Chapter 35

Shen Feng frowned, enduring the pain in his shoulder, and grinned in a rather unsightly manner.

"Old man, you're really strong; you nearly crushed my bones."

Dugu Bo immediately let go and took two steps back: "I'm sorry, Xiao Feng, I didn't mean to. I—I was just too excited."

For a moment, Dugu Bo, a man over seventy years old, acted like a child who had made a mistake, at a loss for how to apologize to the child, Shen Feng.

Shen Feng smiled slightly: "Excitement is human nature, but old man, it's truly a bit too early to be excited now."

"Because none of the three treatment plans I've proposed are easy to achieve."

Dugu Bo said excitedly: "It's fine, it's fine, just tell me. Whether or not they can be achieved is my own business."

"Although I may not be considered top-tier among Title Douluo, the weakest Title is still a Title. If even I cannot meet the conditions you speak of, then it's likely just my fate."

Shen Feng shook his head slightly: "You don't need to be so pessimistic, old man. You should listen to my plans before deciding."

"The Detoxification Method, the Transfer Method, and the Reinforcement Method—from bottom to top, from easy to difficult—these are the three treatment plans I have conceived."

"As the name implies, the Detoxification Method is to find medicinal herbs that can restrain the poison of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor and dissolve the poison cultivation you possess."

"This method is the simplest, but it also has the greatest flaw."

"Because the poison in your body has already fused with your soul power, dissolving the poison will also dissolve a portion of your soul power. This could very likely cause your soul master rank to drop, perhaps even falling to the Soul Douluo realm."

Dugu Bo frowned: "This method might work for treating Yan Yan, but it probably won't work for me."

"However, it can be used as a backup plan, to be tried only as a last resort."

"You should tell me about the Transfer Method and the Reinforcement Method instead."

Shen Feng nodded: "The Transfer Method, this idea comes from Tool Soul Masters."

"The reason you are backlashed by the poison of your own martial soul is precisely because the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor is a Beast Martial Soul; every time you use Martial Soul Avatar, the excessive poison merges into a part of your body."

"Over time, your body's self-cleansing ability cannot keep up with the rate of poison accumulation, and the excess poison naturally causes great erosion to your body."

"But Tool Martial Souls are different. A Tool Soul Master can force all the poison into their martial soul, letting the martial soul bear the risks brought by the poison. In this way, all problems would be solved."

"Therefore, if you want to keep the deadly poison within you without letting it harm you, you must find a host to serve as a storage place for the poison."

"For example, a soul bone."

Dugu Bo was also a great expert in poison; hearing Shen Feng say this, he immediately understood, and green light flickered in his eyes.

But after pondering for a while, Dugu Bo still shook his head.

"Xiao Feng, this method still treats the symptoms but not the root cause."

"If the first plan is a reckless, one-size-fits-all approach, then this second plan is like tearing down the east wall to repair the west wall—it only temporarily shifts the conflict."

"You might not know this, but more than a decade ago, I already tried a similar method."

"I gathered all the poison in my body together and condensed it into a Poison Core."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo even spat out the Poison Core from his dantian to show Shen Feng.

"However, the poison produced by the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor is generated faster than I can condense the Poison Core, and the Poison Core cannot completely isolate the erosion of the poison on my body."

"If I were to force the poison into a soul bone, it would likely just be an alternative Poison Core; it could only provide temporary relief, not a long-term solution."

Shen Feng was slightly stunned, feeling a bit confused in his heart. Clearly, this method was proposed by Tang San in the original work and did indeed help Dugu Bo solve his illness, so why wasn't it working now that he was the one suggesting it?

Right, at that time, Dugu Bo was already terminally ill, to the point of seeking medical advice indiscriminately.

So, as long as it could extend his life, he wouldn't care if the plan had flaws.

But things are different now. Having been exposed to the brand-new concept of chemistry, and even having produced an extraordinary antidote like the Antitoxin Serum with his own help, Dugu Bo naturally looked down on these flawed plans.

Thinking of this, Shen Feng suddenly realized that he had spoiled Dugu Bo's standards.

Shaking his head helplessly, Shen Feng proposed the third treatment plan.

"Since you are not satisfied with the first two plans, I can only bring out my trump card: the Reinforcement Method."

