2 chapters will be uploaded on daily basis i.e. 14 Chapters will be uploaded every week apart from the bonus chapters.
1 Bonus Chapter will be uploaded for every 50 Power Stones or 1000 Collections.
All interested readers can read advanced chapters on: Free Members of Patreon can read 10 Chapters ahead of Webnovel for FREE.
[email protected]/Kingdom_Of_Ink
×××××××××××××××
As the lingering rhyme of the last note slowly faded in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Yan suddenly frowned, her chest heaving violently.
"Pfft—" A mouthful of emerald-green poisonous blood spurted out, gleaming with a strange light in the morning sun.
"Yanyan!" Dugu Bo's figure flickered, and he instantly appeared beside his granddaughter.
His perpetually gloomy, emerald-green eyes were now filled with worry, and his withered hand gently patted Dugu Yan's back.
Dugu Yan raised her hand to wipe away the blood from her lips, slowly steadying her breathing.
When she opened her eyes again, her emerald-like pupils were even clearer and more transparent than before, and a healthy glow subtly flowed beneath her skin.
"Strange..." She flexed her wrists, an expression of disbelief on her face, "Although I vomited blood, my body feels much lighter instead."
Dugu Bo quickly grasped his granddaughter's wrist, and as his spirit power probed, his eyes blazed with light: "Three-tenths of the toxins have been expelled!"
He abruptly turned to Feng Xiao, his voice filled with urgency: "Why is the effect not as good as yesterday?"
Feng Xiao put away "Fuxi," the stray hairs on his forehead already soaked with sweat.
He took a breath and explained, "Senior, you misunderstand; this method of tempering with zither music was not created specifically for detoxification."
"Then what is it?" Dugu Bo frowned deeply.
"Did you just feel the resonance between your internal organs and the musical rhythm?" Feng Xiao smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling with wisdom.
Dugu Bo's expression turned serious; he suddenly thought of something.
His figure flickered like a Gui Mei, appearing before Feng Xiao, his withered fingers clamping onto Feng Xiao's wrist like iron tongs.
Moments later, the Poison Douluo's eyes burst forth with astonishing brilliance: "The vitality within your body is as vigorous as the rising sun, and at only twelve years old, you already possess twenty-sixth-level spirit power... This..."
He released his hand, his gaze intensely fixed on the young man before him, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Boy, do you know the value of such a secret method? Are you not afraid of just teaching it to me like this?"
Feng Xiao met Dugu Bo's gaze, his smile as clear as a spring: "I only saw a grandfather who wanted to save his granddaughter.
Besides, Senior has already given me generous compensation."
Dugu Bo's body trembled violently, and for the first time in front of others, he turned his face away.
In the morning light, the corner of the fearsome Poison Douluo's eye seemed to glint with something crystalline.
When he turned back, his voice had regained its usual gruffness: "Boy, I am a man of my word!
Take whatever herbs you fancy here!"
He waved his large hand, his dark green long hair fluttering wildly in the wind, and the strong gust from his sleeve swept up fallen flowers all over the ground.
At this moment, no one noticed that Dugu Yan, standing by the side, was watching Feng Xiao with entirely new eyes, a complex glint in her emerald pupils.
Feng Xiao gently placed "Fuxi" on his lap, his fingertips lightly stroking the strings, and said softly, "Senior, don't rush; let me explain this method of body tempering with zither music in detail."
His slender fingers lightly glided across the zither strings, producing a clear, melodious sound.
"The five notes correspond to the five organs: Gong note enters the spleen, Shang note enters the lungs, Jiao note enters the liver, Zhi note enters the heart, and Yu note enters the kidneys," Feng Xiao explained slowly, his voice flowing like a clear spring, "Only by using spirit power as a guide and musical rhythm as a medium can one resonate with the internal organs."
Dugu Bo nodded thoughtfully, a glimmer of understanding in his emerald eyes: "So that's how it is; I just need to play specific rhythms with spirit power..."
