Dugu Bo's expression settled, reverting to its usual cold hardness. He looked at Tang San and asked, "What herbs did you eat here that you're not even afraid of my Emerald Serpent Emperor poison?"
Tang San made no effort to hide it. "After you brought me here yesterday, I thought it over carefully and consumed the Eight-Pointed Frost Herb and the Blazing Apricot Herb."
"The Eight-Pointed Frost Herb and the Blazing Apricot Herb? What are those?" Dugu Bo had never even heard of these two names.
Tang San nodded. "They are two poisonous herbs that grow at the central positions on either side of the Ice Spring and the Fire Spring, nourished by the quintessence of extreme yin and extreme yang respectively."
Hearing Tang San's explanation, a vague recollection surfaced in Dugu Bo's mind. "You mean those two plants that radiate extreme cold and extreme scorching heat? Those herbs are edible?"
Because of the unique properties of the Eight-Pointed Frost Herb and the Blazing Apricot Herb, Dugu Bo remembered them quite clearly—within the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, there was only one of each. He had tested them before: even with his Soul Power, he couldn't remain near either herb for long. He knew both contained the most extreme yin-cold poison and fire poison, incomparably potent. Because he didn't understand their medicinal properties, he had never dared to act rashly.
Since there was only one of each, Tang San wasn't worried about Dugu Bo knowing. "That's right. Both of these herbs are supremely poisonous—ordinary people who come within ten meters of either one will be frozen solid or reduced to ashes within moments, let alone consume them. However, as the saying goes, extreme yin and extreme yang counteract each other, and ice and fire restrain each other. When these two extreme herbs are placed together, they neutralize one another, drastically reducing their toxicity. That is also the only opportunity to consume them. Once taken, the ice and fire toxins shift from repelling each other to complementing one another, producing a body-restructuring effect. Combined with special absorption techniques, it grants complete immunity to both fire and water."
"Good, very good—complete immunity to fire and water." Dugu Bo's gaze shifted slightly, a flicker of hesitation crossing his heart.
Though he hadn't known that the Eight-Pointed Frost Herb and the Blazing Apricot Herb could be consumed this way, he was well aware of how overpowering their medicinal properties were. He understood that Tang San surely hadn't fully absorbed their power yet. If he drank the boy's blood, perhaps… But Tang San had mentioned that special methods were required to absorb them—what could those be?
With that thought, Dugu Bo probed, "Is it these herbs that allow you to counter my three deadly poisons?"
Tang San smiled faintly. "You could say that. Old Monster, after you brought me here, I finally understood why the toxins inside your body haven't killed you through backlash. It's because of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye. The Frigid Extreme Yin Spring and the Blazing Extreme Yang Spring exert an incredibly strong suppressive effect on all poisons—their waters are impervious to a hundred toxins. For ordinary people, the environment here is unbearable, and even powerful Soul Beasts can't withstand it. But for you, this place does nothing but good. It's the aura of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye that has been keeping the deadly poisons in your body in check. Training here won't be enough to purge your toxins entirely, but at least it can guarantee you'll live to a hundred without issue. However…"
Dugu Bo couldn't help pressing, "However what?"
Tang San let out a soft sigh. "The reason I consumed the Blazing Apricot Herb and the Eight-Pointed Frost Herb had another purpose—I needed to be able to survive in this place. When these two herbs are taken together, they essentially form a miniature Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, though their toxin-suppressing effect isn't nearly as terrifying as the real thing. I've come up with two methods to neutralize the poison in your body. One of them is to consume both of these herbs simultaneously, then use your powerful Soul Power to absorb their medicinal properties. If we do that, I have at least an eighty percent chance of dissolving the toxins inside you."
Dugu Bo's gaze gradually turned glacial. "But you ate them yourself."
Tang San smiled. "Old Monster, hear me out." He wouldn't have dared tell Dugu Bo all this so fearlessly without good reason. "The Eight-Pointed Frost Herb and the Blazing Apricot Herb are both classified as immortal-grade rare herbs. Despite being lethally poisonous, their immortal-grade designation is well deserved. Yes, they can neutralize the deadly poison in your body. But at the same time, all of your poison-based cultivation would be dissolved along with it. Would you be willing to accept that?"
"This…" Dugu Bo froze. He had already been on the verge of attacking again, but hearing this, he immediately hesitated.
Tang San watched the wavering Dugu Bo and continued, "If you don't believe me, here's what we can do—my blood contains the medicinal properties of both herbs. I can draw some out for you to test. But if your cultivation drops, don't blame me."
