"What the hell is this thing? How did my poison just disappear like that?" Dugu Bo jumped to Chen Ming's side, staring at the Aromatic Silk Beauty with extreme caution. It was as if this harmless herb wasn't just a medicinal plant but rather a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast that devoured people.
"I think I read about this in a book once. It's called the Aromatic Silk Beauty, and its fragrance can neutralize all poisons under heaven. Because of this property, it's practically the nemesis of poison-type soul masters. I've only seen it mentioned once, but it left a deep impression on me. I never thought such a thing existed."
Due to the unique effects of the Aromatic Silk Beauty on poison-type soul masters, Chen Ming simply claimed he had read about it in a book. Hearing Chen Ming's words, Dugu Bo nodded in agreement, completely convinced.
After all, if he had read about something that could counter all poisons and poison-type soul masters, he would have remembered it too, regardless of whether it truly existed. Real or fake, such knowledge would be impossible to forget.
But Dugu Bo glanced at his hand and felt the condition of his body. He was still somewhat puzzled and questioned Chen Ming.
"Isn't this so-called Aromatic Silk Beauty supposed to counteract all poisons? Then why did you feel your soul power being suppressed when you entered its range, while I felt nothing unless I actively released my soul power?"
"I can't be certain, but I have a theory." Chen Ming rubbed his chin, his eyes narrowing as if he had stumbled upon something intriguing.
"The ancient texts mention that the Aromatic Silk Beauty neutralizes all poisons, and its fragrance can harmonize with them. However, it can't detoxify. If someone is already poisoned before entering its range, the poison won't be neutralized."
Dugu Bo's mouth twitched. It was clear he understood Chen Ming's theory.
The unlucky Dugu Bo had already been suffering from the backlash of his poison before entering the area. Although he had suppressed it temporarily, it still counted as being poisoned. On the other hand, Chen Ming had excellent poison resistance but had not suffered from any backlash, so he wasn't considered poisoned.
Thus, as a first-time visitor, Chen Ming could feel the Aromatic Silk Beauty suppressing his poison-based abilities. Meanwhile, Dugu Bo, due to his unique condition, had never noticed this feature over the years.
"This Aromatic Silk Beauty only suppresses pure poison or toxins generated by soul power. If the poison contains vitality or is intertwined with life force, the fragrance might not work…"
"Fascinating, fascinating." Chen Ming felt his mind buzzing as if he had gained a deeper understanding of the path of poison.
Who would have thought that the Aromatic Silk Beauty—something with a relatively low presence in the original story—could bring him such a pleasant surprise?
"There are very few poisons in the world that affect the spirit. I wonder if this Aromatic Silk Beauty could counteract spiritual poisons."
"Spiritual poisons? I know there's a rare soul beast in the Sunset Forest called the Phantom Nether Scorpion, which carries spiritual poisons. I've studied that soul beast before but couldn't draw any conclusions. Perhaps we could capture one in the future and test it."
Mimicking Chen Ming's thoughtful gesture, Dugu Bo stroked his chin and began considering research possibilities.
The two of them started discussing back and forth. Although Chen Ming's mastery of poison techniques wasn't as advanced as Dugu Bo's, and his family knowledge couldn't compare to Dugu Bo's expertise, Chen Ming's imaginative thinking as a transmigrator far surpassed Dugu Bo's. A few simple statements from Chen Ming could spark new ideas for Dugu Bo.
Additionally, Chen Ming's unique abilities allowed him to view the world from a different perspective. His insights were often deeper and more comprehensive, even surpassing those of a titled Douluo.
Sometimes, a statement that seemed obvious to Chen Ming could completely overturn Dugu Bo's long-held beliefs.
After discussing the Aromatic Silk Beauty and various toxins for half a day, both of them felt their knowledge had greatly expanded.
"Maybe this Immortal Herb could play a role in detoxification processes," Chen Ming said casually as he organized his thoughts.
"Should we pick this Aromatic Silk Beauty now?" Dugu Bo rubbed his hands together eagerly, his mind already racing with a hundred different ways to experiment with poisons.
"Let's leave it for now. Harvesting methods can sometimes affect an herb's properties. Who knows if this one has such limitations? Besides, an Immortal Herb still growing in the ground contains far more information than one that's already been picked. Even if we're going to harvest it, we should document everything first."
Chen Ming, adopting the perspective of a researcher, stopped Dugu Bo in his tracks.
Even if picking the Aromatic Silk Beauty wouldn't diminish its medicinal properties, who could say for certain about its spiritual essence? If they were going to harvest it, they should first gather as much data as possible.
"Besides, there are no outsiders here, and the herb isn't going to grow legs and run away. If we need to harvest it later, we can always do so."
"That's true." Dugu Bo nodded, silently adding to strengthen the outer poison array to his to-do list.
Even if it meant enduring another bout of poison backlash, Dugu Bo was determined to fortify the poison barrier two or three times over, aiming to make it difficult even for an ordinary titled Douluo to enter.
The courtyard was full of treasures, and losing even one would break Dugu Bo's heart.
Letting a herb like the Aromatic Silk Beauty—which had a significant suppressive effect on him—fall into someone else's hands would not just break his heart; it might very well lead to his death.
After temporarily leaving Aromatic Silk Beauty, which held immense research value for both of them, Chen Ming began inspecting other Immortal Herbs.
Not far away, a black jade-like bamboo stood tall. Golden lines shimmered faintly at its joints, and its entire body radiated a unique luster under the sunlight. Even someone unfamiliar with it could tell this was no ordinary plant—it was the Black Jade Divine Bamboo.
A short distance ahead, a seemingly ordinary patch of grass grew on the ground. At its top was an oval-shaped fruit, faintly exuding the essence of starlight.
Chen Ming sat in front of this small plant, placing his hands gently at its roots and attempting to channel his spiritual energy.
Unlike Nine-Curve Ascension Dragon Grass from earlier, which had rejected him, this plant—suspected to be the Star Luo Holy Pearl—had a higher level of spiritual essence. However, it showed no signs of hostility or resistance to Chen Ming's probing. Instead, it seemed shy, quietly concealing itself.
Just like before, Chen Ming began converting his soul power through the Dragon Core and infused life energy into the plant's roots to reduce its resistance. He then attempted to enter a state of spiritual vision.
The Star Luo Holy Pearl's spiritual essence was far superior to the Nine-Curve Ascension Dragon Grass. While it was drawn to the life energy, it was still perceptive enough to sense what Chen Ming was doing.
Chen Ming could distinctly feel a hesitant emotion from the Star Luo Holy Pearl's spiritual essence. After a moment's pause, however, it relented—probably tempted by the life energy feast—and lowered its defenses, allowing Chen Ming to peer into its depths.