Eight Section Brocade and Five Animal Frolics

The next morning.

The morning dew was heavy, and the air carried a bone-chilling cold. The thatched cottage leaked in places. After Lin Xiao ate something to replenish his strength, he repaired it.

After all that activity, heat steamed from Lin Xiao's body, leaving him warm all over.

The Evil Fire had erupted once, so it would not erupt again in the short term.

However, the next outbreak was destined to be even more ferocious than the last. Lin Xiao had been mentally prepared for that long ago.

The day's work depended on getting an early start.

Although Lin Xiao had not yet obtained a Soul Ring, he had already begun trying to train his body. Since the Heart Cleansing Mantra could help suppress the Evil Fire, then the Eight Section Brocade and Five Animal Frolics from his previous life should have some effect as well.

Lin Xiao tried them one by one.

In the end, he found that the Five Animal Frolics were more effective. After performing them once, even the lingering pain from the injuries left by the Evil Fire's burning was alleviated.

It seemed as if a Warm Current flowed through his entire body, coursing through his Limbs and Bones and repairing the injuries caused by the Evil Fire's outbreak. It even slightly strengthened his physical body.

"Among the Five Animal Frolics, the Bird Frolic comes most naturally to me, and its effects are also slightly stronger than those of the Deer Frolic, Tiger Frolic, Bear Frolic, and Ape Frolic."

"The Eight Section Brocade strengthens the muscles and bones, but it seems inferior to the Five Animal Frolics in restoring injuries. However, it has a slight advantage over the Five Animal Frolics when it comes to nurturing the Five Viscera and Six Bowels."

Lin Xiao decided to practice both.

The Five Animal Frolics in the morning, and the Eight Section Brocade in the evening.

For now, he would practice a few more times to refresh his memory.

"I remember the outline of the Eight Section Brocade. It seems to be..."

"Let the mind follow the movements, with spirit and form both prepared; combine tension with relaxation, and movement with stillness."

Whoosh~

He practiced his martial arts for four hours, and it was already noon.

Only then did Lin Xiao stop and rest for a while.

He boiled noodles for lunch.

As Lin Xiao ate, he pondered:

The problem with the Evil Fire lay in the flaw of his Martial Soul, and in the fact that the human body could not bear the Evil Fire. In that regard, it was remarkably similar to Dugu Bo's Emerald Python Emperor Martial Soul.

If Dugu Bo had not had the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well to help suppress the deadly poison in his body, he probably would have suffered Explosion to Death long ago. That was rather like how Lin Xiao relied on the Ice Heart Incantation to suppress his own Evil Fire.

It should not be difficult to learn the location of the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well from Dugu Bo. After all, both Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan suffered from flaws in their Martial Souls, which aligned with Lin Xiao's interests.

But there was another major problem.

Lin Xiao... did not understand Immortal Grasses.

If he rashly entered the place and happened to touch one or two extremely poisonous Poisonous Herbs, he would die young on the spot.

Fortunately, he had the Ice Heart Incantation, which could still suppress it in the short term.

Lin Xiao still had time to gather information.

"In the original story, the people known to understand Immortal Grasses are Tang San, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and the Breaking Clan."

"Tang San never taught any martial arts to the people close to him, even after becoming a god, nor did he offer Dugu Bo, who had helped him, the slightest compensation. He even claimed the entire Ice Fire Yin Yang Well for himself, yet never gave Dugu Bo a single Immortal Grass. Dugu Bo had poured his heart out for Tang San and had even thought of marrying off his granddaughter to him."

"Given Tang San's selfish nature, if I let slip even the slightest sign that I know his secrets, forget about teaching me anything—he would probably kill me to silence me according to the Tang Sect's rules."

"Even if I weren't afraid of him, Tang Hao, that towering Buddha, was always by Tang San's side. Antagonizing Tang San would not be wise."

The Tang San route was a pass.

"Then what about Chrysanthemum Douluo? Leaving aside the fact that he is an Elder of Spirit Hall, with a noble and lofty status, the only way I could approach him would be to join Spirit Hall. But I have no intention of joining any faction right now."

