I collect fragments in Douluo Continent

Chapter 74 The Scientific Research Maniac (5k)

"Senior Dugu, you flatter me."

Lu Feng cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said righteously, "As the saying goes, a doctor's heart is benevolent, and saving lives is a doctor's sacred duty."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo nodded, and his gaze toward Lu Feng held a hint of appreciation.

Such a righteous young man is a rare find.

Just as he was about to speak, Lu Feng continued, "Just pay up."

A brief silence fell over the room.

After a while, Dugu Bo patted Lu Feng on the shoulder and laughed loudly, "Hahaha! You're just the way I like you!"

Dugu Bo has an eccentric personality, and many people in Tiandou City are terrified of poison.

People call Dugu Bo the Old Monster, not only because they are wary of his poisonous nature, but also because he always does things based solely on his own whims.

Lu Feng smiled and said calmly, "Everyone says that Senior Dugu has an eccentric personality, but in my opinion, he has a pure heart. So I don't need to beat around the bush."

"Haha, you're not bad, kid."

Dugu Bo scrutinized Lu Feng from head to toe, his eyes flickering as if he were considering something.

"This young man has good medical skills and is also quite good-looking. No wonder Yan Yan mentions him every now and then."

"Compared to that guy from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect, this kid looks much better."

Dugu Bo squeezed Lu Feng's hand. "Level 26, that's barely acceptable."

When he tried to determine Lu Feng's age by examining his hand bones, Dugu Bo's expression turned strange. "Kid, have you been practicing some kind of soul skill with your hands?"

Lu Feng's hand felt extremely supple, but he couldn't quite feel the condition of the bones.

Lu Feng's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded, saying, "Yes."

Dugu Bo bent down and pinched Lu Feng's calf a few times through his pants, and Lu Feng immediately felt a tingling sensation.

"Huh? You've practiced a soul skill on your leg too?"

"Hmm." Lu Feng nodded and said, "I liked to run all over the mountains when I was a child, so my calves are stronger than other people's."

Dugu Bo frowned. "I don't believe it. Kid, take your pants off."

"Senior, are we still going to treat the illness?" Lu Feng said speechlessly.

"Hahaha," Dugu Bo raised his hands and scratched his head.

His actions made Lu Feng chuckle. As a titled Douluo, and a man in his seventies or eighties, how come he still looks the same as Oslo?

"Cough cough."

Dugu Bo coughed lightly and said seriously, "I have been managing this medicinal garden for many years and have also figured out some tricks of the trade."

He pointed to a large, pale pink flower and said, "This herb can counteract my poison, but unfortunately it cannot cure me."

Lu Feng looked in the direction Dugu Bo pointed and saw that the flower was a full foot in diameter, and each petal looked as clear and bright as crystal, emitting a faint fragrance.

Centered on the flower, a light pink mist, more than ten meters in diameter, filled the area.

"A fragrant and exquisite celestial product," Lu Feng murmured to himself.

Dugu Bo continued, "This flower can neutralize toxins. I have experimented on living people before, and within this misty area, no poison has any effect. However, if one is already poisoned before entering this fragrance area, it cannot neutralize the poison."

Lu Feng nodded. This fragrant and exquisite fairy product was too eye-catching, so it was not surprising that Dugu Bo had thoroughly studied it.

"The prisoners I use for my experiments are all heinous criminals. Rather than wasting food in prison, they'd be better off being used as fertilizer for my flowers," Dugu Bo explained, making an unprecedented statement.

Only a few people, including the emperor and Prince Xuexing, knew that Dugu Bo was experimenting on living people.

Even though Dugu Bo has an eccentric personality and is already a powerful figure at the Title Douluo level, he is still someone who cherishes his reputation.

Lu Feng nodded and said, "The opportunity is right in front of us. If we don't study it thoroughly, we won't be able to improve our strength."

"If you become subservient because of the constraints of rules, what will you do if you encounter an enemy you cannot defeat? Can you then pray for their mercy?"

"Hahaha, not bad, kid, you have some of my style from back in the day," Dugu Bo laughed heartily.

He pointed to a chrysanthemum-shaped herb not far away and continued, "This herb is called Qirong Tongtianju."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo's eyes flickered, as if he were recalling some unpleasant things.

