Douro Continent

Chapter 246 Impervious to Water and Fire, Repelled by All Poisons (Part 2)

When Tang San initially refused Dugu Bo's offer to become his disciple, Dugu Bo was furious. However, after some time, Dugu Bo realized that Tang San wasn't arrogant. While Tang San's experience with poison wasn't as extensive as his own, his knowledge in various areas was no less. Through mutual discussions, they both gained considerable insights into the use of poison. Their mutual wariness also gradually faded away.

Of course, Dugu Bo's dantian was still inside Tang San's dantian, and Tang San never brought it up. The old man and the young man lived like close friends, repeating similar lives every day.

Ironically, relying on his knowledge of medicine, Dugu Bo went back and concocted his own antidote after taking the one given to him by Tang San. However, although his antidote was exactly the same as the one Tang San used, it had no effect whatsoever. Little did he know that Tang San's antidote contained a crucial ingredient: a key ingredient.

Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Grandmaster and Flander have visited twice. When they saw that the harmony between Tang San and Dugu Bo seemed genuine, and that Tang San himself was safe, they were relieved. They simply instructed Tang San that after finishing his studies and training here, he should return directly to the new Shrek Academy to reunite with them.

Dugu Bo was, after all, a Title Douluo. Although Tang San could rival him in the knowledge of poison, Dugu Bo's experience in martial soul cultivation was far beyond what Tang San could match.

Dugu Bo was grateful to Tang San for detoxifying him and occasionally gave him pointers, deepening Tang San's understanding of martial souls. While Dugu Bo wasn't as knowledgeable as Grandmaster, he had experienced the entire process of cultivation from the beginning to becoming a Title Douluo, possessing experience that Grandmaster lacked. Therefore, Tang San benefited greatly from him.

Furthermore, with the continuous transformation of Tang San's body caused by the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye as it helped him absorb the Eight-Cornered Mystic Ice Grass and the Blazing Apricot Blossom, as well as the effect of the Dugu Bodan Pearl, Tang San's soul power has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past six months. From level 34 when he first arrived, he has already risen three levels to reach level 37, and it seems he is about to catch up with Dai Mubai back then.

"Little monster, I'm here." Dugu Bo descended from the sky with a nonchalant air.

"Huh." Dugu Bo looked toward Tang San's usual resting place. Usually, when he came every night, Tang San would at least say hello, but today there was no sound at all. Could something have happened to him?

Startled, Dugu Bo flew over in a few leaps, and only breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw Tang San sitting there. Although he was somewhat unwilling to admit it, Dugu Bo no longer felt the same dislike for Tang San as before, and even regarded him as a friend.

Dugu Bo was naturally aloof and cultivated a poisonous martial soul, so no soul master wanted to associate with him. Even those who did were mostly afraid of him. Although Tang San called him "old monster" every day, Dugu Bo had developed a special kind of closeness to him lately. It was a feeling somewhat like that between an elder and a junior, and also like the concern between friends. Moreover, he needed Tang San's antidote to cure his poison.

Tang San sat there, staring blankly ahead, with the bronze cauldron for refining medicine directly in front of him.

At this moment, the bronze cauldron was placed above the scorching Yangquan spring, with its bottom slightly touching the spring, using the spring's temperature to heat it up. If it were just an ordinary bronze cauldron, even slight contact with the scorching Yangquan spring would turn it into molten copper. However, the bronze cauldron that Tang San was using had been coated with a kind of herb from the Cold Yinquan spring, which was enough to barely withstand the temperature of the Yangquan spring. In addition, he was not afraid of the heat of the Yangquan spring, which was why he was able to control it.

Dugu Bo squatted down next to Tang San with some curiosity. "Little monster, what are you doing now?"

Tang San put his index finger to his lips as a shushing gesture, his eyes still fixed intently on the bronze cauldron.

Dugu Bo followed Tang San's gaze and saw that faint purple smoke was constantly rising from the cracks in the sealed lid of the bronze cauldron. He was already used to this. Tang San often created strange and poisonous substances that even he couldn't help but admire, but Tang San would never reveal the recipes, much to Dugu Bo's frustration.

The purple smoke emanating from the bronze cauldron lingered above it, swaying slightly. Dugu Bo's nose twitched slightly; possessing exceptional poison skills and a high resistance to poison, he was naturally unafraid. However, he quickly realized that the purple smoke had no smell, making it impossible to determine its composition. Yet, for some reason, watching the rising purple smoke sent a chill down his spine.

