Snowy Swan Kiss! Black Lotus Refines Poison

"If Dugu Yan took the Snowy Swan Kiss directly, she would certainly die."

Qian Renyuan spoke calmly.

The anger in Dugu Bo's eyes deepened.

"Since you know that, why did you choose it?"

"Because Dugu Yan won't be the one taking it." Qian Renyuan raised his left hand, black light surging as the Black Lotus slowly emerged.

"It will."

Dugu Bo looked at the Black Lotus, his brow tightly furrowed.

"You want the Martial Soul to devour the Snowy Swan Kiss?"

"More precisely, refine it."

Qian Renyuan controlled the Black Lotus, sending it above the Snowy Swan Kiss.

"The Snowy Swan Kiss can amplify poison, but it cannot distinguish where the poison it comes into contact with originated."

"I'll first use the Black Lotus to draw out the Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison fused with Dugu Yan's Soul Power, then use the Snowy Swan Kiss to catalyze its toxicity."

"Once the poison completes its transformation, the Black Lotus will refine the unstable parts, leaving only the purest poison essence before returning it to her Martial Soul."

Dugu Bo understood what Qian Renyuan meant.

He intended to use the Snowy Swan Kiss's power to force Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison to undergo a transformation.

The Black Lotus would be responsible for controlling the entire process.

If it succeeded, the poison would no longer accumulate in Dugu Yan's meridians and flesh. Instead, it would all return to the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

But if any step went wrong, Dugu Yan would immediately suffer a backlash from poison amplified several times over.

"It's too risky." Dugu Bo still did not move aside. "I understand better than you how quickly the Snowy Swan Kiss amplifies poison."

"Even if your Black Lotus can devour deadly poison, it might not be able to control Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison once it erupts completely."

"You don't have a better solution." Qian Renyuan looked at him. "If you keep suppressing it with medicine, Dugu Yan will only live a few more years at most."

"If you want the Jade Phosphorous Serpent to evolve, it must truly gain control over its own poison."

Dugu Bo fell silent.

Over the years, he had tried many methods for Dugu Yan.

But no matter what herbs he used, they could only delay the poison's backlash. They could not solve the root of the problem.

Qian Renyuan's method was dangerous, but it was also the first time he had seen hope for a complete cure.

"What is the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid for, then?"

"To protect her."

Qian Renyuan looked at the snow-white orchid.

"The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid has mild medicinal properties. It can nourish the meridians and stabilize her foundation."

"Only after Dugu Yan absorbs it will her body be able to endure the impact of her Martial Soul's transformation."

Dugu Bo glanced back at the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, then at the Black Lotus.

After a long while, he finally stepped away from in front of the Snowy Swan Kiss.

"If anything happens to Yanyan..."

"She'll be fine."

Qian Renyuan cut him off.

Then the Black Lotus's petals spread outward, and a ring of black light enveloped the Snowy Swan Kiss.

The Snowy Swan Kiss swayed gently.

Streams of white medicinal energy rose from its petals. The moment they touched the black light, they were drawn into the lotus's core.

Rather than refining it immediately like ordinary poisonous mist, the Black Lotus compressed the Snowy Swan Kiss's medicinal energy deep within its core.

As the white medicinal energy continued to pour in, the Snowy Swan Kiss began to wither rapidly.

A moment later, the entire Immortal Herb turned into specks of white light and entered the Black Lotus.

The Black Lotus trembled softly. Within its core appeared a cluster of snow-white medicinal energy wrapped in black light.

Even through the Black Lotus, Dugu Bo could still sense the aura that caused poison to lose control.

He instinctively stepped back half a pace. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor poison that had accumulated in his body for years began to stir merely from sensing that medicinal energy.

With a thought from Qian Renyuan, the Black Lotus closed its petals again, completely sealing away the Snowy Swan Kiss's aura.

Then he walked over to the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.

Dugu Bo had already agreed to let Qian Renyuan choose the herbs, so he naturally did not stop him now.

Under his guidance, Dugu Bo brought over a jade box.

Qian Renyuan wrapped the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid in the Black Lotus's power, carefully removed it by the roots, and placed it into the jade box.

Once the jade box was closed, its pure medicinal fragrance vanished with it.

The system's voice rang out in Qian Renyuan's mind.

[Ding! Host has successfully obtained the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and the Snowy Swan Kiss!]

[Immortal Herb interception main quest progress has increased!]

[The current main quest has not yet been completed. Rewards will be distributed during the final settlement!]

Qian Renyuan put away the jade box.

"Bring Dugu Yan here in three days."

