The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Dugu Bo Was Shocked!

"Yan Yan, didn't I tell you not to bring outsiders to disturb me when I'm in the backyard?"

Dugu Bo's voice was hoarse, sounding like two sheets of sandpaper rubbing against each other.

Dugu Yan wasn't afraid of her notoriously fearsome grandfather at all. She trotted over and affectionately wrapped both arms around his.

"Grandpa, don't be angry yet."

Dugu Yan rocked Dugu Bo's arm, her tone carrying a hint of playful coaxing.

"This is Gu Qing, the genius I told you about—the one who made a spectacular display of his power at the Great Soul Arena."

At the name, Dugu Bo gave Gu Qing another look, somewhat surprised.

Although Gu Qing gave off no powerful Soul Power fluctuations, he had an unfathomable air about him.

Especially his clear eyes. Even when faced with the pressure of a Titled Douluo, he showed no sign of flinching or fear.

"Quite bold."

Dugu Bo flicked his sleeve, his tone still cold.

"But there's never been a shortage of geniuses on the mainland."

"If Yan Yan brought you here just to show off your talent, then you can leave."

Dugu Bo was a reclusive man who showed no warmth to anyone except his granddaughter.

Gu Qing stepped forward, unfazed by Dugu Bo's distant attitude.

"Senior Dugu, I didn't come today to curry favor with you."

Gu Qing looked straight into Dugu Bo's dark green eyes, his voice steady and confident.

"I came to save your lives."

At those words, the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly plunged to freezing point.

Dugu Bo's green eyes contracted sharply, and a terrifying wave of Soul Power erupted from his body.

The green poisonous miasma around them churned violently, like a venomous dragon roused to fury.

"Boy, you can eat whatever you like, but you can't just say whatever you please."

Dugu Bo stared fixedly at Gu Qing, murderous intent plain in his eyes.

"Believe me, I can turn you into a pool of blood right now!"

Behind Gu Qing, Qian Renxue quietly clenched her fists, ready to awaken her Martial Soul at any moment.

Yet Gu Qing remained where he stood, without even blinking.

"Senior Dugu, whenever it rains, do your sides grow numb and sore?"

Ignoring Dugu Bo's threat, Gu Qing continued as if speaking to himself.

"And every day at midnight and noon, do you feel a pain in the crown of your head and your chest, as if ten thousand needles were piercing your heart?"

"That agony lasts a full half-hour each time, doesn't it?"

As Gu Qing listed the symptoms one by one, the anger on Dugu Bo's face gradually stiffened.

The churning miasma around them also came to a halt.

Dugu Bo stared at the young man before him in utter shock, a tempest rising in his heart.

These symptoms were a closely guarded secret: the backlash from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison. Nobody but Dugu Bo himself knew about them—not even Dugu Yan.

How had this boy surnamed Gu learned of them?

Dugu Bo took a deep breath, forced down his shock, and withdrew the Soul Power pressure he had released.

"Who exactly are you?"

The killing intent had vanished from Dugu Bo's voice. In its place was an exceptionally rare note of solemnity.

"I'm someone who can cure your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison."

Gu Qing stated his bargaining chip without the least hesitation.

"Not only can I cure your poison, I can also cure the poison in Dugu Yan's body."

At the mention of his granddaughter, Dugu Bo's defenses finally began to soften.

He could endure the torment himself, but what worried him most was Dugu Yan.

If he ever died because he could no longer hold on, Dugu Yan would inevitably meet the same fate.

"What do you want?"

Dugu Bo got straight to the point. He knew perfectly well that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

If Gu Qing had dared come to his door, he must have had a clear purpose.

Gu Qing's brows relaxed. A calm, assured smile touched his face as he looked at Dugu Bo with clear eyes.

"I need Senior to take me somewhere."

Gu Qing paused, then spoke the name one word at a time.

"Sunset Forest. The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

Dugu Bo's pupils contracted sharply once more.

That place was his most closely guarded secret base, filled with all manner of rare plants and herbs that even he couldn't identify.

This young man not only knew about his hidden ailment, he even knew the whereabouts of his most secret treasure.

"You'll cure the poison afflicting me and my granddaughter in exchange for taking the herbs you need from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?"

Dugu Bo was a clever man. He instantly understood Gu Qing's intentions.

Gu Qing nodded, confirming his guess.

"That's a perfectly fair deal, isn't it?"

