"The third method," Chen Ming said after a brief pause, "addresses both the symptoms and the root. It involves completely consolidating your condition and turning the poison itself into a controlled weapon."
He hesitated slightly.
"But I only have a rough idea for now. I don't yet know how to fully implement it."
He continued, choosing his words carefully.
"In legends, true dragons naturally form a dragon core within their bodies—the essence of their entire being. As for serpent-type Spirit Beasts, as their cultivation increases, they gradually develop a udimentary inner core of their own. If it's possible to…"
Before he could finish, Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment of thought, he suddenly opened his mouth and spat out his poison core.
It was a sphere, uneven and pitted across its surface, glowing with a deep green hue. Its energy was immense, yet chaotic and impure, and it emitted a faintly nauseating, acrid aura.
Was it an inner core?
Technically, yes.
But in terms of quality…
In the world of cultivation novels, forming something like this wouldn't even qualify as a proper golden core. Calling it a "pseudo-core" would already be generous—anything more would be downright embarrassing.
"This is the poison core I've cultivated," Dugu Bo said, his voice steady but probing. "What do you see?"
Chen Ming stared at it for a long moment before finally forcing out a few words.
"…Compared to the legendary dragon core… it's lacking. By quite a bit."
For a split second, the veins on Dugu Bo's forehead twitched, but he could only sigh inwardly. There was no refuting it.
"In theory," Chen Ming continued, "once you've formed a core like this, you shouldn't be suffering backlash. But given the condition of your core… it's not surprising that you are."
It felt as though a blade had been driven straight into Dugu Bo's chest. Yet he had no defense to offer. Even he didn't fully understand how this core had come into existence—it had formed by sheer coincidence. That it was flawed was only natural.
"Senior," Chen Ming went on, his tone softening slightly, "I know you have many questions. But the biggest problem is that I'm not some all-knowing sage. I'm just an ordinary Spirit Master who's read a bit more than most."
"I can offer directions and general ideas, but actually implementing them will require time—and your full cooperation."
He met Dugu Bo's gaze steadily.
"This is all I can do. Perhaps I can completely cure you. Perhaps you'll grow even stronger because of it. Or perhaps… at best, we'll only be able to suppress the poison."
"Either way… you need to stay calm."
For a long time, Dugu Bo said nothing. He stood there in silence, as though the weight of years had suddenly descended upon him again, aging him further in an instant.
Finally, he let out a quiet breath.
"Kid… you're impressive. Things others either couldn't see—or dared not say—you've spoken plainly. You may still be young, but your insight and way of thinking are… remarkable."
"Even with just this talent, you're destined to become a powerful Spirit Master someday."
His voice grew quieter, tinged with something heavier.
"Tell me… how much longer do I have?"
Chen Ming hesitated, then answered honestly.
"With your current condition… if there's no external intervention, you probably only have a few years left. But judging from your state, I assume you've already been relying on some external means to suppress it. If so… lasting another ten years shouldn't be a problem."
Dugu Bo almost asked what Chen Ming meant by that—that with his current condition, external help must already be involved. Did that mean he should have died long ago otherwise?
But when he thought back on his own life, he found himself unable to voice the question.
After all… without that special place, he likely would have died long ago. Without relying on external factors, he would never have reached the level of a Titled Douluo.
"…Kid," he said after a moment, his tone turning serious, "can you keep my secret?"
Chen Ming didn't hesitate.
"Senior, I must keep it. To you, someone of my strength is no more than an ant. From a personal standpoint, keeping your secret earns me your favor. From a practical one, revealing it would only invite your retaliation."
"So of course I'll keep it."
"An ant… an ant…" Dugu Bo muttered, shaking his head with a bitter smile. "Forget it. Whether you keep it or not doesn't matter. After all these years, there are probably plenty of people who've already guessed my condition. They just never said it to my face… while I foolishly thought I had hidden it well."
He lifted his head, his eyes locking onto Chen Ming's.
"Ten years. In ten years… can you cure me? Or at least stop this from getting worse—let me live longer?"
"If it's only a matter of suppressing the worsening condition and managing the periodic backlash," Chen Ming replied calmly, "then I can probably achieve that within a few years. Even if it only treats the symptoms and not the root, with your cultivation, living another twenty years wouldn't be difficult."
Dugu Bo fell silent for a moment, then gave a faint nod.
"Fine. I'll trust you this once. It's not like I have much left to lose anyway… Ten years. Ten years." His expression dimmed, shadows gathering in his eyes. "My own death doesn't matter. What I fear is leaving my granddaughter alone in this world…"
In truth, his life had long since become a form of torment. Every day he lived was another day of suffering. When the poison backlash intensified, it pushed him to the brink—unable to live, unable to die—his body wracked with agony as if countless tiny creatures were gnawing at his bones and flesh, threatening to drive him mad.
If not for the fact that he still had a single blood relative to protect, he might have long since chosen to die quietly in some forgotten corner, rather than endure such endless pain.
"I swear, in the name of the Dugu family and my bloodline," Dugu Bo said solemnly, his voice heavy with resolve, "that if you can cure—or even suppress—the backlash afflicting my family, then you will be the most honored guest of the Dugu clan. I will protect you with my life and give you whatever aid you require."
He paused, then added with a slight wave of his hand,
"And since I've delayed you so long tonight—and you've given me quite a few useful ideas—I'll grant you a small favor. If there's anything you want, just say it."
Unlike Tang San, who in the original story had simply claimed he could cure the poison outright, Chen Ming had methodically pointed out every issue within Dugu Bo's body and presented a structured line of reasoning. He hadn't just given answers—he had given paths.
Each of those paths was logical and feasible. In fact, someone with enough talent and time might even be able to follow those clues and deduce the correct solution on their own.
But Dugu Bo lacked both the time and the necessary insight. More importantly, he refused to place such a burden on his granddaughter. And so, the only person he could rely on… was Chen Ming, the one who had laid out those possibilities in the first place.
In terms of pure medical and poison expertise, Chen Ming was still far inferior to Tang San. Yet the way he carried himself—the clarity of his reasoning and the confidence of his deductions—made Dugu Bo feel, inexplicably, that this might truly work.
"I don't have anything I want right now," Chen Ming said calmly. "But that doesn't mean I have no desires. If the time comes, I'll ask for your help, Senior."
What I want… are the immortal herbs, he thought to himself. But not yet.
"If you need anything in the meantime, you can come to me," he added aloud. "I'll continue studying your condition and see what I can do to suppress the poison."
"There's no need to wait for another day," Dugu Bo said with a sudden grin, baring his teeth in a rather unsettling smile. "Let's do it tonight. At the very least, I want to see just how capable you really are."
"You're taking me away?" Chen Ming asked, slightly surprised. "Then allow me to write a leave request to the three board members first—"
"No need," Dugu Bo interrupted casually. "Someone will handle that for you."
When he had taken Chen Ming earlier, he had already sensed fluctuations of Spirit Power nearby—someone watching from the shadows. There was no need to guess who would take care of the aftermath.
Without giving Chen Ming a chance to say more, Dugu Bo grabbed him again and sped off toward the outskirts of Heaven Dou City. After circling around for quite some distance, he plunged straight into the depths of Sunset Forest, moving with practiced familiarity along the hidden paths he had explored over the years.
...
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