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**
Having resolved the matter with Ning Fengzhi, Xiao Lin was in high spirits.
However, he soon noticed that the situation between Tang San and Dugu Bo was far from optimistic.
Beside Tang San, Xiao Wu and Tang Ni stood together, glaring furiously at Dugu Bo. Meanwhile, Dugu Bo wore a wicked smirk, looking every bit the part of an evil Soul Master.
Xiao Wu: To hell with you! What kind of damn Titled Douluo are you? You're poisoned yourself because you're incompetent, and now you're threatening my third brother?
Tang Ni: Trash Titled Douluo!
Although Tang Ni wasn't particularly skilled at hurling insults, she looked down on Dugu Bo from the bottom of her heart.
A poison-type Soul Master getting poisoned by their own toxins? She had never heard of something so ridiculous. Even the most poisonous Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Forest didn't end up poisoning themselves to death.
Moreover, the fact that Dugu Bo was threatening Tang San made Tang Ni even more disdainful.
My little brother is someone you think you can threaten?
Tang San was an existence that could influence the future fate of all Soul Beasts.
She had to keep a close eye on him and make sure he didn't go astray. In her mind, she was already imagining a scene where she reached the rank of Titled Douluo and gave Dugu Bo a savage beating.
"Hehe, it doesn't matter how much you glare at me. If Master Xiao Yan doesn't come to save Tang San, then Tang San can stay with me for the rest of his life."
Dugu Bo had no interest in playing the sophisticated games Ning Fengzhi favored.
He wasn't as wealthy as Ning Fengzhi, so now that he had found Tang San—who appeared to be an heir to Master Xiao Yan's medicinal knowledge—he naturally wasn't going to let him go.
He planned to simply snatch Tang San away and force the boy to research toxins with him until Dugu Yan's poisoning was resolved.
By the time Xiao Lin reached the group, he had pieced together what was happening from their fragments of conversation. Essentially, Dugu Bo wanted to grill Tang San for clues about Xiao Yan.
But what could Tang San say?
He couldn't exactly say that Xiao Yan was actually Xiao Lin!
Thus, Tang San claimed he didn't know Xiao Yan, trying to deny the whole affair.
Dugu Bo didn't believe him for a second.
He pointed to their cultivation levels and Tang San's specific soul ring choices as proof that Tang San definitely knew Xiao Yan. Dugu Bo's reasoning was blunt:
Master Xiao Yan published his first thesis six years ago, exactly when Tang San would have awakened his Martial Soul.
Within that short timeframe, someone had hand-picked a perfectly suited Soul Beast ring for Tang San.
Dugu Bo didn't believe for a second that there wasn't a connection. If someone else that brilliant existed, Yu Xiaogang wouldn't have been called "The Grandmaster" for so many years.
Dugu Bo's logic left everyone present speechless.
In reality, outside of ancient clans and great powers whose soul rings were passed down through generations of trial and error, who else could choose rings that perfectly compensated for the innate weaknesses of Blue Silver Grass like Tang San had?
Dugu Bo even explicitly stated that if Tang San didn't come with him, he would expose a "great secret" Tang San was hiding. This secret, of course, was the fact that Tang San possessed a Twin Martial Soul.
Out of respect for Master Xiao Yan, Dugu Bo had only whispered this threat to Tang San privately.
It was this very threat that kept Tang San hesitating. He was acutely aware of the blood feud between his family and Spirit Hall. With that debt yet unpaid, how could he risk exposing the Clear Sky Hammer?
He didn't want to implicate Xiao Lin, Xiao Wu, and the others.
"Aya, what does Little San know? He's just studied a bit of medicinal theory; he's just talking nonsense," Xiao Lin suddenly stepped forward and interrupted.
Hearing Xiao Lin speak, everyone shifted their focus to him. Xiao Yan and Xiao Lin shared the same surname, Xiao... could it be? Was Xiao Lin the son or grandson of Xiao Yan?
"From the way you're talking, it sounds like you know a lot about poison?" Dugu Bo sneered.
Even if Xiao Lin knew poison, could he possibly resolve the toxins in him and Yan'er?
However, Xiao Lin's appearance gave Dugu Bo a new target.
