Metamorphosis!

Upon receiving Gu Qing's instructions, Dugu Bo immediately squeezed his eyes shut and began to frantically circulate the soul power within his body.

Threads of ink-green poison snaked through Dugu Bo's limbs and bones, slowly crawling toward the location of his skull.

The excruciating pain caused the muscles in Dugu Bo's face to twist violently, and large beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.

The moment these sweat beads appeared, the extreme low temperature of the cold spring instantly froze them into ice crystals.

This was a form of extreme torture, akin to having one's silk drawn and skin peeled.

"Do not stop. Use the medicinal power of the herbs to protect your heart meridian, and in one go, force all the toxins inside."

Gu Qing's voice was steady and powerful, echoing clearly throughout the vast valley.

Time ticked away second by second, and the mist within the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well churned violently in response to the agitation of Dugu Bo's soul power.

The sickly ink-green hue on Dugu Bo's skin was fading at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In its place emerged a vibrant, healthy complexion.

All of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison was being forcibly compressed by a massive force into that piece of head soul bone.

The originally crystal-clear soul bone had now completely transformed into an ink-green crystal radiating a terrifying, poisonous aura.

A high-pitched, long roar erupted from Dugu Bo's throat, instantly shattering the poisonous mist within a radius of several dozen meters.

Dugu Bo leaped up from the cold spring and landed steadily on the bluestone at the shore.

The agony of the backlash that had plagued Dugu Bo for decades had vanished entirely, leaving his entire body with an unprecedented sense of relief.

The soul power within his body even showed faint signs of breaking through, now that it was no longer suppressed by the toxins.

Dugu Bo was trembling with excitement as he knelt on one knee directly before Gu Qing.

"Brother Gu's grace of rebirth is something Dugu Bo will never forget!"

"Get up. It was merely a fair trade."

Gu Qing raised a hand, his tone devoid of any arrogance or sense of self-importance.

Shifting his gaze away from Dugu Bo, Gu Qing looked toward Dugu Yan, who was standing not far away.

Seeing her grandfather completely freed from the torment of his illness, Dugu Yan's eyes were already brimming with tears of excitement.

"Next, it is your turn."

Gu Qing looked at Dugu Yan, calmly stating the upcoming arrangements.

Dugu Yan walked quickly to Gu Qing and stood obediently in place.

"The toxins in my body aren't as deep as my grandfather's, and I don't have a soul bone to act as a vessel. How will you purge them?"

Dugu Yan opened those jade-green eyes, peering at Gu Qing with curiosity.

"Your situation is indeed different. Although the toxins have invaded your internal organs, they are not yet deeply rooted."

Gu Qing walked to the side of the fire-red spring, feeling the scorching temperature of the surroundings.

"It requires a specific acupuncture technique, utilizing the temperature here to forcibly drive the toxins out of your body through your sweat."

Hearing this, Dugu Bo immediately and tactfully retreated several large steps.

"In that case, I shall go guard the valley entrance. I will ensure no living thing enters to disturb you."

Having said this, Dugu Bo transformed into a streak of green light and vanished into the vast, poisonous miasma.

Beside the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, only Gu Qing and Dugu Yan remained.

The atmosphere in the surroundings became somewhat subtle at this moment.

"This set of acupuncture techniques requires me to traverse the thirty-six major acupoints across your entire body."

Gu Qing turned around, meeting Dugu Yan's gaze.

"Therefore, you need to remove all the clothing on your body."

As soon as these words were spoken, Dugu Yan's fair cheeks were instantly stained with an extremely obvious crimson blush.

This flush spread all the way to the roots of her ears, making Dugu Yan feel completely flustered.

Even if she were usually bold and sharp-tongued, having to display her body without reservation in front of a man of her own age still made Dugu Yan feel extremely embarrassed.

Dugu Yan gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands, her lips bitten slightly shut.

The valley was so quiet that only the gurgling sound of the churning spring water could be heard.

Gu Qing did not urge her, simply standing quietly in place, waiting for Dugu Yan's decision.

After a moment of inner conflict, some images suddenly flashed through Dugu Yan's mind.

Back when they were in the hot spring, Gu Qing had already seen everything that should and should not have been seen.

To act coy now for the sake of medical treatment would only make her seem pretentious.

Realizing this, Dugu Yan took a deep breath and finally released her hands from her hem.

Her slender fingers rested on the sash at her waist and gave it a gentle tug.

The purple outer robe slid down her smooth shoulders, piling onto the weed-covered ground.

Next came the undergarments, which Dugu Yan peeled off one by one.

