Another Deal, a Way to Treat the Poison's Backlash

Standing inside the formation, Xun'er immediately sensed a disturbance within her. The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, which had been sealed away, was stirring.

But it was not trying to break through the seal. If anything, it seemed unable to contain its delight.

Confusion had barely risen in her mind when a strange power surged from the depths of her Divine-Grade Bloodline. It flowed through her meridians and broke through some unseen shackle in one stroke.

Boom!!!

Dazzling golden flames shot into the sky. A terrifying wave of heat swept across the entire courtyard, carrying pressure far beyond Xiao Yan's Emberfire Martial Soul!

Screech—!!

A clear, majestic phoenix cry rang out in every direction. Within the golden flames, the immense phantom of a Phoenix slowly appeared, spreading its wings.

Rainbow-gold patterns flowed across its body, while the golden flames burning around it were the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame passed down by the Gu Clan.

Ling Ying's heart sank. This is bad. He immediately summoned all his Dou Qi to conceal the golden phenomenon soaring into the sky.

But fast as he was, he was still a step too late. The earthshaking spectacle had already alarmed all of Wutan City.

Xiao Yan stood nearby, staring at the golden Phoenix phantom within Xun'er's flames. He could not hide his envy.

His Emberfire Martial Soul might also be a flame, but compared with Xun'er's fire Phoenix, it was worlds apart. The pressure alone was on an entirely different level.

"Teacher, what kind of prodigy is Xun'er? To awaken a Martial Soul like that, her bloodline can't be ordinary."

Yao Lao floated beside him and shook his head gently, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

"Don't dwell on it. Compared with her, your standing is worlds beneath hers."

The words dealt Xiao Yan a heavy blow. He managed a bitter smile and quietly looked away, unable to keep watching the radiant Xun'er.

A moment later, Xun'er slowly opened her eyes and drew the golden flames back into her body. The Phoenix phantom vanished with them.

She raised a hand, curiously feeling the power flowing through her.

After years of cultivating Dou Qi, she was used to its fierce, forceful nature. But this newly awakened Soul Power was entirely different. It flowed through her meridians with a gentle, sustained warmth.

"Thank you, senior."

Lu Chuan nodded and returned the Spirit Awakening Stone to the System Space, marveling inwardly.

Xun'er truly deserved her Divine-Grade Bloodline, a rarity even in a century of the Gu Clan's history. The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame sealed inside her also burned away impurities without pause, purifying the source of her bloodline.

She had awakened a top-tier Martial Soul like the Phoenix, and its flames even contained the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, making it more powerful still.

Ding! Congratulations, host. Client Gu Xun'er's trade request is complete.

Low Earth Rank Cultivation Method "Great Sun Heaven-Burning Art" has been mastered.

High Black Rank Cultivation Method "Flame Scripture" has been mastered.

Thanks to his previous experience receiving the Second-Rank Pill, Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid, Lu Chuan quickly absorbed all the memories and proficiency this time.

After examining them, he realized that the Flame Scripture was a transitional Cultivation Method for the Great Sun Heaven-Burning Art, meant to refine fire-attributed Dou Qi.

Of course, Xun'er could not have known he could master a Cultivation Method instantly. That made the Flame Scripture little more than a bonus.

Lu Chuan turned to Yao Lao, who was floating nearby, and gave him a faint smile.

"Yao Lao, would you like to make a deal?"

Hovering in midair, Yao Lao looked at Lu Chuan and raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Oh? Let's hear it."

Lu Chuan reached into the System Space and took out a dull iron plate. Zhu Zhuqing had picked it up while buying Magic Cores. Sealed inside it was the Low Black Rank Dou Technique, Suction Palm.

Yao Lao swept it with his Soul Force and immediately detected what was inside.

"Well, well. There's a Low Black Rank Dou Technique hidden in this scrap of iron. You have a good eye, young friend. It would suit Little Flame's current cultivation nicely. What do you want in exchange?"

"Simple. I'll trade you a copy of the Dou Technique.

