Dugu Bo put down his wine cup, his emerald green eyes fixed on Lin Yan. His tone seemed casual, but it carried an undeniable scrutiny. "Young friend Lin Yan, I've always had a question in my mind. The backlash from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison's venom is a closely guarded secret passed down through generations in my Dugu Family. Outsiders can hardly know its specific symptoms and pain. You not only saw through Yanzi's condition at a glance, but also proposed a solution—using Soul Bone, especially External Soul Bone, to store the toxins—a method never heard of before. May I ask... where did you learn this method? Who is your teacher? Or have you read some special scriptures?"
They've arrived.
Lin Yan was already prepared. He put down his chopsticks, his face showing a perfectly measured expression of recollection and contemplation. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Replying to Senior, I have no specific lineage. This method was something I stumbled upon in a tattered ancient book many years ago by chance."
"Ancient books?" A glint flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes, and he leaned forward slightly, showing great interest. "What kind of ancient books? Where are they now? Could you tell me more about them, young friend?"
Lin Yan's face showed a timely hint of regret and apology as he shook his head. "That ancient book had no title, and its material was quite peculiar—neither paper nor silk. It contained strange and unusual Martial Soul Theory and unorthodox solutions to difficult ailments. At the time, an elderly and frail elder, who was traveling the world, lent it to me temporarily, saying that it might contain clues to resolve some of my cultivation dilemmas. I read it for several days, noting down some content that I found useful, and then the elder took the book back and continued his travels. Now... it's vanished without a trace, nowhere to be found."
His statement was a mixture of truth and falsehood. The truth lay in the fact that he was indeed well-read, including some rare and incomplete books; the falsehood lay in the fact that his methods for resolving the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison and obtaining the Soul Bone mainly stemmed from his memories of his previous life and his understanding of the original text.
Attributing the source to an unknown "wandering elder" and an "unknown ancient book" is the safest, but also the most unverifiable, method.
As expected, upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's face revealed an undisguised look of extreme disappointment, and he murmured, "So that's how it is... What a pity, what a pity!"
He sighed heavily, as if he had missed out on some priceless treasure. That ancient book, if he could have obtained it, might not only have solved Yanzi's problem, but also his own...
He remained silent for a moment, seemingly processing this regrettable news.
Then, he raised his head again, his gaze sharpening, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible pleading. "Since that's the case, how much of the contents of the ancient book do you still remember, young friend? Besides the Soul Bone Method, are there any other records about the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison? To be honest, young friend, there may be a glimmer of hope for Yanzi's problem, but I myself... have suffered from this poison for decades, and the pain is truly indescribable to outsiders."
He looked at Lin Yan and began to describe his situation in a heavy tone. " The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison in my body has long been deeply integrated with my Soul Power and bloodline. Whenever it's rainy or I'm emotionally agitated, it seeps into my bone marrow, causing excruciating pain. The chronic poison in my head and waist is like a malignant tumor clinging to my bones. Even with my cultivation as a Titled Douluo, I can only barely suppress it, not eradicate it. On the contrary, as my cultivation improves, the venom becomes more and more potent and backfires... If this continues, I fear I may die from my body exploding. Young friend... does your ancient book contain a way to solve my condition?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's expression also turned serious. He listened carefully to Dugu Bo's description, quickly recalling the treatment plan Tang San had devised for Dugu Bo in the original novel. After Dugu Bo finished speaking, he pondered for a long time before slowly opening his mouth, his tone tinged with uncertainty and caution:
"Your situation is indeed a thousand times more complex and serious than Senior Sister Dugu's. The toxins are almost fused with your body; forcibly expelling them might damage your very foundation and could even trigger a complete outbreak of the toxins... From what I see, the toxins in your body have accumulated to a level that is enough to be fatal. The fact that you are still alive is probably due to some extraordinary encounter."
Dugu Bo's spirits lifted. He realized that if he hadn't accidentally discovered a magical place that could suppress the toxins, he probably would have died long ago.
Dugu Bo sat up straight and quickly said, "Young friend, please continue!"
Lin Yan organized his thoughts and articulated Tang San's theory from his memory in his own way. "Ancient texts record that if one is afflicted by a deadly poison that has penetrated deep into the bone marrow and internal organs, there are two methods to detoxify."
"There are actually two more methods! Please explain in detail, young friend." Dugu Bo suddenly became excited.
"Firstly, you need to find two Immortal Herb, called the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot. Consume both Immortal Herb simultaneously, then use your Soul Power to absorb their medicinal properties to detoxify. Because the medicinal properties of these two Immortal Herb are extremely potent, after consuming them, all the toxins in your body will disappear completely, and all your poison-related skills will vanish."
"This method is unsuitable. All my internal energy is concentrated in the remaining poison. Is there a second way?"
"The first method isn't easy to achieve either. The two immortal Immortal Herb I mentioned are extremely rare. Even if you were willing, I couldn't find Immortal Herb to treat you. The second method isn't complicated; it's the same one your granddaughter used, using Soul Bone to store the toxins in your body. However, your poisoning is too severe. You need to find a high-age Soul Bone Soul Bone, preferably over 50,000 years old. At the same time, it must be combined with certain medications to gradually filter out the toxins from your meridians and bones, concentrating them inside the Soul Bone. But I'm only 50% confident in this method. One wrong move, and your toxins might prematurely erupt, leading to your death."
The choice is yours to make.
"The second method only offers five levels of certainty; are there no other options?"
"There is a way. The book also mentions that if you combine it with a place called the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the success rate can be increased to 100%."
Upon hearing the term "Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well," Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Young friend, what exactly is this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"
" The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is a spring formed by Extreme Cold Yin Spring and an extremely hot Yang Spring. It is extremely hot on one side and extremely cold on the other. It has a strong restraint on any poison, and the spring water is immune to all poisons. If such a place were available, I could solve your problem 100%."
"Really?"
Looking at Dugu Bo's eager gaze, Lin Yan said, "Of course, but how could a place like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well possibly exist? I feel it's just something casually made up in that ancient book."
"No, no, no, young friend, such a place really exists!" Dugu Bo exclaimed excitedly.
"Didn't you say before that I didn't die because of a fortuitous encounter? No, I did have a fortuitous encounter, and that fortuitous encounter is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that you just mentioned."
Lin Yan feigned shock, stood up excitedly, and asked, "Is there really such a place?"
"I'm not sure, but the place is exactly as you described. If you're alright, young friend Lin Yan, I can take you there. You can confirm it for me too." Dugu Bo looked at Lin Yan eagerly.
Meeting Dugu Bo's gaze, Lin Yan took a deep breath, stood up, and solemnly bowed, saying, "Since Senior has invited me, I dare not refuse. If such a wondrous place truly exists, I would indeed like to see it for myself. If it is indeed the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, I will certainly do my utmost to assist Senior! However... I am of limited talent and knowledge, and can only do my best; I cannot guarantee success..."
"No problem!" Dugu Bo waved his hand, in a very good mood. "With your words and your insight, that's enough! Whether we succeed or fail, I will be grateful for your help! Let's not delay any longer. If it's convenient for you, young friend, tomorrow... no, the day after tomorrow! Early the day after tomorrow, I will personally take you to that treasure land for a visit. How about that?"
"I will follow your instructions, senior." Lin Yan respectfully agreed.
Looking at Lin Yan, Dugu Bo's heart was filled with hope.
What he didn't know was that this seemingly harmless, humble, and polite young man had been targeting his Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well from the very beginning.