A figure that could only be described as perfect was thus exposed without reservation to the glow of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Her vibrant, youthful curves shimmered with an incredibly alluring luster.

Dugu Yan shielded her chest with both hands, her long eyelashes trembling slightly; she dared not look up to meet Gu Qing's eyes.

"Lie down on that flat bluestone."

Gu Qing's tone remained devoid of any fluctuation, as if he were facing an utterly mundane object.

This indifferent attitude actually eased much of the tension in Dugu Yan's heart.

Dugu Yan walked cautiously to the side of the bluestone and lay flat as Gu Qing had instructed.

Gu Qing flipped his wrist, and a row of silver needles shimmering with cold light appeared in his palm.

Walking slowly to the side of the bluestone, Gu Qing looked down at Dugu Yan from above.

"There will be some stinging and heat during the process; try your best to endure it and do not move around."

Gu Qing pinched a silver needle, a faint glimmer of soul power lighting up his fingertips.

Without giving Dugu Yan time to respond, the silver needle in Gu Qing's hand had already pierced accurately into an acupoint on her lower abdomen.

A stream of warm air surged into her body along the needle, causing Dugu Yan to let out a soft moan.

Gu Qing's technique was extremely fast, with one silver needle after another being placed in rapid succession.

From her shoulders to her waist and abdomen, and then down to her long, straight legs.

Gu Qing's fingertips inevitably brushed against Dugu Yan's warm, soft skin.

Each brief touch felt like a faint electric current, running wild through Dugu Yan's body.

Dugu Yan felt her body temperature rising steadily, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.

The surrounding air gradually filled with a slightly ambiguous atmosphere.

This peculiar, tingling numbness was far more tormenting than simple pain.

Dugu Yan bit her lower lip tightly, struggling to suppress the instinctive urge to twist her body.

Gu Qing's gaze remained absolutely clear from beginning to end, devoid of any improper thoughts.

As the final silver needle was accurately inserted into the acupoint, an unnatural flush spread across Dugu Yan's entire body.

Threads of purple-black sweat seeped out from her pores, emitting a pungent, fishy odor.

This was the Jade Phosphorous Serpent venom that had accumulated in her body for years, now being stripped away bit by bit by Gu Qing's soul power and acupuncture technique.

After a full hour, the sweat being expelled finally turned clear and transparent once more.

Gu Qing flicked his sleeve, and the thirty-six silver needles stuck in Dugu Yan's body were all retrieved.

"It is finished."

Gu Qing turned around, his back to Dugu Yan as she lay on the bluestone.

"Go to the water pool nearby to wash up, then put your clothes back on."

Dugu Yan felt her body as light as a feather; the heaviness that had plagued her for over a decade had been swept away.

Looking at Gu Qing's broad, upright back, a complex and unusual glint flashed in the depths of Dugu Yan's eyes.

After a quick wash, Dugu Yan dressed neatly and walked softly behind Gu Qing.

"Thank you."

Dugu Yan said these two words with extreme sincerity, even carrying a hint of imperceptible tenderness.

Gu Qing did not turn back, his gaze already fixed on the immortal herbs surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

"Go find your grandfather outside; I still need to stay here for a while longer."

Dugu Yan nodded submissively and, without lingering, turned and walked toward the exit of the valley.

Only when Dugu Yan's presence had completely vanished did Gu Qing begin to stroll through this natural treasure trove.

Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot, Aromatic Silk Beauty.

One by one, peerless immortal herbs rarely seen in the outside world were harvested by Gu Qing using special techniques.

After properly storing all the herbs he needed, Gu Qing finally set off on the journey back to Heaven Dou City.

Inside the bedroom of the Crown Prince Mansion, a few faint candle flames flickered in the breeze.

Qian Renxue sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze fixed intently on the tightly closed door.

The sky outside the window was already turning slightly pale; a new day was about to dawn.

Qian Renxue had sat in this room for the entire night, not even closing her eyes once.

An irrepressible sense of irritation surged continuously in Qian Renxue's heart.

Gu Qing had not returned all night, and he was spending it with that woman, Dugu Yan, in the Sunset Forest.

The image of Dugu Yan's exaggerated, swaying waist kept flashing through Qian Renxue's mind.

Along with the look in Dugu Yan's eyes when she gazed at Gu Qing—a look that made it seem as if she were desperate to press herself against him.

A lone man and a woman, spending the dead of night out in that desolate wilderness.

Detoxifying?

Qian Renxue gripped the bedsheets beneath her tightly, her knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

What kind of poison requires an entire night to treat?

That wanton woman—who knows what kind of base, shameless methods she might use to seduce Gu Qing.

