Su Ming immediately felt a chill down there, and when he looked down, he realized, "What the heck? Where did my clothes go?" Hurriedly, he retrieved a set of clothes from his storage soul tool and dressed quickly, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Ahem, Dugu Bo, don't mind that. We'll begin the test tomorrow."
Although Su Ming now possessed a body immune to all poisons, he still needed some time for the medicinal effects to fully settle in his body.
Dugu Bo asked with some doubt, "Su Ming, are you sure? Maybe you should take a few more days?"
Su Ming confidently responded, "No need. I trust myself. Besides, it's just a test. I'm sure you wouldn't actually want me dead, right?"
Dugu Bo, unable to argue, relented. "Alright, we'll start tomorrow."
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Palace…
'Xue Qinghe' was quite angry. For days, he had been coming up with excuses to keep Xue Beng busy, hoping to prevent him from crossing paths with Su Ming and allowing Su Ming to integrate smoothly into the academy. Yet, despite his efforts, they had still met.
Xue Beng had rushed to complain to him, claiming that he had only flirted with two commoner girls and had been beaten up, which, in his words, damaged the royal family's dignity. He demanded that 'Xue Qinghe' punish Su Ming.
Looking at Xue Beng's spoiled, arrogant behavior, 'Xue Qinghe' felt reassured—this was exactly the kind of foolishness he wanted from Xue Beng. However, it was still disgusting to watch. How could a wastrel like him even compare to Su Ming?
Still, 'Xue Qinghe' now had an excuse to contact Su Ming, which might be Xue Beng's only redeeming quality. But just when he was preparing to approach Su Ming, he learned that Su Ming had already left with Dugu Bo and might be gone for at least a month. The missed opportunity left him fuming. After all this time waiting for Su Ming to come, he had left again!
The next day...
The girls were worried when they noticed that Su Ming hadn't written in his diary the previous night, and there was no news from him.
Meanwhile, Su Ming had decided not to bother writing anything, as there wasn't much to say. Plus, the materials for crafting talismans had already arrived, so he began preparing them. He also used Wood Release to build two small huts near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—one for himself and one for Dugu Bo. After all, they'd be staying here for a while, and they couldn't just sleep outside. Dugu Bo didn't mind at all.
When it was time, Su Ming said to Dugu Bo, "Let's begin the test."
Dugu Bo hesitated, then asked, "Are you sure you're ready? The three tests I've prepared aren't easy to pass."
Su Ming waved him off, "Let's just get started. You want the poison detoxified sooner rather than later, don't you?"
Seeing Su Ming's determination, Dugu Bo didn't delay any further. For the first test, he flicked his right hand, releasing a light green mist that enveloped Su Ming completely.
Su Ming stood calmly in the mist, staring at Dugu Bo. "Is that all you've got? This poison feels about the same as the one your granddaughter used. I didn't even need yesterday's preparation to pass this."
Annoyed, Dugu Bo felt underestimated. "That was the easiest test. If you couldn't pass that, it would be embarrassing."
He moved on to the second test. "For this one, you only need to let this little snake bite you once."
Dugu Bo pulled out a vibrant green snake from his pouch. "This is a rare bamboo viper. Its venom will turn you into a puddle of goo within moments. Are you sure you want to go through with it?"
"Bring it on!" Su Ming said confidently.
Without hesitation, Su Ming grabbed the snake and allowed it to bite his hand. A wave of discomfort spread through his body, but within moments, it dissipated. Su Ming smirked at Dugu Bo, "Is that all? Your bamboo viper isn't as dangerous as I thought."
This time, Dugu Bo was truly astonished. He knew better than anyone how deadly the snake's venom was. Even a Title Douluo could die without swift treatment, yet Su Ming had shrugged it off like it was nothing. Could Su Ming really be capable of helping him detoxify his poison?
But Su Ming's attitude made Dugu Bo feel underestimated. He scowled. "Su Ming, think carefully. The last test involves my life's poison, something even I can't fully control. You can still back out."
Su Ming rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, Isn't that exactly why you need me to detoxify you?
"Go ahead!" he replied.
For safety, Su Ming activated his Sage Mode, enhancing his life energy several times over. He also unleashed his Blue Silver Domain for extra protection.
Dugu Bo felt the potent life energy radiating from Su Ming, and for a brief moment, his own poison seemed to calm. He was shocked—perhaps Su Ming really could help!
Dugu Bo's right hand glowed a bright green as he pressed it against Su Ming's arm. Instantly, green lines spread from Su Ming's arm, snaking across his entire body.
Damn, this poison is fierce, Su Ming thought. Even with all his defenses, he could feel the immense pressure.
"System, are you sure I can withstand Dugu Bo's life poison?" Su Ming asked nervously.
Ding! You'll be fine, though it might be painful. Fortunately, Dugu Bo hasn't fully refined his poison. If he had, even your poison immunity wouldn't be enough.
Su Ming sighed in relief and sat down cross-legged, focusing all his strength on enduring the poison. He activated every skill and augmentation he had, ensuring he was in peak condition.
Seeing Su Ming's pained expression, Dugu Bo smirked—finally, his poison was having an effect. But suddenly, doubt crept in. What if Su Ming can't handle it? he thought. What if he dies?
Just as Dugu Bo was about to withdraw the poison, Su Ming opened his eyes and cut his finger. Several drops of black blood fell to the ground, instantly corroding the plants beneath them.
Su Ming let out a heavy breath of relief. He had successfully expelled the poison. Dugu Bo's life poison was no joke. If it weren't for all the enhancements he had, he might not have made it through.
"No way!" Dugu Bo exclaimed. "Su Ming, you looked like you were on the verge of collapse, and now you're completely fine?"