Dugu Bo and Yue Guan are old rivals.

When Dugu Bo was promoted to Title Douluo, he went to Wuhun City to receive his medal in high spirits. The Pope Qian Xunji personally tried to win him over, but Dugu Bo had always disliked the rules and regulations of powerful forces, so he politely declined.

Unexpectedly, after this incident, the Spirit Hall sent people to hunt him down.

The one who made the move was Yue Guan.

Dugu Bo was newly granted a title, while Yue Guan had been famous for a long time, and his soul power was as high as level ninety-four.

Dugu Bo barely escaped with his life, and was later rescued by Prince Xuexing, becoming a guest minister of the Tiandou royal family.

In the years that followed, Yue Guan would come to cause trouble for Dugu Bo every few years.

Each time, Dugu Bo was beaten so badly that he had no chance to fight back.

Over the years, Dugu Bo failed to break through level 92 again. Later, he finally realized that if Yue Guan really wanted to kill him, it would have been effortless.

However, despite understanding the situation, Dugu Bo still felt as uncomfortable as if he had eaten feces every time he saw the arrogant attitude of "Chrysanthemum Pass".

I wish I could use the sole of my shoe to give the other person a friendly greeting.

"This herb is the one I've studied the most," Dugu Bo said proudly.

"Taking its flower stamens and combining them with more than ten kinds of herbs such as Seven Star Grass, Snow Silkworm, and Phoenix Flower, and then using the spiritual energy of this scorching Yang Spring, we refined the 'Invincible Divine Pill'."

"These pills are specially supplied to the royal family; each batch is worth at least 50,000 gold soul coins."

With a flick of his finger, Dugu Bo sent a wisp of the Heavenly Chrysanthemum's stamen into his hand. He enveloped the stamen with his soul power and presented it to Lu Feng, saying, "This stamen is beneficial for cultivation, but you shouldn't eat too much of it. Here, have a taste; young people need to nourish themselves."

Lu Feng took the flower stamen and was at a loss for words.

Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum primarily strengthens the body's foundation and nourishes the vital energy. Consuming it promotes the flow of Qi in the limbs and blood through the eight meridians, thus helping to cultivate an indestructible body.

Used to make Viagra?

No problem!

Lu Feng swallowed the flower stamen and immediately felt a surge of heat flowing through his body. He silently circulated his soul power to absorb the medicinal effects, and after a moment, Lu Feng opened his eyes, his eyes filled with astonishment.

This tiny flower bud is worth more than a day of arduous cultivation.

"Senior Dugu's medical skills are superb, I admire them!" Lu Feng said, cupping his hands in respect.

"Hmph!" Dugu Bo snorted lightly, put his hands behind his back, and raised his head, saying, "Come with me."

After walking along the path for a few minutes, the two stopped outside a cave.

"This is where I refine medicine. Young man, do you dare to come inside with me and have a look?"

After saying that, Dugu Bo walked directly into the cave.

"Afraid of you?" Lu Feng replied without changing his expression, following closely behind.

As soon as he entered the cave, Lu Feng smelled a faint snake odor. He frowned slightly and said, "Senior, your Azure Phosphorus Serpent venom is one of the most potent poisons I've ever seen. However, there's no need to bring out these minor tests."

"Hahaha." Dugu Bo laughed loudly, then withdrew his snake venom.

The cave passage was narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. The two walked forward for several dozen steps and came to a spacious stone chamber.

The stone chamber was somewhat dim, with only a few faint beams of light shining through the cracks in the stone.

Lu Feng's eyes were covered with a light purple hue, and he finally saw his surroundings clearly.

"this"

Lu Feng looked at everything before him and his face turned pale. He felt a churning in his stomach and almost vomited.

The walls were covered with transparent jars of all sizes, each containing a special liquid containing various small soul beasts and some special soul beast organs.

Jade Phosphorus Snake.

Jade Scorpion.

Jade Centipede.

There were also some soul beasts that had completely transformed and that Lu Feng could not recognize.

In the center of the stone chamber were five large jars, each taller than a person. Each jar contained a set of organs, corresponding to the five internal organs.

