Using the Body as a Weapon

After taking turn after turn, the two entered a somewhat dim room.

The middle of the room was empty, while all around stood earthenware jars. Dugu Feng naturally recognized these familiar earthenware jars—each one surely held some kind of poisonous creature.

He had not even awakened his Martial Soul yet, so how exactly was he supposed to cultivate? Dugu Feng was very curious.

There were two cushions in the center of the room. Old Snake sat down cross-legged at once, then gestured for Dugu Feng to sit as well.

The two sat facing each other. Dugu Feng did not feel he was much shorter than Old Snake; when he raised his head, he could just see Old Snake's chin.

Gurgle, gurgle.

Dugu Feng's expression shifted. He was hungry.

He had been brought to Dugu Bo's residence early in the morning, then had been put through half a day of trouble inside the Ancestral Hall. He had long since gone hungry.

"Young Master, you are hungry."

The corner of Old Snake's mouth twitched, as if he had been waiting for Dugu Feng to get hungry. "Serpent Soul Beasts are the most resistant to hunger among all Soul Beasts.

"The Bamboo Leaf Green Snake, which is most similar to the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, can endure hunger for as long as forty-two months without dying. Starving is one method of cultivation that stimulates the talent of our Martial Soul."

Dugu Feng froze. He had thought Old Snake would bring him some food to eat, only to be told to go hungry instead.

As someone familiar with knowledge about Soul Beasts, he naturally knew what Old Snake said was true.

But this could be used for cultivation too?

No wonder you never grew tall. So you were starved as a child?

"If one cannot eat enough, has no nutrition, and lacks a strong body, would that not make it even harder to bring out the Martial Soul's strength?"

Dugu Feng said in a low voice. Though he was questioning him, his voice was deep and without the slightest emotion. This was the former owner's style; after merging with his memories, Dugu Feng played the part very well.

"It is very good that the Young Master has his own understanding. Not like that silly kid of mine—shockingly stupid, unable to understand anything at all. You have no idea, when he was studying Soul Beast knowledge, he would learn it today and forget it tomorrow."

Old Snake's voice was calm as he rambled on, going on and on without end.

Dugu Feng's face went wooden. Damn it, so this guy was a chatterbox.

It seemed Old Snake would not be getting him any food.

Dugu Feng tactfully shut his mouth, closed his eyes, then lay down.

His body curled into a ball.

"Oh? He understands so quickly how to reduce Stamina Consumption in order to last longer. As expected of the Young Master."

Old Snake was startled inwardly. When that boy of his had first started cultivating, he had cried and shouted after getting hungry, and only became obedient after Old Snake used the Truth Baton on him.

Sigh, what a pity that he could not use the Truth Baton.

Old Snake smacked his lips, then lay down as well. With his dwarf-like body, once he curled up, he was actually about the same length as Dugu Feng.

In an instant, even Old Snake's breathing disappeared. Looking closely, even the fine hairs on the surface of his skin drooped down.

He had fully entered stillness, becoming a Hibernating Snake.

Dugu Feng had already fully integrated the former owner's memories, so naturally he could guess the meaning of this cultivation: it was to stimulate the talent of the Beast Martial Soul.

It was definitely a systematic cultivation method of the Dugu Family, and it absolutely would not change just because he said a few extra words.

There was also that Mad Father who made people shudder.

He did not dare resist.

Just as well—he had long been itching unbearably to sense the treasure bead inside his dantian and see what use it had.

The moment he closed his eyes, he saw the bead.

He was all too familiar with this bead. Before crossing over, he had always carried it on him. It was made from excellent White Jade.

At this moment, seeing this bead again, two words burst directly into his mind.

"Pill Bead!"

This Ancestral Treasure Bead had become the Pill Bead of my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. My Martial Soul has not awakened yet, but the Pill Bead appeared first!

Dugu Bo's Pill Bead only condensed after his Jade Phosphorous Serpent evolved into the Serpent Queen.

