Dugu Fu looked at Chen Xiaojun, his face full of admiration and envy, and said sincerely, "Grandpa, I wasn't making things up. Xiaojun really is incredible. He's the strongest and most accomplished person my age I've ever met."
Chen Xiaojun smiled faintly and shook his head. "You're strong, too. Your family's Jade-Scaled Snake is also formidable. When it comes to poison, yours ranks among the best on the continent."
At that, Dugu Fu's expression grew sorrowful. "Our Jade-Scaled Snake is good, but its poison is too potent, and the side effects are severe. A while ago, my second uncle started having trouble suppressing the poison. He was in so much pain he wished he were dead. Only then did I learn that our Martial Soul could bring about such consequences."
Standing nearby, Dugu Lin betrayed nothing on his face, but the turmoil within him was visible in his eyes.
He knew his family's Martial Soul's secrets and predicament all too well, and he also knew that Chen Xiaojun had spoken the truth.
Chen Xiaojun looked at Dugu Fu and said evenly, "Yes, it's much like how our family's Seven Kill Sword used to be. It had severe side effects. For our Chen Clan, it was a backlash of killing intent, while yours is a backlash of poison. But we later resolved the problem."
Dugu Fu asked curiously, "How did you resolve it?"
Dugu Lin frowned and shook his head at Dugu Fu, signaling for him not to pursue the question.
How could anyone casually reveal something involving their family's most closely guarded secrets?
Chen Xiaojun saw this and understood Dugu Lin's concerns, so he explained, "It's all right, Grandpa Dugu. Our family's method definitely wouldn't suit yours, though."
He did not answer Dugu Fu's question directly, because it concerned his