Why Do You Keep Avoiding Me?

"Ugh—!"

Dugu Bo's body suddenly trembled, and a suppressed groan escaped his throat!

A flash of pain crossed his face, and the veins on his forehead bulged!

Xiao Yin's spiritual power was intensely focused as he guided that wisp of Chaos energy through the source of Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor martial soul, which had been steeped in poison for decades, carefully moving through it and stripping away the toxins!

This process was a hundred times more dangerous than removing Dugu Yan's poison!

Dugu Bo's poison had seeped into his very bones, nearly becoming one with his martial soul. Every removal was like cutting into the source of his life!

Moreover, the power of a Title Douluo was immensely vast, and the source of his martial soul was extraordinarily resilient. Forcing it into the cauldron carried too great a risk, so he could only use this "minimally invasive" method to slowly strip away the poisonous source clinging to him like maggots to the bone!

Wherever the Chaos current passed, the poisonous sources entrenched within Dugu Bo's meridians and bones struggled violently as though they had encountered their natural enemy, releasing terrifying corrosive power!

Yet the power of refinement and returning to origin contained within Chaos energy was even more tyrannical. Like an invisible millstone, it forcibly crushed and peeled away those deadly toxins!

The stripped poison transformed into threads of pure dark-green toxic vapor, which Xiao Yin forcibly drew out of Dugu Bo's body through his palm!

Hiss, hiss—!

Once the toxic vapor left his body, it rapidly condensed into tiny dark-green crystals in the air, giving off a sickeningly sweet, fishy stench. Then, with a sweep of the Chaos current in Xiao Yin's palm, it was completely annihilated.

At the same time, Xiao Yin's left hand was not idle.

Several jade boxes lay on the ground beside him, containing ordinary herbs that had just been picked—Seven-Star Grass, Jade Bone Flower, Warm Sun Ginseng...

These herbs could only be considered "weeds" at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, but fortunately, their medicinal properties were mild and capable of strengthening the foundation and replenishing vitality.

With a flick of his fingers, Xiao Yin precisely used Soul Power to crush and purify them, turning them into clusters of fragrant medicinal liquid. At the right moments, he sent them into the wounds left within Dugu Bo's body after the toxins had been stripped away.

Those gentle medicinal properties swiftly seeped in, nourishing damaged meridians and the source of his life while neutralizing the lingering chill left behind by the removed poison.

Throughout the entire process, Xiao Yin's movements flowed as smoothly as clouds and water, precise as the most sophisticated instrument.

His grasp of medicinal properties had long reached an unimaginable realm.

Not far away, beside a small wooden cabin close to the frigid Yin Spring, an alluring figure leaned against the doorframe, her burning gaze fixed on the focused figure atop the central stone platform.

Dugu Yan had long changed out of that moon-white robe and into a daringly tailored dark-green fitted outfit.

Her short dark-purple hair gleamed with an icy, bewitching luster amid the red and white mist. Her waist was so slender it could barely be grasped, while the tight fabric traced out breathtaking curves.

Her long, straight legs were wrapped in dark-green trousers, and she wore a pair of petite leather boots.

The initial embarrassment and indignation had long vanished from her cold, seductive face. Her emerald eyes shimmered with nearly obsessive fervor as they remained tightly locked on Xiao Yin.

These past two months had been the most wondrous time of her life.

The poison in her body had been completely removed, her foundation stabilized, and her Soul Power circulated more smoothly than ever before. There were even faint signs that her cultivation was about to break through.

The ease in her body had brought about a transformation of the soul.

She was no longer the snake girl tortured by deadly poison.

And all of these changes had come from—Xiao Yin.

At first, she had merely been grateful and curious.

But as she watched him day after day, intently stripping away the terrifying poison from her grandfather, watched the sweat bead at his temples, watched his resolute profile...

An indescribable emotion began to grow wildly in her heart like creeping vines.

Gratitude turned into admiration, curiosity into exploration, and exploration into... a fluttering heart.

The humiliation and anger from facing each other in the cauldron that day now carried the thrilling rush of a racing heartbeat whenever she recalled it.

"Hmph..."

Dugu Yan's red lips curled slightly as she let out a soft, enticing hum.

Twisting her slender waist, she moved like a true beautiful serpent toward the stone table beside her.

Several fruits sat upon the stone table.

She picked one up, but instead of eating it herself, she took graceful steps toward the stone platform.

At that moment, Xiao Yin had just completed a round of removal. He was withdrawing his right hand as the cluster of Chaos energy in his palm slowly dissipated.

He let out a soft breath and was about to reach for the waterskin beside him.

"Xiao Yin~ You've worked hard~" Dugu Yan's seductive voice rang out at just the right moment.

She brought the fruit in her hand to Xiao Yin's lips. Her eyes shimmered like rippling water as she boldly met his gaze. Parting her red lips, she breathed out a fragrant breath.

"Want a taste? I picked it just now. It's very sweet~"

Her body was very close, nearly brushing against Xiao Yin's arm.

The delicate fingers holding the fruit intentionally or unintentionally brushed across the corner of Xiao Yin's lips.

The gesture was bold and intimate, filled with undisguised provocation.

If her grandfather had not been meditating with his eyes closed nearby, she likely would have already pressed herself against him!

Xiao Yin shifted back half a step without leaving a trace, his expression calm as he accepted the fruit.

"Thank you."

Then he took a bite on his own and turned his gaze back toward Dugu Bo, who was meditating with his eyes closed, seemingly assessing the results of this round of detoxification.

A flash of frustration passed through Dugu Yan's eyes, but it was soon replaced by even stronger interest.

Not only did she not retreat, she stepped closer again and whispered in a breathy voice only the two of them could hear, with a hint of coquettishness.

"Xiao Yin... why do you always avoid me?

Am I... really that scary?

Or are you... still thinking about what happened in the cauldron that day?"

Her warm breath carried a sweet fragrance as she deliberately teased Xiao Yin's ear.

Xiao Yin: "..."

Hey! That was too much!

Was this what they meant by Snake Maiden Entanglement?

Wasn't this going a little too far?!

Just as the atmosphere grew ambiguous and slightly tense—

"Cough!"

A light cough sounded from the nearby cliff wall.

"Grandfather!"

Dugu Bo had somehow opened his eyes, looking somewhat awkward.

Dugu Yan instantly sprang several steps away like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Two red clouds rose on her cheeks as she shot Dugu Bo a fierce glare.

Xiao Yin secretly sighed in relief.

It was not as if he felt nothing in response to Dugu Yan's teasing. It was just... not yet time.

With that thought, Xiao Yin ignored the blushing Dugu Yan and asked Dugu Bo,

"How do you feel, Senior?"

"Hahaha, your methods truly are exceptional, little friend. Four-tenths of the poison from my martial soul's backlash has already been removed. I'm afraid that in another week, it will reach the halfway point you mentioned!"

Honestly, this was something Dugu Bo had never dared dream of!

In barely two months, the poison from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor martial soul's backlash, which had plagued him for decades, had already been reduced by four-tenths by this young man before him who was not yet twenty!

Several days later.

A fiery-red figure streaked across the sky like a meteor and landed outside the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

It was Liu Erlong!

She did not barge in directly. Instead, she released the aura of a Soul Saint.

Very soon, the poisonous miasma at the valley entrance parted, and Dugu Bo appeared. His complexion was far better than it had been two months earlier. Though he was still gaunt, much of the lingering sinister deathly aura around him had faded, and his eyes were sharp and alert.

"Dean Liu?"