The Method of Detoxification

Although Xiao Yu was eager to gather the Immortal Herbs, he had not forgotten another important matter: neutralizing the deadly poison within Dugu Bo's body.

"Senior Dugu, if this junior's guess is correct, whenever it is overcast or raining, do you feel a numb, itching sensation in both sides of your ribs that gradually intensifies? It occurs once at noon and once at midnight. Given your current condition, each episode should last for more than two hours. Also, every night at around the third watch, your scalp and the centers of your palms suffer needle-like stabbing pains, accompanied by full-body spasms lasting at least an hour."

To detoxify someone, he first had to clearly describe the patient's condition. Xiao Yu directly borrowed the words Tang San had used on Dugu Bo in the original story.

"Little Brother Xiao, your insight is truly sharp. That is indeed the case. How do you intend to detoxify me?"

Dugu Bo nodded. Unlike in the original story, where he had tested Tang San by making him cure his own poison first, he did not ask Xiao Yu to do the same.

After all, two Titled Douluo far stronger than himself stood behind the young man. Tang San, on the other hand, had only claimed he could cure him while facing a life-or-death crisis. Naturally, Dugu Bo had needed to test whether Tang San truly had the ability or was merely deceiving him to save his own life.

As for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, while it was indeed somewhat hidden, if they had come solely for it, they could have simply killed him and searched for it afterward. Sunset Forest was not that large; with two Titled Douluo searching at full force, they could find it within ten days to half a month.

Therefore, they had indeed come in good faith and truly wished to befriend him.

"This junior has two methods. One is suitable for Senior Dugu, while the other is suitable for your granddaughter."

Xiao Yu smiled faintly. "The reason you have suffered a backlash from your poison is mainly due to the poison arts you cultivate. Moreover, because you possess a beast Martial Soul, the toxins produced during cultivation after Martial Soul Possession fused with your body. Over time, the poison within you has accumulated to an extremely terrifying degree. Although your Titled Douluo-level Soul Power can mobilize and suppress it, those toxins have long since become a part of your body.

"Therefore, my first method is to use a Soul Bone to draw out the poison. Since you cultivate poison arts and rely mostly on poison to attack in battle, it is impossible to neutralize all the poison in your body. Doing so would cause your strength to plummet. But if you wish to preserve the deadly poison within you without allowing it to harm you, you must find a host to store it. All things considered, a Soul Bone is the most suitable choice. While you guide the poison from your body into the Soul Bone, I will use medicine to nourish your body, repair the damaged meridians caused by the poison, and lessen the pain of your episodes."

Dugu Bo was also a grandmaster of poison. The moment he heard Xiao Yu's explanation, he understood. After considering it carefully, he nodded. "Not bad. This method is indeed feasible. Then what is the second method you mentioned, little friend?"

"This first method is only a temporary measure, treating the symptoms but not the root cause! A Soul Bone can serve as a vessel for poison, but it cannot contain an unlimited amount. Once the poison within it surpasses a certain limit and spills out, your life could still be in danger.

"Moreover, even after a Soul Master dies, the poison stored in their Soul Bone will not disappear into thin air. These Soul Bones used to store poison cannot be passed down as inherited Soul Bones to the next generation.

"Senior, because you currently only have yourself and your granddaughter, you have not felt the problem yet. But when your granddaughter marries and continues the family line, her descendants will face the same issue. Senior, can you guarantee that every one of your descendants will possess a Soul Bone? Surely this junior need not explain how precious Soul Bones are!"

Xiao Yu's words made Dugu Bo's previously cheerful expression darken again. He had only considered curing his own poison and forgotten that his descendants would face the same problem. From the perspective of an elder, he naturally hoped his bloodline would continue and that he would be surrounded by children and grandchildren. If a problem arose in any generation of their single-line inheritance, would not the Dugu family be cut off entirely?

"Therefore, this junior's second method is Martial Soul Evolution!"

Xiao Yu said solemnly, "Has Senior ever heard of a serpent transforming into a dragon?"

"Transforming into a dragon?"

Dugu Bo shook his head.

Xiao Yu explained, "Ancient texts record that a snake becomes a flood dragon after five hundred years, and a flood dragon becomes a dragon after a thousand years. Your family's inherited Martial Soul, the Jade Scale Snake, already possesses dragon blood, though it is far too thin. My second method is to use medicine to stimulate the dragon bloodline within the Jade Scale Snake Martial Soul, evolving the snake-type Martial Soul into a flood dragon-type Martial Soul. An evolved Martial Soul can be inherited by future generations, and they will no longer need to face the backlash of poison. However..."

"However, after evolving into a flood dragon-type Martial Soul, its dragon bloodline will greatly increase, while the poison belonging to snakes will be greatly reduced. They will find it difficult to cultivate the poison arts inherited by the family!"

Dugu Bo grasped Xiao Yu's meaning and immediately finished the answer for him.

"Correct."

Xiao Yu nodded. "Therefore, Senior must decide which of the two methods to choose."

After hearing this, Dugu Bo fell into deep thought. After a long while, he finally made up his mind. "This old man has cultivated poison arts for most of his life. Martial Soul Evolution is tempting, but asking me to abandon the poison arts I have cultivated my entire life would instead weaken me. However, my granddaughter is still young. She has limitless possibilities ahead of her. After her Martial Soul evolves, perhaps her future will carry her farther than this grandfather of hers ever went."

Dugu Bo's choice was within expectations. No Titled Douluo had ever been heard of among the previous generations of Jade Scale Snake Martial Soul users. In other words, aside from perhaps the rudimentary foundations inherited from his predecessors, Dugu Bo had essentially explored the more profound aspects of his poison arts himself. Though it was regrettable that he could not leave them to his descendants, that was negligible compared to the continuation of the family line.

"This junior initially thought the same."

Seeing that Dugu Bo had made his choice, Xiao Yu immediately said, "Since that is the case, this junior will first detoxify Senior. As a Titled Douluo, you should have Soul Bones, correct?"

Dugu Bo nodded. "This old man has a Medusa head Soul Bone, roughly sixty thousand years old."

The Ninth Spirit Rings of the two Titled Douluo beside this boy were both at the hundred-thousand-year level. Xiao Yu had likely seen plenty of Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, so Dugu Bo was not worried that he would covet his Soul Bone and did not hide it.

Xiao Yu stared at Dugu Bo with a shocked expression and kindly warned him, "Senior, the head is the most important part of the human body. If the poison spills out, you will not even have a chance to be saved. Are you sure you want to use a head Soul Bone as the vessel for the poison?"

"Wait here!"

Apparently realizing that Xiao Yu had a point, Dugu Bo looked embarrassed. Then his figure flashed, and he departed as swiftly as flying, seemingly going to find a way to obtain a limb Soul Bone.