A Bountiful Harvest

Apart from the sound of wind rustling through the leaves, no other sound could be heard at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The spring waters gradually returned to calm.

Second by second, time passed. The bright sky was gradually swallowed by darkness. Within the spring, Huangfu Ji seemed to have lost all sense of time; he had no idea how long he had remained in the water.

Not until darkness had completely devoured the light did night become the ruler of this land.

Within Sunset Forest, aside from the chirping of insects and birds and the roars of beasts, only the rustling of wind passing through the leaves remained.

Only when the sun rose again in the east did activity finally stir within the tranquil Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The spring water surged violently. Then, the phantom of the Sacred Martial War Dragon burst from the water with a resounding dragon roar. As the phantom faded, Huangfu Ji appeared in midair, Dragon Wings beating behind his back.

Unlike before, his pair of Dragon Wings had undergone slight changes.

The originally dazzling golden wings now bore red and blue patterns, though the two markings quickly faded from sight.

Huangfu Ji stretched out his hand and clenched it tightly. Soul Power surged around him. After absorbing the herbs, his physical strength had increased tremendously—far beyond what that piece of Thousand-Year Whale Rubber could have provided.

Not only had his physical strength increased, but he had also fully adapted to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. No matter how long he stayed here, he would no longer feel pain. On the contrary, the immense energy contained within this land could all be used by him.

In other words, he could cultivate using the energy contained within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Moreover, if his opponents were water- or fire-attribute Soul Masters, he would have a certain resistance to their attacks. In other words, their attacks against him would be weakened.

He could even become immune to ordinary water- and fire-based attacks.

Landing beside the spring, Huangfu Ji looked excitedly at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well before him.

"What a bountiful harvest."

His Soul Power had already broken through to level thirty-four. However, those two levels had not come from absorbing the herbs. The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot had not increased his Soul Power at all.

Those two levels of Soul Power had been gained entirely because, while he absorbed the medicinal effects of the herbs, the energy of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had flowed into his body.

And while absorbing it, he had clearly sensed two unusual energies coming from the deepest part of the Yin Yang Well's spring waters.

This inevitably reminded him of certain memories from his past life.

They concerned the formation of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had not formed naturally. Long ago, two god-level Dragon Kings of the Divine Realm—the Water Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King—had fallen and crashed here after their deaths, creating this place. Perhaps some of the Dragon Kings' divine power still remained here.

As for the corpses of the two Dragon Kings, Huangfu Ji was certain they were still at the very bottom. But he had no intention of pursuing them, because he could not get down there. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was simply too deep.

Besides, the energy here alone was enough to support his cultivation.

There was also the fact that he did not know whether damaging or taking the bones of the two Dragon Kings would cause any harm to the Yin Yang Well.

For the sake of future generations, he still needed to preserve this place. He could not drain the pond dry just to catch the fish.

But then a problem arose: the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could not move, nor could it be relocated, while Qingyang Duchy was far too far from here.

After thinking for a while and failing to come up with another solution, Huangfu Ji temporarily put the matter aside. In any case, no one else would discover this place for the time being.

This place had now become a sacred cultivation ground for him.

After gathering the herbs within the Yin Yang Well, he did not forget to search for Golden Leaf Grass. Perhaps his luck was good, because there happened to be some here.

Looking at the glittering golden grass in his hand, Huangfu Ji stored it in his Soul Tool before leaving the place.

By the time he returned to Heaven Dou City, it was already noon.

After quietly returning to the hotel, he had barely entered his room when a figure pounced at him.

He sidestepped the attack and only then realized it was the waiter.

Lying sprawled on the floor, the waiter raised his head to look at Huangfu Ji.

"You've finally returned."

He had thought Huangfu Ji would be back soon, but he had not expected him to be gone for an entire day. He had stayed in the room all day, not daring to go anywhere. Huangfu Ji had told him to pretend to cultivate, so he had remained seated cross-legged the entire time.

But the problem was that he was not a Soul Master. He was merely an ordinary person. The day had been unbearably miserable for him.

"All right, there's nothing else for you to do." Huangfu Ji took out another ten Gold Soul Coins and handed them to the waiter.

At the sight of the Gold Soul Coins, the waiter, who had been complaining just moments ago, immediately perked up. He sprang to his feet and accepted them respectfully with both hands.

"If you need anything, just give the word."

In one day, he had earned twenty Gold Soul Coins. This handsome young master was simply too generous.

Huangfu Ji waved his hand. "You can go now. Remember to keep your mouth shut. Don't tell anyone."

The waiter repeatedly promised to do so before leaving the room.

After changing into another set of clothes, Huangfu Ji lay on the bed and closed his eyes to rest.

In the afternoon, he openly left the hotel, and the people secretly watching him immediately followed.

Huangfu Ji wandered around Heaven Dou City as though he were simply out shopping. Before long, he arrived at one of Clear Sky Sect's businesses in Heaven Dou City.

As the foremost of the Three Upper Sects, Clear Sky Sect naturally possessed businesses of its own, though they were not as extensive as those of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Clear Sky Sect mainly dealt in medicinal herbs and weapons.

He arrived at a weapons shop.

He took out the jade box containing the Golden Leaf Grass, then produced a letter and handed both to the shop owner.

"Deliver this to Tang Yuehua at the Clear Sky Sect. If she asks, tell her Huangfu Ji asked you to deliver it. Once she reads the letter, she'll naturally know what to do."

The weapons shop owner stared at Huangfu Ji with a baffled expression.

Who was this guy? He wanted him to deliver something to the daughter of the Clear Sky Sect's leader—could he be the young lady's suitor?

"Who are you?" the owner asked warily.

"I already told you. My name is Huangfu Ji."

"You don't need to worry."

Then, he took out Tang Yuehua's token.

After confirming that it belonged to the Clear Sky Sect, the owner nodded.

"Alright."

Huangfu Ji bought a sword there and left. Not long after he departed, the weapons shop owner also left.

After leaving the weapons shop, Huangfu Ji wandered aimlessly through the city, looking here and there. The people secretly following him were growing frustrated.

"He's a Grand Duke, and a Soul Elder at that. Does he really have this much free time?"

At a tea stall, two young men watched Huangfu Ji picking through fruit at a nearby fruit stand.

"I've never seen a Grand Duke like this. He's even a noble."

The other man was equally helpless.

"Why hasn't he left Heaven Dou City yet? Hasn't the Royal Academy started classes?"

"No." The first man shook his head.

"The Royal Academy won't start until the day after tomorrow."

The two sighed at the same time. As long as Huangfu Ji did not leave Heaven Dou City, they could only wait. After finishing his stroll, Huangfu Ji returned to the hotel.