Challenge Chrysanthemum Douluo, Part One

Even with the help of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Feng's cultivation speed was extremely slow. This was the negative effect brought by an Ultimate Martial Soul.

However, there were benefits as well. His Soul Power was purer than that of ordinary Soul Emperors, Soul Saints, and even Soul Douluos.

More than three months had passed since his last meeting with Dugu Yan, yet he had only barely raised his Soul Power from level 66 to level 67.

And that was with the aid of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and its dense ice-fire elements.

Only then had he managed to advance one level in three months. Outside, it would have taken at least half a year, perhaps even longer.

At his current pace, it still seemed insufficient for him to reach the Soul Saint realm within a year.

He had less and less time left.

Dugu Feng kept his eyes tightly shut, not daring to slack off for even a moment.

Suddenly, a thunderous boom came from outside.

It was accompanied by the system notification that had been silent for so long.

[Ding, congratulations, Host. Mission activated.]

[Challenge a Peak Expert!]

[As one of the Five Greats, Ouyang Feng the Western Poison loved challenging powerful opponents. Only by battling true experts could one temper oneself and ascend to the pinnacle.]

[Detected nearby: Chrysanthemum Douluo, a level 95 Soul Douluo.]

[Please fight him. Endure ten exchanges to increase Soul Power by one level.]

[Endure thirty exchanges to increase Soul Power by two levels.]

[Endure fifty exchanges to increase Soul Power by three levels.]

[Based on the Host's current overall strength, fifty exchanges may already be the Host's limit. However, if the Host can surpass that limit and reach sixty exchanges—]

[Soul Power will rise four levels in succession.]

[After reaching the Soul Saint realm, the mission "Ascend to the Pinnacle" may be activated.]

Listening to the prompt in his mind and recalling the earlier boom, Dugu Feng knew that Dugu Bo was in danger!

He immediately leaped out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The ice-fire power around him transformed into dense mist, coiling around his body and nearly solidifying.

During these days at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he had not merely been cultivating. He had also been studying Self-Created Soul Skills.

He wanted to imitate Xiao Yan, the Flame Emperor, and create something similar to the Angry Buddha Lotus.

After all, in a sense, this Poison Pill was the poison-world equivalent of the Fenjue.

Since that was the case, why not create a poison-type version of the Angry Buddha Lotus?

At that thought, Dugu Feng immediately activated the Ice-Fire Toad Palm, gathering ice-fire power into his palms.

He then exhaled a thread of incomparably dense poison gas.

He intended to form a small Poison Pill by hand, then infuse it with ice-fire power.

Even if it exploded, at most he would be injured by the force of the blast.

The Ice-Fire Poison Pill's true power did not lie in an instantaneous explosion, but in the Ice-Fire Poison it released afterward.

Thus, poison was the key. And since this poison originated from his own body, it naturally posed no threat to him.

As water and fire were incompatible, the powers of ice and fire followed the same principle.

Therefore, he could only use the poison within the Poison Pill as a buffer, transforming the ice-fire power into Ice-Fire Poison and temporarily achieving a stable balance.

If it remained within Dugu Feng's body, he could keep it stable with his Soul Power.

But once it left Dugu Feng's body and lost the stabilizing effect of his Soul Power—

That small Poison Pill would be at risk of exploding at any moment.

Though the Poison Pill was small, the toxins contained within it were enough to instantly spread across several thousand meters.

Even setting aside the Ice-Fire Poison, the toxins originally contained in the Poison Pill would kill an ordinary Soul King within a few breaths if inhaled.

A Soul Emperor might still have a chance to survive if he expelled the poison from his body in time. If he failed to do so immediately—

He would certainly die within the time it took to burn half an incense stick.

Even if he was lucky enough to expel it in time, his meridians would be damaged by the toxins, causing his cultivation to regress or even turning him into a cripple.

Even a Soul Saint would find it difficult to escape unscathed. He could only hold out longer than an ordinary Soul Emperor.

