Master Meng Battles Dugu Bo, Windmill

Dugu Bo was both shocked and furious.

What shocked him was that this intruder was also a Titled Douluo.

What enraged him was that his proud Poison Skill had been dismissed as worthless.

"Old bastard, have a taste of my Poison Skill."

Dugu Bo did not dare let his guard down. Right from the start, he used his Martial Soul Avatar, transforming into an enormous jade-green serpent.

At the same time, his first seven Soul Rings lit up, and he spewed a mouthful of dense green poison mist from the serpent's jaws.

Master Meng still showed no sign of treating him like a formidable enemy. Compared to Dugu Bo's all-out effort, he had not even used his Martial Soul Avatar.

His fifth Soul Ring lit up, and the Rotten Wood Martial Soul emitted bleak gray death energy.

The gray death energy collided with the green poison mist in midair. The vicious green mist tried to corrode the gray haze.

Yet in the end, more than half of the poison mist was neutralized, while the gray death energy seized the chance to press forward and surround Dugu Bo.

"What is this?"

Dugu Bo was greatly alarmed.

He could sense that even if the other man's Soul Power was higher than his, it could not be by much. How could the gap in their strength be so enormous?

He did not know what the gray mist was. He only knew that his poison mist had not been dispelled or worn away—it had died.

That was right. Even poison could die.

Dugu Bo's snake eyes grew considerably more solemn.

This unfamiliar Titled Douluo was far stronger than he had expected.

Dugu Bo also understood his own limitations. When it came to crushing weaker opponents, he was stronger than most Titled Douluo, and his Poison Skill excelled at area attacks.

But when facing opponents of the same Titled Douluo rank, he often felt somewhat powerless.

But at this point, backing down was impossible.

Dugu Bo gritted his teeth, and his eighth and ninth Soul Rings lit up in succession.

His massive serpent body became as transparent as crystal, and terrifying poisonous vapor spread out, nearly covering the entire mountain.

"Scattered and unstable. Your Poison Skill is nothing more than this."

Master Meng gripped the Rotten Wood Martial Soul with both hands and used his Seventh Soul Skill as well.

At that moment, the Rotten Wood Martial Soul in his hands underwent a complete transformation, becoming a vibrant, life-filled branch.

Dense life energy poured forth. Amid the poison mist that seemed capable of destroying cities, uprooting strongholds, and wiping out all life, traces of vitality actually began to emerge.

Roots of varying thickness took hold within the poison, and the poisonous vapor visibly began to fade.

The destructive poison was transformed into flourishing life energy.

Dugu Bo was utterly stunned.

He knew his combat strength was not particularly great among Titled Douluo, but he should not have been this helpless.

Facing Master Meng felt like facing his natural nemesis.

Whether it was that gray death energy or this flourishing life energy, both were the bane of his poison.

Furious and shocked, Dugu Bo wanted to make one final attempt.

Two beams shot from his snake eyes and arrived before Master Meng in the blink of an eye.

"A Spirit Bone skill?"

Master Meng was slightly surprised, but not the least bit flustered.

He let Dugu Bo's Petrification Beam strike him without putting up any defense. But before Dugu Bo could rejoice, the hit Master Meng did not turn to stone. Instead, he became drifting wood chips.

Life energy gathered within the wood chips. A seed rapidly sprouted and grew, transforming back into Master Meng.

However, Master Meng's skin was now wood-like, while his long hair had turned into wildly growing branches.

"Lin Qi, what Soul Skill is Master Meng using?"

Xiao Wu stared in surprise at Master Meng, who seemed to have become a Tree Man.

This time, Lin Qi did not correct Xiao Wu's form of address. Instead, he said with great interest,

"This is also a Martial Soul Avatar."

"A Martial Soul Avatar? Wasn't Master Meng's Martial Soul Avatar when the Rotten Wood turned into a branch?"

Lin Qi shook his head.

Although he could tell that Master Meng was also in his Martial Soul Avatar state, he did not understand the exact principle.

Master Meng's Martial Soul seemed capable of serving as both a Weapon Martial Soul and a Beast Martial Soul.