Lu Feng was certain that these organs definitely came from a human body.

"Phew~"

Lu Feng slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, calming down the excitement in his heart.

He turned to look at Dugu Bo, and his understanding of him deepened. This guy was simply a research fanatic!

"Kid, how's it going? Scared?" Dugu Bo teased.

Even the emperor and princes only knew that Dugu Bo used living people to test medicine.

But no one expected that he would dissect human bodies.

If word got out about such a crazy act, Dugu Bo might be labeled as an evil soul master.

Lu Feng smiled and said calmly, "Senior Dugu, as you yourself said, these people were all heinous criminals in life. Now that they are being researched by you, it can be said that they died a worthy death."

"Good lad, you've got guts!" Dugu Bo's eyes flashed, and he continued, "You guessed right, the poison in my body was produced when I accidentally ate a herb and my martial soul mutated."

"Sigh~"

He sighed, "The toxins in my body have accumulated for many years, spreading throughout my entire body and penetrating my blood, passed down from generation to generation. Yan Yan's parents died from these toxins."

"Over the years, I have been researching day and night, trying to find a way to detoxify."

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

Lu Feng cupped his hands in greeting and said solemnly, "I can understand Senior Dugu's deep affection for his children."

"I'm glad you understand my good intentions. If I can cure Yanyan, what does it matter if I bear eternal infamy?" Dugu Bo said proudly.

"The toxins within a soul beast's body are a thousand times, ten thousand times, greater than those of a poison-attribute martial soul. Boy, have you ever wondered why soul beasts aren't affected by their own toxins?"

Lu Feng pondered for a moment, then slowly uttered two words: "Poison sac".

"The conclusion I reached after years of research has been revealed by you in a single sentence?" Dugu Bo exclaimed in surprise.

He walked to a jar, pointed to the organ inside, and said, "That's right, it's a poison sac. For ordinary poison-attribute soul masters, their toxins are stored within their martial soul, which doesn't have much effect on the soul master themselves."

"But the toxins in my body exist in my blood. Humans do not have a poison sac, so the toxins are spread throughout my body, eventually making me look like this."

Dugu Bo sighed as he spoke. If the price of success and fame was the loss of his own son, he would rather not have had that opportunity in the first place.

"I suppose Senior Dugu's research must have yielded some results?" Lu Feng said, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Haha, that's for sure."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo opened his mouth, and a beam of green light shot out, from which a jade-green bead slowly emerged.

"This elixir was formed from the evolved form of my Azure Phosphorous Serpent."

"Since the human body has no organs for storing toxins, I will create one myself."

Dugu Bo said calmly, "This pill can not only condense poison, but also promote the condensation of soul power. It can be said that half of my strength is in this pill."

Lu Feng looked at the bead floating in mid-air, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes.

Indeed, those who can cultivate to the level of Title Douluo are all exceptionally talented individuals.

Dugu Bo's bead already has the rudiments of a 'soul core'.

In the original story, if Tang San hadn't interfered, Dugu Bo might have continued his research and actually created a groundbreaking cultivation technique.

"Senior Dugu is truly a peerless talent; I admire him greatly," Lu Feng said solemnly.

"Hahaha, kid, you can go on with the flattery." Dugu Bo puffed out his chest proudly, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

"That old rascal, he's really not serious." Lu Feng muttered to himself as he looked at Dugu Bo's crooked mouth.

"Senior, let's discuss how to detoxify Miss Dugu. We need to carefully plan how to treat the poison in your body, but Miss Dugu's poisoning is still mild, and I am at least 98% confident in my success!"

The toxins in Dugu Bo's body are actually easy to remove. There are several immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye that can save his life.

The Fiery Apricot and the Eight-Cornered Ice Grass, two immortal herbs, when consumed simultaneously and combined with the Ice and Fire Spring Water, will neutralize Dugu Bo's poisonous abilities, but it's still better than being poisoned to death.

The Earth Dragon Golden Melon is a divine item of the earth attribute, containing a trace of earth dragon power. Although it doesn't match Dugu Bo's attribute, that trace of earth dragon bloodline is enough to elevate his martial spirit to a higher level.

However, the price was the loss of his poison skills.