As a Soul Master whose power lies in poison, Dugu Bo knew very well what this feeling was. It was a unique intuition unique to him, and he only felt this way when faced with a deadly poison that could threaten his life. Just what kind of poison did this little monster concoct that even he felt threatened by it?

You see, although Tang San had concocted many poisons and ingenious medicines that amazed Dugu Bo in the past six months, he had never experienced a situation that even Dugu Bo found frightening. Not daring to disturb him, Dugu Bo simply sat down beside Tang San and waited quietly.

Tang San's expression was more solemn than ever before, his gaze fixed on the bronze cauldron and the purple smoke rising from it. As time passed, the purple smoke on the cauldron grew thinner and thinner, and at the same time, its color changed, from purple to white, and then from white to black, undergoing a strange process.

During this process, Tang San used the Blue Silver Grass to open the cauldron three times, adding some medicine inside. Even though his Blue Silver Grass was now impervious to water and fire, one of the herbs would wither each time.

This only fueled Dugu Bo's curiosity further. After drinking his tonic, he secretly circulated his poison technique, probing the aura within the smoke.

However, no matter how he tried, he still couldn't figure out what kind of medicine the poisonous mist inside the smoke was made from. Dugu Bo only vaguely sensed that it should be a mixture of multiple toxins, working synergistically to create a potent poison.

"Does this kid want to poison me?" Dugu Bo thought to himself. "Otherwise, why would he concoct such a highly poisonous drug?"

However, he quickly dismissed the idea. Not to mention that the two of them were now both teacher and friend, even if Tang San really wanted to poison him, he wouldn't do it in front of him.

The refining process was extremely lengthy. By the time the next morning dawned and Dugu Bo was already feeling impatient, the black smoke on the bronze cauldron finally subsided and slowly returned to the cauldron.

"It's a success!" Tang San jumped up from the ground, his voice bursting with uncontrollable excitement. At this moment, he truly showed the liveliness and jubilation of someone his age.

"Little monster, what exactly is this thing?" Dugu Bo couldn't help but ask.

Tang San finally let out a long breath, looked at Dugu Bo, and said mysteriously, "This is a treasure. A deadly treasure. I can guarantee that even if you were hit by it, you wouldn't survive more than three breaths. Of course, it's no threat to you; your skin is thick, so it can't enter your body. I'll show you my masterpiece later."

More than ten strands of blue silver grass shot out at the same time, pulling the bronze cauldron back to the shore. He was not in a hurry and waited for the bronze cauldron to cool down slowly.

Since Tang San had already said so, Dugu Bo could only wait. Half an hour passed before Tang San stepped forward and carefully lifted the lid after the bronze cauldron had completely cooled down.

Dugu Bo used his poison technique to protect himself and peered into the bronze cauldron. Inside, in the center, was a small metal mold, surrounded by signs of drying, likely remnants of dried medicine. Inside the mold lay three small needles, each only an inch long, completely black and dull.

"After all that work, this is what you get?" Dugu Bo snorted irritably. "What's the use of this thing?"

Tang San chuckled, activated his Xuan Yu Hand, and carefully took out the mold. Then, he retrieved a small jade box he had prepared beforehand from the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night, and poured the three needles from the mold into the three grooves.

"A poison capable of killing a Title Douluo, do you think it's useful?" Tang San's eyes gleamed with a burning light. Back in the Tang Sect, this kind of look only appeared when he created a super hidden weapon.

"This thing can kill a Title Douluo? You're kidding, right?" Dugu Bo looked incredulous. "This little thing can't even break through a Title Douluo's defenses. What's the use of it being poisonous?"

Tang San glanced at Dugu Bo. "Do you know what hidden weapons are? Hidden weapons are weapons used in secret. Just because you can't break through their defenses in a direct confrontation doesn't mean you can't do it at any time. Besides, I'll only be able to use these three needles after my soul power breaks through level 40. To release them, you need a special method. They have a name: Yama's Decree."

"The King of Hell's Decree? What does that mean?" Dugu Bo was a little confused.

Tang San stared at the three small, jet-black needles in the jade box, his eyes gleaming with fascination, as if he were looking at a priceless treasure. "The meaning of the word 'King Yama' is the god of death. It's an ancient divine term. Tell me, what does the god of death want you to do if he sends you an invitation? Naturally, it's to send you back to the embrace of death. If the King Yama calls you to die at midnight, who dares to keep you alive until dawn?"

(End of this chapter)