"The Reinforcement Method, which can also be called the Evolution Method, is the only way to perfectly solve the problem with your martial soul."

"In fact, there isn't much of a problem with your martial soul itself; the poisoning is simply because the poison produced after your martial soul evolved is too strong, and your body's self-detoxification function cannot keep up."

"If your martial soul were just an ordinary Jade Phosphorous Serpent, I'm afraid you wouldn't be in this situation today."

Dugu Bo was stunned and nodded in agreement: "That's true, my ancestors indeed did not encounter this situation."

"However, without the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor martial soul, I probably wouldn't have been able to break through to the Title Douluo realm, and perhaps I wouldn't have suffered so much."

"Sigh, it really is both a blessing and a curse to have the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor."

Looking at the sighing Dugu Bo, Shen Feng didn't know what to say.

"Old man, everything is in the past; the future will definitely be better."

"We must look forward and not let the sorrows of the past affect who we are now. Otherwise, wouldn't that be very unfair to your current self?"

Dugu Bo laughed heartily: "Right, you're right. I cannot let the sorrows of the past affect who I am now."

"You kid really knows how to talk; I'm starting to like you more and more."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo seemed to think of something; his emerald eyes radiated a gentle light as he stared at Shen Feng, looking him up and down, and a smile gradually appeared at the corners of his mouth.

"Say, Xiao Feng, how about you become my grandson-in-law?"

"Huh??" Shen Feng was instantly startled, staring at Dugu Bo in a daze, feeling absolutely amazed by the man's train of thought.

They were clearly discussing the matter of treating an illness, so how did he jump to finding a partner for his granddaughter?

Seeing the surprised look on Shen Feng's face, Dugu Bo was in an exceptionally good mood.

Counting on his fingers, Dugu Bo said quite meticulously, "I've calculated it carefully. Actually, my granddaughter is only seven years older than you, which isn't too much."

"When you are eighteen, she will only be twenty-five."

"Once you are married, you'll have a Title Douluo-level umbrella of protection and a young, beautiful bride all at once."

"Tsk tsk, you really are getting a bargain, kid."

Shen Feng curled his lips, giving a bitter smile as he said, "Old man, I'm only ten years old this year. Don't you think it's a bit too early to be telling me this?"

"Besides, I haven't even met your granddaughter. Are you sure she would even look twice at a poor country boy like me?"

"Furthermore, your granddaughter is currently in the prime of her youth. Are you sure that after half a year..."

"As the saying goes, black tiles and white walls, the slanting sun shines on the west window.

Green leaves and yellow flowers, the sleeves drift with a faint fragrance.

Wishing to use a peach branch, to try and fashion a hairpin.

Yet it attracts bees and butterflies, frequently disturbing the rustle of a plain skirt.

Circling the alley, still shy, slender hands half-covering the face.

A jade-like beauty, slowly entering her prime years.

Eyebrows and face beginning to mature, the water is still and the wind has ceased.

Guarding the boudoir alone, softly chanting before the mirror.

In the prime of youth, what young man is on her mind?"

Shen Feng really couldn't point out the rest, and he couldn't reveal that he knew about the events in the original story, so he had to use a doggerel poem to imply it.

While living off a woman might be nice, Shen Feng really didn't want to eat that kind of "soft rice" when Dugu Yan had her heart set on someone else.

Fun fact: the "prime of youth" (biyu nianhua) is also known as the age of deflowering.

()

Fortunately, Dugu Bo understood Shen Feng's metaphor and even associated it with something else, his face instantly darkening: "Forget it, forget it. Let's talk about this later."

"You should tell me in detail about this Reinforcement Method of yours."

Shen Feng let out a long breath in his heart; he had escaped a disaster.

In his previous life, people only started pushing for marriage after twenty, so why did it start at ten after transmigrating?

It was truly terrifying.

"Old man, actually, there isn't a major problem with your Martial Soul. Just as I said before, the poisoning is simply because the toxins produced after your Martial Soul evolved into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor are too strong, and your body's self-detoxification function cannot keep up."

"As long as we can find a celestial-grade divine herb suitable for you, I am confident I can reinforce your body to the point where it can become immune to the toxins, or stimulate your Martial Soul to allow the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor to evolve once more."

