After a short while, Dugu Shuo's aura stabilized, and a helmet appeared on his head.
Just as Dugu Feng thought he had finished absorbing it...
Purple light once again emanated from Dugu Shuo's body, and green diamond-shaped scales appeared on his forehead.
Streaks of purple light converged toward his head.
Dugu Shuo was about to test Dugu Feng's theory.
Every meridian, drop of blood, and even strand of hair in his body was saturated with toxins that eroded his vitality daily.
These toxins had completely fused with his body, becoming an integral part of it.
Expelling them wouldn't be easy!
Dugu Shuo frowned slightly and began attempting to extract small amounts of toxins from the skin of his arms—the least harmful area—using Soul Power, then channeling them into the Soul Bone.
Soon after, his expression relaxed.
With a complex look, he turned to Dugu Feng and Old Snake: "Feng'er's method works, and the earlier it's used, the more effective it is. For people like me and Old Snake who've cultivated for so many years, the toxins have long solidified within our bodies. Expelling them won't be simple."
"Just now I tried transporting toxins with Soul Power, and it worked, but the process will be lengthy. Next, I'll refine some medicinal herbs to assist. Even if it costs me some strength, I must drive these toxins into the Soul Bone!"
Dugu Shuo's eyes shone with determination.
While the toxins in Soul Power were part of a Soul Master's strength, the toxins in the body were truly poisonous.
And whenever Soul Power circulated, some toxins would inevitably seep into the body's blood, meridians, bones, and organs.
As a Soul Saint who had cultivated for decades, his body had accumulated far too many toxins.
"Feng'er, if you use the Soul Bone now while your poisoning isn't deep—daily expelling the toxins that seep into your body during cultivation into the Soul Bone—you'll never suffer from toxin erosion!"
Having realized this, Dugu Shuo sighed with regret for having used this Soul Bone himself.
"Father, don't worry. As your strength grows, you'll surely obtain more Soul Bones in the future!"
Dugu Feng remained optimistic—he had his sights set on a hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone.
Dugu Shuo nodded silently, having already resolved to gather intelligence about Soul Bones.
Old Snake beside them also looked excited. Though Soul Bones were precious, at least there was now a solution.
With the Dugu family's power, they might obtain another Soul Bone someday. He'd need to discuss this carefully with the clan leader—Old Snake's mind raced with possibilities.
Soon after, Dugu Feng left the ancestral hall.
He was about to begin immersive cultivation again, now that he had obtained his Spirit Ring.
His focus would be on mastering his first Soul Skill—Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom.
On the training grounds...
Dugu Feng stood alone.
For the first time, he truly experienced the effect of a Soul Skill as his yellow Spirit Ring manifested.
"Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom!"
The Spirit Ring flashed, and a thick purple mist sprayed forth.
Dugu Feng felt the Spirit Ring's power act upon his entire body in an instant.
It condensed pure Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom, then launched it as an attack.
This was the function of a Soul Skill.
Dugu Feng repeated his attempts until his Soul Power was exhausted, then sat cross-legged to meditate and recover.
Simultaneously, he used energy emitted from his Core Pearl to nourish his two Nine-Section Jadeites.
This routine repeated day after day.
After half a month of testing by Dugu Feng, he discovered that the Core Pearl had a significant effect on the Nine-Section Jadeite.
In just these two weeks, Soul Power had already manifested within the Nine-Section Jadeite, transforming them into Spirit Beasts.
With the aid of Soul Power, taming them to fly became much easier. Combined with Dugu Feng's clear understanding of flight principles, the two Nine-Section Jadeite could now wobble through glides of over two meters, bringing him great joy.
During breaks from cultivation, the sight of the two lively emerald snakes coiled around his wrist often lifted Dugu Feng's spirits.
Moreover, after daily interaction, he and the two little snakes had developed an almost telepathic connection, allowing him to command their attacks as effortlessly as moving his own arms.
The next step was to continuously strengthen the power of the two Nine-Section Jadeite.
Following his family's taming methods, Dugu Feng fed them with his own Soul Power and Spirit Beast meat, which accelerated their growth remarkably.
In the blink of an eye, two months passed. Dugu Feng's Soul Power advanced by one level, reaching the thirteenth rank, and it was time for him to enroll in school.
The institution he was to attend was the Heaven Dou Royal Junior Academy, also known as the affiliated academy of Heaven Dou Royal Senior Academy, responsible for educating Soul Masters aged six to twelve.
To Dugu Feng's surprise, this school was also located outside the city. He knew that, like the Heaven Dou Royal Senior Academy, it was typically accessible only to nobles. It seemed the Heaven Dou royal family's original intent in establishing the school was to nurture powerful individuals. Unfortunately, it had ultimately become a playground for the nobility—otherwise, the three education commissioners wouldn't have been so desperate to retain Flender and his group. The school was filled with noble offspring who were notoriously difficult to teach!
On this particular day, the autumn air was crisp and the sunlight radiant.
Old Snake escorted Dugu Feng out of Heaven Dou City to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, nestled between mountains and water. The shimmering lake at the foot of the mountain, the towering peaks reaching a thousand meters high, and the lush vegetation indicated an abundance of simulated cultivation environments here.
From the mountainside upward lay the senior academy, while by the lakeshore at the base stood a cluster of bright yellow, low-rise buildings—none taller than three stories. This was the junior academy.
Within its grounds, the Great Soul Arena, training fields, dining halls, and simulated environment zones were meticulously arranged, offering what could arguably be the finest cultivation conditions on the entire continent.
Old Snake led him to one of the academic buildings.
"Welcome, Elder Dugu! Welcome, Brother Feng, to your new school!" A handsome blond youth was already waiting in front of the building, having been informed in advance by Old Snake, who had arranged everything beforehand.
The young man's striking looks caught Dugu Feng's attention—almost unnaturally handsome, standing there with poised confidence.
"Young Master, this is Teacher Ge, your homeroom instructor. Don't let his youth fool you—he's already a Soul King in strength!" Old Snake introduced.
The surname "Ge" immediately reminded Dugu Feng of Ge Long, the foremost figure in the empire's military. The Ge Family also controlled the Great Soul Arena, representing the Heaven Dou royal family. This handsome Teacher Ge was undoubtedly a member of the Ge clan.
"Greetings, Teacher Ge," Dugu Feng said with a polite bow.
Seeing the two acquainted, Old Snake interjected, "Young Master, Teacher Ge, I'll leave you to chat. There are matters at home I must attend to, so I'll take my leave."
With that, Old Snake departed without hesitation, completely at ease given Dugu Feng's maturity.
This is just a primary academy, and moreover, the Ge Family and the Dugu Family have always advanced and retreated together among the various factions, so he felt completely at ease.
The most important purpose of enrollment was still to familiarize himself with the next generation of the various factions.
The students here all came from different families.
In the future, they might very well become the leaders of the various factions within the Heaven Dou Empire.
And Dugu Feng's status destined him to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of his family in the future.