Chapter 25: Dugu Bo's Test
Long Chen knew that Dugu Bo had a strong self-esteem and a suspicious character.
Therefore, when facing him, Long Chen deliberately restrained the immaturity and fear that a teenager should have, and behaved neither humble nor arrogant.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo's eyes flashed with surprise.
"Yanyan, you and Yu Tianheng step aside first, I have a few words to say to this kid."
"Grandpa, you won't embarrass him, right?"
"You silly girl, why should I embarrass him? I just want to communicate with him."
"Okay."
Dugu Yan nodded to Long Chen.
Then, she left with Yu Tianheng.
At this time, only Dugu Bo and Long Chen were left here.
Dugu Bo said coldly:
"Boy, you and Yanyan are not related. Why do you want to detoxify her?"
"Why? Do you think I have some ulterior motive?"
Long Chen smiled indifferently and said,
"To be honest, Ye Lingling, who just obtained her third soul ring, is like family to me. When I was six years old, I met Dugu Yan while sending Lingling to the Royal Academy and asked her to look after her. When I met Dugu Yan again later, I noticed signs of poisoning. After I joined the Royal Academy and became her teammate, I started developing a detoxification pill to thank her for taking care of Lingling."
Dugu Bo remained skeptical and asked,
"Then, about the poison in Yanyan—are you certain you can detoxify it?"
Long Chen smiled faintly, his eyes brimming with calm confidence.
"Senior, the green phosphorus snake venom in Dugu Yan's body was passed down from her mother. Over the years, part of the toxin has already invaded her bone marrow. However, it's not incurable. Unfortunately, even the best cook can't prepare a meal without ingredients. I've been looking for a special herb."
"What herb?"
"Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone."
"Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone?"
Dugu Bo raised his eyebrows, clearly intrigued.
"What kind of Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone are you referring to?"
"It's a white crystal flower that looks pure and flawless, like a combination of green lotus and white lotus root."
"White crystal flower..."
Dugu Bo muttered, seemingly remembering something.
"With Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, can the green phosphorus snake venom in Yanyan truly be cured?"
"Of course. Dugu Yan is still young, and the poison hasn't sunk too deep yet. That herb, when combined with others, can prevent the toxins from spreading further. However, it won't work on your poison."
Dugu Bo's expression darkened, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes.
"What a bold boy, how dare you say that I'm poisoned? I'm Poison Douluo—the ancestor of all poison! Others are poisoned by me, not the other way around! Even other poison-type soul masters are nothing before me. How could I be poisoned?!"
"Really? You've suffered backlash from your own poison and didn't even realize it. Compared to Dugu Yan, your symptoms are more severe and far more dangerous."
"You're so arrogant! Then tell me, how do you know I'm poisoned, and how can you say it's worse than Yanyan's?"
Long Chen met Dugu Bo's sharp gaze and answered firmly:
"If I'm not mistaken, every time it's cloudy or rainy, you feel numbness and itching around your ribs, which intensifies gradually. It happens once at noon and once at midnight, each lasting over an hour. And around midnight, you feel stabbing pain at the top of your head and in your heart, followed by body-wide spasms for at least half an hour. Your poison has seeped into your bones. Even with your powerful soul power, it's difficult to suppress it any longer."
Dugu Bo's face froze in shock.
"How... how do you know that?"
Long Chen's detailed description was like he had personally witnessed Dugu Bo being poisoned. That alone made Dugu Bo uneasy.
This was his deepest secret and also his greatest weakness. If discovered by an enemy, it could be fatal.
The fact that this thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy in front of him knew it all left Dugu Bo on edge.
Killing intent rose in his heart.
If Long Chen hadn't created a detoxification pill for Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo would have killed him on the spot.
Long Chen also sensed the murderous aura. His soul power flared uncontrollably, and a faint black light encased his body like an invisible barrier, guarding him instinctively.
Dugu Bo was startled by the reaction and quickly restrained his killing intent.
"Boy, did you just try to fight me?"
"I merely responded to your threat. With your strength, if you truly wanted me dead, it would happen in an instant, wouldn't it?"
"Haha! You've got guts, kid. Still, you're too calm and experienced for someone your age. You're the most composed soul master I've seen among your peers. I'm curious, what's your martial soul? And your soul power level?"
Dugu Bo's tone had clearly softened.
Long Chen relaxed as well and replied,
"My martial soul is the Dark Night Magic Harp. My soul power is at level thirty-nine."
"Dark Night Magic Harp... a mutant martial soul with evil attributes? No wonder."
Dugu Bo muttered, his eyes staying on Long Chen for a while.
"You've reached level 39 at such a young age. Impressive. You're far ahead of Yu Tianheng and Yanyan. Since you understand my poison so well... can you cure me?"
"As I said, I need certain rare herbs."
"And if you had those herbs?"
Long Chen answered confidently:
"If I had them, I'm 100% certain I could fully control the toxins in Dugu Yan's body. As for you, the poison has already taken root in your bones. I can't promise a full cure, but I can relieve your pain and use other techniques to suppress it. With your symptoms reduced, you won't need to constantly waste soul power to keep it at bay. That could allow your cultivation to progress further."
Dugu Bo was clearly moved.
Detoxification and power enhancement—what a tempting offer.
But he couldn't just trust the words of a teenager.
As he was mulling it over, he heard movement nearby.
It was Qin Ming and the others.
Ye Lingling had already absorbed her soul rings. Seeing that Long Chen and the others hadn't returned, she followed the trail Long Chen left behind to find them.
Long Chen said,
"Senior, Lingling should be done absorbing her rings. I should rejoin them now."
"Wait. You already know the secret of my poisoning. How can I just let you go?"
"Senior, don't worry. I will never reveal your secret."
Dugu Bo shook his head.
"In my life, I've never trusted others easily. How about this—I'll take you to my medicine garden. It contains countless rare herbs. I'll give you a chance to prove whether you can detoxify me."
"Alright. But let me say goodbye to them first."
Dugu Bo nodded, then called out:
"Yanyan, come back over here."
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(End of Chapter)