"Besides, Chrysanthemum Douluo is arrogant and eccentric. If I reveal the secret of the Immortal Grasses, with so many Titled Douluo in Spirit Hall, along with Pope Bibi Dong and the Worship Hall, would there still be any place for me?"

"I don't dare to gamble."

Only after struggling in society would one realize that the world had never been a place where more effort brought more reward, nor one where merit was always rewarded.

Instead, it was all about "flexible allocation."

The Chrysanthemum Douluo route was also a pass.

"As for the Breaking Clan, refining medicine is their ancestral skill, and they have always treated it as a secret never to be passed on. They did not reveal the slightest bit of it even to their leading superior, the Clear Sky Sect. Even if I married the daughter of their clan leader, I might not be able to access information in that area."

What a headache. Worry had turned the Youth's hair white!

Lin Xiao felt a headache coming on. Was this the difference between novels and reality?

In novels, one only needed to gloss over things with a single stroke.

But reality required one to consider far more.

If he did not make sufficient preparations, the thing glossed over with a single stroke would be his own life!

In the midst of his troubles, Lin Xiao snapped his fingers.

A Bewitching Spark appeared in his palm, and Lin Xiao began playing with the fire unconsciously.

Come to think of it.

With this fire's temperature so high, could it be Ultimate Fire?

"Wait!"

Lin Xiao suddenly looked at the flame in his palm with pleasant surprise.

Ultimate Fire?

Fire was the nemesis of poison. In truth, it was not only Ultimate Ice but also Ultimate Fire that granted immunity to poison.

In the original story, Tang San's so-called Immune to All Poisons and Invulnerable to Water and Fire came from using the Infernal Delicate Apricot and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, then leaping into the Ice Fire Cold Pool to temper himself.

Lin Xiao possessed that naturally!

Although, in this era, the concepts of Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Fire had not yet emerged, Lin Xiao possessed Innate Full Soul Power! That was the standard trait of an Extreme Attribute!

Just like Ma Xiaotao in Douluo 2.

Ma Hongjun, on the other hand, had a powerful Martial Soul, but his Innate Soul Power was only rank eight. He was still some distance from Ultimate Fire, and only after consuming an Immortal Grass did he evolve into Ultimate Fire through acquired means.

"I remember the appearances and effects of all the Immortal Grasses from the original story."

"Since I don't fear deadly poison, the plan can work!"

Even as a precaution, Lin Xiao could completely use Ultimate Fire to isolate himself before entering the depths of the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well. He would not fall into danger.

Lin Xiao was somewhat amused and exasperated. He looked at the bewitching flame in his palm. This overbearing, sinister Evil Fire truly made him love and hate it at the same time.

After wearing out iron shoes in a fruitless search, he had found what he needed without any effort!

Once he had planned out his future and clearly seen hope of staying alive, Lin Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He felt that although the noodles in his bowl had gone cold,

they somehow tasted better than when they had been hot.

"My goal in life is to survive first, then think carefully about how to live an extraordinary life!"

Afternoon.

Lin Xiao left the house.

He went to the homes of the villagers whose meals he had once shared.

He knocked on their doors one household after another.

"Aunt Wang, I'm planning to leave the day after tomorrow."

"You're leaving, Little Xiao? Where are you going? Auntie really can't bear to see you go. You're so well-behaved, and so clever..."

"Aunt Wang, it's all right. I'm going to become a powerful Soul Master!"

"Ah, then I can rest easy. Little Xiao, you will surely make something of yourself!"

After saying goodbye to Aunt Wang, he went to Uncle Li's house.

"Little Xiao? Come in, sit down, and eat! I'll go get you some food!"

"Uncle Li, I've already eaten. I'm planning to leave for experience the day after tomorrow."

"Go out for experience? No wonder you're a Soul Master. You're going with your Teacher, right?"

"Mm, I suppose so..."

"..."

By the time he had finished greeting everyone, it was completely dark.

When he returned to the thatched cottage, moonlight illuminated the path in front of the door...

What did the future hold?