Success

The spring water within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well churned when Shi Yi plunged into it. Before long, amid the surging waters, Shi Yi silently sank beneath the surface. The water soon returned to stillness, milky white and crimson remaining as sharply divided as ever. Mist continued to drift through the air, and everything fell silent once more.

After an unknown amount of time, a figure appeared beside the tranquil spring. Had anyone looked closely, they would have noticed that the old man's beard and hair were entirely dark green. His cheeks were sunken, the green hair on his head wild and disheveled, and pain flickered across his withered face.

Enduring the agony caused by the poison within him, Dugu Bo sat cross-legged beside the spring. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's formidable powers of ice and fire instantly suppressed the poison acting up inside his body. Gradually, Dugu Bo's pained expression softened, and a faint look of comfort appeared on his face.

Before long, Dugu Bo slowly opened his eyes. Corroded by poison, they were as eerie as emeralds.

Dugu Bo looked at the spring before him, a trace of confusion appearing on his face. He could clearly sense that the extreme power of ice and fire seemed somewhat weaker today. Looking more carefully, he discovered that the two strange flowers growing between the icy and fiery springs had vanished.

Did someone come in? Dugu Bo wondered.

He quickly dismissed the possibility. If someone had truly come here, his herb garden could not possibly have remained untouched. Moreover, even he did not know what the two strange flowers at the center of the twin springs were for. One was ice and one was fire; even if someone consumed them, they would generally choose only one.

If someone chose to consume both at once, Dugu Bo would think that person found their life too long. The ice and fire power here could even suppress the poison in his body. Ordinary Soul Masters who came here could not even withstand the overwhelming ice and fire power for long, much less consume two strange flowers with conflicting effects. Based on Dugu Bo's experience, the only outcome of taking both would be the clashing ice and fire powers causing one's body to explode.

However, Dugu Bo did not know that the auras of these two Immortal Herbs could blend together, neutralizing the extreme powers of ice and fire to a certain extent. Though consuming them this way would not grant a Soul Master powerful fire- or ice-element abilities, as the two extreme energies gradually fused, it could greatly increase the body's capacity to withstand energy—especially ice and fire energy.

Tang San in the original story had relied on this ability to defeat Skywater and Blazing Fire.

At this point in Douluo Continent's timeline, there was not yet a concept such as Extreme Attributes. However, Shi Yi was certain that Skywater Academy's Ice Phoenix was either Extreme Ice or very close to it.

Just to be safe, Dugu Bo carefully inspected the surrounding area. Before long, he found the spot where Little Ant had broken through the earth.

Seeing the traces of something emerging from underground, realization dawned on Dugu Bo's face. His Poison Array could ward off most Soul Beasts and humans, but it could not guard against anything coming from beneath the ground.

Looks like it was merely a Soul Beast that stumbled in and tried to devour those two strange flowers. It has likely already been buried within that strange spring, Dugu Bo thought as he looked at the pit. The hole clearly did not appear to have been made by a person. Since nothing had been lost, he did not dwell on it and headed toward the small house where he lived.

Time flowed like water. From morning to night, it was merely the rising and setting of the sun.

When night fell again and darkness blanketed the land, the area around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well sank into darkness once more. Yet Shi Yi, submerged beneath the spring water, curled his lips into a faint smile.

He had won the gamble. His first great gamble since coming to this world had succeeded. It was also the first time he had wagered his own life.

Next, I'll collect the other Immortal Herbs and get the hell out of here. I don't know whether Dugu Bo is outside right now, so I can't go out yet. I'll call out Little Ant and have it check.

A moment later, an antenna emerged from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Before Shi Yi could surface and ask Little Ant anything, he sensed Little Ant's fear. It was a fear unlike any it had felt before. Clearly, only Dugu Bo could inspire that kind of terror. Shi Yi immediately recalled Little Ant for the time being.

The days passed one by one. To make breathing easier, Shi Yi had long since prepared a specially made metal tube in his Soul Tool. Every night, when Soul Masters were most focused on cultivation, he would dare to rise slightly from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and expose just his head. He would take out some food from his Soul Tool and eat it. Although the Storage Belt had been melted by the immense ice and fire power, the jade embedded in the belt could still be used.

He did not remain idle while eating. At that time each day, Shi Yi would usually have Little Ant check whether Dugu Bo was still around.

If Dugu Bo was absent late at night, then Shi Yi's chance to loot the place and leave would have arrived. Unless Shi Yi was exceptionally unlucky, no one would normally come into the wilderness in the middle of the night.

Finally, three days after Shi Yi awoke, Little Ant brought him the good news he had been waiting for.

Dugu Bo was gone.

