Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 12 Dugu Bo

The sun set, gilding Tiandou City with a golden hue. Dugu Yan bid farewell to Ye Lingling, her figure like a streak of emerald light, darting towards the Sunset Forest. Her emerald hair fluttered in the wind, and her emerald eyes shone with a complex light. The unprecedented sense of relief within her left her perplexed and uneasy—if there really was some hidden ailment, why had Grandpa never mentioned it?

"Grandpa, what are you hiding from me?" She whispered softly, tapping her toes on the treetops as her figure flew through the forest like a swallow.

Passing through the poisonous miasma of the sunset forest, a rich medicinal aroma filled the air. Dugu Yan landed gracefully at the entrance of a secluded valley. The scene before her seemed like a paradise—exotic flowers and plants competed for beauty, and a variety of rare treasures shimmered in the twilight. In the center of the valley, a quaint wooden house stood quietly. In the herb garden in front of it, a familiar dark green figure bent over tending the herbs.

"grandfather!"

Dugu Bo looked up when he heard the voice, a hint of surprise flashed in his green eyes: "Yanyan? At this time..." Before he finished speaking, the girl had already thrown herself into his arms like a gust of wind.

The old man swayed slightly, then caught his granddaughter steadily. His slightly rough hands gently stroked his granddaughter's long hair, and his voice softened unconsciously: "What's wrong? Did that kid Yu Tianheng make you angry again?"

"Grandpa, is there something wrong with my body?" Dugu Yan raised her head and looked directly into her grandfather's eyes.

Dugu Bo's pupils suddenly constricted, and his bony fingers grasped his granddaughter's wrist with lightning speed. A moment later, his aged face lit up with a strange expression. "The toxins in your body have actually decreased by 20%?!" His voice trembled with excitement, and then he burst into a hearty laugh. "God bless our Dugu family! Yanyan, this is a great news!"

A warm teardrop fell on Dugu Yan's cheek. She stared at her grandfather in a daze. The Poison Douluo, who was known for his cruelty, was actually crying with joy at this moment.

"Grandpa." She called softly, her voice trembling slightly.

Dugu Bo suddenly came back to his senses, holding his granddaughter's shoulders tightly with both hands, his eyes flashing with anxiety: "Tell grandpa quickly, how did you do it?"

Dugu Yan recounted what happened in the piano room today. When she mentioned Feng Yao's piano music, her emerald green eyes unconsciously shone with a strange light: "That piano sound was very special, as if it could penetrate the body. Afterwards, I spat out a mouthful of poisonous blood."

"The sound of the zither drives away poison. The power of vibration, why didn't I think of that?" Dugu Bo muttered to himself, his long dark green hair moving without wind. He paced back and forth, suddenly stopped, and solemnly described the flaws of the Green Phosphorus Snake Martial Spirit one by one. When talking about the death of his son and daughter-in-law, his voice choked several times: "Your parents are also because of this..."

Dugu Yan's face was pale, and her slender fingers unconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes.

"But it's different now!" Dugu Bo suddenly excitedly held his granddaughter's hand, his eyes gleaming with hope. "This Feng Yao Yanyan, take grandpa to see him tomorrow! No, we have to go now!"

"Grandpa!" Dugu Yan held down the excited old man, "It's getting late, don't be anxious, don't scare others"

Dugu Bo took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "You're right. Grandpa was too impatient." He stroked his granddaughter's hair lovingly. "Come on, Grandpa will make you a bowl of blood-tonifying soup. Although it's good to expel the toxins, forcing them out rashly may damage your meridians."

As he turned, a deep glint flashed in the old man's eyes. Feng Yao. Who exactly was this young man who could cure the venom of the Green Phosphorus Snake? No matter what, he had to meet this young man in person.

The night was cool as water, and bright moonlight streamed through the carved window lattices. Feng Yao lazily leaned on the embroidered bed, his slender fingers tapping the edge intermittently, his eyes casually following the shadows of the clouds drifting by outside the window.

"It seems that I won't be able to wait for that person tonight." He yawned lightly, with a faint smile on the corner of his lips.

"Since we're being polite," Feng Yao pondered while contemplating, "then there won't be any danger tomorrow."

Feng Yao stretched his muscles, his silk nightgown rippling with movement. He sat cross-legged, his hands resting on his knees, gradually entering a meditative state. The moonlight cast a silver edge on his handsome profile, and his long eyelashes cast a faint shadow under his eyes, making him look like a silent jade sculpture.

From outside the window came the long, drawn-out clapper-beat of the night watchman, signaling the third watch. Feng Yao's breathing gradually grew longer, his soul power flowing slowly through his meridians.

The next morning, the sky was slightly bright and the morning dew had not yet dried.

Dugu Bo brought Dugu Yan to the inn where Feng Yao lived very early. For a Titled Douluo, it was too easy to find Feng Yao.

Dugu Yan had changed into a brand new emerald green outfit, with a silver-threaded belt around her waist, which made her skin look as white as snow. She stood in front of Feng Yao's room, twisting her fingers nervously. "Grandpa, are we here too early?"

