Cooperation

If this kid named Ye Chen wasn't the Fire God Inheritor, how could he be so close to fire elements, and judge that the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well existed just from the fire-element aura on himself?

If he wasn't the Fire God Inheritor, how would he know the Ice and Fire Hot Spring was called the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, and even know that all kinds of rare medicinal herbs grew nearby?

"Kid, do you even know about the medicinal herbs near the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?" Dugu Bo asked first.

Ye Chen nodded. "Yes. To make it easier for me to complete the Divine Trial, the great Fire God specifically mentioned opportunities that would be of great use to my future among the Divine Trial rewards."

"These opportunities included the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well I just mentioned, as well as knowledge of the various herbs growing nearby. Senior, could it be that you don't know much about herbs?"

Dugu Bo shook his head helplessly. "My poison arts are all based on the poison produced by my Martial Soul. I only need to raise my Soul Power for my Martial Soul's poison to grow stronger. And to refine mixed poison, all I need to do is combine the toxins attached to several Soul Rings."

"So I've spent all my time cultivating Soul Power and haven't studied herbal knowledge much. Later, I tried learning about various herbs, but even with that knowledge, I still couldn't identify the herbs near the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. As you said, they're all rare treasures. An ordinary person would find them hard to identify."

"Exactly," Ye Chen said with a smile. "But I'm no ordinary person. I'm the Fire God Inheritor, so naturally I can identify those rare herbs. Senior, it's a pity we didn't meet sooner."

"I have the Fire God's inheritance and knowledge of herbs, while you have the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and all kinds of herbs. It seems our meeting may have been arranged by fate."

As he spoke, Ye Chen lifted his head and gazed into the sky, as though the legendary Divine Realm were both far away and right before his eyes.

"Could it be that the great Fire God brought us together so I could complete the Divine Trial sooner?"

After hearing Ye Chen's words, Dugu Bo was starting to believe him. First, they had met because of the Jade-Eyed Three-Flower Serpent. Then, the thousand-year Second Soul Ring had given them a chance to talk. After that, they had grown suspicious of each other during their conversation, but ultimately chosen to trust one another. It was as if someone had deliberately brought them together. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

"Senior, if you have the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and all kinds of rare herbs, then you don't have to wait until I become a god. Perhaps within the next few years, I can help you and your granddaughter cure the backlash from the snake poison," Ye Chen suddenly said.

Dugu Bo froze. "Is that true?"

"It is." Ye Chen changed tack and made his position clear. "But I can't tell you exactly how to use rare herbs to cure the backlash from the snake poison just yet. I'll have to see whether there are suitable herbs before I can give you a definite answer."

"Fine. After my granddaughter finishes absorbing her Soul Ring, I'll take you to look around that Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well." After saying this, Dugu Bo probed, "Kid, why don't you tell me how you knew my granddaughter and I were suffering from the backlash of snake poison?"

"Your bodies have some unusual characteristics," Ye Chen improvised. "Senior, haven't you noticed? Your hair and beard are both dark green. Where on the continent have you ever seen such strange hair and beard colors? So I concluded that these unusual traits of yours must have been caused by your Martial Soul."

"Your granddaughter has similar traits, which means this influence can be passed down through your Martial Soul bloodline. Unless someone has a constitution that can absorb poison and use it for cultivation, any hereditary poison is harmful to the body. That's why I tested you by asking about the backlash from the snake poison. I didn't expect to guess right."

Dugu Bo gave a cold laugh. "You've got quite the nerve. Weren't you afraid I'd kill you right then and there?"

"Why should I be afraid?" Ye Chen said mysteriously. "After I completed the first trial, my affinity with the Fire God increased by ten percent. I can call upon a trace of the Fire God's divine power in battle. Even though my Soul Power is only at level fifty-seven, with the Fire God's divine power and the advantage of fire over poison, I have no reason to fear your poison."

"But thanks to your restraint, Senior, we didn't fall out. You truly are one of the continent's rare Control-type Titled Douluo. You have incredible control over your emotions."

Dugu Bo waved a hand at that. "Kid, stop flattering me. I'm willing to support you, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be your subordinate. What we have is more of a partnership."

"In the end, I simply do as I please. If something upsets me or doesn't satisfy me, I won't help you."

Seeing that Dugu Bo had made his position clear, Ye Chen got straight to the point as well. "Of course. Whether or not you help me is up to you, Senior."

"But since you've chosen to help me, I hope you'll put some effort into it. Otherwise, when I become a god, I'll do as I please too, and may or may not repay your kindness. So as long as we don't cross each other's bottom lines, we should help each other as best we can. You understand the principle of meeting sincerity with sincerity, don't you, Senior?"

Dugu Bo hadn't expected a kid of sixteen or seventeen to speak to him like that. It seemed this fellow really did have the Fire God's divine power backing him, and plenty of confidence to boot.

What Dugu Bo didn't know was that Ye Chen looked like a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old young man, but was actually only nine.

If Dugu Bo knew he was partnering with a nine-year-old child—and even felt as if he were being played during their partnership—he would surely have been furious and deeply embarrassed.

That was exactly why Ye Chen didn't dare reveal his real age.

Just as the two of them finished talking, Dugu Yan finally completed absorbing her third Soul Ring. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—circling up and down around her body.

"Grandpa, I did it!" Dugu Yan cried out. She got to her feet and threw herself into Dugu Bo's arms.

Dugu Bo, who had been so stern just moments earlier, now wore a completely softened expression. He wrapped his arms around Dugu Yan as she rushed into them and laughed. "Mm, not bad, Yan Yan. You've finally advanced to a three-ring Soul Elder."

"What do you mean, 'finally'?" Dugu Yan protested. "It was you who told me to slack off in my Soul Power cultivation. Otherwise, at sixteen, I might already have reached the Four-Ring Soul Ancestor level. Grandpa, can you tell me now? Why did you ask me to slack off in my cultivation?"

"No rush. I'll tell you when you become a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor." As he spoke, Dugu Bo gently pushed Dugu Yan away from his embrace.

Dugu Yan folded her arms and said irritably, "That again. When I become a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, are you going to tell me to wait until I become a Five-Ring Soul King before you tell me why?"

"How could I?" Dugu Bo promised. "Yan Yan, Grandpa swears that I'll tell you why as soon as you become a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor. For now, just keep slowing down your Soul Power cultivation as I asked."