"Six years!"
"Deal!"
Dugu Bo furrowed his brow and pondered for a while before agreeing.
On the Douluo Continent, the bond between master and disciple was extremely strong, second only to that between father and son. They shared in each other's glory and ruin.
Once Zhou Tong grew powerful, even if his Martial Soul countered the Dugu Family, he still wouldn't become their enemy.
So, taking him as a disciple would bind Zhou Tong and Dugu Bo together, benefiting them both.
As for protecting Zhou Tong for a few years, what did that matter? He'd be his own disciple now.
"Your disciple, Zhou Tong, pays his respects to Master!"
Seeing this, Zhou Tong drew a deep breath and solemnly bowed to Dugu Bo in the traditional ceremony of becoming his disciple.
The master-disciple bond would bring Zhou Tong considerable benefits as well.
With a Titled Douluo as his backer, he could grow in safety...
"Get up."
Dugu Bo gently helped Zhou Tong to his feet, accepting him as his disciple.
"Boy, can you tell me the method for curing the poison now?"
At this, Zhou Tong smiled and replied earnestly, "Poisonous Soul Beasts can't poison themselves to death because they have poison sacs to store their toxins."
"But the Jade Phosphor Snake in your Dugu Family lost its poison sac. This was caused by a mutation."
"Poison sac?"
Dugu Bo murmured the words, his gaze growing heavy. "I see. So that's how it is."
"The Dugu Family was almost destroyed by the poison sac!"
"My father and mother died when I was young, my wife in my middle years, and my son in my old age. My entire family was destroyed. It hurts so much."
Tears streamed down Dugu Bo's face, and he began to lose control of himself.
"The Dugu Family can finally be saved!"
Seeing this, Zhou Tong stood quietly where he was, letting Dugu Bo vent his tangled emotions.
After a long while, Dugu Bo finally calmed down.
"Master, the way to deal with the poison sac is to find a substitute. A Soul Bone can serve as one, temporarily storing the toxins."
At this, Dugu Bo's expression changed. "Can't my Medusa Skull Bone be used to store them?"
"It can, but you should still be cautious, Senior."
"Even Soul Bones have a storage limit. They can only serve as a temporary substitute."
"Any excess toxins will eventually erode your body."
Zhou Tong continued.
Dugu Bo's expression changed again. "Then there's no way to solve it completely?"
"Of course there is. Martial Soul Evolution!"
"Martial Soul Evolution?"
"Exactly!"
Zhou Tong nodded and said seriously, "If the Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul evolves, it'll grow stronger and become more complete."
"Then it'll naturally develop a poison sac."
"Of course, to control the direction of the evolution, you can take certain measures."
"What measures?"
"For example, certain Immortal Herbs can awaken the true dragon bloodline within your Martial Soul and make it stronger."
At this, Dugu Bo's face filled with astonishment. "What? Such a wonderful thing exists?"
Dugu Bo's breathing grew hurried. "Where can I find an Immortal Herb?"
"I know of a wondrous place where water and fire intertwine, called the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Countless rare and precious Immortal Herbs grow there, including something that can save your life, Senior."
At this, Dugu Bo's eyes lit up.
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"
"I've never heard of such a place."
"But my medicinal garden sounds a lot like the place you described."
"Then take me there."
Hearing Zhou Tong's words, Dugu Bo immediately thought of a wondrous place in Sunset Forest.
Then he took Dugu Yan and Zhou Tong with him to Sunset Forest.
When they arrived at the medicinal garden, Zhou Tong's eyes lit up. It was a world where ice and fire intertwined, filled with strange flowers and plants. The sight was magnificent.
The most striking feature was the valley's center. The valley was divided into two halves, and the oval pool held a hot spring whose waters were milk-white on one side and vermilion on the other.
Though they shared the same pool, the waters remained sharply divided, neither encroaching on the other, each staying firmly on its own side.
Steam rose continuously, only dissipating when it reached the mouth of the valley.
Lush plants of all kinds grew around the pool.
"Boy, is my medicinal garden the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well you spoke of?"
Dugu Bo asked.
"Senior, this is indeed the place."
"I can't believe you found such a wondrous place."
Zhou Tong replied, remembering to keep up the act.
"So that's why this place can suppress the poison of my Jade Phosphor Snake."
"Since that's the case, use whatever you need. If you cure my granddaughter and me, I'd even give you the whole garden."
A trace of generosity showed in Dugu Bo's eyes.
"Which Immortal Herb can cure my poison?"
Dugu Bo's eyes shone as he asked impatiently.
"Senior Dugu, I know you're in a hurry."
"But don't rush."
Watching Dugu Bo's expression change, Zhou Tong couldn't help feeling amused.
"Xiaotong, hurry up and tell me."
Dugu Bo had been kept waiting by Zhou Tong for so long that his face darkened with irritation. He felt the boy was taking revenge on him.
He suppressed his annoyance, wanting to hear what Zhou Tong had to say.
"Tell me!"
"I can't wait to change my fate."
Dugu Bo's breathing grew hurried, his eyes filled with longing.
The temptation of Martial Soul Evolution was too great. Even a Titled Douluo like him could barely resist it.
Watching Dugu Bo grow so restless, Zhou Ting shrugged and walked over to an Immortal Herb that looked like an eight-armed snake.
"Though your Jade Phosphor Snake is a snake Soul Beast, it has a trace of dragon blood. This Earth Dragon Immortal Herb can stimulate your bloodline and help it transform into a true dragon."
This Immortal Herb was the most suitable one for Dugu Bo.
"How do I use it?"
Dugu Bo asked.
"Just eat the leaves."
"You can leave the roots behind, and they'll grow back. That way, you can keep harvesting them."
Zhou Tong didn't plan to use up the Immortal Herb all at once. Instead, he chose to harvest it sustainably.
Besides, there were several more Immortal Herbs of this kind here, so they'd last a long time.
"Good disciple, I'll try the effects of the Earth Dragon Immortal Herb now."
Dugu Bo took Dugu Yan with him, picked the leaves of the Earth Dragon Immortal Herb, and went into a cave to cultivate.
Seeing this, Zhou Tong looked disgusted and thought, "When there's nothing wrong, I'm just some brat; when there's something you need, I'm your good disciple. What a fickle man!"
After they left, Zhou Tong's gaze fell on an Immortal Herb.
It was a purplish-red flower, no bigger than a palm, covered in countless streaks of lightning.
The Thunderous Hell Flower.
This was the most suitable Immortal Herb for the Thunderous Hell Vine. It also contained a trace of the Thunder God's bloodline.
Looking at the flower before him, Zhou Tong didn't hesitate. He reached out and picked it.
This Immortal Herb would help him evolve.
Once he ate it, the lightning attribute of his Martial Soul could evolve into Heaven Lightning.
The moment his hand touched the Thunderous Hell Flower, a powerful current coursed into his palm.
Feeling the faint sting, Zhou Tong was delighted rather than alarmed.
Golden-purple currents flashed across his palm, but they couldn't stop him.
Before you continue