Dugu Yan

When I was little, I had the same reaction whenever I got injections at the hospital—I'd close my eyes in fear. In this life, it was finally my turn to give someone else an injection, and it was even a pretty girl. Lin Manshan smiled reassuringly. "Miss Yanzi, don't worry. It won't hurt."

With such a long needle going in, it looked painful just watching it. Everyone instinctively looked away.

Would blood spray out the moment that needle went in? Shui Yue'er covered her eyes with both hands, leaving a slit between her fingers. She wanted to look, yet did not dare.

In the end, she could not help looking.

Lin Manshan lightly pressed Dugu Yan's Elbow Center with the fingertips of his left hand, while his right index finger and thumb gently pinched and rotated the Needle Body.

The Needle Tip slowly sank in.

It really did not seem to hurt much. Dugu Yan opened her eyes in surprise, then her face immediately turned pale. The silver needle had already gone in by a third, yet she was fine?

Eh, she had not cried out in pain. Those who had not dared to look could not help turning back, and their scalps immediately tingled in shock.

"So amazing! There isn't even any blood. It went in so far—doesn't it hurt?" Shui Yue'er blinked curiously.

"It stung a little at first. Now it feels slightly swollen, but otherwise I don't feel much." Dugu Yan answered truthfully.

"That is a normal reaction." As Lin Manshan spoke, he used Reincarnation Technique along the silver needle to channel in Soul Power.

Soul Power could merge with flesh, blood, and bones, strengthening and protecting the body while increasing its resistance and even its ability to heal itself. Though it could not directly detoxify or expel poison, it could still provide a certain degree of resistance against poison and protection from it.

Ni Tian Er Xing had suffered from the incurable Petrification Disease, yet he had still endured it for years because the Soul Power within his body was abundant enough. Channeling Soul Power into Dugu Yan's joints and allowing it to seep into her bones would be enough to provide decent protection to that area. Of course, this was only a small experiment to see whether it would actually work.

What exquisite Soul Power control. Watching threadlike strands of "Soul Power" slowly seep from the silver needle into her skin, everyone fell silent.

With such delicate work, they were afraid that even a sound from them might cause unnecessary trouble.

Before long, Lin Manshan stopped moving and slowly pulled out the silver needle.

From the Needle Body to the Needle Tip, it had changed from pale green to a deeper green. Though the color was faint, the difference from before it had been inserted was very obvious.

"Is that all poison?" Everyone was immediately shocked, their scalps tingling.

"The entire inserted portion has been dyed green." Shui Yue'er's eyes widened.

"That's right. It is indeed the toxin in Miss Yanzi's body. And as expected, it has already penetrated deep into her lungs and viscera, clinging to the bone surface." Lin Manshan frowned slightly, then looked up at Dugu Yan. Pretending not to know anything, he wore a surprised expression. "Miss Yanzi, the poison in your body is not right. It doesn't seem like something you were recently poisoned with. It seems more like old poison that has accumulated for over a decade. It has already seeped throughout your entire body."

"To put it bluntly, unless something unusual happens, you may not live past thirty."

"Not live past thirty? It's that serious?" Everyone from Heaven Dou Academy changed expression.

Was it really that tragic? The Women from Skywater Academy also widened their eyes, unable to stop a trace of sympathy from appearing in their gazes toward Dugu Yan.

"I... I don't know the reason either, but judging from the diagnosis, that is indeed the case." Lin Manshan scratched his head. "Also, just now, I used Silver Needle Acupoint to suppress the Deadly Poison in Miss Yanzi's elbow."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dugu Yan, who had been closing her eyes to feel the changes in her elbow, abruptly opened them and looked over in shock.

At that moment, her gaze met Lin Manshan's as he turned back toward her. "Miss Yanzi, how do you feel now? To be honest, this is my first time trying this method to help someone suppress poison."

Dugu Yan was clearly agitated. Her eyes shimmered with tears, full of hope, and her voice became hurried. "Very good. My elbow feels much lighter. A'man, since you know how to suppress it, have you thought of a way to eradicate it completely?"

"I'm afraid you will have to tell me the source of the Deadly Poison first, Miss Yanzi, before I can prescribe the right treatment." Lin Manshan sighed. "Your poison is truly rather strange. This is also the first time I've encountered such a situation. Without understanding it clearly, I have no way to begin."

Hearing this, Dugu Yan's expression darkened. She nodded and said something astonishing. "The poison in my body is the Inherited Poison of my family's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. As the name suggests, the poison has been passed down generation after generation, and it only grows more severe with each generation."

"My father died from poison before he even reached forty. Now that the poison of our Martial Soul has been passed down to my generation, the situation has become even worse. Perhaps, just as you said, A'man."

"If nothing unusual happens, I probably will not live past thirty." As she spoke, her Peripheral Vision shifted toward Yu Tianheng. "Also, although my Grandfather is exceptionally powerful, he too has been deeply poisoned. I do not know how much longer he can hold on. Perhaps in another dozen years or so, the Dugu Family will disappear completely from the continent."

During the time they had spent at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Dugu Yan had fully noticed that Yu Tianheng liked her and often behaved as though he were pursuing her. But given her situation, she felt that she would only be a burden. Besides, Yu Tianheng might not truly like her. As the heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, it was not impossible that he wanted to use her to win over Grandfather, Poison Douluo, consolidate his position, and strengthen his clan's power.

Did he truly like her, or was he merely putting on an act?

If he learned that she was afflicted with Deadly Poison, that it might be contagious, and that it could bring disaster upon future descendants, would he despise her?

If her teammates learned about the poison in her body, would they distance themselves from her?

For all these reasons, she had never spoken openly about being poisoned, nor had she responded to Yu Tianheng.

Inherited Poison of a Martial Soul... doesn't that mean all descendants will be infected with Deadly Poison and die young? Yu Tianheng pondered inwardly. As the heir of a clan, carrying on the bloodline was also one of his duties. Dugu Bo has only one granddaughter, Dugu Yan. If I unite with Dugu Yan, I can certainly win him over and strengthen the clan. But according to Dugu Yan, both she and her grandfather may not have long to live. This A'man looks to be under twenty. Can he really cure Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo?

At this thought, his eyes flickered. Also, could the poison in Dugu Yan's body infect her partner? If so, wouldn't that mean I can't touch her?

Heh, so he really is afraid. Dugu Yan withdrew her gaze and continued looking at Lin Manshan.

She and her Grandfather had depended on each other for years, and she had long grown accustomed to the coldness and warmth of human nature. Her arrogance and willfulness were only because she did not want those around her to look down on her. Deep down, she still hoped that someone could accompany and cherish her. But at that moment, she saw hesitation and retreat in Yu Tianheng's eyes.

Yet in Lin Manshan, she saw hope—the hope of living.

I want to live like a normal person too, together with Grandfather. With that thought, her gaze became even more hopeful.

"Inherited poison from a Martial Soul... in other words, it has existed since the womb." Lin Manshan fell into thought.

"Jade Phosphorous Serpent, Beast Martial Soul... hmm."

He murmured to himself, then raised his head. Meeting her hopeful gaze, he said evenly, "Miss Yanzi, I have a way to completely cure the poison in your body, but I do not currently have the means to treat you."