The meridians of the hands were naturally fragile. They were too delicate to withstand the violent surging of soul power and venom. Only through constant tempering could they become resilient enough.
Only then could he unleash a technique akin to the Six Meridian Divine Sword.
With this realization, Dugu Feng grew more confident.
After all, he had a cheat, it was the Poison Pearl, his inherited treasure. Every day, its warm current nourished his meridians, accelerating his progress far beyond normal limits.
He trained tirelessly.
Sometimes practicing the Jade Phosphor Violet Poison soul skill.
Sometimes channeling toxins into his arms, forcing his meridians to endure.
When his soul power was spent, he meditated to recover and then repeated it all over again.
There was no pause.
Not far away, deep in the forest, two figures clambered up and down tall trees - only to land face-first in the dirt with audible smacks.
"You two are so useless! Is flying on swords really that hard?" Ning Rongrong taunted, her tone dripping with disdain.
"Boss, don't be impatient. We've only had our first rings for half a month. According to sect records, it takes at least six months to properly master flight, let alone fighting in the air!" said Feng Ling wiping the mud from his face.
FengLi nodded desperately in agreement.
But their "Boss" clearly hadn't forgotten her humiliation at Dugu Feng's hands earlier. She was pushing them mercilessly to recover her pride.
If Dugu Feng had been there, he would have sighed: This… is the price of being a bootlicker.
Ning Rongrong's lips curved into a radiant smile. "With my boosts, your training speed is doubled. Three months. No more. Three months from now, we'll challenge Dugu Feng again."
Bathed in the seven-colored glow of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, she looked almost divine.
But to the Feng brothers, she was a demon.
Stricter than their parents. Fiercer than their teachers.
They exchanged a look of despair, then shouted in unison, "Three months! We'll do it, no matter what!"
Only then did Ning Rongrong nod in satisfaction.
Her gaze drifted toward the violet mist shrouding a corner of the training field.
What a training maniac. Since he started, that poisonous haze hasn't faded once. Rising, falling, pulsing… he must be cycling his soul skill nonstop. I won't lose to you, Dugu Feng. You dared toy with me - I'll remember this!
As the sun tilted west, most students had long since abandoned practice for games.
Only the Feng brothers, driven by Ning Rongrong's whips of light and tongue, still slogged away.
And Dugu Feng, who hadn't stopped once since morning.
It drew murmurs of admiration.
Some had tried to keep up out of pride, but exhaustion and weak willpower soon forced them to quit.
Only these three, and especially Dugu Feng remained steadfast.
When Dugu Feng finally rose, passing by, he caught sight of the Feng brothers still leaping off trees, grimacing in pain.
"Not bad," he said lightly. "You've got persistence. Keep training hard."
He waved casually and walked off.
The three froze.
Then Ning Rongrong's face reddened. "What are you looking at? Keep practicing!"
Rainbow light fell over the Feng brothers, forcing them back into their torment.
That night, in his dormitory.
Dugu Feng emerged from the kitchen holding a fingernail-sized shard of golden crystal. Wrapped in soul power, it melted slowly, releasing a rich fragrance that lingered thick in the air.
A piece of Whale Rubber!
It was from the 3,000-year-old block he had found in Tuoba Lan's storage device.
Now cut into small pieces, each just the size of a nail.
He was still too young and consuming the entire block at once might make him explode.
So, moderation was required.
Dugu Feng popped the piece into his mouth. The thick, fishy taste was overwhelming, almost poisonous, forcing him to swallow quickly.
The shard dissolved into a stream of heat that rushed into his stomach.
He sat cross-legged, summoning his two jade serpents with a flick of his hand. Two green lights shot into his body.
The pearl sank into his dantian.
Instantly, his body burned.
Not just his flesh but his very soul power seethed like boiling water, rampaging through his veins.
So this is Whale Rubber's might? Good thing I only took a small piece. Any more and I might've blown myself up on the spot.
But then his Poison Pearl's flared.
Twin streams of warmth poured into his meridians, merging with the whale energy.
To his shock, instead of fueling the blaze, the fusion calmed it.
The violent energy turned gentle, like spring rain seeping silently into every corner of his body.
An indescribable comfort washed over him.
So the Pearl's power is superior, it tamed the whale energy completely!
His hands glowed faintly.
Guided energy pooled into his arms, forging his hand meridians into hardened conduits.
The foundation of the Dugu clan's poisonous Six Meridian Sword.
Thicker. Tougher. Stronger.
Good… just a few more cycles, and my hands will finally unleash the Jade Phosphor Violet Poison like blades.
He was still basking in triumph when the window creaked open.
A figure slipped inside without a sound, moving like he owned the place.
Gray clothes. Gray hair. Bent back. Long, twisted legs that slid across the floor in silence, like the crawl of a deadly scorpion.
"Old Scorpion? What are you doing here?" Dugu Feng was startled. It was only his first day at the Academy. So what could be so urgent?
The newcomer was the same elder who had been gravely wounded by Tuoba Lan.
"Little Lord, what are you doing? Your face is flushed, you're sweating buckets… heh. You're eating Whale Rubber!"
Old Scorpion sniffed the air like a hound, his face twisting in shock.
Then his expression grew strange.
"Little Lord… you're still so young. How could you… already…?" His voice grew heavy, full of disapproval.
Dugu Feng's face darkened. "Enough. Get to the point."
Like Old Snake, this elder's thoughts were constantly filthy.
To Old Scorpion, Dugu Feng's embarrassed tone only confirmed his suspicions.
Sigh. I shouldn't have barged in. The young master's growing up… I need to knock next time.
"Ahem. Right. The matter is urgent. Today, the Elephant Armor Sect's patriarch, Hu Yanzhen, arrived in Heaven Dou City.
He's publicly announced that Hu Yanlie has gone missing, and he's requested all major factions to assist in the investigation and to find the murderer.
Our Patriarch sent me to warn you. Be careful."
Dugu Feng narrowed his eyes. "And the Sacred Dragon Clan? Any word from them?"
The Sacred Dragon Clan had lost a Soul Sage and two Soul Emperors.
Nearly three months had passed and still no movement.
That was very, very strange.