The next day, just as dawn was breaking,
the mist over the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well had yet to dissipate, but Chen Jieqi was already sitting cross-legged on a bluestone outside the house,
the Heart of the Naaru between his brows glowing faintly as golden Holy Light Power flowed through his meridians, accelerating his Soul Power cultivation,
Chen Jieqi understood how dangerous this world was. He knew, too, that it was a place where the strong preyed on the weak.
His Holy Light Domain, his Innate Full Soul Power Martial Soul, and the Soul Ring he had absorbed beyond his rank—
each was enough to drive the entire continent mad.
Before he had enough power to protect himself, even the slightest leak could bring utter disaster.
Spirit Hall would never let a potential threat go unchecked, and neither would other factions tolerate an uncontrollable genius growing stronger.
No matter how talented he was, he would have to wait another ten or even twenty years before he could stride freely across the continent.
Right now, I'm a choice cut of meat tossed into a wolf pack, there for the taking.
Without the strength to defend myself, I'd have no choice but to join some faction or be assassinated. There was no other option.
So, as he worked to grow stronger, the key was to give himself a protective shield. And for that, he had chosen Dugu Bo.
Though Dugu Bo was often mocked as "the weakest Titled Douluo,"
even some powerful Soul Douluos could fight him, sometimes holding their own or even defeating him.
But even the weakest Titled Douluo was still a Titled Douluo. To unaffiliated cultivators, that alone was a powerful deterrent.
Even factions would avoid provoking Dugu Bo unless they had no other choice.
He might not be able to defeat another Titled Douluo, but as long as he wasn't killed in a single blow,
he could make sure the only ones left standing against you were your Titled Douluos. That was Dugu Bo's "deterrent."
And that was how things stood now. Once Dugu Bo solved the problem of his Martial Soul's backlash, that "deterrent" would only grow stronger.
After finishing his meditation and prayer that day, Chen Jieqi made up his mind to be honest with Dugu Bo.
"Grandpa, after my Martial Soul Awakening, I used Holy Light Power to purify you. It really can slow the spread of the poison,
and lessen your pain when it flares up... but I still can't solve the root of the problem."
Dugu Bo's cloudy old eyes were calm. He sighed softly.
"Silly boy, Grandpa knew that all along.
"This poison has been with me for decades. It's not like Yanyan's. The poison only recently entered her body, so your Holy Light can still slowly draw it out."
Dugu Bo raised his thin, gaunt hand. A faint purplish hue tinged his knuckles, a mark of the poison that had sunk deep into his bones.
"The poison from my Martial Soul has long since seeped into my blood and worked its way into my bones.
"If you can lengthen the intervals between the backlash and spare me some pain, Grandpa is already satisfied. I wouldn't dare ask for more.
"And as your Soul Power grows, it's only a matter of time before you can solve Yanyan's problem completely.
"If you can keep her from following the same path as the rest of our Dugu Family, I'll have done right by her late parents."
Looking at Dugu Bo's dejected face, Chen Jieqi learned from him that the family had "risen through the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, and fallen because of it."
The Dugu Family had always been small. The backlash from their Martial Souls kept their lives short. By Dugu Bo's generation,
his son and daughter-in-law had passed away soon after giving birth to Dugu Yan.
Dugu Bo himself had only made it to the rank of Titled Douluo because of a fortuitous encounter that evolved his Martial Soul into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor.
Even now, he was doing all he could to suppress his Soul Power and dared not improve his rank, afraid that one careless move would trigger a full outbreak.
If he hadn't had Dugu Yan to look after, he probably wouldn't have held on for so long. It was only after meeting Chen Jieqi that his condition improved.
Chen Jieqi clasped Dugu Bo's hand, confidence flashing in his eyes.
"Since I brought this up, Grandpa, it's because I have a way to solve it completely.
"I'll take good care of Sister Yanyan in the future. But until we're strong enough to stand on our own, we'll still need you to protect us."
Chen Jieqi paused, then spoke slowly.
"The reason the poison from your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul spreads as your Soul Power rises is that there's nowhere for the poison it produces to be stored.
"On top of that, the Soul Rings you've chosen over the years all have poison attributes. That's made the poison stronger and allowed it to spread.
