For a moment, countless possibilities flashed through his mind.
Could it be that Ao Yin hadn't relied on a special constitution to neutralize my deadly poison those two times? Had he prepared peerless spirit medicines in advance and concocted a secret antidote?
After thinking it through, Dugu Bo gradually came to terms with it.
Medicine and poison sprang from the same root; the two arts had never been separate.
Being able to identify spirit medicines precisely and concoct an antidote was proof enough that Ao Yin was no armchair expert. He truly possessed skill in both medicine and poison.
With that thought, Dugu Bo stopped dwelling on it and spoke frankly.
"You have a sharp eye."
"I stumbled upon this peerless treasure land in my younger days. It's been my private herb garden for years."
"Rare flowers and exotic plants grow everywhere here, alongside more peerless spirit medicines than I can count. Even after years of dedicated study, I still can't identify every herb or its effects."
He looked up at Ao Yin, a hint of challenge in his voice as he set the rules of the poison trial.
"Since you need spirit medicines to help you, this Secret Realm will be your testing ground."
"You may pick and use any spirit medicine in the garden. No one will stop you."
"I'll give you one full day."
"During that day, gather whatever herbs you need and prepare your antidotes."
"Once the day is up, I'll unleash three of my signature deadly poisons in succession, each with a different nature and potency."
"If you can withstand all three poisons and still stand before me unharmed,"
"I'll acknowledge your abilities completely and admit that your mastery of poison far surpasses mine!"
"But..."
Dugu Bo quietly fell silent mid-sentence, keeping the rest to