As they spoke, Dugu Bo regained his composure. Hearing their conversation, he immediately glared furiously:
"You wretched Old Guan! You really did add something sinister! No wonder the pain was so excruciating!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo retorted righteously: "Good medicine tastes bitter but cures the illness. If you can't even endure this little pain, how do you expect to cure the Serpent Poison completely?"
The two started bickering back and forth again, while Su Yu watched with amusement from the side.
Su Yu knew that although Chrysanthemum Douluo had a mischievous streak, he absolutely meant no harm, so he didn't intervene further, simply quietly observing these two old rivals squabbling.
"Old Guan, I'll remember this! Sooner or later, I'll pay you back for this!"
"Talk to me again after you've cured that poison of yours!"
He shook the basket in his hand and turned toward the stone chamber:
"Go focus on regulating your breathing with Soul Power. Don't come crying and begging for my help when the Toxin flares up again."
"You!"
Dugu Bo was left speechless, watching Chrysanthemum Douluo's retreating back with such anger that his beard bristled, yet he could only grudgingly shut his mouth.
After all, Chrysanthemum Douluo spoke the truth—his Soul Power was still unstable, and it really wasn't the time to lose his temper.
Su Yu stepped forward and gently advised: "Senior Dugu, have some water to calm yourself first. Uncle Guan only did this to make the Potion take effect faster."
Suppressing his anger, Dugu Bo snorted: "That guy did it on purpose! Once I've recovered, I'll make sure his precious plants taste my power!"
Despite his words, he obediently sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began circulating his Soul Power to regulate the turbulent energy within his body.
Regardless, the dull pain in his chest was indeed slowly fading—it seemed that bowl of black Potion truly had some merit.
An hour slipped by quietly. Dugu Bo slowly opened his eyes; the sharp pain in his chest had receded like a tide, replaced by a long-lost sense of relief.
He flexed his wrist. Although his Soul Power still felt somewhat sluggish as it flowed through his meridians, the usual icy sting was gone—clearly, the Toxin had been successfully guided into the Soul Bone.
"This Old Guan really does have some skill."
He muttered under his breath, a note of reluctant acknowledgment in his tone, his fingers rubbing the location of the Soul Bone.
He could clearly feel a mass of cold energy condensed there, firmly locked in place by the Soul Bone, no longer able to run rampant.
Another hour passed. As the last trace of sluggishness faded from his meridians, Dugu Bo abruptly stood up.
His Soul Power surged around him. Though not fully unleashed, it flowed with an unprecedented smoothness.
He took a deep breath, feeling as if his internal organs had been cleansed by a clear spring—the ever-present heaviness had vanished without a trace.
"Hahahaha! I'm finally free from the shackles of this Toxin!"
Dugu Bo threw his head back and laughed heartily, his booming laughter causing stone dust to sprinkle down around him.
He raised his hand, and emerald-green Soul Power condensed into a sphere in his palm.
The purity of his Soul Power had actually increased severalfold, no longer tainted by the murkiness of Toxin erosion.
Su Yu stepped forward, seeing his ruddy complexion, and asked:
"Old Poison, how do you feel now?"
"Good! Very good!"
Dugu Bo patted Su Yu's shoulder, then looked toward Chrysanthemum Douluo, who was organizing herbs not far away.
Though he didn't directly express gratitude, he surprisingly refrained from sarcasm, simply raising his voice to say:
"Seems you have some conscience after all!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo continued sorting herbs with his head lowered, snorting with a hint of pride in his tone:
"Now you know my worth?"
"This potion took me great effort to concoct!"
"Earlier you were suspicious, did you really think I'd use such underhanded methods to harm you?"
"I know, I know!"
Dugu Bo waved his hand dismissively. Feeling completely refreshed, he wasn't about to argue with Chrysanthemum Douluo. When he turned to Su Yu, his expression grew much more solemn.
"Kid, I truly must thank you this time."
"If you hadn't persuaded Old Guan here, this decades-old toxin affliction would likely still be plaguing me."
He straightened his back, declaring firmly: "I've always distinguished clearly between gratitude and grudges. Today I owe you both a favor."
"Whenever you need my help in the future, even if it means climbing mountains of blades or diving into seas of fire, I won't hesitate in the slightest!"
"Good, you said that yourself, old poisoner!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo had turned around at some point, interjecting with his arms crossed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Dugu Bo glared at him but nodded emphatically to Su Yu:
"My word is my bond! Every promise will be kept!"
Seeing their interaction, Su Yu couldn't help but chuckle and quickly responded:
"You flatter me, Senior Dugu. Since you'll be joining Spirit Hall in the future, supporting each other is only natural."
"If there's ever genuine need in the future, I naturally won't stand on ceremony."
"Good!"
As soon as Dugu Bo spoke these words, the Soul Power within him suddenly surged like boiling water.
The previously smooth-flowing energy abruptly became turbulent, showing faint signs of impacting his cultivation barrier.
"This is..."
He paused briefly, then recognized the familiar pre-breakthrough sensation, his eyes flashing with delight.
Chrysanthemum Douluo observed clearly from the side, raising an eyebrow as he commented: "It seems with the toxins gone, your Soul Power foundation has completely loosened its restraints."
"Old poisoner, after this wave, your strength should increase considerably."
Dugu Bo didn't dare delay, immediately sitting cross-legged to focus on channeling the surging Soul Power within him.
The potential that had been suppressed by toxins for years seemed to erupt completely at this moment.
Soul Power rushed forth like a bursting river, fiercely assaulting the bottleneck at the 92nd rank.
In barely fifteen minutes, a faint "humming" sound emerged from within him.
The invisible barrier shattered accordingly, with vast Soul Power fluctuations spreading outward from his center. The 92nd rank - achieved!
"Haha! 92nd rank! I've finally broken through!"
Dugu Bo's eyes snapped open, green pupils blazing with light as Soul Power billowed around him, causing even the surrounding air to ripple.
"After all these years, I can finally advance further!"
Seeing his triumphant demeanor, Su Yu curled a smile at the corner of his mouth, raising a golden, dragon-claw-shaped ganoderma in his hand:
"Don't celebrate too soon, old poisoner. You're in perfect condition now - if you absorb this Ninth Grade Dragon Ganoderma, you might even reach the 93rd rank in one go. Want to try?Dugu Bo's gaze instantly locked onto the Immortal Herb, his breathing growing rapid.
"Good! Good! Good!"
He exclaimed "good" three times in succession, accepting the Ninth Grade Dragon Ganoderma with burning intensity in his eyes.
"Today I'll use this Ninth Grade Dragon Ganoderma to advance further!"
With these words, he closed his eyes again, placing the Ninth Grade Dragon Ganoderma in his palm and guiding its pure energy to gradually merge with his body.
Meanwhile, seeing Dugu Bo beginning his breakthrough, Su Yu and Chrysanthemum Douluo moved aside.
"Uncle Guan! I've broken through to level thirty, I can obtain my Third Soul Ring now!"
"Hmm? Your Highness!"
"I consumed an Autumn Water Penetrating Dew, and my Soul Power fortunately achieved a breakthrough."
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