Winning over Dugu Bo (please bookmark and recommend)

One day later!

Heaven Dou City!

Fortunately, when Lin Feng had been at Spirit Hall, he had rarely appeared in public because of his young age, so few people knew him.

As he walked through the streets of Heaven Dou City, passersby were struck by his looks. But since no one recognized him as Lin Feng, he caused no commotion.

Naturally, Lin Feng had come to Heaven Dou City with a purpose.

He wanted to hunt soul beasts over fifty thousand years old. There was no way he could do that alone, especially when he did not have a single soul ring.

Even with Titled Douluo-level soul power, he could not unleash much of his strength without soul rings.

Finding a reliable partner to assist him had become his only option.

Given his current plight, only a handful of people on the continent had both the ability and the standing to help him.

And once he narrowed that down to experts he could actually persuade to help...

He had virtually no choice at all.

Dugu Bo!

He was Lin Feng's only option.

Rather than visit him directly, Lin Feng first went to an apothecary and bought a dose of tonic to strengthen the body and replenish vitality.

Then he mixed his own blood into it. His blood still contained traces of the Icefire Immortal Herb's medicinal power.

Those lingering traces were enough to purge the poison from Dugu Bo's body.

As for the tonic, it was merely a cover.

Only after making all his preparations did Lin Feng head to Dugu Manor.

A short while later!

In the courtyard of Dugu Manor!

Lin Feng met Dugu Bo!

He was a middle-aged man dressed in black robes, with an upright bearing and rather handsome features.

The poison eating away at his internal organs had already turned his hair and eyes dark green. Aside from that, Dugu Bo had yet to become the barely human, ghostlike figure he would be decades later.

Impatience showed on Dugu Bo's face, and his narrow eyes narrowed further into a dangerous squint.

"Boy, you said you came to save me. You'd better explain yourself."

"My fearsome reputation is well known throughout the Heaven Dou Empire. Who would dare come looking for trouble with me?"

"If you can't give me a satisfactory explanation, don't expect to leave here today."

Lin Feng studied Dugu Bo's green hair and eyes. After checking that no one else was around, he calmly said:

"The danger you face doesn't come from outside, sir. It comes from within your own body."

Although Lin Feng had already consumed the immortal herb, with Dugu Bo standing before him, he still recited that verbal password for obtaining immortal herbs.

"Whenever the weather turns overcast and rainy, both your sides hurt, don't they? And every night around midnight, you feel stabbing pains at the crown of your head and the soles of your feet. Am I right?"

Boom!

Dugu Bo's expression changed at those words. A terrifying pressure erupted from his soul power, his muscles tensed, and his upper body leaned forward like a venomous snake poised to strike its prey.

"Tell me! How do you know all that?"

Lin Feng remained composed. Although he had no soul rings, his soul power was genuinely at level ninety-two.

To him, Dugu Bo's soul power pressure was no more than a gentle breeze against his face. He did not even blink.

"From looking at you, of course. Dark green hair and eyes are quite rare on this continent."

"You've been poisoned. As a soul master of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent lineage, you're a master of poisons yourself. Any poison capable of affecting you must have come from your martial soul."

"Your cultivation is deep enough that you won't face any immediate danger. But I imagine your son and grandson lack your formidable soul power. Without early intervention, they probably won't last many years."

Turmoil surged through Dugu Bo's heart, and his soul power fluctuated violently with it. His expression shifted as he stared fixedly at Lin Feng.

He had to admit that the boy was right.

He had indeed been poisoned by Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison. His son, Dugu Xin, had carried the same poison since he was in the womb, and his poisoning was even more severe.

Dugu Xin lacked Dugu Bo's formidable soul power, and his health had steadily deteriorated over the years.

In the worst case, Dugu Bo would have to bury his own son within a few years.

Remembering that the boy had said he had come to save his life, Dugu Bo reined in his hostility. His voice sounded calm, but held a trace of hope.

"You didn't come here just to make snide remarks, did you? You said you could save my life. Can you cure the poison?"

Lin Feng chuckled, took out the dose of tonic, and casually tossed it to Dugu Bo.

"Consider this a gesture of good faith. It can neutralize some of the poison."

"As long as you help me hunt soul beasts, I'll help you eliminate all of it."

Dugu Bo caught the tonic and weighed it in his hand.

He began to assess the situation.

The boy had come to ask him to hunt soul beasts. That was a minor matter. Since he needed something from him, he probably would not lie to him.

Still, Dugu Bo had his doubts about whether a boy in his teens could really be trusted.

The hostility faded from Dugu Bo, replaced by a probing look in his eyes.

"Then let's introduce ourselves properly. Since you came looking for me, you must know who I am. But I still don't know who you are."

Lin Feng took a deep breath, lowered his eyes slightly, and gave his name.

"My name is... Lin Feng!"

Dugu Bo's pupils contracted. He frowned and looked Lin Feng up and down with an odd expression.

"The Lin Feng I've heard of?"

Lin Feng lifted his head and straightened his chest. "The one and only!"

Dugu Bo had also heard the news coming out of Spirit Hall.

"I heard you molested your senior sister. Personally, I think that's nonsense. With your looks, status, and strength, you wouldn't need to resort to molestation, no matter how lustful you were."

"But I also heard that Qian Xunji destroyed your soul power and soul rings. Are you sure you can still absorb soul rings?"

"And if I help you, Spirit Hall... might demand an explanation."

Lin Feng gave a cold smile.

Good news stayed at home; bad news traveled a thousand miles.

Bibi Dong had accused him of molesting her, and Qian Xunji had destroyed his soul power and soul rings. So little time had passed, yet the news had already reached Heaven Dou City.

Lin Feng would never forget this humiliation. One day, only blood could wash it away—the blood of that wretched pair.

"If you're afraid of Spirit Hall and unwilling to help me hunt soul beasts, I can leave right now. Consider the antidote in your hand a greeting gift. But I won't provide any more after this."

"I'm well versed in pharmacology. The fact that I can cure a poison even you can't should prove that."

"I've already restored my soul power with medicine. As for my soul rings, I'll simply have to hunt for them again."

Dugu Bo felt conflicted. The fact that Lin Feng could cure the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison when he himself could not certainly rankled.

But curing the poison was what mattered most right now.

He could still hold on, but his son could not.

"Hmph! You don't need to goad me. Others may fear Spirit Hall, but I, Dugu Bo, do not."

"I'll test this medicine myself. If it really works, I'll help you hunt however many soul rings you need."

"If it doesn't, I'll poison you with Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison and let you spend the rest of your life researching a cure."

Although the medicine was only a tonic, the addition of Lin Feng's blood meant it could indeed neutralize Dugu Bo's serpent poison.

Lin Feng was not worried.

"Test it however you like. I'll be leaving now; I have other things to do. Once you've tested the antidote, come find me in Sunset Forest tomorrow."

With that, Lin Feng left.

Dugu Bo frowned. He had wanted to keep him there, but ultimately did not restrict his freedom.

"You may be well versed in pharmacology, but I'm no slouch either. Medicine and poison go hand in hand. Let's see exactly what medicinal ingredients you used in this antidote."