Toad Style Reached Lesser Mastery After a Year of Grueling Training

Dugu Bo's pupils contracted slightly, his face filled with shock.

"Devouring poison to nourish the body!"

He had roamed the Poison Path for nearly a century and had seen countless poison-type martial souls and poisonous physiques.

The more powerful a poison-type martial soul was, the more likely it was to develop hidden dangers after reaching a certain level of cultivation.

Take his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor martial soul, or Meng Hongchen's cold poison in Douluo 2, for example.

Such cases were everywhere.

As long as it was a poison-type martial soul that cultivated by absorbing poison, some toxins would inevitably remain in the body. Once cultivation reached a certain realm—

Those toxins would erupt. A poison-type soul master's poison was like a double-edged sword.

It could kill enemies,

But it could also harm its user.

Yet Dugu Feng's Toxic Toad directly absorbed toxins from the outside world. After testing it with his Soul Power, Dugu Bo found no residue whatsoever.

With just a touch, the toxins were completely absorbed and refined in an instant.

"A Perfect Poison Body... This truly is the legendary flawless poison-path physique!"

"This kind of physique has only ever been recorded in the ancient texts of our family!"

Dugu Bo's breathing quickened slightly, and his heart shook as never before.

He had cultivated bitterly his entire life and suffered from poison his entire life. The talent he had dreamed of possessing had actually been something his adopted grandson was born with!

Dugu Feng felt the pure Poison Force slowly flowing through his body, and his gaze grew even firmer.

In his previous life, Ouyang Feng the Western Poison had dominated the martial world with poison, unmatched by anyone.

Then he, Dugu Feng, would temper his body with countless poisons and crush the entire Douluo Poison Path!

Dugu Feng drew the Ink Poison Toad's Soul Ring into his body and began absorbing it.

The Soul Ring slowly enveloped his body as tyrannical poison-type Soul Power surged wildly through his meridians and into every part of his body.

[ Ding, attracting a Soul Ring from a poison beast of the same origin ]

[ Toad Style is beginning to borrow its power to temper the body... ]

"Worthy of Toad Style. It could use the Soul Power absorbed from the Soul Ring to strike at the meridians."

[ Ding, body tempering complete. Meridians and physique enhanced ]

"Toad Style reverses the heavenly cycle, storing force like a drawn bow and releasing force like an arrow loosed."

"Overcome the enemy through stillness."

Although this had not allowed him to cultivate Toad Style to the Lesser Mastery realm, Dugu Feng's understanding of it had risen another level. He believed that, at most, he would reach Lesser Mastery within half a year.

A toad was simply another name for a frog, and his martial soul was the Toxic Toad. Cultivating Toad Style was therefore twice as effective for half the effort.

"Even Ouyang Feng never cultivated Toad Style to Great Perfection. Though it is said that reaching Great Perfection requires one to retain a virgin body."

"Yet even without reaching Great Perfection, Ouyang Feng had relied on this art to rise to greatness and dominate the martial world. How powerful would Toad Style at Great Perfection be?"

Dugu Feng mused to himself.

"Xiaofeng, what is your First Soul Skill?"

"My First Soul Skill is called Toxic Toad Devouring Breath. It exhales a poisonous mist filled with toxic gas that can corrode Soul Power and numb the body. Even a Soul Elder would find it difficult to resist."

"Toxic Toad Devouring Breath. A good name."

"Once someone is struck by my poisonous mist, the more they circulate their Soul Power, the faster it will be depleted. All the Soul Power consumed will turn into toxins and numb their body. It will not be fatal, though."

"But it is enough to render an opponent unable to move. In battle, being unable to move is the most fatal weakness of all."

"Good. This four-hundred-year Soul Skill truly is extraordinary."

"This Ink Poison Toad has raised my Soul Power to level 13. Before I turn nine, I will definitely break through to level 20."

"Good. During the coming days, I'll tell you about the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in Sunset Forest. That is Grandpa's secret base."

"Come to think of it, I only found you after discovering the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Perhaps you truly are a gift Heaven sent me."

Over the following months,

Dugu Feng cultivated directly within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well alongside Dugu Bo. Dugu Bo also taught him how to distinguish poisons and refine poison.

