Lin Yan knew the principle that haste makes waste. When facing Dugu Yan, he always maintained a proper respect and distance, and the conversations mostly revolved around Soul Master cultivation, anecdotes from the academy, or topics that did not involve privacy.
Gradually, Lin Yan's composure, knowledge, and unintentional humor began to win over Dugu Yan Lin Yan, making her develop feelings for him.
As the three spent more time together, their relationship gradually warmed up. They would eat together in the college cafeteria, occasionally attend open lectures together, or chat in the rest area. To outsiders, they appeared to be a close-knit little circle.
Lin Yan patiently nurtured the relationship until he felt the time was right and a foundation of trust had been established before proceeding to the next step.
It was an evening, and the afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky orange-red. The three of them were resting in a quiet garden pavilion in the academy, having just finished a discussion about how Control System Soul Master could better cooperate in team battles. Ye Lingling sat quietly to one side, Dugu Yan leaned lazily against the railing, a hint of fatigue barely perceptible between her brows.
Lin Yan took a deep breath, seemingly unintentionally, frowned slightly, and looked at Dugu Yan with a hint of inquiry. He spoke gently, " Dugu, if I may ask, have you been feeling easily fatigued lately, or... well, at times, such as after practicing your internal energy, do you feel a slight blockage in your meridians?"
Dugu Yan was slightly taken aback, her languid expression softening as she looked at Lin Yan: "Hmm? How did you know?" She had indeed had this feeling occasionally lately, but she had only thought it was a normal reaction to over-cultivation and hadn't investigated it further.
Ye Lingling also cast a concerned glance at her.
Lin Yan gave a slightly apologetic yet very serious expression. "To be honest, besides cultivation, I also know a little about medicine. Perhaps because of my Martial Soul, I am quite sensitive to auras. I... can faintly sense a very faint, almost imperceptible fishy smell lingering around you, senior. This is not body odor, but rather more like... a subtle manifestation produced by the accumulation of some kind of toxins and their interaction with your body's qi and blood."
His words were half true and half false. He did indeed have a "slight understanding" of medicine (rich in theoretical knowledge), and his keen perception of the Illusory Rainbow Ice Blue Silver Grass was also part of his ability to disguise himself. But the so-called "fishy smell" was impossible for outsiders to perceive given the current mildness of Dugu Yan's poisoning. He was relying entirely on his God's-eye view to directly point out the core of the problem—poison.
Dugu Yan's expression changed instantly.
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul itself is poisonous, and as its owner, she is more aware than anyone of the risk of backlash from the Martial Soul. Her grandfather, Dugu Bo, suffered greatly from it. Although her cultivation level is still shallow and the toxins have not accumulated much, and her symptoms are extremely mild, the words "toxin accumulation" are like a needle, precisely piercing the deepest worry in her heart.
She sat up straight instinctively, her eyes sharply fixed on Lin Yan, a dangerous aura unique to poison Soul Master emanating from her. "What did you say? Poison? You can sense it?"
Even Ye Lingling showed a shocked expression. As Healing System Martial Soul, Nine Heart Begonia was keenly aware of life force and abnormal status, but she had never detected any obvious signs of poison on her friend.
Lin Yan remained calm despite Dugu Yan's sudden change in attitude, explaining, "Senior, there's no need to be nervous. This aura is extremely faint. If it weren't for the special characteristics of my Martial Soul and my slight attention to this aspect, it would be impossible to detect. This indicates that the poison's accumulation is still shallow, far from affecting your foundation. You might even only feel a slight, barely perceptible fatigue yourself."
He first calmed Dugu Yan down, emphasizing that the problem was minor, and then continued, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be related to Senior Sister's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. Top-tier Beast Martial Soul are certainly powerful, but some Martial Soul with special attributes, while granting Soul Master immense power, may also place potential burdens on the body. Especially... poison attribute Martial Soul."
These words are reasonable, point out the root cause, and demonstrate his insight.
Dugu Yan fell silent, her expression shifting uncertainly. She knew about her grandfather Dugu Bo's condition; the backlash from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison venom was like a sword hanging over her head. She had always thought she was still young, but she hadn't expected... this Lin Yan could actually pinpoint it solely through perception?
"You... know medicine? And you can even tell this?" Dugu Yan's voice was slightly dry.
"It's just a hobby; I've studied some ancient texts," Lin Yan said modestly, looking sincerely at Dugu Yan. "Senior, forgive my bluntness, but regarding the poison, it's better to act sooner rather than later. Although it seems harmless at the moment, allowing it to slowly accumulate as one's cultivation improves is ultimately not a good thing. I observe that this poison is currently very shallowly latent; if we can find a suitable method, perhaps... there's a chance to guide or even resolve it in its early stages."
He paused, observing Dugu Yan's reaction. Seeing that she didn't immediately refute him but instead fell into thought, he slowly spoke in a cautious and sincere tone:
"If you trust me, perhaps... I could give it a try? I can't say I'm completely confident, but I can at least examine the situation carefully to see if I can find a way to alleviate the problem. After all, early intervention is always better than letting it fester and become irreversible."
The pavilion fell silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the breeze. The setting sun cast long shadows of the three people.
Ye Lingling looked at Lin Yan, her eyes filled with surprise and a glimmer of hope. She knew her friend's worries; if Lin Yan really had a solution...
Dugu Yan pursed her lips, scrutinizing Lin Yan with a complex expression. This mysterious young man who had suddenly appeared first displayed astonishing talent and profound knowledge, and now he had pinpointed her deepest worry and even offered a possible solution.
What was his purpose? Was it truly just out of enthusiasm and a little medical knowledge, or did he have ulterior motives?
However, the shadow of "poison backlash" was too heavy, especially for her, who had witnessed her grandfather's suffering. Even a sliver of hope was enough to move her heart.
After a long silence, Dugu Yan finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of solemnity. "You... how do you plan to try?"