Dugu Bo Caved! The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well Was His!

Dugu Bo collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Cold sweat had already soaked through his clothes.

Relief at surviving and fear in the face of absolute power mingled on his deathly pale face.

The Blue Silver Grass that had blotted out the sky slowly withdrew its divine might, turning back into flecks of blue-gold light that sank into the ground and vanished.

It was as though the world-shattering scene from moments ago had never happened.

The valley fell silent once more.

Chen Xuan's figure reappeared. He still stood with his hands behind his back, and there wasn't even a crease in his clothes.

His calm gaze settled on Dugu Bo.

"Do you concede?"

The three casual words weighed more than a mountain, crashing down on Dugu Bo's heart.

Dugu Bo shuddered and struggled to his feet. He no longer dared put on the airs of a Titled Douluo. Bowing deeply to Chen Xuan, he adopted the utmost respectful posture.

"I concede! This old man... No, I, Dugu Bo, am utterly convinced and bow down before you!"

There wasn't a trace of arrogance in his voice now, only heartfelt awe.

How could this be a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul? This was divine power!

He gave a bitter laugh, his expression turning complicated.

"Your strength has truly opened my eyes today."

"But... removing the poison may not be so simple."

Dugu Bo sighed, his face clouded with worry.

"The poison of my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor has been passed down from generation to generation. It has long since seeped into my blood and bones. I've tried countless methods to suppress it and searched the world for rare treasures, but none have worked."

"Your strength is boundless, but my poison can't be removed by strength alone."

In other words, though he acknowledged Chen Xuan's power, he still deeply doubted whether Chen Xuan could cure the poison.

It was the final stubborn pride of the continent's greatest poison master.

Chen Xuan made no comment.

He said nothing more, merely raising his right hand and pointing at Dugu Bo from afar.

Vmmm—

A strand of gentle blue-gold light shot from his fingertip and instantly enveloped Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo instinctively tried to resist, but the moment the light touched him, his whole body shuddered and he abandoned the thought.

There was no impact as he'd imagined, nor any discomfort.

Instead, an immense, surging warmth filled him with life, wrapping around him like the spring sunshine.

This life force was so pure and vast that Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo who had lived alongside deadly poisons for years and whose body had been ravaged by them, felt so comfortable he nearly groaned aloud.

Every cell in his body rejoiced.

His parched meridians were like drought-stricken earth, greedily drinking in this spring of life.

He even had the illusion that he'd grown decades younger.

But the very next moment, something even more shocking happened.

He clearly felt the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison coiled deep in his blood, tormenting him all his life like a parasite clinging to his bones, impossible to escape.

Under the blue-gold light, it melted at an inconceivable speed, like snow beneath the blazing sun!

Strands of visible dark-green poisonous vapor were forced out through his pores, then vanished without a trace in the blue-gold light.

Dugu Bo's green eyes widened, and his mouth gaped open enough to fit an egg.

The chronic illness that had tormented him for nearly a century...

Just like that... was cured?

All his pride and everything he'd believed to be true was overturned in an instant.

This man before him possessed not only the strength of a god, but the life force of a creator!

Those so-called "fallacies" he'd spouted earlier weren't fallacies at all. They were supreme truths he was too lowly to understand!

Thump!

Dugu Bo could no longer hold himself up. His knees buckled, and he dropped straight to the ground before Chen Xuan.

"Dugu Bo will never forget your great kindness, sir!"

"From this day on, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well is yours. You may claim it whenever you wish! I'll gladly show you the way!"

He looked up, his eyes full of fervor and pleading.

"My granddaughter, Dugu Yan, suffers from the serpent poison too. Please show her your mercy!

I'll send her to Blue Silver Academy at once to become your disciple. I only ask that you treat her with care!"

Chen Xuan lowered his hand, and the blue-gold light faded with it.

He glanced at Dugu Bo, still prostrate on the ground, and gave a slight nod.

"Very well."

With that, he paid no further attention to his newly won "follower" and turned toward the valley's exit.

Qian Renxue had watched everything in silence from the side. Her golden eyes shimmered with wonder.

Seeing her teacher leave, she hurried after him.

Back in Heaven Dou City, at Blue Silver Academy.

In her private courtyard, Qian Renxue shed her fitted clothes and stepped into the warm bath.

The rising steam blurred her flawless figure and gradually calmed her still-throbbing heart.

She rested her head against the edge of the bath and closed her eyes.

But her mind kept replaying the scene from the Sunset Forest over and over again.

The Blue Silver Grass that had split the earth and blotted out the sky.

The supreme divine might that had ruled over all and commanded life.

It was all etched deep into her soul, impossible to forget.

So this was her teacher's true power.

So the Trash Martial Soul Blue Silver Grass, scorned by the world, could display such a miraculous form in his hands.

Suddenly, the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul she'd once been so proud of seemed so small and dim beside her teacher's Blue Silver Grass.

Admiration, awe, curiosity...

The emotions tangled together, making her want to find an excuse to get closer to him.

She wanted to understand him better.

She wanted... to stay by his side forever.

Once the thought took root, it spread wildly like a vine, impossible to suppress.

After a long while, Qian Renxue opened her eyes and rose from the bath.

She didn't put back on the fine clothes that marked her as Crown Prince "Xue Qinghe." Instead, she took a simple, elegant goose-yellow dress from her Storage Soul Tool.

Her golden hair cascaded down her back, and her breathtaking face, free of makeup, looked even more delicate and dewy in the moist air.

She gazed at her reflection, drew a deep breath, and headed toward the rear courtyard where Chen Xuan lived.

The academy's rear courtyard.

Chen Xuan stood before the enormous Blue Silver Grass, communicating with the consciousness contained within it.

"Ah Yin, I've secured the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Before long, you'll truly be able to come back to life."

His voice held a rare note of gentleness.

The giant Blue Silver Grass seemed to understand him. Its enormous leaves stirred without a breeze, swaying softly.

The sacred golden patterns on its leaves shone brightly, and a pure feeling of joy and dependence flowed clearly into Chen Xuan's heart.