The courtyard was silent, the moonlight as clear as water.
Dugu Bo lay leisurely on a rattan chair, his eyes slightly closed and his expression peaceful. He was savoring the long-lost lightness and tranquility that came after the toxins in his body had been completely purged.
"Liuyun, returning so late—what is the matter?"
Zhao Liuyun walked forward with light steps and spoke in a low voice. "Teacher, in that treasure land, there is an immortal herb that is a perfect match for you."
Dugu Bo's eyes snapped open, and the tranquil lake of his mind rippled once more. "I can still consume an immortal herb?"
Having witnessed the divine effect of the ice and fire herbs—which allowed a mere Spirit Grandmaster to adapt to environments of extreme ice and heat—his heart had long been filled with anticipation. However, he also understood that with his cultivation as a Titled Douluo, his foundation and talent had basically reached their limit for further improvement. Since his disciple hadn't mentioned it, he hadn't bothered to ask.
"Of course you can," Zhao Liuyun explained in detail. "Teacher, you are advanced in years. The typical effects of immortal herbs—such as raising talent, increasing spirit power, or strengthening the physical body—would not have much impact on a Titled Douluo like yourself."
In fact, it could be said that the vast majority of immortal herbs would be useless to a Titled Douluo with such profound cultivation and a powerful physique.
"But have you forgotten that snow-white immortal herb shaped like a swan's neck?"
"The Snow Swan Kiss—" Dugu Bo recalled briefly. Remembering its properties, his spirits instantly lifted. "You mean?"
Zhao Liuyun confirmed his suspicion. "Exactly. Although it cannot increase spirit power, it can significantly enhance your combat strength by causing your toxins to multiply exponentially."
"With a Spirit Core in your body, you can accommodate any amount of toxins. This immortal herb is practically tailor-made for you."
In truth, it was even more compatible with the Woeful Poison Body of the Little Fairy Doctor. For someone who relied on devouring toxins to level up, the Snow Swan Kiss was a divine plant capable of making them invincible in the world.
"Let's go!"
A bright light flared in Dugu Bo's green eyes. Unable to suppress his excitement, he didn't care that night had already fallen. He swept Zhao Liuyun up in his arms and, like a bolt of lightning, flew straight toward the Sunset Forest.
At the Well of Ice and Fire.
Dugu Bo stood silently before the immortal herb—slender, curved, and looking just like a swan's neck. He felt a slight trepidation; his past brush with death still haunted him. Even with a Spirit Core protecting his body, Dugu Bo still hesitated.
"Teacher, you cannot eat it. You only need to touch it lightly with your fingertip, then pull back quickly. Circulate your spirit power to draw the newly generated toxins into your Spirit Core." Zhao Liuyun, seeing him motionless for so long, reminded him of how to use it.
"Alright," Dugu Bo replied, but his disciple spoke again.
"Wait, don't be in a hurry yet. Help me with something first." Saying this, Zhao Liuyun stepped into the protective range of the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
A trace of confusion flashed in Dugu Bo's green eyes. "?"
"Use the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Poison on me."
"What?" A sound of shock escaped Dugu Bo's throat; he almost thought his disciple had truly gone mad. Seeing Zhao Liuyun's serious expression, which didn't look like a joke, he frowned and said, "The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Poison is my life-bound lethal poison. Even a stray wisp of it would turn an ordinary Spirit Douluo into pus and blood upon contact."
"Disciple, you must first explain the reason."
This was no laughing matter. Dugu Bo believed this must be a decision made after careful deliberation, rather than a whim blurted out.
Zhao Liuyun's voice was steady as he said, "Teacher, more than half of the medicinal power from the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot remains dormant within my body."
"Under normal circumstances, it would take a long time for me to absorb it."
A "long time" referred to reaching Level 70. By relying on secret body-tempering techniques, he could probably move that up to Level 60. But how long would that take? The Continental Spirit Master Competition would be over by then!
If he didn't find a shortcut to digest this dormant medicinal power, he wouldn't be able to safely consume the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. He only valued its effect on clearing the meridians, but medicinal power was precious, so it was best to minimize conflicts between them.
Dugu Bo's eyes shifted slightly upon hearing this; he roughly understood his disciple's intent.
