Ice Fire Refining Golden Body

Xiao Han landed atop the mountain, with Lin Zhiruo close behind him.

Before them lay an inverted cone-shaped hollow, thick heat rising from within it. The vapor carried the distinctive scent of sulfur.

Lin Zhiruo was somewhat surprised.

"Xiao Han, it looks like there's a hot spring here. How did you know about this place?"

"Mom, there's no time to explain. Let's go down."

"Down from here?"

Looking at the pitch-black mountainside, Lin Zhiruo found it even more unbelievable.

It seemed to be a sheer cliff. Amid the thick mist, its depths were impossible to see, making it both mysterious and dangerous.

Lin Zhiruo had no idea what lay below, but Xiao Han looked as though he feared nothing.

"Mom, I'll scout the way ahead. Follow me."

After saying that, Xiao Han spread his body and leaped directly off the bottomless mountainside before him. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the mist.

Seeing this, Lin Zhiruo did not hesitate in the slightest and jumped down as well.

The two soon reached the bottom of the valley.

The sight within left them both utterly stunned.

There was a hot spring here. It was not very large, yet it was divided into two sections.

Within the oval pool, the spring water was actually two colors: milky white and vermilion red. They were clearly separated, neither infringing upon the other.

The heat in the hollow came from the steam rising from this spring water.

All around the pool grew a wide variety of plants, each in a different shape and form, every one distinctly extraordinary.

Lin Zhiruo stared in amazement and could not help sighing.

"What a strange hot spring. Xiao Han, are these the medicinal herbs you were looking for?"

"Mom, this is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. One spring, twin sources; yin and yang restraining one another. It's a uniquely blessed treasure ground. These aren't ordinary medicinal herbs—they're Immortal Herbs."

"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"

"Mm. Nourished by the spring water, the plants here can grow ten or even a hundred times faster, and they've all absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

As she listened to Xiao Han's explanation, Lin Zhiruo could not help taking two steps forward, but Xiao Han immediately stopped her.

"Mom, be careful! Don't get near it. That seemingly calm spring water contains the most frigid and most scorching auras between heaven and earth. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well not only nurtures plants, but also has special effects on the human body. A human body cannot withstand the impact of those two extreme elemental spiritual energies."

Startled, Lin Zhiruo hurriedly backed away.

"Xiao Han, you need to be careful too."

"Mm, I know. Mom, some of the Immortal Herbs here are highly poisonous, and harvesting them requires great care. I'll pick them myself. Please wait by the side for a while."

"Alright."

Looking at the dazzling array of Immortal Herbs, Xiao Han was extremely excited.

Some of the plants here had not grown naturally; they had been transplanted by Dugu Bo.

The traits of those transplanted herbs were obvious. Their flowers, leaves, and stems had a duller sheen and looked quite ordinary, nowhere near the level of Immortal Herbs.

Compared to the Immortal Herbs, they were simply not worth mentioning. Even picking them would be a waste of time.

Xiao Han had already decided that every mature Immortal Herb, whether top-grade or an ordinary support type, would be taken away. He would not leave a single one for Little Bum.

Xiao Han began harvesting the Immortal Herbs.

Having thoroughly studied the Immortal Herb Compendium, he knew every kind of Immortal Herb like the back of his hand.

After several hours of harvesting, Xiao Han had collected the poison-defying Aromatic Silk Beauty, the king of Immortal Herbs Aromatic Silk Beauty, the King of Flowers Lovesick Heartbreak Red, as well as Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, River-Gazing Autumn Water Dew, Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, Snow-Colored Swan Kiss, Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, Black Jade Divine Bamboo, and other immortal-grade medicinal herbs.

The sky gradually darkened, and Lin Zhiruo became somewhat worried.

"Xiao Han, it'll be dark soon. You've already picked so many Immortal Herbs. We should leave, shouldn't we?"

"Mom, there are still the last two."

As Xiao Han spoke, he pointed toward the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot at the centers of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's extremely cold and extremely hot springs.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was an exceedingly rare immortal herb of cold poison. It could chill one's heart and freeze the central nervous system.

The Infernal Delicate Apricot was a highly poisonous immortal herb containing top-grade fire poison, possessing formidable flame power.

These two Immortal Herbs were the most special. Once they left the spring water, their medicinal effects would dissipate within an extremely short time, so they had to be consumed immediately after being harvested.

Moreover, they had to be consumed at the same time to achieve the miraculous effect of restraining each other and harmonizing yin and yang.

Taking either one alone would cause instant death, as the body would be unable to withstand its potent poison.

Looking at those two Immortal Herbs, Lin Zhiruo was worried.

"Xiao Han, didn't you say that spring water was dangerous? Do you really have to pick those two?"

"Mom, among all the Immortal Herbs, those two are the most important. They can completely transform my physique, making me immune to raging fire and impervious to all poisons. Don't worry. I have a way to harvest them."

After saying that, Xiao Han released his Martial Soul and Ice Wings.

He swung the short sword in his right hand, cutting down the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass as he simultaneously flashed to the left.

As Soul Power gathered, Xiao Han's hands were already wrapped in a layer of extremely frigid true ice. Using the jade shovel he had prepared beforehand, he swiftly dug up the Infernal Delicate Apricot along with its roots.

Under Xiao Han's control, the two Immortal Herbs were flung out at the same time.

During the half minute it took to harvest those two Immortal Herbs, Xiao Han's body had already begun to react.

Heat and cold erupted alternately within him, his blood and qi roiling as his face shifted from green to red.

If he had not eaten Whale Rubber and tempered his body into one of pure yang and utmost hardness, he would never have been able to endure the impact of those two extreme auras.

Seeing Xiao Han's condition, Lin Zhiruo was terrified.

"Xiao Han, how are you? Don't scare me. Get away from there, quickly."

"Mom, I ate Whale Rubber. I can still hold on. Don't worry."

After the two Immortal Herbs came together, the cold and hot auras unexpectedly vanished at the same time.

At that moment, a faint red glow shrouded the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, while the Infernal Delicate Apricot was covered in a faint white mist.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Han picked up the two Immortal Herbs, stuffed them into his mouth, and began eating them in large bites.

Lin Zhiruo grew even more anxious at the sight.

But she knew Xiao Han had his reasons for doing this.

After swallowing the two highly poisonous Immortal Herbs, Xiao Han felt no discomfort. He only thought they tasted rather good, and he felt refreshed and clear-headed.

But he knew this was merely the brief calm before the storm.

Once the medicinal effects took hold, his body would suffer a tremendous impact of energy.

Sure enough, Xiao Han's body soon began to tremble violently.

Immediately afterward, rings of icy blue and fiery red light appeared around his body in alternation.

Under the effects of the extreme cold and extreme heat, his body seemed as if it were about to be torn apart, and his consciousness gradually blurred.

Though he had prepared himself mentally, he had never expected it to be this painful.

"Xiao Han, don't scare me!"

Lin Zhiruo rushed over without regard for anything else.

"Mom, we need to leave here quickly—"

After saying that, Xiao Han fainted.

"Xiao Han!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Zhiruo picked up Xiao Han and spread her wings, soaring into the sky.