Yu Tianyan smirked.
"Hehe,
Your Majesty, my martial spirit has a power you can't resist. I can help you and your granddaughter."
Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed. He knew his family's secrets better than anyone. Hearing this, he was sure Yu Tianyan knew about their martial spirit's flaw. But when Yu Tianyan claimed he could help, Dugu Bo felt a flicker of doubt.
Yu Tianyan went on. "The Jade Phosphorus Snake is a strong spirit. It can evolve into the Jade Phosphorus Snake King at level 70. But it's a shame."
"A shame?" Dugu Bo's voice was icy. His earlier excitement and doubts faded, though a spark of hope lingered in his heart.
Yu Tianyan placed his palm on Dugu Bo's arm. "How can you help us avoid the poison's effects?"
Dugu Bo's stare felt off, making Yu Tianyan uneasy. But what shocked him was when he pulled back his strange fire, it carried some of Dugu Bo's soul power. The fire refined it into his own body. A few more times, and he might break through to level 30.
Dugu Bo soared through the air, ignoring Tiandou City's no-flying rule. It wasn't true flight—most Title Douluo used soul power to control their weight for a gliding effect. Still, it was much faster than traveling on land.
His strange fire could refine soul power and soul bones, something even ultimate fire couldn't do. One glance at Yu Tianyan's flame told Dugu Bo his poison stood no chance against it.
Liu Erlong suddenly recalled how Yu Tianyan used strange fire to temper her skull. It meant the fire could enter the body, but it was risky. She stood and said, "Senior, Xiaoyan isn't lying. His flame can do this. If you don't resist, it'll work."
Dugu Bo froze. Liu Erlong, a level 88 soul fighter, wasn't someone to ignore. He lowered his head, thinking.
Her words made Dugu Bo's eyes light up with excitement. A kid solving his problem completely? He doubted it. But reducing the poison's impact? That seemed possible. Curious, he asked, "How?"
Liu Erlong sipped her tea, her five soul bones itching to activate.
On the way, Dugu Bo's mind raced. Could his granddaughter and this kid, Yu Tianyan, become a couple? It would solve her physical issues and maybe even get her a set of ten-thousand-year soul bones. After all, Yu Tianyan would be family by then.
"Can you really help me?" Dugu Bo asked gravely.
"You have strong soul power, so you're fine for now. But Dugu Yan has carried toxins since birth. Without soul bones to strengthen her body, can she live past thirty, Your Majesty?"
Dugu Bo stared at Yu Tianyan, then flew off.
"Senior, it's getting dark!" Liu Erlong called awkwardly.
But Dugu Bo was already far away, leaving his soul bone on the table.
His breathing grew heavy, a cold glint in his eyes. If Liu Erlong hadn't been watching, he might've taught this kid a lesson, even if he could help.
Seeing this, Liu Erlong and Yu Tianyan stayed quiet. This was a grandfather's deep love—always putting his granddaughter first.
Dugu Bo's mood was the best it had been in decades. His granddaughter wouldn't die young.
Then it hit him: the martial spirit's poison never stopped forming. He'd need Yu Tianyan to burn it away regularly. He could handle the pain, but his granddaughter would suffer each time. She'd have to visit this kid often. That meant…
After thinking it over, Dugu Bo said, "Kid, I shouldn't have doubted you. I'll handle your herbs. The soul bones? They're for Yanyan. Wait here—I'll be back."
Liu Erlong had a plan. If Dugu Bo dared touch Yu Tianyan, she'd use her divine power to save him, toss him into the sky, and unleash her soul bone skills—left arm to control, right arm to attack, left leg to kick Dugu Bo hard. He'd feel her strength.
"The Jade Phosphorus Snake Martial Spirit is naturally toxic. As you age and your soul power grows, the poison spreads through your body. Your eyes and your granddaughter's are proof."
Dugu Bo didn't doubt the flame could burn the poison away.
"Kid, come here. Show me what you'll do. If you can clear the poison from my arm, I'll trust you."
Yu Tianyan's tone turned sharp. "You think I'm joking? If the flames enter your body, you won't burn to death."
Dugu Bo screamed in pain, holding still to avoid losing his arm. A Titled Douluo, burned by a kid? How humiliating.
Guided by Yu Tianyan's mental focus, the Jade Phosphorus Snake King's poison in Dugu Bo's arm vanished fast. Even the strongest poisons from the Doupo World couldn't resist his Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire. Dugu Bo's martial spirit poison melted instantly before his Falling Heart Flame.
If he wasn't worried about burning away all of Dugu Bo's battle poison, Yu Tianyan could've cranked up the flames, knocked him out from pain, and made him too scared to raise his voice again.
Yu Tianyan nodded. "It's not a cure, but I can keep you and Dugu Yan healthy and able to practice. You just need to trust me."
The more Dugu Bo thought, the happier he got. He laughed wildly in the air, looking like a mad old man.
He glanced at two immortal herbs and muttered, "These are too toxic. Dangerous."
In just five minutes, Dugu Bo felt his arm lighten. Yu Tianyan pulled back the strange fire.
The pain stopped instantly. Dugu Bo waved his arm, the heaviness gone. His eyes grew misty.
"Yanyan is saved! Yanyan is saved!" he laughed. "Haha, Yanyan is saved!"
"It's simple," Yu Tianyan said lightly. "I use my fire to burn the extra poison from your bodies."
Dugu Bo was about to ask how much it would hurt when a burning sensation hit his arm, followed by sharp pain.
"Ahh!"
Who'd believe the great Poison Douluo could be poisoned?
At the Eyes of Yin and Yang, Dugu Bo stared at the red and blue spring water, a hint of fear in his eyes.
If Yu Tianyan could pinpoint their weaknesses, maybe he could help.
Dugu Bo nearly acted when he heard this. He slammed the table and growled, "Kid, are you mocking me? Flames in my body? I'll burn to death!"
Liu Erlong's eyes widened. She'd never heard of such a thing.
He stopped by a chrysanthemum-like fairy grass and said, "Damn Chrysanthemum Pass!"
Then he spotted a blue-purple fairy grass, about 30 centimeters tall, with a blue stem and nine slender purple leaves sparking with blue-white lightning.
He remembered Yu Tianyan's martial spirit was lightning-based. This grass seemed to have lightning properties, but he wasn't sure if it was toxic.
After a moment, he carefully dug it up and stored it in his Ruyi Treasure Bag. If it could help Yu Tianyan, great. If not, it was still his effort.
Then he looked at the magical herbs around him. He gritted his teeth, picked the ones with the strongest energy, and dug up a few thousand-year-old blood ginsengs. Sadly, there was no ten-thousand-year ginseng king.
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