The terrifying killing intent radiating from Dugu Bo finally faded.
Only then was Lin Xiao able to breathe again. Just moments before, it had felt like a giant hand was squeezing his throat—speaking had been almost impossible.
It was his first time facing the murderous aura of a true powerhouse.
The sensation was unforgettable. He felt like a fish on the chopping block, completely exposed, life hanging by a thread—no more than an insect before a storm.
Life or death, determined by a single thought.
It was a miserable feeling… and yet Lin Xiao valued it. He even burst into sudden laughter, leaving the experienced Dugu Bo momentarily baffled.
Had… had he scared the kid stupid?
Uh-oh. If Yan-yan came back and found out, she'd rip his beard out!
"What are you laughing at?" Dugu Bo asked cautiously, deciding to check if the kid still had his senses.
Lin Xiao's laughter gradually faded.
"I'm just happy," he said quietly. "Happy to have once again recognized my place in this world—that I'm nothing but a small, weak ant. A fragile creature that could be crushed at any moment."
"That kind of helplessness… the feeling of not being in control of your own life—it's rare. If it weren't for you, Senior Dugu, who knows how long it would've taken me to truly understand it? Perhaps by then it would've been too late."
Self-awareness is a virtue.
After transmigrating here, Lin Xiao had always felt a rift between himself and this new world. His modern mindset clashed with the reality of this land where strength reigned supreme. He missed the comfort and peace of his past life.
The first time the Evil Fire in his body erupted, he had briefly thought, Maybe if I burn myself to death, I'll return to Blue Star. Maybe this is all just a dream.
But when he faced the brink of death, his will to survive had triggered the Ice Heart Technique, saving his life. That was when he finally accepted: this world was real.
If it was a dream, wouldn't he have woken up from all that pain?
And now, facing Dugu Bo, this experience was another precious lesson—a true confrontation with the harshness of the world of Douluo Dalu. It grounded him. Helped him let go of fantasy.
Forget your innate full soul power, Lin Xiao.
Forget the gains from Evil Fire Body Tempering.
Forget the godlike cheat of Nine-Heart Begonia.
You are still just a low-ranked soul master.
In this world where strength is everything, you are still an ant.
Respect the strong. Learn from your elders.
Lin Xiao repeated this to himself, feeling clarity flood his thoughts.
For the first time, he felt truly grounded in this world.
Dugu Bo, of course, had no idea what kind of mental breakthroughs Lin Xiao had just experienced.
He was just relieved the kid wasn't brain-damaged.
"You said your martial soul has a flaw? Explain. And what makes you so sure the Jade Phosphor Serpent has one too?"
Lin Xiao bowed politely, composed himself, and began explaining clearly:
"My martial soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix. Due to a congenital defect, if I don't regularly vent the Evil Fire, it will explode and kill me. Furthermore, the fire continuously creates toxins. If I don't expel them, my body will swell unnaturally, become disfigured, and it will haunt me for life."
(Much like Ma Hongjun, whose short, fat frame and ugly appearance were the result of such damage.)
"I refused to be controlled by the Evil Fire, so I searched high and low for answers. In the process, I learned that many soul masters with flawed martial souls suffer tragic fates—many families have no members who live to old age."
"I scoured many records, until one ancient text mentioned something obscure: to overcome innate martial soul defects, one must seek a primordial land, and find immortal herbs."
"I have no family or attachments. I planned to wander the continent in search of such a place."
"But then I heard about your deeds, Senior Poison Douluo. And certain things began to make sense."
Lin Xiao looked up, eyes steady.
"The Jade Phosphor Serpent, a top-tier beast martial soul with a long heritage… and yet, unlike the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon or Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, it never spread into a clan or sect. Why is that?"
"Instead, it's like the cursed Nine-Heart Begonia—reduced to just two living inheritors."
"I knew something was wrong. Yet you, Senior, reached the rank of Title Douluo. That could only mean you found a way to resolve the flaw."
"But it's a method only you can use. Otherwise, you wouldn't be alone with only Miss Yan as family."
His words touched a raw nerve.
Yet Dugu Bo did not grow angry. Instead, a deep melancholy flickered across his eyes, the edge of his cold gaze softening into quiet sorrow.
He sighed.
"If you know I can't share it… why come to me at all?"
Lin Xiao replied without hesitation.
"Because even the stone of another mountain can help sharpen one's blade."
"No matter how slim the chance, I had to try. If not, I'll have to leave Heaven Dou City and search the continent for the so-called land of ice and fire."
"…Though even that might be a myth."
Dugu Bo's expression changed.
He'd been so caught in his own grief, he almost missed it—what Lin Xiao had said just now:
Land of ice and fire. Immortal herbs.
"Wait a second!"
"You said what? A land of ice and fire?!"
"Where did you read that? Let me see the book!"
Lin Xiao blinked, seemingly confused at Dugu Bo's sudden agitation.
"Senior Dugu, that ancient text was vague and likely fictional. I only mentioned it because I had no other options. It was just a desperate gamble."
But then his eyes gleamed with hope.
"Of course, if you, Senior, would help me look for it—then perhaps we could solve my problem… and save Miss Yan as well!"
"Senior, let's work together!"
But Dugu Bo wasn't listening.
He was fixated on just one thing.
"Let me see that book!"
Lin Xiao spread his hands apologetically.
"I found it in a mountain cave. I could read it while inside… but once I stepped outside, the whole thing crumbled into ash."
Dugu Bo nearly choked with rage.
"You idiot!"
"Ancient texts buried underground or sealed for centuries—how could you just bring them outside?! Exposure to air destroys them!"
He didn't know the science behind oxidation. But he knew enough about antiques to be furious.
"You've ruined me!"
"You've ruined me, boy!"
Dugu Bo was nearly shaking with frustration.
Lin Xiao frowned in innocent confusion.
"Senior, was that really such a big loss?"
"And besides… I memorized most of what I read. It's a little blurry, but if I see anything in person, I should be able to recognize it."
Dugu Bo froze mid-rant.
His eyes suddenly lit up like a thousand suns.
"Boy… Heaven itself won't let you die!"