Little senior

The Heaven-Reaching Ambrosial Arbor Wooden Stick might not have had a particularly imposing name as a martial soul, but its power was absolutely off the charts.

The system's key description was: the first divine tree to reach the heavens when heaven and earth first opened, its roots planted in the Nine Hells, its branches touching the Nine Heavens...

Reaching up to the Nine Heavens and down into the Nine Hells-those two points alone showed how terrifying its vitality was.

Even after becoming Liu Hao's martial soul, its power remained undiminished.

Internally, its endurance was practically infinite.

Inexhaustible soul power, the ability to regrow severed limbs at almost no cost, and terrifying self-healing that instantly restored the martial soul after it left his body, no matter how badly it was damaged.

Externally, it could both attack and heal.

When attacking, it could use its spatial abilities to traverse space and strike its target instantly. If necessary, it could even self-destruct without limit.

With its terrifying vitality, it could also produce soul power with healing properties to treat his teammates.

It was truly an all-purpose powerhouse.

Now, nourished by Liu Hao's soul power, which brimmed with terrifying vitality, Dugu Bo's injuries were rapidly improving.

He had been on his last breath, yet within moments, he had recovered eighty to ninety percent.

Even the internal damage caused by the backlash of his potent poison had been completely repaired.

Dugu Bo had thought he was about to die, his consciousness already starting to blur. As he felt control of his body return, his emotions were complicated.

There was relief, fear, shock, and even a little indignation.

All I did was mistake him for someone else. Did he really have to hit me that hard?

Of course, he had no idea that Liu Hao had already held back half his strength. Otherwise, he would not even have had a chance to be saved; a single blow would have killed him outright.

Once Liu Hao's anger subsided, he thought of Dugu Yan, whom he might get to know in the future, and decided to apologize first.

"Sorry. This was my first time fighting a Titled Douluo after my Martial Soul Evolution, so I didn't control my strength properly. Are you all right?"

Martial Soul Evolution? Dugu Bo keenly picked up on those key words, but he did not dare ask more just then.

And since someone with such terrifying strength had taken the initiative to apologize, he certainly did not dare put on airs.

"I'm all right now. It's just that your blow dispersed some of the poison I've accumulated over the years, so my strength has dropped considerably."

"What strength?"

"..."

"Haha, just a joke to lighten the mood. Don't take it to heart. I came here to make a deal with you."

"...What deal?"

Although the remark had left him speechless, and he did not find the joke funny at all, Dugu Bo naturally dared not complain. He obediently answered the question.

"I'll completely resolve your poison backlash, and you give me this whole surrounding area and its herbs. How about it?"

"...All right, but could I make one small request?"

Although Dugu Bo did not dare refuse-and was actually quite willing once he heard his poison backlash could be resolved-thinking of Dugu Yan, he still steeled himself and spoke up, trying to secure a little more.

"Go ahead."

"Could you resolve my granddaughter's poison backlash as well? Hers is still very mild, so it should be easy for you."

"Oh, I thought it was something serious. Of course, that's no problem."

Liu Hao smiled. "This is a method anyone can use. If it works for you, it'll naturally work for your granddaughter."

"Then that's fine. I have no other requests. This Medicine Garden is yours now. I just wonder when you can treat my poison?"

Unlike in the original story, Dugu Bo did not insist that Tang San first prove his ability to treat the poison. Instead, he handed over the Medicine Garden without hesitation.

Liu Hao's strength was plain to see. He could only choose to trust him.

After all, even if he did not believe him, there was nothing he could do. Liu Hao only needed to kill him, and the Medicine Garden would still be his.

Since Liu Hao was at least going through the motions and offering treatment in exchange, he was already being very courteous.

"The way to resolve poison backlash is simple. Just force the poison into a soul bone inside your body. You have a soul bone, don't you? Have you never tried that?"

At those words, Dugu Bo's aged face reddened. Of course he had a soul bone, and it was even a ten-thousand-year Medusa Skull soul bone. But he really had never considered deliberately forcing his poison into it.

