Dugu Bo, Guest Elder of the Body Sect, and the Record of a Hundred Herbs and Heavenly Treasures

Dugu Bo's emerald slit pupils suddenly widened, and he involuntarily staggered half a step back.

"Hundred thousand year Soul Rings..."

Dugu Bo stared at those three deep-red Soul Rings, his voice hoarse and dry. "Three hundred thousand year Soul Rings... how is that possible?!"

In his entire life, he had never seen anyone with three hundred thousand year Soul Rings.

He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to obtain a hundred thousand year Soul Ring-

Across the entire continent, the Titled Douluo who possessed even one hundred thousand year Soul Ring could be counted on one hand. Three of them simply overturned everything he knew!

This meant that Du Busi had absorbed a hundred thousand year Soul Ring at rank seventy.

But...

How was that possible?

As far as he was concerned, a rank-seventy physique could not possibly withstand a hundred thousand year Soul Ring!

No matter how he racked his brains, Dugu Bo could not make sense of it.

At the same time, he gained a deeper understanding of Du Busi's strength. Had he really attacked just now, he probably would not have withstood even a single move.

"A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

A fine sheen of cold sweat seeped from Dugu Bo's forehead. For the first time, he felt so powerless.

The corners of Du Busi's mouth rose. "Well? Still want to 'seek my guidance'?"

"No, no."

Dugu Bo withdrew his Martial Soul, stepped half a pace back, and bowed with his hands clasped. "I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. I have caused you much offense. Please forgive me, Senior!"

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Of your own free will?"

"Absolutely of my own free will!"

Dugu Bo decisively chose to follow his heart. The anger in his eyes as he looked at Du Busi was gone, replaced only by wholehearted awe and respect.

"The immortal herbs are all yours, Senior. Take as many as you wish. I won't utter a word of objection!"

Seeing him like this, Du Busi slowly withdrew his Martial Soul.

"Mm."

"Dugu Bo, the founding purpose of our Body Sect is solely to accommodate cultivators with Body Martial Souls."

Du Busi shifted the subject and looked at Dugu Bo. "But I have a good impression of you, and our Body Sect is recruiting capable people from all quarters. If you're interested, you could join us as a guest elder."

"A guest elder?"

Hearing this, Dugu Bo fell silent for a moment.

Being a sect's guest elder was different from being a guest elder of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. The latter placed no restrictions on him.

But,

the Body Sect was different.

The Body Sect was so powerful that, once he became its guest elder, refusing to lend his strength would no longer be a matter of simply not wanting to!

Dugu Bo shook his head and said politely, "I appreciate your generous regard, Senior."

"It's just that I'm used to being alone and truly have no intention of joining any sect. Please take whatever immortal herbs you wish, Senior. I will not object, but as for becoming a guest elder-forgive me, I cannot comply."

His words were courteous, but his stance was clear, neither servile nor overbearing.

At his words,

Elder Wei and Elder Zhao both looked displeased.

In their eyes, the Body Sect rarely recruited guest elders, yet Dugu Bo had actually refused an invitation from the Sect Master himself?

Long Aoyu, however, showed little reaction.

It was only to be expected,

but there was one condition that Dugu Bo would never be able to refuse once it was offered!

Du Busi looked at Dugu Bo without getting angry. Instead, he chuckled. "The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor venom in your body is turning against you. You've only managed to cling to life until now by relying on the two polar forces of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to suppress the Poison Backlash."

"But suppression is only suppression in the end. How many more years can you hold on? Five? Ten?"

Dugu Bo's expression shifted slightly, and he immediately thought of his precious granddaughter.

This was also what worried him most-

If he died from his own deadly venom's Poison Backlash, his granddaughter would have no one left to back her up.

What if someone bullied her?

At this thought, Dugu Bo's expression turned extremely grim, his face full of worry.

Du Busi continued, "My Body Martial Soul also contains deadly poison, but the poison and my flesh share one source and form a single whole. There is no backlash.

