I, Dugu Bo, Have Always Valued My Promises

"Rest assured, I have no intention of begging to be your disciple. You can't even control your own aura; such a level of skill is of absolutely no interest to me!"

Dugu Bo's expression stiffened, his body trembling with cold fury. Suppressing the urge to strike again, he roared, "You... what did you say?"

"Isn't it true? When you use Martial Soul Possession, you turn a sickly green and reek of rot. That would be one thing, but even after retracting your soul, you still smell the same."

"With such an obvious stench, is it that you don't want to hide it? Who would willingly remain foul-smelling all the time?"

"This is clearly a sign that you have no control over yourself!"

Dugu Bo's face shifted through a spectrum of colors. Whose brat was this, constantly rubbing salt into someone else's wounds?

Did he have no respect for his elders? Did he not know how to show consideration for his seniors?

"You... I..." Dugu Bo wanted to retort, but for a moment, he didn't know how to begin.

Seeing this, Ling Yun continued, "If I'm not mistaken, you are suffering from a backlash of your Martial Soul! The Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison eating away at your own body must be quite agonizing, right?"

"Does a numbness and itchiness in your ribs not flare up every time it rains? This sensation gradually intensifies, striking once at noon and once at midnight, lasting for quite a while, doesn't it?"

"Around the third watch of the night, do you not feel a needle-like pain in the soles of your feet and the crown of your head? Your entire body spasms, and the pain is worse than death, yes?"

"You came here to use this extreme Ice and Fire Elemental Power to suppress the rampaging toxins within your body and alleviate the agony when the poison erupts!"

"How do you know that?" Dugu Bo blurted out in shock.

His expression was volatile, radiating a low, oppressive pressure. The secret he had guarded so strictly had been laid bare by a mere child!

The description was so precise it was as if the boy had seen it with his own eyes; it was terrifying. If this secret were exposed, what would happen if his old rivals chose to target him specifically when his toxins flared up?

He had to silence him. He had to kill him.

Dugu Bo's killing intent surged once more, and this time, it became increasingly pure.

It was a form of killing intent that cast aside all hesitation, driven only by the need for the other party to cease existing.

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Ling Yun wore a smile that suggested everything was under his control, and he dropped a bombshell.

"I can help you solve the problem in your body, and I can even push your strength a step further. Put your killing intent away!"

Dugu Bo's killing intent weakened slightly, but he did not retract it entirely.

Who knew if this was true or false? But then again, what if it were real? He didn't care about himself, but he still had his precious granddaughter!

"How is this old man to know if what you say is true or false?"

"Three methods. I have three ways to free you from the torment of the serpent poison."

Dugu Bo sneered. He had been searching for a solution for so many years without a single lead; for a mere child to claim he had three ways to solve the serpent poison upon their first meeting was nothing but empty talk.

"Do you know the consequences of toying with this old man?"

"What benefit would I gain from lying to you? To deepen your rage so you'd be even more eager to kill me?"

"Very well, then this old man will listen!"

"If your methods are truly effective, I can grant you three conditions!"

"Do you mean that?"

"The Spirit Master world calls me, Dugu Bo, sinister and cunning, with ruthless methods. I admit to these things, but that does not mean I do not keep my word."

"I am, after all, a Titled Douluo; I have at least that much credibility."

"As long as the method you propose is theoretically sound, I will not pursue the matter of you plucking so many of my medicinal herbs."

Dugu Bo held the mindset of 'nothing ventured, nothing gained.' If Ling Yun truly had a way, what would it matter if he gave the entire herb garden to him?

What he had always wanted was to resolve the issue with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul so that his family's tragedy would not continue.

"The first method: force the toxins into a Soul Bone. Naturally, an External Soul Bone is best!"

"You brat, you're playing me!" Dugu Bo was furious. "Since you've seen the problem with my body, you should know that these toxins have been fused with my body for years. Forcing them into a Soul Bone is as difficult as ascending to heaven. If one thing goes wrong, the backlash will be even more violent. You are clearly teaching me how to commit suicide."

"Look at you, getting impatient again!"

"I'm not telling you to force it directly! With the aid of medicinal herbs, though the process is arduous, there is no possibility of failure."

"Think about it: why are serpent-type soul beasts not poisoned by their own venom? Because they have specialized venom sacs to store it, so the venom never enters their bloodstream. Humans lack such organs, so naturally, we must find something similar to replace them."

"A Soul Bone is the perfect choice!"

"An External Soul Bone is best; it can store as much toxin as you have."

"If you don't have an External Soul Bone, a regular Soul Bone will do, but with your strength as a Titled Douluo, it must be at least a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone. Only then can it fully store your toxins. When it reaches its limit, it's the same principle as a cup overflowing—you simply expel the excess toxin from your body."

"And that tiny bit of excess, compared to the total volume, is negligible; you could deal with it with a flick of your hand."

After listening, Dugu Bo's rage slowly faded. "Theoretically, it is indeed feasible, but the premise is the auxiliary medicine? Do you have a way?"

"Of course!"

"The Viscera-Moistening and Meridian-Protecting Pill, crafted from fifteen medicinal herbs, serves to nourish the five viscera and six bowels while protecting the meridians within your body."

"Take this, and the process of forcing out the poison will be perfectly safe!"

Ling Yun flicked his finger, and a gap appeared in the water barrier formed by the Ice and Fire Spring. The pill flew out through the opening, gliding through the air until it was held aloft by Dugu Bo's soul power.

He examined the pill carefully; there was nothing wrong with it.

Dugu Bo was not lacking in pharmacological knowledge; although most of it pertained to poisons, it was sufficient for him to discern the quality of the medicinal pill.

"You should have a spirit bone, right? You can test the effects!"

After confirming there were no issues with the pill, Dugu Bo did not hesitate. In front of Ling Yun, he placed the pill into his mouth. It dissolved instantly, and a unique herbal flavor surged from his throat throughout his entire body, making him feel as light as if he had shed a layer of heavy armor.

The next moment, he soared into the air, vanishing from Ling Yun's sight as he flew toward a cave at the top of the valley.

This was a cave dwelling Dugu Bo had excavated himself, containing various jars and bottles, as well as an alchemy furnace.

After sealing the cave entrance, he sat cross-legged and began to strip the toxins from his blood, forcing them into his spirit bone.

About an hour later, as the medicinal effect gradually faded, Dugu Bo ceased the process of expelling the poison and stood up to stretch his limbs. He felt incredibly light, as if the effect were even better than suppressing the toxins ten times with Ice and Fire Elemental Power.

The facts proved that this was indeed effective.

Dugu Bo was in a great mood now; the problem that had plagued him for years was finally resolved, though it was a pity his son and daughter-in-law had not lived to see this day.

Regardless, his granddaughter would no longer have to endure the agony of the snake venom backlash! Dugu Bo left the cave and reappeared before Ling Yun.

The previous tense atmosphere had vanished, and the two stared at each other. Dugu Bo was the first to break the silence.

"I, Dugu Bo, keep my word. As for the medicinal herbs, I will no longer pursue the matter; consider them a gift to you."

"However, you must give me the prescription for that Viscera-Moistening and Meridian-Protecting Pill."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't you want to know about the other two methods?"

"If I can only choose one, I want the prescription."

With a confirmed solution in hand, Dugu Bo had become much more composed; at the moment, his mind was filled with nothing but the prescription.

If he didn't have the prescription, he would have to keep getting pills from Ling Yun, and how could that be? What if Ling Yun went back on his word?

He had to get his hands on that prescription, no matter what.