Chapter 28: The Dugu Family's Past
"You said he could release the Jade Phosphor Violet Poison from his fingers, moving as swiftly as a sword strike?" Dugu Bo confirmed.
Dugu Yan nodded quickly, her eyes showing a glimmer of expectation.
Dugu Bo immediately understood his granddaughter's thoughts—she was clearly envious of Dugu Feng's powerful soul skill.
He guided her to sit beside him.
With a heavy sigh, a look of sorrow crossed his face. "Yan Yan, you've grown up. It's time you learned the truth about our Martial Soul.
Our Jade Phosphor Serpent has a fatal flaw. Its poison is incredibly potent—any enemy struck by it will dissolve into pus within moments.
But the first to suffer from the poison… is ourselves. Your father died because of it. Your mother too—unable to withstand the Jade Phosphor Poison within her body."
Dugu Bo sighed again. "That poison runs in your blood, Yan Yan. When your cultivation reaches a higher level, it will inevitably erupt."
Dugu Yan's face turned pale. The harsh truth was even crueller than she imagined. "Then… what about you, Grandpa?"
"I… hehe. Even though I've reached the realm of a Titled Douluo, I still endure the pain of poison outbreaks. The only reason I've lived this long is because I found a special medicinal garden that helps suppress the toxins in my body," Dugu Bo said helplessly.
Others only saw his power, never the agony hidden behind it.
"What about Dugu Feng and his family?" Dugu Yan asked anxiously. If they didn't have to suffer the same torment, she would feel utterly unbalanced.
If their soul skills were stronger and they didn't endure the poison's agony, she would go mad.
"They have it even worse. I've told you before—the Dugu family split into two branches. Our branch pursued control-type serpent mastery; theirs pursued offensive poison mastery.
Your first two soul skills are augmentation-based. The soul rings you absorbed were not from poisonous beasts, which should delay your poison outbreak until at least the Soul King level.
But Dugu Feng was born with innate toxins. At his age, he's already mastered the Jade Phosphor Violet Poison to such purity. He will likely suffer his first outbreak as early as the Great Soul Master stage.
The greater the talent, the sooner the death."
Dugu Bo spoke coldly.
Dugu Yan froze. No wonder her grandfather had insisted on her soul ring choices. He'd been trying to protect her from an early death by poison.
"If that's the case, then why do they…" Dugu Yan's voice trailed off, confusion in her eyes.
She wanted to ask—aren't they essentially seeking death by cultivating like that?
"They're all mad," Dugu Bo said bitterly. "Starting from your great-grandfather, complete madness.
For the so-called glory of the family, he became obsessed with the idea that the Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Soul should always bond with highly venomous soul beasts—to fully merge with poison.
Either they'd find a way to neutralize the poison once and for all, or die trying. He even said that dying from poison was nobler than dying of old age!"
Dugu Bo's face twisted with pain as he continued, "He was my father. He cut off all family resources from me and gave everything to my elder brother. He said I lacked courage as a Soul Master, that I was afraid of death.
And the result? He couldn't withstand the poison before even breaking through to Soul Sage and died. My brother also never surpassed Soul Sage.
Then there's your uncle, Dugu Shuo—he managed to break through, yes, but his body is consumed by mixing poisons. How much longer can he live?
Dugu Feng inherited his toxins—sooner or later, he'll die from an outbreak.
Meanwhile, I advanced to Titled Douluo!"
By the end, Dugu Bo's expression turned fierce, as though consumed by painful memories.
In those days, all he received from the family were scorn and mockery.
When he and his brother Dugu Hao fought in a duel before reaching Soul Sage, he unleashed years of resentment and nearly destroyed his brother's Martial Soul.
That day, he proved he was right—and made everyone who belittled him regret it.
Dugu Yan finally understood everything.
Her grandfather never spoke kindly of Dugu Feng's branch, not even when her father died—he had forbidden Dugu Shuo from attending the funeral. Now she knew why.
