After Dugu Bo finished listening to the method of condensing a soul core, a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He suddenly forced out from within his body a dragon-eye-sized bead, perfectly round, flickering with a deep jade-green glow.
"This object was condensed by this old man over several decades of painstaking effort, using the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor poison I cultivated in my lifetime together with my own soul power, refining it bit by bit within my body."
His voice held an almost imperceptible fatigue, along with a trace of pride.
"Though it cannot circulate and regenerate like a soul core, it can help me collect and control the poison in my body, temporarily preventing backlash from invading. For many years it has been tied together with my life; it can be called the very origin of my toxic arts."
The jade-green poison bead hovered quietly in Dugu Bo's palm, its eerie green light flowing and changing, as if it were a living thing. Within it was contained a terrifying toxicity that could cause life to wither.
At the same time, thin strands of a sweet, metallic scent rapidly permeated the air. Even some of the strange flowers and herbs at the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well curled their leaves slightly.
Chen Yi took a perfectly timed step forward. His face was instantly covered with extreme surprise. That expression was controlled to near perfection—not only was there the shock of seeing a strange treasure for the first time, but also the delight of discovering a hidden trove.
His gaze burned as he stared at the poison bead, his voice filled with incredulous admiration:
"Elder Dugu, you are truly remarkable!"
Chen Yi circled around the bead, observing it from a distance as if confirming something. Then he suddenly clapped his hands, his voice rising a few degrees:
"Senior, do you know that your decades of hard work have not been in vain? Though this bead is not a soul core, its method of condensation, the massive energy it contains, and its intimate connection to your own origin already give it the embryonic form of a soul core."
"If I am not mistaken, using it as the foundation to condense a true poison-attribute soul core will be as natural and effortless as water flowing into a channel."
"Elder Dugu, you have already completed the hardest and most fundamental step. What you lack now is nothing more than the conversion method and energy-guiding techniques of a soul core. Compared to others, your efficiency in condensing a soul core will be at least twice as easy—if not more!"
Chen Yi had long known that Dugu Bo possessed a poison pill and was the person of this era closest to a soul core, but seeing it with his own eyes was another matter. By his estimation, if Dugu Bo were not limited by his own knowledge, he might well have reached a true poison-core stage and solved his inherited poison problem himself.
Thus, although his words sounded flattering, Dugu Bo's poison bead truly was extraordinary—the foundation of a soul core had already been laid.
The Grand Elder exchanged a glance with the Third Elder beside him. In each other's eyes they saw an unmasked emotion—shock, and… respect.
The two of them had benefited from the legacy left by a god. Although forming their soul cores had also been arduous, they ultimately stood on the shoulders of predecessors. There was a path to follow and methods to rely on.
But Dugu Bo, before them now, had relied solely on his own groping and experimentation. With no systematic heritage to guide him, he had forcibly used his own overwhelming poison as the raw material, and with immense willpower and precise control over his strength, condensed such a bead—nothing short of a miracle, a pseudo soul core!
Such talent and temperament would make even them feel a chill of awe.
The world knew how overbearing the Jade Phosphor Serpent's venom was. One misstep meant total annihilation. Dugu Bo not only controlled it, he even refined it into a bead and made it the key to balancing himself. The pain, danger, and loneliness he had endured… outsiders could hardly imagine.
In an instant, the faint contempt the two elders had felt for Dugu Bo vanished without a trace. In its place arose a respect reserved only for true powerhouses.
Hearing Chen Yi's words, dazzling light burst from Dugu Bo's jade-green serpent pupils. The face that had turned somewhat pale from forcing out the poison bead was flushed with excitement.
He clutched the hovering poison bead tightly, feeling the power within that was linked to his very bloodline. His voice carried a faint, barely noticeable tremor:
"Are… these words true?"
"Absolutely true!"
Chen Yi replied with iron certainty. "You have already completed the hardest, most fundamental step. The rest, we will aid you with all our strength. The environment of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is perfect for balancing poison, and is the best place for you to condense a poison core!"
Hope burned like wildfire across the long-barren plains of Dugu Bo's heart. The serpent-venom backlash that had tormented his family and himself for generations finally showed the dawn of complete resolution at this moment!
He took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed his surging emotions, then guided the poison bead back into his body.
However, he did not immediately request to go into seclusion. His gaze turned toward the outside of the valley. The sharpness in his eyes was withdrawn, replaced by rare warmth and concern.