However, in Lu Feng's view, since Dugu Bo had already condensed the poison pill, the path to the soul core was half completed. It would be a real pity to give up now.

Sometimes, when you encounter a problem, you don't necessarily have to solve it; you can also make use of it.

If Dugu Bo were to use the poison pill as a foundation to condense a soul core, it would undoubtedly be a path to heaven for him.

In the second part of Douluo Continent, a Soul Master's Soul Core is located in their dantian. It needs to absorb Soul Power from the outside world to store and supply the Soul Master with it, thereby enhancing their combat power and recovery ability.

Dugu Bo's 'Poisonous Soul Core' has an advantage over them. He can accumulate power through his own toxins, and he might even be able to consume poisonous herbs to enhance his strength.

"Since you're confident about Yan Yan's poison, let's help her detoxify first," Dugu Bo nodded in agreement.

"Let's go out first, it would be bad if Yan Yan found these things."

Inside another cave.

Dugu Bo put his hands behind his back and said calmly, "I'll go fetch Yan Yan. There's food and fresh water in the cave. You can stay here for the next couple of days."

At this moment, Dugu Bo's eyes darted around twice, and he said mockingly, "Kid, although I don't know exactly what your detoxification method involves, if you can persuade Yanyan, it wouldn't be impossible for you to help her nourish her meridians."

"Ahem." Lu Feng's face flushed slightly as he coughed lightly. He had only come up with this method on a whim.

Heaven above!

Lu is currently just a nine-year-old child.

"Senior Dugu, please go ahead. I have lived alone since I was a child, so cooking and laundry are naturally no problem for me," Lu Feng said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're an orphan? That's wonderful!"

Lu Feng's face darkened immediately, and he waved his hand dismissively, signaling Dugu Bo to leave quickly.

Watching Dugu Bo's departing figure, Lu Feng shook his head helplessly. After spending half a day with Dugu Bo, he found that this old guy was just a rascal.

With his mouth alone, if he didn't have the strength of a Title Douluo, he probably would have been beaten to death long ago.

"No wonder he's called an 'old monster'," Lu Feng muttered to himself as he tidied the bed.

When he turned around, he suddenly realized that Dugu Bo had returned sometime earlier.

"Kid, I'll be gone for two or three days, so don't you dare steal my herbs." Dugu Bo snorted coldly.

"Uh, don't worry, senior. I am Tang Si, an upright person!" Lu Feng said with a smile.

"Hmph, then swear an oath," Dugu Bo said jokingly, arms crossed.

Dugu Bo didn't really care whether Tang Si took the herbs or not. As he said, if it could save his granddaughter's life, he would give the entire herb garden to Tang Si.

However, he just wanted to see this kid make a fool of himself.

That feeling of seeing a treasure mountain but not being able to have it is like a cat's claws scratching at your heart. Last time, he invited the chief steward of the palace to visit a brothel, and he guessed that was how the other person felt.

Hey!

"Alright, alright, I swear. Whoever eats your lousy herbal medicine is a dog, okay!" Lu Feng raised his right hand and said righteously.

"Great!" Dugu Bo said excitedly.

When Tang Si first saw the herb garden, his excited expression was definitely not an act.

He didn't believe that the kid could really hold back.

Dugu Bo had already planned to spend a few more days in Tiandou City. Upon his return, he would thoroughly mock Tang Si.

Dugu Bo's figure disappeared into the horizon, and this time he never returned.

"Hmph, he really is an old rascal." Lu Feng shook his head and said helplessly.

Lu Feng also saw through Dugu Bo's thoughts. He might deliberately delay in Tiandou City for a few more days just to see him make a fool of himself.

"Immortal herbs can be kept to drop fragments, but I cannot let go of those two most special ones. The most precious thing in this Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire is the Ice and Fire Dragon King buried in the bottomless abyss."

"The Fiery Apricot Blossom and the Eight-Cornered Ice Grass—without consuming these two immortal herbs, how can one enter the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire?"

"Want to see me make a fool of myself?"

"Hmph, luckily I'm a cut above the rest!"

Immediately, Lu Feng waved his right hand, and a pale yellow figure appeared at his feet.

"Come out, Luo Wupao!"

(End of this chapter)