Boom!
Before the searing white sphere of energy could even detonate, the Snow-Hoofed Unicorn Horse collapsed to the ground, limbs twitching, foaming at the mouth—completely incapacitated.
Dugu Bo jumped down in disappointment and muttered:
"Still not good enough. I've got a strong body now, but without proper offensive soul skills, I can't finish a fight without poison. No way to end things cleanly."
He suddenly noticed two pairs of eyes fixed on him. Turning sharply, he met Ye Qingxian and Lin Xiao's gazes—big eyes staring at little ones.
Awkward silence.
Dugu Bo blushed.
"Ahem. I'd never really tried hand-to-hand combat before. I just wanted to test it a bit, but I guess I got… carried away."
That thrill of raw, bone-crunching impact… it's addictive!
"Patriarch Ye, go ahead and absorb your soul ring."
Eager to change the subject, he waved her toward the unicorn.
Ye Qingxian nodded, gathered soul power in her palm, and struck the creature's temple. With a final breath, it died—and a deep black soul ring rose from the corpse.
She sat cross-legged and began the absorption.
Lin Xiao and Dugu Bo stood nearby to protect her.
Lin Xiao gave the old man a sideways glance and spoke:
"Senior Dugu, you're frustrated, right? That you don't have a powerful, effective soul skill apart from poisoning?"
"You're thinking: What if someone's immune to my poison? Then what? That helpless feeling of having all that power… but nowhere to use it."
"Wouldn't it be great if there were a technique that—even when your poison fails—could still release incredible force? Too bad all your nine soul rings are already locked in…"
Dugu Bo's face darkened.
Everything Lin Xiao said up to that point had hit the mark—tickling an itch deep in his heart.
But that last line?
Right in the sore spot.
Salt in the wound, kid.
What, was Lin Xiao going to hand him an extra soul skill or something?
"You brat, itching for a beating? Say the word—I'll loosen those bones of yours!"
His tone turned dangerous, his eyes narrowing.
Lin Xiao sighed with exaggerated regret.
"Ah, what a shame. I was going to teach you a powerful custom soul technique—one with devastating power, something that could serve as a hidden trump card."
"But clearly, I was overreaching."
He sighed again, gloomily.
"I guess I'll just teach it to Yanyan-jie instead."
Dugu Bo glanced at him suspiciously.
This brat? Teaching me a custom soul skill?
And not just any skill, but one with 'devastating' power?
Yeah, right.
Neither of them said anything for a while.
Fifteen minutes passed in silence.
Dugu Bo peeked at Lin Xiao out of the corner of his eye. The boy was still watching Ye Qingxian quietly, not saying a word—not even a hint of trying to share that technique.
The old man finally broke.
After a brief inner struggle, he asked—voice soft, almost coaxing:
"Lin Xiao… tell me about this Poison Explosion Technique, hmm?"
"I mean, if you're planning to teach it to Yanyan, I should probably check for flaws. Sounds… dangerous, doesn't it?"
"I'm a Title Douluo, after all. It's my job to vet things like this."
Lin Xiao glanced at him sideways.
He really wanted to say, "Senior Dugu, why the sudden humility after your earlier threats?"
But considering their vast difference in strength…
He chose forgiveness.
"Senior, do you know Flame Explosion?"
"You mean the one you used before? That technique was impressive! In the right moment, it could turn the tide of a battle!"
Dugu Bo looked hopeful.
"Is Poison Explosion that powerful?"
Lin Xiao shook his head.
But before Dugu Bo could feel disappointed, he added firmly:
"No. Poison Explosion… is stronger."
"Especially when you use it."
Explosion mechanics, excluding nuclear, generally fall into two categories: physical and chemical.
Physical explosion occurs from rapid pressure changes—caused by sudden compression or expansion in a confined space.
Chemical explosion results from rapid oxidation or decomposition, drastically increasing temperature and pressure, which then triggers a physical shockwave.
Lin Xiao had categorized all explosion-type soul skills:
Chemical explosion: Corpse Explosion
Physical explosion: Flame Explosion, Ice Explosion, Ring Detonation
The most common were energy-based physical explosions—where compressed energy releases instantly.
Tang Hao's Ring Detonation was the strongest of all—because soul rings contained massive energy, and detonating them unleashed it all at once.
But Poison Explosion, in Lin Xiao's design, would sit between the physical and chemical—an explosive blast followed by a terrifyingly rapid spread of toxins.
A hybrid weapon.
A biochemical warhead wrapped in a soul skill.
Lin Xiao laid it all out for Dugu Bo.
The old man's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
He stared at Lin Xiao in horror.
This kid… has a terrifying mind!
Such a brutal, deadly technique—he wouldn't have even dreamed of it!
But imagining himself unleashing this as a Title Douluo, with nine rings of toxic soul power and a sudden shockwave that vaporized enemies…
Within seconds, entire regions would become death zones.
An inferno of white bones. Not a bird or beast left in a hundred miles.
Lin Xiao added calmly:
"Honestly, the blast is secondary. What makes it so lethal is the toxin dispersion afterward. That's what causes real devastation."
Dugu Bo said nothing.
He stared at Lin Xiao, as if trying to see into his very soul.
Was this boy a wrathful Buddha… or a Rakshasa from hell?
To conceive of such a heaven-defying move…
Feeling his stare, Lin Xiao looked uncomfortable.
"Of course, Senior. If you think it's too dangerous, just forget I said anything."
"Best not to use a technique like this."
But Dugu Bo suddenly burst into laughter.
"Use it? Of course I'll use it!"
"On the battlefield, lives mean nothing. Even a Title Douluo can fall like grass before the scythe."
"If I die—who will protect Yanyan?"
"This technique may defy heaven… but it protects my family."
Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed slightly.
He heard the word battlefield.
Clearly, Dugu Bo understood what Poison Explosion was meant for.
In war, this was no skill—it was a weapon of mass destruction.
A technique that could wipe out nations.
Lin Xiao gave a quiet warning:
"Senior, don't use this casually. Only if there's truly no other way—or try limiting the dose. Keep the damage controlled."
"Don't harm the innocent."
Dugu Bo waved him off.
"I know, I know. I'm not some bloodthirsty lunatic. I don't want Yanyan's grandfather turning into a mass murderer. You don't need to tell me twice."
"This move is brutal. We'll study it carefully when we get back."
He cast Lin Xiao another glance.
"Of the Five Poisons under heaven… your mind is the deadliest."
"Remind me—who's the real Poison Douluo here?"
Lin Xiao smiled.
"I'm a good person. Everyone says so."
"If I ever commit a terrible crime… surely, someone must've forced my hand."
"It wouldn't be my fault."
Dugu Bo's heart skipped a beat.
He looks so calm… but this kid is dangerous.
If someone ever pushes him too far…
He might just drag the whole world down with him.