Dugu Bo leapt effortlessly off the edge of the towering cliff in front of him, his figure vanishing into the depths below.
Having experienced this once before, Li Chang'an followed suit without hesitation, diving into the seemingly bottomless abyss alongside him.
The roaring wind whipped past his ears, and Li Chang'an was acutely aware that without assistance, a fall from this height would undoubtedly result in him being smashed to pieces.
Fortunately, before they reached the ground, Dugu Bo released a surge of powerful soul energy that enveloped Li Chang'an, gently bringing him to the ground like a floating feather.
As the dense fog dissipated, a hidden valley was revealed.
At the center of the valley lay a two-toned hot spring.
The steam that rose steadily into the air at the mountain's peak originated from the spot where the two sections of the spring met, creating a continuous, misty ascent that only dissipated near the summit.
"Grandfather, why did you bring me here?" Li Chang'an asked curiously, taking in his surroundings.
"You want to marry Yan Yan, don't you? With your current constitution, you're not qualified yet. You need a body immune to all poisons," Dugu Bo said, pointing to the ice and fire herbs growing on opposite sides of the spring. His intention was clear.
The Dugu family's poison was not just harmful to themselves—it could also unintentionally poison those close to them over time.
If someone harbored poison within their body, close physical contact with another person would naturally transfer trace amounts of that poison, slowly poisoning the other person over time.
The process was much like the transmission of a contagious disease.
For this reason, the Dugu family had always chosen partners with poison-resistant martial souls when seeking spouses.
Even so, long-term exposure would cause their partners to accumulate more and more poison within their bodies, eventually leading to their premature deaths. This was what had happened to Dugu Bo's wife, son, and daughter-in-law—all victims of the virulent poison carried by the Dugu family's Jade Phosphor Serpent martial soul.
Initially, Dugu Bo had assumed that Li Chang'an's martial soul, like his own, was the Jade Phosphor Serpent, making him naturally immune to Yan Yan's venom. But upon closer inspection, he realized Li Chang'an's martial soul was a rare mutation, half-serpent and half-sword.
While this mutation gave Li Chang'an some immunity to poison, his body lacked the inherent toxin resistance of a pure serpent-type martial soul. This meant that if Li Chang'an and Yan Yan consummated their relationship, he could still succumb to poisoning over time—a tragic end Dugu Bo was determined to prevent.
For Yan Yan's future happiness, Dugu Bo had strictly forbidden her from advancing her relationship with Li Chang'an until a solution could be found.
Today, Dugu Bo believed he had found that solution.
Previously, Li Chang'an had informed him about the two herbs, one ice and one fire, growing on opposite sides of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. When consumed together, they could grant the consumer a body immune to all toxins. While Dugu Bo had initially been skeptical, his observations of the herbs' miraculous properties had convinced him to give it a try.
As for why Dugu Bo didn't take them himself?
Li Chang'an had warned him that the herbs' potent medicinal effects might neutralize the Jade Phosphor Serpent's venom entirely, rendering his martial soul harmless. For a titled Douluo like Dugu Bo, whose strength relied heavily on his poison, this was not an acceptable outcome.
Thus, Li Chang'an was the perfect candidate to consume these herbs.
What Dugu Bo didn't know, however, was that Li Chang'an's mutated martial soul already gave him a unique advantage—he could absorb and neutralize toxins. As such, no poison, no matter how deadly, posed a true threat to him.
In fact, Li Chang'an could have easily absorbed the poisons afflicting the Dugu family, alleviating their symptoms. However, since their martial souls naturally produced venom, this would only provide temporary relief. It was a stopgap solution, similar to forcing the poison into a soul bone.
Li Chang'an had decided not to mention this, opting instead to wait until he achieved godhood to explore a more permanent cure. Dugu Bo's current actions, though based on a misunderstanding, conveniently aligned with Li Chang'an's plans to strengthen his own body.
With no reason to refuse such a fortuitous opportunity, Li Chang'an readily agreed.
Dugu Bo waved his hand, severing a snow-white, octagonal flower growing in the icy spring. As it fell into his grasp, a wave of frigid air radiated outward, coating the surrounding herbs in a thin layer of frost.
This herb was the Eight Petal Ice Crystal Flower, a rare and highly toxic plant with intense cold properties. Prolonged exposure could freeze the heart and central nervous system, leading to an incurable death. Merely standing near it was dangerous, let alone consuming it.
Next, Dugu Bo turned his attention to the fiery spring, where a fiery-red plant resembling a cabbage grew. With another wave of his hand, he pulled up the plant, root and all.
This was the Infernal Delicate Apricot, another top-tier toxic herb with potent fire properties. It could thrive in extreme heat, even within molten lava, and its effects were the exact opposite of the Eight Petal Ice Crystal Flower.
Finally, Dugu Bo brought the two herbs together, letting them touch.
A miraculous transformation occurred.
The chilling aura of the Ice Crystal Flower and the blazing heat of the Inferno Delicate Apricot neutralized each other upon contact. The frosty flower glowed faintly red, while the fiery plant emitted a soft white mist.
Seeing this reaction, Dugu Bo breathed a sigh of relief. The recorded method of consumption seemed legitimate after all. The temporary balance between the two herbs confirmed their compatibility.
"Chang'an, there's no time to waste. Consume them now," Dugu Bo urged.
Once the herbs came into contact, their medicinal properties would only remain active for ten breaths' time. After that, their effects would dissipate entirely, and the herbs would be rendered useless.
Nodding, Li Chang'an strode forward, grabbed both herbs, and consumed them in a few swift bites. After chewing thoroughly, he swallowed them down.
(End of Chapter)