Gazing at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well before him, with mist curling upward, Chen Yi's eyes seemed to pierce through the red and blue springwater's outward appearance and delve straight into the very essence of the countless heavenly herbs nurtured within it.
Dugu Bo, who had only just sworn his oath and whose mind had yet to fully calm, fixed his gaze on him, waiting for the continuation that concerned his own fate.
Chen Yi slowly turned around to face Dugu Bo. His expression was calm and composed as he spoke:
"Elder Dugu, the poison of your Jade Phosphor Serpent martial soul originates from the very source, entangling your bloodline. It is indeed difficult to resolve by ordinary means. But all things in this world counter and give birth to one another; even in this place of certain death, a sliver of life is hidden. At present, I have three plans—upper, middle, and lower—that can resolve the disaster within your body and even your bloodline's inheritance. Each has its pros and cons; you may weigh them yourself."
"Three plans?"
Dugu Bo's spirit lifted. He hurriedly said, "Please explain in detail!"
The Grand Elder and the Third Elder also showed interested expressions. They wanted to hear what astonishing argument this young master, who always defied expectations, would put forward this time.
Chen Yi slightly nodded, then extended one finger first and pointed toward the yang spring side of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—at a stalk of immortal herb that emitted a faint pink halo. Its shape resembled a peony, yet was even more elegant and holy. Around that immortal herb, the thick miasma of poison actually retreated by itself, forming a patch of pure land.
"The lower plan is to borrow the power of that 'Aromatic Silk Beauty'."
Chen Yi's voice echoed clearly through the valley.
"This is a nemesis of all poisons, capable of neutralizing myriad toxins. If we use this immortal herb as the principal medicine and supplement it with several spirit herbs that harmonize medicinal properties to refine a Detoxifying Pill, we can gradually dissolve the venom that has seeped into your bones and entangled your martial soul. This method is the most stable, with virtually no risk."
At these words, a sliver of hope had just arisen in Dugu Bo's eyes, when Chen Yi's tone suddenly shifted:
"However, once this method is carried out, the toxic arts upon which your fame rests will likely… dissipate by seven or eight parts out of ten. At that time, though the poison will be dispelled, your cultivation will suffer greatly. Whether you can even remain at the rank of Titled Douluo will be hard to say."
To lose seventy or eighty percent of his power?!
Dugu Bo's face turned deathly pale in an instant. He subconsciously retreated half a step, his eyes filled with rejection and fear. He had roamed the continent his entire life, making plenty of enemies. The fearsome name of the Poison Douluo was his greatest protection.
If he lost these toxic arts, then even if the venom was purged, he would be nothing more than an ordinary soul master by then. Would all those enemies he'd made over the years possibly let him go? What would become of him and Yanyan?
To have a healthy body, yet no strength to protect that health, in this Douluo Continent where the weak are meat for the strong—how was that any different from being a lamb waiting to be slaughtered?
"No. Absolutely not!"
Dugu Bo almost squeezed the words out from between his teeth, his voice trembling slightly with lingering dread.
"If I lose this cultivation, I, Dugu Bo, am no different from a dead man. This plan… forgive me, but I cannot accept it!"
Dugu Bo rejected it decisively, yet deep in his heart he silently memorized the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
He was already over seventy; he had long lived enough. He himself could forgo it, but perhaps he could leave it for Yanyan. If in the end he could not find a better solution, then letting Yanyan purge the poison—even if she became a completely ordinary person—would be far better than dying from poison.
That thought, like a seed, quietly took root in his heart.
Chen Yi was not surprised by Dugu Bo's intense reaction. The pride of a Titled Douluo and his dependence on strength were not so easily set aside.
The next moment, Chen Yi's expression unchanged, he raised a second finger.
"The middle plan is divert and transfer, condense into a poison sac."
"Since the poison is hard to eradicate, we will not force its dissolution. Instead, we guide it, drive it out and gather it into a specific container, refining it into a poison sac you can use for yourself. This container is best a soul bone that is compatible with you."
"Soul bone?"
At these words Dugu Bo's gaze tightened. To a Titled Douluo like him, soul bones were also extremely precious. But if he truly wanted to find one, it wouldn't be difficult. He could just go to a soul beast forest and spread some poison; some soul bones were bound to turn up.
It was just… not very humane.
"Correct," Chen Yi affirmed. "Soul bones can perfectly fuse with a soul master's body and are the best carriers to hold poison. Moreover, a soul bone itself can slowly evolve as the soul master grows, and can to some extent adapt to changes in the poison."
"I suggest choosing a strength-type ten-thousand-year soul bone as the most suitable. Strength-type soul bones are tough in texture, with strong bearing capacity, and can better withstand the impact of violent toxins."
He glanced at the Grand Elder, then continued:
"Since Elder Dugu has already joined our Body Sect, you are one of our own. Our sect has accumulated some strength-type soul bones of ten-thousand-year quality over the years. They can be offered as a greeting gift to aid you in implementing this middle plan."
These years, the Body Sect had caused no small amount of trouble in the seas; their stockpile of soul bones was not insignificant. Using them to secure the loyalty of a Titled Douluo was more than worth it.