"Can it be done with a harp too?" Dugu Yan suddenly interjected, her emerald-like eyes full of curiosity.
Feng Xiao turned to look at her, a approving smile in his eyes: "Sister Yan is right.
Theoretically, any instrument can be used, but..." He paused, "one must be proficient in music theory and have precise control over spirit power."
Dugu Yan pouted upon hearing this, clearly disappointed by the stringent condition.
"As for how Senior should cultivate..." Feng Xiao took out a scroll of blueprints from his spirit tool, "I will custom-make a zither for you according to the style of 'Fuxi.' You only need to learn the basic finger techniques and combine them with spirit power control..."
At this point, Feng Xiao's expression suddenly became serious: "But one thing must be remembered—at the beginning of tempering, you must try it yourself.
Only after you can precisely control the intensity can you apply it to others.
Otherwise..." His gaze was solemn, "instead of body tempering, it will cause internal injuries."
Dugu Bo nodded solemnly, his withered fingers unconsciously rubbing together, his eyes flashing with complex emotions: "I've lived this long, and I never thought that these elegant playthings of nobles could hide such profound mysteries."
Feng Xiao smiled faintly at his words, the morning light passing through the mist of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, casting dappled shadows on his handsome profile: "There are three thousand Great Daos, but they all lead to the same destination."
He lightly plucked a zither string, producing a clear, trembling sound, "Just like these springs, seemingly one cold and one hot, diametrically opposite, yet here they coexist and complement each other, nurturing countless heavenly treasures."
Dugu Bo's gaze followed Feng Xiao's, falling upon the yin-yang intertwined springs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Complex ripples appeared in his emerald eyes—the world only knew him by his fearsome reputation as the "Poison Douluo," but who knew that his attainments in medicine were equally profound, all to suppress the virulent poison within him?
If not for this, how could he have survived until today, constantly afflicted by this deadly poison?
Suddenly, Feng Xiao looked at the various Immortal Herbs beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and smiled at Dugu Bo, saying, "Then I shall not be modest."
As Feng Xiao spoke, he had already deftly put the Yearning Heartbroken Red, along with the Wujue Stone at its root, into his bag.
Dugu Bo watched his skilled movements, and his withered lips couldn't help but twitch.
"Senior, this plant..."
"Use a jade box."
"This plant..."
"This plant..."
"And this plant..."
As Feng Xiao's fingers continuously pointed to various rare medicinal herbs, Dugu Bo's face grew increasingly unsightly.
Until Feng Xiao stopped before a huge purple chrysanthemum—"I want this one too."
The chrysanthemum was entirely a magnificent purple, each petal fluffy, making it look exceptionally adorable.
The entire chrysanthemum was a single entity, yet it strangely emitted no fragrance.
Most striking was the towering stamen in the center, its tip emitting a faint golden glow.
Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes: "You brat, do you know what this is to just randomly ask for it? Don't tell me you just want it because it looks good..."
Feng Xiao calmly replied, "Qi Rong Tong Tian Ju, an Immortal Herb.
Consuming it can open up all four limbs and a hundred bones, forging an invulnerable body."
"You actually recognize it?!" Dugu Bo's pupils constricted slightly, then he showed a strange expression, "Is Ju Hua Guan's Spirit that powerful?"
"Ju Hua Guan?" Feng Xiao blinked, feigning confusion.
Dugu Bo leaned closer, lowering his voice: "Boy, do you really mean this thing can forge an invulnerable body?"
"Indeed," Feng Xiao nodded, then changed the subject, "However, you can't use it.
This item is a pure Yang Immortal Herb, and snakes are Yin..."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's mind immediately conjured up Yue Guan's alluring face, and his expression instantly became colorful.
He muttered to himself, "No wonder he can be with that old ghost..."
At this moment, Dugu Bo suddenly tugged at Feng Xiao's sleeve, showing a rare hint of awkwardness: "Boy, you've taken so much; is there anything suitable for Yanyan?"
