"You had better truly have a way to solve this." Dugu Bo stared at Lin Feng and, after a moment, finally withdrew his Soul Rings.
The force pressing down on him vanished with them. Lin Feng moved his stiff arms, slowly releasing his Martial Soul Possession.
"Since I dared to bring it up, senior, I was naturally not joking."
He had not said that merely to placate Dugu Bo.
During his six years in Spirit City, besides cultivating, he had also read many books on medicinal herbs, immortal herbs, and detoxification.
After all, his Martial Soul excelled at using poison, and he knew of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's existence. How could he possibly not prepare beforehand?
For passages he could not understand, he could even ask the two Bibi Dongs for guidance.
By now, he could identify most common medicinal herbs and knew how to choose medicines based on a poison's properties.
He remembered the method Tang San had used to detoxify Dugu Bo in the original story, but carrying it out in detail would require what he had learned over the years.
"Your problem, senior, is that snake venom has invaded your flesh and blood, accumulating continually as you cultivate. The stronger your Soul Power, the deeper the poisoning." Lin Feng looked at Dugu Bo and spoke slowly.
"If we simply use medicine to neutralize all this poison, your poison cultivation will likely be affected as well."
Dugu Bo's expression darkened, and he said coldly:
"Then haven't you just been spouting nonsense all this time?"
"That is why we cannot neutralize the poison directly. We need to find somewhere to contain it instead." Lin Feng paused before continuing, "Such as a Soul Bone."
At those words, Dugu Bo's gaze shifted slightly.
"A Soul Bone?"
Lin Feng nodded.
"Exactly. If we can gradually transfer the toxins in your body into a Soul Bone, we can reduce the poison's corrosion of your flesh and blood while allowing you to draw on it when needed."
Dugu Bo did not respond immediately, but his brows gradually furrowed. Having studied poison cultivation for years, he naturally understood the method.
A Soul Bone could fuse with the body, yet differed from flesh and blood. It was not impossible that it could contain snake venom.
"But my poison has already invaded my bone marrow. How could it be transferred just because we wish it?"
"That is why medicine is needed to assist the process." Lin Feng said seriously, "We can first use medicine to regulate your condition, then combine it with Soul Power to draw out and gather the poison dispersed throughout your body, little by little, before finally transferring it into a Soul Bone. How much we can handle each time will depend on your condition."
"If we rush to force it all out at once, we might instead cause the toxins to run wild and worsen the backlash."
He had already worked through these steps in his mind, drawing on what he had learned.
While he had been speaking with Dugu Bo earlier, his Martial Soul Bibi Dong had also communicated through his thoughts, adding several points that needed attention.
Only after pondering for a long time did Dugu Bo speak again. "How long will it take you to completely resolve the poison in my body?"
"I need to test the medicine first." Rather than casually giving a deadline, Lin Feng answered this way.
"You have been poisoned for so many years. You cannot expect a single dose of medicine to solve it completely. The safest approach is to first ease the pain during flare-ups, then deal with it gradually."
"But completely resolving your granddaughter's poison should be easier. After all, her poisoning is not severe."
Dugu Bo abruptly raised his eyes and asked with some surprise:
"You even know I have a granddaughter?"
"It is no secret that Dugu Yan cultivates at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy." Meeting his gaze, Lin Feng continued, "Her cultivation is still low, and the toxins she has accumulated fall far short of yours. If a suitable Soul Bone can be prepared beforehand, then combined with guidance to channel the poison, treating her will be much easier."
At the mention of Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo finally grew completely serious.
He could endure his own suffering.
But what about Yanyan?
Was she to continue enduring this torment too?
"I can let you try." After a moment, Dugu Bo said gravely, "But if you dare experiment recklessly on Yanyan..."
"I will not give her any medicine until I am confident." Lin Feng answered directly.
"I will start by testing small amounts on you. I can tell you exactly which medicines I use and what they do, so you can judge for yourself."
Only then did Dugu Bo's expression soften slightly. At least the brat had made no grand claims about curing every ailment.
"What do you want?"
Lin Feng looked toward the herb garden beside him.
"The immortal herbs here."
"You wish to resolve the backlash from your toxins, senior, while I wish to use these immortal herbs to improve my cultivation. As long as the treatment works, this transaction will not be a loss for you."
Dugu Bo snorted coldly. "Just because I do not recognize these herbs does not mean they are worthless."
"That is why I never intended to make you hand them over with a few words." Lin Feng pointed to the jade box he had just closed.
"Allow me to take what I need to prepare the medicine. As for the rest, once the treatment shows results, we can discuss which ones may serve as payment."
Dugu Bo glanced at the jade box, then looked back at Lin Feng.
After a long while, he finally nodded slowly.
"Very well."
After agreeing, Dugu Bo asked what was needed to prepare the medicine. Lin Feng named several herbs, carefully explaining their medicinal properties and uses.
Dugu Bo listened, occasionally asking further questions, which Lin Feng answered one by one. Only then did he become certain that the youth before him truly knew something of medicinal principles.
Several of those ideas even gave him some new thoughts. He then looked up at the sky before slowly speaking:
"I have no time to stay here watching you."
"I will give you three days. Stay here and prepare properly. In three days, I will return and personally test your method."
At this point, his gaze settled on Lin Feng again. "When the time comes, I want to see results, not hear a few more empty words."
Lin Feng nodded.
Before leaving, Dugu Bo stopped again.
"Brat, do not think that passing through the poison formation once means you can slip away right under my nose."
Lin Feng smiled and said:
"Rest assured, senior."
"Our transaction is not finished yet. I could not bear to leave."
Dugu Bo snorted coldly, and his figure flashed as he darted out of the valley.
Lin Feng watched the direction he had left in. Only when that figure disappeared did he slowly breathe a sigh of relief. But before he could lower his head to sort the herbs, a voice came from beside him.
"Little fellow, take out that jade box you just put away."
Lin Feng turned to look.
Yue Guan had emerged from behind the rocks, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the box in Lin Feng's hand.
"Elder Ju?"
Yue Guan strode over, a hint of urgency actually entering his voice.
"Never mind the chatter."
"Let me see that chrysanthemum."
While hiding in the shadows earlier, he had already spotted several immortal herbs in the garden. Had Dugu Bo not still been there, he would almost have walked out on the spot.
Lin Feng smiled and opened the jade box.
The golden singular velvet sky chrysanthemum lay quietly inside.
Yue Guan's breath caught. He carefully reached out, his fingertips hovering above the petals, yet he did not lower them for a long time.
"That's right... it really is a singular velvet sky chrysanthemum!" A golden chrysanthemum appeared in his palm, facing the herb in the box from a distance.
Lin Feng took a look.
The flowers were almost identical in shape.
Yue Guan withdrew his Martial Soul, then could not help looking up toward the herb garden again, his face full of delighted surprise. "Eight-petal immortal orchid, and cockscomb phoenix sunflower..."
The more he looked, the more excited he became.
"That old poisoner has been guarding so many treasures, yet he does not even know what they are!"
Just then, Gui Mei's voice came from behind him.
"Chrysanthemum Guan, do not forget our business."
"I won't!" Yue Guan did not even turn his head. He had already crouched beside an herb and said seriously, "Keep watch outside the valley. Remember to warn me if Dugu Bo returns."
Seeing him like this, the corners of Lin Feng's mouth lifted slightly. He had originally worried that he might misidentify some immortal herbs and damage their medicinal properties while harvesting them.
Now things had worked out nicely.
The person most familiar with immortal herbs had been unable to resist coming out himself.