Two Nine-Section Jadeites coiled continuously.
The two Core Pearls within their bodies subtly emitted a pulling force, absorbing traces of Colored Light Toxin from the decaying bones.
This colored light was none other than Overlord Venom—a high-quality toxin required by the Core Pearls.
Suddenly, Dugu Feng's eyes widened.
"Stop! Come back!"
The green energy within the Core Pearls was surging wildly.
A feeling struck Dugu Feng—the Core Pearls were on the verge of imbalance.
Core Pearls were not Poison Pills. If they were, they could absorb any amount of toxin without issue.
Core Pearls were akin to the inner cores of serpentine Spirit Beasts, composed of toxins, energy, and Soul Power.
If too much toxin was absorbed, the energy balance would collapse, poisoning him in the process.
He had been cautious while absorbing, but the quality of these faint traces of toxin was simply too high—far exceeding what his current Core Pearls could handle.
The two Nine-Section Jadeites, dazed and sluggish, slithered up Dugu Feng's wrists.
Suppressing his excitement, Dugu Feng quickly turned and returned to the carriage.
The moment he stepped inside, a shocking sight greeted him.
Before Dugu Shuo lay a pool of black blood, sizzling faintly, while Old Snake and Old Scorpion stood nearby, their faces tense.
"Father!"
Dugu Feng rushed to Dugu Shuo's side in alarm.
Dugu Shuo slowly opened his eyes, revealing an expression of exhilaration. He smacked his lips and said, "No need to panic, Feng'er. This is the backlash one must endure when wielding Overlord Venom with external aid.
But Overlord Venom turns killing into an art—that perfect harmony with spiritual power is something you don't yet understand."
Dugu Shuo wore a look of deep satisfaction.
This left Dugu Feng stunned.
It was the first time he had ever seen his father display such vivid emotion—like the contentment after... well, that.
What a madman!
But recalling how Dugu Shuo had effortlessly controlled the lives of the Elephant Armor Sect members, that sensation must have been indescribable.
"Feng'er, eat as much Whale Oil as you need. If you run out, ask Old Snake for more.
To withstand the might of Overlord Venom, your meridians and flesh must grow even stronger. Aim for a thousand-year Spirit Ring for your second one!" Dugu Shuo declared with enthusiasm.
Dugu Feng had been training well lately, but he could still push himself harder.
Especially after witnessing Overlord Venom in action.
Having experienced its overwhelming power once more, Dugu Shuo felt it was safer to keep increasing the intensity.
Otherwise, he might end up like himself—too afraid to affix a fifth poison-attribute Spirit Beast by the fifth Spirit Ring.
"Understood, Father. The Ten Thousand Year Whale Oil I won from the academy's Soul Duels will last me a while!"
Ning Rongrong had been quite generous last time, giving him a large chunk.
Though she was probably hoping he'd drop dead in bed from it!
Dugu Feng could practically feel the malice radiating from her.
With that, Dugu Shuo closed his eyes again, his face brimming with satisfaction as if reliving the experience.
Dugu Feng sat beside Little Snake and also settled his mind, focusing inward.
As he sensed the Core Pearls within the Nine-Section Jadeites, his spirit was instantly shaken.
The green energy within the two Core Pearls had surged from fifty-five to eighty-six—and had turned a dark green.
Damn it! Back at the start, it took a whole month just to raise it by a single point.
This time, it was like taking a powerful tonic, directly boosting his progress by thirty-one points.
It was equivalent to several years' worth of toxin accumulation—truly astonishing.
Dugu Feng had a sudden realization: the Core Pearl had reached its limit in toxin capacity.
No wonder he felt the Core Pearl was on the verge of imbalance when absorbing the Overlord Venom earlier.
This meant the remaining fourteen percent of space in the Core Pearl could only accommodate Soul Power and physical energy.
Once the Core Pearl was filled with Soul Power and physical energy, it could evolve again.
Dugu Feng felt as if fortune had fallen straight from the heavens.
After all, toxins were the hardest to condense within the Core Pearl. Given Dugu Feng's current cultivation level, the amount of toxins he could extract daily from his Soul Power was limited.
Moreover, excessive condensation was harmful to his body, as some toxins inevitably seeped into his system.
Now that the toxin capacity was maxed out, all that remained was to condense Soul Power and flesh energy through relentless cultivation and feasting.
Dugu Feng was determined to go all out.
He longed for the Core Pearl's evolution more than anything.
Once purified, the Core Pearl's quality would rise significantly, greatly enhancing his physical strength.
Dugu Feng reached for his Storage Belt.
A plate of fried scorpions appeared.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
He ate them one after another.
"So satisfying!"
Dugu Feng pulled out a waterskin and gulped down its contents.
"The young master has truly mastered my teachings—not wasting a single Bamboo Leaf Green. That waterskin must contain snake blood, right?" Old Snake chuckled, pulling out a piece of Whale Oil. "Young master, your Soul Power isn't strong enough to melt Whale Oil yet. Let me help you!"
Dugu Feng didn't hesitate. He swallowed the melted Whale Oil whole.
His blood and qi surged violently.
Beads of sweat even formed on his forehead.
He quickly steadied his mind and began cultivating, circulating his Soul Power through his meridians over and over.
After more than ten full cycles through his entire meridian system, his Soul Power advanced again.
Then, as the Core Pearl rotated, it absorbed most of the Soul Power in his body.
Dugu Feng checked—the energy within the Core Pearl had increased slightly.
His confidence soared, and he resumed circulating his Soul Power.
Nearby, Little Snake watched with deep admiration.
The young master was truly the young master—never holding back when it came to eating.
But how did he manage to eat so much without gaining weight?
Why did I grow taller every time I overate? I really don't want to grow taller!
Little Snake's mind was full of questions.
Unable to find answers, he gave up. But today's events had raised another dilemma.
He had encountered two Titled Douluos today—which one should he assassinate later?
Neither seemed like a good person. As Little Snake weighed his options, he sank into cultivation.
Meanwhile, inside the Thunder Academy's carriage…
After Yu Yuanzhen entered, the other Soul Masters from Thunder Academy tactfully set up tents outside the carriage.
Most of them knew one thing about their clan leader: his temper was as explosive as his title.
Yu Yuanzhen's title was, after all, "Thunder."
Thus, few dared to approach him.
Only Yu Luomian stepped into the carriage.
"Elder brother, you should've warned me about the Elephant Armor Sect and the Dugu Family's affairs. You gave me quite a scare!" Yu Luomian complained as soon as he sat down.
Yu Yuanzhen had already retracted the crackling electricity around him, revealing his true appearance.
Clad in a blue robe, his features were sharp and his gaze piercing as he glared at Yu Luomian, a hint of severity flashing in his eyes.
"If you're scared, then focus on your cultivation. At your current pace, when will you ever break through to become a Titled Douluo!" Yu Yuanzhen said with frustration at his lack of progress.
Yu Luomian gave an awkward smile. "Big brother, how can my talent compare to yours? It takes me years just to advance one level in the Soul Douluo realm. I don't even know if I'll ever reach Titled Douluo in this lifetime."
"I'll just focus on properly nurturing Tianheng and Tianxin. I want to see them break through to Titled Douluo!"
(End of Chapter)