With each sentence Yu Tianjue spoke, Dugu Bo's expression darkened a little more.
But aside from the gloom, what he felt most was panic.
How had his greatest secret been so easily revealed by a mere six-year-old child?
A murderous glint suddenly rose in Dugu Bo's eyes, but Yu Tianjue acted as though he hadn't noticed and continued speaking as if to himself:
"Your toxins have already invaded your blood, bone marrow, and internal organs. That's why your skin and hair are gradually turning blue, and your pupils have turned emerald green. Every time you use your Martial Soul and unleash a poison technique, the backlash worsens. The higher your cultivation, the stronger the poison—and the more severe the backlash."
"You should have died long ago when the poison erupted. But you discovered the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and used the yin-yang energy here to suppress the snake venom in your body. That's the only reason you've survived until now."
His secret had all been exposed.
And in front of all these people!
Dugu Bo's expression had turned utterly cold, as if he might suddenly erupt and kill someone at any moment. Yu Yuanzhen had also noticed something was off about him and was already prepared for battle.
But in the next instant, Yu Tianjue's words made Dugu Bo pause.
"Senior Poison Douluo, I might be able to cure the poison in your body."
It was the same old, worn-out promise of a cure, but the old, worn-out methods were often the most practical.
Poison Douluo was about to scoff, but then he thought it over. With just one glance, this child had described all his symptoms without the slightest error.
Perhaps... he really did know how to cure the poison?
Poison Douluo said nothing, weighing the matter in silence. Taking advantage of the moment, Yu Yuanzhen lowered his voice and asked, "Does Dugu Bo really have the symptoms you described?"
Yu Tianjue nodded, not at all worried that Dugu Bo would refuse.
After all, he wasn't the only one afflicted by the poison. His granddaughter, Dugu Yan, suffered from the snake venom too. Even his son had died from it!
He had no reason to refuse.
"Can you really cure it?"
"I can."
Yu Tianjue quietly answered Yu Yuanzhen. At the same time, after wrestling with his thoughts, Poison Douluo finally spoke again:
"You brat, you've got quite the nerve! Even I can do nothing about this poison. You're just a child, yet you dare boast that you can cure me?"
His words weren't very pleasant, but... the old poison master's tone had softened considerably.
"Poison Douluo, if my grandson says he can cure the poison in your body, then he can! If you don't believe him, that's your own business!"
Yu Tianjue took a deep breath and stepped forward under Yu Yuanzhen's protection. Calm and unflinching, he said, "There are two ways to cure Senior Poison Douluo's poison. It just depends on which method you're willing to try."
There really were ways to cure it—and two, at that?
Dugu Bo was immediately tempted, and his posture softened completely. "Fine. If you can truly tell me how to cure it, I, Dugu Bo, will owe you a favor. In the future, no matter what you ask me to do, I'll help you once, without conditions. How about it?"
Of course, Dugu Bo had left himself some room to maneuver.
He hadn't said he would owe the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a favor, only Yu Tianjue. That way, he could still come and go as he pleased, free of the clan's control.
Yu Tianjue didn't haggle. He had only wanted to ease the tension between them and use the opportunity to obtain the Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
As for Dugu Bo's offer to help once without conditions, it was certainly a decent deal, but... he might not need it in the future.
Judging by how quickly his strength was rising, by the time Spirit Hall launched the Soul Hunting Operation, he might already be invincible.
Of course, Poison Douluo had no idea that he'd already brushed past the gates of death. Ice Empress had been by Yu Tianjue's side all along. Given Poison Douluo's attitude just now, Ice Empress had merely restrained herself. Otherwise, Poison Douluo would already be a corpse.
"The first method is simple. Just swallow the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot that grow in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Their yin and yang energies will clash, stripping away and expelling all the toxins embedded in your Martial Soul and blood. The price is that all your poison-based abilities will be completely lost."
Lose all his poison-based abilities? How could that be acceptable?
Dugu Bo's eyes widened. He was just about to ask what kind of lousy method that was when Yu Tianjue continued:
"The second method is to circulate your Soul Power and force all the toxins scattered through your bone marrow and meridians into your Soul Bone. At the same time, use the Aromatic Silk Beauty as a medicinal catalyst to suppress the restless poison and reinforce the seal."
Force the toxins into his Soul Bone?
It was that simple?
Dugu Bo paused.
He had never imagined that the poison in his body could be dealt with so easily. If he'd learned of this method earlier, could his son have been saved?
Dugu Bo couldn't help taking a deep breath. "What is this Aromatic Silk Beauty you mentioned? Wait... you recognize the herbs here?"
Dugu Bo stared at Yu Tianjue in astonishment. He'd known these herbs were probably extremely precious, but he didn't know what they did. He'd never dared to pick them blindly, and could only stand guard over this treasure trove, staring helplessly!
"If I can see what's wrong with Senior Poison Douluo at a glance, naturally I can identify these Immortal Herbs too."
At that, Poison Douluo gave Yu Tianjue a long look from beneath Yu Yuanzhen's protection.
"Fine. I'll try forcing the poison into my Soul Bone now. If what you said is true, you may pick any of the herbs here. But if you dare deceive me..."
Dugu Bo had only meant to threaten Yu Tianjue a little. But before he could finish, a chill inexplicably rose in his heart, as if some peerless Ferocious Beast had fixed its gaze on him.
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to voice the threat.
Only after Dugu Bo had disappeared into the distance did Yu Yuanzhen's tense body finally relax. Yu Tianheng, who had been holding back his words the whole time, gave Yu Tianjue a thump on the chest.
"Jue, you really know all this?"
"When you first explained it, I was completely baffled. I thought you were making it up... I never expected it to be true!"
"Where did you learn so much?"
Yu Tianjue smiled faintly.
Aha! You just don't get it, do you?
It's called finding a golden house in books!
"The Immortal Herb best suited to you is this Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. It can open up the meridians throughout your body, temper your bones and muscles, and forge a body of indestructible diamond. It's a perfect match for a Power Attack System Soul Master with a Beast Martial Soul."
"Picking this Immortal Herb is simple too. Just circulate gentle Soul Power and wrap the entire chrysanthemum in it. Remember, don't yank it out by force, or the essence of the herb will flow away through the stem, cutting its medicinal effects in half."