Dugu Bo's Shock

Chapter 13 Dugu Bo's Shock

To say he wasn't curious would be a lie, even though he had already packed up the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and handed it over to His Highness for disposal.

As the "Poison Douluo," he prided himself on being an expert in poisons his entire life. Yet, not only could he not cure his own poison, but he was also unaware that the antidote was right beside him. He'd been guarding this treasure trove for so many years, not even knowing the uses of the plants here—it was truly frustrating.

Ah, it has to be His Highness, a scholar beyond compare. I wonder how His Highness could be so learned at such a young age, it's as if there's nothing His Highness doesn't know.

Sometimes he wondered if the person opposite him was really a teenager.

"I recognize most of them and understand their effects. If Elder Dugu is interested, I can tell you about them over there. This is called 'Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb,' a 'Hundred Poisons Counteracter.' It neutralizes all toxins; it doesn't detoxify itself, but it can counteract them."

Looking at the large, pale pink flower with petals as clear as crystal, Dugu Bo's face immediately showed a look of dread. If someone else obtained this celestial flower, wouldn't they become his nemesis? Fortunately, fortunately.

"This blue one is called the Eight-Cornered Ice Grass. It's a plant that grows from extremely cold ice springs, and its nature is extremely cold, making it of great help to ice-attribute Soul Masters."

"This red flower is called the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red. It is a divine treasure among the immortal herbs, with the effect of bringing the dead back to life and healing flesh and bones. However, the conditions for picking it are extremely harsh. It requires someone who is deeply in love to drip their heart's blood onto it with utmost sincerity."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo felt as if he had wasted his entire life. He realized that there were so many wondrous plants in the world, and he had been tending to them every day.

I'm numb, really numb. But it's all for the best; valuable treasures should be left to those who appreciate them, it would be a waste for an old man like me to give them away.

"Old Master Dugu, this Crimson Swan Kiss plant is suitable for you. Although it cannot cure the poison in your body, if you refine it, your strength can be improved."

After explaining the herbs, Zhongli continued.

"Then thank you very much, Your Highness."

Dugu Bo gave Zhongli a deep look, then plucked the blood-red swan kiss, swallowed it, and found a place to sit down cross-legged and begin refining it.

Then, Zhongli's gaze fell upon a strange black bamboo. The Ink Jade Divine Bamboo; a rare and precious plant with an extremely rigid appearance, yet possessing a perfect balance of strength and gentleness, and an inexhaustible life force. Tens of thousands of years later, this Ink Jade Divine Bamboo would transform into an extremely powerful plant-type ferocious beast, its attack power unparalleled. Fusing the Ink Jade Divine Bamboo as a soul ring could also make a gentle martial soul even stronger, greatly increasing its attack power.

Even setting aside the fact that truly suitable natural treasures for an individual are few, the number of immortal herbs one can effectively absorb is also limited, at most only two or three. Otherwise, given Tang San's greed in the original work, how could he have stopped after only a taste? Zhong Li's goal was set on this Black Jade Divine Bamboo.

The immortal herb Zhongli chose for Ying was the "Looking Through Autumn Water Dew," a herb used by Tang San and Huo Yuhao in the original work. Its main function is to significantly enhance spiritual power; in the original work, both protagonists greatly improved their Purple Demon Eye techniques. Of course, in Zhongli's view, using such a precious herb to cultivate a low-level martial art like the Purple Demon Eye was a waste.

After handing the "Longing for Autumn Dew" to Ying, Zhongli carefully broke off a section of the Black Jade Divine Bamboo, then pried open the bamboo joint to reveal the glistening dew inside, which looked just like the legendary nectar of the gods. Then, Zhongli poured this cool, strange liquid from the bamboo joint into his mouth.

The jade nectar within the black jade bamboo had a slightly sweet taste and a faint, refreshing fragrance, instantly invigorating the mind and body. After the nectar flowed down his throat, Zhong Li closed his eyes and felt a strange medicinal power gently spreading throughout his body.

The medicinal properties of the Jade Bamboo, a celestial plant, are pure and mild, and will not conflict with any type of soul power. After coming into contact with Zhongli's power, it quickly fused together, resulting in a strange and transformative effect.

If one could see through the wisps of soul power flowing within Zhongli's body, one could discern that they possessed a texture resembling jade, warm and smooth yet exuding an ethereal charm.

Zhong Li felt as if he were in a secluded bamboo forest, bathed in the soft moonlight, everything around him radiating gentleness. Bamboo shoots silently broke through the soil, nurturing boundless vitality in their stillness, gradually growing into bamboo joints as black as jade.

Meanwhile, behind Ying, a purple eye slowly opened. The scene within seemed to pierce through time and space: the sea crashing against the rocky shore, stars falling to earth, a land of eternal night rising from the sea, and ancient islands shrouded in mist. Finally, all the images lingered on a cherry tree, growing in emptiness, blooming amidst illusion.

Ying stood up, drawing a purple longsword from his chest. In an instant, lightning flashed, and a hundred eyes opened and closed in the void. All the soul beasts in the Sunset Forest trembled and prostrated themselves, even the ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts.

In that instant, all the soul beasts in the Sunset Forest felt as if they were being watched for a moment by some incredibly terrifying being.

Having just absorbed the Crimson Swan Kiss and broken through to the peak of level 92, nearing level 93, Dugu Bo looked at the girl with utter shock. Although he didn't know her exact level of soul power, in that instant when countless purple eyes appeared in the sky, this Title Douluo felt a sense of fear.

Ying put away the "Dream of One Heart" in her hand again, then stood quietly beside Zhong Li, waiting for him to finish absorbing it. After absorbing the "Dew of Longing", her spiritual power increased to the peak of Soul Saint, close to the level of Soul Douluo, but the greatest help was naturally not this.

She has now regained a small amount of the ability to gather "willpower"; willpower is a power that exists in all living beings in this world, possessed by humans and also by soul beasts. The power of faith that the divine realm relies on to maintain itself can also be considered a kind of willpower, but the scope of willpower is much broader than the power of faith absorbed by the divine realm.

The moment Shadow erupts, she can sense the vast and powerful willpower that exists all around her, instantly transforming it into the lightning that wraps around her sword, or simultaneously locking onto a large number of enemies. Normally, she can also store a portion of this willpower in her Pure Land of the Heart.

Dugu Bo glanced at Ying, then at Zhongli, whose skin radiated a jade-like glow, and shook his head. "The younger generation is truly formidable! Truly formidable!"

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhongli finally opened his eyes. A crystalline luster, like jade, flashed in Zhongli's eyes.

Zhongli's martial soul could no longer evolve, but it had received some assistance. In a sense, his current Piercing Rainbow Spear was closer to being materialized, no longer just a martial soul, which was a pleasant surprise.

If it were the true Piercing Rainbow Spear in Zhong Li's hands, it would be far more terrifying than any divine artifact or even a super divine artifact in this world, such as the harpoon of the Sea God Tang San. Don't underestimate Zhong Li just because he's currently only at the fourth ring of the Soul Master realm. If the true Piercing Rainbow Spear were in his hands, he could instantly sever even the Seven Kill Sword in the hands of the level 96 Title Douluo Chen Xin without a doubt.

(End of this chapter)