The next day, sunlight filtered through the glass window and fell upon Yu Qing's face.
He slowly opened his eyes as his consciousness awakened from slumber. Turning his head slightly, he saw the Fox Consort still fast asleep beside him.
Her long silver hair was spread across the pillow. Her exquisite face bore a trace of exhaustion yet also a satisfied tranquility. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she were having a beautiful dream.
Looking at her, Yu Qing recalled the madness of the previous night and couldn't help but smile bitterly and shake his head in his heart.
A Rou was, after all, a Titled Douluo, and her physical strength and recovery abilities far exceeded ordinary people. After several rounds of harmonization, she had yielded the room to the Fox Consort. Although she was also panting when she left, she could at least endure the "discomfort" and slip back to her own room. Meanwhile, the Fox Consort, whose spirit power was still shallow, had been completely "drained" and fell into a deep sleep on Yu Qing's bed, not having woken up until now.
However, after the subsequent Yin Yang Conjunction, the results of this Dual Cultivation were also extremely significant. Yu Qing could clearly perceive that the spirit power within the Fox Consort had surged to Rank 29! At this rate, she would likely be able to successfully achieve a Breakthrough and become a Spirit Elder in less than a month.
Yu Qing did not wake the Fox Consort. He rose quietly, dressed himself properly, and left the room.
Arriving in the kitchen, he glanced at the sun outside; it was already close to noon. He simply began preparing... a Medicinal Cuisine for lunch.
Now that the "population" at home was large and everyone's situation was different, the required Medicinal Cuisine had to be custom-made, which was extremely tedious.
For Xiao Wu and Dugu Yan—one whose Transformation had not yet fully stabilized and the other who had not yet reached the age for Spirit Awakening—their Medicinal Cuisine focused primarily on solidifying their Foundation, expanding their Meridians, and nourishing their Innate qualities.
As pregnant wives, the core of the Medicinal Cuisine for Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi was naturally to stabilize the pregnancy, soothe the Spirit, harmonize the blood and Qi, and replenish Origin Qi, ensuring that both mother and fetus received the best nourishment.
The sisters Ling Xin and Ling Mou were in the stage of building their Foundations and rapid improvement. Their Medicinal Cuisine focused more on stimulating potential, strengthening the Physical Body, and accelerating the condensation of spirit power.
As for the newly joined Fox Consort, her most urgent need was to rapidly increase her spirit power Rank and strengthen her Physical Body after her Transformation. Her Medicinal Cuisine was relatively potent, but under Yu Qing's precise control, it would not damage her Foundation.
Yu Qing was like a precisely operating machine, busy in the kitchen, accurately matching medicinal ingredients, controlling the heat, and harmonizing the medicinal properties according to different needs. By the time a large table of Medicinal Cuisine—each dish possessing its own color, aroma, and flavor, yet serving different functions—was finally ready, it was already past noon.
After accompanying the women (and the two little girls) in enjoying this sumptuous "brunch" of varied effects, Yu Qing returned to his study.
He took a deep breath, cleared his mind of stray thoughts, and immersed his entire soul into the final stages of deducing and perfecting the "Poison Pill Method."
Time flew by as Yu Qing focused intently on his research. Every day, he constructed, simulated, and corrected every minute step of condensing the poison pill in his mind, calculating the countless changes and countermeasures that might arise during the process of compressing the vast and complex toxic energy within Dugu Bo's body.
This project was massive and precise, involving extremely complex knowledge of energy operation, attribute Transformation, and mental force control. Yu Qing did not even dare to record this information on paper, only being able to compress and store it within his own vast sea of consciousness. He had no doubt that if he were to forcibly instill this information into a Spirit Saint, it would be enough to instantly burst their sea of consciousness and turn them into an idiot!
...Ten days later.
Beneath the study, in a massive Underground Secret Chamber specially opened by Yu Qing.
Dozens of bright Soul Guidance Lamps were embedded in the surrounding walls, illuminating the entire space as bright as day. Complex Soul Guidance Runes were inscribed on the floor and walls to isolate energy fluctuations and stabilize the space.
Yu Qing stood alone on a warm jade platform in the center of the secret chamber, his eyes tightly closed. His brow would sometimes furrow and sometimes relax, as if he were performing the final critical deduction.
After a long time, he slowly opened his eyes. His deep gaze swept across this underground laboratory that had condensed a great deal of his effort. He gently rubbed his somewhat swollen temples and murmured in a low voice, "The theory is nearly perfect, but the actual operation... variables still exist. I hope it succeeds in one go..."
He shook his head, casting aside the last trace of doubt, and his eyes became firm once more. He rose and left the basement.
After tidying up a bit in the study, Yu Qing strolled out of the house and walked toward Dugu Bo's small courtyard.
However, Dugu Bo was not in the courtyard.
Yu Qing was slightly stunned, but then he seemed to think of something, and a knowing smile couldn't help but curl at the corner of his mouth. He released his mental force to perceive slightly, and soon, on a small square at the edge of the valley's living area, he captured that familiar spirit power fluctuation with its faint fishy scent.