Dugu Bo had changed out of his usual dark green robe today, donning a dark blue brocade gown. He even tied up his long dark green hair, which had been hanging loose for years, with a jade hairpin, trying to look more approachable. Hearing this, he slowly said, "Yanyan, you are my only granddaughter now. I've waited so long for this day."

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Yao's door creaked open. Feng Yao, dressed in a plain white robe, stood inside the door, looking at the grandfather and grandson in surprise. He was slightly startled, then bowed gracefully: "Miss Dugu, His Majesty Dugu, good morning to both of you."

The sunlight fell on Feng Yao, casting a slender silhouette in the corridor. A few strands of hair on his forehead made him look elegant and refined.

Dugu Bo waved his sleeves, looked Feng Yao straight in the eyes, and said straight to the point: "Don't bother with those empty words. It was you who injured my Yanyan yesterday?"

Dugu Yan, who was standing by, couldn't help but blush when she heard this, and her slender fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of her clothes, but at this moment she was too embarrassed to ruin her grandfather's show.

Feng Yao smiled faintly and said, "Senior, if you are here seeking medical treatment, please speak frankly. As for what happened yesterday, Miss Dugu has already forgiven me."

"What a big tone!" Dugu Bo snorted coldly, "Then tell me, what disease does my Yanyan have?"

Feng Yao raised his hand slowly, his moon-white sleeves shimmering softly in the morning light. "Senior, you've gotten up so early, I'm sure you haven't had breakfast yet. Why don't you let me host you, and we can talk while we eat?"

Dugu Bo looked a little impatient and was about to explode when his granddaughter gently tugged at his sleeve. Dugu Yan bowed gracefully and said, "Sorry to bother you, Mr. Feng."

In the elegant private room, the exquisite breakfast exuded an alluring aroma. After the waiter left, Dugu Bo knocked on the table impatiently: "Can we finally talk now?"

"Miss Dugu is poisoned. The poison is hidden in her blood and comes from her soul ring." Feng Yao picked up a piece of crystal shrimp dumpling, his tone as calm as if he was talking about today's weather.

With a clang, the teacup in Dugu Bo's hand fell to the ground. His face was gloomy as he stared at the young man who was eating calmly in front of him. His slightly hoarse voice tightened slightly: "How do you know?"

Feng Yao gracefully put down his bamboo chopsticks and lightly traced his fingertips along the rim of the cup. "Senior, you are nicknamed 'Poison'. This is the ability you are most proud of. If I am not mistaken, the soul beasts you have chosen are also highly poisonous, right?"

Dugu Bo's expression suddenly changed, his emerald pupils shrinking drastically as regret filled his eyes. His wrinkled hands trembled slightly, revealing a vulnerability rarely seen in a Titled Douluo.

"The martial soul is the embodiment of the soul master's bloodline, and the absorbed soul ring is the bloodline power of the soul beast." Feng Yao's voice flowed like a clear spring, "When you use it to enhance the toxicity of the martial soul, this toxicity is also passed on to future generations and hidden in the blood." "It's me. I hurt them." Dugu Bo suddenly burst into tears, and his hoarse voice was filled with regret.

"Grandpa." Dugu Yan gently held the old man's trembling hand.

Feng Yao handed over a white handkerchief and said, "Senior, there is no need to blame yourself. In this world of soul masters where the strong prey on the weak, if you don't have this strength, I'm afraid..." He didn't finish his words, but they already expressed all the vicissitudes of life he had experienced.

Dugu Bo took a deep breath, and hope rekindled in his eyes: "Is there a cure?"

"If my guess is correct, the strength of Miss Dugu's poison is now far beyond that of her peers." Feng Yao looked at Dugu Yan and said softly.

Dugu Bo sighed slightly and nodded, "Yes, I didn't want Yanyan to follow the same path as me. But if I don't absorb the soul beast with strong toxins, I'm afraid my resistance to the poison will become even lower, and my life will be in danger."

"It's too difficult to cure the poison deposits at the Title Douluo level." Feng Yao shook his head lightly, "It's better to change the idea. Don't seek a cure, just seek to prolong it. Just like a venomous snake stores its toxins in its venom sac, if you can introduce the poison into the soul bone..."

As Feng Yao spoke, his smiling gaze slowly fell on the grandfather and grandson.

"Brilliant!" Dugu Bo suddenly slammed the table and stood up, his eyes gleaming. He paced back and forth, his long dark green hair moving in the wind. "Why didn't I think of this!"

"As for Miss Dugu..." Feng Yao looked at the girl sitting quietly beside him, "The poison is still mild at present. She needs to use the music of the zither to clear it out. After obtaining the appropriate soul bone..."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo laughed out loud, his voice shaking the roof tiles. "Good! Good! Good!" He uttered three "good" words in a row, shaking the leaves outside the courtyard rustling. "I have been looking for the solution my whole life, and I didn't expect to find it in a zither player!"

Suddenly, Dugu Bo's smile suddenly faded, and he bowed solemnly: "Friend Feng, I have an unwelcome request."

Feng Yao quickly moved aside and said, "Senior, please excuse me."

