Thank you to our new Patrons: William Ngo, Dog Jay, Christopher Gärtner, Jose cabrera atzin and Luke Matthews! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 190: The Punishment for Canghui Academy on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
Patrons, don't forget to vote for the next novel to be released!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
As per their agreement, Ning Tianchen informed Dugu Bo of the uses and effects of all the immortal herbs.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's blood pressure skyrocketed, and he was filled with regret.
It turned out that for all these years, he had possessed the largest cultivation resource on the entire continent but had been unaware of its value due to his lack of knowledge.
He had occupied the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well for twenty years. If he had known about the effects of the immortal herbs earlier, what level of strength might he have achieved by now? Level 94? Or perhaps even a chance to break through to become a Super Douluo?
Sensing his thoughts, Ning Tianchen chuckled. "Old man, don't assume that absorbing these immortal herbs will guarantee breaking through to higher realms."
"My grandfather once said that above Level 95, in order to advance even one level of soul power, an extremely high level of martial soul enlightenment is required. External aids are ultimately insufficient."
"Besides, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Each immortal herb contains incredibly potent energy, and within ten years, only one can be absorbed. Absorbing more won't bring benefits—it will only harm you."
Dugu Bo knew this truth well, but he still harbored fantasies.
After a brief pause, Ning Tianchen placed two immortal herbs in front of Dugu Bo. "This one is the Lunar Snake Emperor Grass, prepared for Dugu Yan. This Green Leaf Poison Emperor is for you, old man—go ahead and absorb it."
Dugu Bo examined the two herbs. "You're thoughtful. Earlier, I heard you say that the Green Leaf Poison Emperor can only enhance the soul power and poison abilities of poison-type soul masters. But the Snow Swan Kiss can amplify my poison mist's power a hundredfold or even a thousandfold. If that's the case, why should I bother with this Green Leaf Poison Emperor?"
Compared to increasing soul power, he preferred enhancing his poison abilities.
Ning Tianchen smiled helplessly. "Old man, although your toxins have condensed into a poison pill, can you guarantee that there isn't even a trace of residual toxin left in your body? If those traces are amplified a hundredfold or a thousandfold, the resulting change in quantity could trigger a qualitative shift, potentially costing you your life in a short time."
Dugu Bo was startled—he hadn't considered this possibility at all.
Ning Tianchen continued, "Moreover, the Snow Swan Kiss is more effective when applied externally rather than ingested. During battle, using the Snow Swan Kiss to stimulate toxins will yield better results."
"It seems I overlooked this. How should I consume the Green Leaf Poison Emperor?"
"Place it in front of you and refine it with your soul power. The same method applies to the Lunar Snake Emperor Grass prepared for Dugu Yan. Hurry up and absorb it, old man—I'll need your help hunting for a soul ring later."
At this point, Dugu Bo noticed that Ning Tianchen's soul power had somehow broken through to Level 40 at some point.
Glancing at the immortal herb in his hand, he roughly guessed the reason.
Ning Tianchen, with his knowledge of immortal herbs, could have easily claimed all the herbs here for himself without Dugu Bo even realizing it. Yet not only did he refrain from doing so, but he also left appropriate herbs for both Dugu Bo and his granddaughter.
Add to that the method for condensing the poison pill, and Dugu Bo felt that this favor might take him a lifetime to repay.
---
Two hours later, another powerful surge of soul power fluctuations erupted from the wooden hut.
With the aid of the immortal herbs, Dugu Bo gained even greater mastery over the poison pill, and his soul power level even broke through to Level 93—bringing him close to Level 94.
At this point, Dugu Bo completely shed the title of the weakest Title Douluo.
"Old man, I think it'd be better if you kept your true strength hidden," Ning Tianchen suggested, rubbing his nose as he reminded him.
Dugu Bo was currently feeling invincible, and Ning Tianchen worried that he might do something reckless because of it.
Dugu Bo laughed heartily. "Who among the Title Douluos on the continent can achieve what I've done today—two consecutive breakthroughs in a single day?"
The jump from Level 91 to Level 92 was the result of accumulated effort finally paying off.
In the past, he had been unable to break through because of the toxins plaguing him. But now that the toxins were "gone," the soul power he had cultivated over the years immediately nourished his body.
Ning Tianchen countered, "Old man, if others still think you're at Level 91, they won't take you seriously in battle. Wouldn't that increase your chances of successfully challenging opponents of higher levels?"
Dugu Bo nodded, agreeing with his reasoning.
"These three leaves were plucked from the Snow Swan Kiss—they should amplify your poison abilities several times over. Be careful when using them."
The Snow Swan Kiss was a dangerous substance. Handing it over to someone like Dugu Bo, whose entire body was saturated with poison, could lead to catastrophic consequences if anything went wrong. It might even turn a hundred-mile radius into a desolate, toxic wasteland.
Dugu Bo didn't dare touch the leaves with his hands. Instead, he used his soul power to lift them and carefully stored them in his soul-guiding tool.
"By the way, kid, what kind of soul beast do you need for your fourth soul ring? This Sunset Forest is practically my backyard. There isn't a soul beast I can't find here."
He was confident that no one knew the Sunset Forest better than he did.
"I need a dragon-type soul beast—the stronger its bloodline, the better."
Although the Seven Kill Sword had already undergone evolution, absorbing the soul ring of a dragon-type soul beast would grant it excellent soul skills.
Dugu Bo searched his memory.
The Sunset Forest and the Star Dou Forest were two of the three great forests on the Douluo Continent. However, the former paled in comparison to the latter.
When it came to dragon-type soul beasts, they were exceedingly rare in the Sunset Forest.
"There is one creature that might meet your requirements," Dugu Bo said. "It's a Wind Demon Wing Dragon, and its territory is located about twenty miles east of this valley."
"The only issue is that it's a ten-thousand-year soul beast. While it would make a fine fifth soul ring for you, it's unsuitable as your fourth spirit ring. You'll need to find another soul beast for that."
Ning Tianchen confidently replied, "That's the one. A ten-thousand-year soul ring—I'm confident I can handle it."
"Are you insane? Do you know what happens when you absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring?" Dugu Bo's voice rose in alarm, hoping the other man would come to his senses and abandon such reckless thoughts.
A ten-thousand-year fourth ring had never appeared on the continent before.
To put it into perspective, the soul shock from a ten-thousand-year soul beast could overwhelm even a Level 50 quasi-soul king, let alone a quasi-soul master.
Ning Tianchen explained, "Old man, I never do anything without confidence. You have many immortal herbs here, including one that boosts spiritual power. After absorbing it, I can sense that my current spiritual strength is no weaker than that of an average soul king."
Hunting a ten-thousand-year dragon-type soul beast was beyond his capabilities alone. Even if he returned to his sect, Chen Xin wouldn't approve either.
Absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring couldn't be interrupted midway, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would definitely forbid him from taking such a risk. At this point, convincing Dugu Bo was his only option.
After a pause, he added, "Just because it's never been done on the continent doesn't mean I can't be the first."
"Old man, as a Title Douluo, you broke through two levels in a single day—didn't that set a precedent? If you can do it, why shouldn't I be allowed to set my own precedent?"
Dugu Bo fell silent, unable to refute Ning Tianchen's clever argument.
After pondering for a moment, he sighed. "Alright, I can't argue with you. But you need to think carefully about the consequences. Though I have methods to forcibly interrupt your absorption process, that soul ring would be lost forever, and you'd suffer severe aftereffects later."
"Even so, are you still determined to proceed?"
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed.