Condensing the Poison Pill, Borrowing Flowers to Offer the Buddha

"Ouyang, I'm here."

Dugu Bo descended from the sky in a carefree manner. As soon as he approached, he held out his hand. "Where are today's pills?"

Ouyang Ling remained silent.

Before him, a bronze furnace was being heated over the Blazing Sun Spring. As herbs were added one after another, just before the furnace was opened, a drop of water from the Yang Spring and a drop from the Yin Spring were sent into it.

Dugu Bo had long since grown accustomed to this.

He leaned against a large tree with great interest, occasionally pointing things out.

Ouyang Ling paid him no mind.

Until the moment the furnace was finally opened...

In an instant, a mist rose up.

Seeing that the mist produced by today's pill refinement seemed somewhat different from usual, Dugu Bo could not help but grow curious. The moment he sensed it, he discovered that this pill's medicinal effect seemed much stronger than the previous ones.

So Dugu Bo asked.

"Because this is the final treatment." Ouyang Ling drew the pill over and casually tossed it to Dugu Bo.

"So this is the last one?" Dugu Bo examined the pill in his hand without immediately swallowing it.

"It's been half a year. It's about time."

After putting away the bronze furnace, Ouyang Ling turned his gaze toward Dugu Bo. "I remember you saying last time that you had temporarily stored most of the toxins in the pill bead inside your spirit bone."

"That's right." Dugu Bo swallowed the pill and casually remarked while refining it with part of his attention, "I just didn't expect half a year to pass so quickly."

"It wasn't quick at all, all right?" Ouyang Ling rolled his eyes. "I've been here for a full half-year and have barely taken a single step outside the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes. Do you still want me to stay here? Don't even think about it."

"Heh, listen to yourself."

With practiced ease, Dugu Bo forced the last trace of toxin from the pill bead into his spirit bone. Naturally, he still had the leisure to tease him. "Didn't you say the environment here was good for your cultivation? Staying here and focusing on cultivation can't be wrong."

Ouyang Ling shook his head.

"Even then, there has to be a balance between work and rest."

Still, chatting was chatting, and business was business. After calculating the time and realizing Dugu Bo should have finished "digesting" the pill, he asked about his exact condition. "How was it? Did it work?"

Dugu Bo checked repeatedly before nodding.

"Then let's begin."

He was clearly moving with decisive efficiency.

Afterward, Ouyang Ling explained the Poison Pill Method once more. Once he and Dugu Bo had confirmed that there were no mistakes, they officially entered the final stage.

"Old Poison, hold this in your mouth. Don't swallow it."

The instant the emerald-green pill landed in his hand, Dugu Bo was astonished after only a brief inspection.

"What dense life force."

"Of course."

Ouyang Ling looked rather pleased with himself.

After learning pill refinement, he had spent seven days and seven nights refining Vitalized Ginseng, Ten-Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root, Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus, and several other herbs possessing immense life force. This was one of the three supreme healing pills he had produced.

Simply put, it was for emergencies.

Dugu Bo toyed with it for a moment before placing it in his mouth.

"You've put a lot of thought into this."

"You entrusted me with it, so naturally I had to do my best." With that, Ouyang Ling pointed toward the center of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes.

"Old Poison, enter the spring."

"Alright!"

To prevent Ouyang Ling from lacking the soul power needed to suppress Dugu Bo's deadly poison with Deep Blue Purification, they could only borrow the power of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes. Fortunately, with Dugu Bo's cultivation as a Titled Douluo and the fact that the pills he had consumed over the past half-year all contained the power of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes, he could still endure it for some time.

Very soon,

Dugu Bo endured the ravages of ice and fire.

At the same time,

"Ultimate Sea God Dragon, possess me!"

At that moment, Ouyang Ling stood ready for battle.

"Old Poison, you can begin."

"Alright!"

The next second, Dugu Bo's pill bead completely collapsed. The purest soul power stored within it burst forth, protecting his meridians and internal organs.

Immediately afterward, power erupted from his right arm! The ferocious poison directly backlashed, spreading throughout Dugu Bo's entire body in an instant. It even overflowed outward, forming a gigantic black python.

At that moment, Dugu Bo looked as though he had suffered a devastating blow! He was on the verge of death, as if he might not survive.

