"Senior… you… what is this about?"
Faced with the sudden appearance of the green-haired figure blocking his path, Chen Ming found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
The man before him indeed had green hair, and there was that faint, sickly-sweet scent lingering around him—but this was no Dugu Yan.
This was her grandfather—Dugu Bo.
But why would Dugu Bo appear here, of all times? Chen Ming hadn't even met Dugu Yan yet, and now he was suddenly facing her grandfather directly—this felt like skipping several steps in the story.
His mind began racing, rapidly analyzing every possible scenario.
Meanwhile, Dugu Bo silently looked him up and down, his sharp gaze scrutinizing every detail. Then, without a word, he stepped forward and placed a hand on Chen Ming's shoulder, sending a strand of Spirit Power into his body.
Under Chen Ming's puzzled gaze, Dugu Bo's expression stiffened ever so slightly.
"…Not bad, kid. You've got talent," he said with a faint, self-mocking smile.
It seemed he had truly been driven close to madness by the poison's backlash lately—otherwise, how could he seriously entertain the idea that a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast in human form would be so easy to find?
"Senior Poison Douluo… may I ask why you sought me out?"
"I merely heard there was an… unusual junior," Dugu Bo replied casually, clearly brushing it off.
About half a year ago, he had felt his condition improving. Even the backlash from his poison seemed slightly more manageable, and for the first time in a long while, he believed he might break through—from Level 91 to Level 92.
But the attempt had failed.
Worse still, it had triggered a violent backlash. The poison surged through his heart, nearly claiming his life on the spot. Though he had barely managed to suppress it using the environment of a treasured location, avoiding immediate death by his own toxin, the backlash had only grown more severe and frequent.
That single failed breakthrough had cost him nearly ten years of his already limited lifespan—and his condition continued to deteriorate with each passing day.
It was precisely because of this that Dugu Bo, now convinced that his time was running out, had no choice but to begin preparing a path for the only family he had left in this world—his granddaughter, Dugu Yan.
Originally, he had hoped to find a way to spare her from suffering the same poisonous backlash that plagued him. That was why he had always kept her by his side, never pushing her too hard in cultivation.
But now, with no other options, he had sent her to the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy to study, while he himself began frantically searching for any possible solution to his condition.
Even though he had only overheard a few students whispering—and even though he didn't truly believe that a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast would dare infiltrate the academy—
In his current, half-crazed and unstable state, he could not afford to let go of even the faintest glimmer of hope.
Now, seeing that Chen Ming was nothing more than an ordinary human, not some transformed Spirit Beast, Dugu Bo couldn't help but feel disappointed—and faintly ridiculous. It seemed he had truly begun to lose his rationality.
"How did you recognize me as the Poison Douluo?" Dugu Bo waved his hand dismissively, clearly intending to exchange a few words before leaving.
After all, he had been the one to grab and probe Chen Ming without warning. Even with his eccentric temperament, he knew he should at least offer a token explanation.
Chen Ming, however, answered calmly, his voice steady and precise:
"Senior, there are traces of medicinal residue around your fingernails, and your sleeves carry the faint scorched scent left behind by refining herbs. Your clothing is predominantly green, with subtle dark stains at the edges—likely remnants from alchemical processes. From this, it's clear you are an expert in the art of poison and medicine."
"At the corners of your robe, there is an embroidered green serpent pattern. While there are many types of green venomous snakes, the hue of this one leans toward a jade-like brilliance."
"The scales are fine and dense, the head sharp and defined. Taking all these features together, it closely resembles one of the Five Venoms—the Jade Phosphor Serpent."
"An expert in poison and medicine, paired with the Jade Phosphor Serpent as your symbol…"
Chen Ming met his gaze without hesitation.
"In this world, there can only be one such person."
Chen Ming calmly listed off the details he had observed, one after another. As Dugu Bo lowered his head slightly, he noticed—just as the boy had said—that there were indeed faint dark stains along his sleeves and collar, likely left behind unintentionally during his work.
