Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Method of Detoxification

Although he was eager to gather the celestial herbs, Xiao Yu had not forgotten another important matter: resolving the deadly poison within Dugu Bo’s body.

“Senior Dugu, if I am not mistaken, every time it is overcast or it rains, you experience a tingling and itching sensation along both sides of your ribs, which gradually intensifies. It flares up twice a day, at noon and midnight, and in your current condition, each episode must last for at least an hour. Furthermore, late at night, around the third watch, you feel a stabbing pain at the crown of your head and in the center of your chest, as if pierced by needles, and your entire body convulses for at least half an hour.”

When curing someone of poison, it was necessary to first state the patient’s symptoms clearly. Xiao Yu borrowed the words Tang San had once spoken to Dugu Bo in the original story.

“You are truly perceptive, little brother Xiao. That is indeed the case. May I ask what method you would use to resolve the poison?”

Dugu Bo nodded, but unlike how he had tested Tang San, he did not make Xiao Yu try to detoxify himself first. After all, the young man was accompanied by two Title Douluo whose strength far surpassed his own. Unlike Tang San, who had only claimed he could detoxify in a desperate bid to survive, Xiao Yu had no such motive; there was no need to test his sincerity.

As for the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, while it was well hidden, if Xiao Yu and his party were only after it, they could simply kill Dugu Bo and then search for its location. The Sunset Forest wasn’t large; with two Title Douluo searching at full strength, it would be found within a fortnight at most.

Therefore, Xiao Yu’s group had come with genuine intentions and truly wished to befriend him.

“I have two solutions, one suited to you, Senior, and the other for your granddaughter,” Xiao Yu said with a slight smile. “The reason you are suffering from poison backlash is mainly because of your cultivation in poisonous arts. Moreover, as you possess a beast spirit, the toxins generated during cultivation fuse with your body when your spirit is invoked. Over time, the toxins within you have reached a terrifying level. Even though your soul power as a Title Douluo allows you to manipulate and suppress them, they have already become part of your very being.

“So my first solution is to use a soul bone as a conduit. Since your cultivation relies on poison and your combat style depends greatly on toxic attacks, it’s impossible to completely remove the poison from your body—that would greatly diminish your strength. If you wish to retain your potent toxins without letting them harm you, you must find a vessel to store them. A soul bone is the most suitable choice. As you transfer the toxins into the soul bone, I will administer medicine to nurture your body and repair the meridians damaged by the poison, alleviating the pain during attacks.”

Dugu Bo, an expert in poisons himself, quickly grasped the idea and nodded after careful thought. “Indeed, this method is feasible. What is your second solution?”

“The first solution is only a temporary relief—it treats the symptoms but not the root cause. A soul bone can serve as a vessel for the toxins, but its capacity is not unlimited. Once the threshold is breached and the toxins overflow, your life will still be in danger.

“Moreover, even if a soul master dies, the toxins stored within the soul bone will not simply vanish. Such soul bones, used to contain poison, cannot be passed down as legacy soul bones to the next generation.

“Senior, for now, it’s just you and your granddaughter, so you haven’t noticed the problem yet. But when she marries and your family flourishes, your descendants will face the same issue. Can you guarantee that every one of them will possess a soul bone? Surely I need not elaborate on how rare and precious soul bones are.”

Xiao Yu’s words wiped the smile from Dugu Bo’s face. He had been so intent on curing his own poison that he forgot his descendants would face the same threat. From the perspective of a patriarch, he naturally wished for his family to prosper. If his line continued through only one branch and something happened to that generation, the Dugu family would end with them.

“Therefore, my second solution is spirit evolution!”

Xiao Yu spoke solemnly, “Have you ever heard of ‘transforming into a dragon’?”

“Transforming into a dragon?” Dugu Bo shook his head.

Xiao Yu explained, “Ancient texts record that a serpent becomes a flood dragon after five hundred years, and a flood dragon becomes a true dragon after a thousand years. The Green-Scaled Serpent Spirit that your family inherits already contains dragon blood, though it is extremely diluted. My second solution is to use medicine to awaken the dragon blood within the Green-Scaled Serpent Spirit and evolve it from a snake-type into a flood dragon-type spirit. An evolved spirit can be inherited by your descendants, freeing them from the risk of poisonous backlash. However—”

“However, after the evolution, the dragon blood will be greatly enhanced, but the poisonous traits of the snake will be much diminished, making it very difficult for future generations to cultivate the family’s poison arts!” Dugu Bo immediately understood Xiao Yu’s meaning and finished the thought himself.

“Exactly.”

Xiao Yu nodded. “So the choice between these two solutions is yours to make.”

After hearing this, Dugu Bo fell into deep thought. It was a long while before he made up his mind. “I have spent most of my life cultivating poison arts. Though spirit evolution is tempting, giving up the skills I have honed all my life would only weaken me. But my granddaughter is still young, with limitless potential ahead of her. If her spirit evolves, her future may far surpass mine.”

This decision was not unexpected. There had never been a Title Douluo among the Green-Scaled Serpent’s ancestors, so apart from the basics, most of Dugu Bo’s advanced poison arts were self-taught. Though it was a pity not to pass them down, it was insignificant compared to the family’s future.

“That was my initial thought as well,” Xiao Yu replied, seeing that Dugu Bo had made his choice. “In that case, let me detoxify you first. As a Title Douluo, you must possess a soul bone, right?”

Dugu Bo nodded. “I have a Medusa Head Soul Bone, about sixty thousand years old.”

With two companions whose ninth spirit rings were both hundred-thousand-year rings, Xiao Yu had likely seen many such soul bones; Dugu Bo had no fear that Xiao Yu coveted his, so he did not conceal it.

Xiao Yu looked at Dugu Bo in shock and kindly reminded him, “Senior, the head is the most vital part of the body. If the poison overflows, you won’t even have a chance to be saved. Are you sure you want to use a head soul bone as your toxin vessel?”

“Wait here!”

Realizing the sense in Xiao Yu’s words, Dugu Bo looked embarrassed, then vanished in a flash, apparently going to procure a soul bone for one of his limbs.