Dugu Bo Wept with Gratitude; Ten Thousand Fathoms Beneath the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the Remnants of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings?!

Even when Spirit Hall had extended an olive branch to him, he had never given it a second glance.

Though these two mysterious people were unfathomably powerful, they had asked him to sell himself into their service right from the start. His instincts rebelled against the idea.

"This old man is used to wandering free as a cloud and wild as a crane. I can't bear to be constrained..."

Dugu Bo had just been about to refuse when Gu Yuan's next words stopped him cold.

"I know what you're hesitating over, and I know what you're worried about."

A confident smile curled Gu Yuan's lips. He raised one finger and gently wagged it.

"Your so-called freedom is built on the fear that you could drop dead at any moment.

"And you're not just doing this for yourself. You're doing it for your granddaughter, Dugu Yan, too, aren't you?"

At the mention of "Dugu Yan," the resistance in Dugu Bo's eyes instantly sharpened, and even turned murderous. It was the reaction of a dragon whose reverse scale had been touched.

But Gu Yuan didn't care in the slightest. He continued:

"The way you suppress the poison now is just drinking poison to quench your thirst.

"But I can completely cure the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison in both you and your granddaughter."

"What did you say?!"

Dugu Bo shuddered. Even the poison rampaging inside him seemed to freeze for an instant at those words.

Dugu Bo stared hard at Gu Yuan, breathing rapidly.

"You... you're saying you can cure it?

"That's impossible!

"It's a poison inherent to the Martial Soul. It's long since seeped into the blood and marrow. There's no way to cure it unless you cripple the Martial Soul!"

"Your knowledge is simply too limited."

Gu Yuan smiled calmly and dropped a bombshell.

"Better to let it flow than to dam it up.

"What you're doing now is forcibly suppressing the poison, letting it build up inside you. Of course it's going to turn on you.

"The real solution is to guide it out."

"Guide it?"

Dugu Bo repeated the words unconsciously, his eyes alight with a thirst for knowledge.

"That's right."

Gu Yuan spoke at length, explaining Tang San's theory from the original story alongside his own understanding.

"As a Titled Douluo, you've already formed Soul Bones inside your body.

"You only need to force the poison you've cultivated into your Soul Bones and store it there.

"Soul Bones are dead matter. They won't be eroded by the poison. Instead, the infusion of venom will make them even stronger.

"At the same time, we can use other methods to treat the damage the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison has done to your body. Before long, you'll be completely free of its threat."

"When you're fighting, you can release the poison stored in your Soul Bones. It'll be even more powerful, and your body won't suffer from the poison in your daily life anymore.

"As for your granddaughter, her condition isn't as severe as yours. Give her a few of the Immortal Herbs in this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to cleanse her body and marrow, and you can eliminate the danger for good."

Gu Yuan's words were like an infusion of enlightenment, blasting open the tightly shut door in Dugu Bo's mind.

Dugu Bo was an expert in poison. Though he'd been too close to the problem to see clearly, Gu Yuan's guidance let him immediately work through the theory and recognize that it was feasible.

"Force it into the Soul Bones... store the poison in the bones... better to let it flow than to dam it up..."

Dugu Bo murmured to himself. The shock in his eyes gradually gave way to wild joy—the joy of suddenly seeing a clear road to heaven from the depths of despair!

The curse that had plagued the Dugu Family for generations, the nightmare that had tormented him for most of his life, really did have a cure!

And it sounded perfect!

"Thump!"

Without a moment's hesitation, without any airs of a powerful expert, Dugu Bo ignored the agony in his body and shifted his position on the rock. Then he bowed deeply to Gu Yuan and Gu Yuena, his voice trembling but utterly resolute.

"If you can truly save my granddaughter and lift the curse on my family, then I, Dugu Bo, am willing to submit!"

"From this day on, my life is yours!"

Gu Yuena gave a slight nod and lifted her hand, sending a gentle silver light into Dugu Bo's body to temporarily suppress the poison that was about to run wild.

"Now that you've submitted, you're one of us.

"Stay here and heal. Try to guide the poison as Xiao Yuan suggested."

Gu Yuena's voice was cool and noble, carrying an unquestionable authority. Then she changed tack and offered a promise that nearly made Dugu Bo swoon with happiness.

"Since you're the first human Titled Douluo to join the Star Dou Great Forest's forces, I won't treat you unfairly.

"When this is over, I'll find you two Soul Bones from the Hundred Thousand Year Poison Dragon Clan."

"Hundred... hundred thousand years?

"Two of them?!"

Dugu Bo's eyes widened, and his breathing nearly stopped.

Gu Yuena's expression remained calm, as if she were speaking of something utterly trivial.

"Not only that, these two Soul Bones contain pure dragon blood. Combined with the Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, they'll be more than enough to cleanse your body and marrow, and completely evolve your 'Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor' Martial Soul into a 'Jade Phosphorous Poison Dragon.'"

"By then, you'll be a true dragon Soul Master. A mere backlash from snake venom will naturally vanish without a trace."

Dugu Bo's head spun.

Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones were a legend in the Soul Master World. A single one was enough to unleash a storm of bloodshed, yet this mysterious woman had casually promised him two!

She could even help him evolve his Martial Soul!

This wasn't selling himself into service. He'd stumbled upon an immense stroke of fortune!

"Thank you, my lord!

"Thank you, my lord!

"I, Dugu Bo, will serve you with every last drop of my blood, even if it costs me my life!"

Dugu Bo was so moved that tears streamed down his face. He bowed deeply once more.

The last trace of resentment in his heart had vanished. In its place was wholehearted loyalty.

After reassuring Dugu Bo, Gu Yuan and Gu Yuena exchanged a glance. Their eyes both turned toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, where red and blue mingled beneath the rising mist.

"Come on. Let's go see those two old fellows."

Gu Yuan smiled slightly and took Gu Yuena's hand. Without the slightest hesitation, they leapt straight into the spring—its waters potent enough to turn an ordinary Titled Douluo to ash in an instant.

"Splash!"

Water sprayed up, and their figures vanished into the red-and-blue whirlpool.

Two terrifying forces, one scorching hot and the other bitterly cold, instantly enveloped them. But for Gu Yuan, with his Golden Dragon King Bloodline, and Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King, it was as pleasant as bathing in warm water.

A faint barrier of light rose around them. Unharmed by the spring's corrosive power, they plunged rapidly downward.

A hundred meters, a thousand meters, ten thousand meters...

As they descended, the pressure around them increased exponentially, and the light gradually vanished. Only the red and blue radiance continued to intertwine and flicker in the darkness.

Finally, after they had descended a full ten thousand fathoms, the space below opened up.

It was a strange underground cavern. There were no raging currents; instead, it was filled with an incomprehensibly dense dragon aura.

At the center of the cavern lay two enormous dragon skeletons, so vast they took one's breath away.

One was entirely scarlet, radiating searing heat. The other was entirely ice-blue, radiating a bone-piercing chill.