Repaying Kindness with Peaches, Earth Dragon Golden Melon Detoxifies

The violent cyan storm gradually subsided, and the red and blue spring water that had been swept into the sky transformed into a fine drizzle, scattering back into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Xue Yao drifted down from the massive boulder, his entire demeanor returning to that of a gentle, jade-like royal youth.

However, Dugu Bo, standing to the side, could no longer look at this eight-year-old boy as a mere junior.

Dugu Bo had lived for more than half a lifetime, yet he had never seen, or even heard of, such a monstrous existence in this world.

"Monster... you brat, you are a monster through and through."

Xue Yao smiled slightly and cupped his hands in a salute.

"Senior, you flatter me. That I could achieve this rebirth is entirely due to your generosity; it is only natural that I return the favor."

"Senior, I said before that once I emerged from this seclusion, it would be time to completely eradicate the toxins from your body and Yan's. Now, the time has come to fulfill that promise."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's body jolted violently.

"Xue Yao... you, do you truly have the confidence?"

"Rest assured, Senior. In the ancient texts of the Royal Library, I have not only studied the data on immortal herbs but have also conducted deep analyses on the strengths and weaknesses of the continent's top-tier martial souls."

Xue Yao walked slowly through the flower beds with his hands behind his back.

"Your martial soul, Senior, is the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor; it is undoubtedly a top-tier poison-attribute martial soul. But poison is, by nature, a double-edged sword. The toxicity of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor is too fierce and too yin. As your cultivation levels rise, the toxins inherent to the martial soul will continuously backfire on the host's physical body."

"Since I have already determined that you are poisoned, Senior, I surmise that whenever the weather is overcast and rainy, you experience a dull, cutting pain in your ribs; and every midnight, you feel as if ten thousand needles are piercing your crown and the soles of your feet, with each episode lasting at least half an hour. Senior, am I correct?"

"You... you even know this?!" Dugu Bo's pupils contracted violently, staring at Xue Yao as if he had seen a ghost.

At this moment, Dugu Bo's last shred of doubt regarding Xue Yao vanished completely, leaving only deep admiration and hope in his heart.

"This is the power of knowledge, Senior."

"The poison within your bodies is not caused by external forces, but originates from the martial soul itself. To detoxify, relying on ordinary antidotes will not work. Because once the old poison is cleared, the martial soul will continuously produce new poison."

"Then, in your opinion, what should be done?"

In the original story, the solution Tang San provided was to force the toxins into the spirit bones for storage.

But as a transmigrator who knew everything, Xue Yao naturally understood that this was merely a superficial, inferior method that failed to address the root cause.

Since he was going to give a solution, he would give the most perfect one!

"The root-cause solution lies in 'evolution' and 'neutralization'!"

Xue Yao's gaze shifted away from Dugu Bo and began to carefully search the area on the periphery of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that was filled with a rich earth-attribute aura.

"The poison of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor is extremely yin and requires something substantial to contain and neutralize it. At the same time, the 'serpent' form of the martial soul has innate flaws; only by breaking the shackles and achieving a bloodline leap can the martial soul itself gain the ability to perfectly control this power."

As he spoke, Xue Yao's eyes suddenly lit up.

He stopped in front of a vine shrouded in strange, earthy-yellow mist.

"Found it!"

A joyful curve appeared at the corner of Xue Yao's mouth. He carefully channeled his wind element, forming sharp, tiny Wind Blade, and precisely severed the vine, retrieving the three dark golden fruits intact.

"This... what kind of heaven-sent treasure is this? I have stayed in this herb garden for so many years, yet I never noticed the terrifying energy contained within it." Dugu Bo stepped forward, feeling the heavy aura emanating from the fruit, and could not help but be secretly shocked.

"It is normal that you do not recognize it, Senior. This item is called the 'Earth Dragon Golden Melon'."

"The Earth Dragon Golden Melon is a supreme immortal herb nurtured by absorbing the purest earth-attribute essence of the land, accompanied by a trace of ancient Earth Dragon aura."

"Earth-attribute? Earth Dragon aura?"

"But I am a poison-attribute spirit master. What use does this earth-attribute immortal herb have for my detoxification?"

"It has great use!"

