Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 29: Searching in the Sunset Forest

Hearing Yang Potian's suggestion, Yang Wudi looked at him, puzzled. "Potian, why the sudden interest in finding herbs here in the Sunset Forest? True, this place has a lot of rare herbs, but the danger isn't worth it. And having me, a peak-level Soul Saint, searching for herbs seems like overkill."

"Grandfather, we're just taking a look around. Think of it as training in the forest—getting more familiar with different soul beasts will help me prepare for my next spirit ring."

Yang Wudi chuckled at that. "Potian, you just acquired your first spirit ring. The second one won't be coming so soon."

Despite this, Yang Wudi gave in to his grandson's request, and the two spent several days exploring the Sunset Forest.

During their search, they encountered a variety of soul beasts: plant-type, animal-type, and even a few ten-thousand-year beasts. Most impressive was a ten-thousand-year-old Nether Panther, known for its incredible speed. It moved like a shadow, disappearing as soon as it appeared—among the fastest speed-type soul beasts. Thankfully, Yang Wudi managed to scare it off. If an average Soul Emperor had encountered it, they likely would've been in serious danger.

They also stumbled upon some valuable herbs, the rarest being a thousand-year-old tuber fleeceflower worth tens of thousands of gold spirit coins. However, despite their thorough search, they couldn't locate the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, a place Potian remembered from the original story. And Yang Wudi, no matter how much Potian insisted, refused to venture into the inner forest. It was simply too dangerous for a six-year-old.

So, with a sense of regret, the two left the Sunset Forest.

In the carriage on the way back, Potian couldn't help but ask, "Grandfather, does the Heaven Dou Empire have any powerful poison-type soul masters?"

Yang Wudi looked at him with curiosity. "Potian, why the sudden interest in poison masters?"

"Well, our family, the Po Clan, works with medicinal herbs and even some poisons, right? I was wondering if there are any poisons out there stronger than ours."

"For poisons, the most famous in the Douluo Continent is definitely Dugu Bo. His spirit is the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, and he lives in Heaven Dou City."

Hearing Dugu Bo's name immediately piqued Potian's interest. "Is Dugu Bo really that powerful? How does his poison compare to ours?"

"Our family's poison techniques and Dugu Bo's are each strong in their own ways. His poison comes directly from his spirit, and I met him about a year ago. He was already a high-level Soul Douluo then, but his poison couldn't harm your grandfather. He's formidable in group battles but lacks strength in solo combat, so I don't think he's quite a match for me."

"Grandfather, why are there so few poison masters in the Douluo Continent? Poison techniques seem like they'd be extremely powerful."

"Potian, let me teach you something. Poison techniques can be lethal, but they come with a serious drawback. When a soul master relies heavily on poison, they often poison themselves. Over time, the toxins seep into their own blood, slowing down their cultivation. That's actually one of the reasons our clan members often find it hard to progress."

"Even so, herb mastery is fundamental to our Po Clan, and as clan leader, I must be highly skilled in it. Unfortunately, it's also our greatest limitation."

"Isn't there a way to practice herb refinement without poisoning ourselves?"

Yang Wudi fell silent, deep in thought, before finally replying, "There is one way—finding the legendary Odd Fragrance Qiluo Immortal Herb."

"What's the Odd Fragrance Qiluo Immortal Herb?"

"It's known as the nemesis of all poisons, capable of neutralizing any toxin. It doesn't exactly remove poisons but prevents them from affecting the user. However, generations of Po Clan members have searched for it and never found it."

"What does the Odd Fragrance Qiluo Immortal Herb look like? And what exactly is an 'immortal herb'?"

"Immortal herbs are rare, powerful plants that have grown for tens of thousands of years and absorbed the world's spiritual energy. They're immensely valuable to soul masters, capable of significantly boosting soul power, and even enhancing or evolving a spirit."

"The Odd Fragrance Qiluo Immortal Herb is a large, pale pink flower with no leaves. Its stem is about three feet tall, and the blossom itself is huge, around a foot in diameter. Each petal glistens like crystal, with a pale purple pistil that resembles a cluster of amethysts. Standing near it makes one immune to all poisons."

"Potian, now that you've become a soul master, it's time for you to inherit our clan's true legacy. When we get back, I'll teach you our herb refinement techniques—the true foundation of our clan."

Potian felt a thrill of excitement, mixed with hesitation. Finally, he spoke up. "Grandfather, could I maybe just study the herb knowledge without doing the refinement myself?"

Yang Wudi gave him a hard look. "Why would you want to avoid practicing refinement? Learning the art will make you stronger."

"Grandfather, I do want to be stronger, but I want to focus on becoming the most powerful soul master I can."

Yang Wudi fell into thoughtful silence. He knew well that many in the Po Clan faced this exact dilemma—drawn to herb refinement, many became so immersed that they neglected their soul power training. If the clan hadn't been so focused on herbs, it might have produced a Titled Douluo by now. Though the Po Clan's Po Soul Spear was renowned as a top-tier weapon spirit, it still couldn't match the prestige of the Seven Kill Sword or the Clear Sky Hammer.

This was the Po Clan's greatest regret.

"Potian, you can start by learning the herb lore. Whether you pursue refinement further will be up to you."

Yang Wudi himself had once aspired to be a top-ranked soul master. But, like many others, he became increasingly invested in herb refinement, which slowed his cultivation and left him at the peak of Soul Saint, lagging behind the other clan leaders. Even Bai He, the leader of the Min Clan, had reached Soul Douluo level.

With a sigh, Yang Wudi reflected that the clan's strength was both built on and limited by herb refinement.

After an hour on the road, the carriage finally returned to the Po Clan's base on Qingyuan Mountain.

Upon arriving home, Potian's mother, Niu Jinfeng, immediately started fussing over him, examining him from head to toe, much to Potian's exasperation.

"Mother, I'm really fine."

"My son, you were gone so long—I couldn't help but worry. And you even absorbed a 600-year-old spirit ring. That's dangerous."

After a thorough check, Jinfeng finally relaxed.

"Potian, try not to take such big risks in the future. Our Po Clan may not be a major family, but we're strong enough. You don't need to push yourself like this."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll always make sure I'm prepared before I act."

With that, Potian went back to his room, while his mother resumed caring for his little sister, Yang Tianyue.

(End of Chapter)

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