Chen Yi's tone was calm, yet the weight behind his words made Dugu Bo's heart skip a beat. Ten-thousand-year soul bones were strategic treasures for any power, yet the other party could so casually promise to produce one as a mere greeting gift. Just how deep was the foundation of this Body Sect?
Thinking of this, Dugu Bo's resistance toward his earlier decision lessened a bit.
However, Chen Yi soon pointed out this method's flaws as well:
"Still, this plan has obvious drawbacks. A soul bone is, after all, something external. Though it fuses with the body, its essence remains dead matter; it has a limit to what it can contain."
"As your cultivation increases and the poison constantly grows stronger, one day it will reach the maximum that the soul bone can hold. At that time, this method will fail, and you will need to find another solution—or face a backlash of the poison. More importantly—"
Chen Yi's tone grew heavier, his words carrying a clear warning:
"In battle, a soul bone can be damaged or even shattered. Once the soul bone that serves as your poison sac suffers serious damage, the terrifying poison compressed within it will erupt in an instant and backlash on its master—"
"The consequences will be unimaginable!"
"They will likely be at least ten times more perilous than your current situation!"
Dugu Bo's face flickered between dark and light as he listened. This middle plan could preserve his strength, but its lingering dangers were just as huge, like embracing a soul tool bomb that might explode at any moment.
Just then, Chen Yi seemed to think of something. With a pondering look, he muttered under his breath:
"Unless one could find that kind of external soul bone that coexists with the body, has growth potential, and can evolve along with one's cultivation—almost equivalent to a bodily organ. Using that as the conductor might perfectly solve the issues of capacity and damage…"
In his mind, an image flashed from the anime of his past life: a blue-clad youth bearing eight ferocious spider lances on his back. That was the ideal external soul bone for the Jade Phosphor Serpent martial soul. But this thought only flashed by; he didn't say it aloud. After all, external soul bones were things one might never encounter even if one sought them, and presently, who knew where that particular one was?
Dugu Bo didn't catch Chen Yi's low mutter. He was still immersed in weighing pros and cons. The middle plan was dangerous, but at least it preserved his strength. It seemed… like the most feasible option for now.
At that moment, Chen Yi raised a third finger, and his eyes became especially bright and solemn.
"The final plan is the upper plan—condense poison into a source and forge a soul core."
"Soul core?"
Dugu Bo looked utterly blank. This term was completely unfamiliar to him. He couldn't help turning his gaze toward the Grand Elder and the Third Elder at his side—only to see that, upon hearing the words "soul core," a trace of grave seriousness appeared in both Titled Douluos' eyes. Clearly, the soul core's origin was extraordinary.
Noticing the confusion in Dugu Bo's eyes, the Grand Elder decided not to conceal it. After all, Dugu Bo had already sworn to serve the Body Sect; he was now one of them.
"Wh-what?!"
After listening, Dugu Bo felt as though struck by lightning, stunned on the spot.
"A soul core… There actually exists such a heaven-defying method in this world? Is this real?"
His voice shook violently from sheer excitement. Looking at the Grand Elder and the Third Elder, he saw nothing but firm confirmation in their eyes, and his excitement grew all the more intense.
He had originally thought that merely preserving his current strength while resolving the backlash issue would be a blessing beyond expectation. Yet he hadn't imagined that this upper plan would actually allow him to break and then stand anew, stepping onto a broad and unprecedented great road!
Ecstasy—an indescribable ecstasy—instantly washed away all of Dugu Bo's inner hesitation, resentment, and worry.
Compared with this upper plan of condensing a soul core, the lower plan of dissolving his power was like drinking poison to quench thirst, while the middle plan relying on a soul bone appeared clumsy and riddled with hidden dangers.
Only after Dugu Bo had calmed his emotions somewhat did Chen Yi speak again, his tone filled with temptation:
"For you, this soul core method is the best way to resolve your poison problem. You need not force the poison into a soul bone. Instead, with secret techniques, you can use the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor poison you've cultivated throughout your life as the foundation, and fuse it with your own soul power and spiritual power to condense within your body a unique—poison core!"
"Once this poison core is formed, it will not only leave your strength unharmed, it will also let you completely unify and control all the scattered, backlashing toxins in your body, turning them fully into your own power!"
"At that time, your toxic arts will even advance to a higher level, and the cultivation that has stagnated for so many years can, through this opportunity, advance another great step beyond its former peak!"
"The upper plan! I choose the upper plan!"
Dugu Bo virtually roared his choice. His face flushed bright red with excitement. He gave a deep, full bow to Chen Yi and the two elders, his tone full of unprecedented respect and earnestness:
"I beg the young sect master and the two elders to teach me the method to condense a soul core. I, Dugu Bo, will do my utmost and will not fail the sect's expectations. From this day forth, my life belongs to the sect!"
Seeing the utterly moved Dugu Bo, who could barely control his emotions, the corners of Chen Yi's mouth finally curled up in a satisfied arc.
He knew that from this moment on, this Poison Douluo was truly bound, body and soul, to the chariot of the Body Sect.