Seeing Dugu Bo's conflicted expression as he pondered, Bai Shu did not rush him. He believed that for Dugu Yan's sake, Dugu Bo had no second choice.
Sure enough, after a while, Dugu Bo slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, as though it had carried away the last of his arrogance as a Titled Douluo.
His expression was more complicated than ever. He bowed deeply to Bai Shu, his voice hoarse yet clear:
"Your subordinate... Dugu Bo, is willing to submit to you, Young Master! I only ask that you keep your promise and save my Yan Yan first!"
"Senior Dugu, there is no need for this. Please, rise quickly!"
Bai Shu hurried forward and personally grasped Dugu Bo's arm, helping him back up.
"I have received your sincerity, Senior. This matter is not difficult. Once we reach Heaven Dou City, I will have Old Xie pass a cultivation technique on to you. Not only will it completely eradicate the backlash from your martial souls, it may even allow your strength to rise to greater heights!"
"Thank you, Young Master." Dugu Bo straightened up, but his heart was filled with mixed emotions.
A cultivation technique could resolve the deadly poison that had plagued the Dugu Family for generations?
Instinctively, he found it hard to believe. Yet Bai Shu's certain expression, along with Xie Biyan beside him—the man who still made his heart tremble—left him with no choice but to believe.
At this point, he had no other option but faith.
Xiao Wu, who had been hiding behind Bai Shu all this time, saw that the atmosphere had finally eased. Since this newly arrived Titled Douluo apparently had not recognized her identity, she grew bolder as well. She poked her head out from behind Bai Shu and asked curiously:
"Bai Shu, Bai Shu, was that a Millennium Spirit Ring you absorbed just now? Hurry up and show me! What exactly is your second soul skill? It must be super, super powerful, right?"
Bai Shu reached out, pressed a hand to Xiao Wu's head, and pushed her aside with mild disdain before answering:
"It's alright. It's a boosting-type soul skill with fairly decent effects. Once activated, it strengthens every aspect of my body."
As he spoke, Bai Shu had a thought and prepared to demonstrate it in person.
The purple spirit ring he had just acquired suddenly lit up beneath his feet. A faint purplish-golden glow instantly covered his entire body, while the fluctuations of his Soul Power visibly surged by a great deal.
"This... this level of enhancement!"
Dugu Bo's pupils abruptly contracted. He could clearly sense that the oppressive aura of Soul Power Bai Shu now radiated was far stronger than before.
"This boost has to be over seventy percent!" A second soul skill with such an effect? It was simply unheard of!
"Yes. During the day, it boosts all my attributes by one hundred percent."
Bai Shu nodded without intending to hide his soul skill. Although soul skills were a Spirit Master's secrets and should not be casually revealed to others,
these people were now his own, and it was merely a second-ring soul skill. To him, it was not particularly important.
"During the day?"
Dugu Bo sharply caught the flaw in Bai Shu's words.
"That's right, during the day." Bai Shu's lips curved into a mysterious smile as he explained, "At night, beneath the starlight, the effect reaches two hundred percent."
"Hiss—!"
Even someone as composed as Dugu Bo could not help sucking in a cold breath, his scalp going numb.
A two-hundred-percent boost at night? What kind of concept was that?
One had to know that for an ordinary top-tier power-attack martial soul, a fifty-percent boost from its second spirit ring was already the limit. Two hundred percent was practically comparable to the enhancement from someone else's Martial Soul Avatar.
What exactly was the origin of this young man—no, this Young Master's martial soul?
Compared with Dugu Bo's shock, Xiao Wu and Xie Biyan were much calmer.
They had long grown accustomed to Bai Shu's extraordinary nature and understood the power of his martial soul well. After all, there was probably no second martial soul on the continent that could affect its surroundings merely by being released.
After testing his soul skill, Bai Shu's group did not remain in Sunset Forest. Instead, they followed Dugu Bo back to his residence in Heaven Dou City.
As for the Immortal Herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Bai Shu did not mention them. One had to eat one bite at a time, and win people's hearts little by little.
With Xie Biyan serving as the stick, giving Dugu Bo a sweet date first would make him even more wholeheartedly loyal.
By the time the sky was completely shrouded in night, the four finally arrived at the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire—Heaven Dou City.
"As expected of Heaven Dou City. It's so lively even at night."
Held aloft in the air by Xie Biyan's Soul Power, Bai Shu looked down and saw lights stretching through the city like dragons, brilliant and dazzling. The streets were packed with crowds and bustling traffic.
Colorful lanterns hung outside all manner of restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues, adorning the entire city until it resembled one that never slept.
Along the way, Bai Shu also spotted the renowned Great Soul Arena. Its architecture was grand and imposing.
Unfortunately, they had spent the entire day traveling and were exhausted in both body and mind. Otherwise, they could have gone to take a look.
Dugu Bo's residence stood in a secluded area in the south of the city. It covered a vast expanse, yet felt somewhat deserted, with very few servants.
The moment they stepped into the courtyard, a figure rushed toward them excitedly, carrying a fragrant breeze in her wake.
"Grandpa, you're finally back!"
The newcomer was a green-haired girl with a tall, graceful figure and lovely features. She was most likely Dugu Yan.
Based on her age in the original story, Dugu Yan should have been twelve at this time, five years older than Bai Shu.
However, Spirit Masters on Douluo Continent naturally matured early. Now that Bai Shu had obtained his Second Spirit Ring, he had grown considerably taller. Standing together, their age gap was not so obvious.
Dugu Yan affectionately hooked her arm through Dugu Bo's. Only then did she notice Bai Shu and the other two beside him.
Her gaze swept over the imposing Xie Biyan and the lively Xiao Wu before finally settling on Bai Shu, who was walking at the front.
Her brows furrowed slightly, and a trace of confusion and vigilance flashed in her eyes. With Grandpa's status, how could he allow someone else to walk ahead of him?
"Grandpa, who are they?" she asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of scrutiny.
Dugu Bo forced out a smile and lovingly patted Dugu Yan's head. "Yan Yan, be good. Go back inside first. Grandpa will explain everything to you later."
"Alright." Though Dugu Yan was full of doubts, she obediently nodded. Just as she turned to leave, Bai Shu called out to her.
"Wait." Bai Shu's voice was gentle, but it carried an undeniable authority. "Senior Dugu, since your granddaughter is here, there is no better time than now. Let's resolve the toxin backlash for both of you at once."
"Now?" Dugu Bo shuddered, hesitating. "This... isn't it too hasty? How about this old man first—"
According to his plan, he should first act as the "guinea pig" and personally test this so-called cultivation technique. Only after ensuring there was no danger would he let Dugu Yan use it.
But Bai Shu had already turned to Xie Biyan. "Old Xie, I'll trouble you with this. Teach them the cultivation technique first and help them sort out the toxins in their bodies."
"Rest assured, Young Master. It is only a cultivation technique; it will not take long." Xie Biyan nodded slightly and agreed at once.
Since Bai Shu had spoken, Dugu Bo could no longer refuse. He could only nod with an uneasy heart.
Xie Biyan naturally had no objections to Bai Shu's arrangements and accepted directly.
Before you continue