The Golden Finger's True Function: Poison Body Adaptation

Dugu Yang sat cross-legged on the ground, focusing his mind on his Martial Soul. As the Six Hundred Year Tree Poison Toad's Spirit Ring drew near, he felt a mountain-like pressure descend upon him. Every bone in his body creaked, showing just how immense the pressure he was enduring was.

The pale yellow Spirit Ring floated above Dugu Yang's head. In the next moment, without any warning, it plummeted rapidly and circled around his body.

At that instant, scorching energy surged into Dugu Yang's body. In a flash, it felt as though his organs were burning. The inhuman pain made him clench his teeth as his body trembled uncontrollably.

Yet he did not faint and remained conscious throughout.

In the next moment, as if sensing something, Dugu Yang closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he discovered that he had entered his consciousness space.

It was an ocean of flames. Standing within it, he was like a single grain in the vast sea, tiny and helpless.

At the center of the fiery sea, the blazing flames slowly gathered, forming a gigantic translucent toad—the enlarged Tree Poison Toad.

Dugu Yang knew that this was the Tree Poison Toad's remnant soul left within the Spirit Ring.

There were two major hurdles to absorbing a Spirit Ring. One was enduring the pressure of its Soul Power, while the other was the Soul Beast remnant soul.

Since he had entered his consciousness space, he had clearly passed the first hurdle.

Now, as long as he could devour the Soul Beast remnant soul, it would mean he had successfully absorbed the Spirit Ring.

Though it was only a remnant soul, Dugu Yang did not let down his guard. This was not a contest of strength, but a clash of spiritual power.

Moreover, the Tree Poison Toad in its remnant soul state was surely determined to perish together with him. One careless mistake, and his mind might be utterly destroyed.

"It's coming!"

Seeing the Tree Poison Toad's remnant soul shift, Dugu Yang immediately focused with all his might.

But in the next moment, a sudden change occurred. The sea of fire receded completely, transforming into a lush green meadow. Dugu Yang no longer felt the pain of being scorched; instead, he felt refreshed and indescribably comfortable.

"What happened?"

Dugu Yang had not expected this at all and could not help freezing in surprise.

But in that brief moment of hesitation, the Tree Poison Toad's remnant soul had already pounced before him.

"Not good!"

Dugu Yang was greatly alarmed. Just as he was about to retaliate, the Tree Poison Toad's remnant soul took the initiative to merge into his spiritual consciousness.

At the very last instant before it merged, Dugu Yang's gaze met that of the Tree Poison Toad's remnant soul. What he saw was not resentment, but closeness and goodwill.

"How could this be... the Golden Finger!"

Dugu Yang instantly realized that his Golden Finger was behind this, leaving him shocked.

He had originally thought his Golden Finger would not have any obvious use, but he had never expected it to be so overbearing. It could directly purify the resentment of the remnant souls of Soul Beasts he had killed, turning it into boundless goodwill toward him.

This directly spared him one major hurdle in absorbing Spirit Rings.

Just as Dugu Yang was growing excited, the scene before him suddenly changed, and his consciousness seemed to enter some deeper space.

"What is this?"

This was a vast white void, with clusters of white light appearing one after another before Dugu Yang.

Unable to make sense of the situation, Dugu Yang reached out almost instinctively and touched one of the light clusters before him.

"Venom Spray... Dynamic Vision..."

Insights containing detailed explanations of various Soul Skills suddenly appeared in Dugu Yang's mind.

Only then did he finally understand what this mysterious space was.

Simply put, this was the Tree Poison Toad's Soul Skill Space. The light clusters before Dugu Yang represented every Soul Skill possessed by the Tree Poison Toad. In other words, Dugu Yang could freely choose the Soul Skill granted by the Spirit Ring.

It was practically tailor-made for Dugu Yang.

As for how the Soul Skill Space had come into being, it was naturally because of the Golden Finger.

With the Golden Finger's help, Dugu Yang quickly found the light cluster containing the "Poison Sac" Soul Skill.

However, he did not absorb it immediately. Since he had finally entered the Soul Skill Space, he naturally wanted to look through all the Tree Poison Toad's Soul Skills.

"Poisonous Lick... Source of Poison..."

The Tree Poison Toad possessed quite a few Soul Skills, but aside from Poison Sac, none caught Dugu Yang's eye.

Just as Dugu Yang's interest was fading and he was preparing to absorb the Poison Sac Soul Skill, a Soul Skill he had never heard of entered his mind.

"Poison Body Adaptation! How can there be such a Soul Skill?"

Dugu Yang exclaimed in astonishment, unable to imagine that a Tree Poison Toad at the Hundred Year Soul Beast level could possess such a Soul Skill.

Poison Body Adaptation was not a Soul Skill in the conventional sense. It was a Passive Spirit Skill.

After obtaining this Soul Skill, one's Poison Resistance would permanently increase by 100%. At the same time, if one consumed or otherwise came into contact with a certain deadly poison, one would permanently gain resistance to that poison.

In other words, as long as he was not poisoned to death on the spot, he would eventually become permanently immune to that particular deadly poison.

Furthermore, given enough time, his body would evolve into a Myriad Poison Immunity Body.

Dugu Yang had never heard of Spirit Ring Soul Skills being passive, which was why he was so uncertain.

"Wait! If it isn't a Spirit Ring Soul Skill, could it be a Spirit Bone Soul Skill?"

Dugu Yang thought of Spirit Bones.

Although both Spirit Bones and Spirit Rings could grant Soul Skills, there were still differences. Some Spirit Bones did not have active Soul Skills, instead possessing abilities similar to Passive Spirit Skills.

The most famous example was Tang San's External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, which possessed the passive ability to devour life force and nourish its owner in return.

That was why Dugu Yang wondered whether Poison Body Adaptation might be a Spirit Bone Soul Skill belonging to the Tree Poison Toad.

Moreover, it would have to come from the most precious Torso Spirit Bone or an External Soul Bone.

However, as a low-level Soul Beast, the Tree Poison Toad could at most reach the Thousand Year Level. It simply could not grow into a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast, so the chance of it producing a Spirit Bone was extremely small, let alone a Torso Spirit Bone or even an External Soul Bone.

Yet because of the "All Things Affinity" Golden Finger, Dugu Yang had learned of this hidden Soul Skill possessed by the Tree Poison Toad.

"No wonder the Tree Poison Toad carries dozens of deadly poisons without dying from poisoning itself. So it possesses such a divine skill as Poison Body Adaptation."

A strange light flashed through Dugu Yang's eyes. He had originally believed that none of the Tree Poison Toad's other Soul Skills could replace Poison Sac, but the appearance of Poison Body Adaptation changed his mind.

Setting everything else aside, if Dugu Yang obtained Poison Body Adaptation, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul Drawback would be directly resolved, not to mention the Myriad Poison Immunity Body it could eventually create.

After a brief consideration, Dugu Yang still adhered to his original decision and chose to absorb the "Poison Sac" Soul Skill.

Though Poison Body Adaptation was remarkable, Poison Sac was the foundation.

However, Dugu Yang would not give up on Poison Body Adaptation either. Once he reached level 20, he would absorb another Tree Poison Toad Spirit Ring to obtain the Poison Body Adaptation Soul Skill.

Moreover, Poison Sac and Poison Body Adaptation—one consuming all poisons and the other adapting to all poisons—were complementary Soul Skills. Neither could do without the other.