"Once we understand the root of the problem, the solution isn't difficult."
Dugu Bo jerked his head up, hope rekindling in his eyes.
"Xiao Qi... You really have a way?"
"Yes."
Chen Jieqi nodded firmly.
"Grandpa, the root of your problem is that there's nowhere to store the poison. There are two ways to solve it."
"The first is to find an external container—like a snake's fangs or a scorpion's stinger. For Soul Masters, that container would be a Spirit Bone.
"Although a Spirit Bone fuses with the body, it remains separate, so it's perfect for storing poison. The problem is that it can only hold so much. As your Soul Power grows, it'll eventually fill up."
Chen Jieqi changed tack, a brighter gleam in his eyes.
"But the second way is the real solution. I remember that when you broke through to become a Titled Douluo, you condensed a 'Poison Core.'
"It holds the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's original poison, as well as nearly half of your Soul Power, right?"
"Yes... It's the culmination of half my life's cultivation, and the source of the poison."
"Then we'll turn it into a 'Poison Sac,' transforming the core into a container specifically for storing poison.
"From then on, any new poison your Martial Soul produces will flow into the Poison Sac automatically. It'll never backfire again. That's how we solve the problem once and for all."
Dugu Bo gazed at Chen Jieqi, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.
"Xiao Qi, do you think Grandpa has never considered that?
"But the poison has already seeped deep into my bones. Most of my Soul Power is tied up suppressing it and keeping it from spreading. How could I possibly have the strength to guide it and condense it?
"If I make the slightest mistake and that Poison Core explodes, I won't even be able to hold on to my Titled Douluo rank..."
"That's why we need outside help, Grandpa.
"You've been guarding this precious Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well all this time without realizing what you had.
"Most of the plants growing by the lake are poisonous medicinal herbs, but quite a few are Immortal Herbs of extraordinary potency, too."
Chen Jieqi named them one by one, his tone sure.
"Aromatic Silk Beauty can..., Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum..., Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, and so on. They each have their own effects.
"Of them all, the Hunyuan Immortal Herb is the most suitable for you."
Dugu Bo followed his gaze, his eyes full of confusion.
"Hunyuan Immortal Herb?
"Grandpa's never heard of it."
"Its wonder lies not in increasing Soul Power, but in 'refining' it."
Chen Jieqi stepped forward, his voice steady and strong.
"It can help a Soul Master compress the Soul Power in their body, strengthen their foundation, and even condense a Soul Core.
"It can not only multiply the amount of Soul Power they can contain, but also condense their free-flowing liquid Soul Power into an independent crystal."
"And your Poison Core is already a rudimentary form of a Soul Core.
"With the help of the Hunyuan Immortal Herb, you can absolutely condense it into a 'Poison Sac.'
"That would not only solve the hidden danger in your Martial Soul, but allow you to take another huge step forward."
"Th-this is really possible?
"It sounds far too incredible. It's not that Grandpa doesn't believe you, but where did you learn all this?"
Dugu Bo exclaimed in astonishment.
Chen Jieqi looked at Dugu Bo's shocked face, then slowly raised a finger toward the night sky above them. His voice was reverent and earnest.
"Grandpa, this knowledge came to me as a whisper in my mind while I was meditating and praying.
"He called himself the God of Light."
"A god!?"
Dugu Bo stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock.
"You mean... a divine inheritance?"
As one of the few Titled Douluos on the continent, and someone who had traveled widely,
he naturally knew some secrets unknown to ordinary people. The gods were among them, and Spirit Hall even possessed a divine inheritance.
"Yes, he called himself the God of Light."
Chen Jieqi lowered his hand. The Heart of the Naaru between his brows glowed faintly.
"I don't think a god would have any reason to deceive me."
"Wonderful! Wonderful!"
Dugu Bo stood frozen for a moment, then slapped his thigh and burst into wild laughter.
"My grandson really is destined to become a god!!!"
His laughter echoed through the mountain ravine, and even the Jade Phosphorous Serpent miasma swirling around him seemed to turn cheerful.
After a long while, Dugu Bo calmed down and spoke.
"Then, Xiao Qi, what should Grandpa do?"