Three more days passed. During this time, Lin Fan adapted to his Slaughter Sword's power after adding the new soul ring.
It was during these continuous rainy days, as a layer of gloomy mist shrouded Heaven Dou City, with ceaseless drizzle falling from the sky.
That night, Lin Fan moved stealthily through the fog, heading toward the house where Qian Renxue had led him ten days ago—Dugu Bo's residence.
Standing outside the house, even without stepping into the courtyard, Lin Fan could already sense the chaotic aura radiating from inside.
"Dugu Bo is pitiful. Despite being a Title Douluo, his martial soul's nature forces him to endure the torment of incurable poison, even passing it down to his descendants," Lin Fan thought, sensing Dugu Bo's agitated and unstable aura.
Martial souls were indeed mystical, yet also cruel—take Dugu Bo's venomous martial soul, for example. It not only harmed himself but also his future generations.
Then there were others, like Ning Fengzhi with his innate flaws, or Tang Yuehua's extreme mutation.
But these weren't things Lin Fan could concern himself with.
Without hesitation, he silently leapt over the courtyard wall and slipped into the dark house through a window.
Inside the pitch-dark living room, Lin Fan heard muffled groans of pain coming from a room upstairs.
It was obvious—Dugu Bo was enduring the backlash of his poison, struggling through its torment.
Lin Fan ascended the stairs quietly.
Inside the upstairs room, Dugu Bo was curled up in a corner, trembling from pain.
"If only I were at my treasured spot in the Sunset Forest, this wouldn't be happening. My poison wouldn't act up this severely."
Sweat poured down Dugu Bo's face, his temples bulging as he grimaced in agony.
Each time his poison flared, he couldn't help but think of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, which had always helped suppress his condition.
Having been away from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for eight months now, Dugu Bo could feel the attacks growing stronger with each rainy day.
"Damn that Sword Shadow! If he hadn't seized my cultivation ground, I wouldn't be in this state!" Dugu Bo's hatred toward Lin Fan deepened further.
Bang!
Suddenly, the locked door was violently pushed open. Startled, Dugu Bo raised his head toward the doorway.
When he saw the figure standing there, his pupils contracted in shock.
"Sword Shadow?! What are you doing here at my house?!"
He had been so consumed by pain that he hadn't even sensed anyone approaching.
Normally, Dugu Bo would've easily detected any intruder in his home.
Lin Fan chuckled, his tone tinged with mockery,
"Oh? Poison Douluo, what's with this sorry state? Need a little help?"
Seeing Lin Fan's teasing expression, Dugu Bo's face darkened even further.
"Sword Shadow, what do you want?" Dugu Bo growled through gritted teeth.
Lin Fan calmly said,
"Dugu Bo, have you never considered channeling your poison into your soul bones to ease its backlash?"
Truthfully, Lin Fan couldn't believe that Dugu Bo wouldn't know this simple principle.
Dugu Bo was stunned,
"What do you mean?"
Lin Fan let out a sigh,
"Are you really clueless or just pretending? With your years of experience battling your poison, surely you've done plenty of research on toxins. You must've encountered other poison-type soul masters before."
"Think carefully about the difference between beast-type and tool-type poisonous martial souls."
"Let's not even mention others—take Spirit Hall's Title Douluo, the Porcupinefish Douluo, for instance. He doesn't suffer from any of your symptoms."
"Do you know why? His Porcupinefish martial soul stores its poison inside its body—the belly of the fish."
Likewise, tool-type martial souls can store their toxins within their martial soul itself. And since tool-type martial souls don't require full-body possession, they won't harm the user."
"But you—your pursuit of extreme toxicity led you to spread the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's venom throughout your body, trapping yourself in constant agony."
Lin Fan explained plainly, fully intending to give Dugu Bo this advice in exchange for the item he sought.
Still gritting his teeth in pain, Dugu Bo glared at him suspiciously,
"You're telling me this out of kindness? You broke into my house in the middle of the night just to help?"
Lin Fan grinned,
"Ah, you caught me. To be honest, I've recently been inquiring around Heaven Dou City and heard you possess a special pouch that can store living creatures—the Hundred Treasures Pouch."
"So tonight, I came here to propose a trade."
"I'll pay you 100,000 gold soul coins, and I'll also let you return to that treasure site in the Sunset Forest to suppress your poison."
"The only condition: you cannot allow anyone else into that place."
"How about it?"
Of course, poor Dugu Bo didn't even know that place was called the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—but Lin Fan wasn't about to tell him.
Dugu Bo was stunned by the offer. Not only had Lin Fan given him crucial advice, but now he was also offering access to the treasure ground again—all just for a simple pouch?
He clearly remembered buying the Hundred Treasures Pouch at an auction for just over 50,000 gold soul coins.
"That's… it?" Dugu Bo asked cautiously, still suspicious.
Lin Fan calmly replied,
"You don't need to be so guarded around me, Dugu Bo. If I wanted you dead, it'd be effortless. Your poison does not affect me."
"Besides, we don't have any personal grudges."
As he spoke, Lin Fan released a faint pulse of soul power, allowing Dugu Bo to sense his strength.
"Ninety-five?! Impossible! Eight months ago, you were only at ninety-two!" Dugu Bo's eyes widened in disbelief.
Lin Fan smiled faintly,
"Now you see you can trust me."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Dugu Bo gritted his teeth and agreed,
"Fine! If you let me return to the treasure site, I won't take your money. I'll even help guard that place for you."
He then pulled out a silk-like pouch—the Hundred Treasures Pouch—and handed it to Lin Fan.
"Pleasure doing business," Lin Fan said with a smile, accepting the pouch.
"I won't disturb you any further. Oh, and you really should try channeling your poison into your soul bones."
With that, Lin Fan departed from Dugu Bo's home.
Left alone, Dugu Bo muttered to himself in awe,
"Just who exactly is this Sword Shadow…? After I left him in the forest, I looked everywhere for information on him, even getting the help of Prince Xue Xing—but I couldn't find anything. And now… eight months later, he's somehow jumped three whole levels as a Title Douluo?"
Indeed, after being kicked out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well by Lin Fan, Dugu Bo had tried everything to locate him, but to no avail.
Meanwhile, Lin Fan didn't return home after leaving Dugu Bo's house.
Instead, now that he had the Hundred Treasures Pouch in hand, he headed straight for the Sunset Forest.
Even in the dead of night, Lin Fan had nothing to fear from the forest's soul beasts—unless he encountered a few 100,000-year behemoths.
By around 3 a.m., Lin Fan arrived once again at the tranquil Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Gazing upon the vast field of rare medicinal herbs, Lin Fan beamed with delight,
"Finally, it's harvest time."
Without hesitation, he leapt down into the valley and began gathering herbs, storing them one by one into the Hundred Treasures Pouch.
Golden Heliconia, Cockscomb, Phoenix Sunflower, Fragrant Delicate Immortal Grade herbs—all of them.
Naturally, he didn't miss the legendary Lovesick Heartbroken Red, the king of all flowers.
For the next hour, Lin Fan carefully harvested everything around the spring.
Every single immortal herb from the original story—none were left behind.