"Can you please teach me this method of exorcising poison with the sound of the zither?" Dugu Bo said in a low voice, "No matter what the conditions are, as long as I can do it."

The teacup in Feng Yao's hand trembled slightly, thinking he had misheard something. He said in disbelief, "Senior, are you saying you want to learn the qin?"

The box suddenly fell silent. Dugu Bo's face flushed, but Dugu Yan had already covered her lips and chuckled softly.

Feng Yao quickly stood up and returned the greeting. "My apologies, senior. It's an honor for me to receive your kind advice." A sincere smile flickered in his eyes. "It's better to teach a man how to fish than to give him a fish. Being able to exchange skills and explore sound therapy methods with you will greatly benefit my qin skills."

Dugu Bo turned his face away like a sullen child, his long dark green hair swaying slightly with his movements. He deliberately kept a straight face, but he couldn't hide the slight upward curve of his mouth: "Hmph, you are sensible. But I never take advantage of others. If you have anything to ask for, as long as I can do it-"

Before he finished speaking, Feng Yao smiled and continued, "What a coincidence! I do have a request."

This blunt attitude actually made Dugu Bo's eyes light up, and a huge stone in his heart fell. He appreciated this kind of straightforward nature: "Speak!"

"I haven't started school yet, and I want to borrow the help of my seniors to go to Tiandou Royal Academy to have a simulated training environment." Feng Yao blinked and smiled harmlessly.

Dugu Bo stared at him with wide eyes, looking at him like a monster: "Is this all you have? You're looking for a Titled Douluo just for such a trivial matter?"

"Actually," Feng Yao said, pretending to be shy, "I have something else to ask of you."

"What are you hesitating about!" Dugu Bo swung his sleeves impatiently, and a scent of medicine wafted from his cuffs.

Feng Yao took a deep breath, as if mustering up courage: "I heard that the senior has a herb garden. I would like to ask for some herbs."

"You know pharmacology?" Dugu Bo looked suspiciously at the seemingly frail musician, who was indeed quite handsome. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him. He narrowed his eyes mischievously, glancing back and forth between Feng Yao and his granddaughter. "Oh—I understand!"

"Senior, you are wise." Feng Yao smiled more and more obediently, like a fox begging for food.

Dugu Bo waved his hand and said, "Alright! I'll go talk to Tiandou Royal Academy myself. You'll go to school with Yanyan from now on." He then deliberately put on a stern face and glanced at Feng Yao with disdain. "As for the herbs, come with me to the herb garden to get them. It's a good opportunity for me to see your conditioning methods."

At dawn, the three of them treaded on the shimmering morning dew, reaching the depths of the Sunset Forest. Dugu Bo emanated a faint dark green aura, his Titled Douluo-level spirit power forming an invisible barrier, completely blocking out the poisonous mist and miasma along the way. He led the two of them down a cliff, and suddenly, the view opened up—the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire revealed a breathtaking spectacle in the morning light.

The scorching Yang Spring and the bitterly cold Yin Spring merged, creating a hazy vapor. At the junction of the springs, rare medicinal herbs shimmered, nurtured by the power of ice and fire. A variety of emerald green leaves unfolded, fragrant and exquisite products radiated a dreamy blue-purple halo, and a ruby-like Acacia Heartbroken Red swayed gently in the breeze.

"What a wonderful place created by heaven and earth!" Feng Yao couldn't help but admire softly, with this magical scene reflected in his eyes.

Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back, his long dark green hair fluttering in the morning breeze, his eyes gleaming with pride. He waved his hand, his sleeves wafting a scent of medicinal herbs. "Boy, you can use all the herbs here. First, take care of Yanyan. As for gathering herbs..." He paused meaningfully, "there's still plenty of time to go."

Feng Yao took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement surging in his heart. Any one of these immortal herbs before him could cultivate a Titled Douluo. His fingertips trembled slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and turned to look at the green-haired girl beside him.

"Miss Dugu, please take a seat." Feng Yao said gently.

Dugu Yan smiled, a hint of cunning flashed in her green eyes: "No need to be so distant? Just call me Sister Yan." She sat cross-legged lightly, her emerald-like long hair hanging down on her shoulders, shining softly in the morning light.

Feng Yao smiled upon hearing this and did not refuse: "Then I'll have to trouble Sister Yan." He sat on the ground, pressed his hands lightly, and the "Fuxi" guqin slowly emerged in front of his knees, with ancient patterns flowing on the body of the guqin.

When the first note sounded, the entire Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire fell silent. Feng Yao's slender fingers danced gracefully across the strings, and two yellow spirit rings flickered alternately, reflecting a magnificent brilliance in the spring water. Strange sound waves spread like ripples.

Dugu Bo's pupils shrank slightly, and he unconsciously held his breath. He clearly felt the mysterious power contained in the sound waves, resonating with his internal organs. The spring water began to boil slightly, and the surrounding immortal herbs swayed gently to the rhythm, as if responding to the beautiful music.

Feng Yao was completely immersed in the music, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. Every time he plucked the strings, it was incredibly precise, and the sound waves wrapped around Dugu Yan like silk threads, guiding the toxins in her body to slowly flow out.

(End of this chapter)