The branch form was the Martial Soul Avatar of the Weapon Martial Soul, while the Tree Man form was the Martial Soul Avatar of the Beast Martial Soul.

"As expected of Master Meng. He really had plenty of surprises up his sleeve."

Master Meng's development of his Martial Soul had nearly reached its limit. He had studied every trait of the Rotten Wood Martial Soul to the utmost extreme.

"I refuse to believe you can be this strong!"

Dugu Bo roared and actually lunged at Master Meng.

As an expert at using poison, Dugu Bo disliked close combat, but this time, he decided to compete with Master Meng using the strength of his physical body.

Every Martial Soul had its strengths and weaknesses.

Dugu Bo felt that Master Meng's Rotten Wood Martial Soul looked so fragile. Although it possessed powerful Soul Skills, it should not provide much enhancement to the body itself.

The enormous serpent body coiled toward Master Meng, its venomous fangs preparing to bite into the Tree Man's roots.

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow at the sight.

The scene reminded Lin Qi of Nidhogg gnawing on the World Tree.

But Dugu Bo was not Nidhogg, and Master Meng was even less a World Tree that would simply allow itself to be devoured.

Master Meng's wooden arms swelled with bulging muscles, and his body changed from a Tree Man only slightly taller than his original form into a towering tree over ten meters tall.

The swiftly charging Dugu Bo shuddered in alarm.

I'm going to brawl with something this huge? I must be insane.

He wisely decided that playing with poison from afar suited him better than close combat.

But it was clearly too late to regret it. One of Master Meng's hands shot out and seized the Jade Phosphor Serpent by its vital point, while the other smashed heavily into Dugu Bo's head.

"Hiss—"

Dugu Bo violently twisted his body. That punch made stars burst before his eyes, and he nearly passed out on the spot.

Before he could regain his senses, he felt Master Meng's grip shift from his vital point to his snake tail.

"Wait, what are you doing? A gentleman may be killed, but—"

Before Dugu Bo could finish, Master Meng grabbed the Jade Phosphor Serpent by the tail, spun him hard, and unleashed a Windmill.

"I... stop..."

Spun around like a windmill, Dugu Bo could not even form a complete sentence. Only a few scattered words came out.

"Too... too brutal."

Xiao Wu stared wide-eyed at the way Master Meng dealt with Dugu Bo.

She had never expected Master Meng, who always carried himself like a lofty senior, to have such a savage side in battle.

"You really can't judge a person by appearances."

Lin Qi had not expected Master Meng to be so fierce either. Normally, Master Meng was more like a walking encyclopedia—the kind that knew everything.

Smack—

The Jade Phosphor Serpent, limp as mud, was casually tossed to the ground by Master Meng.

After landing, Dugu Bo could no longer maintain his Martial Soul Avatar state.

Once he returned to human form, Dugu Bo lay face-down on the ground and began vomiting.

The Windmill was not a pleasant experience. Anyone who tried it would know.

"Well? Are you convinced now? Can we have a proper conversation?"

Master Meng returned to normal, asking like an old master patiently instructing his student.

"Bleurgh—"

After vomiting for quite a while, Dugu Bo finally said weakly,

"I am not skilled at close combat. I refuse to accept this. If you have the guts, wait until I recover and fight me again."

Master Meng shook his head with a laugh.

"At your age, it would be one thing if your strength were mediocre, but you're even an old rogue who refuses to admit defeat."

As he spoke, Master Meng reached out toward Dugu Bo again.

"Wait, what are you doing now?"

Dugu Bo ignored his continuing dizziness and hurriedly struggled backward, trying to avoid Master Meng's large hand.

Master Meng's hands had already left a psychological shadow on him.

"Don't come over. I yield. This old man yields."

Dugu Bo was not someone incapable of recognizing the situation.

His Poison Skill had been completely countered, and close combat had become a joke. This man could kill him with ease if he wished.

"Don't worry. I only want to talk."

Master Meng did not play Windmill again. Instead, he helped Dugu Bo, whose legs had gone weak, back to his feet.

"You said earlier that this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was your territory?"

Dugu Bo's still-dizzy eyes gradually focused.

"What Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? You call this place the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"

Master Meng:...

Lin Qi:→_→