"Firstly, among the five elements, earth overcomes water and can also contain all things. The vast and extremely pure earth-attribute essence of the Earth Dragon Golden Melon is the perfect nemesis and container for the extremely yin, extremely cold Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison within you! It can neutralize and absorb all the yin-poison that backfires on your internal organs without weakening the power of your poison attribute."

"Secondly, and most importantly!" Xue Yao pointed to the dragon-scale patterns on the fruit's surface. "Your martial soul is a serpent. A serpent becomes a python at five hundred years, a flood dragon at a thousand, and a dragon at ten thousand! The trace of pure Sub-Dragon bloodline contained within this Earth Dragon Golden Melon is the supreme catalyst to promote your martial soul's evolution!"

Hearing the words "Martial Soul Evolution," Dugu Bo's hands began to tremble violently and uncontrollably.

Martial Soul Evolution—that was a miracle that countless spirit masters dreamed of, yet remained forever out of reach!

"Once you consume this, Senior, the Earth Dragon aura will stimulate the deep potential of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's bloodline. At that point, the poison will no longer be your burden, but a life-bound power you can perfectly integrate! Not only will the agony of the backfire be completely eradicated, but your spirit power, which has been stagnant for years, may even take this opportunity to break through once more."

Xue Yao's words boomed in Dugu Bo's mind.

Perfectly control the poison? Eradicate the backfire? Break through in spirit power?

Dugu Bo looked at the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in his hands, tears of an old man streaming down his face.

For so many years, he had suffered day and night, howling in despair countless times in the dead of night.

He had thought his life would end this way, and had even prepared himself to explode and die from the poison's backlash at any moment.

But now, this eight-year-old boy had not only given him hope for life but had also provided him with a path toward a higher realm!

"Xue Yao..."

Dugu Bo suddenly raised his head. This Poison Douluo, infamous across the continent, bent his knees and was about to kneel before Xue Yao!

"Senior, you must not!"

"You are shaming this junior, Senior. I said it before: you generously lent me this precious land, and I am merely returning the favor. Furthermore, this immortal herb grew in your own garden; I am simply borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha, pointing out its efficacy."

Xue Yao knew very well that in this world where the strong prey upon the weak, talent alone was not enough; one also needed powerful protectors.

Trading immortal herbs that already belonged to this place for the absolute loyalty and devotion of a Title Douluo was a deal that earned him a massive profit.

"Good! A truly magnificent display of returning a favor!"

Dugu Bo took a deep breath. He did not offer any further words of thanks, but the look of gratitude and awe intertwined in his eyes said everything.

"There are three Earth Dragon Golden Melons here in total."

"Senior, your cultivation has reached the level of a Title Douluo, and the toxins accumulated within your body are too deep. To completely neutralize them and trigger a Martial Soul Evolution, you need to consume two of them simultaneously. As for this remaining one..."

"Yan is currently only a Soul Elder, and the toxins in her body are still shallow. This single stalk is enough to reshape her bloodline from the root. Not only will it detoxify her, but it will also cause her talent to undergo a terrifying leap. Please take this third one back, Senior, and personally guide Yan in consuming it."

"Brother Xue Yao, great kindness needs no thanks! From now on, this old man's life is yours!" Dugu Bo was so moved that he even changed how he addressed him, shifting directly from "kid" to "brother."

"You speak too heavily, Senior."

"There is no time to lose. Senior, hurry and consume the Earth Dragon Golden Melons here beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. With the aid of the supreme spiritual energy here, absorbing the medicinal effects will yield twice the result with half the effort. This junior will stay by your side to guard you!"

"Good!"

Dugu Bo stopped standing on ceremony. He took the two Earth Dragon Golden Melons and quickly walked to an open space to sit cross-legged.

The next moment, he opened his mouth wide and inhaled the essence of both Earth Dragon Golden Melons into his stomach.

As the medicinal power dissolved, a thick layer of dark golden light instantly enveloped Dugu Bo. Vaguely, the phantom of a massive, emerald-green giant snake emerged behind him, and on the top of that giant snake's head, two protrusions resembling dragon horns began to slowly bulge...

Watching Dugu Bo enter a state of deep transformation, Xue Yao stood with his hands behind his back, a satisfied smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

The Ice and Fire Golden Body was complete, his speed was unmatched, and he had successfully bound a Title Douluo who was on the verge of evolution.