Chapter 68: The Young Old Divine Doctor

Dugu Bo's expression remained unchanged as he said leisurely, "What, do you think I came to see you without taking a bath?"

Wu Qi muttered to himself: Does he not know how much he stinks?

This stench was even more unbearable than the pesticides from his past life. Especially at close range, the aura was simply suffocating.

"You are poisoned," Wu Qi said.

Dugu Bo was inwardly horrified, yet he feigned composure, "I have played with poison my entire life, so how could I be poisoned?"

"Don't think that just because I am speaking politely to you, you can joke around as you please, hmph!"

Wu Qi had originally been thinking about how to make Dugu Bo believe him, and this scent gave him just the inspiration he needed.

"I once followed a coroner and examined the corpse of a poisoning victim."

"The stench that spontaneously emanated from that deceased person's body was very similar to the scent on you, Senior. Especially the blood inside the body; the smell was even more foul."

"If you don't believe me, Senior, you can prick your finger and let some blood out to smell it."

Wu Qi added, "You possess the strength of a Title Douluo, Senior, so you might not feel the effects of the poison. But if this continues, once the poison constantly erodes your meridians, problems will surely arise in the future."

"Even if you are titled for your poison, Senior, it is impossible to know every single type of toxin; it is better to be cautious."

Whether he was poisoned or not, did Dugu Bo not know in his own heart?

But what other choice did he have?

The Dugu Family had been searching for a way to detoxify for generations, yet they still could not resolve the poison of their martial soul, to the point that the family had declined until only the grandfather and granddaughter were left to rely on each other.

"Can this kid really detoxify, or can he only determine that I am poisoned?"

Regardless, he had to test him.

If he could truly detoxify, the problem that had plagued the Dugu Family for generations might finally be solved.

In the future, the family would surely flourish.

"Oh? Then tell me, how is this poison of mine to be resolved?"

Wu Qi feigned a grave expression, "Would you be willing to let me take your pulse, Senior?"

He knew nothing of pulse-taking; it was merely a performance to gain Dugu Bo's trust.

Dugu Bo said nothing more and rested his arm on the table in front of him.

Wu Qi stepped forward, recalling the techniques of the old traditional Chinese medicine doctors from his past life, and placed his fingers on the other's wrist.

Dugu Bo frowned, pulled Wu Qi's fingers, and placed them on the correct pulse position, "Kid, do you even understand pulse-taking? If you are deceiving me, hmph."

Wu Qi glanced at him, "What are you rushing for? I don't take pulses every day, so it's normal to occasionally miss the spot. But rest assured, I have a profound study of pulse-taking; one touch is enough to determine what poison you have!"

Dugu Bo was half-doubting, but in order to be cured, he temporarily suppressed his temper.

Wu Qi's expression shifted between light and shadow; every time he wanted to speak, he hesitated, constantly twitching his brows, looking every bit like an old divine doctor.

Dugu Bo gradually grew impatient and couldn't help but ask, "Kid, what exactly have you seen?"

Wu Qi ignored him, remaining focused on the pulse.

A moment later, Dugu Bo could bear it no longer, pulled back his arm, and assumed a posture of holding him accountable.

Wu Qi pondered for a few moments and said, "This poison does not enter from the outside, but is born from within."

Dugu Bo was shocked. Before he could ask, Wu Qi continued, "The martial soul is the foundation of a person. Your granddaughter, Dugu Yan, cannot control the poison mist she releases. This is likely not due to her personal reasons, but the reason of the martial soul."

"After seeing your pulse, Senior, I finally understand where the problem lies."

"Although humans and martial souls are in a symbiotic relationship, it does not mean the martial soul will necessarily 'protect' the Spirit Master. The Jade Phosphor Snake martial soul might be an exception; the poison mist possessed by the martial soul itself will erode the Spirit Master's body."

"Senior, if you do not treat this, you and your granddaughter will surely not live long. You are a Title Douluo, Senior, so perhaps you can suppress the toxins, but Dugu Yan cannot, she—"

Not giving him a chance to continue, Dugu Bo immediately turned hostile, "Kid, do not alarmist."

The fact that the martial soul's poison harms oneself is the Dugu Family's greatest secret.

If outsiders were to know, the family would surely suffer a catastrophe.

Seeing that Wu Qi's talent and intelligence were extraordinary, he had adjusted his attitude to converse with him; if the other party leaked this matter casually, then he could not be left alive.

Reading more books is indeed beneficial; at least when bluffing, others don't easily see the clues.

Wu Qi smiled slightly and continued, "Don't be anxious, Senior. Why don't we break down the underlying logic of the poisoning?"

"There is an essential difference between a Tool Spirit and a Beast Spirit. A Beast Martial Soul is connected to the Spirit Master's body. When using a martial soul, one becomes one with it. This theory can be verified after a Spirit Master obtains their seventh soul skill."

"For a Beast Spirit, if the martial soul shatters, the person dies. Conversely, for a Tool Spirit, the martial soul fights outside the body; even if the martial soul is shattered, the Spirit Master themselves will only suffer heavy injuries and will not be in mortal danger."

Possessing a god's-eye view, Wu Qi knew that when Yu Xiaogang was helping Tang San hunt for his first Soul Ring, Luo Sanpao was bitten by a Datura Snake, and because of the relationship between the Spirit Master and the martial soul, the toxin affected Yu Xiaogang himself.

Combined with the information Wu Qi saw in the Spirit Hall, it seemed to further corroborate this theory.

Dugu Bo said in a deep voice, "What are you trying to say!"

It was clear that the other party had a very solid foundation in Spirit Master theory.

Perhaps this was the Dugu Family's only hope for rebirth.

Wu Qi added, "My point is that the connection between a Beast Martial Soul and the Spirit Master's body is too tight. And the Jade Phosphor Snake is a leader among similar martial souls; the toxins cultivated overflow and will harm the host."

"Let me give you a counter-example. I know a genius whose martial soul is a Plant-type Spirit, which in Spirit Master theory is classified as a Tool Spirit. Even though his first two Soul Rings were both obtained from highly poisonous sources, he himself did not suffer from the invasion of the toxins."

"Because the essence of the martial soul is different, the way it manifests is also different. Senior, when you don't use your martial soul for a long time, do you feel that the invasion of the toxins is not as severe?"

Dugu Bo widened his eyes!

Why did he not want to meddle in other people's business? It was precisely because, without using his martial soul to fight, the invasion of the toxins on his body was not that severe.

He had only discovered this pattern, but he did not understand the underlying logic.

After Wu Qi said this, he suddenly realized, "Then tell me, how should I be detoxified?"

As the words left his mouth, he realized something was wrong and quickly changed his tone, "I was almost led astray by you; how could I be poisoned—"

Wu Qi rolled his eyes at him, "It's enough to fool outsiders. In the eyes of someone who knows the trade, there is no need for you to hide it, Senior. Or do you not want to be detoxified?"

Dugu Bo simply stopped hiding and threw caution to the wind, "Then tell me, how am I to be detoxified? You know such a big secret; if you cannot detoxify me, you know the consequences!"

Wu Qi laughed inwardly.

The other party was truly grasping at straws, jumping headfirst into the pit he had dug.

"The Jade Phosphor Snake is yin in nature, while tiger-type Soul Beasts are bodies of pure yang; soaking tiger bones in wine can alleviate the symptoms."

Dugu Bo was himself a physician of profound attainment; how could he not know of this?

But this could only alleviate the pain during an episode; it could not resolve the root cause.

(End of chapter)