What Dugu Bo didn't realize was that his current strength was already enough to easily defeat Chrysanthemum Douluo. Dugu Bo's poison had always been the nemesis of most plants, and even Chrysanthemum Douluo's top-tier spirit, the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum, was no exception.
The main reason was that Chrysanthemum Douluo had ruined his own spirit, having stagnated at level 95 for over a decade. His spirit had been cultivated in the wrong direction, overextending its potential, so unless he encountered a unique opportunity, he would be stuck at his current level for life.
To be fair, Su Ming had some admiration for Chrysanthemum Douluo. His achievements were truly impressive—he had risen from being an ordinary commoner to the powerful rank he now held, which was nothing short of rewriting his fate. He had been forced to cultivate his spirit as a power-attack type, even though it was meant for support.
Dugu Bo asked, "Su Ming, your classmates are probably waiting for you to return. Is it really okay for you to stay here with me?"
Dugu Bo had no issue with staying here to cultivate alone, but he wondered if Su Ming was eager to return.
Su Ming shook his head. "No rush. I told them it would take at least a month, so I'm not in a hurry to head back. You continue with your cultivation. I'll be here to keep an eye on things."
He added jokingly, "But don't eat all those leaves at once. If the effects are too strong, I won't be able to save you, and you might just drop dead, haha!"
"Go away! Can't you wish me well for once?" Dugu Bo laughed, understanding Su Ming was just teasing him.
With his newfound confidence, Dugu Bo thought, Just wait. When I finish my cultivation, I'll settle some old scores.
"By the way, Su Ming, do you think that classmate of yours will come to Heaven Dou City later?" Dugu Bo asked.
Su Ming pondered for a moment before responding, "It's possible. Qin Ming is familiar with Heaven Dou City, and if they plan to join an academy, it would be convenient for them."
"Why? Are you interested in Tang San's external spirit bone now? Aren't you worried about Tang Hao's revenge?"
Dugu Bo was a bit embarrassed but said confidently, "My strength has improved now, so yes, I'm interested. Once I reach level 96, with my poison, even Tang Hao won't be a problem."
"As long as I'm careful and avoid letting him get close, I'll be fine. The power of the Clear Sky Hammer is no joke."
Su Ming shook his head, cautioning him, "No, it's still too risky. While you might not fear Tang Hao's retaliation, what if he targets Dugu Yan? When you go to take the bone, it's best to wear a mask and avoid revealing your spirit."
"With your Title Douluo aura alone, Tang San wouldn't be able to escape. You can force the bone out of him without exposing your identity."
Dugu Bo nodded thoughtfully. "You're quite the schemer, little one. True, against Tang San, my Title Douluo aura alone would be enough. There's no need to reveal myself. This would also help avoid future trouble with Tang Hao."
Su Ming added, "And for safety, make sure to control the pressure so Tang San won't be able to tell it's coming from a Title Douluo. Understand? Also, once you or Dugu Yan absorb the bone, it's best not to use it for a while. The moment it's used, it'll expose everything."
Dugu Bo slowly nodded in agreement, laughing, "You're quite the devious one, aren't you?"
He knew Su Ming's plan well. By keeping his identity hidden, they could avoid suspicion from Tang Hao and others. Afterward, they could pretend they had just "discovered" Tang San's external spirit bone by chance, perfectly diverting attention from themselves.
Satisfied with their plan, Dugu Bo resumed his cultivation, while Su Ming, to ensure Dugu Bo's safety, began crafting basic second-level explosive talismans.
For Su Ming, creating these talismans was easy as long as he had enough materials. It required minimal mental energy, allowing him to prepare quickly.
As for crafting more advanced space talismans, he would wait until Dugu Bo reached full soul power and started his breakthroughs. That would give him time to focus on the more difficult crafting.
More than a month passed by quickly.
Suddenly, the once calm Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well became active again, and a loud boom echoed as Dugu Bo's aura changed. After consuming half of the Scarlet Swan Kiss leaves and completing his soul power accumulation, he had finally broken through the level 95 barrier and stepped into level 96!
"Hahahaha! I finally did it!" Dugu Bo couldn't contain his excitement. In the short time he'd known Su Ming, not only had his poison been cured, but his strength had increased significantly.
He now had complete confidence in himself. Even against the Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he believed he could hold his own. As long as Sword Douluo couldn't defeat him quickly, Dugu Bo was confident his poison would secure him the victory. His current poison, after being strengthened by the Scarlet Swan Kiss, far surpassed his original life-threatening poison.
Su Ming smiled and congratulated him, "Congratulations, Old Monster, you've finally broken through!"
Dugu Bo, in high spirits, couldn't resist making a joke. "Little monster, how about testing out my new poison? Don't worry. If you can't handle it, I'll help you."
Su Ming smirked and lightly patted Dugu Bo's arm, "Oh, Old Monster, you just want to see me suffer! I can't deal with your new poison right now, so don't try to harm me—go find someone else!"
"By the way, Old Monster, do you have any spirit bones?" Su Ming asked knowingly.
Dugu Bo, though unsure of why Su Ming was asking, replied honestly, "I have one, a ten-thousand-year-old Medusa Head Bone. Its ability is petrification. Why?"
Su Ming nodded, "Not bad. That's a top-tier bone. I have a suggestion: now that your strength has increased, you should seek out more spirit bones—preferably those that boost your speed or provide defensive abilities."
"With your current strength, there's no need for direct confrontation. As long as you can avoid being hit, your poison will take care of your opponents. What do you think?"
Dugu Bo sighed, "I know that already, but you don't understand how hard it is to find spirit bones. You might see thousand-year-old bones at the Great Spirit Arena on occasion, but ten-thousand-year bones are rare treasures."
"Even the top three clans don't have many ten-thousand-year-old spirit bones. Only the Spirit Hall has a decent supply of them."