Zhao Liuyun continued to explain, "The power of extreme ice and fire can neutralize all toxins, and the dormant medicinal power can be stimulated to circulate faster when provoked by a lethal poison."
"I wish to use the poison's force as a catalyst to flush out the hidden medicinal power and refine it ahead of schedule."
"This is my insurance." He raised his hand and lightly brushed the glowing, pale pink flower beside him.
It was leafless, with a stem three feet long. The flower was enormous, with a diameter of at least a foot. Each petal looked as translucent and crystalline as a diamond. The stamens were light purple, resembling purple diamonds embedded within.
"The immortal herb Aromatic Silk Beauty—the bane of a hundred poisons. Its pollen has the effect of neutralizing all toxins; even if the poison enters the blood, it can provide enough suppression."
Dugu Bo still harbored doubts.
Zhao Liuyun said, "This is an immortal herb specifically meant to counter and neutralize poison. Teacher, you know of the divine effects of these herbs."
Despite this, Dugu Bo remained cautious. He summoned the Nine-Segment Jade Snake he kept and tested it first. The small poison-releasing snake collapsed instantly, but Zhao Liuyun merely smiled calmly, showing no sign of tension.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo felt slightly more at ease.
Nine spirit rings rose from beneath his feet, circulating incessantly around his body. He slowly raised a finger, his fingernail extending until it was as sharp as an awl. Above the jade-green light, a thin wisp of seven-colored aura was faintly visible.
That aura condensed very slowly and was extremely faint; it was almost at the limit of Dugu Bo's control. He wanted to help his prized disciple activate the medicinal power of the immortal herbs and refine them early, not kill him. Naturally, he was far more careful than when he had dealt with Tang San.
"Get ready. Once the toxins enter your body, I can't take them back," Dugu Bo warned solemnly.
Poison can be released and naturally retracted, but toxins that have already entered the bloodstream are gone for good.
"Your disciple is ready. Teacher, do not worry." Zhao Liuyun smiled slightly and simultaneously swiped a handful of pollen from the stamens of the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
Dugu Bo nodded slightly and flicked his finger, instantly piercing Zhao Liuyun's left arm. In a flash, a surge of black gas erupted from the wound, spreading rapidly up his arm.
Zhao Liuyun reacted lightning-fast, slapping the pollen onto the wound before retreating back into the protection of the Aromatic Silk Beauty. He sat down cross-legged, and a [Potential Activation] buff fell upon him.
His blood surged like a tide. The toxins suppressed by the pollen and the dormant medicinal power of the ice and fire herbs crashed into each other with a roar.
In Dugu Bo's eyes, almost in an instant, a striking light radiated from his disciple. Red and white light alternated as the medicinal power of the ice and fire herbs blocked the offensive of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Poison, just as Zhao Liuyun had predicted. He even had the spare energy to look up and give Dugu Bo a composed smile.
An hour later, under Dugu Bo's protection, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Poison was forced out of the body through its original path.
[Potential Activation] was powerful. Forty percent of the residual medicinal power from the two immortal herbs had already been absorbed.
[Physique: 48]
His physique was climbing steadily. Once the remaining medicinal power was fully absorbed, he should reach the realm of a Spirit King. His physique had risen from 40 at the start to nearly 50. It seemed like a lot, but it was because of the two immortal herbs he had consumed!
Ice and fire generate and overcome each other; they are top-tier treasures. The benefits brought by the interlaced energy of these two herbs naturally far exceeded ordinary immortal herbs, second only to the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
After expelling the toxins, his blood boiled slightly and his body felt a stinging pain. Zhao Liuyun knew his body was issuing a warning. He abandoned the idea of refining all the medicinal power in one go.
He would wait a few days before returning.
The wait lasted ten days. Ten days later, another thirty percent was consumed.
As the medicinal power of the immortal herbs continuously integrated into his body, his "Invulnerable to All Poisons" constitution began to take shape. The effect of using the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Poison to stimulate absorption would gradually weaken.
His physique rose to 49.
Another ten days passed. This time, Dugu Bo slightly increased the dose of the poison. Zhao Liuyun absorbed the final thirty percent of the medicinal power without incident.
His physique rose to the peak of Level 49, needing only one final catalyst to break through to 50. And that catalyst was easy to find.
He rested for ten days to let his body recover. Then, Zhao Liuyun returned once more to the Well of Ice and Fire.
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