I'm Taking You as My Disciple
"Keep it a secret, but there's a condition."
"Please speak, senior," Lin Chen said calmly.
"Become my disciple." Dugu Bo, hands behind his back, chin slightly raised. "Not the kind of nominal disciple you had before. You will be my personal disciple, my only Dugu Bo. Once you become my disciple, I will keep this secret to myself, not even to Yanyan. Not only that, I will impart all my lifelong knowledge of poisons, pharmacology, and poison array formations to you."
He paused, then added, "With me as your master, while you might not be able to act with impunity within the Heaven Dou Empire, I can at least protect you for a while."
Lin Chen's heart stirred slightly.
He began to make plans in secret.
Dugu Bo was proud and aloof his entire life, and there had never been any rumors of him taking on disciples. Why would he take the initiative to do so today? It must be because he saw my talent, the Soul Bone Poison Storage Method still needs me, and the potential of my Twin Martial Souls made him consider taking me on as a disciple.
Although it sounds a bit like using secrecy as leverage, upon closer examination, it only benefits me and does me no harm.
Both he and Xiao Wu are still in the growth stage and need protection. Having a Titled Douluo as their master is like having an extra solid protective umbrella.
Whether it's conflicts within the academy or the future scrutiny of the Spirit Hall, this will provide an extra layer of protection. Although Dugu Bo is aloof by nature, he values his promises highly; once he accepts a disciple, he will never mistreat them.
As for becoming his disciple, he already owed him a lot of favors. Being able to become a disciple of Titled Douluo was an opportunity that many people would rather die for.
Lin Chen's mind raced, and he made a decision in no time.
He stepped forward, lifted his robe, knelt down, and earnestly kowtowed.
"Disciple Lin Chen greets Master."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Dugu Bo laughed heartily and quickly stepped forward to help him up, his voice full of joy.
He lived for nearly a hundred years, always alone, and yet in the end, he found such a worthy disciple. Twin Martial Souls, knowledgeable in pharmacology, and with a good temperament—this disciple was truly worthwhile!
"From now on, you will be my only personal disciple, Dugu Bo." Dugu Bo patted his shoulder, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "If anyone dares to bully you, just say so!"
Lin Chen stood there, looking at the smiling old man in front of him, and then at Xiao Wu beside him who was beaming with joy, and breathed a sigh of relief.
This bow was not just to the master.
Moreover, on this ever-changing continent, they found a peaceful haven.
As autumn turned to winter, and the first heavy snow fell, the three of them had already been at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for four and a half months.
The mountains and fields were covered in a thick layer of silvery white, and the branches of the ancient trees were weighed down with heavy snow. When the wind blew, the snow flakes fell like broken jade.
The depths of Sunset Forest are sparsely populated, even the Soul Beast have retreated to their lairs, and the entire forest is so quiet that only the sound of falling snow can be heard.
Only the springs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well never freeze. The crimson hot springs emit billowing white mist, while the icy blue cold springs float with tiny ice crystals. The two streams of air, one warm and one cold, converge and condense into a persistent mist above the valley, separating this small world from the icy and snowy outside.
That morning, the last wisp of toxin flowed through his meridians into the Soul Bone his eyebrows, Dugu Bo slowly opened his eyes.
Two deep brown eyes swept across, seemingly unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, one could discern a venomous glint hidden deep within them.
He stood up, shook off the frost from his green robe, and his entire demeanor was completely different from four and a half months ago.
Her long hair, which was originally bluish-green, had long since faded to a deep gray-black, with only a very faint turquoise remaining at the ends. Casually tied back, it made her look more than ten years younger.
The wrinkles on his face had smoothed out considerably, and the withered look caused by years of poison backlash had completely dissipated. He was now vigorous and upright. Only when he activated his Martial Soul would his pupils transform back into emerald green vertical pupils, and the poisonous shadow of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor would emanate from his body.
"Finally... it's done."
Dugu Bo said in a low voice, clenching his fist.
With a slight flick of his fingertips, a faint wisp of emerald-green poisonous mist spread out.
Unlike the domineering and corrosive poisonous fog of the past, this wisp of poisonous fog was as thin as a hair, drifting silently onto the nearby rocks without leaving a trace.
But Lin Chen, standing to the side, could clearly feel that the internal structure of the rock was being slowly disintegrated by the toxins, silently and imperceptibly.
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison has completely fused with Medusa Skull.
The toxins no longer run rampant and damage the meridians; instead, they are all sealed within the Soul Bone, ready to be used at any time, and their concentration is several times stronger than before.
The "Medusa's Gaze" that comes with the Soul Bone is also perfectly combined with snake venom, providing both petrification and poison control. Even Titled Douluo of the same level would find it difficult to break free for a while if caught in the attack.
With its integrated crowd control and crowd damage capabilities, if it were to unleash its full power to release poison, the coverage area could reach the scale of an entire small town.
What pleased him even more was his cultivation level.
After three months of nourishing and tempering with the poison, not only was there no more consumption from the backlash of the toxins, but the medicinal power of the Soul Bone refining also nourished the meridians, allowing the Soul Power to break through the bottleneck all the way, steadily stopping at level 93 from level 91.
Each level of the Titled Douluo is an insurmountable barrier, and these two levels of advancement saved him a full ten years of arduous cultivation.
"Congratulations, Master! The poison has been completely eradicated, and your cultivation has greatly improved."
Lin Chen walked over, bowed slightly, and spoke with a genuine smile. He had spent a lot of time and effort guiding her every other day for three months, and now she had finally succeeded.
Dugu Bo laughed heartily, patting his shoulder firmly. "Hahaha, this is all thanks to you! Good lad, I didn't take you in for nothing."
He's becoming more and more satisfied with this apprentice.
After spending more than four months together, he realized even more how terrifying this kid was.
Lin Chen's cultivation level has steadily reached the peak of the fortieth level Soul Elder, just one step away from becoming Soul Ancestor.
The Twin Martial Souls were tempered day and night, and the dark red patterns on the Heaven-Slaying Sword became increasingly deep. Its killing aura was restrained, but its sharpness was even more prominent. The Chaos Pearl had also completely fused with the physical body and soul, becoming one with them and no longer being separated.
What does complete integration mean?
This means that the Chaos Soul Power can be circulated freely and controlled at will. The power of all Soul Skill has increased by 30% out of thin air, while the Soul Power consumption has been reduced by nearly half, and the recovery speed has more than doubled. Ordinary Soul Master have to carefully calculate their Soul Power in battle, but Lin Chen can fight continuously for a long time, and his endurance is unparalleled.
His physical body, repeatedly tempered by the Ice and Fire Spring Water and his dual Martial Soul, has become incredibly powerful.
He is completely immune to extreme cold and heat attributes. Ordinary poisons are neutralized by the Power of Chaos upon contact with him. Even Dugu Bo's innate Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison will be weakened to 30% of its power when it touches him, and it will not cause any damage in a short period of time.
What shocked Dugu Bo the most was that External Soul Bone - the Void Divine Eye.
After three months of Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew and nourishment from the spiritual energy of ice and fire, the Soul Bone evolved directly to the second stage, unlocking the "Void Mark".