Immortal Essence Protects the Body, Poison Emperor's Nirvana (Part 1)

Dugu Bo's crazed and resolute words were like war drums, proclaiming the opening of a thorn-covered path toward rebirth. The phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor roared savagely behind him, while the terrifying pressure of a Titled Douluo mixed with poisonous fumes, locking firmly onto Ling Feng.

Ling Feng's heart chilled, but his expression remained calm and assured. He knew he had successfully forced this temperamental, morally ambiguous Poison Douluo onto destiny's gambling table. Every step from here on would be like walking a tightrope over a bottomless abyss; there could not be the slightest mistake.

"Rest assured, Senior. I will naturally do my utmost." Ling Feng solemnly cupped his fists toward Dugu Bo, then turned his gaze toward the two immortal herbs on either side of the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass, both radiating extreme auras. "Please stand guard, Senior. Extracting the herbs' essence requires absolute focus and cannot tolerate the slightest disturbance."

Dugu Bo snorted heavily. His emerald snake eyes swept across the entire valley like searchlights, and his powerful Spiritual Power spread out like an invisible tide, tightly enveloping every corner of the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass valley. Though he said nothing, the churning poison mist and chilling killing intent were the clearest warning—any living creature that dared approach would face the Poison Douluo's most ruthless extermination! At this moment, he was the absolute master of the valley.

Ling Feng took a deep breath of the valley's dense, almost tangible Life Aura and suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He slowly walked toward the milky-white Extreme Cold Yin Spring. The closer he came, the more intense that terrifying chill became, seeping into his bones as though it could freeze his soul. A thick layer of white frost rapidly formed beneath his feet.

He stopped several zhang away from the spring, with the ice-blue Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass within arm's reach. Its leaves were crystal-clear, as though carved from the most perfect blue crystal, radiating an extreme chill that seemed capable of freezing space and time. Even though its vitality had been damaged, the icy laws originating from its essence were still enough to make one's heart tremble. Merely approaching it caused Ling Feng's blood to slow, while ice crystals instantly formed on his brows and hair.

"Now!" A sharp gleam flashed through Ling Feng's eyes. In his sea of consciousness, the phantom of the Judgment Angel abruptly opened its majestic golden eyes! Soul Power fused with the will of light's judgment and an aura of destruction erupted instantly! Two yellow soul rings rose beneath his feet, and the first shone brilliantly!

"Spear of Judgment!"

A golden spear condensed from pure light and destructive energy instantly appeared in Ling Feng's hand! Golden lightning coiled around it, radiating a sacred yet tyrannical piercing aura! Without the slightest hesitation, Ling Feng poured all his Soul Power into the spearhead. The muscles in his arm bulged as the Will of Judgment locked onto the very center of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass—the deep, ice-soul-like core containing its fundamental laws—and thrust forward fiercely!

Hiss—!

With its sharpness capable of piercing through illusions, the Spear of Judgment struck the icy core with incomparable precision! An unimaginable chill, seemingly from the abyss of Myriad Year Profound Ice, instantly surged back along the spear! Thick dark-blue ice crystals immediately formed over the golden shaft and spread rapidly toward Ling Feng's arm like living things! The extreme cold seemed intent on freezing both him and his soul!

Ling Feng had long been prepared. He let out a low roar, pushing the faint perception of the Eye of Destiny to its limit as he frantically circulated the Soul Power within his body! The light and destruction power of the Judgment Angel Martial Soul erupted with full force, resisting the invasion of that extreme cold! At the same time, the body he had tempered by absorbing fragments of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass displayed its resistance!

A stalemate! Golden lightning and dark-blue ice crystals clashed violently across the spear shaft, producing harsh sizzling sounds! Frost spread over Ling Feng's arm at a visible rate, and his lips turned bluish-purple, yet his gaze remained sharp as a blade and his arm steady as a rock! His Spiritual Power was highly focused, guiding the Spear of Judgment's destructive penetrating power into a single point!

Crack!

A faint yet distinct sound of breaking rang out! The ice-soul-like core of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass finally shattered beneath the Spear of Judgment's extreme penetrating force! A drop of liquid the size of a grain of rice, like condensed essence from Myriad Year Profound Ice, glowed dark blue. Ice crystal runes seemed to flow within it as it was carefully drawn from the shattered core, wrapped in an invisible layer of Soul Power!

Success! The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's origin essence!

The instant the essence was extracted, the entire Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass trembled violently. Its luster dimmed by more than half, as though it had lost the core of its soul. Its vitality was severely damaged, but it did not completely wither. Instead, it fell into a prolonged state of dormancy and recovery.

Ling Feng swiftly took out a jade bottle he had prepared beforehand, carved from Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Jade Marrow, and carefully stored the dark-blue essence within. The bottle immediately became bitingly cold, its surface covered in thick dark-blue frost as chill spilled outward.