"There's no need to test it, you little monster." Dugu Bo said through gritted teeth. "How do you know so much?"
Tang San replied with composure, "When I was young, I came into possession of a book that recorded many rare and extraordinary things. There are golden houses in books, after all—this knowledge naturally came from reading."
"You said there were two methods to detoxify me. What's the second?" Dugu Bo asked.
Tang San said, "The second method only gives me a sixty percent chance of success, but it won't diminish your own strength. Of course, your granddaughter's poisoning is still shallow—I have complete confidence in restoring her fully. The method itself isn't overly complicated. The reason your body is suffering from the backlash is primarily because of the poison-based cultivation you've practiced. If your Martial Soul had been a Tool Soul, things would be far simpler—all you'd need to do is condense the toxins within your Martial Soul, and every problem would be solved. But you currently use a Beast Soul, which means the toxins have fused with your physical body. Even though your Soul Power can exert a degree of mobilization and suppression, the poisons have long since become a part of you—which is why they cause such severe damage. To preserve the deadly toxins inside your body without allowing them to harm you, you would need to find a parasitic vessel to serve as a storage vessel for the poison. I imagine that with your level of power, you must have at least one Soul Bone on you."
Dugu Bo was himself a grandmaster in the art of poison. Hearing Tang San's explanation, understanding immediately dawned, and a flash of emerald light lit up his eyes. "You mean I should force the toxins inside my body into the Soul Bone? That way, they wouldn't harm me?"
Tang San nodded. "That's exactly the principle. Your granddaughter would be the same—as long as you find a suitable Soul Bone for her and have her force the toxins into it during her poison cultivation training, there won't be any problem. Take me, for example—I carry poison in my body as well, but all of it resides in my Blue Silver Grass and my external soul bone, the Eight Spider Lances. Naturally, I suffer no ill effects."
Dugu Bo frowned. "I've cultivated the Emerald Serpent Martial Soul for over seventy years. My body has long since fused with the toxins—it won't be easy to force them out. If something goes wrong, the backlash could be even worse. Little Monster, you're not teaching me how to commit suicide, are you?"
Tang San said calmly, "This is the only viable method. I don't mean for you to simply use Soul Force to push the poisons out—you're right that doing so would have no beneficial effect and would only trigger an even more severe backlash. Instead, it must be combined with specific medicinal guidance to gradually filter the toxins from your meridians and bones, drop by drop, concentrating them within the Soul Bone. This will be a lengthy process, far from something that can be completed in a day or two. After all, your current body is essentially a poison body. That's why I said I only have a sixty percent chance of success. But one thing is certain—even if I can't manage to merge all of your toxins into the Soul Bone, I can at least drastically reduce the pain you currently endure. Would you be willing to try?"
Dugu Bo looked at Tang San, the light in his eyes withdrawing inward. "Little Monster, I've tried to kill you more than once. Are you truly willing to help me detoxify? Aren't you afraid that once my poison is cleared, I'll kill you?"
Hearing this, Tang San knew Dugu Bo was beginning to trust him. He said evenly, "Whether you believe it or not, I've never shied away from poison. On the contrary, I'm quite fond of it. And a poison person like you—there's probably only one in the entire continent. The process of treating you is, for me, also a process of experimentation. As for whether you'll go back on your word—I can't be certain of that. But I can tell you clearly: if you kill me, your granddaughter dies too. I can treat you here. When it comes time to treat your granddaughter, I will require my teacher to be present. Once she's cured, you and I will have no further ties. How does that sound?"
Dugu Bo considered for a moment. "Fine. Little Monster, there are few people I find worthy of my respect. You're one of them. I'll trust you. Everything will be done as you say. When Dugu Bo gives his word, he keeps it—as long as you cure me and my granddaughter, the three conditions I promised are as good as done, and I won't kill you. But now, please eat this first. This old life of mine may not be worth much, but I'd still like to live a few more years. If your treatment kills me, then you'll be buried alongside me."
As he spoke, Dugu Bo opened his mouth, and a streak of green light shot forth—a jade-green pearl.
Under Dugu Bo's control, the green pearl drifted slowly toward Tang San. Tang San opened his right hand, allowing it to land in his palm. He had no idea what it was, but he clearly remembered that Dugu Bo had spat out this very pearl when he broke free from the Sacred Dragon True Form.
Tang San smiled ruefully. "Spat out from your mouth and then you want me to eat it—that's more than a little disgusting, wouldn't you say?"
(End of chapter)