If I kidnap Xiao Lin as well, Xiao Yan will definitely have to show his face!
A cold light flickered in Dugu Bo's eyes as this thought crossed his mind. But at that moment, Sword Douluo Chen Xin clearly sensed Dugu Bo's ill intent and let out a cold snort.
A sharp, piercing sword intent erupted, causing cold sweat to break out on Dugu Bo's forehead instantly.
The gap in strength between him and Chen Xin was simply too large.
"I may not understand poison, but I understand Martial Souls, and I understand soul power!"
Xiao Lin showed not a trace of fear in the face of Dugu Bo's aura.
This was essentially a "dungeon" with zero risk to his life and the potential for massive rewards—how could he not step up?
At this moment, Xiao Lin's presence caused Dugu Bo to dither. For a Soul Elder to possess such courage, even if it was because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was backing him... it was impressive.
For a moment, Dugu Bo didn't know what to do.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lin's intervention made Tang San feel that things were finally under control. Without Immortal Herbs, Tang San truly didn't have much confidence in detoxifying Dugu Yan.
He couldn't just keep giving her medicine that treated the symptoms but not the root cause; once Dugu Yan developed a resistance to the medicine, she would be finished.
At this point, Tang San was moved beyond words. Brother Lin...
A mist of tears almost formed in his eyes.
God knows, Tang San had been starved for affection since his previous life. His father had found him an adoptive sister, yet hadn't even come to see him in years. This left him completely won over by Xiao Lin's charisma.
Just as Tang San was feeling emotional, Xiao Lin adopted a look of disdain.
"Getting poisoned by the toxins in your own soul rings—Dugu Bo, you really are something else. Even Dugu Yan has been affected by your poison. What a failure of a life."
Faced with Xiao Lin's mockery, Dugu Bo snapped.
His green pupils dilated as he glared death at Xiao Lin.
"Then why don't you tell me your solution?"
"Why should I tell someone like you? You threaten us and then expect a free lunch?"
"Fine! Since you've put it that way, let us swear upon our Martial Souls."
"If you resolve the soul poison in me and Yan'er, all my property will belong to you, and you can even use me as your hired thug. But if you fail, you must call out your teacher, Xiao Yan, to detoxify us!"
Dugu Bo watched Xiao Lin like a venomous serpent.
If Xiao Lin refused, he would snatch him right then and there and flee into the Sunset Forest.
Dugu Bo wasn't afraid of losing face; after all, wasn't that his reputation anyway? Besides, he had a legitimate reason for his actions—the methods were just a bit unsightly.
Conversely, even if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect captured Dugu Yan, would they actually dare to do anything cruel to her?
Were they truly not afraid that Dugu Bo's poison could wipe out everyone in Heaven Dou City or the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
"Fine, I accept. However, I need Little San's help, because I don't understand poison."
"Then swear the oath!"
As the words left their mouths, the expressions of everyone present shifted.
By wagering their futures like this, neither side stood to gain much of an advantage regardless of who won!
Shouldn't they have simply helped Dugu Bo and received rewards in return? With things played out like this, how were Dugu Yan and Xiao Lin's group supposed to get along?
Soon, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xiao Lin and Dugu Bo both successfully swore oaths upon their Martial Souls.
If either party failed to fulfill the terms, they would suffer a Martial Soul backlash, directly affecting their very foundation as a Soul Master.
At this moment, Xiao Lin was more determined than ever to claim the Immortal Herbs.
"Since the oath is sworn, let's head out. I'm not an expert in toxins, so I must bring Little San along. Also, you must prepare whatever medicinal ingredients you currently have; we might need them."
"Rest assured, my medicinal garden is not lacking in herbs," Dugu Bo snorted, though his heart finally began to settle.
He knew that if they planned to use Martial Souls and soul power methods to resolve the poison, it would be a massive undertaking that required a lot of time. With the assistance of medicine, the process would be much faster.
**
Hello everyone,
Thank you for your support! If you enjoy my work, you can check out my Patreon—there are 100+ early access and exclusive content. I update 5 advanced chapter from Monday-Saturday
www.patreon.com/c/FanficTranslator
I truly appreciate it!