"Move it?" Dugu Bo frowned.
"Force all the toxins in your meridians and internal organs into a Soul Bone."
Jiang Lin's tone was calm, as if he were talking about something utterly ordinary.
"A Soul Bone is an external appendage, not one of your vital organs. The toxins can stay inside it without corroding your heart meridians, and all the symptoms you need to suppress will disappear.
"The toxins themselves will still remain in your body, and the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison will lose none of its potency. Your Soul Power won't be affected at all."
Dugu Bo's eyes shifted. He fell silent for a moment.
"Force the toxins into a Soul Bone... I've tried forcing them out before, but..."
"It has to be done with my blood. Otherwise, the deep-rooted toxins in your body won't budge."
"Your blood?"
Dugu Bo exclaimed in surprise and instinctively took two steps forward. But the next moment, Elder Chen and Tang Yuan silently stepped in front of Jiang Lin.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo's mouth twitched.
"Wait... I've already sworn an oath. How could I possibly harm the young master?"
Looking at the two men protectively shielding their charge, Dugu Bo wasn't worried they would actually attack him. After all, he truly had no intention of harming Jiang Lin.
But at the end of the day, he had only just joined the team, so naturally he had the least trust. He could understand where the two men were coming from.
But once he and Jiang Lin grew closer...
Only after the two men in front of him stepped aside did Dugu Bo shake off his thoughts and continue asking:
"Do you need to use your blood as medicine?"
Jiang Lin nodded.
"What about Yan Yan? Is her condition the same as mine?"
"The same. The Jade Phosphor Snake Poison comes with the Martial Soul. The underlying cause of your illness is identical, but she's not as deeply poisoned as you are, so forcing the poison out will be easier."
"Good. I'll go find a Soul Bone right away."
Dugu Bo stood up. After hearing this method, he felt there could hardly be a more perfect solution.
But before Dugu Bo could leave, Jiang Lin spoke again.
"There's a second option, too. You and your granddaughter have come across a great opportunity."
Jiang Lin took two peculiar fruits from a jade box and placed them between the two of them.
The fruits were only about the size of a fist, their entire surface a deep, dusky gold. Fine, scale-like patterns covered their skin. They looked like tiny golden melons, yet gave off a fierce, domineering aura.
It was the unique pressure of dragon blood. Even from this distance, it felt as though the air had grown heavy and oppressive.
"These are called Earth Dragon Golden Melons."
Jiang Lin tapped one with his fingertip. "They contain a trace of Earth Dragon bloodline power, which is a great tonic for snake-type Martial Souls. After you and Dugu Yan consume them, there's a very high chance your Martial Souls will evolve."
Dugu Bo's head jerked up, his emerald pupils contracting sharply.
His Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor was already one of the top Beast Martial Souls. Its poison was unrivaled under heaven, but a snake was still a snake, separated from a dragon by a vast chasm.
The chance to evolve a Martial Soul was something countless Soul Masters across the Douluo Continent spent their entire lives seeking without ever finding. And now Jiang Lin had simply placed it before him as if it were nothing.
"Young master... this..."
"The reason the Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor's poison backfires on you is, in the end, that your body can't withstand the poison of your own Martial Soul."
Jiang Lin didn't give him time to be moved. He continued, "But if your Martial Soul evolves from a snake into a wyrm, perhaps even gaining traits of the dragon race, the very nature of its poison will change.
"When that happens, the poison will still be powerful—perhaps even more powerful—but it will no longer be a burden to you. Your evolved Martial Soul will be a true source of strength, not a double-edged sword that wounds both your enemies and yourself."
Jiang Lin pushed the Earth Dragon Golden Melon toward Dugu Bo. His tone was as casual as if he were giving instructions for a household chore.
"The process isn't complicated.
"After consuming the Earth Dragon Golden Melon, you'll need to use your Soul Power to guide that trace of dragon bloodline into your Martial Soul Origin. It should take around three to five days. Your Martial Soul will backfire once during that time; you just have to endure it.
"Yan Yan is younger than you, so her Martial Soul has greater potential to be reshaped. Have her consume it first while you protect her. Once she's evolved successfully, you can take yours."
Dugu Bo held out both hands and cradled the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in his palms.
His fingers trembled slightly. For the first time, his usually cold, snake-like eyes showed unconcealed emotion.
Detoxifying him would save his life.
And letting his Martial Soul evolve would allow his old bones to take a few more steps forward.
"Don't thank me just yet."
Jiang Lin had already stood up. With his back to Dugu Bo, he waved a hand. "Once the evolution succeeds, your title of Poison Douluo will finally live up to its name. A dignified Titled Douluo spending every day half-dead from his own poison—what kind of look is that?"
Dugu Bo watched Jiang Lin's back. He quietly set down the Earth Dragon Golden Melon in his hands, then clasped his hands toward Jiang Lin in a heartfelt salute.
"Young master, this old man will never forget your kindness."
After that, he put the Earth Dragon Golden Melon into his Storage Soul Tool and flew straight away from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Jiang Lin didn't stop him. Once Dugu Bo had disappeared completely, he turned to Elder Chen and Tang Yuan.
"It'll probably take Old Poison a while to sort things out. I'm already at level 40."
The meaning behind Jiang Lin's words was clear: he wanted to obtain his fourth Soul Ring.
Elder Chen was taken aback. He instinctively used his spiritual power to sense Jiang Lin's aura, then looked surprised.
Tang Yuan didn't react as strongly.
He had noticed it long ago.
But noticing it and understanding it were two different things. Tang Yuan was still curious about Jiang Lin gaining six levels of Soul Power in two days.
Were those immortal herbs really that miraculous?
If he got one that suited him, could he break through that bottleneck in one go?
As if he'd sensed what Tang Yuan was thinking, Jiang Lin took two jade boxes out of his Storage Soul Tool and placed one in each man's hands.
"These are a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and a Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. Both are well suited to you. After you consume them, go help me hunt for a Soul Ring."
(I just remembered that I bought the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower here, so I'll fix the earlier part. After all, I can't have Elder Chen, who's been with Jiang Lin the longest, end up with nothing.)
The two men took the jade boxes and exchanged a glance.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, they both ate the herbs.
Jiang Lin scooted back, took a small stool out of his Storage Soul Tool, and sat down.
Then he took out some dried meat and water and began replenishing his strength.
After all, by his reckoning, he hadn't eaten in almost two days.
Earlier, he'd seemed calm as he spoke with them, but in truth, he'd been too hungry to muster any strength.
Time trickled by, and in the blink of an eye, dusk settled.
Elder Chen was the first to wake.
Level 93!
Feeling his Soul Power surge and his flames grow even purer, the usual languor faded from Elder Chen's eyes.
Not long after, Tang Yuan woke as well...
Before you continue