Jade Phosphorous Serpent

Qian Yufeng arrived at a small town, a necessary stop on the road to Spirit Hall.

Quite a few spirit masters were resting here before heading to Spirit City the next day.

To him, this scene was fairly pleasant.

At the very least, the residents here lived peacefully, without having to fear Fallen Spirit Masters.

The three found a restaurant, ordered some dishes, and took a seat toward the back.

Qian Yufeng appeared to be an old man, while Qian Lingxin and Qian Lingsu had disguised themselves as two young accompanying guards.

The moment he sat down, Qian Yufeng caught a faintly fishy scent.

Based on his many years of experience, it was poison!

Sure enough, an old man dressed plainly, with green hair, walked into the restaurant.

Judging by his features, he looked even older than Qian Yufeng did at the moment.

"Master, this man carries a powerful poison. Should we..." Qian Lingxin sensed danger and prepared to act.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Qian Yufeng shook his head. "There is a problem with his martial soul, causing his poison to become uncontrollable. It harms not only himself, but also those around him."

He spoke softly, but the old man still heard him.

The other man paused, then turned to look in Qian Yufeng's direction.

The old man's pupils were green as well!

That was right. He was Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

Qian Yufeng said nothing. He merely smiled and began drinking the tea before him.

After ordering his meal, Dugu Bo took a seat beside Qian Yufeng.

Once seated, he began observing them in secret.

In his view, since this unfamiliar old man could see his problem, he might have a way to solve it.

Dugu Bo had only recently broken through to become a Title Douluo. After his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul evolved into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, his poison had begun slipping out of his control.

Moreover, something had happened to his son and daughter-in-law as well.

He had come out this time intending to visit Spirit City and see whether he could find a solution.

Unexpectedly, he had truly encountered an expert in this small town not far from Spirit City.

Dugu Bo was in no rush. He intended to find an appropriate moment to seek guidance.

Qian Yufeng's group knew nothing of Dugu Bo's intentions, but he recalled a colleague with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul who had been severely injured during the campaign against Fallen Spirit Masters.

Dugu Qingtian!

After that campaign ended, he had left Spirit Hall because of his injuries.

After collecting his compensation, he had vanished from the spirit master world.

Dugu Qingtian had been withdrawn by nature, yet he and Qian Yufeng had gotten along well.

The two had shared a similar plight. Their Soul Power had stalled at rank eighty-nine, leaving them unable to advance any further.

Qian Yufeng had concealed his identity back then, but he had left a deep impression on this comrade.

"Perhaps he is the descendant of an old friend..."

The restaurant served its food quickly, and the dishes they had ordered were soon placed on both Dugu Bo's and Qian Yufeng's tables.

After finishing their meal and paying, Qian Yufeng's group rose to leave.

Dugu Bo paid afterward as well, then followed the three of them.

When they reached a quiet grove, Qian Yufeng stopped.

He turned toward the rear and said, "Come out. The poisonous aura on you has already exposed your whereabouts."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dugu Bo stepped out directly from behind a large tree.

"Dugu Bo, forgive me for disturbing you, Senior!"

Seeing him, Qian Yufeng asked curiously, "What relation is Dugu Qingtian to you?"

Dugu Bo revealed a surprised expression. How did this man know his father's name?

His tone became more respectful. "Senior, he was my father!"

"Is he still alive?"

"My father passed away peacefully twenty years ago."

Qian Yufeng sighed. This old friend, thirty years his junior, had ultimately failed to withstand the passage of time.

"Let us find somewhere suitable to talk!"

After looking around, Qian Lingsu said, "Master, follow me."

Qian Yufeng said to Dugu Bo, "I know about the problem with your martial soul. Please come with us."

Before long, they found a level patch of ground beneath the shade of the trees. Qian Lingsu took two stools from her storage Soul Tool.

After Qian Yufeng sat down, he pointed at the chair opposite him and said, "Sit. We can talk."

Dugu Bo sat down and asked doubtfully, "Senior, forgive my boldness, but how did you come to know my father?"

In Dugu Bo's memories, his father had spent most of his time studying the evolution of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

"I met him during the campaign against Fallen Spirit Masters. He was rather withdrawn by nature..."

Qian Yufeng briefly recounted how he had come to know Dugu Qingtian.

"Regrettably, he eventually left Spirit Hall because of his injuries."

After hearing this, Dugu Bo became even more curious about the old man's age.

"Senior, before Father passed away, he finally fulfilled his wish. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul could also cultivate to the Title Douluo realm."

"Therefore, he left this world with a smile."

Qian Yufeng studied him and said, "He must have strengthened the Jade Phosphorous Serpent's poison to evolve it into a stronger martial soul, the legendary Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, correct?"

Dugu Bo nodded. "Senior, you are indeed perceptive. I broke through to rank ninety based on Father's research."

"This method has enormous drawbacks. You should be suffering greatly from the poison now, especially on rainy days!"

"Not only that, but your family has also been affected to varying degrees."

Qian Yufeng sighed.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul was merely a mid-grade martial soul. Anyone who could cultivate it to the Soul Douluo realm was already a genius.

If it could evolve into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, it would become a high-grade martial soul, and cultivating to become a Title Douluo would no longer be a problem.

Yet Spirit Hall's records stated that those with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul had exceptionally short lifespans.

The reason was that they could not control the poison constantly produced by their martial souls. In the end, unable to bear the agony, they took their own lives!

"Yes, perhaps I am the most unsuccessful Title Douluo on the continent." Dugu Bo smiled bitterly, without the slightest joy one should have upon reaching the continent's pinnacle.

"My son and daughter-in-law have already moved away from me to avoid being affected by the poison."

Qian Yufeng recalled the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and asked, "Where do you live now? Sunset Forest?"

Dugu Bo shook his head. "Many areas of Sunset Forest contain poisonous miasma. What would I go there for? I currently live outside Heaven Dou City."

There was also a trace of confusion in his tone. Poisonous miasma would stimulate the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison within him. Going there would only make himself miserable.

Dugu Bo had yet to discover the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and Qian Yufeng formed a plan.

"The place that can ease the poison in your body lies within Sunset Forest. I hope you can find that miraculous place."

He had wanted to search for it himself, but he had looked for it when he was young, hoping to defy fate and change his life through immortal herbs.

Yet he had searched all over Sunset Forest. Aside from passing through layer after layer of poisonous miasma, he had found nothing.

Since he had encountered Dugu Bo today, he might as well let him search for it. After all, in the original story, Dugu Bo was the one who found that treasure-filled land.

"This..." Dugu Bo felt that these words were unreliable.

"Dugu Bo, your father and I were comrades who had faced life and death together. I would not deceive the son of an old friend."

"I hope that when I go to Sunset Forest, you will have found a way to ease the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison."

"Of course, I will also help you seek a solution during my travels."

Qian Yufeng spoke again. He was determined to obtain the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

He could only place his hopes on Dugu Bo. When they met at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he would tell him how to solve the problem.

After considering it carefully, Dugu Bo decided that since the other man was an elder who had seen through his problem at a glance, he would give it a try!

One need not fear that hope was slim; one only needed to fear having no hope at all.

He rose and bowed to Qian Yufeng.

"Senior, I will make a trip to Sunset Forest. If I find it, I will wait for you there."