The Second Poison Purge

Early the next morning, Dugu Bo returned to the valley carrying a bucket of medicinal liquid.

The liquid was dark green and smelled pungent. A few charred leaves floated on its surface.

Tang Hao took one sniff and felt the root of his tongue go numb.

"Is this medicine for repairing meridians?"

"Yes."

Dugu Bo rolled up his left sleeve.

The arm that had been swollen yesterday was back to normal, and the dark green lines beneath his skin had faded considerably.

"You solved the problem of the medicines clashing?"

"I reduced the blood-circulating herbs to twenty percent of the original amount and added three other herbs to temper their effects."

"You drink it?"

"Soak in it."

Tang Hao nodded. "No wonder you're still alive."

Dugu Bo gave him a cold look.

The two went to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and began the second poison purge.

This time, Tang Hao did not sit behind Dugu Bo. He stood directly in front of him.

"Let's be clear. You control the poison yourself. I'll only suppress it if you lose control."

"I know."

"Don't push yourself. The moment the poison exceeds what your arm can bear, stop."

Dugu Bo sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes.

Emerald Soul Power surged from his body, and the phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor appeared behind him.

Nine Soul Rings rose one after another—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black. The poisonous insects throughout the valley curled up.

Tang Hao took half a step back, his right hand already gripping the Clear Sky Hammer.

Purging poison was not a battle. There was no need to use a Martial Soul.

But if Dugu Bo lost control, ordinary methods might not be enough to restrain him.

A moment later, the green lines on Dugu Bo's right arm began to darken.

Unlike last time, the poison was not being forced along by an outside power. Guided by his Soul Power, it gathered slowly.

The process was slower, but far more stable.

After the time it took an incense stick to burn, his right hand had turned dark green.

His fingernails gradually blackened, and a sickly sweet smell spread through the air. Several nearby blades of grass quickly withered and yellowed.

"How does it feel?" Tang Hao asked.

"I can still control it."

"And your meridians?"

"Undamaged."

Dugu Bo continued circulating his Soul Power.

More and more poison gathered in his right arm, and his hand began to tremble slightly.

Tang Hao extended his spiritual power to observe the poison's flow.

The poison and Soul Power could indeed be separated temporarily, but a connection always remained between them.

Each time Dugu Bo drew out a thread of poison, the circulation of Soul Power in his body was affected.

That meant he could not force out all the poison at once.

If he tried to separate them by force, he would likely lose half his cultivation before the poison was fully cleared.

"That's enough."

Tang Hao spoke up to warn him.

"I haven't reached my limit."

"Last time, it was my fault for pushing too fast. I'm not interfering this time, so if you get yourself killed, don't blame me."

Dugu Bo ignored him.

Poison continued to build in his right arm, and dark green lines gradually appeared along the meridians of his shoulder.

Tang Hao frowned and pressed a hand to his shoulder.

"Stop."

Dense Soul Power formed a barrier, cutting off the poison's path into his arm.

Dugu Bo grunted and snapped his eyes open.

"I can keep going!"

"Any further and the poison will rush back into the meridians around your heart."

Tang Hao looked at his chest.

Several green lines that had been faint were now clearly visible, pulsing gently with his heartbeat.

Dugu Bo glanced down and did not insist.

The most troublesome part was yet to come.

Gathering the poison was not difficult. The difficulty lay in sending it back into his body without letting it spread to other meridians.

Dugu Bo controlled his Soul Power and began reversing the process.

The dark green of his right hand gradually faded, but when the poison reached his shoulder, it suddenly split into several streams and surged toward his chest through different meridians.

Tang Hao was prepared. He struck Dugu Bo's back with his palm.

Several streams of Soul Power sealed the meridians separately, forcibly stopping the scattered poison.

Dugu Bo immediately took control of the poison again.

A full half-hour passed before his right arm returned to normal.

The phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor vanished behind him. Dugu Bo's face was pale, and cold sweat covered his forehead.

