Douluo: Martial Soul Iron-Eating Beast, Never Be a Slave

And this time, it was his own granddaughter!

At the thought of it, a genuine smile appeared on Dugu Bo's aged face.

If seventeen- or eighteen-year-old Dugu Yan having the strength of a Soul Elder could only be considered outstanding talent, then possessing the strength of a Soul Ancestor, or even a Quasi-Soul King, made her a true monstrous genius.

Only those three little ones from Spirit Hall could match that level.

"Grandfather, it doesn't end there. This evolution also gave me an even greater benefit!" Dugu Yan said with a teasing smile.

Dugu Bo was indeed intrigued. Reaching level fifty directly was not even the greatest benefit?

What benefit could possibly be better than an increase in strength?

"Oh? Hurry and tell Grandfather. What other benefits did your Martial Soul Evolution bring you?" Dugu Bo asked.

Dugu Yan continued, "The greatest benefit is that I may no longer need to cultivate Soul Power year after year. I only need to consume poisonous medicines containing toxins!"

"As I consume poison, my body seems capable of automatically converting the toxins within it through some strange method into an extremely special kind of toxic Soul Power. The stronger the poison I consume, the greater the improvement to my strength!"

"What?!" Hearing this, Dugu Bo cried out in shock. It was the first time he had ever heard of something so bizarre.

This time, it was not only Dugu Bo. Zhao Mu, standing nearby, was equally shocked.

Based on what Dugu Yan had described, wasn't this the Woeful Poison Body?

Or rather, a weakened version of the Woeful Poison Body from Douluo Continent.

"Yan Yan, are you telling the truth?" Dugu Bo pressed.

Dugu Yan nodded. "I also find it rather unbelievable. Perhaps because the Snowy Swan Kiss possesses the ability to stimulate and strengthen toxins, after using it as my fourth Soul Ring, I inherited its stimulating trait. Not only can I enhance the power of toxins when I use poison, I can also stimulate the toxins I absorb to increase my own strength."

Dugu Bo nodded thoughtfully. As a rare Immortal Herb of the world, no one had ever consumed the Snowy Swan Kiss, nor had anyone dared to try. Thus, no one knew what would happen if a Soul Master used the Snowy Swan Kiss as a Soul Ring.

Yet Dugu Yan, the first person to attempt it, had not only survived but had instead stumbled into an enormous benefit.

Heibai beside Zhao Mu also raised its head to look at the young lady who had fed it before. Getting stronger just by eating? This young lady was indeed one of its kind.

Thinking that Dugu Yan's body resembled the Woeful Poison Body, Zhao Mu asked, "If consuming toxins can increase your strength, then as the toxins within your body grow denser and stronger during the process, will they completely erupt once they reach a limit and affect you? And as you cultivate by consuming poison, will the accumulated toxins in your body affect people around you who come into contact with you?"

The questions Zhao Mu raised were all drawbacks of the Woeful Poison Body. Since Dugu Yan possessed traits similar to it, Zhao Mu naturally had to clarify them in advance.

Even Dugu Bo cast Zhao Mu an approving look. His second brother's mind turned quickly, and he had considered the greatest flaws of Dugu Yan's body so thoroughly.

Dugu Yan answered honestly, "Second Grandfather, there's no need to worry about either of those problems. As an ultimate poison-attribute Martial Soul, the Calamity Poison Dragon can perfectly control the toxins in my body. They won't lose control or threaten anyone around me who comes into contact with me."

Only then did Zhao Mu and Dugu Bo finally let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, there was no danger of the Woeful Poison Body erupting. If there had been, Zhao Mu could not think of any solution this low-fantasy Douluo world might have had.

"Besides, with my Martial Soul Evolution, my poison has become stronger and stronger. Among people of my generation, very few can withstand it." Dugu Yan was extremely confident.

"Don't be too confident in your poison. There are always greater heavens beyond the heavens and greater people beyond people. Perhaps one day, you'll encounter someone who can break your poison."

