Time passed quickly.
When Chen Mo's Soul Power had fully recovered and he woke again, he found that it was already the next day.
Dugu Bo had also returned, bringing breakfast with him.
After the two had a simple meal, Dugu Bo took a tea set from the pocket on his right and began brewing tea.
As the tea brewed, they sat facing each other and began discussing their plan to deal with Tang Hao.
"Young friend Chen Mo, that madman Tang Hao is very powerful. A rank ninety-five Titled Douluo isn't so easy to deal with. What plan do you have?"
Dugu Bo asked gravely.
Chen Mo smiled slightly and said:
"Senior, we're certainly no match for him in a head-on clash."
"But this is your territory. We can use poison and traps to strip away every advantage Tang Hao has."
"Oh?" Dugu Bo grew interested. "Let's hear it."
"Tang Hao's advantages lie in his strength and explosive power. His Clear Sky Hammer overwhelms ten techniques with sheer might."
"But if he's poisoned, his Soul Power circulation becomes sluggish, and he can't bring his strength to bear, he'll be like a tiger without teeth."
Chen Mo picked up the teacup before him and took a sip as he spoke.
Dugu Bo nodded and continued:
"You're right. How do you think we should arrange things, then?"
"Senior, first tell me what poisons you prepared when you went out yesterday that we can use," Chen Mo asked.
Dugu Bo grinned and pulled several small bottles from inside his robe.
"I have plenty of treasures."
Dugu Bo began introducing them one by one:
"This is Soul-Sealing Powder. Colorless and odorless, it blocks Soul Power circulation once inhaled. The more you drive your Soul Power, the more severe the blockage becomes."
"This is Muscle-Weakening Powder. It leaves your muscles so weak you can't even clench a fist."
"This is Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison, my innate poison. Once inside the body, it continually destroys the meridians and Soul Power core."
Chen Mo's eyes lit up.
"Good stuff, every bit of it! Senior, I have a plan."
"Go ahead."
Dugu Bo looked at Chen Mo thoughtfully.
Hearing this, Chen Mo spoke without hesitation:
"First, set up an enhanced Jade Phosphorous Bewildering Formation at the valley entrance and mix Soul-Sealing Powder into it.
"The moment Tang Hao enters, he'll inhale the poisonous mist, and his Soul Power circulation will begin to falter."
"Second, spread Muscle-Weakening Powder near the spring. Tang Hao will definitely check the spring first when he returns. As long as he approaches it, the poisonous fumes from the Muscle-Weakening Powder will seep into his body."
"Third, poison the medicinal herbs around us. If Tang Hao wants to take any herbs, a single touch will poison him."
"Fourth, use the terrain to set traps. We can place poisonous vines and poisonous swamps on the cliffs on either side of the valley. If Tang Hao tries to fly, he'll trigger those traps."
"Fifth, I know Tang Hao's fighting habits. He likes to clash head-on with his Clear Sky Hammer, and when he can't win, he'll use the secret Ring Detonation technique. But Ring Detonation consumes enormous amounts of Soul Power, which will make the Soul-Sealing Powder's effects even worse."
As Dugu Bo listened, his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and he laughed heartily.
"Good, good, good! Young friend Chen Mo, that mind of yours is even more poisonous than mine!"
"Elder Poison, you flatter me. Why don't we start setting things up? Tang Hao could return at any moment. We don't have much time."
"All right!"
The two got straight to work.
Dugu Bo first went to the valley entrance and began setting up the enhanced Jade Phosphorous Bewildering Formation.
Intrigued, Chen Mo followed behind and watched as Dugu Bo pulled a handful of green powder from inside his robe and scattered it over the ground at the entrance.
The powder dissolved upon touching the soil, merging into the surrounding plants.
The plants grew visibly more luxuriant, a faint green sheen rising over their leaves.
Seeing Chen Mo standing behind him, deep in thought, Dugu Bo explained:
"This is the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's poisonous powder. Once it merges with the plants, they'll release poisonous mist whenever someone passes."
"I added Soul-Sealing Powder to it. It's colorless and odorless. That madman Tang Hao will never notice it."
Chen Mo nodded, secretly startled.
Poison Douluo truly lived up to his name.
After setting up the poison formation at the entrance, Dugu Bo went to the spring at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
He took out a small bottle and poured the white powder inside onto the ground beside the spring.
The powder dissolved upon entering the soil, leaving no visible change around the spring.
"This is Muscle-Weakening Powder. Once dissolved in the soil, it's colorless and odorless."
"Combined with the evaporation from the nearby spring, the poisonous fumes will spread within a radius of thirty feet. As long as Tang Hao approaches the spring, he'll be poisoned without realizing it."
Next, Dugu Bo applied poison near the surrounding medicinal herbs, one after another.
"I've smeared Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison on all these herbs I recognize. A single touch will poison him."
Dugu Bo sneered.
"Of course, if that madman Tang Hao wants to take those herbs I don't recognize, let him."
Then Dugu Bo set up poisonous vines and poisonous swamps on the cliffs on either side of the valley.
"These poisonous vines will attack automatically once they sense Soul Power fluctuations. They're coated in a paralyzing toxin. Anyone caught in them will be paralyzed all over."
Finally, Dugu Bo took a green pill from inside his robe and swallowed it.
"This is an antidote I refined. It grants immunity to most toxins. If a fight breaks out, I'd rather not get poisoned by my own poison."
Watching Dugu Bo bustle about, Chen Mo secretly admired him.
This was Poison Douluo's true strength.
Not clashing head-on, but using poison, traps, and terrain to drive the enemy step by step into a desperate corner.
By the time everything was ready, it was already the morning of the third day.
Dugu Bo wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "All right, everything's in place. If that madman Tang Hao dares come, he can forget about leaving alive!"
Chen Mo nodded, but felt somewhat nervous.
After all, that was a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo.
Even poisoned, he wouldn't be so easy to deal with.
Perhaps even heaven was on Chen Mo's side.
Dugu Bo and Chen Mo had only just finished regulating their breathing when they heard a rush of air from the valley entrance.
Tang Hao had returned!
Chen Mo and Dugu Bo exchanged a glance and took their positions.
Dugu Bo hid behind a huge tree, suppressing his presence with all his strength.
Chen Mo sat in the center of the valley, pretending to cultivate.
Soon, Tang Hao appeared at the valley entrance.
He held a jade box containing the Blue Silver Emperor, "Ah Yin."
The moment Tang Hao stepped into the valley, he inhaled a mouthful of poisonous mist.
But he noticed nothing.
Soul-Sealing Powder was colorless and odorless. Even a Titled Douluo would struggle to detect it.
Tang Hao entered the valley and sighed in relief when he saw Chen Mo sitting in the center.
"Xiao Mo, your godfather is back."
Tang Hao smiled.
"Do you remember how I told you a few days ago that I had something important to tell you?"
As he spoke, Tang Hao carefully held out the box containing the Blue Silver Grass from against his chest, presenting it to Chen Mo.
"Let me tell you, this is an extremely powerful 'medicinal herb.' As long as you cultivate this herb to a certain age, he can reach the point of reviving the dead and growing flesh on bare bones."
"Then you'll have an extra life."
"Come, Xiao Mo, let's begin!"
Chen Mo opened his eyes and looked at Tang Hao. He said nothing, only revealing an icy smile.