Dugu Yan's Snake Venom

A few days later, the training grounds.

"Yu Cheng, any progress on the pill plan?" Yu Tianheng asked with keen interest.

"Pills? What pills?" Yu Cheng wore a thoroughly confused expression.

"Hahaha." Seeing Yu Tianheng's red-faced frustration, Yu Cheng doubled over laughing. "Brother Tianheng, just messing with you. Look here!" He produced a list from his Soul Tool.

But just as Yu Tianheng reached out to take it, a pair of fair, jade-like hands flashed before his eyes and snatched the list away. "Water-attribute spirit beast blood essence, Moonlight Narcissus, Sky Blue Fruit..." Dugu Yan read aloud, word by word. "Yu Cheng, what kind of pill is this?" she asked, puzzled.

Under normal circumstances, pill refinement emphasized balancing yin and yang. Yet every ingredient on Yu Cheng's list was water-attribute.

"Mysterious Water Pill," Yu Cheng explained. "Its medicinal potency surpasses the Hundred Grass Pill, with negligible side effects." This was the formula Youth Yu Cheng had settled on after long deliberation, diluting the Mysterious Water Pill's effects tenfold. As he'd said, the true Mysterious Water Pill could never be disclosed.

Whale Rubber was a public resource, available to anyone. As a theoretical pioneer, Yu Cheng could reap both fame and profit. But pills were different—they were a special product. The Mysterious Water Pill could improve one's aptitude, even raise Innate Soul Power. If a major power learned of this, Yu Cheng wouldn't gain glory—he'd face lifelong imprisonment.

"Give it here!" Yu Tianheng snatched the list back and carefully stored it in his Soul Tool. "This is a custom pill Yu Cheng designed for me after rigorous data analysis," he said with a grin.

"Custom?" Dugu Yan blinked.

"That's right. Every Soul Master has a different body structure and Martial Soul attribute, so don't even think about cutting in." Yu Tianheng's lips curled into a smug arc. This theory came straight from Yu Cheng's mouth, so he naturally trusted it completely. The theory wasn't a secret, but Yu Tianheng's explanation to Dugu Yan carried a hint of showing off.

"I see." Dugu Yan nodded. Then she thought of the White Snake Pill. Strictly speaking, that pill also counted as custom-made, only usable by Soul Masters with a venomous snake Martial Soul. "Oh, Yu Cheng, you actually kept this from me!" she said, feigning anger.

She wasn't truly upset with Yu Cheng, but how could she not be the first to know about something as good as custom pills? Yu Cheng had to cultivate every day and find time for pill refinement—his energy was limited. By helping Yu Tianheng with custom pills, it went without saying that others' pills would be delayed. And Dugu Yan had spent a full ten thousand Gold Soul Coins! And she still had to queue?

"Hmph, I want a custom pill too, and I'm going ahead of Yu Tianheng!" Dugu Yan gave a light snort, a hint of tsundere in her tone.

"Yanzi, that's pretty selfish of you."

Yu Tianheng said discontentedly.

"Hmph, I'm the captain of the Imperial Dou Team, and what I say is an order!"

Dugu Yan snorted coldly.

She furrowed her brows. "Also, Yu Tianheng, what did you just call me? Do you still have any respect for me as your captain? Go run ten laps on the training ground right now!"

"Yes, Captain."

Yu Tianheng said helplessly.

He turned and walked toward the training ground. Ten laps were nothing to him—barely enough to warm up.

"Yu Cheng, let's go."

Dugu Yan spoke once she saw Yu Tianheng was far away.

"Go? Where?"

Yu Cheng asked, puzzled.

Dugu Yan's lips curled into a smile. "To order custom pills, of course! Don't you need to study martial soul attributes? Come on, let's find a quiet place."

Inside the dormitory.

"Captain, bear with it. It might sting a little."

"Drip~"

Dugu Yan watched the blood dripping into the small vial, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

Studying blood?

Could that really reveal martial soul attributes?