Gu Qing looked at Dugu Bo, waiting for his reply.

Dugu Bo lowered his head and considered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the hopeful expression on Dugu Yan's face.

At last, there was hope of breaking the misfortune that had plagued the Dugu Family for generations.

The Immortal Herbs were precious, but in Dugu Bo's eyes, they couldn't compare to his granddaughter's life.

Besides, he didn't dare eat those herbs himself. Leaving them there would only be a waste.

Dugu Bo suddenly raised his head. For once, a wildly excited smile appeared on his gloomy face.

"Good!"

He agreed without hesitation, his voice carrying an enthusiasm he had not felt in a long time.

"As long as you can cure Yan Yan, take whatever you want from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!"

When Dugu Yan heard her grandfather finally agree, her eyes reddened with excitement.

Behind them, Qian Renxue watched as Gu Qing casually won over a Titled Douluo.

The resentment in her eyes had long since faded, replaced by a brilliance she could barely conceal.

No matter where he went, this man always managed to keep the entire situation firmly in his grasp.

"Then let's leave now."

Gu Qing turned and headed toward the gates of Dugu Manor.

"The treatment is rather complicated. We need the special environment there."

Dugu Bo followed without hesitation, his steps much lighter than before.

The group soon left Dugu Manor and headed toward Sunset Forest.

Tall trees lined the road outside Heaven Dou City, shielding it from the blazing sun.

Dugu Bo had changed into a light, fitted outfit. Walking beside Gu Qing, he occasionally studied the young man from the corner of his eye.

After living for so many years, Dugu Bo had met countless people, yet he still couldn't fathom Gu Qing's true depths.

He could easily subdue Qian Renxue in her frenzied state, and crush Zhao Wuji with his bare hands.

Even his medical knowledge and insight had reached a level that left a Titled Douluo in awe.

Dugu Yan, meanwhile, was like a cheerful little lark, chirping away without pause the entire way.

Now that there was a way to deal with the poison in her body, the gloom that had weighed on Dugu Yan's heart for more than a decade had lifted.

She would occasionally sidle up to Gu Qing and ask him about cultivating Soul Power.

Every now and then, Gu Qing would offer a few incisive pointers, and each time, Dugu Yan would feel as if a window had opened in her mind.

Following behind them, Qian Renxue watched the two chatting and laughing ahead of her. The jealousy in her heart began to well up again.

But after what had happened with Zhao Wuji, Qian Renxue understood Gu Qing a little better.

This man acted with a strong sense of purpose and absolute control.

To Gu Qing, a woman like Dugu Yan was more like a tool for getting in touch with Dugu Bo.

Once she had thought it through, Qian Renxue's expression softened slightly.

"Little Gu."

Dugu Bo suddenly spoke, interrupting Dugu Yan's questions.

"The symptoms you pointed out earlier were indeed absolutely accurate."

"But how do you plan to get rid of this Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison that has seeped into my very bones?"

Dugu Bo was, after all, the undisputed master of poison, with a deep understanding of its nature.

He knew perfectly well that the poison had already merged completely with his Soul Power and even his Martial Soul.

Trying to force it out would only shatter his Martial Soul and leave him without a shred of cultivation.

Gu Qing turned and met Dugu Bo's searching gaze.

"Better to divert than to dam."

Gu Qing slowly spoke the four words, his tone filled with absolute confidence.

"Since the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison has already merged with your Martial Souls, forcibly separating it is out of the question."

"We need to find a vessel to draw the excess poison into."

"A Soul Bone."

Gu Qing gave him the answer directly.

"With a suitable Soul Bone, we can force the poison into it and put an end to the backlash for good."

"It may even give your Soul Bone the properties of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison, making it even more powerful than before."

Dugu Bo abruptly stopped walking.

His dark green eyes flew wide open, shock and elation mingling in his gaze.

The problem that had plagued him for most of his life had been solved by Gu Qing with such a simple, straightforward theory.

That was it!

A Soul Bone fused with the body, but remained independent of the meridians.

If the poison were forced into the Soul Bone, then all the problems caused by the backlash would be resolved!

"A genius... truly a peerless stroke of genius!"

Dugu Bo trembled with excitement, pounding his thighs with both hands.

"I've spent my whole life working with poison. How did I never think of that?"

Gu Qing remained calm, showing no pride at Dugu Bo's praise.

