Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

"Hmm? There are benefits?!" Upon hearing Chen Ming mention benefits, Dugu Bo's old face lit up like a blooming chrysanthemum, and his entire demeanor seemed to undergo a noticeable transformation.

"Of course there are benefits! After raising it for decades, think about how much soul power, vitality, and even the essence of soul beasts it has devoured. That's no small amount of energy! If you can digest it, reaching Rank 94 shouldn't be a problem. Your martial soul might even improve in quality."

"But if you weaken it before digestion, you might only make it to Rank 93. Rank 94 would be a bit of a stretch."

"No problem, no problem. As long as there are benefits, that's good enough."

 Hearing that the poison that had plagued him for decades could be put to good use, Dugu Bo was overjoyed.

Rank 94 — he had never dreamed of reaching that level in his lifetime. Even if he didn't make it to Rank 94, Rank 93 would still be quite good. What's more, once the poison was dealt with, he could resume cultivating normally. Who knows? Rank 94 might just become a reality.

And with that hidden treasure trove…

Who's to say his old bones couldn't push past the bottleneck of Rank 95?

Just the thought of it made Dugu Bo's heart race.

He quickly scanned his surroundings, making sure no one else was present, before pulling Chen Ming and Dugu Yan closer to him and cautiously revealing his secret.

"The reason I was able to become a Titled Douluo is because of a special treasure trove. That place is brimming with soul power and has countless rare herbs growing there."

"It's a place of alternating extreme cold and heat, with both intense cold and scorching heat coexisting. For low-level soul masters, it's practically a death trap. But for me, it suppresses the poison in my body. It's thanks to this suppression that I was able to become a Titled Douluo."

"Then… what about Father?" Dugu Yan asked, looking at Dugu Bo in confusion.

"That place only suppresses the poison; it doesn't truly eliminate it. When it's time for the poison to flare up, it still does, though it's not as life-threatening," Dugu Bo explained.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was a treasure trove, but Dugu Bo himself had no clue how to fully utilize it. It was like having a mountain of treasures but being unable to access even a fraction of its wealth.

He didn't dare touch herbs he didn't recognize, and while the ones he did recognize were high-quality and well-aged, they couldn't cure him. At most, they helped stabilize his condition temporarily by balancing the extreme cold and heat.

"The reason I left you for a while recently was to try breaking through to Rank 92. Unfortunately, I suffered a backlash and had to go to that treasure trove to recover."

"Just now, with Xiao Ming's help, I was able to alleviate the poison in my body and break through to Rank 92."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo gave Dugu Yan and Chen Ming a detailed description of the treasure trove and then turned to Chen Ming.

"Xiao Ming, with the help of that treasure trove, would it be easier to tame the poison in my body?"

"Of course it would. But I'd need to see the place firsthand to make a proper judgment. I've never encountered such a miraculous location before, so for now, it's just speculation," Chen Ming replied.

"Is that so…" Dugu Bo hesitated.

The alternating extreme cold and heat of that place were deadly for low-level soul masters. Even a thousand-year soul beast would explode if it got too close to the pool. While Dugu Bo wanted Chen Ming's help, he hesitated to risk Chen Ming's life.

"Grandpa, you're a Titled Douluo. Your soul power should be able to protect me temporarily. I'd like to see that place. If it is as miraculous as you say, it could make a big difference," Chen Ming suggested.

"That could work." Dugu Bo thought for a moment and decided it was feasible.

Chen Ming's martial soul had evolved into the Emerald Emperor Scorpion, on par with his martial soul. His physical condition was far superior to most soul masters at his level, even comparable to some Soul Ancestors.

Under these circumstances, Dugu Bo felt confident that with his soul power protecting Chen Ming, the young man could safely explore the area without venturing too deep or getting too close to the pool.

"Grandpa, can I go too?" Dugu Yan asked, hoping to tag along and see the miraculous place for herself.

But this time, Dugu Bo didn't soften as he usually did. His face darkened immediately. "Yan Yan, that place is far too dangerous. Even I can't protect you there. Your soul power is too low, your physical condition isn't strong enough, and you're not clever enough to handle it."

Dugu Bo didn't want to criticize his beloved granddaughter, but he had to be honest.

"Xiao Ming, on the other hand, is almost as strong as a Soul Elder, even without obtaining his third soul ring. Meanwhile, you couldn't even succeed in breaking through to Rank 30 the other day. I simply can't take you there."

"Grandpa…"

Dugu Yan wanted to argue, but Chen Ming cut her off.

"Yanyan, next time. If there's a way to bring you there safely, I'll make sure you see it," Chen Ming said with a smile.

Dugu Yan's face immediately turned red, and she nodded gently.

"Alright."

At this point, Dugu Bo couldn't be bothered to intervene in their interactions.

"Kids these days…" he muttered inwardly. Still, he was pleased with Chen Ming. The boy was far more capable than he had been at that age. If Yan Yan ended up with someone like him, she wouldn't repeat the same mistakes he had made.

As he thought about this, Dugu Bo suddenly remembered something.

It dawned on him that he had forcibly taken Chen Ming from the academy earlier that morning. By now, rumors must have been flying around Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

Now that Chen Ming was his future grandson-in-law, Dugu Bo couldn't let the boy's reputation be tarnished.

With that in mind, Dugu Bo pulled out paper and pen from his Hundred Treasure Pouch and quickly began writing.

The first was a letter to the three elders of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. After finishing it, he prepared another letter for Prince Xue Xing, the academy's nominal dean.

As for those who had been gossiping in the academy, it was time for them to face some consequences.

Although Dugu Bo had business to attend to, that didn't mean he'd tolerate troublemakers.

Once the letters were written, Dugu Bo stamped them with his seal, placed them in envelopes, and patted Chen Ming on the shoulder.

"Xiao Ming, let's go. We'll deliver these letters first. That way, everyone will know about our relationship, and no one will dare gossip behind your back anymore."

"Yan Yan, you stay home for a few days. I'll take Xiao Ming to check out that place. If all goes well, we'll be back in a day. If not, it might take three or four days."

"With me there, I guarantee nothing will happen to him."

Dugu Bo patted his chest in assurance, then left the residence with Chen Ming.

Under Dugu Yan's anxious gaze, the two began their journey to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.