Exploring the Yin Yang Well

As they chatted, the carriage raced onward, kicking up clouds of dust.

After an unknown amount of time, the wheels gradually came to a stop at the outskirts of Falling Moon Forest.

Although it was already getting late, crossing the forest at night was no challenge at all given their strength.

Besides, with Dugu Bo, a "living map," leading the way, they could save plenty of time searching for a route.

Before long, they arrived beneath two towering mountains. Hidden there was a concealed valley entrance, shrouded in layers of mist and poisonous miasma. Without a careful look, it would have been impossible to spot.

"Dean Ye, please wait a moment. I set up a poison formation around the perimeter long ago. I'll open up a path first." Dugu Bo's voice brimmed with barely suppressed excitement, and even his tone was more hurried than usual.

The others still had no idea what earth-shattering treasure lay hidden within the valley, so they remained fairly calm. The five girls knew their place. At times like this, they only needed to be obedient little accessories—if their teacher told them to go east, they absolutely would not go west. In summary: worry less about irrelevant matters and pay more attention to the one in their hearts!

Before long, the mist outside the valley began to churn. A clear little path soon separated from it, leading straight into the valley.

Dugu Bo turned around, his voice still suppressing his excitement. "All right, Dean Ye. Hurry and follow me!"

Ye Feiyang nodded and gestured for the people behind him to follow. Dugu Bo led the way, and before long, they reached the destination of their journey—the Yin Yang Well.

This extraordinary place was hidden deep within the gorge between the two mountains. One mountain was blanketed in snow year-round, eternally frozen and radiating bone-piercing cold; the other roiled with lava, heat steaming upward until even the air turned scorching.

The two extreme energies collided within the gorge, spreading dense miasma that settled at the valley floor and formed this strange spectacle. It also made the Yin Yang Well especially well concealed.

Combined with the poison formation Dugu Bo had placed around the outer perimeter, it was almost impossible for any soul beast or soul master to find this place. Even if some unbelievably lucky person stumbled inside by accident, the Bilin Seven Absolute Flowers around the perimeter would send them packing.

These Bilin Seven Absolute Flowers were practically tireless natural security guards, diligently protecting this pure land around the clock.

"This place is hidden incredibly well." Ye Feiyang was a little excited himself. He looked around and could not help sighing. "Even from the air, all you'd see would be poisonous miasma. Who would have thought there was another world beneath it?"

His gaze swept across the area around the spring, where Immortal Herbs and spiritual medicines covered the ground. A rich medicinal fragrance rushed toward him. Every Immortal Herb emitted a faint, shifting glow, dazzling the eye.

At the center of the twin ice-and-fire springs stood two Immortal Herbs of completely different shapes, like the crown jewels of the entire herb garden, especially eye-catching.

"I was lucky back then too. I only stumbled into this treasure land by accident." Hearing Ye Feiyang's sigh, Dugu Bo stroked his beard with a trace of pride, his face full of satisfaction.

Ye Feiyang chuckled without replying. This old poisoner is pretty pleased with himself, huh? Guarding a divine herb garden like this without knowing how to use it is like begging with a golden bowl. What a waste...

Xue Qinghe also felt the strange temperature where ice and fire intertwined around her. Her gaze kept roaming over the dazzling array of rare flowers and exotic plants, and she was endlessly astonished.

She could not name these flowers and herbs, but anything that could grow so luxuriantly and boldly in such an extreme environment was definitely no ordinary plant. She did not know much about Immortal Herbs, but she had basic common sense—some rare medicinal herbs could fetch astronomical prices at auctions, while the Immortal Herbs here were everywhere, like a wholesale market!

Xue Qinghe looked at Ye Feiyang with puzzled eyes, curiosity filling her heart. This guy had clearly never been here before, so how did he know there were treasures hidden here?

Ye Feiyang's five disciples exchanged looks, secretly muttering to themselves. This is the good place Teacher mentioned? The environment really is strange. None of them dared move carelessly, and they all hovered around Ye Feiyang, waiting for him to speak first.

Just as they were about to ask something, someone beat them to it...

Xue Qinghe was the first to exclaim, "Feiyang, is this the Yin Yang Well you mentioned? How did you know about this place?" She had heard Ye Feiyang mention it in the carriage and had been curious ever since. Now that she had arrived in person, the sight before her was indeed astonishing.

Ye Feiyang nodded in confirmation. "That's right, this is the place." He cleverly skipped over Xue Qinghe's second question, merely smiling before turning to point at the outer perimeter some distance away...

There grew an Immortal Herb about half a meter tall, emanating a chilling aura that warned strangers away. It had nine leaves shaped like human hands, supporting a flower that was entirely emerald green yet bloomed with seven-colored petals. It was the Bilin Seven Absolute Flower mentioned earlier. This particular one was clearly the healthiest and oldest among them.

