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Lan Minghua stepped in front of Dugu Bo, catching Wu Song's slashing monk's saber with one hand.
With a thunderous roar, the boundless energy of the blade swept past Lan Minghua's sides, whistling through the air.
Dugu Bo forced his eyes open, staring in horror at the scene. An attack that he had been powerless to stop was effortlessly intercepted by this man who looked like a vagrant. What was even more baffling was why this person had saved him.
Lan Minghua casually pushed the blade aside and said with a sigh, "Erlang, you got carried away again, huh?" It seemed that only Wu Dalang could truly control Wu Song; even he couldn't fully restrain him.
The red glow faded from Wu Song's eyes as he sheepishly withdrew his saber. "My apologies, Sect Leader. It's been so long since I've had a proper fight, I got a little overexcited."
Lan Minghua rolled his eyes. Maybe keeping Wu Song by his side wasn't such a good idea. If Wu Song went on a killing spree, he couldn't always be there to stop him. He had already used another peak experience card, and his supply was running low.
He waved his hand dismissively. "Erlang, you should go do what you want to do. Go and spread the name of our Tianlong Gang far and wide."
"Yes, Sect Leader! I will make everyone on this continent know that the Tianlong Gang is the number one organization!" Wu Song declared solemnly.
Before he left, Lan Minghua added one last warning, "Don't let me hear that you've tarnished the gang's reputation, or I'll tan your hide!"
"Ahem, understood, Sect Leader." Wu Song replied nervously and quickly departed, as if afraid Lan Minghua would change his mind.
Dugu Bo was so shocked he couldn't close his mouth. Had he just heard something incredible? The continent's number one organization, the Tianlong Gang?! How had he never heard of them? Could they be a hidden sect, like the Clear Sky Clan?
He sighed inwardly. It mattered little if they were lying. Right now, he was a lamb on the chopping block.
Lan Minghua turned and sized up the now-powerless Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo, for his part, remained defiant. "To the victor go the spoils. If you're going to kill me, just do it!"
"When did I say I was going to kill you? Don't get the wrong idea. Am I the kind of person who enjoys slaughtering the innocent?!"
Hearing this, Dugu Bo sighed. "Taking the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well from me is no different from killing me."
"Tch. It's just that you're poisoned and need the well to suppress it, right? Even without it, you won't die immediately." Lan Minghua stated bluntly, having seen through Dugu Bo's predicament.
Dugu Bo gave a bitter smile. "True, I won't die immediately. But I will only linger on in agony for a few more years." He wasn't afraid of death for himself, but for his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, who was destined to suffer the same fate.
"If you're poisoned, why not get someone to cure you? It's such a simple matter," Lan Minghua said nonchalantly, picking his nose.
"Cure me?" Dugu Bo laughed at himself. "My title is 'Poison.' I am arguably the strongest poison master on the continent. If even I cannot cure this poison, who can?"
"I can. And for your poison, I have more than one solution."
"What? You have a cure?!" Dugu Bo was incredulous, but he didn't think Lan Minghua would lie. With his immense power, there was no need to deceive him.
Seizing the opportunity, Dugu Bo said quickly, "Senior, if you can cure the poison in my body, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is yours."
"If I kill you, it would also be mine, wouldn't it?" Lan Minghua quipped.
Dugu Bo's face stiffened, unable to retort.
"Alright, I'm just kidding. Let's go. When we get to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, I'll tell you how to cure your poison."
Dugu Bo didn't know if he was being tricked, but he had no other choice.
Soon, they arrived at the well, which resembled a great Taiji symbol. True to his word, Lan Minghua explained the method of detoxification.
"Do you see those two herbs by the spring? One is the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and the other is the Infernal Delicate Apricot."
"If you consume them together, you can survive the neutralization of their extreme toxins. This will form a miniature ice-and-fire well within your body, and the poison will be cured."
Dugu Bo's eyes burned with eagerness; he wanted to consume the herbs immediately.
However, Lan Minghua dashed his hopes. "There is a drawback to this cure. They will completely erase all of your poison abilities."
Dugu Bo hesitated. He was already the weakest Titled Douluo. If he lost his poison skills, he would be left with nothing special. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Senior, is there another method?"
"Of course. The second method is even simpler. You just need to force all the toxins in your body into your spirit bone." Lan Minghua recalled that this was how Tang San had cured him in the original story.
Hearing the second method, Dugu Bo slapped his forehead. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of such a simple solution. Based on his years of experience with poisons, he knew it was feasible.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well now belongs to you."
Lan Minghua nodded and accepted, unceremoniously harvesting all the well-known immortal herbs: the Qi Rong Tong Tian Ju, the You Xiang Qi Luo Xian Pin, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, the Infernal Delicate Apricot, the Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid, the Qi Luo Tulip, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, the Lovesickness Heartbroken Red, the Wang Chuan Qiu Shui Lu, and the Ninth-Grade Purple Zoysia. He left the well itself intact, allowing it to continue nurturing other plants.
Dugu Bo prepared to force the poison into his soul bone, wanting to test the method himself. If it worked, his granddaughter could be spared from suffering.
Seeing this, Lan Minghua sighed to himself. He actually had a much better method—the "Pill Poison Technique" he had just gotten from the system lottery. The technique, from another world's story, involved condensing all the poison in one's body into a single "poison pill." This would not only cure the affliction but also grant greater control over poison.
But his relationship with Dugu Bo was purely transactional. He was under no obligation to teach him such a profound technique. Besides, forcing poison into a spirit bone had obvious flaws. A spirit bone's capacity was limited, and as long as Dugu Bo was alive, his body would continue to produce toxins. Since Titled Douluo lived for a very long time, the poison would eventually exceed the bone's limit. Once that happened, the consequences would be dire: amputation at best, death at worst. Dugu Bo's only spirit bone was a head bone. If that burst, death was certain.
"Alas," Lan Minghua thought, sighing, "since 'Rotten-Life Hua' is supposed to be a kindhearted person, I guess I, Lan Minghua, should act like one for once."
He walked over and interrupted Dugu Bo's preparations, leaving the latter confused.
"The second method has its drawbacks too," Lan Minghua explained. "If the amount of poison exceeds the capacity of the soul bone... I don't need to tell you what the consequences will be."
"I know," Dugu Bo said with a self-deprecating laugh. "But it's not like I have a choice, is it?"
Seeing this, Lan Minghua said softly, "I have a third method of detoxification, one that is better than the previous two and has no side effects. It's just that…"
Before he could finish, Dugu Bo dropped to his knees before him.
"I have drifted for half a lifetime, only regretting that I never found an enlightened master! If Your Grace will not forsake me, I, Bo, wish to acknowledge you as my adoptive father!"
"Huh?!"
(End of Chapter)