The Cure Within Reach, Bound for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!

A full two hours passed.

Only then did Dugu Bo, seated cross-legged in meditation, finally force every trace of the mixed cyanide and arsine poison from his body.

Fine sweat covered his brow, and a hint of weariness lingered between his eyes.

The contrast between how the two had dealt with the poison was stark:

One had struggled for hours and emerged weak and bedraggled.

The other had remained calm and neutralized it in an instant.

By then, Qin Yun had reached a conclusion about cyanide.

The Titled Douluo of the Douluo Continent...

Even with extraordinary powers such as Soul Skills, Martial Souls, and the support of Soul Power, their physical bodies had not transcended mortal limits.

Before becoming gods, their bodies were merely far tougher and stronger than those of ordinary people. They had neither indestructible bodies nor the power to heal themselves.

Take the level ninety-seven Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who stood at the pinnacle of mortal combat strength on the continent.

Even he could not regrow a severed arm.

That was proof enough: a Titled Douluo's might rested entirely on his Martial Soul, Soul Skills, and vast Soul Power. His physical body still had a fatal weakness.

If struck by a chemical poison that attacked the very roots of his cells and blood...

Even a top-tier Titled Douluo would have to face it with all his strength and utmost care. One misstep could leave him grievously wounded.

Qin Yun watched Dugu Bo finish regulating his breathing and slowly rise.

"Senior, how was my mixed poison?" he asked.

The simple question struck right at Dugu Bo's humiliation.

He was Poison Douluo, one of the continent's foremost masters of poison, who had dominated his craft for decades.

Yet today, a poison concocted by a boy barely above level forty had trapped him for two whole hours. A junior had seen him in all his wretchedness. He had lost every scrap of face.

Dugu Bo felt stifled and unwilling to accept it, but he forced down his embarrassment.

"I was deliberately holding back," he said in a low voice.

"Now I'll show you the true venom of my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor with your own eyes!"

Dugu Bo held back nothing this time.

His Soul Power erupted. Nine distinct Soul Rings rose one after another beneath his feet and circled around him.

Two yellow, two purple, and five black—the standard Soul Ring Configuration of a Titled Douluo.

Wave upon wave of Soul Power pressure swept across the area.

Before it could fade, Dugu Bo gathered a wisp of dark-green poisonous light at his fingertip.

With a light touch, he cut the skin of Qin Yun's forearm.

Blood welled up at once. The potent venom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor surged upward through the meridians in his arm.

Wherever it passed, his meridians grew faintly numb and his Soul Power stirred restlessly.

Faced with this fierce, invasive poison...

Qin Yun stood motionless, his expression serene.

His Martial Soul quietly stirred. He unleashed Microscopic Analysis in full, pinpointing every thread of poison.

In less than a minute, all the serpent venom raging through his body had been broken down, purified, and extinguished. Not a trace of poisoning remained.

He made the entire process look effortless.

At the sight, Dugu Bo fell into stunned bewilderment.

He had spent half his life cultivating the serpent venom he took such pride in. Yet even after it entered the boy's body...

It still posed him no threat whatsoever.

It could not even make him flinch.

Qin Yun lowered his gaze with a faint smile, watching Dugu Bo stand there in a daze.

Then he changed tack and offered him a tempting proposition.

"Senior, I can not only cure my own poison. I can also permanently cure the backlash from your innate venom that has plagued you for years."

"And I can lift the bloodline curse afflicting Dugu Yan as well."

"What do you say?"

The words struck like thunder, jolting Dugu Bo awake.

He had long suffered under the backlash of his own venom.

His granddaughter Dugu Yan had been severely affected too, with no hope of ever escaping it.

Hearing Qin Yun's claim, he nearly lost his composure.

He had seen Qin Yun's miraculous ability to neutralize and transform poison with his own eyes.

Having witnessed Qin Yun's mastery of poison, which far surpassed his own, Dugu Bo already believed most of what he said.

A note of hope crept into his voice.

"You... you can truly cure both my granddaughter and me?"

"I can."

"But to purge the poison completely and restore your meridians, I'll need a great many rare medicinal herbs."

Dugu Bo nodded at once, answering without hesitation.

"That's simple! I know a place with plenty of medicinal herbs—more than enough for what you need!"

A discreet smile flickered in Qin Yun's eyes.

"Then sorry for the trouble, Senior. Please take me there."

Dugu Bo paused, then asked instinctively,

"Don't you need to examine us first and determine how deeply the poison has taken hold?"

"You're going straight for the herbs?"

Qin Yun answered calmly, with absolute confidence.

"Your condition is the hardened buildup of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor venom's backlash over many years. The cause is clear. I could see it at a glance."

"That little bit of serpent venom is no obstacle to me."

"Let's go!"

Dugu Bo stopped short. His expression grew stranger still as he frowned.

"You're going to leave with me just like that?"

"The herb garden isn't in Heaven Dou City!"

"Ning Fengzhi won't let you come with me so casually."

"Don't worry, Senior." Qin Yun smiled faintly.

"Before I came to Heaven Dou Academy, I told Uncle Ning in advance."

"I explained that I would be working with my teammates at the academy and going out for training and study. There's no need to worry."

At Qin Yun's words...

Dugu Bo's brows drew tight. An odd feeling lingered in his mind.

He had come to demand an explanation, only to end up competing over poison. Then the boy had found his weak spot, and somehow Dugu Bo had agreed to lead him to his secret herb garden.

He felt as though he had been led by the nose.

But however carefully he thought it over, he could not say what was wrong.

So he suppressed his doubts, turned, and led the way.

The lonely mountain path wound through deep woods. Wind rustled through the trees, and there was not a soul in sight.

Dugu Bo's expression remained troubled and hard to read.

Qin Yun followed close behind at an easy, unhurried pace.

Together, they crossed mountains and forests toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

As his thoughts churned, Dugu Bo could no longer contain his doubts. He turned his head as they walked and spoke.

"Boy, you strike me as shrewd, not reckless."

"You offered to cure my granddaughter and me of poisons that have plagued us for years, yet you haven't said a word about payment or conditions. That's far too strange."

Qin Yun kept walking and answered evenly.

"There's no need to be suspicious, Senior."

"I'm with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect now. The sect is closely bound to the Heaven Dou Empire; they share glory and hardship alike. You're a guest Douluo of the empire, so we're already on the same side. Helping each other is only natural."

"Besides, I've never liked making empty promises or setting terms before I've done anything."

"I'd rather do the work first."

"Once I've cured you both, lifted the curse, and ended the backlash, there'll be time to discuss what comes next."

Dugu Bo slowed for a moment. After a brief silence, he made his position clear.

"Let me tell you this in advance."

"I've always been proud and free-spirited. I'm used to living without restraints, and I've never liked being bound to a sect or any other faction."

"Even if you cure Yan'er and me of our long-standing poisons, I will never attach myself to or join any faction, much less become someone else's hired muscle."

"Don't waste your efforts on that."