Had Big Brother Forgotten the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?

A thousand miles away, the setting sun filtered through the dense canopy of Spirit Hall's private Soul Hunting Forest, scattering flecks of gold across the ground.

In a clearing, Spirit Hall's four youngsters sat together. The fluctuations of Soul Power around them were far steadier than before, and a deep yellow hundred-year Soul Ring hovered beneath each of them. The rings' markings were clear and substantial, and the Soul Power they radiated far exceeded the limits of Soul Masters at the same level.

Qian Gujue, who had just broken through to rank ten, sat cross-legged, steadying his breathing. The Soul Ring beneath him was an astonishing 960 years old—nearly twice the usual 423-year limit for a Soul Master's first ring, and already approaching the threshold for an ordinary person's third.

The ring resonated faintly with the heavy Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul in his hand. The dragon patterns along the staff had grown sharper and more distinct. He had clearly absorbed this ring, far beyond the conventional limit, without a hitch.

Beside him, Tang San's Soul Ring had reached 900 years.

He had chosen an Everlasting Green Vine of the same age, one of the finest pure life-type plant Soul Beasts on the Douluo Continent. It suited his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul Origin perfectly and brought his talent for support to its fullest potential.

After absorbing the ring, the slightest movement of the Blue Silver Grass in his palm released a soft golden glow of life. Regal golden patterns flowed endlessly across its leaves. His first Soul Skill, Endless Life, could grant allies across a wide area a boost in vitality, speed up wound healing, and greatly increase the team's Soul Power recovery. It was a top-tier group support skill.

Even a light touch of its Soul Power could instantly restore much of a weary teammate's strength. It made him the undisputed heart of the team.

Gui Mengguan and Oupai were no less impressive. Gui Mengguan's Other Shore Flower Martial Soul had absorbed a 950-year Soul Ring, while Oupai's Martial Soul had taken one of 930 years. Even the support-type branch, which placed less strain on the body, had pushed its first ring straight to 680 years—far beyond the usual absorption limit for Soul Masters of that type.

It was only natural that they could pull this off.

They had grown up surrounded by Spirit Hall's finest resources, with a constant supply of treatments to cleanse and strengthen their bodies. Whale Rubber had reinforced them further. Their physiques and mental resilience were simply beyond comparison with ordinary Soul Masters'. A first Soul Ring over 900 years old was well within reach; they would even have had a decent chance of absorbing a thousand-year ring.

They were not too concerned about the ages of these rings, either.

If they wanted to replace them, they would have plenty of chances in the future.

For this Soul Beast hunt, Spirit Hall had sent Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, two rank ninety-seven Titled Douluo from the Worship Hall, to escort them throughout.

With two Titled Douluo working together, even thousand-year Soul Beasts were easy prey, let alone hundred-year ones. The entire hunt went smoothly, without the slightest mishap. In less than three days, they had found all four children the best-suited rings at the highest ages they could handle.

"Not bad. You've all absorbed them perfectly, and your foundations are solid."

Falling Devil Douluo rested his Coiling Dragon Staff on his shoulder and looked at the four children, his delight plain on his face. "That's Spirit Hall's precious little prodigies for you. Across the whole continent, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone whose first Soul Ring could match yours."

Qianjun Douluo nodded slightly, his gaze passing over the four children. "Now that you've absorbed your rings, we'll return to Spirit City. Your next task is to stabilize your Soul Power and master your Soul Skills. Don't rush ahead. Even if your bodies can withstand older rings, you must take things one step at a time."

The four children rose and followed the two Titled Douluo to the carriage for the return journey.

The carriage was spacious and luxurious, furnished with cushioned seats and a tea table. It rolled along with barely a jolt.

Qian Gujue held his Coiling Dragon Staff, idly tracing the patterns along its shaft. Tang San leaned against the window, gently rubbing his fingertips together as he sensed the subtle changes in his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Across from them, Gui Mengguan and Oupai held teacups as if they were enjoying their tea. In the minds of three of them, though, messages were already flying thick and fast.