"How was it this time?"

"Better than last time."

Tang Hao checked his meridians. "No obvious damage, and you separated out more poison than last time. That proves you can complete the first step on your own."

"Do we guide it straight into the Soul Bone next time?"

"No."

Dugu Bo's face darkened. "Why?"

"Your Soul Bone is in your head, too close to your brain. If the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison gets out of control, I can't be sure I'll save you in time."

"A Soul Bone is connected to the body. As long as I control it properly—"

"Who nearly let the poison rush back into the meridians around his heart just now?"

Dugu Bo fell silent.

Tang Hao continued, "It would be best to find a limb Soul Bone. Even if it fails, we'd still have a chance to put things right."

"Do you think Soul Bones are stones lying by the roadside?"

"You've lived all these years and never saved one?"

"Obtaining a Head Soul Bone was already a stroke of fortune. Where would I get a second?"

Soul Bones were rare, and those suited to poison were even harder to find.

Even as a Titled Douluo, Dugu Bo could not conjure one out of thin air.

Tang Hao thought for a moment.

In the original story, Dugu Bo should have used a Soul Bone to store the poison, but the exact process had never been explained.

Remembering the result did not mean he could blindly follow the same path.

"Then practice controlling it first."

"For how long?"

"Until you can keep the poison in your arm for fifteen minutes and draw it back without it splitting into separate streams."

"That's a waste of time."

"Better than wasting your life."

Tang Hao withdrew his spiritual power. "This problem has built up over decades. You can't expect to cure it in two days."

Dugu Bo understood that, of course.

But after learning he did not have long to live, patience was not easy to maintain.

"How is your injury?"

"I'm still studying it."

"At least I've started purging my poison. All you do is sit by the spring and read."

"I'd like to jump straight in myself."

Tang Hao looked at the red and white spring waters. "The problem is that if I do, I might not need treatment anymore."

The corner of Dugu Bo's mouth twitched.

How is that mouth of his so venomous even toward himself?

After resting and regulating his breathing for a while, Dugu Bo entered the herb garden and picked several leaves used to repair meridians.

When he returned, he found Tang Hao crouching beside Ah Yin.

After a night of growth, the blue-gold plant had sprouted another tender leaf.

The new leaf was tiny and paler than the others, and it radiated a distinct aura of life.

Tang Hao extended a finger, and the tender leaf immediately leaned toward it.

"Only one night has passed, yet it's growing nearly ten times faster," Dugu Bo said, surprise flashing in his eyes.

"More than that."

Tang Hao could sense that Ah Yin was still absorbing the energy of heaven and earth at an increasing rate.

Once her roots fully adapted to the valley, the effect would only become more pronounced.

"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well promotes the growth of herbs, but I've never seen it cause this kind of change in an ordinary plant."

Dugu Bo stared at Ah Yin. "What exactly is she?"

"Grass left behind by someone I knew."

"You give that answer every time."

"Because it's the truth."

Dugu Bo was about to press him further when one of Ah Yin's leaves suddenly turned toward him, then quickly drew back to Tang Hao's side.

The movement was slight, but her wariness was unmistakable.

The valley fell quiet for a moment.

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes. "Can she understand what we're saying?"

"I don't know."

Tang Hao's expression did not change. "Maybe she's just shy around strangers."

"Blue Silver Grass gets shy?"

"You look rather unusual."

Dugu Bo looked down at himself, then at Ah Yin hiding beside Tang Hao's hand.

A Titled Douluo, spurned by a blade of grass.

"We'll continue purging the poison tomorrow."

With that, he turned and left.

Tang Hao did not stop him. He only looked at Ah Yin's newly grown leaf.

They had found a direction for Dugu Bo's treatment, and Ah Yin was recovering quickly.

As for Tang Hao himself, he had still made no real progress.

He sighed softly.

It's bad enough to be outdone by grass.

Now even that old poisoner is catching up.