Chapter 90: Coercion
Dugu Bo, known as the Poison Douluo, was the most skilled poison user on the Douluo Continent. However, the venom of the Green-scaled Snake was harmful both to others and to himself. If it weren't for the suppression provided by the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye, the poison would have exploded within him long ago, killing him.
Though he had not died, Dugu Bo endured the torture of the poison day and night, living in constant agony.
Thus, when Dai Yao demonstrated his ability to resist the Green-scaled Snake's venom, it naturally caught Dugu Bo's attention. If they could uncover the secret behind Dai Yao's immunity to the poison, Dugu Bo's lineage could rid itself of the curse of their martial soul and prolong their lives.
But Dai Yao's immunity was granted by his second martial soul, the Chaos Blue Lotus. It was impossible for him to reveal this to Dugu Bo.
The astonishing talent of having two martial souls was something even Dugu Bo would fear. If Dai Yao grew stronger and sought revenge, it would be a threat. Revealing his dual martial souls would be the path to his death.
It was a deadlock.
Understanding his current predicament, Dai Yao's pupils constricted, his heart pounded violently, and his body tensed. He felt a wave of despair wash over him. Dugu Bo was not a good person—he was a ruthless killer, and as a Poison Douluo, he had taken countless lives.
In the original story, when Tang San displayed his external spirit bone, Dugu Bo even tried to kill him for his bones. If it weren't for Tang San's extraordinary poison skills and the threat from the Golden Iron Triangle, Tang San would have died when he finished breaking the poison. Although the two eventually became close friends, Dugu Bo was known for his ruthless nature!
If things went wrong, Dai Yao would die here!
For now, the only hope was for Zhu Zhuqing or the academy to notice his disappearance and send someone to save him.
The most important thing now was to buy time. Every second he delayed would increase his chances of survival.
Taking a deep breath, trying to steady his trembling voice, Dai Yao looked up at Dugu Bo's cold, green eyes and said, "Yes, I can indeed resist the Green-scaled Snake's venom."
A glimmer of light flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes. He clasped his hands behind his back and slowly approached Dai Yao. Though he didn't release his martial soul, the oppressive aura he exuded made it difficult for Dai Yao to breathe. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Can you tell me why you are immune to the Green-scaled Snake's venom?"
Dai Yao's heart tightened at the question. This was related to his second martial soul, and he couldn't reveal the truth. But he had already thought of a strategy and forced himself to remain calm. "Sorry, I cannot disclose that information."
Dugu Bo's lips curled into a slight sneer as he coldly snorted, "Kid, think carefully. If you don't speak, you won't leave here alive. No one can save you!"
The air around them suddenly dropped a few degrees. As a soul master specializing in attack, Dai Yao could even feel the chill, his exposed skin stinging.
"The timing is about right," Dai Yao thought to himself.
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" Dai Yao suddenly widened his eyes, sitting down and kicking his legs back in apparent fear, pretending to retreat as though he were terrified.
In the face of death, his fear was genuine, and although he was pretending, his reaction was full of sincerity and terror, making his expression incredibly convincing.
Seeing Dugu Bo's triumphant smile, Dai Yao slowly lowered his head to hide his emotions, then murmured, "I ate a rare treasure that gave me the ability to resist the Green-scaled Snake's venom."
"Lies!" Dugu Bo furrowed his brow. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them, grabbing Dai Yao by the neck and lifting him into the air. He roared, "I've searched all over Douluo Continent and never found such a treasure. How dare you lie to me!"
Feeling the intense pain in his neck, Dai Yao struggled in the air, unable to resist Dugu Bo's power. One moment Dugu Bo was ten meters away, and the next he was lifted into the air without a single chance to react.
Dai Yao clawed at Dugu Bo's arm, his throat too constricted to speak. With all his strength, he managed to gasp out a few words: "The world is vast, are you all-knowing?"
Dugu Bo froze for a moment, then released his grip on Dai Yao's neck, his voice rough and cold as he snarled, "Tell me what this treasure looks like. If you can't explain it properly, you will never leave here alive!"
Falling to the ground, Dai Yao coughed, finally able to breathe again, greedily sucking in air. He avoided showing any disrespect in his gaze toward Dugu Bo and spoke humbly, "Your Excellency, that rare treasure was a divine herb."
Dugu Bo nodded, his eyes flickering as he thought to himself, "A divine herb—this could be possible."
Had Dai Yao given any other answer, he would have been dead on the spot.
Dai Yao continued, "This herb is a green lotus, emerald green like jade, it looked extraordinary. When I ate it, I was poisoned, but to my surprise, the poison had no effect on me."
"Only a few days ago, during a battle with the Royal Battle Team, I realized that the poison was the Green-scaled Snake's venom!"
"Is there still this green lotus?" Dugu Bo's expression remained calm, but Dai Yao sensed a hint of urgency.
"It's gone, there was only that one flower."
Dugu Bo stroked his beard thoughtfully and began pacing. His eyes alternated between cold and sharp as he thought. After a long pause, realization seemed to dawn on him. His face twisted into a sinister grin as he grabbed Dai Yao by the neck again and lifted him toward the edge of the cave.
Below the cave's mouth was a bottomless cliff. The howling wind tugged at Dai Yao's clothes, pressing them tightly to his skin.
With nothing to hold on to beneath him, the terrifying sensation of weightlessness sent a chill down Dai Yao's spine as he struggled.
"You brat! You dare to lie to me! Everyone knows that for poisonous creatures, there is a cure within three steps!" Dugu Bo's voice turned ice-cold. "The Green-scaled Snake thrives in dark, cold caves, while lotus flowers grow in water!"
"If you don't tell me the truth, I'll let go and turn you into a pile of meat!"
Dugu Bo's voice was frigid. After being repeatedly deceived by Dai Yao, his patience had worn thin. If Dai Yao didn't tell the truth, death would be his only outcome.
Seeing his lies exposed, Dai Yao knew he had reached a dead end. Whether he spoke or not, he was going to die. He stopped pretending, his eyes filled with disdain as he sneered, "Old fool, don't think I don't know what you're trying to do!"
"When I met Dugu Yan that day, her green eyes made me suspicious. Now that I see you, I'm even more certain!"
"You keep asking me about my immunity to the Green-scaled Snake's venom."
"You want to cure yourself, don't you!"
Dai Yao's words echoed through the valley as he laughed wildly.
Dugu Bo's gaze turned frosty, his lips twitching. The secret Dai Yao had uncovered made him unconsciously loosen his grip for a moment.
However, in an instant, his eyes darkened again. He said with a cold sneer: "What a joke. I, the Poison Douluo, am unmatched in the use of poison. In my eighty years, I've always poisoned others. No one has ever poisoned me!"
(End of Chapter)