"Dugu Bo, see that? That's a Bilin Seven Absolute Flower..." Ye Feiyang continued. "This one is the oldest. It can be saved for your granddaughter."

The moment Dugu Bo heard that, his eyes lit up. He cried out, "What? This is the Immortal Herb that can evolve my granddaughter's martial soul?"

Before his words had even faded, he dashed over in a single stride. His main reason for coming to Falling Moon Forest this time was to seek an opportunity for his granddaughter's martial soul to evolve. Who would have imagined that this great opportunity had been by his side all along, yet he had come and gone so many times without noticing it?

There was nothing he could do about it. This had exceeded the limits of his knowledge, and he simply could not recognize the value of this Immortal Herb.

Seeing Dugu Bo's excited appearance, Ye Feiyang could not help laughing. He let him go "build a relationship" with the flower, then turned and led Xue Qinghe and his five disciples toward the spring.

"Teacher, it's cold one moment and hot the next. This is practically heaven and hell of ice and fire!" Ning Rongrong had finally found a chance to speak with her teacher. Her little mouth kept chattering as she released all the resentment she had built up from not speaking to him along the way. "My whole body feels uncomfortable. When it's hot, I want to take off my clothes, and when it's cold, I want to hug someone... Teacher, do you think this feels good?"

After saying that, Ning Rongrong's attention was caught by a small white flower in the distance. She trotted over in little steps and whispered in amazement, "Wow, what a pretty little flower..."

Ye Feiyang's mouth twitched slightly. What does she mean, heaven and hell of ice and fire? That wording nearly made me think of something else. He stopped paying attention to Ning Rongrong and looked toward Xiao Wu instead.

He noticed that Xiao Wu seemed unhappy. Unlike the others, she was not curiously looking around. Instead, she looked somewhat uneasy and occasionally glanced toward Dugu Bo at the perimeter from the corner of her eye.

Ye Feiyang noticed Xiao Wu's little movements. Smiling, he reached out and rubbed her hair before gently asking, "Why do you look like that? Does that old man make you feel uneasy?"

Xiao Wu raised her head and gave Ye Feiyang a soft smile. Then she hugged his arm, naturally snuggling into his embrace as she coquettishly said, "With Teacher here, of course I'm not scared! I'm just still a little intimidated by that Titled Douluo... Teacher, you have to protect me~"

After speaking, she buried her face deeper into Ye Feiyang's chest and muttered softly, "Teacher's chest really makes me feel safe..."

The others were busily admiring the scenery around them, their attention captured by the rare flowers and plants. No one noticed the interaction between Xiao Wu and Ye Feiyang.

"All right, all right. You've grown quite a bit lately too, so you need to learn some restraint. And don't hug me so tightly. It wouldn't look good if someone saw..." Ye Feiyang said helplessly.

Xiao Wu froze at once, and her face flushed scarlet. How does Teacher know I've grown so much? He's never touched me, so how could he know?

She muttered in a soft, bashful voice, "Teacher, you're so annoying. You've never touched me, so how do you know whether I've gotten bigger..."

Ye Feiyang rolled his eyes helplessly. Who taught this rogue rabbit to be like this? Why are her thoughts becoming less and less innocent?

He could not be bothered to continue tangling with Xiao Wu over that topic. Just then, his gaze landed on an Immortal Herb growing atop a black rock. It resembled a peony in shape, but its texture was as warm and smooth as jade. Scarlet veins like blood spread across its white petals, and at the center of its stamen hung a drop of transparent liquid like dew.

It was said that this drop of dew was called the "essence of love," and this Immortal Herb was the famed Xiangsi Duan Changhong.

Ye Feiyang lowered his head to look at Xiao Wu, who was still clinging to his embrace. He gently pulled her away, forcibly turned her face toward the Immortal Herb, and said:

"Xiao Wu, see that Immortal Herb? It's called Xiangsi Duan Changhong." For some reason, Ye Feiyang suddenly wanted Xiao Wu to pick that flower, as though its rightful owner had always been her.

"I see it, Teacher. What do you want to say?" Xiao Wu blinked her large eyes and asked with a confused expression, as though she had only heard the first half of Ye Feiyang's words.

Ye Feiyang smiled, reached out to tap her nose, and gently said, "I want you to pick it."

After pausing, he explained in detail, "This flower is highly spiritual. It cannot be forcibly picked, or it will immediately wither and lose all its medicinal effects. When picking it, you need to be sincere, and you must drip a drop of your own blood onto its flower's center."

With a smile in his voice, Ye Feiyang added, "When you pick it, you must think of the person you love most. If it recognizes you, you'll be able to pick it successfully... Do you understand?"

Xiao Wu blinked her big eyes and listened carefully to Ye Feiyang, though she seemed to have only heard the final sentence—"think of the person you love."