His Pill Poison had been able to kill Soul Kings and threaten Soul Emperors when he was only a Soul Ancestor. Now that he had reached the Soul Emperor realm, it was even more formidable.

However, if he wanted to threaten a Titled Douluo, the toxins in his current Pill Poison were far from enough. That was why he had to add ultimate ice and fire.

To form the Extreme Ice-Fire Poison.

Once the poison entered the body, even a Titled Douluo would suffer greatly.

At that point, even Chrysanthemum Douluo would have to devote part of his Soul Power to resisting the Ice-Fire Poison. If he did not, and the poison reached his heart, even a Titled Douluo would die.

A Titled Douluo was still not a god, after all. Moreover, Dugu Feng had previously consumed the Crimson Swan Kiss.

Any poison that came into contact with his blood would have its potency doubled.

The sounds of battle outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well drew ever closer.

Although his grandfather, Dugu Bo, had already reached level 94 and appeared to be only one level below Chrysanthemum Douluo—

After reaching the Titled Douluo realm, every further step required the accumulation of Soul Power over long years.

Thus, even a single level of difference between Titled Douluos was like the gap between heaven and earth.

A higher-level Titled Douluo not only possessed stronger Soul Power, but also had far greater reserves of it within his body.

Fortunately, Dugu Bo possessed a Soul Core, allowing him to rapidly absorb the Soul Power between heaven and earth to recover. This could make up for the gap between him and Chrysanthemum Douluo.

What worried Dugu Feng was whether Ghost Douluo might be beside Chrysanthemum Douluo. The two were inseparable, and if two Titled Douluos attacked Dugu Bo at once, Dugu Bo's life would be in danger.

But for now, he could only force himself to calm down.

"It's done!"

Dugu Feng looked at the Poison Pill in his hand.

At that moment, it resembled the eye of a vortex spinning above his palm.

One side was fiery red fire poison, while the other was ice poison as cold as frost.

As the two poisons converged, they formed the Poison Pill before him.

The Poison Pill kept spinning without pause. Only in this way could the two completely different kinds of Ultimate Poison be prevented from detonating.

Dugu Feng gripped the condensed Poison Pill in his hand and activated A Thousand Li in a Flash beneath his feet.

His body became an afterimage and vanished from within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"Old Poison, I don't know why your Soul Power has risen so quickly, but I advise you to obediently hand over your grandson."

"His Holiness the Pope thinks highly of him and wishes to take him as a disciple."

"Chrysanthemum Pass, you and Old Ghost hunted me down back then. If Prince Xue Xing had not saved my life, this old man would have died long ago. And you still want my grandson to join Spirit Hall? What a joke!"

"But since you came today, the timing is perfect. I will definitely avenge that old grudge!"

"Old Poison, don't think that raising your Soul Power means you can defeat me!"

"Fifth Soul Skill! Gathering of Chilly Blossoms!"

A flying blade formed from flower petals slowly took shape around Chrysanthemum Douluo.

Dugu Bo's Soul Core was not merely an ordinary Soul Core. It also possessed an intensely poisonous attribute.

It elevated his already formidable poison arts to another level.

Thus, Chrysanthemum Douluo did not dare approach recklessly.

Chrysanthemum Douluo flexed his fingers, and the Chrysanthemum Throwing Knife instantly shot toward Dugu Bo. Its assault was incomparably fierce, and its speed was astonishing!

Dugu Bo hurriedly leaped onto a tree branch, barely evading the Chrysanthemum Throwing Knife.

Under Chrysanthemum Douluo's control, the missed Chrysanthemum Throwing Knife immediately changed direction and flew at Dugu Bo again.

"Third Soul Skill, Jade Phosphor Soul-Ensnaring Formation!"

When the flying blade reached the area where Dugu Bo stood, Dugu Bo instantly released a cloud of poisonous mist.

By the time the flying blade sliced through the branch, Dugu Bo was already nowhere to be seen.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

A Poison Pill burning with ice-fire power flew in from the distance.

Chrysanthemum Douluo instinctively controlled the flying blade and slashed at it.