"If we can evolve the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul into a Poison Dragon, then all your problems will no longer be problems."

Dugu Bo's pupils suddenly contracted, and he gasped, "Hiss~, you kid really dares to think big, actually wanting my Martial Soul to evolve again."

"Although my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul is a sub-dragon species with dragon bloodline, do you have any idea how difficult it is to evolve from a sub-dragon species into a true dragon?"

"Moreover, I am already a nine-ring Title Douluo. Even if I wanted to use the method of absorbing soul rings to evolve my Martial Soul, it wouldn't work."

"And I am already over seventy years old. To want to evolve my Martial Soul again... it's hard, hard, hard."

Seeing Dugu Bo sigh, Shen Feng felt a bit uneasy deep down.

After half a year of painstaking planning, he had finally led Dugu Bo to this critical juncture.

Whether it succeeds or fails depends on this final push.

If it succeeds, the future is limitless.

If it fails, the future is pitch black.

To be honest, Shen Feng didn't like to gamble, even if the risk was small.

He clearly remembered that a big shot once said, "If the success rate is ninety-eight percent, how is that any different from throwing your life away?"

But in the world of martial arts, one is not always the master of their own fate. For that thousand-percent profit, one must occasionally take a gamble.

Thinking of this, Shen Feng put on a blank expression, sighed, and said, "That is why you need to go out yourself, Old Man, to find that celestial-grade divine herb that seizes the creation of heaven and earth."

"With your strength as a nine-ring Title Douluo, if even you cannot find it, then we likely won't be able to find it either."

Hearing the words "celestial-grade divine herb" from Shen Feng again, and with the added description of "seizing the creation of heaven and earth" which sounded extraordinary, Dugu Bo frowned slightly, his expression dazed as he asked in confusion, "A celestial-grade divine herb that seizes the creation of heaven and earth? What kind of thing is that?"

Shen Feng tilted his head at a forty-five-degree angle, pretending to be profound: "It is born from the convergence of the essence of heaven and earth, possessing the power to defy the heavens and change one's fate."

"It is grown in the divine herb garden of the heavens, a rarity seldom found in the mortal world."

Upon hearing Shen Feng's description, a glimmer of something called hope suddenly ignited within Dugu Bo's emerald eyes.

He didn't know if he possessed any immortal herbs that could seize the fortune of heaven and earth, but he knew for a fact that he owned an entire herb garden that did exactly that.

With a trembling heart and shaking hands, Dugu Bo placed his hand on Shen Feng's shoulder once more, his expression turning quite solemn.

"Xiao Feng, let me ask you: it has snow-white petals, is shaped like an octagon, has crystal-clear ice stamens, radiates a biting cold poison within ten meters, and has no discernible scent."

"Do you recognize this flower?"

Shen Feng pretended to ponder for a moment before saying with great excitement: "I recognize it. This flower is called the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, an extremely cold herb that only grows in frigid regions."

"Within ten meters of this grass, the cold air is oppressive; it can chill a person to the bone, freeze their central nervous system, and if exposed for too long, the cold poison will strike the heart, leaving it incurable."

"Furthermore, this flower is indeed an immortal herb that seizes the fortune of heaven and earth, but..."

Dugu Bo's heart tightened abruptly: "But what? Speak quickly, you're killing me with suspense!"

Shen Feng sighed: "But this immortal herb contains cold poison, its usage conditions are extremely harsh, and it is not suitable for detoxifying your condition, sir."

"If used rashly, it could even lead to irreversible and severe consequences."

"Alas, it is a case of 'tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard'."

After hearing Shen Feng's explanation, Dugu Bo's breathing grew heavy.

Since this was an immortal herb, what about the others?

Forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, Dugu Bo asked again: "Cabbage-shaped, entirely fiery red, radiates fire poison within ten meters—do you recognize this item?"

Shen Feng nodded again: "The Infernal Delicate Apricot. This item only grows in scorching places and can even survive in magma. All of its properties are the exact opposite of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass."

"It is likewise a highly toxic substance with harsh usage conditions, and it is also not suitable for detoxifying your condition, sir."

"Good, good, very good!" Dugu Bo suddenly rejoiced, patting Shen Feng's shoulder vigorously.