Sharp eyes, Dugu Bo thought to himself, silently nodding in approval.
But before he could dwell on it, Chen Ming continued.
"Your pupils carry a faintly murky dark-green hue. Though your hair is deep green, the color gradually fades, and at the very tips, there is already a trace of white. There's also a subtle, sickly-sweet scent about you. Between your brows lies a faint dark undertone, and your lips are pale gray, devoid of blood."
"If an ordinary person showed such symptoms, it would mean poison had already invaded the body and penetrated the marrow—an incurable condition, one that would make even walking difficult."
"And yet, you move freely, your aura steady and composed. You do not resemble someone whose body has been thoroughly consumed by poison."
Chen Ming paused slightly, then met his gaze.
"Only the legendary Poison Douluo, whose mastery of poison has reached extraordinary heights, could turn such abnormalities into something that appears… natural."
"—?!!"
Dugu Bo sucked in a sharp breath, instinctively stepping back. Almost frantically, he grabbed a strand of his own hair, staring at it—at the gradual shift from dark green to pale at the ends.
Chen Ming's words echoed in his mind, each one striking like a hammer.
Could it be…? Could it be that my current condition is so obvious that even a mere child can see I've been poisoned? No… that's impossible!
Before Chen Ming could continue, Dugu Bo suddenly surged with Spirit Power, sweeping him up and vanishing from the spot in an instant.
Not far away, hidden in the shadows, the "royal" guard secretly assigned by Xue Qinghe to "protect" Chen Ming witnessed the scene—and nearly had a heart attack.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! If that old monster Dugu Bo kills him, won't His Highness take it out on me?! This… this… I need to report this immediately!"
Panicked, the guard dashed off toward Heaven Dou City without a second thought.
Meanwhile, Dugu Bo had already brought Chen Ming deep into a forest outside the Heaven Dou Emperial Academy.
Standing before him, Dugu Bo's expression was tense, a hint of killing intent flickering beneath his brows—yet buried even deeper was something else.
Fear.
"Kid… what exactly did you mean just now?"
"I said, Senior Poison Douluo's mastery of poison has reached—"
"I'm asking why you said I'm poisoned!" Dugu Bo cut him off sharply, his voice cracking slightly, the fear within it no longer concealed. "How did you see it? On what basis do you claim I'm beyond cure?"
Chen Ming, however, remained composed.
"Senior, I simply observe carefully and have a good memory. Let me give you a few examples—you can judge for yourself whether they're accurate."
"There are many manifestations of poisoning, and many can be observed directly from the face. Look into a mirror—your pupils are dark green, slightly unfocused, and the whites of your eyes are faintly clouded."
"Pull out a strand of your hair. The roots are deep green, but the tips are already turning pale. If I'm not mistaken, if you burn it, it should produce a scent different from that of normal hair."
"Stick out your tongue and examine the coating… or, if that's inconvenient, spit into a cup. You'll find the saliva is dark and viscous. Drop in a small insect—see if it survives."
"You may not notice it yourself, but even your breath carries a faint fishy odor."
"And your bodily functions—have they not become abnormal? If I'm correct, your urine is as dark as tea, and your stool as black as lacquer."
"Press along your ribs—there should be numbness. Take a deep breath while pressing both sides, and you'll feel a needle-like pain. Run your hands upward along your ribs—your breathing should become labored."
"For a Spirit Master, the higher the rank, the steadier and more prolonged the breath should be. But yours is short and rapid, and after mobilizing Spirit Power, your face flushes red—these are not normal signs for someone of your level."
One by one, Chen Ming listed the symptoms as if reciting from memory, each point precise, undeniable.
To put it simply—even in his previous life, any ordinary person with basic education, even without knowing the exact nature of the poison, could tell from Dugu Bo's condition alone that he had been deeply poisoned.