After a long silence, Dugu Bo finally regained his composure. "Yan Yan, even though our path—the control type—can delay and weaken the poison's outbreaks, whether we survive still depends on ourselves.
Your father and mother loved each other too deeply. After your mother's death, his will crumbled. That's why he couldn't withstand his final outbreak. But I believe you won't leave Grandpa alone."
In the Dugu family, love was a luxury. Death was far too common.
Dugu Bo knew well that Dugu Shuo had buried many wives—the man was practically cold-blooded.
He also knew that those from the poison branch were heartless by design—raised to be cold-blooded as snakes and as ruthless as their craft.
"Grandpa, don't say more. I'll train harder. I'll never leave you," Dugu Yan cried, throwing herself into his arms.
Dugu Bo gently patted her shoulder, his eyes filled with memories and a quiet hope.
From her descriptions, Dugu Feng was clearly a genius.
But the more talented he was, the stronger his internal toxin—and the faster he would die.
In truth, had Dugu Feng not transmigrated, the original child bearing his name would have died at four, poisoned by the venom inherited from Dugu Shuo.
Father, Brother—you were wrong. I was right.
Dugu Bo felt clarity in his conviction—the other branch of the family was doomed to extinction.
In his heart, they were already dead.
Elsewhere, in another Dugu residence.
Inside the ancestral hall.
Dugu Shuo and Dugu Feng knelt side by side before the memorial tablets of Grandfather Dugu Hao and Great-Grandfather Dugu Hai.
After returning home, Dugu Feng had asked his father about the events of the past, and they had ended up here.
"Your great-grandfather believed that by cultivating supremacy in poison—pushing its attribute to the extreme—a Titled Douluo could eventually form a Seven-Colored Poison Core, a crystallization that would contain all toxins, freeing us from poison outbreaks and even correcting the Martial Soul's flaw.
So he declared that all family members must follow the poison path. Those continuing the serpent path would receive no resources. If the Martial Soul flaw couldn't be resolved, he would rather sever the family line.
Your second granduncle left the clan in anger to cultivate on his own.
Later, he and your grandfather agreed to duel before reaching Soul Sage.
Your grandfather still saw him as a brother—but your second granduncle already saw him as a mortal enemy. He showed no mercy that day.
Though your grandfather cultivated supremacy in poison, his soul skill power was still weaker. One moment of hesitation, one soft-hearted move—he was hit by your second granduncle's soul technique. His Martial Soul was damaged, and he could never reach the Soul Sage realm again."
Dugu Shuo's tone was calm as he recounted those bloody years.
How cruel Dugu Bo had been.
Dugu Feng's heart trembled. It was almost as if Dugu Bo had personally killed his own elder brother.
The great-grandfather's decision wasn't exactly wrong—but it had undeniably bred hatred.
That hatred had shifted toward his grandfather, leading to this grim outcome.
"Before your grandfather passed, your second granduncle had already reached the Soul Douluo level.
But he believed the poison path was the correct one—better dead than wrong.
The ancestors have blessed you with innate full soul power at awakening. I believe you can fulfill your grandfather's dream: to cultivate the Seven-Colored Poison Core and completely rid our Martial Soul of its flaws!"
Dugu Shuo's eyes gleamed with fanatic pride as he prayed solemnly.
Of course, there followed a round of respectful kowtows before the ancestral tablets.
Dugu Feng sighed inwardly. Dugu Shuo's obsession ran deep—this was the fixation of three generations, all determined to perfect the art of poison, to form the Seven-Colored Poison Core, even if it killed them.
Had Dugu Feng not possessed another soul, he suspected Dugu Shuo would have continued producing offspring, raising them coldly until the bloodline perished.
Still, Dugu Feng couldn't help but wonder—could one truly form this fabled Poison Core upon reaching Titled Douluo?
(END CHAPTER)
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