When Dugu Yan said those words, there was a hint of melancholy in her expression. Having read the original work, Oscar could more or less guess why.
In the source material, Dugu Yan was only introduced three years later just a few months after Tang San and the others enrolled in Shrek Academy. The original description of her emphasized that her body was filled with deadly poison. Apart from Yu Tianheng, anyone else who came into contact with her risked being poisoned.
Even though she and Yu Tianheng had confirmed their romantic relationship, the two seemed to have had no deeper physical intimacy likely due to the toxicity in her body.
Indeed, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Venom was overwhelmingly potent.
But of course, Oscar wasn't going to casually brush things off. Encountering Dugu Yan here was practically a gift from fate. Whether he could seize the opportunity was entirely up to him.
Oscar withdrew his hand and looked at the now visibly downcast Dugu Yan. He said slowly,
"Is it because of the poison in your body?"
Dugu Yan's head snapped up to look at him, eyes locking onto his. She was certain this was their first time meeting so how could he possibly know about the poison in her body?
"You… how do you know?"
Seeing her strong reaction, Oscar calmly explained,
"Don't worry. Besides being a soul master, I'm also something of an apothecary. From the first moment I saw you, I had my suspicions. And just now, when I got close, I picked up a faint metallic scent so I made an educated guess."
Hearing this, Dugu Yan reflexively stepped back two paces, her bare jade feet tapping the ground lightly. She crossed her arms and looked at Oscar, her expression subtly changing.
Oscar was momentarily puzzled. He clearly recognized what that kind of body language meant.
It was the kind of reaction girls often had when they revealed a vulnerability to someone they liked, fearing rejection.
But… they had just met. Could Dugu Yan have fallen for him at first sight?
Sure, Oscar knew he was exceptionally handsome, charming, graceful, refined, and well, the list went on but even so?
Wait. No. It was more likely she had developed a favorable impression, only for him to touch on her greatest insecurity, causing her to shrink back.
And that was exactly what happened. She had planned to get to know Oscar, especially since he looked outstanding, had good strength, and seemed unaware of her background. Her grandfather had even told her to meet more peers.
But now that her greatest secret had been exposed, Dugu Yan grew scared not because she feared Oscar would harm her. He didn't look like a bad person, and her grandfather was secretly protecting her.
She was afraid that Oscar would reject her…
Oscar paused only for a moment before gently saying,
"You don't need to be like this. I do feel sympathy for what you've gone through but you should know that some things in life are out of our control. Our bodies are gifts from our parents. You have no reason to feel inferior because of something like this."
Dugu Yan looked up at Oscar, surprised. She saw no trace of disgust or fear in his eyes, despite him knowing her secret.
"You… do you mean that?"
Oscar smiled faintly.
"Of course. Besides, you're such a beautiful girl. Why let a single flaw define you? If you fixate on it, others will use it to hurt you that's when it truly becomes a weakness."
"But if we don't see it as a flaw… then aren't we still perfect in our own way?"
To empathize with her, Oscar "foolishly" summoned his martial spirit.
"Look at me. My spirit is a food type sausage. And yet I just killed a thousand year Purple Venom Viper in a single strike. Why? Because I never saw my spirit as a limitation it became a source of motivation."
"In some ways, we're the same. You inherited your parents' poisonous traits, while I inherited a supposedly 'useless' martial spirit. We can't change that. So why not change what we can our destiny?"
"What others think is secondary. What matters most… is your own heart."
Dugu Yan stared at Oscar, lost in thought.
Though shocked that a food type soul master could slay a thousand year venomous serpent, it was his last sentence that struck her the deepest:
"What matters most is your own heart."
Yes… what other people think didn't matter. What she thought of herself did.
"…Thank you." After a long pause, Dugu Yan bowed slightly to Oscar.
"You're the first person aside from my grandfather who's ever said these things to me. I always thought Grandpa was just comforting me. I never believed anyone would really want to be my friend. But maybe I can believe it now."
Oscar smiled.
"Dugu Yan, you should have more confidence. We've only just met, but I think we could become friends."
As he spoke, he extended his right hand once more.
Dugu Yan smiled softly but hesitated.
"Mm… but I still can't…"
Before she could finish, Oscar gently took her right hand.
Dugu Yan froze for a second, then quickly pulled away and lowered her head.
Her cheeks flushed a deep red.
"YO You… aren't you afraid of being poisoned?"
Oscar chuckled.
"It's not as bad as you think. Your venom is potent, yes, but with sufficient soul power and resistance, something like a handshake won't have any effect."
He lifted his right hand to show her. No signs of poisoning.
Dugu Yan looked carefully and indeed saw nothing wrong. Her eyes drifted upward again, and she saw only warmth in Oscar's expression.
Oscar continued,
"My second soul ring comes from a soul beast with extremely high poison resistance. My own tolerance is pretty high. Plus, my strength surpasses yours there's really nothing to worry about."
Hearing this, Dugu Yan ducked her head again, her face turning even redder.
Was this… her first physical contact with a boy outside her family?
Why was her heart beating so fast?
Oscar gently changed the topic.
"All right. No need to overthink. We grilled some meat earlier come join us. When my teacher returns, we'll help you find your grandfather."
Seeing the shy and flustered Dugu Yan, Oscar said this with a smile.
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