With Dugu Bo's help, along with the dual support of Ouyang Feng the Western Poison's Poison Classic,

Dugu Feng became skilled in the use of poison in only a few months.

More importantly, Dugu Feng discovered that he could improve his strength by absorbing toxins.

At first, Dugu Bo remained somewhat wary.

He wanted to prevent Dugu Feng from repeating his mistakes.

Poison-path soul masters could absorb toxins to improve their strength, but the stronger they became, the stronger the toxins within their bodies would become as well.

Given enough time, they would inevitably suffer a backlash.

Thus, at first, Dugu Bo only dared use toad poison to assist Dugu Feng.

Only later did he dare use poison from other poisonous soul beasts.

Though he had long suspected that Dugu Feng possessed the Perfect Poison Body that could devour poison to nourish itself,

It had only been a guess. But after several months of testing and daily examinations,

He was finally certain that Dugu Feng was that one-in-ten-thousand genius.

He possessed a flawless sacred poison-path physique.

With the help of Dugu Bo, the number one poison user in the world,

A year later, Dugu Feng's Soul Power finally rose to level 20.

At the same time, he had also cultivated the Hundred Poisons Body, becoming immune to a hundred poisons.

For every different toxin Dugu Feng absorbed, his resistance to toxins increased by another degree.

Over the course of that year, he absorbed nearly a hundred potent poisons, causing his strength to soar.

Most importantly, his Toad Style had successfully reached the Lesser Mastery realm.

Cultivation arts were divided into four realms: Entry, Lesser Mastery, Great Mastery, and Perfection.

Each step across a realm was like scaling a great mountain.

Those with poor comprehension might be unable to advance at all.

Fortunately, Dugu Feng possessed not only Ouyang Feng the Western Poison's martial arts, but also his peerless comprehension.

Besides Toad Style reaching Lesser Mastery, his movement technique, A Thousand Li in a Flash, had also reached the Lesser Mastery realm.

He could cross a hundred paces in an instant.

Feeling the Soul Power fluctuations emanating from Dugu Feng,

Dugu Bo appeared before him in a flash.

"It seems your Hundred Poisons Body has also been successfully cultivated. You are now immune to a hundred poisons. In the future, I fear the student will surpass the master."

"Grandpa, since your grandson is so outstanding, it naturally means you taught me well."

"You little brat really knows how to make Grandpa happy. I never expected that after only one year, your Soul Power would rise seven levels in a row. At this rate, you may break through to Titled Douluo even faster than Tang Hao of the Clear Sky Sect."

"Then my Dugu Family will have two Douluos."

After saying that, a trace of worry flashed across Dugu Bo's face.

Dugu Feng naturally understood that he was worried about the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Venom within Dugu Yan's body.

"Grandpa, now that my Hundred Poisons Body has been formed, I have a bold idea."

Before Dugu Feng could say it, Dugu Bo raised a hand and stopped him.

"The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Venom must not be underestimated. Your Hundred Poisons Body has only achieved minor success. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Venom far surpasses the hundred or so poisons your Hundred Poisons Body can resist."

"Grandpa, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Venom in your body is naturally powerful, but that may not be the case for Sister."

"I don't know about Sister's current cultivation, but she should be close to breaking through to level 27. The last time I saw that girl, her Soul Power had already reached level 25."

"Though she cannot compare to someone with Innate Full Soul Power, she still has Innate Soul Power at level 8. She cannot be too far behind."

"Grandpa, I only need to absorb one more Soul Ring to reach the Soul Grandmaster realm. Within the same realm, I believe no poison master can surpass me."

"Why not give it a try? If it succeeds, it will greatly benefit me as well. After all, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Venom is the number one poison in the world. If I can absorb it, I might even surpass Grandpa."

"You brat, so that was what you were planning."

Dugu Bo said with a smile. He naturally understood Dugu Feng's filial devotion, and he also understood his concern for Dugu Yan.

Even if the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Venom truly harmed his body, this boy probably would not say so.

"I can take you to see Yan, but we must agree on three rules first. If the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Venom is beyond what you can bear, you must never force yourself."

"Your grandson understands."