His figure flashed, and in the next moment, he appeared at the edge of the square.
The sight that met his eyes caused the smile on his face to widen instantly, almost making him laugh out loud.
The Poison Douluo, who was famous across the continent and struck fear into the hearts of many, was currently unceremoniously mixed in with a group of five or six-year-old children, playing... a game of hopscotch! He was carefully hopping on one foot, his dark green hair a bit messy, but his face wore a simple and pure joy. He was even "arguing his case" over whether a child had stepped on a line... "Pfft—" Yu Qing really couldn't hold it in and let out a light laugh.
Dugu Bo immediately turned his head alertly. When he saw it was Yu Qing, his old face turned red, and he quickly coughed twice, trying to regain his image: "Ahem! That... I... I am conducting... community outreach! Experiencing the life of the grassroots followers! Yes, that's it!"
Yu Qing stepped forward, suppressing his laughter, patted his shoulder, and nodded solemnly: "Mhm, I understand, I understand. vice sect master Dugu is showing concern for the people, sharing their joy, and putting in much effort. It is truly admirable."
Dugu Bo was made even more embarrassed by these words. He irritably brushed off Yu Qing's hand and said recklessly, "Fine, fine! Laugh if you want, kid! I was just bored out of my mind. What's wrong with playing with the kids for a bit!"
Yu Qing finally burst into laughter. After laughing, his expression turned serious, and he said, "Alright, no more joking. Old Poison, come with me."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's eyes suddenly lit up, and he asked urgently, "Could it be...?"
Yu Qing nodded affirmatively: "Mhm, it's about ready. I'm taking you to try the Poison Pill Method."
"Great!" Dugu Bo instantly threw the previous embarrassment to the back of his mind, so excited he almost jumped. He quickly turned around, said a few words to dismiss the group of children who hadn't had enough yet, and then impatiently followed Yu Qing, racing toward the direction of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's spring.
Arriving at the edge of that terrifying spring once again, Yu Qing first took action, mobilizing a portion of the valley's power to temporarily suppress and organize the overly violent ice and fire energy in the spring, making it relatively gentle and stable. Only then did he signal that Dugu Bo could enter.
Standing on the platform inside the spring, feeling the energy around him that was still majestic but no longer aggressive, Dugu Bo's heartbeat involuntarily accelerated. He looked at Yu Qing with burning eyes, his voice trembling slightly: "Yu Qing... that Poison Pill Method... is it really finished?"
"Theoretically, it is finished." Yu Qing nodded with a solemn expression. "But this method is unprecedented, and the process is exceptionally dangerous. I need to transmit the complete technique and precautions directly into your sea of consciousness. The amount of information is extremely vast; you must guard your mind and not slacken in the slightest!"
Dugu Bo took a deep breath and nodded heavily: "Come! I can take it!"
Yu Qing said no more. He raised his finger, and a brilliant light of mental force condensed at his fingertip, which he then lightly tapped onto the center of Dugu Bo's brow.
Buzz—!
In an instant, a vast torrent of information, as immense as the sea and as complex as the starry sky, surged violently into Dugu Bo's sea of consciousness!
"Ugh!" Dugu Bo let out a muffled groan, his body swaying violently, and his face instantly turned pale! Even though he was already a Titled Douluo and his mental force strength far exceeded that of a Spirit Douluo, under such a terrifying impact of information, he felt as if his head were about to explode! Countless profound runes, energy operation trajectories, toxin compression formulas, and risk warnings flooded in frantically!
He hastily guarded his mind, operating his mental force with all his might. Only then did he barely manage to stabilize his position and begin the arduous process of absorbing and understanding this information.
This process lasted for a full half hour.
When Yu Qing withdrew his finger, Dugu Bo still kept his eyes tightly closed, standing in place with fine beads of sweat covering his forehead and his body trembling slightly. He was clearly still digesting that world-shaking "Poison Pill Method."
After a long while, he finally opened his eyes slowly. Those green snake pupils were filled with unparalleled shock, disbelief, and deep admiration!
"This... such a fantastic idea... such exquisite control techniques... Yu Qing... you... how on earth did you come up with this?!" His voice was dry, filled with amazement.
Yu Qing smiled slightly, his tone calm: "It can be considered an extreme variation and deepening of the dual soul cores method. It's just that applying it to the field of lethal poisons makes it more specialized and more dangerous. I have made many improvements and optimizations on this basis to adapt it to your Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Martial Soul."
Dugu Bo nodded slowly, the shock in his eyes not subsiding for a long time. He took another deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and asked in a deep voice: "When... when do we start condensing the poison pill?"
"No time like the present, let's do it now!" Yu Qing said decisively. "I will be your Protector!"
"Good!" A look of determination flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes. He immediately sat down cross-legged, concentrating his breath and mind.
