Even Dugu Bo, who was on the opposite side of the mountain, couldn't possibly detect the Emerald Dragon Serpent's presence. The serpent's stealth skill was so subtle that not even a Titled Douluo could sense it.
Through the serpent's senses, Dugu Feng extended his perception toward the cave.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips as the sounds of ding ding dong dong echoed within.
Through the Pearl's link, he saw Dugu Yan inside was training her finger strength.
It was the second stage of her Jade Phosphor Violet Poison. Her slender hands thrust out like blades, each jab sharp and precise.
Dugu Feng chuckled silently. As expected of the snake branch. Only at the third soul skill stage do they begin to enhance their poison attacks.
Still, she was training hard.
What made him laugh even more was the sight of her muttering under her breath between strikes:
"Surpass that bastard Dugu Feng!"
"Beat that bastard Dugu Feng!"
So his dear cousin still held quite the grudge.
Then I guess I'll have to feed you a little Pearl, dear cousin.
The Emerald Dragon Serpent opened its mouth, releasing a faint mist of Jade Phosphor Scarlet Poison.
The timing was perfect! It was just as Dugu Yan sat down to recover her soul power.
The mist drifted gently toward her, carrying the subtle hypnotic effect of the red toxin.
Dugu Yan felt her eyelids grow heavy. Her mind dimmed.
So tired… must be from overtraining lately… I should rest a bit.
And with that, she drifted into unconsciousness.
The serpent leapt forward, barely a flicker of green light, and tapped her chin lightly.
The Pearl slipped into her mouth.
"Hehe, Cousin," Dugu Feng murmured, "you'd better train hard from now on."
A faint smile curved his lips.
Poor Dugu Yan—first poisoned by Dugu Shuo, now by Dugu Feng.
Moments later, he descended lightly from his serpent into the cave.
"Cousin, how can you fall asleep in a dangerous place like the Sunset Forest?" he teased softly. "You're far too careless."
Dugu Yan stirred and blinked awake.
"Dugu Feng?! What are you doing here?"
Still a little dazed, she frowned in confusion.
"This is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well," Dugu Feng said with a calm smile. "Of course I'm cultivating here. Lord Jade Phosphor wanted to refine medicine, so he sent me out.
"From the sound of things, you were training your Jade Phosphor Finger, weren't you? I could teach you if you'd like.
"My hands can both release the technique...and I've even developed my own variation, called Jade Phosphor Twelve Fingers.
"You've seen my fights in the Soul Arena; this technique is what carried me to victory every time."
His tone was modest, but his confidence was clear.
Dugu Yan's eyes chilled. Her first instinct was to refuse—but after a moment of thought, she hesitated.
She had been practicing for over a year and still couldn't master it.
Fine. Let him teach me. Once I learn it, I'll use his own skill to defeat him.
And maybe it'll get Grandfather to look more favorably on me than on him.
Her voice was cold. "Fine. Tell me how to train it."
"To cultivate the technique," Dugu Feng said, "you must first activate your Martial Soul. The key lies in opening the meridians in your hands. Channel your soul power carefully, expanding and protecting your meridians as you go, or they'll tear under the strain."
Dugu Yan nodded slightly and began her Martial Soul possession.
Her transformation was far different from his.
A green diamond-shaped scale appeared at her brow, her legs merged together into a powerful serpentine tail that coiled and supported her body like a giant python.
So this is the difference between the snake and poison branches, Dugu Feng thought.
He wasn't really teaching, but moreso he was observing, studying the essence of the snake branch's Martial Soul.
In the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, there was a herb known as the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd—a plant that could evolve serpent-type spirits into dragon-type ones.
For most beast-type Spirit Masters, evolution toward dragon bloodline was the ultimate path.
Yet in his observation, the snake branch's bloodline was far stronger in serpent traits, while his poison branch was dominated by pure venom essence.
When he used Spirit Possession, the scales on his forehead glimmered in three colors.
His father's shone with four.
But both Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan's scales were a simple emerald green.
The brighter and more varied the color, the more potent the poison.
It became clear to him: the poison branch had fully transcended beast lineage and now its essence was toxin itself.
Evolution toward dragon form isn't our path… Our true strength lies in poison.
Still, he mused, if Dugu Bo or Dugu Yan consumed the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, it would greatly enhance their power.
But for himself—he would continue refining poison.
How far could his Martial Soul evolve as his toxins grew stronger? The thought thrilled him.
He watched Dugu Yan's practice with interest until Dugu Bo suddenly appeared at the cave entrance.
"Lord Jade Phosphor," Dugu Feng said calmly, "I was teaching Cousin the Jade Phosphor Twelve Fingers."
Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but when he glanced at Dugu Yan and saw no protest, his expression softened slightly.
Then his tone turned cold.
"Dugu Feng, from now on, stay away from Yan Yan. You and your father—poisoning people mid-conversation, utterly shameless. If she spends too much time with you, she might get sold off without realizing it."
He said it without mercy.
In truth, even as a Titled Douluo, Dugu Bo felt a trace of fear toward Dugu Shuo.
If Dugu Feng could read his mind, he would laugh—So even a poison king fears the mad ones.
"Grandfather…" Dugu Yan's voice dragged, full of displeasure.
To her, it sounded as though her grandfather thought she was a fool.
"Lord Jade Phosphor," Dugu Feng said lightly, "in that case, I'll take my leave."
He turned to go, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Second Grandfather, your granddaughter has already sold herself. Soon enough, she'll be my loyal pawn.
Leaving the cave, Dugu Feng returned to the Yin Yang Well and resumed his cultivation.
Time flowed quietly and soon half a year passed.
On the mountaintop above the Yin Yang Well stood a tall young man in silver robes, his figure straight and poised. Nearly one meter ninety, eyes sharp as stars, golden light flickering in his gaze as though he could pierce through heaven and earth.
"Thirteen years old…"
Dugu Feng murmured, toying with a red-and-gold pearl in his palm.
For him, these months had flown by in the blink of an eye.
There was only cultivation—soul power growth, refinement of cold poison, and body tempering.
His physical strength had reached a terrifying level.
When Old Scorpion came to visit and compare, even he was shocked that Dugu Feng's body toughness already surpassed many Soul Saints.
His meridians were fully opened, and the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's medicinal essence had long since fused with his body, turning his physique as resilient as if clad in Eight Treasures Soft Armor.
Gazing toward the Sunset Forest, his spirit stirred.
At last, a small green shape appeared in the distance. It was one of his summoned serpents.
"Found it?" Dugu Feng's tone was cool.
"If you hadn't," he said lightly, "I'd have just turned you both into my next soul rings. Your age is just right, after all!"