Dugu Bo's Struggle

Inside the enormous Mystic Ice Cage, Dugu Bo's face was pale as paper, and his entire body trembled violently.

It was not merely because of the bone-piercing cold, but even more because of the shock and despair deep inside.

He desperately circulated his Soul Power as the phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor writhed and rammed wildly against the Ice Layer.

Yet the Ultimate Ice, harder than Fine Gold, merely quivered slightly. The instant cracks appeared, they were immediately sealed by an even deeper chill, making it impossible to break through.

Jiang Zhen stepped forward and arrived before the Ice Coffin, calmly watching Dugu Bo struggle within.

"Dugu Bo, although you discovered this precious place first..."

Jiang Zhen spoke in a clear voice that rang especially distinctly through the icy, deathly silent valley.

"Wasn't it a little too overbearing to try to kill us the moment you saw us?"

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's struggle slowed slightly. He stared fixedly at Jiang Zhen through the Ice Layer, his eyes filled with rage, indignation, and a trace of suspicion.

In a hoarse voice, he roared with difficulty, "Brat... stop... pretending to be righteous!"

Jiang Zhen gently shook his head. His gaze seemed capable of piercing through the Ice Layer and seeing through everything about him. "Dugu Bo, instead of thinking about killing us to silence us, you should worry about yourself first."

"How much longer do you have to live?"

The moment those words fell, Dugu Bo's body stiffened. The rage in his eyes was swiftly replaced by shock.

"Y-You... what did you say?!"

"You know better than anyone what I said."

Jiang Zhen's tone was calm, but every word struck at Dugu Bo's heart. "The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul is indeed incomparably powerful and fearsome."

"But the poison that comes with it is even more lethal when it backfires. You have only barely managed to suppress the poison inside your body until now by relying on the extreme environment of the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye."

"But that is likely just drinking poison to quench thirst. The toxins have long since seeped into your bones and marrow, becoming hopelessly entangled with your Soul Power—even your soul, haven't they?"

He paused, watching Dugu Bo's pupils suddenly contract before continuing slowly. "Every time you use your Martial Soul, every time you cultivate, the poison worsens."

"Not only you—your family and blood relatives have likely suffered deeply from it as well. If I'm not mistaken, your son and daughter-in-law probably failed to escape this fated poison's devouring and died young, didn't they?"

"Y-You... how could you know?!"

Dugu Bo's voice completely changed, filled with unimaginable horror.

This was the greatest pain and secret deep inside him!

The flaw in his family's Martial Soul and the successive deaths of his relatives had always been a nightmare he could never speak of!

"I also know that you probably have only one granddaughter left now."

Jiang Zhen's gaze was sharp as a blade, accurately stabbing into Dugu Bo's most vulnerable place.

"And she has likely been eroded by the Martial Soul poison passed down through generations since she was still in her mother's womb."

"At such a young age, she has to endure inhuman agony, and... one day, she may end up just like her parents..."

"Shut up! Stop talking!"

Dugu Bo suddenly erupted, crazily slamming into the Ice Coffin, his voice shrill and despairing.

Jiang Zhen's words were like an icy file, viciously scraping away all his pretense and strength, exposing his bloody heart beneath.

He thought of Dugu Yan's pale little face and the way she curled up in agony whenever it flared up...

She was the only warmth and attachment he had left in this world.

At the side, the Ice Empress raised her brows slightly. She looked at the emotionally unhinged Dugu Bo, then at the calm-faced Jiang Zhen, seemingly finding the scene somewhat interesting.

Jiang Zhen stopped speaking at the right moment, giving Dugu Bo time to process this tremendous shock.

Only Dugu Bo's heavy, pained breathing and the faint crackling of the Ice Layer remained in the valley.

After a long while, Dugu Bo seemed to have been drained of all strength. Within the Ice Coffin, the rage and killing intent in his eyes had long been replaced by immense sorrow and fear.

He asked hoarsely, "You... what exactly do you want?"

"I don't want anything."

Jiang Zhen's tone softened. "I only want to tell you that the tragedy of you and your granddaughter may be avoidable."