He cupped his hands slightly toward Chen Yi and the two elders. His tone was earnest:
"Young Sect Master, honored Elders—the matter of condensing a soul core is of utmost importance. I must adjust myself to my best condition. What's more, once I enter seclusion I know not how long it will last. My granddaughter Dugu Yan is still young with an unsteady temperament. If she does not see me return for a long time, she will surely worry, and might even cause unnecessary trouble."
"I humbly request that you permit me to first return home, to put her heart at ease and arrange my household affairs. Once that is done, I will immediately return here without delay!"
He lowered his stance considerably; for a Titled Douluo, this was already immense sincerity.
Chen Yi's face remained calm, though inwardly he saw everything clearly. He naturally understood Dugu Bo's concerns, and also knew that Dugu Yan was this Poison Douluo's one true weak point.
He did not hesitate. He nodded readily.
"Senior's deep affection for kin is human nature. It should be so. I, of course, trust in your word."
Dugu Bo's expression grew solemn; he naturally understood Chen Yi's implicit reminder. He said in a deep voice:
"Rest easy, Young Sect Master. Since I, Dugu Bo, have already sworn upon my martial soul, to serve the sect for this lifetime, I will not harbor the slightest treachery. This trip, I will leave quickly and return quickly."
A martial soul oath is the highest form of binding to a soul master of this world, tied to the origin of their martial soul. Once violated, the shattering of one's soul and the loss of all cultivation is the lightest punishment; it may even bring calamity upon one's descendants. Chen Yi truly did not worry that Dugu Bo would go back on his word.
He nodded and made a "please" gesture.
"Please go, Senior."
Dugu Bo said no more. He cupped his hands once again, then his body blurred. In a flash he vanished like a streak of green smoke, sweeping silently over the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. With a few leaps he disappeared into the poisonous mists at the valley's mouth, leaving only a resolute figure receding into the distance.
Within the valley, silence fell for a time. Only the gurgling at the meeting point of the red and white springs, and the soft rustle of the wind passing through flowers and grasses, could be heard.
Not until that figure had completely faded from sight did the Grand Elder and the Third Elder almost simultaneously turn around, slowly.
Their gazes no longer followed the departing Dugu Bo, but instead, like the most precise searchlights, blazing with barely restrained heat, began once more to carefully sweep—inch by inch—across this blessed land they had long sensed was extraordinary, yet had never truly explored.
Where their eyes passed were stalks upon stalks of immortal herbs, bursting with spiritual energy and strange in form. The Aromatic Silk Beauty breathed pale pink radiance; the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum unfurled its dazzling golden petals; the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot swayed gracefully by the cold and hot springs respectively, exuding extreme cold and extreme heat—
Not to mention the countless other bizarre flowers and rare herbs carpeted everywhere, perhaps not famous by name, but whose medicinal potency was absolutely top-tier.
Even with the knowledge and composure of these two elders, their breathing inevitably grew heavier. Any one of these herbs, if it appeared outside, would be enough to set off a bloody storm in the soul master world. Yet here they grew as densely and casually as ordinary wildflowers. This was simply… wanton waste—no, a divine gift!
The Grand Elder took a deep breath. The overwhelmingly rich heaven-and-earth energy, mixed with the fragrance of uncounted immortal herbs, poured into his lungs. He even felt a faint, nearly imperceptible quiver in the long-stagnant bottleneck of his own soul power.
He slowly moved his gaze away from a stalk of Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew and finally set it on Chen Yi.
At this moment, in his eyes, Chen Yi's image had completely changed. He was no longer merely the junior who needed their shelter and guidance, but a partner with extraordinary means and astonishing fortune, even… a leader.
Without moving a single soldier, without raising a weapon—only through a conversation and a secret method—he had caused a long-famous Titled Douluo to willingly swear a martial soul oath of allegiance. Such scheming and methods were far beyond what an ordinary youth could possess.
"Xiao Yi," the Grand Elder spoke, his voice more grave than usual, much less casual, "you handled the matter of Dugu Bo extremely well. A Titled Douluo-level combat force—especially one famed for his strange and lethal poison—will greatly aid our future plans."
The Third Elder nodded as well, his sharp gaze carrying approval as he added:
"Indeed. And judging from his character, he is not a treacherous, untrustworthy sort. If we can truly win his sincere allegiance, he will be a great support."
Chen Yi inclined himself slightly, still modest in attitude.
"You flatter me, Elders. It was nothing more than taking advantage of the situation. Elder Dugu himself had this need, and he is one who keeps his word."
The Grand Elder waved a hand, indicating he need not be overly modest. His gaze once more swept the dream-like scenery around them, and his tone grew deep and solemn:
"Now that Dugu Bo has temporarily departed, this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and this valley filled with heaven-sent treasures—what… do you plan to do with them?"
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