Dugu Bo took the medicine bottle and poured out the pills inside.
The pills looked like sheep droppings. If they hadn't smelled medicinal, Dugu Bo wouldn't have swallowed one no matter what.
After a few seconds of internal struggle, Dugu Bo steeled himself. Then he picked up a pill and put it in his mouth.
The moment the pill touched his tongue, it turned to liquid and was absorbed directly into his body.
Soon, he could feel the toxins inside him truly beginning to fade.
Dugu Bo crouched down to examine his seven meridians and eight channels. The ravaged pathways that had been corroded by the toxins were slowly repairing themselves with the pill's help.
The stubborn toxins in every part of his body vanished the instant they encountered this medicinal power.
Yes, vanished. They hadn't evaporated or been absorbed. They had disappeared right before Dugu Bo's eyes.
Before he could recover from the shock of watching the toxins disappear, something even more astonishing happened.
He could clearly feel his Soul Power rising, and it was climbing faster and faster. Soon, the level that had stagnated because of the toxins began to break through.
He had been stuck at level 87 for many years, unable to advance. Now he broke through level 87 in an instant and reached level 88, and his Soul Power kept rising. In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, he broke through again and reached level 89.
Just as Dugu Bo was celebrating the increase in his Soul Power, he suddenly realized that the force boosting it seemed strangely familiar.
It seemed to be the toxins that had once been inside him.
Dugu Bo soon came up with a bold guess: the toxins in his body hadn't disappeared. They had been converted into energy that could increase his Soul Power, automatically nourishing his body.
Boom!
Level 89 gave way, and Dugu Bo officially reached level 90. He was just one Soul Ring away from becoming a Titled Douluo.
Once all the toxins had been eliminated, his pupils and hair returned to their normal colors.
Dugu Bo opened his eyes and felt the endless power surging through his body. He felt as if he were invincible.
He stood up, joy written all over his face, and looked at Chen Qi, who was chatting with Qian Renxue. Overcome with excitement, he rushed over.
"It's true! The toxins in my body are really gone! And my Soul Power has reached level 90! You are my greatest benefactor, Chen Qi!"
At this moment, there was no question of seniority. Chen Qi had saved Dugu Bo's life, so he was Dugu Bo's greatest benefactor.
"Don't get too excited. You don't want your blood pressure shooting up."
"Haha! Don't worry. My body feels even better than it did before I awakened my Martial Soul. I feel like I could beat a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to death with my bare hands!"
Watching Dugu Bo flex his muscles like a madman, Chen Qi and the other two covered their faces in exasperation.
So who had spread the rumor that Dugu Bo was a taciturn old oddball? He seemed pretty funny and entertaining to them.
"Dugu Bo, quit showing off your three jin of bones. If you don't give the medicine to your family soon, your whole family will be down to one person."
Only then did Chen Qi's reminder bring Dugu Bo to his senses. He still had a son and a granddaughter.
His granddaughter, Dugu Yan, wouldn't need it yet, but he could save some for her. It would come in handy sooner or later.
"Then I'll go call my son, benefactor. I'll leave the medicinal garden to you."
With that, he vanished from the spot like the wind.
When Qian Renxue heard Dugu Bo say he was leaving the medicinal garden to them, she was thrilled.
She had long wanted to pluck a few herbs and toss them into a cold salad. Now she finally had the chance, and she wasn't about to miss it.
"Wait."
Chen Qi grabbed Qian Renxue, who was itching to get started.
"Most of the Immortal Herbs here contain toxins. If you touch one with your bare hands, you could end up with bruises at best, or buried in the ground at worst."
After Chen Qi's warning, Qian Renxue immediately lost her nerve.
Cucumbers and kelp were better for cold salads. Even dogs wouldn't look twice at these wild weeds.
Once Qian Renxue had calmed down, Chen Qi looked at the endless medicinal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and smiled mysteriously.
At last, this treasured place was his too. With these Immortal Herbs, becoming a god would be child's play.
Eat any one of them, and you could shed your mortal skin and reach the pinnacle of life.
"Ding. Special reminder: The host's current form is a Martial Soul. Apart from enhancements provided by this system, there is no way to strengthen the body."
The system had spoken at yet another inopportune moment, completely dashing Chen Qi's hopes of becoming the King of Myriad Medicines.
"Will this world ever let me live? Fine, I can't compete with Qian Renxue in screen time, and I don't mind that I haven't gotten to act like the protagonist and show off. But now I can't even improve my strength?"
Chen Qi cursed inwardly. He was this close to breaking the fourth wall and giving the person outside it a good smack.
There was nothing he could do. All these good things would have to go to Qian Renxue.
"But if you take them as directed, they'll still strengthen your body tremendously."
Chen Qi looked at Qian Renxue and said listlessly.
At his words, the light that had faded from her eyes suddenly flared back to life.
She grabbed Chen Qi's arm excitedly, her big eyes brimming with longing for greater strength.
"Then how should I take them? Chen Qi, hurry up and tell me! Chen Qi~"
"Of course I'll tell you. You're my master, after all. (Bei)"
As soon as Chen Qi finished speaking, a black figure and a green figure appeared in front of them.
Dugu Bo pointed at the green-haired man beside him and said with a smile,
"Sorry to keep you waiting. This is my son, Dugu Xin."
Chen Qi looked at the father and son and rubbed his eyes in confusion.
They looked like they belonged together perfectly. Judging by their faces, Dugu Bo even looked younger than Dugu Xin.
Anyone who knew they were father and son would believe it, but anyone who didn't would think they were brothers.
"Ah! You're that guy who spread fake news outside!"
Qian Renxue recognized Dugu Xin at a glance. He was the person they had run into when they first came to Sunset Forest.
Dugu Xin was also surprised to see them. When he had heard Dugu Bo say someone could cure his poison, he had imagined some reclusive master.
But when he arrived, he realized it was the group of people he had met that morning.
"Hello again. We meet again."
"It's no time for greetings. Dugu Xin, hurry and take the pill."
According to the original story, Dugu Xin would die from a poison outbreak before long. Swallowing that sheep-dropping-like pill—no, the antidote—would save his life.
Dugu Xin took the pill Dugu Bo handed him, still puzzled. After hesitating briefly, he swallowed it in one gulp.
Soon, he experienced what Dugu Bo had felt after taking the medicine. It was nothing short of a miracle!
The toxins that had been about to reach his heart vanished without a trace the moment they touched the medicinal power, and his level 75 Soul Power began to rise slowly.
Before long, all the toxins in his body had been swept away, and his Soul Power Level had reached 79. With just a little cultivation, he could break through to Soul Douluo.
Dugu Xin stared in amazement at his face, which looked more than ten years younger, and felt his healthy, toxin-free body. He even wondered if he were dreaming.
"Father, the toxins in my body are really gone!"
Looking at his healthy son, Dugu Bo was moved to tears. Nothing could be more thrilling than seeing his son get better.
He turned to Chen Qi and clasped his hand.
"If you don't mind, my Dugu Family is willing to follow you for generations!"
Before you continue