But I already have one now. This, this...

Dugu Feng was beyond excited.

But very quickly, he discovered something abnormal. The inside of the Pill Bead was empty. In other words, the Pill Bead had successfully condensed, but the energy within it still needed to be condensed by himself.

The Pill Bead spun round and round, white brilliance flashing.

Suddenly, a green light flashed past, nearly making Dugu Feng jump up.

At the very bottom inside the Pill Bead, he saw a trace of green.

When Dugu Feng sensed that trace of green, he felt it had a faint sweetness. He immediately understood: this was Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison.

After snake venom was sprayed out, it stank terribly, but while it was still inside a Soul Master's body, it was part of the Soul Master's body and was instead fragrant and sweet.

It seemed part of the Pill Bead's composition was poison, and it could absorb toxins.

Dugu Feng was in a very good mood. With the Pill Bead, he now had the confidence to resist deadly poison.

"Gurgle!"

In his good mood, his stomach growled twice more.

Then a chill swept over him. Hunger brought cold along with it.

With too little energy in his body, and inside this room full of earthenware jars and poisonous creatures, Dugu Feng felt an abnormal, bone-deep chill.

The next moment, as the Pill Bead turned, a warm sensation rose from his lower abdomen. A current of heat spread into his limbs and bones, making him feel slightly better.

He was not quite so cold anymore.

All kinds of memories kept flashing through Dugu Feng's mind. He needed to distract himself.

Countless images appeared, like watching a movie.

As he watched, his breathing gradually evened out, and he fell asleep.

Old Snake hurriedly looked toward him, then gave a wry smile. In the end, he was only a four-year-old child. After all that turmoil, he must have been exhausted.

Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss.

A faint sound entered his ears. Dugu Feng turned over, intending to keep sleeping.

Mmph... Dugu Feng felt a slight chill on his neck.

His nose twitched. A fishy smell?

He abruptly sat up, and his eyes instantly widened. A bright green snake was coiled around his body.

Its back was vivid green, its belly pale green, and its head was triangular, covered in fingernail-sized scales. Clear white stripes ran along the outer sides of its abdomen, and its body was no more than two meters long. This was a Young Bamboo Leaf Green Snake.

Dugu Feng made the judgment instantly.

Crap. I'm done for.

While he had been sleeping soundly just now, the Bamboo Leaf Green Snake still needed to determine whether he was dead prey or not. Now that he had moved, the snake was definitely going to attack!

Ah!

The moment that thought flashed through his mind, Dugu Feng felt a sharp pain in his neck.

"A Young Bamboo Leaf Green Snake, about as thick as a thumb. In the upper jaw of its snake head, there is a pair of hollow Hollow Fangs. When it attacks, the Hollow Fangs stand upright and stab fiercely into the enemy's skin, injecting poison into the blood!"

Old Snake's voice sounded, and Dugu Feng flew into a rage. You damn dwarf, you actually let a snake bite me? This is a venomous snake!

He grabbed at the area below the Bamboo Leaf Green Snake's head. In that urgent moment, he had no time to tell whether it was the seven-inch point or not.

But his hand felt empty, and he could not put any strength into it.

He had already been starving, and after sleeping for so long, his body had long since run out of energy.

The Bamboo Leaf Green Snake's body also had a somewhat sticky secretion layer on its surface, making it slippery. For a moment, he actually could not get a grip on it.

The pain in his neck almost made him black out.

"Young Master, weren't you hungry? This Bamboo Leaf Green Snake is food for you. You do not need to move. Your blood and skin are the strongest weapons.

"Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison is several times more toxic than Bamboo Leaf Green Snake venom. This Bamboo Leaf Green Snake will soon be poisoned to death by you!"

Old Snake spoke with a perfectly serious expression.

Dugu Feng froze. Was this the cold-blooded nature of a snake-type martial soul? This was how they raised their descendants?

Screw you.

But he still tactfully followed Old Snake's advice. He believed Old Snake would not dare let him die.