Her heartbeat suddenly quickened. This flower is actually so magical? Isn't this the best chance to reveal my feelings to Teacher?

"Just watch, Teacher. I'll pick it... and use it to make wine for you!" Xiao Wu knew her own heart well. She had long since fallen deeply for Ye Feiyang and could not pull herself free.

Without the slightest hesitation, she quickly walked over to the Xiangsi Duan Changhong and crouched down. She lightly bit her fingertip, allowing a bright red drop of blood to fall precisely onto the center of the flower.

Xiao Wu took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes. Her mind filled with images of Ye Feiyang—his gentle smile, his steadfastness when protecting her, and his occasional playful teasing...

She silently recited in her heart, The person my heart yearns for is named Ye Feiyang. I want to stay with him forever and ever, never to be separated...

At that moment, Xiao Wu's eyes were full of affection, and her feelings were incomparably sincere.

The Xiangsi Duan Changhong seemed to sense her emotions. The blood that had fallen upon its center quickly fused into it, and then the entire flower began to glow with a soft white radiance, exceptionally dazzling in the dim gorge.

Xiao Wu felt something in her heart, as though she had formed some subtle connection with the flower. She cautiously reached out, gently grasped the stem, and gave it a slight tug. The entire flower settled safely into her hand without showing the slightest sign of withering.

Xiao Wu was overjoyed—she had really succeeded!

Looking at the faintly glowing Immortal Herb in her hand, Xiao Wu's nose stung slightly. So I really... really like Teacher so much. Even an Immortal Herb can feel these feelings.

Ye Feiyang watched Xiao Wu's actions from beginning to end. Seeing that she had successfully picked the Xiangsi Duan Changhong, a gratified smile appeared on his face—Xiao Wu had not disappointed him after all.

Xiao Wu opened her sparkling eyes and looked toward Ye Feiyang. Raising the Immortal Herb in her hand, she spoke brightly, though she could not hide a trace of shyness. "Teacher, I picked it... Do you know? When I picked the flower just now, all I could think about was you."

Those words were like a confession that only the two of them could understand, gentle and sincere.

Ye Feiyang smiled faintly and nodded. "I saw it. You did very well. Since you were able to pick it, that means it was meant to belong to you. Now, you can eat it."

Xiao Wu froze and asked in disbelief, "E-eat it?"

This was not how the story was supposed to go! In Xiao Wu's imagination, she should have given the flower to Teacher, then the two of them would embrace and kiss, confirming their feelings for one another. Why was Teacher telling her to eat it herself?

"Teacher, such a beautiful flower... I-I can't bear to eat it. How about we use it to make soup? The two of us can nourish our bodies together, okay?" Xiao Wu made one last struggle, wanting to share this flower filled with her feelings with her teacher.

Ye Feiyang rolled his eyes. He reached out and pinched Xiao Wu's cheek, saying helplessly, "If you don't eat it soon, this Immortal Herb's medicinal effects will all dissipate! Hurry and eat it. Once you do, I guarantee you'll rise at least five or six levels. Your Soul Power will improve greatly."

The Xiangsi Duan Changhong was the king of flowers. Not only could it greatly increase Soul Power, but it also possessed miraculous effects such as protecting the soul from destruction and reviving the dead. Ye Feiyang did not know exactly how quickly this Immortal Herb's potency would fade, but he simply wanted Xiao Wu to eat it as soon as possible.

After Xiao Wu ate it, she could quickly reach level forty. Then he would get to see Xiao Wu's soul ring change from purple to black. Just thinking about it made him look forward to it!

As for the Immortal Herb's other effects, Ye Feiyang did not care much. As long as Xiao Wu cultivated the Taiyin Jade Rabbit Scripture to its peak, she would naturally be able to regenerate from a drop of blood. This extra layer of protection was merely icing on the cake. Still, cultivating immortal Dao techniques could take hundreds or even thousands of years, so it was still far too early. There was no harm in making more preparations.

When Xiao Wu heard Ye Feiyang say she could rise five or six levels in a row, she immediately became anxious. If it was true, then this opportunity was second only to the fortune Teacher had given her when he accepted her as his disciple. She could not waste such a good opportunity just because she wanted to make soup!

"All right, Teacher, I'll eat it now! Then... do I just swallow it directly?" Xiao Wu asked. Looking at the delicate flower in her hand, she still could not bear to bite into it.

"Uh, if you don't mind, you can chew it before swallowing. That'll make it easier to absorb the medicinal effects," Ye Feiyang suggested.

"Hehe~~ Teacher, you're so annoying~" Xiao Wu coquettishly complained. Before she had even finished speaking, she was already sitting cross-legged and seriously beginning to consume the Immortal Herb.

Seeing that Xiao Wu had begun absorbing the Xiangsi Duan Changhong's medicinal effects, Ye Feiyang suddenly thought of something and began communicating with the system in his mind.