Shi Yi did not dare waste a single moment. He leaped from the water and put on his clothes. Though he had soaked in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for a long time, the power of the Immortal Herbs had left him without even the slightest wrinkled sensation.

Then, Shi Yi took out the tools he had prepared long ago from his Soul Tool and began looting the area like mad. For herbs whose harvesting methods had been described in the original story, he followed those methods exactly. For those without specified methods, he took them away together with their vines and surrounding soil.

The vines and soil capable of growing Immortal Herbs should also be extraordinary. Whether or not this would preserve them, it was the only thing he could do. His own life was what mattered most.

After collecting the Immortal Herbs, Shi Yi turned his attention to Dugu Bo's herb garden. Sure enough, apart from things Shi Yi did not recognize, every herb listed on Blue Lightning's Medicinal Bath prescription was present. Not a single ingredient was missing.

Clearly, these had been cultivated by Dugu Bo for his granddaughter and grandson-in-law. Shi Yi did not stand on ceremony and harvested them frantically.

Once he finished everything, Shi Yi let out a long breath. At that moment, the clouds at the horizon had begun to brighten faintly, as if heralding the arrival of dawn.

You leave Immortal Herbs here without eating them. Those ordinary things can be replanted with the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well anyway. Goodbye, Dugu Bo.

Shi Yi summoned Little Ant. Rather than using the original pit, he had Little Ant dig a different tunnel. He could not guarantee that Dugu Bo would not suddenly return and chase after him.

"Little Ant, head back to the original town. Once we're out of the forest, rise to the surface when we get close."

Little Ant nodded in a remarkably humanlike manner, then set its two powerful forelimbs and Sword Teeth to work.

Shi Yi casually covered up the traces behind him, then followed Little Ant into the deep pit.

After an unknown amount of time, when Little Ant broke through the earth once again, a blinding ray of sunlight shot into the tunnel. Shi Yi endured the slight discomfort in his eyes and returned to the surface with Little Ant.

Feeling the glaring sunlight, Shi Yi did not feel uncomfortable at all. Instead, an indescribable joy surged through him. This week-long operation was finally nearing its end.

After recalling Little Ant, Shi Yi walked slowly without showing the slightest abnormality. He looked just like an ordinary Soul Master hunting for Soul Rings, alert to everything around him. Before long, he returned to the town.

Shi Yi had no intention of delaying. He hired a carriage in town and headed toward Suotuo City. Once he boarded the carriage, he let out a long breath, and the tension in his heart finally eased. He had gone three days without sleep, his mind constantly stretched taut as though he were dancing on a blade. Once the crushing pressure lifted, Shi Yi fell into a deep sleep. No matter how rough the journey became, he did not wake.

Shi Yi's condition even made the driver think something had happened to him in the carriage. When the driver entered the compartment and felt Shi Yi's steady breathing, he sighed in relief.

Thus, five days later, Shi Yi returned to Suotuo City in high spirits.

Shi Yi did not immediately return to Shrek. Instead, he found an inn in Suotuo City, rented a room, and began sorting through everything he had gained over the past half month.

Looking at the many Immortal Herbs inside his Soul Tool, Shi Yi's next step was clear. His body's capacity to withstand energy was already very high. What he needed to improve next was his Mental Power.

Naturally, the second herb would be Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. Tang San in the original story had already tested it for him, so there was no need to worry about conflicting medicinal properties.

It'll greatly increase my Mental Power while strengthening my eyes. It also won't cause a sudden surge in Soul Power that might attract attention, and it could even give my eyes some special abilities.

Shi Yi opened the box containing Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. The herb was entirely jade-green. Strangely, three snow-white leaves grew from its center. Several drops of water rested at the center of the leaves, like dew left behind in the morning.

Improving Mental Power was also extremely important to Shi Yi. The Soul Master world had yet to recognize the importance of the body and mind, but Shi Yi understood that the body, mind, and Martial Soul were inseparably connected.

These three were like a Soul Master's foundation. How high the building could rise depended on how solidly that foundation was laid.

Shi Yi raised Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew before his face and tilted it slightly. The few clear droplets within immediately fell into his eyes.

The moment those droplets completely left the leaves, the entire Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew withered in Shi Yi's hand. In the blink of an eye, it turned to dust and scattered from his palm.

Shi Yi felt threads of cool Soul Power flow from his eyes into his mind, making him feel exceptionally comfortable. The energy slowly spread through his brain. Everywhere it passed, his brain seemed to be gradually unlocked, and his entire mind felt strangely clear and transparent.

Many things he had failed to understand before suddenly became clear, and Shi Yi's Mental Power expanded rapidly.

Second by second, time slowly passed.

