After finishing all this, Dugu Bo sensed that there were no living beings left in the area. The toxins in his body could no longer be suppressed, and he spat out a mouthful of dark green blood.
He couldn't understand why this person knew his situation so well, or why he had deliberately provoked him.
Now that his opponent had been killed, what had been the point of doing all that?
But the backlash of the toxins had reached its final stage. If he couldn't suppress them soon, he really wouldn't be able to endure it.
Dugu Bo staggered back to the Herb Garden, hoping to use the spring water to suppress the toxins as quickly as possible.
But he found that, at some point, a young man in black had appeared in the spring!
"Senior! I can cure your poison!"
The young man stood with his hands behind his back, staring straight at him with one golden eye and one black eye. There was even a smile playing on his lips, and his expression was utterly confident.
"How is that possible! Who are you?"
At that moment, even Dugu Bo, who had weathered countless storms, couldn't help feeling shaken.
He had clearly petrified him with his Soul Bone Skill! Could those three figures all have been Clones? And when had this man snuck into the Herb Garden?
At first, Xia Ran had indeed intended to get along with Dugu Bo and negotiate. It would have been perfectly reasonable for Xia Ran to help cure his poison in exchange for picking a few Immortal Herbs.
But the moment Dugu Bo charged out of the Herb Garden and attacked him, Xia Ran had clearly sensed that the old man was bluffing!
Considering that Dugu Bo had mastered poison-based techniques and was now in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes, Xia Ran couldn't help guessing that Dugu Bo might be suffering from a backlash of toxins and suppressing them here.
Things had turned out exactly as Xia Ran had guessed. He had to admit, his timing was impeccable.
He had deliberately released three Clones just now, then used Shadow Escape and the barrier set up with his Second Martial Soul to sneak into the Herb Garden.
His aim was to wear down Dugu Bo's fighting strength and put him at a disadvantage, so that he could take the upper hand in their conversation.
He remembered that Tang San had nearly died at Dugu Bo's hands after only one encounter.
"This junior is Xia Ran! I have some different insights into the ways of poison. Senior, would you be willing to set aside your wariness and hear me out?"
After what had happened, Xia Ran felt much more confident facing Dugu Bo.
His opponent was currently suffering a backlash from his Martial Soul's poison, and his actual fighting strength was less than half of what it had been.
If Xia Ran went all out, he even had a twenty percent chance of killing Dugu Bo on the spot.
But that would be too risky. Even a starving camel was bigger than a horse; he wasn't about to gamble his life!
"Have you encountered someone with symptoms like mine before?"
Dugu Bo tried to keep his tone calm. This person clearly knew things he didn't. If he truly meant no harm, perhaps they could avoid coming to blows.
Besides, he had mentioned that "the toxins affect future generations." That was Dugu Bo's greatest secret. If the information hadn't leaked, then this person really did know something.
Seeing Dugu Bo's mood ease somewhat, Xia Ran began explaining his insights into the poison caused by Martial Soul backlash.
"Senior! If my guess is right, you're nearing the end of your life, aren't you?"
"The fact that even your hair and beard have been tainted by the toxins can only mean that the situation inside your body is even worse."
Dugu Bo furrowed his brow at Xia Ran's words.
He wanted to argue, but the words caught in his throat.
If he hadn't found this precious place years ago, he would have died from the poison a long time ago!
"What exactly is your background?"
Clearly, Dugu Bo was more wary of Xia Ran than anything else. Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept trying to confirm his identity.
He had demonstrated strange abilities time and again, stayed calm in the face of a Titled Douluo, and even passed through the poisonous miasma Dugu Bo had laid down. That was enough to prove his strength.
In his current, broken state, fighting with all his strength would at best leave them both badly wounded!
Xia Ran couldn't be bothered to keep speaking in riddles. The situation was clear now, and he held the initiative, so even his tone became more relaxed.
At first, he had planned to strike a deal with Dugu Bo and temporarily gain access to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes.
But given the current circumstances, curing Dugu Bo's poison would have to be discussed more carefully!
"Senior, there's no need to worry too much about my identity. All you need to know is that I can cure your poison!"
"Rather than making wild guesses about whether I pose a threat to you, why not hear my terms?"
As he spoke, Xia Ran raised the corners of his mouth. A hint of amusement glimmered in his eyes as he scrutinized Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo was already enduring intense pain, and Xia Ran's words left him completely on the back foot.
His dark green eyes held a complicated look, but he remained silent.
Seeing this, Xia Ran continued.
"I want you to swear by your Martial Soul to protect me for five years!"
"No matter what happens during that time, you must keep me safe!"
"I also want to use the medicinal herbs in your Herb Garden and have access to the spring. You must not stop me."
"In return, I can neutralize the poison in your body. I can even ensure that your descendants never again suffer from the limitations of their Martial Soul."
