Detoxification

"Alright, now that everyone is here, there's no time to waste. Let's begin." Ming Lunyu spoke directly.

Dugu Bo naturally had no objections. The sooner this matter was resolved, the more at ease he would be.

"Then, Miss Dugu Yan, please come inside." Ming Lunyu was the first to head toward the small wooden cabin.

"Eh, so soon?" Dugu Yan followed closely behind him.

Inside the wooden cabin, Ming Lunyu had Dugu Yan sit in a chair while he stood before her.

The others formed a circle around them to watch the show.

Of course, Dugu Bo had no mood to watch any show. He looked calm on the surface, but inside, he was nervous to death.

Ming Lunyu gave the "patient's family member" a reassuring look, then gestured to Tang Fu'er.

Tang Fu'er immediately took out a large gourd that emanated a faint dragon aura—the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd.

"Eat it."

Tang Fu'er briefly explained how to consume it, then stuffed the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd into Dugu Yan's hands.

Dugu Yan instinctively glanced at her grandpa.

Dugu Bo nodded at her, and only then did Dugu Yan take it with peace of mind.

"Mm!"

The tyrannical power of the earth dragon rampaged through her body. Dugu Yan's face went pale, and her body swayed.

But before that formidable energy could damage her body, a gentle, all-embracing force suddenly poured in from her dantian.

"Don't get distracted. Focus your mind and guide my Soul Power through every meridian in your body."

Ming Lunyu's calm voice rang directly in Dugu Yan's mind, giving her an endless sense of security. She instinctively followed his instructions.

The pale green Soul Power acted like a guide, leading the gray Soul Power through every vein and every inch of flesh in her body.

The gray Soul Power was like a fusion device, perfectly accommodating both the Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison and the medicinal power of the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd. Under this power of fusion, the two gradually reached a harmonious state with Dugu Yan's body.

Feeling his granddaughter's Soul Power gradually stabilize and even faintly strengthen, Dugu Bo let out a sigh of relief. He then asked curiously, "Lady Fu'er, may I ask what immortal herb you had Yanyan consume, and what effect does it have?"

Tang Fu'er raised her eyes and glanced at him, her expression somewhat strange.

"That was the immortal-grade Earth Dragon Golden Gourd. It is rich in dragon aura. When consumed by Soul Masters with serpent-type Martial Souls, it can temper the body, improve one's aptitude, and may even promote a second awakening of the Martial Soul."

Dugu Bo awkwardly rubbed his nose. He understood. Tang Fu'er was subtly mocking him for sitting atop a treasure mountain without realizing it. An immortal-grade herb that would greatly benefit him had required someone else to point it out before he knew to consume it.

"Speaking of which, earlier, I sensed Miss Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul..."

"That was because she consumed the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. The quality of her Martial Soul rose by half a grade, leaving her only one step away from the King of Phoenixes."

"The King of Phoenixes..." Dugu Bo was secretly startled.

A phoenix alone was already a king among beast Martial Souls, a Super Martial Soul whose quality surpassed even a Top-Tier Martial Soul. Now that it had risen another half-grade, just how terrifying was it? It might not even be inferior to Spirit Hall's inherited Martial Soul, the Six-Winged Angel.

Ma Hongjun was like this—then just what kind of peerless genius was that young man who had always led the three of them?

Level forty-five at twelve years old. So long as he did not die young, a level ninety-nine limit Douluo was probably the bare minimum for his future.

Although Ming Lunyu and Ma Hongjun's present achievements were inseparable from the immortal herbs he had provided, from another perspective, he himself had occupied this treasure land for years without knowing how to make use of it. Yet they had come here and immediately found immortal herbs beneficial to themselves. Was that not a kind of strength as well?

At that thought, Dugu Bo, who had initially submitted to Ming Lunyu only to save his granddaughter, now truly gained a few more degrees of loyalty.

Time passed second by second.

Ming Lunyu and Dugu Yan were also nearing the end.