Such a strange testing method—she had never heard of it before.

Soon, the small vial was full.

Dugu Yan withdrew her wrist, and her soul power surged, slowly healing the wound.

"Captain, your situation is a bit special. Besides blood, I'll also need some venom from your martial soul."

Yu Cheng said.

Collecting Dugu Yan's blood was for refining a Blood Pill.

Collecting her venom would allow him, after studying it, to find a way to neutralize the toxins in her body, and then further plan for the Immortal Herb.

To avoid arousing suspicion from Dugu Yan or even Dugu Bo, Yu Cheng had taken a long, roundabout path.

He refined the Hundred Grass Pill to display his talent as an alchemist.

He brought out the White Snake Pill and Mysterious Water Pill, seizing the chance to propose the idea of custom pill-making.

Yu Tianheng was purely incidental.

Yu Cheng's goal had always been only one—Dugu Yan!

"Alright."

Dugu Yan nodded, and her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul manifested.

Her aura turned cold and sinister. Her teeth sharpened, her gaze grew fierce, and her long legs transformed into a serpent's tail.

"Put the venom into this vial."

Yu Cheng took out a small bottle.

Dugu Yan nodded. Her bewitching green pupils narrowed into slits, revealing two sharp venom fangs.

Her red lips pressed against the vial's rim, her fangs resting against the glass.

A fishy smell spread, and a faint gleam flickered from her teeth.

"Such potent toxins!"

Yu Cheng's eyes flickered.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent was a high-level martial soul, but in terms of toxicity, it wasn't among the top tier.

The more powerful a poison-type martial soul, the more restrained its toxins, the more concentrated its energy.

Even other Jade Phosphorous Serpent soul masters weren't like Dugu Yan, carrying such an undisguised aggressiveness.

Dugu Bo's title was "Poison," a name that made soul masters tremble in fear.

Yet, his serpent venom energy was far too scattered.

It not only killed his enemies but also turned himself, his son, and his granddaughter into poison-ridden beings.

One could say Dugu Yan had grown up in a vat of poison.

That she was still alive today was nothing short of a miracle.

"Done."

Dugu Yan raised her head and handed the small bottle to Yu Cheng.

Her expression was somewhat unnatural. Ordinary Soul Masters, upon seeing her Snake Venom, would usually avoid it at all costs. This was the first time she had encountered a Soul Master who was interested in her toxin.

The next moment, she felt her breathing suddenly quicken, her vision blurring, as if she could barely stand.

Clatter.

Dugu Yan quickly supported herself against the table and sat down.

"Captain, are you alright?"

Yu Cheng hurriedly steadied her shoulder.

Could it be that Dugu Yan had released too much Snake Venom? Had her Soul Power suddenly given out?

"It's nothing. Probably just a side effect of the White Snake Pill."

Dugu Yan shook her head.

She took a deep breath, feeling her breathing gradually steady.

"Captain, don't ruin my reputation."

Yu Cheng stared at Dugu Yan's neck, where faint, peculiar green lines had appeared.

In an instant.

He grabbed her wrist and pressed two fingers to her pulse.

"You... what are you doing?"

Dugu Yan instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but seeing Yu Cheng's serious expression, she abandoned the thought.

"Captain, ever since you obtained your third Soul Ring, whenever it's overcast or rainy, do you feel a dull ache in both sides of your ribs? Though it's not strong, does it last for over ten minutes each time?"

Yu Cheng's gaze was sharp, his expression grave.

This was Youth Yu Cheng online.

He hadn't expected Dugu Yan's Snake Venom to have worsened to such a degree.

"Could it be because of that two-thousand-year third Soul Ring?"

Youth Yu Cheng thought to himself.

According to the original story, without Tang San, Dugu Yan might not have made it past level forty.

She was already afflicted with Vicious Poison. Absorbing a Soul Ring beyond her level was, in a sense, a death sentence.

The higher her level, the stronger the poison within her, and the faster she would die.