Dugu Bo abruptly raised his head, and the final glimmer of hope burst from his eyes. "You have a way to solve this Martial Soul poison?!"

But he immediately became wary again. "Impossible! This old man has studied it his entire life... You're only a Soul Ancestor brat. What makes you think you can?"

"Because I can see through your condition at a glance, because I can stand here and speak with you, and because of the one beside me..."

Jiang Zhen turned slightly, gesturing toward the Ice Empress beside him, who was absentmindedly playing with the tips of her hair.

"She can suppress you with ease. Isn't that enough?"

Dugu Bo fell silent.

That was right. This youth was strange in every way, while the strength of the green-dressed girl beside him was unfathomable, far beyond the limits of his understanding.

Perhaps... they truly possessed some unimaginable method?

"What are your conditions?"

Dugu Bo was no fool. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

"Very simple."

Jiang Zhen looked straight into his eyes.

"Submit to me. Serve me. And this Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye will remain under your care in the future; she and I cannot stay here for long."

"Submit?!"

A flicker of humiliation and struggle passed through Dugu Bo's eyes.

He was a dignified Titled Douluo—how could he easily bow his head to some Soul Ancestor kid?

But... when he thought of Yan Yan... thought of the miserable future she might face...

It did not matter if these old bones of his died, but Yan Yan was still so young...

The battle within his heart was incomparably fierce.

Dignity and family, pride and bloodline tore madly at his heart.

In the end, he closed his eyes in defeat. When he opened them again, only bitterness and resolve remained.

"Fine... this old man agrees! As long as you can resolve the backlash poison of my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor lineage's Martial Soul and save my granddaughter Yan Yan—"

"This old man, Dugu Bo... is willing to acknowledge you as my master! For the rest of my life, I will follow your commands without a second thought! Should I violate this oath, may Heaven and man alike slay me!"

The heavy oath echoed through the valley.

A faint smile appeared on Jiang Zhen's face. "A wise choice."

With a thought, he looked toward the Ice Empress.

The Ice Empress curled her lips, seeming to find it rather boring, but she still casually waved her hand.

The massive Ice Coffin imprisoning Dugu Bo instantly shattered, turning into the purest Ice Element and dissipating into the air.

Dugu Bo broke free and landed on the ground, staggering a few steps before regaining his footing.

He coughed violently several times. The toxins inside his body were still in turmoil, but at this moment, he cared more about the method of detoxification.

"Then... what solution do you have?" Dugu Bo asked with difficulty, his tone complicated.

Jiang Zhen did not answer immediately. Instead, he first took several fragrant Herbs from his Storage Ring and handed them over.

"Take these first to stabilize the restless toxins inside your body. As for the specific method, I have two options. You may weigh them yourself."

Dugu Bo accepted the Herbs and took them as instructed. A cool sensation spread through him, and the pain inside his body indeed eased considerably. He could not help but believe a little more, then focused and listened closely.

"First, combine drainage with blockage."

Jiang Zhen spoke slowly. "I noticed that the Spiritual Power in your skull is unusual, with faintly strange fluctuations. You should possess a Spirit Bone, correct?"

Dugu Bo was shocked again. The other party even knew that he possessed a Medusa Skull?!

He nodded instinctively. "Yes... I have a Ten Thousand Year Medusa Skull."

"Very good." Jiang Zhen nodded. "This method involves gradually forcing the toxins accumulated Inside the Body into that skull Spirit Bone."

"The Spirit Bone can serve as a container to store those toxins. When you need them, you may draw upon them from within, and it may even add further variations to your Poison Skill. But..."

His tone shifted. "A Spirit Bone's capacity for storage is also limited. This method can resolve your immediate crisis, ensure your life is not in danger, and may even increase your strength for a short time."

"But it is ultimately only a temporary measure. As your cultivation grows deeper and the toxins become increasingly fierce, there will eventually come a day when even the Spirit Bone cannot bear them. Moreover, there is a risk that the Spirit Bone may backlash against your own Spiritual Intelligence."

Hearing this, the hope that had just risen in Dugu Bo's heart cooled by more than half. The method sounded feasible, but the future consequences were not minor either.

"Then... what is the second option?"