Chapter 53 - Betrayal and Venom
Qin Chuan felt the movement behind him.
He turned around, and his expression turned cold instantly.
"Dugu Bo, let Lingling go."
The person who arrived was none other than Dugu Bo.
Draped in a gray robe, his green hair flowed messily, and his sinister, emerald-snake-like eyes gleamed with venomous intent.
The symbolism was too strong to ignore.
They had encountered each other several times as part of the Tiandou Royal Family's participating team.
"So, it's you."
Dugu Bo sneered with a poisonous smile.
"Hand over the Xian Shou Lingzhi in your hand, and I'll let your little lover go."
So that was what he was after—the Xian Shou Lingzhi.
Dugu Bo had overheard everything between him and Ye Lingling at the mountain's entrance. Naturally, he understood the herb's value.
"And what if I refuse?"
Qin Chuan's eyes turned colder, a deadly aura rising from his body.
"Then don't blame me for being cruel!"
Dugu Bo let out a weird laugh, arrogant and unapologetic.
The Nine-Section Jade wrapped around Ye Lingling's body flicked its tongue like a snake, hissing ominously.
With just one thought, it could bite into the artery on Ye Lingling's neck. If that happened, not even the gods could save her.
"Your Majesty, don't worry about me."
Ye Lingling suddenly spoke.
Her delicate face was pale, her body trembling, but her words remained firm—telling Qin Chuan to leave her.
"The Immortal Longevity Ganoderma is too precious… Lingling is not worth it."
"Shut up!" Dugu Bo growled. His hawk-like eyes glared at her.
"Little Lingling, Grandpa recognizes you, but don't blame Grandpa. Grandpa really needs that Ganoderma."
He was already very old.
Even without poison in his body, he had perhaps a little more than ten years left to live.
Who would willingly accept death?
Dugu Bo turned his eyes back to Qin Chuan.
"Qin Chuan, I don't need the whole Ganoderma. Just give me half."
"Hand it over, and not only will I let her go, I promise not to reveal what happened here today."
"How about that?"
"Your Majesty…" Ye Lingling wanted to protest, but Qin Chuan cut her off.
"Alright, I agree."
Ye Lingling's expression changed, her eyes full of mixed emotions. But deep down, she was moved.
"I've given my word. Now let her go."
Qin Chuan spoke coldly, but his senses remained focused on the mountain wall beside them.
He had detected the presence of the Wall Ghost Vine.
That creature was approaching, clearly planning to take advantage of the standoff between him and Dugu Bo.
Unfortunately for it, soul beasts, even those with ten-thousand-year cultivation, still lacked the intelligence of humans.
"I don't trust you one bit," Dugu Bo scoffed.
"How about this? You toss me half the Lingzhi first, and I'll let her go right after."
Qin Chuan was silent.
Though Dugu Bo was known for being a man of his word, Qin Chuan didn't believe in his so-called honor.
After all, if Dugu Bo was so trustworthy, why did Tang San hide what he obtained from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?
The truth was simple—no one trusted him.
"We do it together," Qin Chuan said coldly.
"Fine by me."
Dugu Bo gave a wicked smile.
Qin Chuan broke off a large chunk of the Xian Shou Lingzhi, divided it in half, and put one portion into a storage pouch.
Holding the other half in his hand, he said cautiously, "Your turn."
Dugu Bo grinned.
He made an inaudible sound from his throat, and the Nine-Section Jade instantly retracted into his sleeve.
Ye Lingling was pulled in front of him as he looked at Qin Chuan, smiling smugly.
Seeing the snake retract, Qin Chuan finally let go of the tension he'd been holding.
"Let's trade, then."
Without hesitation, Qin Chuan tossed over the half piece of Xian Shou Lingzhi.
"I, Dugu Bo, always keep my word."
Dugu Bo also pushed Ye Lingling forward.
However, in that split second—something unexpected happened.
A vine shot out from the mountain wall like lightning, snatching Ye Lingling again.
But Qin Chuan was prepared.
A flash of ice-cold killing intent lit his eyes, and the nine soul rings around him burst forth instantly, erupting with overwhelming soul power.
The Holy Spirit Sword fell from the sky!
Before Dugu Bo could even grab the Ganoderma, his hand recoiled as though shocked by electricity.
He missed his chance.
Fury surged in Dugu Bo's heart. He turned to grab Ye Lingling again—
But to his shock, she had already been dragged by the Wall Ghost Vine into a gap in the mountain wall.
"You dare plot against me?!"
Dugu Bo exploded with rage. He felt utterly betrayed.
His nine soul rings erupted all at once.
His robe burst open, revealing his old, withered body—
But it was rapidly changing!
In a matter of moments, his skin bloated and became covered in eerie, poisonous green scales.
Even his head transformed, elongating and distorting into the form of a giant serpent—
The true form of his Martial Soul—the Green Phosphorus Snake King!
"Puff—!"
The snake's enormous mouth opened wide and spewed a ball of black mist straight toward Qin Chuan.
This was the Green Phosphorus Snake King's life poison.
Highly corrosive, and absolutely lethal—anyone below a Title Douluo would die upon contact.
Qin Chuan didn't panic.
He simply raised his hand and recalled the half of the Xian Shou Lingzhi lying on the ground back into his palm.
Then he stood tall, unmoving, watching the deadly mist approach.
A divine purifying glow shimmered across his body once more.
"Hmph."
"You think you can block my venom with your body?"
The Green Phosphorus Snake King stared coldly, his glowing green eyes filled with malice.
But the next scene stunned even him.
Qin Chuan didn't dodge the venom—
He completely ignored it.
Instead, he raised his sword and lunged at the Wall Ghost Vine.
Ye Lingling had been dragged to the very edge of the mountain wall gap.
A little deeper, and she would've been lost within the stone, nearly impossible to rescue.
This was why plant-type soul beasts like the Wall Ghost Vine were so difficult to eliminate—
They were deeply rooted within the mountain's belly, hard to detect unless they attacked first.
But now, Qin Chuan had found it!
The light of the Holy Spirit Sword blazed with holy energy, and with a single motion of his mind, the blade pierced the mountain wall.
"Screeech—!"
A twisted, painful shriek echoed from within.
A stream of thick green liquid oozed out from the sword wound, shaking the entire valley.
Rocks crumbled and tumbled down.
"Lingling, take the sword and stab it through the gap!"
Qin Chuan pulled the Holy Spirit Sword out, releasing another gush of green blood. He floated it steadily in front of Ye Lingling.
At that very moment, the Green Phosphorus Snake King's venom had already engulfed Qin Chuan.
But—
In the blink of an eye,
The purifying divine light on his body devoured the poison completely.
"I told you already—others may fear you, Dugu Bo, but I do not."
Qin Chuan wiped the faint traces of black mist from his face.
Then, the wings of the Holy Spirit Sword unfurled behind him.
Radiant light formed into a barrage of transparent, divine arrows—
All of them fired straight toward the Green Phosphorus Snake King.