Clad in a black robe, Dugu Bo flashed through the air, cutting through it as he swiftly arrived outside the valley.
He stood on a large rock and looked toward the breach in his Poison Array. In an instant, an expression of utter astonishment appeared on his face.
From his vantage point, an unfamiliar middle-aged Spirit Emperor in a blue robe had summoned a Martial Soul he had never seen before and, with nothing more than a thousand-year Fourth Spirit Skill, actually purified his Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison.
Dugu Bo was not boasting: across the entire Soul Master World, those who could counter his Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison could be counted on one hand.
Yet today, a Six-Ring Soul Emperor had broken through his Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison.
A glint of murderous intent blossomed in Dugu Bo's vivid green eyes.
Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison was his very foundation. A Spirit Master who could counter it was an existence he absolutely would not permit.
At this thought, Dugu Bo darted out in a flash. He wanted to kill this Spirit Emperor to cut off any future trouble at the root, but his curiosity about the man's Martial Soul and Soul Skills kept him from attacking immediately.
"Heh heh heh, impressive. In today's Soul Master World, the waves behind truly are pushing those ahead. You actually managed to counter my Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison. Good, very good!"
Although his words were complimentary, the murderous intent in his tone was enough to send a chill down anyone's spine.
Hearing that voice, Lu Chen's heart tightened.
He knew the man himself had appeared!
Whether he could successfully win Dugu Bo over hinged on this moment.
He looked ahead and saw an old man in a black robe slowly emerge from the emerald-green Poison Array.
Set in that gaunt face, a pair of vivid green, empty-looking eyes stared at him without blinking, making Lu Chen's expression tighten.
Facing a Titled Douluo, he dared not be careless in the slightest.
Lu Chen opened his mouth, then suddenly remembered that he had disguised his true appearance. Deliberately lowering his voice, he said:
"Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison?! Are you the Jade Phosphorus Douluo, Senior Dugu?"
"So this place already has an owner. I was presumptuous. Please forgive me, Senior!"
"I'll leave at once. I am truly sorry for intruding so rashly."
After speaking, Lu Chen withdrew his Martial Soul and made as though to turn and leave.
Lu Chen knew that, at a time like this, he had to act as though he had stumbled into this place by accident.
Only then could he dispel Dugu Bo's wariness as much as possible.
If a lone wolf like Dugu Bo learned that Lu Chen had come specifically for him, he would undoubtedly become extremely wary of Lu Chen.
That would work against Lu Chen's efforts to win him over later.
Seeing Lu Chen about to leave, Dugu Bo flashed after him, swiftly overtook him, and blocked his path down the mountain.
He forced an ugly smile onto his face, his eyes holding a hint of a smile yet not quite smiling as he stared at Lu Chen and said in a teasing tone:
"Since you're here, why be in such a hurry to leave?"
"I've spent years cultivating in seclusion here. How did you find this place?"
"Speak!"
By the end, Dugu Bo was releasing the chilling murderous intent in his voice without the slightest attempt to conceal it.
Just the right amount of nervousness appeared on Lu Chen's disguised face.
It was only natural to be nervous when facing Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo. Not being nervous would have been anything but normal.
Lu Chen assumed a guarded stance, then quickly explained:
"My Martial Soul is unusual and can resonate with plants. I sensed something peculiar and stumbled in here by accident."
"Had I known this was your territory, Senior, I would never have intruded. If I have offended you in any way, please be magnanimous."
"If you are unwilling to forgive me, I could also help rid you of poison to make amends..."
Hearing the first part of Lu Chen's explanation, Dugu Bo looked thoughtful. Some unusual plants did indeed grow in the valley where he cultivated in seclusion, including precious medicinal herbs and deadly poisonous plants.
There were many that even he did not recognize, so he did not dare pick them lightly.
But at Lu Chen's final sentence, Dugu Bo's expression changed dramatically, and he appeared before Lu Chen in a flash.
Pressing one hand onto Lu Chen's shoulder, his eyes gleaming as though ready to choose someone to devour, Dugu Bo stared at him and said, stressing each word:
"Do you know what you're saying?!"
Just then, as Dugu Bo looked at Lu Chen's face, he found it somewhat like looking at flowers through mist, unable to make it out clearly.
He frowned and mustered all his mental power, trying to see through to Lu Chen's true appearance.
Unfortunately, it was as though layer upon layer of mist lay between them, preventing him from seeing completely through Lu Chen's disguise.
Lu Chen's disguise came from his Blue Silver Domain.
Ordinary Spirit Masters naturally could not tell that he was disguised.
But against a high-level Spirit Master like Dugu Bo, whose mental power far exceeded his own at present, Lu Chen found it difficult to keep Dugu Bo entirely in the dark.
Yet as long as the Blue Silver Domain remained, Lu Chen's disguise would continue to exist.
Even a high-level Spirit Master like Dugu Bo could only use his formidable mental power to detect that Lu Chen was disguised, not see his true appearance.
Dugu Bo sneered and said:
"So you're a fellow who hides his head and conceals his tail, too. A clever disguise, but unfortunately, it can't fool my eyes."
Lu Chen's heart sank. Dugu Bo had actually noticed his disguise. He really had underestimated a Titled Douluo.
Still, his Blue Silver Domain remained in effect, so Dugu Bo probably had not seen his true appearance.
Lu Chen drew a deep breath and said calmly:
"After all, when traveling away from home, one must never let down one's guard against others. A few little tricks are merely a means of protecting myself."
"As for what I just said, I can try to help rid you of poison, Senior. I am a Support Spirit Master, and one of my Soul Skills is a detoxification Soul Skill."
"That detoxification Soul Skill was what I used to counter your Poison Array just now."
"The moment you appeared, Senior, I noticed that your complexion was excessively pale and your aura was cold and sinister, unlike a normal person's. There were also the colors of your hair, beard, and eyes."
"Judging by these signs, I believe you have been poisoned, Senior. On rainy, overcast days, both sides of your rib cage must hurt badly, and you suffer an episode at midnight and noon, each lasting at least an hour, with pain like needles stabbing your entire body."
"I can try to help rid you of the poison. If I succeed, everyone will naturally be happy. If I fail, you will lose nothing."
"You can give it some thought, Senior. I have no wish to gamble with my own life, either."
Dugu Bo's expression shifted uncertainly.
Lu Chen's assessment was entirely correct. Dugu Bo had indeed been poisoned, and by his own Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison at that. Even his assessment of the symptoms during an episode was extremely accurate.
It gave Dugu Bo the illusion that he had been seen through.
He, a mighty Titled Douluo, had actually been seen through by a Spirit Emperor.
That left Dugu Bo somewhat angry.
But when he thought it over carefully, the man before him had not only countered his Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison, but also laid bare the symptoms of his poisoning in a few words.
Perhaps!
Perhaps this man really could help rid him of the poison!
For the sake of his own life, Dugu Bo quickly made his decision. He removed the hand pressing down on Lu Chen's shoulder and said in a low voice:
"Very well. I'll let you try."
"If you can rid me of the poison, we'll wipe today's slate clean. I'll even owe you a favor."
"If you cannot rid me of the poison, then after trespassing on my secluded cultivation grounds and making a fool of me, don't even think about leaving Sunset Forest alive today."