[Gui Mengguan: I almost forgot. Guys, our first Soul Rings are already pushing the limit for second rings. Shouldn't we have absorbed the immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well by now?]

[Qian Gujue: Right! I'd forgotten too. Big Brother was the first transmigrator. How could he not go after the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, one of the greatest opportunities on the Douluo Continent? It's full of treasures that can max out Innate Soul Power and even evolve a Martial Soul!]

[Oupai: Now that you mention it, I'm puzzled too. Forget Big Brother—even the three of us would rush to Sunset Forest and claim the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well the first chance we got! Split those immortal herbs among the four of us, and our talents would shoot through the roof. Becoming gods would be practically guaranteed!]

[Gui Mengguan: Did Big Brother forget? No way! Anyone who's read Douluo would remember a treasure trove as broken as the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Maybe he couldn't find it?]

[Oupai: That can't be it, can it? Sunset Forest is only so big, and the well's location doesn't move. How could he fail to find it?]

The three exchanged looks, seeing the same confusion in one another's eyes. They had been in this world long enough to understand how it worked.

Big Brother was a transmigrator too. He had rewritten the original story, turned Spirit Hall—supposed to be the enemy—into a united force, and even brought the twin Tang San back to be raised there. By all rights, he would never have passed up an opportunity as great as the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

After mulling it over, Gui Mengguan was the first to lose patience. He leaned toward Qian Jun and Jiang Mo and asked in a casual tone, "Grandpas, can we ask you something? Have you ever heard of a place called the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?"

The carriage fell noticeably quiet.

Tang San, who had been resting with his eyes closed as he sensed his Soul Power, snapped them open. He stared at Gui Mengguan and the other two in shock.

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well? How did they know about that place?!

It was a peerless treasure ground recorded in the Tang Sect texts from his previous life, a unique spring of yin and yang where every immortal herb could change a person's fate. How could anyone else in this world know its name?

Could the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well exist in this world too?

Qianjun Douluo and Falling Devil Douluo looked at each other, equally baffled. Then Qianjun Douluo shook his head. "The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well? Never heard of it. My brother and I have lived for over a century, and we've heard of nearly every blessed land and hidden danger on the Douluo Continent. But never that name. Where did you hear of it?"

The three felt their hearts sink, and messages erupted in their minds once more.

[Gui Mengguan: No way. Even Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, two Titled Douluo who've lived for over a century, haven't heard of it? Something's seriously off!]

[Oupai: I've got it! Remember Douluo II? After Tang San became a god, he sealed the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well with divine power! Unless he chose you, you couldn't see the entrance even if you stood right in front of it, much less get inside!]

[Qian Gujue: Right! That has to be it! In the original story, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was an opportunity the Asura God left for Tang San, protected by a god-level formation! Forget Big Brother—even a Limit Douluo would be helpless if he couldn't find the entrance!]

[Gui Mengguan: And Dugu Bo! He occupied the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well for years in the original story. He had a whole garden of immortal herbs, yet all he knew was how to use them to treat poison. He didn't even understand their basic properties. Isn't it obvious his intelligence was suppressed? That was the Asura God's doing, keeping outsiders from touching those herbs!]

[Oupai: No wonder Big Brother never took the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. It wasn't that he didn't want to—he couldn't get in even if he went! With a god-level formation sealing it, he couldn't have broken through the Asura God's barrier even as a Limit Douluo, let alone when he was just a Titled Douluo!]

[Qian Gujue: Exactly! That must be it! So many Titled Douluo have traveled the Douluo Continent for years. How could none of them have noticed anything strange in Sunset Forest? They must have gone there but been unable to see or enter it. The divine formation hid everything!]

In an instant, the three felt they had figured it out. Their confusion vanished, and they began making plans.

If the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was still there, they could go and claim it ahead of time.

By now, the formation might have failed and Dugu Bo might already have taken over the well. If they went and seized it from him, wouldn't all the immortal herbs inside be theirs?