"The theory is simple, but forcing the poison perfectly into the Soul Bone requires an immense amount of life energy to protect the meridians."

"That's why I have to go to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

Gu Qing explained it all plainly, holding nothing back.

That only deepened Dugu Bo's trust in him.

"You're a good lad. For your honesty alone, I'm making you my friend today!"

Dugu Bo roared with laughter, his booming voice echoing along the empty road.

"Yan Yan, stay here and wait for us."

Dugu Bo turned to his granddaughter and gave her his instructions.

"Brother Gu and I will go on ahead. You can follow after us!"

With that, Dugu Bo grabbed Gu Qing by the arm.

A vast wave of Soul Power enveloped them both, and in an instant, they turned into a streak of green light and shot toward the depths of Sunset Forest.

Standing where she was, Qian Renxue watched their figures disappear into the distance.

The corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously, revealing a genuine smile.

"Did he just... leave me here alone?"

Qian Renxue murmured under her breath, without much complaint in her voice.

She knew Gu Qing was going to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well so he could better suppress the Angel Martial Soul within her.

Everything he did was for her.

Thinking of this, Qian Renxue turned to look at Dugu Yan beside her.

The purple-haired woman, who had once seemed so irritating, didn't look quite so unpleasant anymore.

The shifting tides in Heaven Dou City seemed to be quietly turning around the man called Gu Qing.

Deep within Sunset Forest.

An opportunity capable of changing the fate of the entire mainland was waiting for Gu Qing's arrival.

Dugu Bo carried Gu Qing through the air at breakneck speed, the gale roaring past their ears.

Before long, a valley shrouded in dense miasma appeared in their sight.

This was the Poison Miasma Land, renowned throughout the world.

It was also where the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well lay, hidden among peerless Immortal Herbs.

Dugu Bo withdrew the Soul Power barrier and brought Gu Qing down safely outside the valley.

"Brother Gu, my herb garden lies just ahead."

Dugu Bo pointed to the strange, multicolored miasma rolling before them, a hint of pride in his voice.

"I laid this poison array myself. Even an ordinary Titled Douluo would lose a layer of skin trying to force their way through."

Gu Qing looked at the churning miasma before him, a glimmer of light flashing in his deep eyes.

He could clearly sense the two utterly opposite yet perfectly fused energies deep within the poisonous fog.

The symphony of ice and fire.

It was the place of life's ascension he had dreamed of reaching.

"Lead the way."

Gu Qing withdrew his gaze and gave Dugu Bo a slight nod.

Dugu Bo let out a hearty laugh and strode into the poisonous fog that had terrified countless Soul Masters.

Gu Qing followed close behind, strolling through the deadly miasma as if he were taking a leisurely walk in a courtyard.

The waters of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well churned, while red-and-white mist hung thick in the air above them.

Gu Qing stopped at the edge of the spring, slowly sweeping his gaze over the surrounding herbs, each glowing with an unusual radiance.

Dugu Bo dutifully followed behind him, not even daring to breathe too loudly for fear of disturbing Gu Qing's thoughts.

"Take out the Soul Bone you intend to use to contain the poison."

Gu Qing turned around, his gaze falling on Dugu Bo's gloomy face.

Without the slightest hesitation, Dugu Bo took a faintly glowing Soul Bone from his Soul Tool.

It was an exceptionally high-quality Head Soul Bone, its surface gleaming with a lustrous sheen.

Gu Qing gave it only a cursory glance before turning toward the medicinal garden on the right.

His slender fingers darted swiftly among several vibrantly colored herbs, precisely plucking three plants of different shapes.

He casually tossed the herbs to Dugu Bo, then pointed toward the cold spring wreathed in white mist.

"Swallow the herbs, then leap into the cold spring."

Dugu Bo caught them and, without hesitation, threw his head back and stuffed all three herbs into his mouth.

As soon as the herbs reached his stomach, an overwhelmingly potent medicinal force exploded inside Dugu Bo.

Before Dugu Bo had any chance to react, he drove off hard with both legs and leapt straight into the milky-white cold spring.

A bone-chilling cold instantly engulfed Dugu Bo, making him shudder.

"Steady your breathing and focus your mind. Draw on the Soul Power within your body."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Gu Qing calmly watched Dugu Bo shivering in the cold spring.

"Force all the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison in your body along your meridians and into your Head Soul Bone."