Dugu Bo, who had been regulating his breathing, clearly struggled to contain his excitement as he listened to Xia Ran's terms.
When the young man had described his symptoms, Dugu Bo had already suspected that he was no ordinary person. He hadn't expected that Xia Ran could really cure his poison—and what appealed to him most was that he could also help his granddaughter with her Martial Soul.
If anyone wanted to know why Dugu Bo endured such agony every day and kept living, it was only for Dugu Yan.
Years ago, while cultivating poison-based techniques, he had killed his wife and son. Dugu Yan's father had been unable to withstand the backlash of the toxins and had died a gruesome death in front of Dugu Bo.
All that remained was a baby in swaddling clothes, left alone in the world. And that infant had inherited those same jade-green eyes.
Dugu Bo knew that meant the poison in his body had already passed down to this tiny child.
When Dugu Yan turned six, she awakened their inherited Martial Soul, the Jade Phosphor Serpent.
As her strength gradually increased and she gained two Soul Rings, Dugu Yan's hair also began to change color.
Her originally black hair slowly started turning purple, just like Dugu Xin's had.
The next stage would be green. Once the green spread to the ends of her hair, she would die from the poison...
As for the medicinal herbs in the Herb Garden, he cared less about those.
Although the plants looked extraordinary, he had tried picking them years ago, only to see them turn to ash as soon as they left the soil.
Besides, each herb was different. He didn't even recognize them, let alone dare to take them at random.
If he ate the wrong one and something happened to him, it would be more trouble than it was worth.
So all these years, Dugu Bo had relied solely on the energy emanating from the spring water to suppress the toxins. He had never touched the plants in the Herb Garden.
The silence had lasted for quite some time. Xia Ran could tell that Dugu Bo was weighing the pros and cons, his dark green eyes constantly sizing him up.
He didn't look away. He simply stood there, open and composed, waiting for Dugu Bo's answer.
At last, Dugu Bo seemed to make up his mind. He took a deep breath and said,
"If you can truly do all that, I can accept your terms."
"But first, I need to see what you're capable of!"
At that, Xia Ran smiled.
The Void Domain unfolded, enveloping Dugu Bo and frantically devouring his Soul Power.
Feeling his Soul Power being devoured, Dugu Bo panicked at first and was just about to attack. Then he realized that the symptoms of the poison's backlash had genuinely eased.
"Why didn't I think of this before? My poison comes from my Martial Soul, so naturally, reducing my Soul Power will ease the symptoms!"
Dugu Bo privately marveled at Xia Ran's cleverness.
But then he thought: if he lost all his Soul Power, he would be at a severe disadvantage against the man before him.
With that in mind, he planned to stop Xia Ran once his Soul Power had fallen to a level he could tolerate.
Before long, Xia Ran saw that Dugu Bo's complexion had improved. Before Dugu Bo could say anything, Xia Ran took the initiative and withdrew the domain.
Usually, Xia Ran absorbed most of the Soul Power devoured by his domain and made it his own. But against this old poisoner, he simply let the Soul Power dissipate.
He didn't dare take Soul Power saturated with poison.
"You can swear now!"
As Xia Ran gathered the Soul Power he had used to maintain the domain, it stirred the loose hair over his forehead.
The young man's utterly confident expression made Dugu Bo feel a touch of goodwill toward him.
"I wonder which faction this young fellow comes from. At least he knows his manners!"
If Xia Ran had insisted on devouring all of Dugu Bo's Soul Power just now, Dugu Bo would have fought back with all he had.
After all, no one would want to experience what it felt like to have their fate controlled by someone else.
"Boy! Aren't you afraid of me?"
With the pain in his body eased, Dugu Bo's thoughts had grown much clearer.
This young man had started by pointing out the deadly poison in his body—he might as well have laid all his cards on the table the moment they met.
Martial Soul abilities and Soul Skill effects were secrets, known only to close confidants. That was true for Soul Masters across the continent.
And Dugu Bo's current physical condition was an even greater secret.
He studied the young man curiously, trying to figure out what kind of trump card made him so confident.
Xia Ran frowned slightly. He had known the old man wouldn't swear so easily, but fortunately, he had kept something up his sleeve.
In response to Dugu Bo's question, he took a few steps back and stopped beside a large pale pink flower.
"Senior! The only thing between us is mutual benefit. If you want something from me, you have to pay the corresponding price."
"If you don't think this deal is to your liking, just say so!"
As he spoke, Xia Ran glanced at the pink flower beneath his feet, quietly preparing to flee at a moment's notice.
If Dugu Bo really dared to attack him now, the Aromatic Silk Beauty would block one blow for him. After that, all he had to do was pluck the flower and pass through the poisonous miasma. He wouldn't need to set up a barrier in advance.
Before you continue