And Gu Qing, of all people, is a normal man in the prime of his youth.

The more Qian Renxue thought about it, the more suffocated she felt, a nameless fire raging through her chest.

"What a shameless, undisciplined bastard!"

Qian Renxue gritted her teeth as she squeezed the words through them, her eyes filled with resentment.

Just yesterday, Qian Renxue had felt a flicker of attraction because of Gu Qing's composure and strength.

That air of having everything under control had even made her feel that if she were to truly marry Gu Qing, it might not be something she would find entirely repulsive.

The psychological defenses Qian Renxue had painstakingly built over a dozen years had already developed severe cracks.

But now, all that goodwill had vanished into thin air amidst this night of torment and waiting.

Qian Renxue felt that Gu Qing was no different from any other lecherous man.

On the surface, he maintained an air of aloof detachment, yet in private, he was utterly incapable of resisting the temptations of a seductive woman.

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the sour, bitter emotions in her heart.

The resolve that had been wavering moments ago became as firm as stone once more.

Even if she were to grow old in solitude, Qian Renxue would never marry a man so hypocritical and inconsistent.

This was the bottom line and the pride of the Martial Soul Hall Young Master.

The sky grew fully bright, and the morning sun spilled through the window lattice into the room.

A faint sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor outside, breaking the morning silence.

Qian Renxue jerked her head up, her gaze locking onto that heavy wooden door.

Creak.

The door was pushed open from the outside, and Gu Qing walked in with a steady, unhurried gait.

The clothes Gu Qing wore, which had been clean before, were now stained with a fair amount of morning dew.

Due to their close proximity the previous night, a faint trace of the floral scent from Dugu Yan's perfume still lingered on Gu Qing's sleeves.

Caught by the breeze, the scent drifted directly onto the tip of Qian Renxue's nose.

For Qian Renxue, it was like a fuse directly igniting a powder keg.

Qian Renxue's expression darkened to the extreme in an instant, her eyes filled with undisguised disgust as she looked at Gu Qing.

Gu Qing walked into the room with his usual expression, seemingly completely unaware of the tense, hostile atmosphere.

Casually placing a fairy herb that radiated a strange halo onto the table, Gu Qing poured himself a cup of cold tea.

Qian Renxue stood up abruptly from the bed and walked over to Gu Qing in a few strides.

"Why did you even bother coming back?"

Qian Renxue crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes full of mockery as she launched a sarcastic, biting attack.

Gu Qing picked up the cold tea and took a sip, his gaze resting calmly on the Qian Renxue standing before him.

The tea flowed down his throat, slightly easing the fatigue of his night-long journey.

Setting the cup back on the table, Gu Qing did not immediately answer Qian Renxue's interrogation.

This lukewarm attitude, in Qian Renxue's eyes, was undoubtedly a confirmation of and a provocation regarding his night spent away.

The fury in Qian Renxue's chest surged even higher.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Qian Renxue stepped forward, her gaze locked tightly onto Gu Qing's calm, unruffled face.

"Did I hit a nerve, or are you still savoring the intimacy you shared in the Sunset Forest last night?"

The words were heavy, dripping with thick, explosive hostility.

Gu Qing raised his eyes to study Qian Renxue, his gaze pausing for a moment on the clear red bloodshot lines in her eyes.

"You sat here all night?"

Gu Qing's tone was very steady, merely stating an obvious fact.

Upon hearing this counter-question, the sharp, aggressive aura Qian Renxue had been projecting flickered with a hint of panic.

Qian Renxue quickly averted her gaze, not daring to look Gu Qing in the eye.

"Stop trying to gild your own lily."

"As the Young Master of Martial Soul Hall, I have endless affairs to attend to every day; why would I have the leisure to wait for you?"

Qian Renxue forced herself to steady her mind, striving to make her tone sound brimming with disdain.

Yet, her hands, turned slightly pale from the excessive force of her grip, had already betrayed her true inner state.

Gu Qing watched this stubborn display from Qian Renxue, unable to help but find it somewhat amusing.

However, Gu Qing did not speak up to expose her, instead letting his gaze fall upon his own sleeve, which was dampened with a touch of morning dew.

That faint scent of powder belonging to Dugu Yan still lingered around his cuff.

"The poisonous miasma in the Sunset Forest is extremely heavy; if one does not remain vigilant at all times, one wouldn't even know how they died."

Gu Qing reached out to brush a fallen leaf from his sleeve, his tone remaining devoid of any fluctuation.

Upon hearing Gu Qing take the initiative to mention the Sunset Forest, Qian Renxue immediately shifted her gaze back to him.