Feng Xiao gently shook his head and said seriously, "You should know more about this than I do.
Sister Yan's body already carries a bloodline poison; if she rashly takes tonics, it might backfire and cause the toxins to rebound..."
Feng Xiao was not a selfish person; although he deeply understood the miraculous effects of these Immortal Herbs, he dared not rashly let Dugu Bo and his granddaughter try them.
After all, the toxins in their bodies were too peculiar, and even a slight mistake could lead to unpredictable consequences.
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement, his gaze complex as he swept across the garden of treasures.
If not for the severe poison in his body, how could he guard this treasure mountain and not dare to easily try them?
"Although most Immortal Herbs are not suitable for you and Sister Yan, these two plants will be of great benefit to you both," Feng Xiao said, pointing to the nearby Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb and the Blood-colored Swan Kiss.
Dugu Bo's eyes flashed: "How do I use them?"
Feng Xiao carefully held up the pink Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb: "The fragrance of this item can ward off all poisons; even your Bi Lin Snake Venom cannot harm it in the slightest."
To verify, Dugu Bo flicked his fingertip, and a wisp of emerald-green poisonous mist drifted towards Feng Xiao.
The Fragrant Qiluo Immortal Herb suddenly bloomed with a soft pink light, enveloping Feng Xiao's entire body.
The highly toxic mist, upon touching the pink light, melted away like ice and snow meeting fire.
"Interesting!" Dugu Bo grew excited, gradually increasing his poison output.
However, no matter how much poison he released, he could not break through that seemingly delicate pink halo.
The Poison Douluo's face rarely showed an expression of astonishment: "What a bane of all poisons!"
"This item will be of great help to your research in pharmacology," Feng Xiao said with a smile, handing over the Immortal Herb.
Dugu Bo took it carefully and solemnly, saying, a rare occurrence, "You are thoughtful."
"What about this one?" He impatiently pointed to the alluring Blood-colored Swan Kiss.
Feng Xiao's expression suddenly turned serious: "You must be extremely cautious with this item.
It is harmless to ordinary people, but it can increase toxicity a thousandfold..."
Before he finished speaking, Dugu Bo's eyes had already burst forth with terrifying brilliance.
If he had obtained this item earlier, that old man Yue Guan would have been killed by him long ago...
"You absolutely must not..." Feng Xiao's words were cut short as Dugu Bo's face had already turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"You brat!" Dugu Bo roared, enraged and embarrassed, "When I was playing with poison, you were still nursing!"
Dugu Yan, beside them, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly.
Feng Xiao couldn't help but laugh, but then he saw Dugu Bo carefully placing the Blood-colored Swan Kiss into a specially made jade box as if it were a peerless treasure, his movements gentle.
Feng Xiao carefully placed each jade box containing an Immortal Herb into his spirit tool.
When he finished collecting the last plant, his gaze involuntarily fell upon the two most striking Immortal Herbs in the center of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Boy, it's time to stop, isn't it?" Dugu Bo, seeing this, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this brat would finally settle down.
Feng Xiao, however, showed a fawning smile: "Senior, I'm afraid I'll need your help with these last two plants.
They must be consumed on the spot."
Dugu Bo followed his gaze, and his emerald pupils suddenly constricted: "You're not thinking of those two, are you?"
He pointed to the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, which was entirely ice-blue, and the Blazing Apricot Delicate Silkworm, which was fiery red like fire, both in the center of the spring, his voice rising by eight octaves.
Feng Xiao nodded, his eyes sparkling with excitement: "Exactly.
These two Immortal Herbs are highly toxic if consumed separately; their powerful ice and fire energy would instantly destroy the meridians.
But if consumed simultaneously..." He pointed to the blending springs, "just like this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Yin and Yang complement each other, not only allowing one to cultivate an invulnerable body to all poisons but also to temper the flesh with ice and fire energy."
Dugu Bo, who had experienced the suppression of toxins by the ice and fire energy, was moved.