Seeing Dugu Yan become somewhat blindly confident after her massive increase in strength, Zhao Mu could not help but remind her, afraid that she would follow the same path as in the original story.

But after hearing Zhao Mu's words, Dugu Yan immediately said, "Second Grandfather, you could just say that person is you!"

Zhao Mu froze. Although he had obtained Poison Immunity after absorbing the Infernal Delicate Apricot and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, he did not recall ever mentioning it. How did Dugu Yan know?

Dugu Yan stuck out her tongue. She would never admit that she had secretly poisoned Zhao Mu before, only for it to have no effect whatsoever.

Hearing this, Dugu Bo could not help coughing awkwardly before turning his head to the side.

He would not admit it either.

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Seeing the strange expressions on Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo's faces, Zhao Mu was somewhat puzzled. He had the feeling that the two of them were hiding some secret.

But they were grandfather and granddaughter, after all. It was normal for them to hide a few things from him.

In the end, Dugu Bo seemed unwilling to let Zhao Mu notice anything and immediately changed the subject.

"Second Brother, you and Yan Yan are both Quasi-Soul Kings now. You only need to obtain one Soul Ring to officially step into the Soul King realm. Do you have any targets or thoughts regarding your fifth Soul Ring?"

Zhao Mu shook his head. The most crucial issue was that he did not really recognize the Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and Dugu Bo was only half-knowledgeable himself. Otherwise, he would not have been fooled so badly by Tang San.

Zhao Mu's previous goal had been to first find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Now, his next goal was to find a way to identify the Immortal Herbs here.

Chrysanthemum Guan of Spirit Hall, Yang Wudi of the Breaking Clan, and even Tang San, who had not yet finished elementary school, were all unreliable. Zhao Mu could not bring them here to identify the Immortal Herbs.

So Zhao Mu could only rely on himself.

Tang San knew Immortal Herbs because of his cheat, but Chrysanthemum Guan and Yang Wudi could not possibly have been born knowing Immortal Herbs, could they?

Moreover, if such things grew on the continent, there should be records such as illustrated manuals. Zhao Mu only needed to find a guide containing all sorts of medicinal herbs and Immortal Herbs, then he could identify them one by one himself without relying on anyone else.

As for the fifth Soul Ring, he could only make a choice after learning to recognize the Immortal Herbs here.

Speaking of illustrated guides or encyclopedias containing medicinal herbs and Immortal Herbs, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, one of the continent's two greatest empires, might have something like that.

Later, it would be necessary to have Dugu Bo investigate through Prince Xue Xing.

"I haven't considered my fifth Soul Ring yet. There's no rush."

Dugu Bo nodded from the side. Even without a Soul Ring, one could continue cultivating. The only issue was being stuck at a certain level. Once they obtained a Soul Ring, all the Soul Power they had cultivated beforehand could be converted into immediate combat strength, so there was indeed no need to rush the acquisition of a Soul Ring.

Besides, Zhao Mu had already obtained two Soul Rings in succession. That was already astonishing. He probably had not considered the choice of his fifth Soul Ring before.

"That's fine. Think it over carefully. After all, Soul Masters have a limited number of soul skills, and every single one is crucial. They affect a Soul Master's future."

At the mention of soul skills, Dugu Bo felt some regret over his own. After his Martial Soul Evolution, his original nine soul skills now seemed neither here nor there, having greatly diminished in value. Only several Soul Bone skills could still be used normally.

"Fortunately, Yan Yan was persistent enough and instead forged a new path of her own. Perhaps I really am old," Dugu Bo said with a sigh.

Dugu Yan's Martial Soul had only just evolved, so she naturally had no ideas regarding her future Soul Ring configuration either. "Grandfather, I don't know how to choose my fifth Soul Ring for now either."

Since Dugu Yan was still following the path of a Poison Soul Master, Dugu Bo, the former Poison Douluo, could still offer some advice in this regard.