System, can each person really only consume one Immortal Herb? Ye Feiyang silently asked. He always felt that there should be a way to let his disciples absorb the medicinal effects of more Immortal Herbs.

[Host, that depends on the compatibility of the Immortal Herbs. Immortal Herbs with different compatibilities may be consumed together. The specific combination method is this: Immortal Herbs corresponding respectively to Soul Power, physique, and spiritual power attributes may be consumed in multiple varieties at the same time without causing conflict...]

After the system's detailed explanation, Ye Feiyang finally roughly understood the principle.

It turned out that plants worthy of being called Immortal Herbs all contained extremely vast energy. However, different Immortal Herbs possessed different attributes, and some even restrained one another.

If one consumed multiple Immortal Herbs with the same attribute, there would be no benefit. Instead, it would only waste energy. If one consumed Immortal Herbs with conflicting attributes and forcibly took them together, the immense energies would clash and repel each other inside the body, making harmonious coexistence impossible.

It was like stuffing a massive block of ice and a ball of blazing fire into the same container. Most likely, the body would be unable to endure such an enormous energy impact, causing damage to the meridians. In severe cases, the medicinal effects might be so tyrannical that they could even lead to the tragedy of exploding to death.

Of course, if someone was powerful enough to withstand the energy impact the entire time and could make two conflicting energies coexist peacefully within their body... then the system had said nothing.

However, if one consumed three Immortal Herbs with different effects that did not conflict with each other, this problem generally would not arise. Instead, one's strength could be enhanced in every aspect.

"I understand now." Ye Feiyang nodded in sudden realization. The doubt in his heart had finally been resolved.

Of course, what the system had described were only general circumstances, and there were some special exceptions. For example, Ye Feiyang had noticed the two Immortal Herbs with conflicting attributes at the center of the spring. Was their method of consumption not to eat them together?

By using the principle of the two Immortal Herbs restraining each other, one could neutralize their tyrannical medicinal effects, reduce the impact on the body, and achieve the best absorption result. However, this method also carried a certain risk. If one endured it, one would gain a tremendous improvement. If one failed, one could only blame one's own bad luck and might even lose one's life.

[Host, I suggest refining these Immortal Herbs into pills before consuming them...]

"Oh? Tell me more..." Ye Feiyang grew interested. He knew the system would not bring it up without reason; it definitely had a good solution.

[For example, the two Immortal Herbs in the spring can be used as the main ingredients to refine Two Extremes Body Tempering Pills. This pill not only completely preserves the original effects of both Immortal Herbs, but given their age, if this system refines them, there will absolutely be no loss of medicinal potency. The number of pills produced will also be considerable. At that time, not only can you consume them yourself, but your disciples can consume the excess pills as well...]

"Oh? There's really such a good thing? System, you're not trying to scam me out of my Immortal Herbs, are you?" Ye Feiyang blurted out instinctively. He truly found it hard to believe that something this good could exist.

[Host, your heart is truly filthy...]

Ye Feiyang's old face reddened slightly in embarrassment. He had merely raised a reasonable doubt, so how had he become "filthy-hearted"? But upon further thought, the system had always been generous toward his disciples, so he probably did not need to worry about false advertising regarding the pills' effects.

He stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before saying, "System, help me examine all the Immortal Herbs here. Recommend which Immortal Herbs are suitable for each of my disciples, and tell me what pills the remaining herbs can be refined into."

As soon as Ye Feiyang finished speaking, the system's suggestions immediately came through:

[It is recommended that Xiao Wu consume Xiangsi Duan Changhong (already consumed). Zhu Zhuqing is suitable for Shui Xuan Jade Muscle Bone. Ning Rongrong may consume Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid. Huo Wu is suitable for Cockscomb Phoenix Crown. Shui Bing'er may consume Snow-Colored Swan Kiss. Qian Renxue (Xue Qinghe) is suitable for Exquisite Fluff Sky-Piercing Chrysanthemum.]

[Host, will you not consider refining all these Immortal Herbs into pills? That would maximize the value of the Immortal Herbs.]

After thinking it over, Ye Feiyang felt that the system made sense, but he still shook his head. "Let them consume the Immortal Herbs directly. There are so many Immortal Herbs here anyway, so there's no need to fear wasting them. Xiao Wu has already started absorbing the medicinal effects, so the others can benefit too and enjoy themselves..."

Since they had already come here, not letting his disciples personally pick and consume an Immortal Herb felt as though something would be missing. Besides, it seemed to have become a kind of custom after coming to this world, or perhaps an obsession—after all, Immortal Herbs were not something one encountered whenever one wished.

As for himself, he did not particularly care whether he ate Immortal Herbs or not. The final effects of pills and directly consuming Immortal Herbs were roughly the same, so there was no need to compete with his disciples for that bit of "ceremonial feeling."