Dugu Bo looked at the two Immortal Herbs that had disappeared and could only nod.

Three days passed quickly.

As Qian Renyuan instructed, Dugu Yan had not used her Soul Power.

After the runaway poison was drawn out, her body recovered quickly. Other than her still-pale complexion, there was no sign that three days ago, poison had nearly invaded her heart meridians.

When she saw Qian Renyuan again, Dugu Yan's expression was complicated.

She had already learned the treatment method from her grandfather.

"You really intend to fuse the Snowy Swan Kiss's medicinal energy into my Martial Soul?"

"Afraid?"

Qian Renyuan opened the jade box containing the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.

Dugu Yan's face heated up at the question.

"Who's afraid?"

"As long as you're sure this method will work, I'll dare to try it."

Though her words were firm, a trace of nervousness still showed in her eyes when they fell on the Black Lotus.

Qian Renyuan did not continue provoking her. He handed her the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid. "Take this first."

Dugu Yan accepted the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.

Following Qian Renyuan's instructions, she ate the orchid's petals and stamen one after another, then sat cross-legged near the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

After the Immortal Herb entered her mouth, a gentle warmth spread from her abdomen and flowed through her meridians to the rest of her body.

Dugu Yan's tense body gradually relaxed.

The meridians that had repeatedly been corroded by the Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison slowly recovered under the nourishment of the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid's medicinal energy. Even several minor hidden injuries began to heal, and a faint white glow enveloped her body.

Dugu Bo stood beside her, watching his granddaughter's condition closely.

Only after confirming that the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid posed no danger did he relax slightly.

About half an hour later, the white glow around Dugu Yan gradually receded.

She opened her eyes.

"How do you feel?" Dugu Bo immediately asked.

"My body feels very light."

Dugu Yan clenched her hand.

She could clearly feel that her meridians were much tougher than before, and the Soul Power within her had become more solid as well.

Qian Renyuan glanced at her.

"Summon your Martial Soul."

Dugu Yan took a deep breath, then released her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

A jade-green serpent shadow appeared behind her. After three days of recovery, the Jade Phosphorous Serpent was no longer as uncontrollable as it had been during her poisoning episode, but the poison accumulated within it still made the serpent shadow appear somewhat insubstantial.

The Black Lotus flew above Dugu Yan's head.

"This will hurt a lot." Qian Renyuan warned her. "Endure it. Don't resist the Black Lotus."

Dugu Yan nodded.

The Black Lotus slowly rotated, and a devouring force descended upon the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

Dugu Yan's body trembled. The Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison accumulated within her meridians and Soul Power was drawn toward her Martial Soul.

Unlike three days earlier, Qian Renyuan was not only extracting the runaway poison this time.

Streams of jade-green poisonous mist poured from Dugu Yan's body and entered the Black Lotus through the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

"Urgh..."

Dugu Yan gritted her teeth, and cold sweat quickly beaded across her forehead.

The poison and Soul Power had long been intertwined. Every portion drawn out felt as though someone were tearing at her meridians.

The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid's medicinal energy flowed along with it, constantly repairing the places struck by the poison.

Watching his granddaughter's pained expression, Dugu Bo's hands clenched involuntarily.

Once a large amount of Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison entered the lotus core, the snow-white medicinal energy sealed within the Black Lotus was finally released.

The instant the snow-white medicinal energy touched the poison, the jade-green aura began to expand wildly.

Buzz!

The Black Lotus shook violently. Terrifying toxicity erupted from deep within its core, making even the surrounding plants sway gently.

Dugu Bo stepped forward.

"Holy Son!"

"Don't move."

Qian Renyuan stared fixedly at the Black Lotus. All twelve petals closed at once, tightly sealing the explosively growing poison within the lotus core.

The Snowy Swan Kiss continued catalyzing it, and the jade-green poisonous mist grew denser and denser until it nearly condensed into liquid.

The Dark Gold Veins on the Black Lotus all lit up. Strands of chaotic aura were stripped away, then directly refined.

The originally jade-green poison liquid gradually transformed into a cluster of dark green light.

Qian Renyuan raised his hand.

"Go back."

The Black Lotus trembled lightly, and the refined poison flew out from its core before falling back into the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

Boom!

Dugu Yan suddenly threw back her head and let out a pained cry.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent behind her twisted violently, while the scales on its body began to shatter one by one.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent's body continued to lengthen, and two protrusions slowly rose from its head.

An aura of poison far more powerful than before erupted from the Martial Soul.

Dugu Bo stared fixedly at the Jade Phosphorous Serpent as it transformed, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.

He knew this aura all too well.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor!