Tang San had long anticipated Dugu Bo's arrival. He immediately stepped forward and said, "Dean, Teacher, don't worry. Senior Dugu is a good man. He was the one who gave us those immortal herbs!"
"Heh!" Dugu Bo sneered. "You little bastard, do you think I'll let you off just because you flatter me a little?"
Dugu Bo looked furious, but Tang San knew that if he had wanted to attack, he would have done so already. He would never have stood here wasting words.
"Senior, I admit I went too far with the medicinal herbs. I'm willing to do everything I can to make amends and help you and Miss Dugu Yan neutralize your martial soul poison!" Tang San said. He was certain Dugu Bo could do nothing about the martial soul toxins accumulated by his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, which was why he had dared to strip the Herb Garden bare.
"No need!" Dugu Bo said coldly. Detoxifying his poison involved Ning Chuan, so he naturally would not waste words discussing it with Tang San.
Dugu Bo could sense the aura of immortal herbs on Dai Mubai and the others, so he knew Tang San had already distributed the herbs for them to consume.
This little bastard acted fast. Looks like he knew all along that I'd come looking for trouble! Dugu Bo thought. He had previously held some goodwill toward Tang San, but now it had dropped straight to zero.
Dugu Bo did not want to stay any longer. He feared that if he lingered, he really would be unable to resist attacking Tang San. Thus, he said in a deep voice, "Tang San, I can let you off for stripping my Herb Garden bare, but you must return the immortal herb called the Snow Swan Kiss. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Tang San froze at those words, then immediately warned him, "Senior, you aren't planning to consume the Snow Swan Kiss, are you? This herb can greatly amplify toxins and viruses. Even an ordinary soul master would certainly die after consuming it. Your body is full of toxins. If you take it, you'll have ten chances to die and none to live!"
"That's none of your concern!" Dugu Bo said flatly.
Tang San could tell that Dugu Bo was genuinely angry. Still, since Dugu Bo only wanted a single immortal herb back, he naturally would not refuse. He took out the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch.
"Thank you for lending me the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch, Senior. I'll return it to you now. The Snow Swan Kiss is inside!" Tang San said.
Dugu Bo took the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch and checked its contents. Once he confirmed that the Snow Swan Kiss was inside, he left without looking back.
Tang San had originally hoped to use the opportunity of treating Dugu Bo's poison to cultivate at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Seeing that Dugu Bo was truly furious, however, he naturally dared not bring it up again.
That old poisoner is so stingy. Luckily, I absorbed some source energy from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well earlier. Once I fully refine it, the medicinal power of the octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot will definitely make my body impervious to water and fire! Tang San thought.
After leaving Blue Tyrant Academy, Dugu Bo hurried back at full speed.
Along the way, he happened to encounter Bone Douluo.
Since Bone Douluo had Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing with him, Dugu Bo did not meet with him directly. He merely transmitted his voice to tell Bone Douluo what had happened.
Learning that the immortal herbs had been plundered, Bone Douluo felt a profound sense of regret.
But the Shrek group had already eaten the immortal herbs, so there was no way to salvage the situation. He could only sigh and continue on his way with Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
Bone Douluo knew full well that, with the immortal herbs' help, every member of Shrek would undergo a qualitative leap in strength.
Spirit Hall will have a rival in the next Soul Master Tournament! Bone Douluo thought.
He knew very well that if Ning Chuan did not compete, Shrek Academy would undoubtedly be a favorite to win the championship.
Bone Douluo did not know Tang San and the others particularly well, but Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had Immortal Elixirs and cultivation methods to help them. He was certain that before the next Soul Master Tournament began, both girls' soul power levels would break through to level fifty.
At the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, once Dugu Bo brought back the Snow Swan Kiss, Ning Chuan placed it inside the Creation Exquisite Pagoda and began refining it.
In no time at all, an Immortal Elixir appeared in Ning Chuan's palm.
"Senior Dugu, keep this pill for now. Once you've comprehended the Poison Scripture to its utmost limit and can freely control the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's toxins, take it then!" Ning Chuan said, handing over the pill.
As a Titled Douluo, Dugu Bo could naturally sense the divine aura contained within the pill.
Only now did he understand just how great an opportunity Tang San's theft had ruined for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Ning Chuan, this pill is too precious. I..."
Dugu Bo instinctively wanted to refuse, but Ning Chuan immediately waved his hand. "Senior, ordinary soul masters cannot take this pill. Only an expert in the Path of Poison can bring its medicinal effects to their fullest potential!"
"Very well!" Dugu Bo stopped declining. He accepted the pill and put it inside the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch.
Ning Chuan continued, "Sword Grandpa, please teach Senior Dugu the soul cultivation method as well. The stronger Senior Dugu becomes, the greater a deterrent he'll be to the outside world."
"All right!" Sword Douluo nodded. He knew that once Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing entered the tournament, they would inevitably have to go to Spirit City in the end. The fiercer the battles became, the greater the risk of exposing their divine aura. Thus, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect needed sufficient strength, and Dugu Bo undoubtedly offered the greatest deterrent in this regard.
"Dugu Bo, open your mind!" Sword Douluo said.
Dugu Bo nodded. By now, he no longer held any wariness toward Sword Douluo.
As the Soul Cultivation Formula entered Dugu Bo's spiritual sea of consciousness, he froze on the spot.
The Poison Scripture's ability to accelerate soul power cultivation had already overturned Dugu Bo's understanding. Now he had received a method for cultivating his soul as well. How could he not be astonished?
Dugu Bo realized that ever since he met Ning Chuan, good fortune had come one thing after another, without a single break.
"Dugu Bo, this cultivation method is of tremendous importance. Aside from that girl Dugu Yan, you must not teach it to anyone else!" Sword Douluo immediately cautioned him.
"Understood!" Dugu Bo nodded firmly. He naturally recognized the importance of this cultivation method.
With that, the matter of the immortal herbs came to a close. Ning Chuan and Sword Douluo did not leave, instead remaining at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to cultivate.
After obtaining an intermediate cultivation method, their cultivation speed could reach a maximum of thirty times its normal rate. The dense natural energy at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well finally proved enormously useful.
When Ning Chuan obtained his third soul ring, his soul power level had reached level thirty-five.
Now, with the intermediate cultivation method's help and the dense natural energy here, Ning Chuan successfully broke through to level forty in just five months.
Dugu Bo, meanwhile, had long since achieved complete mastery of the Poison Scripture.
After consuming that Immortal Elixir, Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor martial soul evolved directly into the Jade Nether Poison Dragon.
His soul power level also reached level ninety-four.
The Immortal Elixir refined from the Snow Swan Kiss was practically tailor-made for Dugu Bo.
Now, once Dugu Bo spread his poison dragon miasma, anyone below the rank of Titled Douluo would die upon contact.
In a one-on-one fight, anyone below level ninety-five would merely be serving themselves up on a platter against Dugu Bo.
Only Titled Douluos at level ninety-seven or above could reliably defeat him.
But even if they could win, Dugu Bo could still take every Titled Douluo below level ninety-five on the battlefield down with him.
Moreover, anyone who managed to kill Dugu Bo would truly hit the jackpot.
Without Dugu Bo suppressing the medicinal power of the Snow Swan Kiss Immortal Elixir, the toxins within his body would need only an instant to engulf a major city. Before long, the poison would sweep across an entire duchy, truly leaving everything within an eight-hundred-li radius rotted to nothing, with not a blade of grass surviving.
Before you continue