When Dugu Yan said those words, there was a faint trace of sadness in her expression. Having read the original story, Oscar could already guess the reason.
In the original tale, Dugu Yan was supposed to appear three years later, just a few months after Tang San and the others entered Shrek Academy. At that time, her description was clear: she carried a lethal poison in her body. Except for Yu Tianheng, anyone who touched her risked being poisoned.
Even after she and Yu Tianheng confirmed their relationship, there never seemed to be much deeper physical intimacy—most likely because of the venom within her.
The Jade Phosphor Snake venom was indeed tyrannical.
Of course, Oscar couldn't just brush off her words casually. Running into Dugu Yan here was, in a way, a gift from heaven—an opportunity. Whether he could seize it or not depended entirely on himself.
Oscar withdrew his hand, studying the faintly dejected look on Dugu Yan's face. Slowly, he asked:
"Is it because of the poison in your body?"
At those words, Dugu Yan's head snapped up, her eyes locking on Oscar's. She was certain this was their very first meeting. So how could he possibly know about the poison in her?
"You… how do you know?"
Seeing her strong reaction, Oscar calmly explained:
"Don't worry. I'm not only a soul master but also something of a pharmacist. From the first moment I saw you, I already had some suspicions. And when I got closer, I caught a faintly metallic tang from you. That's why I guessed it."
At that, Dugu Yan's bare jade-like feet tapped against the ground as she instinctively retreated two steps, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Her expression shifted ever so slightly as she stared at Oscar.
Oscar, however, was momentarily puzzled. He recognized that expression and posture—it was the kind of reaction a girl might have when, in front of someone she liked, her weakness was suddenly exposed.
But… they had just met. Could it be that Dugu Yan had fallen for him at first sight?
Oscar knew he was handsome—elegant, refined, dashing, every inch the jade-like gentleman…
But even so, it seemed unlikely that Dugu Yan would like him instantly. No, more likely, she had a good impression of him, but because he had pointed out her greatest flaw so directly, she was now feeling insecure…
And that was indeed the truth. Dugu Yan had just been thinking of getting to know Oscar better. He was the most handsome boy she had ever met; his strength was outstanding, and he was about her age. On top of that, her grandfather had told her she should start meeting more people her own age. So naturally, she had been curious about Oscar.
But now, with her deepest secret laid bare, she suddenly felt hesitant. It wasn't that she feared Oscar might harm her—he didn't seem like a bad person, and her grandfather was secretly protecting her anyway.
No, what she feared… was that Oscar would reject her.
Oscar froze for only a moment before speaking gently:
"You don't have to feel that way. I sympathize with your situation, but I want you to understand something: there are things we cannot change. Our bodies are given to us by our parents. You shouldn't feel ashamed of that."
Dugu Yan looked at him in surprise. For once, someone had learned her secret and yet showed neither disgust nor fear in their eyes.
"You… you really mean that?"
Oscar smiled faintly.
"Of course. And besides, why would a girl as beautiful as you dwell on such a flaw? The more you mind it, the more others can use it against you—and that becomes your true weakness.
"But if you refuse to see it as a flaw, then you remain perfect, don't you?"
As he spoke, Oscar summoned his martial spirit—the sausage.
"Look, my martial spirit is just a food-type sausage. By rights, it should be useless in battle. And yet, I could slay a thousand-year Jade Phosphor Serpent with one strike. Why? Because I don't treat my so-called weakness as a defect, but as motivation to push myself further.
"In a way, you and I are alike. You inherited poison from your family; I inherited a food-type martial spirit from mine. We can't change what we were born with—but we can change what we achieve afterward.
"Other people's opinions matter, yes. But the most important thing… is your own heart."
Dugu Yan stared at him, deep in thought.
She was shocked to learn Oscar was actually a food-type soul master, yet strong enough to kill a Jade Phosphor Serpent. But what struck her most was his final words: the most important thing is your own heart.
What others thought didn't matter—what mattered was how she saw herself.
"…Thank you." After a long pause, Dugu Yan bowed slightly to him. "Aside from my grandfather, you're the first person to ever say such words to me. I always thought Grandpa was just trying to comfort me, and that no one would ever truly want to be my friend. But now… I think I believe it."
Oscar smiled warmly.
"Dugu Yan, you need to have confidence. We've only just met, but I believe we can become friends."
As he spoke, he once again extended his right hand.
Dugu Yan smiled faintly.
"Yes… but I still can't…"
Before she could finish, Oscar took the initiative and grasped her right hand.
Dugu Yan froze, then hastily pulled her hand back, lowering her head as her face flushed pink.
"You… you're not afraid of being poisoned?"
Oscar smiled again.
"It's not as bad as you think. Yes, your poison is strong. But if one's soul power is higher than yours and their body has good poison resistance, something like a handshake won't matter at all."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand, showing her it was perfectly fine.
Dugu Yan glanced at his hand—there was indeed nothing wrong. Then she couldn't resist peeking at his face, seeing only his gentle smile.
As their eyes met, Oscar added:
"My second soul ring came from a soul beast with extremely high poison resistance. So my body has some resistance as well. Combined with the fact that my strength is higher than yours, I'm naturally not at risk."
At that, Dugu Yan ducked her head again, her face even redder than before.
Was this… the first time she had ever touched a boy outside of her family? Why was her heart beating so fast?
Oscar chuckled softly at her shy look.
Alright, enough talk for now. We've just roasted some meat—come and eat with us. When my teacher comes back, we'll help you find your grandfather.