He sighed softly: "What a pity for such an opportunity; it certainly benefits you, boy."
"Actually..." Feng Xiao hesitated for a moment, "Sister Yan can also consume them.
This might be a radical cure, completely washing away the toxins in her body and greatly improving her physical constitution.
It's just..." He paused, "while becoming invulnerable to all poisons, it also means that her future poison abilities will no longer be able to improve."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's face fluctuated between light and shadow.
After a long time, he shook his head, his voice low: "What is a snake without fangs but a loach?"
Feng Xiao remained silent.
He understood that for the Dugu family, using poison was not only a means but also a legacy.
Just like his zither skills, it was not only a technique but also a part of his soul.
Dugu Bo, as a Titled Douluo, naturally also had the idea of passing down his legacy.
"Tell me, how can I help you?" Dugu Bo said in a deep voice.
"Please, Senior, use your spirit power to simultaneously retrieve the two Immortal Herbs.
When their energies merge, this junior can consume them," Feng Xiao said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo did not hesitate; his withered fingers sliced through the air, and two sharp leaves shot out like blades, precisely severing the roots of the two Immortal Herbs.
In an instant, a vast Titled Douluo spirit power surged out, steadily lifting the two Immortal Herbs, suspending them before Feng Xiao.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, entirely snow-white, had eight crystalline petals like ice sculptures, and its central stamen shimmered with a bone-chilling cold light; while the other, the fiery red Blazing Apricot Delicate Silkworm, resembled a cabbage but exuded a scorching aura, as if it could ignite at any moment.
Feng Xiao took a deep breath, his hands darting out like lightning, and at the moment the two diametrically opposite energies converged, he simultaneously put both Immortal Herbs into his mouth.
"Boom—"
The terrifying energy of ice and fire clashing exploded within his body.
Feng Xiao's face instantly contorted, fine frost condensing on the left side of his face, while the right side flushed crimson.
His body trembled violently, as if two giant dragons were tearing and fighting beneath his skin.
"Grandfather! Little Feng, he—" Dugu Yan cried out in alarm, instinctively wanting to step forward.
"Don't worry..." Feng Xiao squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse as if scorched alternately by ice and fire, "I need to use the spring water... to neutralize..."
Before he finished speaking, he leaped, plunging his entire body into the miraculous spring water of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Beneath the spring water, Feng Xiao's body became the most brutal battlefield.
Two energies, extreme cold and extreme heat, violently collided within his meridians, each clash bringing excruciating pain that tore at his heart and lungs.
Even more terrifying was that his strong physique, tempered by the zither music, prevented him from losing consciousness for a time, forcing him to endure this inhuman torment while fully aware.
His skin would sometimes form thick layers of ice, then turn scorching hot and shiny; his bones emitted unbearable cracking sounds under the alternating cold and heat; his internal organs felt as if countless steel needles were piercing them simultaneously.
In this agony worse than death, Feng Xiao bit down hard on his teeth, traces of blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.
After an unknown period, when the two energies finally began to slowly merge, Feng Xiao's consciousness finally gave out, and he fell into a deep coma.
Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back by the spring, his dark green robe flapping in the wind.
He gazed at the rippling Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes.
"This brat is truly audacious," he murmured softly, his voice containing both admiration and a hint of imperceptible respect.
The ripples in the spring water gradually subsided, reflecting Dugu Bo's complex expression.
He instinctively glanced at his granddaughter beside him, secretly feeling fortunate: good thing he didn't let Yanyan try such a dangerous method.
Even with his knowledge as a Poison Douluo, he was shocked by the terrifying energy fluctuations that erupted from Feng Xiao just now.
Dugu Yan nervously clutched the corner of her clothes, her emerald-like eyes fixed on the calm water: "Grandfather, is he really okay?"
Dugu Bo snorted lightly, stroking his beard with a feigned composure: "Don't worry, that brat is cunning.
" Although he said that, he actually didn't know if Feng Xiao would come out alive.