The poison he cultivated dissolved into the blood throughout his body. One could say his entire body was poison.

After all, if he stored the poison in only one localized area, the amount he could hold would be very small.

By storing it throughout his whole body, he could hold a great deal more.

That was also why he had never tried forcing the poison into a particular soul bone.

"But after so many years, the poison I've accumulated has penetrated deep into my marrow. Forcing all of it into a soul bone would be extremely difficult, and might even endanger my life."

Dugu Bo said helplessly, "Little... senior, is there another, safer method?"

Clearly, after experiencing Liu Hao's formidable strength, he no longer dared address him as a junior.

After all, some powerful soul masters really did look very young.

In Dugu Bo's mind, Liu Hao was just such a person: young in appearance, but actually very old.

"..."

Liu Hao's mouth twitched. What the hell kind of address was "little senior"?

Still, he did not dwell on it, merely recalling the original story in his mind.

It did seem to mention that Tang San had prepared a medicine to help Dugu Bo draw the poison out of his meridians and bones.

But the original story never explained the formula in detail! Fuck, why didn't that damned author write it out back then?

Was he afraid readers would learn it, transmigrate, and steal Tang San's immortal herbs?

There was nothing he could do. He could not prepare the medicine, so he would have to cheat!

Before cheating, however, Liu Hao secretly transmitted his voice to Dugu Bo and asked him a few things about Dugu Yan. Only after receiving affirmative answers did he relax.

"System, get to work!"

...Host's request detected. Simplifying the method for resolving Dugu Bo's poison backlash. Simplification in progress...

One simplification attempt consumed. Attempts remaining: 56. Simplification complete. The methods for resolving Dugu Bo's poison backlash, including consuming heavenly treasures, cultivating special techniques, and using special medicines to guide the poison into a soul bone for storage, have been simplified to: while protected by the host's soul power, simultaneously swallow one drop each of Yang Spring and Yin Spring water from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Seeing that the system had completed the simplification, Liu Hao followed its instructions and approached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

He used his soul power to draw out one drop each of Yang Spring and Yin Spring water, then returned to Dugu Bo's side.

"Open your mouth."

"Huh?"

Whoosh~

Liu Hao seized the opening and tossed the spring water straight into Dugu Bo's mouth.

!!!

Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically in alarm, and he hurriedly circulated his soul power, trying to force the spring water out.

As far as he knew, the water in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was lethally poisonous, capable of easily corroding even a Titled Douluo's body!

Did this guy not know that?

"Don't move. My soul power will protect your body. Just absorb it without worrying."

Seeing Dugu Bo's terrified expression, Liu Hao hurried to explain.

Only then did Dugu Bo breathe a sigh of relief. Although he still felt uneasy, he finally managed to settle down.

As the water entered his stomach, its violent energy erupted instantly.

Dugu Bo let out a muffled groan, his brows tightly knitted. He was clearly in considerable pain.

Seeing this, Liu Hao hurriedly increased his soul power output.

An immense surge of vitality poured into Dugu Bo's body, instantly easing his pain and relaxing his tense expression.

Not only that, but there was also the special energy of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's water, the powerful vitality within Liu Hao's soul power, and the law-based power of the system secretly intervening.

As those three forces fused and reacted, a strange equilibrium gradually formed inside Dugu Bo's body.

"Ah~"

Dugu Bo no longer felt any discomfort. Instead, he felt wonderfully refreshed, prompting him to let out a long breath, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"..."

But this thoroughly disgusted Liu Hao.

Hearing an old man make that kind of noise was simply too bizarre.

Especially for Liu Hao, whose head was full of strange ideas. The moment he heard that sound, his imagination could not help running wild.

Goosebumps instantly rose all over him.

If not for Dugu Yan's sake, Liu Hao would have dearly loved to give him two thumping punches.

Fortunately, it did not last long. Within a few minutes, Dugu Bo had completely refined the spring water's energy.