Nine Methods

"Ni, nine types!"

Not only the Dugu Family, but even Feng Qingluan was stunned upon hearing Feng Baiyu's words.

The problem that their Dugu Family had been unable to solve for generations—Feng Baiyu had found nine solutions just by taking a single look?

"F-Feng, young friend..." Dugu Bo's voice trembled. "C-could it be... that you truly have a way to neutralize the virulent poison within our Dugu Family's martial spirits?"

Never mind nine types; even if there were only one, Dugu Bo would be more than satisfied!

Hearing Feng Baiyu claim there were nine methods, even though Dugu Bo felt the statement was absurd, he still desperately wanted to hear them.

If there were even just one, their Dugu Family could continue to survive.

"That's right, exactly nine." Feng Baiyu's gaze swept over the three of them, his tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable certainty. "Master Dugu, let me first tell you the simplest method—and the one you can start implementing the fastest."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands. "Dugu would like to hear the details."

Feng Baiyu looked at Dugu Bo and said with a smile, "Master Dugu, if you use snake venom to poison a venomous snake, will the snake be poisoned to death by the venom?"

Feng Baiyu suddenly posed a tongue-twister, leaving everyone present somewhat puzzled. Dugu Yan, in particular, had no idea what Feng Baiyu was getting at.

Dugu Bo was also pondering Feng Baiyu's intent, but the terminally ill Dugu Xin thought for a moment before speaking up: "Young friend Feng, a venomous snake's poison will kill other venomous snakes, but a snake will not be poisoned to death by its own venom."

"Why wouldn't it?" Feng Baiyu looked at Dugu Xin and smiled. "It's all snake venom, so why can't it poison itself? Is it because of antibodies?"

"It's not antibodies; it's the venom sac!" Dugu Xin's eyes brightened as he said this. "The reason a venomous snake doesn't poison itself is because of its venom sac! Our Jade Phosphorus Snake martial spirit doesn't have a venom sac, which is why we end up poisoning ourselves!"

"A venom sac! That's it!" Dugu Xin's realization dawned on him. He said excitedly, "If our martial spirits could evolve a venom sac, we wouldn't be poisoned to death by our own toxins!"

"Young Master Dugu is indeed clever!" Hearing that Dugu Xin had figured it out, Feng Baiyu couldn't help but applaud.

So, there were smart people in the Dugu Family after all!

It was likely that Dugu Xin hadn't considered this angle before, which led to him dying in regret back at the Spirit King stage.

With just this one hint, Dugu Xin would likely have been able to figure out the solution himself within five years!

"Among my several methods, one involves adding a 'venom sac' to Jade Phosphorus Snake martial spirit masters!" Feng Baiyu paused before continuing, "Young Master Dugu, you must note that a snake's venom sac only stores the toxin; once it's full, it will overflow!"

"This first method of mine treats the symptoms but not the root cause: it is to use a Spirit Bone as a 'venom sac' to store the snake venom!" Feng Baiyu glanced at Dugu Bo before his gaze fell back on Dugu Xin. "As long as you absorb a Spirit Bone and channel the toxins in your body into it, you can ensure your life is safe until that Spirit Bone is full of poison."

Once Feng Baiyu finished explaining the first method, both Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin understood.

Although this method treated the symptoms rather than the root cause, it could truly allow their Dugu Family to live for several more decades. How long they lived would simply depend on the quality of the Spirit Bone.

"Many thanks, young friend Feng." Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin stood up and bowed to Feng Baiyu together. "The grace of saving our lives is something we will never forget."

Feng Baiyu nodded slightly but remained silent.

He still had eight other methods he hadn't mentioned; whether he would reveal them depended on the Dugu Family's sincerity.

Dugu Bo was an old fox; he naturally understood that Feng Baiyu wasn't planning to continue. The next step was to wait for him to pledge his loyalty!

Dugu Bo was an eighty-ninth-level Spirit Douluo, only one step away from becoming a Title Douluo, with a very high chance of breaking through. With such strength, no matter which faction he joined, he would be a top-tier force capable of shifting the balance of power, not to be underestimated.

"Your Highness Qingluan, young friend Feng..." Dugu Bo took a sharp breath, his chest heaving violently as if he had made the greatest decision of his life. He said in a deep voice, "As long as you can resolve the calamity within our Dugu Family's martial spirits, this old man's life shall be at the disposal of Your Highness and young friend from this day forward. We will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"I am willing as well!" Before the words had even faded, Dugu Yan knelt before Feng Baiyu with a thud. Her smooth forehead struck the ground heavily, and her voice was choked with tears yet exceptionally firm. "If Young Master Feng can save our Dugu Family from this plight, Dugu Yan is willing to serve by your side for the rest of my life as a slave or maid, without a single word of complaint!"

"I am also..."

Seeing this, Dugu Xin was about to kneel as well, but Feng Baiyu signaled for his grandfather to have them both stand up.

"Being at my disposal, serving as slaves or maids—these words are too heavy." Feng Baiyu's gaze swept over the three of them, his expression open and sincere. "To be honest, the Feng Family does intend to recruit Master Dugu, and we will certainly do our utmost to resolve the hidden dangers in your martial spirits. It is just that we are new to Heaven Dou City and unfamiliar with the area; we happen to need a few people who are well-versed in local affairs to assist us."

If he could keep them in check, Dugu Bo would be very useful.

However, the Feng Family was still the Feng Family of Spirit City; he couldn't let the Grand Elder think they had ulterior motives.

Dugu Bo didn't know what Feng Baiyu was thinking at that moment, but he understood that Feng Baiyu was willing to accept their family and give them a chance to change their fate.

Returning to the main topic, Feng Baiyu began to discuss the other methods.

"Actually, the second method also treats the symptoms but not the root cause!" Feng Baiyu began. "Didn't I just say that even if venomous snakes have venom sacs, they can still poison themselves? Yet they survive! The reason is that venomous snakes know how to expel the venom from their bodies!"

"That is true." Dugu Bo nodded. "This old man has several snake-venom spirit skills, but even when using them, what is consumed is spirit power, not the snake venom within my body."

"The second method I'm talking about is to forcibly expel the snake venom from your body!" Feng Baiyu said. "Human-Faced Demon Spider, Blood-Stabbing Pufferfish, Gilded Poison Scorpion, Six-Tailed Centipede, Ice-Heart Demon Poison Silkworm, Vermilion Clear Ice Toad! These spirit beasts all possess the ability to devour virulent poisons. If you can't hold on, find such a spirit beast to take a bite out of you. The virulent poison in your bodies is more tempting to them than blood; they will extract the toxins from your bodies without harming you."

"Of course, the virulent poison in your bodies is deeply bound to your spirit power and cultivation!" Feng Baiyu said leisurely. "While this method expels the poison, your cultivation will also decline accordingly."

Feng Baiyu looked at Dugu Xin and said, "You are currently a fifty-seventh-level Spirit King. If half of the virulent poison in your body is sucked out, your spirit power will likely drop by three levels. As for your lifespan, you will be safe for fifteen years!"

"The advantage of this method is that you only need to catch one of the spirit beasts I mentioned; it is much cheaper and more economical than a Spirit Bone." Feng Baiyu paused. "Of course, if you are careless and lose control, that spirit beast might just swallow you, person and poison alike."

"For example, Young Master Dugu." Feng Baiyu looked at Dugu Xin. "With Master Dugu protecting you, it is best not to seek out a spirit beast over a hundred years old to drain you."

"Uh..." Hearing himself used as an example, Dugu Xin couldn't help but say awkwardly, "I have been taught."