Yet the enormous black python formed from his natal snake poison could only run rampant for a single breath before the spring water of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes directly suppressed it.

A sharp light flashed in Ouyang Ling's eyes.

The time has come!

"Deep Blue Purification!" A layer of Jade Waves rapidly rippled outward, carrying the life aura of the sea as it washed directly over Dugu Bo's body, wearing away the residual poison that had backlashed after its eruption.

At the same time, with a crack, Dugu Bo bit down and shattered the pill in his mouth. A vast surge of life energy flowed into his stomach, nourishing his injured body.

"Old Poison, hurry and condense the Poison Pill!"

Ouyang Ling controlled the Jade Waves and shouted sternly.

Having recovered, Dugu Bo immediately circulated his poison cultivation technique, gathering his natal snake poison toward his dantian.

Without soul power mixed into it, and with the energy of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eyes suppressing it, the natal snake poison that had once been so lethal was now like a well-behaved baby sound asleep, allowing Dugu Bo to move it as he pleased.

Before long, drawing upon his experience in condensing the pill bead, he swiftly condensed the natal snake poison into a Poison Pill. The entire process passed without any real danger.

A quarter of an hour later, "Hah—"

A long howl shot into the heavens! A Jade Phosphor Serpent broke through the icy and fiery waters, coiling through the sky.

In less than three breaths, the Jade Phosphor Snake Emperor in its Martial Soul True Body state dissipated like smoke, replaced by Dugu Bo, now dressed in a brand-new set of clothes.

His soul power was pure and abundant. Other than a nearly imperceptible hint of jade green at the roots, his graying hair was no different from that of an ordinary person.

"Ha ha ha—" After sensing the state of his body, Dugu Bo let out a burst of hearty laughter!

"The fate of the Dugu Clan has finally come to an end!"

"Not quite yet."

That probably did not count as dampening his enthusiasm.

In any case, Ouyang Ling stepped forward and immediately activated Deep Blue Purification with the fastest, smoothest motion possible.

The Jade Waves came, and the Jade Waves passed...

The toxins remaining in Dugu Bo's body from condensing the Poison Pill vanished completely. This time, even his hair roots had returned to gray, no longer jade green.

After examining him from head to toe, Ouyang Ling nodded with satisfaction. "Now it's truly over."

"Ouyang, I truly should thank you."

Feeling a lightness he had not experienced since becoming a Soul Sage, Dugu Bo could not help feeling somewhat wistful.

"You not only saved Yanyan's life, but also cured my poison. This time, I've even gained a blessing from it and broken through the bottleneck that had kept me stuck at Rank 91."

"This is only the beginning." Ouyang Ling accepted his gratitude, but smiled as he walked to one side. Under Dugu Bo's curious gaze, the giant claw in his hand suddenly snapped shut, locking down a vine that had lashed toward him.

"You'll soon break through the Rank 92 bottleneck as well."

Looking closely, the vine caught in his claw was covered in sharp teeth, much like a man-eating flower.

Ouyang Ling gave it a brief glance, pulled it out by the roots, cut off a section, and tossed the roots back where they had been. After all, as long as the roots touched soil, it could grow again.

"Old Poison, this is for you."

Dugu Bo reached out to take it. "What is this?"

"This is Poison Demon Vine."

Ouyang Ling opened the Immortal Herb Compendium and turned to the corresponding page. "This immortal herb can increase a soul master's potential, but it relies on using poison to fight poison. If an ordinary soul master consumes it, there is a sixty percent chance they will die from poisoning. But you are different."

Poisoned?!

Dugu Bo suddenly understood.

Looking at the Poison Demon Vine, he said, "If that's the case, then this immortal herb really does suit me quite well. Since that's so, I won't stand on ceremony."

"You're saying that to me?" Ouyang Ling shot him an annoyed look. "This is your herb garden."

Dugu Bo put away the Poison Demon Vine and waved his hand.

"I told you already, all these herbs are yours. This is one of the rewards for helping me and Yanyan."

That was true enough...

Since that was the case, he could not be lacking in courtesy either.

After thinking for a moment, Ouyang Ling raised the Immortal Herb Compendium in his hand. "Old Poison, how about copying a version?" Just in time, he could borrow flowers to offer the Buddha.