Chapter 12: The Secret of the Jade Phosphorus Seven-Soul Flower

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Poison Cloud Technique—a skill that sounds unremarkable and is quite common across various Western fantasy settings, and not unheard of on the Douluo Continent either. However, this Poison Cloud Technique is no ordinary one. Much like how the claw strike soul skills granted by a common black bear and a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear may share the same name yet differ vastly in power, the Poison Cloud Technique derived from the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers is unique.

The essence of the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers is extreme poison, and its most proficient and powerful attack method is the formation of a poisonous cloud. Under Chen Ming’s intervention, this soul ring not only allowed him to perfectly integrate the deadly poison inherent in the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers but also granted a special ability—the power to alter the form of his soul energy.

On the Douluo Continent, soul energy exists in three states: gaseous, liquid, and solid. In this era, soul masters lack a clear understanding of these states. Transforming soul energy from gaseous to liquid requires painstaking effort, while the existence of a solid state remains uncertain. The concept of a soul core has yet to enter the consciousness of soul masters.

This soul ring, when bestowing the Poison Cloud Technique, also gifted Chen Ming with a talent for transforming his soul energy’s state. Externally, Chen Ming can convert his soul energy into a poisonous cloud, manipulating its density and composition through his mental power. If needed, he can reabsorb the released poison cloud, converting it back into soul energy. Internally, he can reverse this process—condensing his soul energy from gaseous to liquid and even touching upon the solid state and soul core.

For this era, such an ability is tremendously significant. Even if he cannot produce a soul core, simply improving the quality of his soul energy would easily enable him to challenge opponents far beyond his rank or level.

Moreover, from years of experience, Chen Ming understands that poison-type soul masters on the Douluo Continent find it difficult to alter their own toxins. They mostly rely on the poison inherent to their martial souls, branching out by absorbing different soul rings to derive variant poisons.

Aside from soul rings, they cannot actively change the composition of their toxins. Biling snake venom remains Biling snake venom; jade scorpion venom remains jade scorpion venom. Adding soul rings only produces mutated forms of the original poisons, sticking to a principle of endless variation yet unchanging essence.

Those with sharp eyes can instantly discern the foundation of such poisons and find corresponding countermeasures. This is why Dugu Bo feels so frustrated—though his poison has not been completely deciphered over the years, at least half of it has leaked out, giving others ample ways to counter him.

But now Chen Ming can actively alter and interfere with his own soul energy. His soul energy now primarily embodies the jade scorpion’s poison, fused with the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers’ toxins. Upon observing other poisons, he can analyze and integrate their traits into his own soul energy.

If possible, he could even remove the jade scorpion’s characteristics entirely, letting his soul energy fully display the toxicity of the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers or other poisons. By adjusting proportions and varieties, he could create unprecedented, unique complex poisons—something utterly groundbreaking on the Douluo Continent.

While Dugu Bo unleashes the Biling snake venom, what Chen Ming will release in the future remains uncertain.

When others think they have deciphered Chen Ming’s poison, he can counter with an entirely different toxin. With various poisons combined, the effects could be unimaginably potent—replicating even a rudimentary version of the Life and Death Seal or the Three Corpses Brain Elixir would be surprisingly simple.

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Undoubtedly, this soul skill itself is powerful, but the accompanying traits are evidently even stronger—so much so that they rival or surpass some soul skills that have existed for hundreds of thousands of years. Dugu Bo would likely be drooling in envy if he heard this.

After selecting the soul skill, the soul ring began to solidify, and Chen Ming’s mental state gradually descended from the boundary where it once touched the laws of the Douluo world into a more typical deep meditation.

The soul energy from the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers’ soul ring infused his body, merging with the essence of his martial soul. His physique changed accordingly; his stature grew taller, the density of his bones and muscles increased, his vitality flourished, and even his appearance became more striking.

Plant-like patterns appeared on the shell of Chen Ming’s martial soul. His scorpion tail swayed, and its tip took on a molten texture as the martial soul’s essence flowed into it. The tail began to lengthen slowly.

The twelfth tail segment formed and darkened, yet growth did not cease. A thirteenth segment was slowly emerging, still in development.

“Is this... twelve and a half segments?”

Chen Shiji was dazed yet again, but after a moment’s pause, he reluctantly gave his assessment.

Typically, the martial soul of a soul master rarely shows signs of growth, but when it does, one can refer to the corresponding spirit beast.

In Chen Shiji’s view, though Chen Ming’s thirteenth tail segment has not fully matured, it will develop further with cultivation. Perhaps without acquiring a second soul ring, his thirteenth tail segment will mature naturally once he reaches level twenty.

“Second ring brings the fourteenth segment, third ring the fifteenth... Scorpion King Martial Soul?”

“First soul ring—the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers’ offering—reaches level thirty, transforming the martial soul to King rank... My grandson Chen Ming has the potential of a titled Douluo!!!”

“My grandson Chen Ming has the potential of a titled Douluo!”

Somehow summoning great restraint, Chen Shiji erected a soul energy barrier before Chen Ming, then grabbed Chen Tianyun by the collar and shouted fervently in his ear, overwhelming the already excited Chen Tianyun who nearly forgot his own identity. After a while, he groggily nodded in agreement.

The two men cautiously conversed behind the soul energy barrier, awaiting Chen Ming’s absorption. After more than an hour, Chen Ming’s soul energy gradually stabilized, and his once tightly closed eyes slowly opened.

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Upon confirming Chen Ming had awakened, Chen Shiji dashed forward and lifted him high.

“My grandson Chen Ming truly has the bearing of a titled Douluo!”

“Father, be careful not to scare Xiao Ming; he just finished absorbing the soul ring!” Chen Tianyun grabbed Chen Shiji’s arm and hurriedly warned him.

Hearing this, Chen Shiji calmed slightly, then gave Chen Ming a fierce hug before setting him down. Yet before Chen Ming could say a word, Chen Tianyun immediately stepped forward, running his hands over Chen Ming’s body to carefully check his condition.

“Physical condition excellent, soul energy condition excellent... absolutely perfect! Xiao Ming! You truly have the bearing of a titled Douluo!”

“Second uncle, grandfather, both of you calm down…” Chen Ming had much he wished to say but could only twitch the corners of his mouth, trying to soothe their excitement.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two finally regained composure under Chen Ming’s calming influence, their expressions returning to normal as they began to ask him questions.

A soul master’s soul skills are vital secrets, never revealed to outsiders. But sharing them with family is perfectly natural.

Ignoring the spiritual-level details of his choice, Chen Ming simply said he instinctively obtained a special soul skill and briefly explained the effects of the Poison Cloud Technique and the abilities it granted him.

However, soul masters of this era had yet to deeply study the qualitative transformation of soul energy. Neither Chen Tianyun nor Chen Shiji realized just how extraordinary this ability was, instead focusing their attention on the Poison Cloud Technique itself.

Under their scrutiny, Chen Ming performed a small-scale demonstration of his first soul skill, creating a modest poisonous cloud. Upon confirming that his martial soul had indeed acquired the poison from the Biling Seven Deadly Flowers, Chen Tianyun and Chen Shiji exchanged a glance and suddenly felt a great sense of relief.

“The dream of our ancestors has finally been realized in the descendants of our family…”