Douluo: I am the True Master

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Ye Wen shook his head in disappointment. Dugu Bo was clearly a victim of empiricism. 

Seeing Ye Wen dismiss his approach, Dugu Bo felt a surge of irritation. After all, his family was one of the most renowned names in the art of using and neutralizing poisons on the continent. To be so casually dismissed was infuriating. Suppressing his anger, Dugu Bo asked, 

"So, what brilliant insight do you have?" 

"It's not exactly brilliance," Ye Wen replied. "Let me first explain the basics of snake venom to you. Generally speaking, snake venom can be divided into three types. The first is hemotoxin, which causes blood coagulation and leads to death. The second is neurotoxin, which paralyzes and necrotizes the body. The third—and most troublesome—is mixed venom, which combines the characteristics of the first two types. This venom is even more potent and difficult to counteract." 

As Ye Wen began to speak eloquently, Dugu Bo's face showed signs of agreement. This was basic knowledge about snake venom, and he now found himself curious to hear Ye Wen's explanation. 

"The Jade Phosphor Serpent martial soul passed down in your family, if compared to spirit beasts, would essentially be classified as a mixed venom. 

And as you've continuously hunted different poisonous spirit beasts, this mixed venom has become even more vicious. Ordinary medical treatments are completely ineffective against it. Only soul masters can resist it with their soul power—what you referred to earlier as your method of detoxification. 

However, this method of detoxification contains an inherent cause-and-effect relationship. What medium does snake venom use to affect the human body? Undoubtedly, it's through wounds. 

If venom merely splashes onto the skin, wiping it off is usually sufficient because the venom lacks a reactive medium. 

Therefore, sucking out venom with your mouth isn't inherently dangerous if there are no wounds or cuts in the mouth. However, if there happens to be a small wound in the mouth that comes into contact with the venom, and the toxin is particularly potent, it will directly enter the brain and cause instant death. Am I correct, Senior Dugu?" 

Finishing his explanation, Ye Wen smiled faintly as he looked at Dugu Bo. 

Dugu Bo, whose pale complexion had twisted, now realized the potential consequences of sucking venom with the mouth. Normally, venomous snakes bite areas like the ankle or, at most, the arm. 

After all, a snake's mouth is only so large, and for it to accurately bite and poison a person, it must choose the right spot. Bites to these areas still leave some time for treatment, but if bitten directly on the neck, the venom would attack the brain, causing abnormal blood flow and leading to brain death or even paralysis. 

Having overlooked such details in the past, Dugu Bo now seemed to understand something profound. 

With a dry throat, Dugu Bo struggled to speak. 

"You're saying that the reason our family gets poisoned is because tiny wounds on our bodies allow the venom to seep into us when we use our soul skills, correct?" 

Ye Wen nodded. 

"Exactly. Though your martial soul is the Jade Phosphor Serpent, when it's not attached to your body, you're essentially just ordinary humans. While your bodies may retain some antibodies to resist snake venom, the constant acquisition of various soul rings has caused the original venom to mutate. Over time, this accumulated toxin will inevitably burden your family's health." 

At this moment, Dugu Bo's face turned ashen. From a young age, his father had taught him to diligently cultivate soul power to resist the erosion of snake venom, as it was an inherent flaw of the Jade Phosphor Serpent martial soul. 

But now, enlightened by Ye Wen, he realized that the problem wasn't with their martial soul—it was with the direction their ancestors had taken in cultivation. 

Yes, venom entering through wounds could still cause poisoning. Such a simple principle—how had their family overlooked it for hundreds of years? 

When his son, Dugu Xin, was born, his wife had tragically died from poisoning due to postpartum bleeding. Over the years, servants in their household had also succumbed to poisoning one after another. These vivid examples had been right in front of him, yet he had unconsciously ignored them due to the arrogance of being a soul master. 

"HAHAHA—!!!" 

Dugu Bo clutched his head, laughing bitterly and crying at the same time. His emotions were a chaotic mix of joy and sorrow, making him appear almost deranged. 

Seeing this, Ye Wen wasn't particularly surprised. In his past life, those who faced great upheavals often reacted similarly. 

Dugu Xin, however, was startled by his father's sudden breakdown. Instinctively, he hid behind Ye Wen. In his memory, his father had always been a composed and noble figure, calm and unshakable in the face of any situation. Seeing him like this left the young boy at a loss. 

After venting his emotions, Dugu Bo gradually calmed down. He bowed deeply to Ye Wen and said, 

"Principal, your wisdom is extraordinary. With just a few words, you've unraveled a curse that has plagued our family for hundreds of years. 

I have no other desires—my life is already set. But my son, Dugu Xin, is still young. I hope you can lend him your guidance." 

Ye Wen stepped forward and helped Dugu Bo to his feet, smiling as he spoke. 

"Senior Dugu, there's no need for such formalities. As I said before, as long as you become the honorary dean of our academy and safeguard its development, and your son becomes my disciple, I will teach him everything I know about detoxification." 

Gratitude flickered in Dugu Bo's eyes. He pulled Dugu Xin over and said to him, 

"Son, bow and become his disciple. Though the principal's cultivation level may not be high, his knowledge is the most profound I've encountered since becoming a soul master. Under his tutelage, you will surely restore the glory of our Dugu family." 

Without hesitation, Dugu Xin bowed deeply. Though he didn't fully understand many of the technical terms Ye Wen had used, seeing his father's approval made it clear that this man was no fraud. 

"I pay my respects, Master." 

"Good. From today onward, you are my eighth direct disciple, Ye Wen's student." 

Though the Douluo Continent dictated that a soul master could only have one teacher in their lifetime, the process of becoming a disciple was remarkably simple. 

In the original story, though Tang San claimed that "once a teacher, always a father," he never referred to Yu Xiaogang as "Master," instead calling him "Teacher." Whether this was an oversight by the author or not, as someone from a wuxia background, Tang San should have known this basic etiquette. 

However, once becoming a disciple is completed, it signifies a binding alliance between the Dugu family and Ye Wen—a shared rise or fall. Betrayal would result in universal condemnation from soul masters across the continent. 

This was why the Clear Sky Sect, despite having many Title Douluo, was long disrespected—they had abandoned their affiliated families. 

Affiliated families sought protection from stronger factions, only to be cast aside. How could such a force ever lead? 

By the time of Douluo II, though the Hao Tian Sect continued to exist, its reputation had soured, forcing it into seclusion. 

Ye Wen's decision to bring the Dugu family under his wing was strategic. Dugu Bo's Level 75 Soul Sage cultivation was invaluable. Only soul masters of this caliber could establish and lead an advanced soul master academy independently. 

Currently, Ye Wen's research in various fields had reached a bottleneck, and what he lacked were rare resources—resources controlled by major powers. 

By establishing an advanced soul master academy, Ye Wen could gain access to resources unavailable to ordinary soul masters. Only by obtaining these resources could he better plan for the future. 

As for why he didn't simply reveal his true strength and apply to the Heavenly Battle Empire…

Doing so would render all his years of concealing his cultivation meaningless. 

Moreover, Ye Wen hadn't forgotten the reason his father had died. 

Aligning with a major faction would inevitably invite attacks from opposing forces. It was better to remain covertly neutral from the start.

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