all talk and no action.
Dugu Bo remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his tone carrying a hint of reservation:
"Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but your illness is not simply a matter of physical pain."
On a snowy night, he urgently inquired:
Why is that?
Read 40+ Advanced Chapters At Pa Treon.
patreon.com/FictionPower
Remove@ to a
(End of Chapter)