"Whew!" Ming Lunyu let out a long breath and snapped his fingers, withdrawing Inverse Yin Yang. "There's no problem now."

The instant he finished speaking, Dugu Yan parted her crimson lips, and a high-pitched cry like clashing gold and stone suddenly echoed across the entire Ice Fire Lake.

At the same time, a phantom image of an emerald-green dragon appeared behind Dugu Yan.

Dugu Yan's eyes flew open.

"I... this..." Feeling an unprecedented sense of ease within her body, Dugu Yan could not suppress the joy in her heart.

"Grandpa! Look!" She immediately showed Dugu Bo her changes. First, her Martial Soul had evolved into the Jade Phosphor Poison Dragon. Then, her Soul Power had jumped several levels in succession, reaching around level thirty-two. However, because she had no Soul Ring, it could not be determined for the moment.

"Yanyan, let me see!" Dugu Bo seized Dugu Yan's wrist impatiently and began examining her with focused concentration.

Several minutes later, after confirming it again and again, Dugu Bo finally released Dugu Yan's wrist, his face showing relief.

"It's gone, it's really gone! Hahahaha!"

After being harmonized by Ming Lunyu's Soul Power, the Jade Phosphor Poison would no longer harm Dugu Yan's body. Instead, the two coexisted in perfect harmony, as though they were one. The poison had even become a part of Dugu Yan's body, a force entirely under her control and as easy to wield as her own limbs.

"And Miss Dugu's evolved Martial Soul can be inherited," Ming Lunyu added with a smile.

"Good, wonderful..." Overwhelmed with joy, Dugu Bo burst into tears and held Dugu Yan as old tears streamed down his face.

How many generations of the Dugu family had been plagued by the Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison? This sharp double-edged sword had caused countless tragedies in their line. The Dugu family, once fairly prosperous, had dwindled until only Dugu Bo's single line remained. The bitterness of it was easy to imagine.

But from this day onward, the tragedy would never happen again. On the contrary, the Dugu family's inherited Martial Soul had evolved even further into the Jade Phosphor Poison Dragon. This was a complete qualitative leap, with one foot already stepping into the realm of Super Martial Souls.

"Young Master Ming, great kindness needs no words of thanks. You cured Yanyan, and this old man will certainly not break his promise. From this day onward, I will follow Young Master Ming's lead. Though I may not have much time left to live, for as long as I draw breath, I will do everything in my power to ease your worries and solve your problems." Dugu Bo clasped his fists and spoke solemnly.

Dugu Yan also secretly glanced at Ming Lunyu, her eyes filled with complicated emotions—gratitude, excitement, and a trace of something else.

"Rest assured. Since you've joined my ranks, I absolutely won't treat you poorly." Ming Lunyu smiled as he helped Dugu Bo up.

"Young Master Ming!" Dugu Yan suddenly stepped forward, her face full of pleading. "Young Master Ming, could you perhaps..."

Dugu Bo was startled, then warmth rose in his heart.

Ming Lunyu waved his hand, interrupting what Dugu Yan was about to say.

He knew what Dugu Yan wanted to say. She merely wished to ask him to cure Dugu Bo as well.

But Dugu Bo was different from Dugu Yan. His poisoning ran far too deep. Under normal circumstances, Dugu Bo should have died from the poison more than a decade ago. The only reason he could sit here seemingly unharmed was because the dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth surrounding the Ice Fire Lake suppressed the poison cultivation throughout his body.

But as he grew older, no amount of spiritual energy of heaven and earth could do more than delay the inevitable. Dugu Bo's body was like a cup riddled with holes—no, it was like a cup whose bottom had nearly rotted away. Even if it were placed beneath the largest faucet, it could never be filled.

With Ming Lunyu's current level of Soul Power alone, it was impossible for him to save Dugu Bo.

But Dugu Bo was, after all, an expert Ming Lunyu had gone to great lengths to recruit. Ming Lunyu did not want him to simply die like this, so he had to attempt to save Dugu Bo. As for exactly how to do it, Ming Lunyu had a rather unscrupulous idea in mind...