"Then why did you pick it up?!"
"I was going to drink it myself. Yours is over there." Mo Li lifted his chin slightly, gesturing for Dugu Yan to look at the table in front of her.
At that moment, Dugu Yan was mortified and furious, but she didn't follow Mo Li's gaze.
Knowing she was in the wrong, she shoved the empty teacup back into Mo Li's hand, glared at him for a good while, then sat back down.
A faint blush still lingered on her somewhat broad, valiant face, and her heart was a jumble of embarrassment and irritation.
Mo Li glanced at Dugu Yan but didn't keep staring at her. He simply rinsed the cup and poured himself another drink.
"What, you think this young lady is disgusting?"
Dugu Yan pursed her lips and watched what Mo Li was doing. Her gaze shifted to his face as she asked, sounding rather displeased.
Mo Li hadn't expected her to suddenly say something like that. He looked at Dugu Yan with an irrepressible smile. "Not at all. How about another cup?"
When Mo Li held his teacup up in front of her again, Dugu Yan blushed once more. She gave a soft snort and turned her head away.
Mo Li smiled at the sight. Knowing girls could be shy, he didn't push his luck. He pulled his hand back and changed the subject. "Yan Yan, have you felt any discomfort while cultivating lately?"
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Only then did Dugu Yan turn back to look at him, eyeing him with suspicion.
This time, Mo Li wasn't joking around.
He nodded seriously, looking straight into Dugu Yan's green eyes. His tone was grave as he asked, "Yan Yan, do you know why your eyes are green?"
At his words, Dugu Yan's gaze sharpened. Her expression instantly turned cold, and she asked with utmost caution, "What are you trying to say?"
"Your pupils are probably green because they've been affected by the Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul."
Dugu Yan's pupils contracted, and she immediately grew wary.
Mo Li acted as if he hadn't noticed and continued to look into her eyes. "Am I wrong?"
Dugu Yan fell silent for a moment and looked away from Mo Li. A flicker of unease crossed her eyes, for what Mo Li had said was exactly right.
When she was little, she'd asked her grandfather why her eyes were different from those of ordinary people. But she was too young then, so Dugu Bo had simply come up with an excuse to comfort her.
Later, when she was a little older, Dugu Bo finally told her a little about it. That's when she learned it was caused by the unique nature of their Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul.
Seeing Dugu Yan lower her head without a word, Mo Li had already guessed the answer. He smiled. "Looks like I was right."
"So what?" Dugu Yan raised her head and fixed her gaze on Mo Li, as if waiting for him to continue.
"I once came across some information about your Martial Soul. There might be a way to deal with the backlash from the Jade Phosphor Snake's poison."
"You can really do that?"
Dugu Yan's eyes widened.
"I wouldn't go that far. I just have some information to go on, so we can give it a try." Mo Li smiled.
Dugu Yan asked urgently, "You're really not lying to me?"
"I even showed you my second Soul Skill. What would I gain by lying to you?" Mo Li said, sounding exasperated.
Now it was Dugu Yan's turn to feel embarrassed.
During their earlier spar, she hadn't managed to see Mo Li use his second Soul Skill.
But she was terribly curious, so she swallowed her pride and asked him to show it to her. She hadn't expected him to agree, since keeping a Soul Master's Soul Skills secret was quite important.
To her surprise, Mo Li had looked reluctant but had ultimately shown her his exceedingly rare thousand-year second Soul Skill, Soul Burn.
That was also why she'd called Mo Li a freak afterward.
Thinking of this, Dugu Yan couldn't help blushing. Mo Li had trusted her so much, and she didn't want to let him down.
Besides, Mo Li was offering to help solve the problems caused by her Martial Soul, and it didn't seem to benefit him at all.
"Then what do you need me to do?"
"I want to meet Senior Dugu."
"You want to meet my grandfather?" Dugu Yan exclaimed.
"That's right." Mo Li gave a nod. "Senior Dugu has the Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul too, so he should know more about this than you do."
"That can be arranged." Dugu Yan nodded lightly, then looked across at Mo Li. After thinking it over, she added, "My grandfather rarely meets outsiders, and he might not have the best temper."
Dugu Yan knew that her grandfather treated her well, but he was ice-cold toward everyone else. She could pass Mo Li's request along, but she had no idea whether her grandfather would agree to meet him.
So she simply let all her concerns out at once.
After listening, Mo Li gave Dugu Yan an approving look. "I didn't realize you were so considerate, Yan Yan."
Dugu Yan raised a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking a little embarrassed. Then she pouted. "It's not often I hear you say something like that. I thought all you knew how to do was rile me up."
"Haha, it's just that you're so cute, Yan Yan. I can't help teasing you." Mo Li laughed.
"You're so young. Mind your manners," Dugu Yan muttered.
"If Senior Dugu isn't willing to meet me, could you pass along a message for me?"
After thinking it over, Mo Li briefly described the symptoms of poison backlash as he remembered them.
"Got it." Dugu Yan nodded seriously, then silently went over it in her mind twice.
"One more thing, Yan Yan. When you break through to level thirty, don't get your Third Soul Ring."
"Why not?"
Dugu Yan didn't understand. She'd noticed that Mo Li had said not to get it, not that she shouldn't or should wait.
"Because your Soul Rings shouldn't be increased right now. Otherwise, the poison will become even more severe. Before you get your Third Soul Ring, Senior Dugu and I might be able to find a solution."
Dugu Yan looked at Mo Li and nodded again. "My grandfather chose all my Soul Rings for me. He doesn't come back on any fixed schedule."
"But when I reach level thirty, he'll definitely come back at least once."
Mo Li nodded. Dugu Yan had only recently broken through to level twenty-nine. She might still need two or three months to reach level thirty.
He wasn't in a hurry over a month or two.
Besides, he needed to improve his own strength in the meantime. After all, his Soul Power was only level twenty-three.
If Dugu Bo really came to meet him, then seeing Mo Li's Soul Power Level might make him want to slap him flying. If he could hold back, that would be the best possible outcome.
Mo Li sighed softly. After all, this was a Titled Douluo. Even though he held an Immortal Herb Redemption Code, he would be wise to tread carefully.