A friend of mine has the venomous Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor as his Martial Soul, and its poison is ravaging his body. Do you know how to fix it?"

Lu Chuan had already considered one approach. He could have Dugu Bo channel the poison into his Spirit Bone first, temporarily storing the toxins running rampant in his body to keep his condition under control.

Once Lu Chuan obtained the complete Immortal Herb Illustrated Catalog, he could give Dugu Bo an Immortal Herb to purge the serpent venom for good. Then the Poison Douluo would willingly serve him.

On second thought, he abandoned the idea.

Some Immortal Herbs produced by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would count as high-grade medicinal plants on the Dou Qi Continent. They could strengthen one's foundation and improve talent, and would be even more effective if refined into pills.

Others had special uses: Blood Swan Kiss could greatly amplify poison; Aromatic Silk Beauty granted immunity to all external toxins; and taking Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot together could greatly increase resistance to both cold and fire.

They might only seem so powerful because the Douluo Continent was so weak, and might be less impressive in the world of Battle Through the Heavens. Even so, they were excellent medicinal ingredients.

If he brought them here to trade, any one of them could fetch a high-ranking Dou Technique or rare medicinal ingredients, multiplying its value several times over.

Wasting an Immortal Herb just to win over Dugu Bo was not worth it. There was no need to be so extravagant.

Besides, Immortal Herbs were not the only way to deal with the poison in Dugu Bo's body.

"Poison backlash caused by a Martial Soul?"

Yao Lao stroked his beard, frowning slightly as he rapidly searched his memory of pill formulas and ancient records. After a moment's thought, he spoke again.

"From what you've said, the poison comes from his Martial Soul. If I'm right, it can be passed down to his descendants, and the backlash grows stronger as his cultivation rises. Correct?"

Lu Chuan nodded. "Correct."

Yao Lao continued:

"The Dou Qi Continent has similar cases, such as the Woeful Poison Body. Its bearer can gain cultivation by consuming poisons, but the higher their cultivation, the sooner the poison body erupts.

The Poison Pill method could resolve it, but it requires three Heavenly Flames, a seventh-rank Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast Magic Core, and Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva. The requirements are exceedingly harsh.

"But the Jade Phosphor Serpent poison you described should be easier to handle than the Woeful Poison Body. What is your friend's approximate cultivation level?"

Lu Chuan frowned and did a quick calculation.

If Zhu Qing's level 26 was equivalent to the sixth stage of Dou Qi, then Dugu Bo, a level 92 Titled Douluo whose strength was still below that of a Soul Master at the equivalent level, should be around a newly advanced One-Star Dou Emperor.

"He should be a One-Star Dou Emperor."

Yao Lao stroked his beard, his tone unhurried.

"That shouldn't be too difficult. A third-rank poison-attributed Magic Core will do. I can use a Heavenly Flame to refine a Poison-Locking Pill.

Once your friend takes the pill and steadies the poison surging inside him, I'll teach him the Poison-Guiding Method. It will gather the toxins throughout his body and prevent them from eating away at his flesh.

"But if you want all that, this Low Black Rank Dou Technique won't be enough."

Lu Chuan clicked his tongue, exasperated.

Seriously? I didn't expect it to be this much trouble. Now I have to pay more.

As a proper profiteer, even if he raised his offer, he was not about to add anything valuable.

An idea suddenly came to him.

As an Alchemist, he must be interested in medicinal plants. If I trade him herbs commonly found on the Douluo Continent, I can't lose.

"Yao Lao, are you interested in the medicinal herbs of the Douluo Continent?"

Yao Lao's hand paused on his beard. His eyes brightened, curiosity plain on his face.

"Herbs from the Douluo Continent? I've never seen medicinal ingredients from another world. With different energies of heaven and earth, their properties must differ too. If they have unusual effects, they could be excellent for pill refining or balancing Heavenly Flames."

He leaned forward slightly, anticipation in his voice. "What, are you offering herbs from there as payment? If their properties are good, I'd gladly accept."