After finishing all this, Ling Feng abruptly withdrew the Spear of Judgment, staggered back several steps, and gasped for breath. Even his exhalations carried white mist. His right arm was covered by a thick layer of blue ice crystals, numb and stiff, almost completely devoid of sensation. He immediately sat cross-legged and circulated his Soul Power, calling upon the light power of the Judgment Angel Martial Soul and the remaining heat from the Infernal Delicate Apricot within his body to drive out the terrifying invading chill.

Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan, who had been standing guard nearby, watched the entire process. A trace of solemnity and faint, barely perceptible approval flashed through Dugu Bo's emerald snake eyes. This boy might not be strong, but his ruthlessness, precise control, grasp of timing, and the power of that strange Martial Soul truly were extraordinary! The extraction process had seemed brief, but it had in fact been extremely dangerous. The slightest mistake would have resulted in death by freezing under the extreme chill! His success was certainly no accident!

Dugu Yan clenched her fists tightly, her bewitching vertical pupils filled with worry.

About a quarter of an hour later, the ice crystals on Ling Feng's arm finally melted away completely, restoring his sensation. However, a piercing chill still lingered within his meridians. He stood and walked without hesitation toward the other side—the blazing Yang Spring, red as molten lava!

The same process unfolded once again, but this time he faced a terrifying power that was completely opposite!

Approaching the Infernal Delicate Apricot was like entering the core of a furnace! The air warped, heat waves scorched the skin, and stinging pain spread across his body!

The Spear of Judgment condensed once more, carrying an unstoppable piercing force as it stabbed toward the heart of the flower's stamen, which resembled a dancing flame and contained a violent fire-origin essence!

The extreme heat surged back at him! The golden spear shaft instantly turned red-hot, as though it would melt and drip away! Terrifying heat waves rushed along the spear like a flood of magma, intent on burning Ling Feng to ashes!

Ling Feng gritted his teeth. The skin all over his body turned crimson, and any sweat that seeped out evaporated immediately! He called upon the resistance his body had gained from previously absorbing fragments of the Infernal Delicate Apricot, as well as the lingering icy power in his meridians after dispelling the cold, combining them with the power of the Judgment Angel Martial Soul to fiercely resist the high-temperature assault! The Eye of Destiny operated at full force, locking onto that innermost point of fire-origin essence!

Sizzle!

Like a red-hot branding iron piercing ice! The Spear of Judgment penetrated the core of the flaming stamen! A drop of scarlet liquid essence, like molten sun-gold, radiating terrifying heat capable of burning the heavens and boiling the seas, with crimson runes flowing within, was drawn out!

The Infernal Delicate Apricot shuddered violently in response. The luster of its petals dimmed by more than half, and its vitality was likewise severely damaged as it fell into dormancy.

Ling Feng quickly stored the scarlet essence in another jade bottle made from Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Sun Jade Marrow. The bottle instantly turned blazing red, releasing scorching heat waves!

This time, Ling Feng suffered a heavier backlash. He looked like someone pulled from an ice cave and thrown straight into a sea of fire. Blisters rose across his burned skin, his aura became chaotic, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. He forced himself back to a relatively safe area in the center of the valley, immediately sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing, and placed the two jade bottles before him.

One blue, one red; one cold, one hot. The two extreme energy auras collided against each other, creating a distorted and heart-pounding force field in the air.

Dugu Bo looked at the two tiny drops of essence, each containing terrifying law energy sufficient to destroy a Soul Douluo, and the muscles on his withered face twitched slightly. Anticipation, fear, madness... all kinds of emotions intertwined. These were the keys to his rebirth—or his destruction!

After finishing his adjustments, Ling Feng's face was still pale, but his eyes were exceptionally bright and sharp. He looked at Dugu Bo, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion yet filled with utmost gravity. "Senior, the yin-yang essences are ready. Next comes the most dangerous step—swallow them simultaneously, refine them first, and construct an 'Ice-Fire Balance Barrier' at the core of your dantian. Then... draw the origin of the Ice and Fire Immortal Grass into your body for tempering!"

"This process will be far more painful than ten thousand poisons devouring your heart. If your will falters even slightly and the barrier collapses, your soul will be scattered! I will guide and channel you from the side with my Soul Power, but whether you can endure it depends entirely on your own will and fortune!"

Dugu Bo stared fixedly at the two drops of essence, the final trace of hesitation in his emerald snake eyes replaced by madness. He suddenly stepped forward and made a grabbing motion with his gaunt hand. The two jade bottles instantly flew into his grasp!

"Ha ha ha! Ten thousand poisons devouring my heart? For most of my life, what day have I not spent dealing with poison?! What the hell is this little pain! Boy, stand guard for me! If I die..." He glanced at Dugu Yan, whose face was filled with concern, and his voice carried a trace of final resolve. "Protect Yan Yan! Help me... take good care of her!"

Before his words had faded, he yanked out the stoppers and, without the slightest hesitation, poured the dark-blue Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass essence and scarlet Infernal Delicate Apricot essence into his mouth at the same time! Seeking life through death!