Just as Dugu Bo was about to list several poison options for Dugu Yan, he suddenly thought of something and turned to ask Zhao Mu first, "Second Brother, you also know quite a bit about poison. Do you have any suggestions for Yan Yan's fifth Soul Ring?"

Zhao Mu grinned. What the hell did he know about poison?

He had only been bluffing.

However, when it came to Dugu Yan's fifth Soul Ring, Zhao Mu had indeed just come up with a small idea.

With the attitude of not feeling pain over someone else's Soul Ring, Zhao Mu voiced the thought in his heart.

"If I'm not mistaken, Big Brother, you intend to choose a new poison for Yan Yan's fifth Soul Ring, right?"

Dugu Bo nodded. The standard setup for Poison Soul Masters was one poison per Soul Ring. Since Dugu Yan was taking the Poison Soul Master route, Dugu Bo naturally wanted to find another new poison for her, just like her first three soul skills, which each represented three different toxins.

But judging by Zhao Mu's words, he did not seem to intend to find a new poison for Dugu Yan.

Was he about to cause trouble again?!

Thinking of the stunt Zhao Mu had pulled with the Snowy Swan Kiss, Dugu Bo suddenly became afraid that Zhao Mu would make Dugu Yan try some strange and dangerous thing again.

He suddenly regretted it. Why had he gone and asked him?

"Second Brother, Yan Yan is my only granddaughter. I don't want to be a green-haired man sending off a white-haired one!"

Unlike Dugu Bo's worry and unease, Dugu Yan became interested instead.

After all, it was Zhao Mu who had proposed using the Snowy Swan Kiss as her fourth Soul Ring. In a sense, without Zhao Mu, Dugu Yan could not have changed her fate against the heavens, gained such a great opportunity, evolved her Martial Soul, or acquired the powerful foundation to fight opponents above her level.

Thus, Dugu Yan truly wanted to hear Zhao Mu's idea.

Just as people who had won once often longed to win again.

"Second Grandfather, what good suggestion do you have for my fifth Soul Ring? Just say it. Don't mind my grandfather." Dugu Yan directly switched to calling Zhao Mu Second Grandfather, her pragmatism on full display.

Zhao Mu slowly said, "Yan Yan, how do you mainly poison others right now?"

"My method of poisoning?" Dugu Yan did not understand why Zhao Mu had brought up methods of poisoning, but because of Zhao Mu's "authority," she answered honestly, "Either I spit it from my mouth or throw it from my hands."

Just as Dugu Yan had done when fighting the Shrek Seven Devils in the original story, she spat poison from her mouth.

"Yan Yan, since you are a Poison Soul Master, poison is your primary method of attack. To defeat an opponent, the prerequisite is successfully poisoning them."

"Your current methods of attack—or rather, methods of poisoning—are too limited. If you throw poison with your hands, can you be certain you'll hit your opponent? Once you encounter an Agility Attack System Soul Master, their nimble movement will make it easy for them to evade your poison."

Dugu Yan then said, "Then I can spit poison from my mouth and form a poisonous mist for a wide-area attack. That way, they won't be able to dodge."

Zhao Mu continued, "Although poisonous mist covers a wide area, it isn't without flaws. For example, what if someone uses wind to blow it away?"

"Then what do you mean, Second Grandfather...?"

Not only Dugu Yan, but Dugu Bo beside her also looked at Zhao Mu, gradually becoming curious about his idea.

Zhao Mu slowly said, "Because of the powerful amplification from your fourth Soul Ring, the Snowy Swan Kiss, Yan Yan's poison is already strong enough. The next step should not be considering how to strengthen it further, but how to make up for its weaknesses."

It was like having overwhelming attack power but never being able to hit the enemy. It was ultimately useless.

No matter how strong the poison was, the prerequisite was successfully poisoning someone.

"Yan Yan's methods of poisoning are too limited. For her fifth Soul Ring, perhaps she could consider gaining another method of attack—a wide-area attack method, at that. For example, explosions! Or rather, the Poison Explosion Technique!"