Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

"Eat this!"

Dugu Bo roared, his voice thundering as he directed the poisonous soul power that had tightly enveloped Chrysanthemum Douluo inward. Although Chrysanthemum Douluo seized the opportunity to break free of Dugu Bo's chaining control after being attacked, he was no longer able to resist Dugu Bo's assaults.

With a dull thud, the disheveled Chrysanthemum Douluo was sent flying by a heavy whip of Dugu Bo's tail, smashing into a large tree.

"Jie jie jie! This battle is my victory!"

The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor cackled menacingly, his deep purple soul power winding around his massive form, making him appear even more sinister and terrifying.

If not explicitly stated, no one would have guessed that Dugu Bo was a righteous figure.

"Tch," Chrysanthemum Douluo climbed up from the ground, using his soul power to ease the pain in his body. With a grimace, he scoffed at Dugu Bo.

"I never realized before how cunning you are, you old poisonous creature. Not only did you secretly breakthrough from rank 91 to rank 94 in one breath, but you also absorbed a soul bone, all just to catch me off guard at a critical moment."

"You old poison, how did I not see this side of you before?"

The defensive power provided by the Jade Phosphor Barrier had made up for a major weakness in Dugu Bo's abilities. It was also the key factor that allowed him to counterattack and defeat Chrysanthemum Douluo in this battle.

This proved that even at the level of a Title Douluo, a high-quality soul bone and soul skill could still decisively alter the outcome of a battle.

Dugu Bo burst into laughter, dispelling his Martial Soul Avatar and returning to his normal state. He reached out and patted Chrysanthemum Douluo on the shoulder.

"Heh heh, Old Chrysanthemum, there are still plenty of things you can't anticipate."

Although Dugu Bo was covered in injuries and had consumed a vast amount of soul power, these minor details were nothing compared to the fact that he had defeated Chrysanthemum Guan for the first time.

"Hmph, you've won." Chrysanthemum Douluo sighed, reluctantly admitting his loss.

In their past battles, Chrysanthemum Douluo had always been the victor. However, precisely because of this, losing to Dugu Bo in a head-on confrontation this time left him feeling unusually bitter.

Nearby, Ghost Douluo, who had been watching the fight with Chen Ming and Dugu Yan, stepped forward. Placing his hand on Chrysanthemum Douluo's back, he slowly infused his soul power into him.

Although the fusion of the two's soul power didn't result in miraculous phenomena like the legendary Haodong power that would appear thousands of years later, it still greatly alleviated Chrysanthemum Douluo's injuries and replenished his depleted soul power.

After just a few breaths, Chrysanthemum Douluo's energy had noticeably recovered, and it was impossible to tell that he had just suffered a defeat.

At this moment, Dugu Yan hurried to her grandfather's side. She retrieved medicinal herbs and bandages from her storage soul tool and carefully began tending to Dugu Bo's wounds.

Although, with Dugu Bo's current strength, such treatment was entirely unnecessary—he could simply return to Spirit City and find a healing-type soul master to recover. Even so, Dugu Bo smiled cheerfully and cooperatively let Dugu Yan dress his wounds while shooting a provocative glance at Chrysanthemum Douluo.

"Ah, my granddaughter is so thoughtful."

Chrysanthemum Douluo, who had never married and had no descendants, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as he watched Dugu Yan meticulously treat Dugu Bo's wounds. He glanced at the loyal Ghost Douluo, who had accompanied him for decades and felt a sour pang in his heart.

As he was mulling over his bitterness, Chrysanthemum Douluo's gaze fell on Chen Ming, who was assisting Dugu Yan. His eyes gleamed mischievously as he approached.

"Young man, have you ever eaten the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?" Chrysanthemum Douluo asked with a warm smile, his voice carrying a hint of affection.

"Old Chrysanthemum, what are you planning, staring at my granddaughter's husband like that?" Dugu Bo shot a wary glance at Chrysanthemum Douluo, his tone filled with suspicion.

"It's nothing," Chrysanthemum Douluo replied with a grin. "Old poison, you know I've never had any family in my life. I'm nearing a hundred years old, yet I'm still without children or even a disciple to look after me. My future days are bound to be lonely."

"I noticed that your granddaughter's husband has consumed the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. He and I seem quite fated. Why don't you let him become my disciple?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo made his proposal with a smile.

"Even if it's just in name, I still need someone to inherit my legacy, don't I?"

"I'll teach him everything I know and pass on the knowledge I've accumulated over the years. That way, his future achievements will be even greater. Wouldn't your granddaughter and future great-grandchildren also benefit from that?"

"You…" Dugu Bo was about to curse, but after some thought, he realized that Chrysanthemum Douluo's suggestion made a bit of sense.

While Dugu Bo considered himself capable, he was ultimately self-taught and might lack certain critical knowledge. Chrysanthemum Douluo, as a member of Spirit Hall, undoubtedly had access to its extensive teachings and could help fill in the gaps in Chen Ming's training.

Moreover, Chrysanthemum Douluo was indeed skilled in pharmacology and seemed knowledgeable about immortal herbs, which could complement Dugu Bo's expertise.

If he allowed Chrysanthemum Douluo to take Chen Ming as a disciple, it wouldn't interfere with his teachings. It would also provide an additional layer of protection for his granddaughter and Chen Ming, giving them more confidence in the future.

Although Dugu Bo had often quarreled with Chrysanthemum Guan over the years, he still held a degree of respect for him.

In terms of both strength and character, Dugu Bo trusted Chrysanthemum Guan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have entrusted his granddaughter and grandson-in-law to Ghost Douluo earlier and then gone off to settle things with Chrysanthemum Douluo in the woods outside the city.

However, Chen Ming harbored many secrets, and Dugu Bo's eyes gleamed with calculation as he came to a decision.

He patted Chen Ming on the shoulder, whispered a few words into his ear, and then pushed him toward Chrysanthemum Douluo.

"Martial Soul, activate!" Chen Ming shouted, summoning his Emerald Scorpion Emperor martial soul.

"Scorpion Emperor Martial Soul? Innate? No... wait, there's no record of anyone in Douluo Continent having an innate Scorpion Emperor martial soul. Could it be a post-birth mutation? And this soul ring configuration—one yellow, two purple?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo leaned closer to examine Chen Ming, touching his carapace and even sniffing the poisonous aura emanating from his transformed form.

"Jade Phosphor Seven Treasures Flower?!" Although Chrysanthemum Douluo had never seen a real Jade Phosphor Seven Treasures Flower, after analyzing the components of Chen Ming's poison, he couldn't help but exclaim in shock.

"Young man, you're incredibly lucky to have encountered the Jade Phosphor Seven Treasures Flower and even absorbed its soul ring?"

"No, no, no. The Jade Phosphor Seven Treasures Flower is a type of immortal herb and rarely gains sentience. If it does, it would need to be at least ten thousand years old to awaken its spirit. Its poison is so potent, and its soul power so fierce, that even a Soul King would struggle to absorb the soul ring of a newly-formed ten-thousand-year-old Jade Phosphor Seven Treasures Flower."

"Even a thousand-year soul ring from it shouldn't be something a mere Soul Elder could absorb."

At this moment, Dugu Bo chimed in from the side, fanning the flames.

"Old Chrysanthemum, my grandson-in-law has plenty of secrets, as you've noticed. While I trust your character, for my grandson-in-law's sake, I still need a guarantee from you."

"Otherwise, I can't just hand over my precious grandson-in-law to you."