Dragon's Lair, Singular Velvet Alliance (Part 1)

Deep within Sunset Forest, miasma filled the air, ancient trees towered overhead, and sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting only scattered flecks of light.

Dark green poisonous mist, like a giant living python, darted rapidly through the dense forest. Wherever it passed, even some fierce thousand-year soul beasts flattened themselves to the ground in terror, letting out fearful whimpers. At the heart of the poisonous mist, Dugu Bo gripped Dugu Yan in one hand and carried Ling Feng in the other, racing like a phantom toward the deepest part of the forest—his most secret domain.

Ling Feng felt the wind howling by his ears like the cries of ghosts as the scenery around him became blurry patches of color rushing backward. The immense wind pressure nearly left him unable to breathe. The extreme speed of a Titled Douluo was truly terrifying! Every muscle in his body tensed as his Soul Power instinctively circulated to protect him, barely resisting the discomfort caused by the high-speed movement and the heart-chilling poisonous aura Dugu Bo constantly emitted.

After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, the sensation of racing at high speed suddenly vanished.

The dark green poisonous mist receded like the tide, revealing the sight before them—still that dreamlike valley surrounded by mountains! Within it, multicolored mist drifted and flowed, while the dense Life Aura and spiritual energy of heaven and earth had nearly become tangible.

At the center of the valley, that peerless miraculous spring—the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass—still existed with its two halves clearly divided. The scorching Yang Spring, crimson like molten lava, bubbled and radiated blazing heat; the clear, milky-white Extreme Cold Yin Spring exuded a bone-piercing chill, its surface covered in a thin layer of ice that never melted. The two extreme currents of heat and cold collided and merged violently where the springs met, giving rise to even denser multicolored mist and forming the most wondrous treasure basin in the world!

However, compared with when Ling Feng had infiltrated this place last time, the scenery on either side of the spring had changed noticeably. The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, entirely crystalline ice-blue, and the Infernal Delicate Apricot, blazing red like burning flames, still grew tenaciously, but their leaves and petals had clearly become much sparser, their luster slightly dimmer. Evidently, they had suffered grave damage after Ling Feng forcibly took their origin fragments last time and were slowly recovering. The other immortal herbs, such as the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Aromatic Silk Beauty, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, thrived beneath the nourishment of the dense multicolored mist, brimming with life and shimmering with flowing light.

Witnessing this marvel of heaven and earth again, Ling Feng was still deeply shaken, but he understood more now. This would be one of his greatest future treasure troves of resources!

"Hmph!" Dugu Bo's cold snort pierced the valley's silence like an Ice Cone. He released his grip, and Ling Feng landed steadily on the ground. Dugu Bo's deep green eyes, like those of the most dangerous serpent king, locked firmly onto Ling Feng. Frost covered his withered face. "We're here! Boy, now spill every last word in your stomach without leaving out a single one! About Yan Yan's poison, about the Yin-Yang Dragon Ganoderma! If even half a sentence is false..." He did not continue, but the roiling poisonous mist around him and the nine soul rings slowly pulsing with destructive aura were already the clearest declaration of death.

Dugu Yan also watched Ling Feng nervously, her bewitching vertical pupils filled with anticipation and worry.

Ling Feng took a deep breath of the multicolored mist in the valley, rich with Life Aura, and suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He looked around, his gaze passing over the lush herb garden surrounding the spring before finally settling on a plant not far from the meeting point of the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass. It was entirely violet-gold, its stem coiled like a dragon, with a fluffy violet-gold chrysanthemum blooming at its peak—the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum!

This was the key immortal herb in his plan to completely cure Dugu Yan's poison and strengthen her foundation. It was also one of the most important objectives of this journey!

Ling Feng withdrew his gaze and faced Dugu Bo's almost devouring stare. He spoke calmly, his voice clear and forceful. "Please calm your anger, Senior. Every word I said before was true. The root of the poison afflicting your granddaughter lies in the backlash of the extremely yin and cold origin poison inherent in the Jade Phosphor Snake Emperor Martial Soul itself. To cure it completely, it cannot be forcefully removed. It must be guided, transformed, and fed back! Gentle yet powerful external force must be used to guide the poison back to its origin, transforming it into nourishment for the Martial Soul and the body!"

He pointed again at the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum swaying gracefully within the multicolored mist. "This is called the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. It is a neutral-grade immortal herb, indestructible as diamond. Its aura is fierce and domineering, yet upright and balanced, filled with righteous energy! Its nature is precisely suited to dispelling the yin, cold, violent poison aura of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, strengthening the foundation, reshaping bones and Meridians, and guiding the poison toward transformation into origin power. Using this as the main ingredient, supplemented by the Yin-Yang Spirit Spring condensed where the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass meet, and combined with my unique guiding method, one can proceed step by step to completely refine the deadly poison in Miss Yan's body and transform it into origin power that nourishes her! Not only will it eradicate the poison completely, it will also allow her Martial Soul's potential to undergo a complete transformation and rise to a new level!"

Ling Feng's voice carried unquestionable confidence. He not only identified the immortal herb, but directly explained the principle and core of the cure—transformation and feedback! This completely overturned Dugu Bo's previous approaches of "fighting poison with poison" or "forceful suppression," opening an entirely new door for him!

Dugu Bo's breathing suddenly grew heavy! He stared fixedly at that violet-gold chrysanthemum as a fierce light flashed in his emerald serpent pupils! Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum! He had indeed seen scattered records of this name in ancient texts, which described it as having the effects of strengthening one's foundation and being indestructible as diamond. Yet he had never imagined that it was the key to resolving the poison that had plagued the Dugu Clan for countless generations! Transforming deadly poison into nourishing origin power? Was that even possible?! This was practically defying fate!

"Grandfather! I think what he said makes sense!" Dugu Yan exclaimed excitedly. She had personally experienced the miraculous effect of Ling Feng's "Ice-Fire Essence-Regulating Powder," and she was filled with longing and trust toward the method of complete treatment he described. "That medicinal powder was only an introduction, yet it could suppress my poison. This Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum must be even more powerful! And transforming poison into one's own power... that's so much better than suppressing it forever! I want to try it!" Her eyes were full of eagerness as she looked at the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

"Shut up!" Dugu Bo snarled irritably, cutting Dugu Yan off. It was not that he did not believe it, but that he had too many concerns! He still stared fixedly at Ling Feng, his voice hoarse and cold, carrying the pressure of a Titled Douluo. "Boy, even if what you say is true! There is only one Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum! If Yan Yan uses it, what about my poison?! My poison has seeped deep into my bones and Martial Soul, a hundred times worse than Yan Yan's! And what exactly is this guiding method? How can you prove that it will definitely work? If it fails, and Yan Yan cannot withstand the medicinal backlash or the poison's counterattack, who will bear the consequences?!"

This was his greatest concern! There was only one immortal herb, and his poison was equally fatal! He could not completely trust Ling Feng! This concerned both his and his granddaughter's lives! It also concerned the future fate of the Dugu Clan!

Ling Feng seemed to have anticipated Dugu Bo's question. A confident smile appeared on his face as he said something shocking. "Senior's poison has taken root too deeply and has become completely entangled with the origin of your Martial Soul. Naturally, this method cannot simply be copied. But Senior's poison also has a cure! And it does not require this Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum!"

Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan both widened their eyes! Dugu Bo especially—his withered body trembled slightly despite himself! His poison could also be cured? Without using the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?! Was that possible?!