Faced with Ban Shu's recruitment offer, Dugu Bo seemed somewhat hesitant. To be honest, he was a man who loved his freedom. If he joined Spirit Hall and was bound by all its rules and regulations, he would find it incredibly stifling.
But given the situation now...
Dugu Bo looked at Ban Shu, whose expression was sincere, then at Qian Xunji and Qian Daoliu.
To be honest, given the situation, if he didn't join, there was a good chance he wouldn't leave alive. It was obvious that this so-called Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was important. They would never let an outsider who knew its secrets walk away.
From the moment he stepped inside, there had really only been one path open to him.
Dugu Bo glanced at Ban Shu. This child had probably intended to drag him into this from the very beginning. Truly, appearances could be deceiving.
Seeing that Dugu Bo was still hesitating, Ban Shu decided to play his trump card. "Senior, if you agree to join Spirit Hall, I'll help cure the deadly poison in your body."
"Deadly poison?"
Dugu Bo was taken aback, then laughed. "Young friend, do you know what my Martial Soul is?"
"I do."
Qian Xunji stepped forward and looked at him calmly. "Dugu Bo, your Martial Soul is the Jade Phosphor Serpent, and you're currently a Soul Saint, correct? I remember you registered with Spirit Hall some time ago."
"That's right."
Dugu Bo nodded with a smile. "Young friend, my Martial Soul is the Jade Phosphor Serpent, the most venomous snake under heaven. How could I possibly be poisoned?"
"You can't be poisoned? That may not be so."
Ban Shu circled Dugu Bo a few times, then reached out and plucked one of his hairs. "Take a look at this."
"Isn't it just a hair? What's strange about it?" Dugu Bo took the hair and examined it from both sides, but couldn't see anything amiss.
"Look at the tip of your hair."
Ban Shu pointed at it. "It's turned green. Don't tell me you dyed it with paint."
"What's so strange about that? My Jade Phosphor Serpent is green to begin with. It's only natural that my hair would turn the same color, isn't it?"
Dugu Bo felt no doubt at all, believing it was a normal phenomenon.
"No, that's not it."
Qian Xunji shook his head. "Ordinary Martial Souls don't affect their wielder's appearance, unless they're undergoing a Second Awakening of a top-tier Martial Soul."
"Also, on nights with a full moon, does your body become very uncomfortable? As if ants were crawling over you, with pain in your limbs and bone marrow?"
"How do you know?"
Dugu Bo instinctively rubbed his arm. It was true: for some time now, he had been feeling pain for an hour or two every full-moon night.
But it only lasted a little while, so he hadn't paid much attention to it. It had never occurred to him that he could be poisoned.
"Your Jade Phosphor Serpent really is venomous, but that's precisely what harmed you."
Ban Shu pointed at Dugu Bo. "The Jade Phosphor Serpent's venom is far too potent. Ordinary Soul Masters can't withstand it, and you're no exception."
"It will slowly eat away at your flesh and bone marrow. In the end, you'll die from the poison."
As he spoke, Ban Shu casually plucked a snow-white leaf and handed it to Dugu Bo. "This is called Frost Cold Grass. It can suppress snake venom. You can try it and see if it works."
Dugu Bo hesitated as he looked at the leaf held out to him, but eventually took it and swallowed it whole.
"..."
After waiting a little while, Dugu Bo slowly let out a breath. "It seems... I feel a little lighter."
"Just as I thought."
Ban Shu nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, you aren't the only one affected. Your descendants will also be poisoned after cultivating because of their Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul. Without treatment, I'm afraid they won't live past fifty."
"What should I do, then?"
Hearing that his descendants were at risk, Dugu Bo grew anxious. He still had a son. If anything happened to him, it would be over!
"Don't worry. If we catch this early, it'll be much easier to cure. It's just that..."
Ban Shu looked at him, his meaning clear.
Dugu Bo let out a deep sigh, then nodded. "I understand. I'll join Spirit Hall."
"Good. Welcome aboard, Senior."
Ban Shu nodded with a smile, then got up and walked around the area. He needed to choose Immortal Herbs for himself and Bibi Dong first.
"Hmm..."
Ban Shu looked over the Immortal Herbs around him and quickly settled on a flower that glimmered with golden light and resembled a little bell.
"Grandpa Qian, what do you think of this one?"
Ban Shu pointed at the flower in front of him. "This Immortal Herb is called Holy Bell. It's a medicinal plant imbued with both fire and light attributes."
"Although fire is stronger than light here at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, it would still be excellent for someone with an Angel Spirit."
But Qian Daoliu merely waved his hand. "Xiao Ban, there's no need to find an Immortal Herb for me. I've already reached the peak of Douluo Continent. It's impossible for me to advance any further. These things should be left for you all."
"I understand."
Ban Shu nodded. Qian Daoliu was right. As a priest, he couldn't become a god at level one hundred. In other words, his limit was already set in stone and couldn't be changed.
"In that case, Teacher, you can have this Immortal Herb."
Ban Shu pointed at the Holy Bell. "It won't raise your cultivation by much, but it can purify your Martial Soul and strengthen your talent."
"That'll do."
Qian Xunji nodded without refusing.
"Use a flame containing the light attribute to cut through the stem. Just consume the bud. As long as the root remains, it'll grow again."
"I understand."
Qian Xunji channeled his Soul Power, and the golden Angel Holy Flame blazed to life. He then slowly brought the flames closer to the Immortal Herb.
The moment the flames touched the stem, it didn't char black as one might expect. Instead, like iron melting through, the middle slowly liquefied, and the whole herb broke off and fell.
Qian Xunji caught the Holy Bell and swallowed the flower, then sat cross-legged and began refining its medicinal power.
Golden flames surged around Qian Xunji, enveloping him as they continually tempered and purified the power within him. Yet he showed no sign of discomfort. On the contrary, his expression relaxed, and he looked thoroughly at ease.
"Next, it's Dong'er's turn."
Ban Shu searched through the herbs in the pool, eventually choosing two. One was called Crystal Grass. Although its name gave no hint of any darkness attribute, it was indeed an Immortal Herb of the darkness attribute.
As for the other, it was naturally Lovesick Heartbreak Red, which could greatly enhance one's physical constitution and raise Soul Power by at least ten levels.
"Dong'er, here."
Ban Shu took the two Immortal Herbs. "One of these will greatly improve your strength, but the conditions for using it are extremely harsh. The other has simple conditions, but won't boost your strength as much."
"I see."
Bibi Dong looked at the two Immortal Herbs before her, falling into a dilemma. "Which one should I choose?"
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