"With my abilities, finding a way to resolve the Poison Backlash of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor venom would not be difficult."

Dugu Bo shuddered.

He stared at Du Busi, a glimmer of disbelief flashing through his emerald slit pupils. Even his voice grew more hurried:

"Senior... is that really true?"

"I have no reason to deceive you."

Dugu Bo stood where he was, his gaze wavering.

Only he knew the agony of being tormented by the Poison Backlash of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor venom for decades.

Whenever the venom flared on the night of a full moon, it felt as though ten thousand ants were gnawing at his bones. He had struggled bitterly to endure it, never imagining a day when it could be resolved for good.

Yet now, this unfathomable Sect Master of the Body Sect standing before him had actually told him-

It would not be difficult!

Dugu Bo remained silent for a long time before finally bending deeply at the waist and bowing to Du Busi.

"Senior, I have a granddaughter named Dugu Yan. She is nineteen this year and has also inherited the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul."

"She is young and frail, and a great deal of toxin has accumulated in her body. If you can truly help both my granddaughter and me resolve this grave affliction, I am willing to repay you with my life and pledge to serve the Body Sect unto death!"

After hearing him out, the impassive look on Du Busi's face suddenly vanished.

"Haha!"

Du Busi stepped forward twice and raised his hand to clap Dugu Bo heavily on the shoulder, with enough force to make him sway.

"Why didn't you just say so earlier?"

"I'll remember your granddaughter's situation. Once we return to the sect, I'll help you both work out a solution."

"Being a guest elder of the Body Sect isn't as restrictive as you imagine, either. Missions are only assigned when your help is needed, and there are corresponding rewards for completing them."

Du Busi's tone grew much warmer, as though he were an entirely different person from the forceful, overbearing man of moments before.

Dugu Bo straightened, unable to quite process the change for a moment.

But he had no time to dwell on it and hurriedly offered his thanks with utmost sincerity:

"Thank you, Sect Master!"

Du Busi turned toward Long Aoyu and the other two.

"Let me introduce them. Long Aoyu, twelve years old, Martial Soul: whole body, our sect's Young Sect Master; Long Aotian, fifteen years old, Martial Soul: skin; Vina, Twin Martial Souls: Snow Lotus and brain."

"These two are Elder Wei and Elder Zhao, elders of the Body Sect. Their titles are Listening Sound and Barefoot."

Dugu Bo clasped his hands in greeting to each of them.

He gave Vina and Long Aoyu a particularly close look. The former possessed Twin Martial Souls.

The latter drew even more attention. To have surpassed someone with Twin Martial Souls and become the Young Sect Master at twelve, his talent had to be truly extraordinary!

After finishing the introductions, Du Busi turned toward Long Aoyu and the other two.

"Go choose your immortal herbs."

The three acknowledged him and were just about to step forward when Dugu Bo suddenly spoke:

"A moment, Sect Master! Though these immortal herbs and spirit medicines are exceedingly rare, their effects all differ. Taking them rashly without knowing their uses could harm you."

Hearing this,

Du Busi raised an eyebrow slightly.

"There's no need to worry, Elder Dugu."

Long Aoyu spoke first. "Our sect's Record of a Hundred Herbs and Heavenly Treasures contains detailed instructions for using a great many ancient heavenly treasures and body-tempering spirit medicines. Immortal herbs are recorded there as well."

The Record of a Hundred Herbs and Heavenly Treasures was a text compiled by successive generations of the Body Sect.

It catalogued all manner of heavenly treasures, spirit medicines, and immortal herbs passed down from ancient times to the present, specifically for tempering the bodies and refining the poisons of those with Body Martial Souls. It was one of the Body Sect's most important texts.

"That's right."

Du Busi naturally knew of the book and nodded. "Still, Elder Dugu means well. Xiao Yu, don't touch anything you're uncertain about. Let me inspect whatever you pick first."

"Yes, Master."

Long Aoyu grinned and headed toward the immortal herbs with Long Aotian and Vina.