Under Yu Qing's mental force guidance and protection, the first step of condensing the poison pill—condensing the Spirit Power Core—began. Dugu Bo had a deep Foundation, and his control over spirit power was also extremely exquisite. He soon successfully condensed a pure Spirit Power Core composed of highly compressed spirit power within his Dantian.
Next came the most critical and dangerous step—guiding the toxins and injecting them into the Soul Core!
With a thought, Dugu Bo carefully began to guide the Jade Phosphor Serpent poison that lay dormant in his Meridians, blood, and even deep within his bone marrow, as well as that even more terrifying Origin Poison that was integrated with his Spirit's Origin, slowly gathering them toward that pure Soul Core in his Dantian.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—
Like cold water dripping into hot oil, the moment the first wisp of dark green toxin touched the pure Soul Core, the surface of the Soul Core immediately emitted a faint sound of corrosion. Its color also rapidly darkened, taking on a tint of ghostly green.
Dugu Bo's body shook violently, and a look of pain appeared on his face, but he gritted his teeth and continued to steadily guide the injection of the toxin.
Yu Qing's mental force was highly concentrated, like the most precise radar, scanning every single change within Dugu Bo's body at all times, constantly fine-tuning the energy output to help him stabilize the toxins that were gradually becoming violent.
One day, three days, five days, ten days... time passed slowly in extreme tension and focus.
Both Yu Qing and Dugu Bo maintained absolute stillness, one fully guiding the toxins and the other fully acting as a Protector.
The color of the Soul Core in the Dantian became deeper and deeper, from light green to deep green, then to dark green, and finally, it almost turned into a black poison pill that was so deep it seemed able to swallow all light!
Noon on the eleventh day.
When the last wisp of Origin Poison was also completely integrated into the poison pill, that black poison pill shook violently. A layer of dark luster flowed over its surface, and then it stabilized completely. It began to rotate slowly on its own, emitting a powerful aura that commanded all poisons and could be released or retracted at will!
It was no longer a passive container for toxins, but had become the absolute core and sovereign of all toxins!
At the same time, the backlash of the Jade Phosphor Serpent that had troubled Dugu Bo for most of his life, tortured him to the point of wanting to die, and even taken the lives of his closest kin, vanished without a trace! An unprecedented sense of lightness and a powerful sense of strength instantly surged through his entire body!
His spirit power Rank, in a natural progression, broke through to Rank 92!
Even more miraculously, his hair, which had turned green due to the toxin's infiltration, had mostly reverted to black, with only the ends still retaining a bit of dark green. His signature green snake pupils had also faded significantly in color, appearing no longer so eerie but instead adding a touch of depth.
Yu Qing immediately asked impatiently and with a hint of tension: "Old Poison! How do you feel? Did it succeed? Is there any discomfort?"
Dugu Bo did not answer immediately. He first looked down at his own hands, feeling the unprecedented lightness and powerful strength within his body, as well as that poison pill that was as easy to use as his own limbs and incredibly docile... In the next moment, his body began to tremble slightly. His eyes rapidly turned red, and two lines of murky tears fell uncontrollably from his eyes, sliding down his aged cheeks.
He raised his head and looked toward Yu Qing, his lips trembling, wanting to say something but unable to make a sound. Finally, the emotions suppressed for decades erupted like a flood breaking through a dam!
"Wu... wu wu wu..." This Poison Douluo, who had been arrogant and unexpressive his whole life, was now crying out loud like a child, completely losing his composure! His cries were sorrowful, filled with endless regret and relief.
"It succeeded... it succeeded... haha... wu wu..." He was both crying and laughing, acting as if he were possessed. "If... if this Poison Pill Method... could have appeared a few years earlier... my son... my wife... they... they wouldn't... wouldn't have been... wouldn't have been killed by this damned Spirit backlash... dying from the toxin's outbreak... wu wu wu... they wouldn't have had to leave me... I was useless... I was useless!!"
He cried heart-wrenchingly, as if he wanted to cry out all the pain, guilt, and despair that had accumulated over his entire life.
Yu Qing stood to the side, silent, his heart also filled with a multitude of emotions. He could understand Dugu Bo's current feelings. It was not just the joy of solving the backlash, but also the endless longing for his departed family and the irreversible regret. He reached out and gently patted Dugu Bo's back, which was constantly trembling from the heavy crying, silently offering comfort.
After a long time, Dugu Bo's crying gradually subsided. He forcefully wiped the tears from his face. Although his eyes were still red and swollen, in those eyes that had become deep, sorrow had gradually been replaced by a newborn hope and determination.
He raised his head, looked at Yu Qing, and said heavily and with utmost solemnity: "Yu Qing... thank you! This kindness, I, Dugu Bo... will never forget it for all eternity!"
Yu Qing shook his head and revealed a gentle smile: "It's all in the past. From now on, the poison of the Jade Phosphor Serpent will be your most powerful weapon, not a life-taking shackle. Congratulations, Old Poison, on your rebirth."
Dugu Bo took a deep breath, feeling the unprecedented power and freedom within his body, and nodded heavily.
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