Method of Detoxification

Dugu Bo did not think much of Li Pu and his group; while they possessed some strength, they were no match for a Spirit Douluo like him.

"Being able to break through the poison array to reach this place is a testament to your skills, but since you've arrived, you might as well stay and serve as fertilizer for my herb garden."

Dugu Bo immediately unleashed his high-level Spirit Douluo aura, but to his surprise, the other party merely looked at him with a playful, lopsided smirk, as if observing a clown.

As the distance closed, Dugu Bo quickly recognized who they were.

He naturally recognized Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, as well as the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong.

There were two other children, and Dugu Bo could sense that one of them radiated a danger that made him feel suffocated.

He was definitely a Title Douluo, perhaps even more formidable than Chrysanthemum Douluo.

He swallowed hard, not daring to act rashly, and skidded to a halt, his feet scraping against the ground as he retracted his spirit rings.

Chrysanthemum Douluo covered his mouth and let out a beautiful, charming laugh: "Little Poisonous One, don't stop now, keep going. I quite enjoy watching you people put on such airs."

Dugu Bo offered an awkward smile: "Your Excellency Chrysanthemum Douluo, Lady Saintess, and this senior, please don't mock me. I wonder what business brings you all to my herb garden?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo got straight to the point: "Martial Soul Hall wants this treasure land. You're sitting on a mountain of wealth without knowing how to use it anyway, so you might as well hand it over to us."

"This is my, Dugu Bo's, territory. You think Martial Soul Hall can just take it?" Dugu Bo frowned.

"Correct."

Chrysanthemum Douluo continued: "Dugu Bo, you can give it willingly, or you can refuse. It simply comes down to whether or not I need to take action myself."

"Your Martial Soul Hall is being far too overbearing!"

This was the place where he eked out his survival, a place his son and granddaughter would need in the future—how could he possibly hand it over to others!

"Heavenly treasures belong to the strong; that is the truth of the spirit master world, is it not?" Guangling Douluo remarked playfully.

"..."

Dugu Bo's expression twisted, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.

"Fine, this place belongs to your Martial Soul Hall. I will leave at once."

Facing a behemoth like Martial Soul Hall, Dugu Bo had no choice but to yield.

If he couldn't afford to offend them, he could at least hide. He would just have to put more effort into managing his own toxic backlash in the future.

Seeing Dugu Bo prepare to leave, Chrysanthemum Douluo added.

"Dugu Bo, don't be in such a hurry. We want this place, and that includes you."

They even wanted him?

Dugu Bo's body trembled slightly, and he gritted his teeth in resentment: "Martial Soul Hall, you go too far!"

But against a giant like Martial Soul Hall, he lacked the power to resist. Unless he reached the level of a Title Douluo and his City-Slaughtering Poison reached its peak, he would never be able to threaten them.

While it might not threaten a Title Douluo, a single wave of his poison could infect everyone, and no one would be able to escape.

"Alright, stop teasing him," Li Pu said, stepping forward.

"Dugu Bo, I'll give you a chance. As long as you join Martial Soul Hall, we will grant you a blessing you cannot refuse, and you will never regret it."

"Hahaha! No matter what conditions you offer, even if I die, die out there, or jump into that Ice and Fire Pool, I will never join your Martial Soul Hall!" Dugu Bo pointed at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, refusing to accept his fate.

"You may not fear death, but do your son Dugu Xin and your granddaughter not fear it either?"

That single sentence cornered Dugu Bo and ignited his fury.

"I didn't expect you to be so shameless! You want to use my son and granddaughter as leverage!"

If not for the presence of an even more dangerous Title Douluo, he would have attacked immediately. Daring to threaten his most cherished family was a path to certain death.

Li Pu continued: "Even without us targeting your family, they won't live long. After all, the backlash of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison rarely allows one to live past fifty—let alone being as lucky as you, reaching old age and still having the chance to cultivate into a Title Douluo!"

"It seems you came prepared. You intend to have me cornered, but what use is it even if you know all this?"

Dugu Bo's breathing grew rapid: "What does it matter if you know? In this world, no one can solve the problems of the Dugu Family."

"I have several methods, including ways to treat the symptoms and ways to cure the root cause. Will you still refuse?" Li Pu asked.

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, though they remained filled with skepticism.

"My Jade Phosphorous Serpent lineage has failed to find a cure for generations. If you can truly solve this, then joining Martial Soul Hall is a small price to pay."

"Straightforward!"

Bibi Dong and the others looked on, puzzled: "You actually know how to deal with the backlash of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison?"

Li Pu explained simply and in detail: "The first method is to find a spirit bone to act as a container, channeling the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison produced by your spirit into it. Of course, once the spirit bone is saturated with poison, it becomes a 'poison bone,' and the toxins leaking from it will create problems even more terrifying than what you face now."

Dugu Bo had a sudden realization: "I should have thought of that. I should have realized I could do that. Although it only treats the symptoms and still presents issues, it would allow me to live another ten or twenty years, and I wouldn't have to suffer from the serpent poison's backlash anymore."

He had hoped to pass the spirit bone down, sparing his descendants from the backlash, but Li Pu's final words dispelled that notion.

Even though the spirit bone therapy would leave him carrying a burden that could explode at any moment, the prospect of living a normal life for a few decades—or even living several decades longer—was a massive temptation for Dugu Bo, enough to make him sell his services to any organization.

"This alone is enough to make me join Martial Soul Hall and serve them."

In this, Dugu Bo would never regret his choice.

Although he longed for the path of a free spirit master, his own circumstances did not allow it. Even if he lost his freedom, he did not want his descendants to face the same torment by the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison that he had endured.

Li Pu continued, "The second option is the flora here. Some can grant immunity to all poisons, so you'll never have to fear the backlash of the Jade Scale Snake Poison again. Others do the opposite: they strip away your toxic cultivation while preserving your foundation, allowing you to live like a normal person."

Dugu Bo's eyes widened as he looked out over the mountains of medicinal herbs, finding it hard to believe that the cure for the Jade Scale Snake Poison backlash had been right beside him all along.

Ever since he first discovered the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, he had noticed many herbs he didn't recognize. He had once tried to test their properties, but that attempt had left him with a pain he would never forget; if not for his formidable strength, he likely would have been poisoned to death long ago.

"Can these herbs really help us detoxify?"

Dugu Bo's breathing grew ragged. Compared to treating the symptoms, he much preferred a permanent cure.

Since the other party had brought it up, it meant they were willing to tell him.

Chrysanthemum Douluo naturally replied, "Little Poisonous One, there is a type of herb called an Immortal Herb. As the name suggests, they are treasures of the heavens, rarely found in the mortal realm. Different Immortal Herbs possess different effects; some can improve one's constitution, raise one's talent, or even facilitate Martial Soul Evolution. Because they are Immortal Herbs, you don't need to worry about side effects when consuming them. It's just a pity you don't recognize them."

Realizing he had been sitting on a mountain of treasure without knowing it, he felt that regret was useless now. Regardless, he didn't know which ones were useful to him anyway, but as long as he could solve the poison issues for himself, his son, and his granddaughter, that was enough.

"There is a third and final method!"