Su Ming stood up nonchalantly and said, "Senior Dugu Bo, if I couldn't handle your life poison, how could I even help you detoxify yourself?"
"You should know that the reason you're suffering from backlash is because you can't control your own life poison."
Dugu Bo blushed slightly, realizing Su Ming had a point. Then, he heard Su Ming say, "Senior Dugu Bo, I have two methods to detoxify you. You can choose which one you want."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo was overjoyed and quickly asked, "What are they?"
He hadn't been able to think of even one solution, and now Su Ming had two!
Su Ming explained, "The first method is to find a few high-quality soul bones, preferably an external poison-type soul bone. If you can't find one, that's fine too. Then, both you and Dugu Yan can absorb them and transfer your life poison into the bones."
"Since your poison is so deeply embedded, I would need to use my life energy to help dissolve some of it."
"This method is relatively simple, but there is a fatal flaw."
Dugu Bo asked, puzzled, "What's the flaw? Is it because soul bones are hard to find?"
Su Ming shook his head. "You're half right. More specifically, it's difficult to find an external poison-type soul bone. You should know that an external soul bone can evolve as a soul master's strength increases."
"If you manage to find a suitable poison-type external soul bone and continuously transfer your poison into it, the bone will eventually undergo a qualitative transformation."
"But with other soul bones, no matter how high their age, there's a limit to how much poison they can bear. And if that limit is exceeded..."
Dugu Bo's voice turned serious, "If the soul bone's limit is exceeded, the soul master will die, unable to bear the dual burden of the bone breaking and the poison erupting!"
Su Ming continued with a sly smile, "So, this method only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. Without a special opportunity, the broken soul bone can't be repaired. I take it, Senior Dugu Bo, you'd prefer the second method?"
Dugu Bo quickly responded, "Of course, I'll choose the second method. You just said the first one only treats the symptoms, and finding an external soul bone isn't that easy."
As they discussed, Dugu Bo casually asked, "By the way, kid, Yan Yan mentioned you had a classmate who recently got a poison-type external soul bone. Is that true?"
Seeing that his subtle hint worked, Su Ming nodded, "Yes, it's true. Why, Senior Dugu Bo, are you interested? If so, you'd better act fast. He's only recently acquired it, so it likely hasn't fully fused with him yet."
Dugu Bo grew suspicious. "Kid, I see what you're up to. You've been mentioning external soul bones this whole time. Are you trying to get me to take that bone from him? It seems like you don't get along with this person."
Su Ming smiled faintly. He knew he couldn't hide anything from Dugu Bo, a man with years of experience. After all, Dugu Bo had lived long enough to figure out people's intentions.
Su Ming replied, unconcerned, "I'm not planning anything. I'm just providing you with information about the soul bone. Whether you act on it or not is up to you—it has no impact on me."
Dugu Bo studied Su Ming's expression and realized he was telling the truth. Indeed, a poison-type external soul bone would be perfect for Yan Yan.
Dugu Bo then asked, "So, what's the story between you and this person? Tell me everything."
Su Ming spent a little time explaining his conflicts with Tang San. Dugu Bo finally understood. It seemed that Tang San had been the one provoking Su Ming all along. Likely, part of it was because of a woman, but it was also due to Tang San's pride. He couldn't accept that his natural talent, which should have made him stronger than Su Ming, hadn't translated into better results.
Dugu Bo frowned. "So, Senior, are you tempted? But let me warn you, Tang San's other martial soul is the Clear Sky Hammer."
"What? The Clear Sky Hammer? And his surname is Tang? Could he be related to that man?"
Dugu Bo had initially been considering taking action, but now he hesitated. If Tang Hao discovered this, both he and Yan Yan could be in danger.
Su Ming was genuine in his desire to befriend Dugu Bo, hoping they could become good friends—perhaps even close allies. That was why Su Ming revealed Tang San's background. He didn't want to deceive him; he aimed for a friendship built on sincerity.
"Alright, whether you go after that soul bone is your decision. Now, let me explain the second method. I have a poison cultivation technique that's perfect for both you and Dugu Yan. However, whether you can grasp it depends on your own abilities."
With that, Su Ming pulled out the Heavenly Poison Scripture, a manual created by a poison master from another continent. It contained cultivation techniques, poison concoctions, and knowledge of medicinal herbs. The system had adapted it to this world, making it perfectly compatible.
Dugu Bo was shocked after hearing Su Ming's offer. "Are you serious about giving me this technique? You realize how precious this is, right?"
Su Ming nodded. "Of course. I obtained it by chance. However, I'm not giving it away for free. In exchange, I'll need your help in the future if I encounter trouble. After all, I'm still just a humble Soul Elder. My strength is too weak."
Dugu Bo:
At first, Dugu Bo was touched, but when Su Ming said, "Just a humble Soul Elder," it annoyed him.
Dugu Bo couldn't help but retort, "What kind of Soul Elder are you, kid? You're practically a little monster! Have you ever seen a Soul Elder who can fight high-level Soul Douluos or even novice Title Douluos?"
Su Ming, without a hint of shame, replied, "Senior, that's just what you've seen. Using soul skills far beyond my level comes with a cost!"
Dugu Bo immediately asked, "What cost? Is it serious? Does it harm your foundation?"
Clearly concerned, Dugu Bo fired off three questions in a row, realizing he had come to like Su Ming's personality. After all, Su Ming had saved his granddaughter's life.
Su Ming casually explained, "Well, it consumes a lot of my soul power, and some soul skills can't be maintained for long."
Dugu Bo:
Dugu Bo's face turned green and then pale. He felt like he'd been tricked. That hardly seemed like a "cost" at all!
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