Snake Lance Douluo

Zhang Yan acknowledged him, stepped forward, and released the powerful aura of a Spirit Douluo. The Purification Demon Lotus at the center of the lake swayed for a moment. Unfortunately, soul beasts from ten thousand years ago could not move.

Releasing his Soul Rings, Zhang Yan leaped into the air and directly pulled the Purification Demon Lotus, roots and all, from the pool with his broad palm.

Kicking off from the water, Zhang Yan used the momentum to return to the shore and handed the Purification Demon Lotus to Ye Lingling.

The Purification Demon Lotus was a soul beast with only a single ability and generally possessed no offensive power. However, the water in which it lived was usually of excellent quality, and it could slightly improve the cultivation effects of aquatic soul beasts. Therefore, soul beasts of comparable strength often lived around the waters it inhabited to protect it.

The one Dugu Yan had absorbed was the guardian soul beast of this Purification Demon Lotus, a thousand-year Venomous Forest Python. Dugu Bo had also spent considerable effort finding this soul beast in Sunset Forest.

With one slash, he cut the Purification Demon Lotus in two and threw its roots into the water. A pale purple Soul Ring rose up, and Ye Lingling sat down cross-legged to begin absorbing it.

Only after seeing Ye Lingling stabilize did Jin Yan sit down to cultivate his Soul Power. Zhang Yan could handle guarding her, and with Dugu Bo watching them warily and refusing to let them approach, there was nothing else to do.

Although he had already reached the level-forty plateau, if he kept cultivating, his Soul Power would still continue to grow. Yu Xiaogang had not been wrong about that.

Just as he gradually entered his cultivation state, a pained whimper jolted him awake.

Jin Yan opened his eyes and looked toward the source of the sound.

At the spot where Dugu Yan had been absorbing her Soul Ring, she had already finished, but her condition was far from good.

Green snake scales still covered her body, and her lower half had become a slender, supple snake tail. Yet she was currently rolling on the ground in agony, her face twisted with pain as purple poisonous mist slowly spread from her body.

Dugu Bo crouched behind his granddaughter. Unafraid of the poison mist drifting around them, he extended one hand to firmly restrain Dugu Yan while pressing the other against her back, gently guiding the poison within her body.

Dugu Yan's snake tail coiled around Dugu Bo's waist. As his Soul Power flowed into her, the pain on her face gradually faded, and the purple veins on her face quietly receded. But on closer inspection, one would find that the color of her hair and pupils had become even deeper, such a rich purple that it seemed ready to drip.

Dugu Bo sat cross-legged on the ground. Seeing his granddaughter's complexion gradually calm, he breathed a small sigh of relief, but his heart grew even heavier. He had not expected the poison within her to flare up so quickly.

For now, he could barely suppress the poison in her body with his formidable Soul Power, but this only treated the symptoms, not the root cause. If this continued, by the time his granddaughter reached Soul Emperor, she would likely be eroded to death by the poison. Then the tragedy of a white-haired man sending off a black-haired one would happen once more.

A trace of pain flashed through his eyes.

"This was caused by toxins accumulating in her body and erupting all at once."

At that moment, a voice sounded behind him, making Dugu Bo's heart sink. He had been so focused on suppressing the poison in his granddaughter's body that he had forgotten there was a group of soul masters nearby. His nerves instantly tightened as he snapped fiercely, though inwardly weak:

"What are you trying to do? Are you looking to die?"

Facing his threat, Jin Yan smiled without taking it seriously. Under Zhang Yan's protection, he stepped forward again and said unconcernedly:

"Senior, there is also an elder in my family who has some knowledge of medicinal principles. I studied under him for a while."

Jin Yan paused slightly before continuing, "The first time I saw you, Senior, I could tell from your green hair and green eyes that you were deeply poisoned. But since you are a titled-level powerhouse, I thought perhaps my skills were lacking. Yet seeing your granddaughter like this, it is clear that my diagnosis was not wrong."

"So what?"

The look in Dugu Bo's eyes shifted slightly before turning cold again.

"I may have a way to treat it," Jin Yan said, still neither servile nor overbearing.

Dugu Yan had already fainted from the pain. Dugu Bo stood up with a cold snort, Soul Rings appearing around him one after another.

"You're just a brat who hasn't even grown all his hair yet. What could you possibly understand?"

He gave a sinister laugh and looked at Jin Yan. "But you are right. I am indeed poisoned, though not as deeply as you imagine. Since you now know my secret, tell me—how do you want to die?"

Zhang Yan snorted coldly and stepped forward, blocking Dugu Bo's pressure. Eight Soul Rings appeared around him as he confronted Dugu Bo.

Feeling the pressure of a peak Spirit Douluo emanating from Zhang Yan, Dugu Bo frowned, but he did not seem particularly wary.

"With only eight Soul Rings, why seek your own destruction?"

The Eight Desolations Demon Halberd appeared in Zhang Yan's hand. If not for Jin Yan's lack of orders, he would have charged forward and exchanged a few rounds with Dugu Bo long ago.

"Old Poison, you said eight Soul Rings are not enough to fight you. What about me?"

As soon as the words fell, a piercing sound tore through the air. Dugu Bo's expression abruptly changed, and he sprang backward.

Looking back, he saw a snake spear entwined with golden snakes nailed into the spot where he had just stood, its immense force making it tremble faintly.

Dugu Bo looked in the direction of the Soul Power fluctuations and narrowed his eyes.

Snake Lance stood atop a tree, likewise radiating the powerful aura of a Titled Douluo.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—nine Soul Rings slowly revolved beneath his feet.

"Who are you?"

"Uncle Snake."

Dugu Bo and Jin Yan spoke at the same time.

A smile curled across Snake Lance's lips. Wrapped in a black cloak, he jumped down from the tree and slowly walked to Jin Yan's side.

"Uncle Snake, why are you here?" Jin Yan asked in surprise.

"Wasn't it because the young master was worried about you? He sent me to protect you."

"What about Sister Xue?"

Snake Lance smiled slightly. "Don't worry. Isn't Pufferfish still there?"

"Dugu Bo, do you think you can defeat the two of us by yourself?" Snake Lance said, turning toward Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo's expression turned rather ugly. He instinctively moved in front of his granddaughter, knowing full well that he could not be a match for the two of them and preparing to flee at any moment.

Jin Yan smiled and called out to Dugu Bo, "Senior, since things have come to this, why not listen to this junior's proposal? If I truly have a way to cure your poison, wouldn't that be a gain for you?"

Though he said that, Jin Yan had already made up his mind. He had given Dugu Bo a chance. If Dugu Bo failed to seize it, he was only a Titled Douluo. Jin Yan could afford to discard him and kill him outright.

Compared to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, which could completely transform a person, two lives—even if one belonged to a Titled Douluo—were nothing worth mentioning.