Shi Yi slowly opened his eyes. The entire world around him looked different. The colors were more vibrant, and the depth and layering had changed noticeably. It was as though the phone from his previous life had been upgraded to a high refresh rate. With only a slight focus of his eyes, even the dust in the air became clearly visible.

My vision has improved dramatically. As expected of an Immortal Herb. Even Tang San's Purple Demon Eyes after years of cultivation might only be at this level. As for dynamic vision, that can only be tested in battle. It hasn't just improved my eyesight either—my thoughts and senses have improved as well. That should be the Mental Power boost brought by Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.

Shi Yi then slowly closed his eyes. Though the world turned dark, it felt incomparably vast. At this moment, he seemed able to detect faint fluctuations.

I can actually sense things, even if only vaguely! Shi Yi was excited. This was supernatural power, something he had never experienced as a person from the modern world.

The sensation was still far from clear, but even so, Shi Yi felt as though a radar had been installed in his mind. He did not know exactly what those fluctuations were, yet he could sense that they existed.

Shi Yi suddenly understood how Soul Masters could persist in the tedious practice of meditation day after day, year after year. The feeling of possessing power beyond ordinary people was truly wonderful. He also understood why so many became excessively obsessed with pursuing such strength. This powerful perception even made Shi Yi feel like a god.

As he looked at the boxes of Immortal Herbs laid out before him, desire flashed through Shi Yi's eyes. Although he wanted to swallow everything in front of him at once, reason told him that he could not.

So what I need to do now is train constantly and push my body to its limits, letting all the medicinal power be released.

At this point, Shi Yi also understood why Tang San had distributed the Immortal Herbs in his possession. Although Tang San had absorbed more than one Immortal Herb, each had a different focus. Shi Yi estimated that continuing to absorb Immortal Herbs that strengthened the body would not bring any qualitative transformation. At most, it would raise his Soul Power by a few levels. If that was the case, saving the Immortal Herbs to cultivate people loyal to him was indeed a good choice.

Shi Yi still had one problem. Since he did not understand medicinal properties, he did not know which Immortal Herb Little Ant should eat.

As long as it isn't too outrageous, letting Little Ant choose for itself might be a good idea. With that thought, Shi Yi summoned Little Ant.

Seeing the colorful Immortal Herbs before it, Little Ant revealed a humanlike expression of delight. It knew why Shi Yi had called it out at this time.

"Little Ant, choose for yourself," Shi Yi said with a smile.

Without hesitation, Little Ant went straight to the Aromatic Silk Beauty and lightly tapped it with one of its massive forelimbs. It seemed as though hesitating for even a second would be disrespectful to the Aromatic Silk Beauty.

Surprise appeared on Shi Yi's face. He had originally thought Little Ant would choose the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. Based on its effects, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum should have been best suited to Little Ant. However, when he thought of Douluo Continent ten thousand years later, Shi Yi found it perfectly understandable.

After Tang San looted the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in the original story, ten thousand years passed until Huo Gua's era. The Aromatic Silk Beauty was known as the King of Immortal Grass and the leader of the six ferocious beasts of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It was also the only plant-type ferocious beast to survive two heavenly tribulations within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It could identify the properties of all spiritual things between heaven and earth, command such spiritual things, and possessed every ability related to scent. Its fragrance could even alter a person's aura. Before it, the combat strength of all plant-type Soul Beasts was halved.

Shi Yi smiled faintly and nodded. As if afraid Shi Yi would change his mind, Little Ant swiftly swallowed the entire Aromatic Silk Beauty, roots and all.

Before long, Little Ant fell asleep. Seeing this, Shi Yi recalled it into his body.

Shi Yi swept his gaze over the Immortal Herbs. The most incredible one was probably Lovesick Heartbreak Red. Its origins were also extraordinary, after all, it was a divine treasure connected to gods. Next was likely the Aromatic Silk Beauty, followed by the other Immortal Herbs.

"Alright, I'll put these away for now," Shi Yi muttered. If he kept them in front of him any longer, he was afraid he would not be able to stop himself from eating them all.

Elsewhere, when Dugu Bo returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and saw the complete mess, an intense green light suddenly erupted from his body. Immediately afterward, rings of light rose one after another from beneath his feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black. A total of nine Soul Rings rose and revolved around him, radiating an overwhelming aura.

"Who was it?! Who destroyed my herb garden?!"

That day, Dugu Bo investigated every Soul Master who entered Sunset Forest to hunt Soul Beasts. Whenever he encountered someone, he made them leave behind their Soul Tools for inspection. Those who cooperated were fortunate to keep their lives. Naturally, some refused, either because they lacked sense or because they had some backing. Their fate was to be buried directly beneath Dugu Bo's poison.