Chatty Immortal Grass

"In that case... since you are members of the Tang Sect and have managed to traverse the seven-colored poisonous miasma to reach this place, you may be considered qualified to harvest herbs. Enter."

The voice of that hundred-thousand-year-old Jade Phosphorus Nine-Absolute Flower was low and resonant.

As the words fell, the thick, toxic clouds shrouding the path ahead slowly writhed and parted to both sides, revealing a narrow yet clear passage.

"Many thanks, Senior."

Lin Feng bowed slightly in salute, then flapped the fiery wings on his back, holding Tang Ya close as he accelerated through the deadly sea of Jade Phosphorus Seven Absolute Flowers.

At the end of the sea of flowers lay the towering edge of the valley.

The cliff face was steep, nearly vertical, as if cleaved by a giant axe. Faint toxic mist still lingered above the cliff, and all manner of vines crawled through the rock crevices and precipices.

Many of these had already cultivated into soul beasts, radiating auras that were not weak, though none possessed ten thousand years of cultivation; at most, they were nearing that threshold, far less dangerous than the sea of Jade Phosphorus Seven Absolute Flowers they had just passed.

For Lin Feng, this cliff was hardly a difficult obstacle. His consumption of Nirvana Phoenix Fire while crossing the flower sea had not been significant.

"Xiao Ya, once we cross this cliff, we will be at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Hold on tight."

"Mm," Tang Ya replied softly, wrapping her arms more tightly around him.

Lin Feng did not delay, flapping his fiery wings with full force to carry them in a rapid ascent along the steep cliff wall.

Sure enough, they had not flown very high before the deep blue vines on the cliff were disturbed, lashing out like countless tentacles in an attempt to entangle and drag the pair down.

Lin Feng had been prepared; the Nirvana Phoenix Fire around his body flared slightly. As the flames swept past, the attacking vines recoiled rapidly as if touching a red-hot iron, not daring to approach again.

The two made their way upward, breaking through the obstruction of the annoying vines, and finally flew to the top of the cliff.

It was over...

Standing at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the valley below, both were momentarily stunned.

If the outside was a hell filled with lethal traps at every step, then this place... was truly like a fairyland forgotten by the world.

Lin Feng dispersed the protective barrier of his Nirvana Phoenix Fire, and the long-lost, incredibly fresh air surged in, the heaven and earth essence contained within it so dense it was almost tangible.

He and Tang Ya took several deep breaths in unison, their nerves, taut from days of navigating the poisonous miasma, seemingly easing.

The seven-colored poisonous miasma, the sea of Jade Phosphorus Seven Absolute Flowers, the Jade Phosphorus toxic clouds, the highly toxic vines on the cliff—four deadly barriers in total. The defenses of this Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well were truly sinister to the extreme.

The most lethal of them all was undoubtedly that sea of flowers, which actually hid an old poisonous creature with a hundred-thousand-year cultivation.

That old dog Tang truly put in a lot of effort...

Had the aura of the Blue Silver Grass on Tang Ya not been recognized, relying solely on the ultimate fire of Lin Feng's Soul King cultivation, he would likely have had to shed a layer of skin just to get through that flower sea, let alone an outsider.

The valley was not particularly large, but the scenery within was enough to drive any soul master mad.

Various plants, both known and unknown, grew densely, with exotic flowers and rare herbs emitting a pearl-like luster, almost every one of them wreathed in varying degrees of soul power fluctuations.

Flowers that should bloom in different seasons vied for beauty here simultaneously, and fruits that should have ripened at different times hung heavily from the branches, as if the four seasons did not exist here.

And what was most shocking was that, guarded by this vibrant vegetation, the lake at the center of the valley—the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

The lake was clearly divided into two halves.

One half was pure ice-white, emitting chilling white vapor; merely looking at it from afar was enough to feel a coldness that pierced to the marrow.

The other half was a blazing fire-red, the lake water churning like molten lava, steaming with visible heat waves.

One ice and one fire, one white and one red, blending together yet maintaining a clear boundary, like a huge and perfect natural Taiji diagram. The source of the unimaginably vast heaven and earth energy in the entire valley was precisely this.

"That is... the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well," Tang Ya murmured as she gazed at the wonder below, her eyes filled with shock and hope.

"Let's go down."

Lin Feng held Tang Ya and slowly flew from the cliff top to the valley floor.

Once here, they would have to rely on their own exploration. The map Mu En had given them only marked the path up to the sea of Jade Phosphorus Seven Absolute Flowers; the situation inside the valley was a blank slate.

It stood to reason that even that Limit Douluo had likely never truly stepped into this Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Lin Feng gently set Tang Ya down, simultaneously releasing his spiritual detection to cautiously scan this vibrant yet unknown valley, and used his soul power to gently project his voice: "We two juniors are members of the current Tang Sect, here by appointment to seek medicine."

"I haven't seen anyone enter in over a thousand years. I thought all you Tang Sect people had died out."

A somewhat lazy woman's voice echoed directly in the minds of Lin Feng and Tang Ya.

Lin Feng's spiritual detection instantly locked onto the source of the voice.

It was a strange plant growing on the bank at the junction of the red and white springs.

It had no leaves, only a pale pink stalk nearly a zhang long, topped with a massive flower three feet in diameter. The petals were crystal clear, as if carved from pink crystal.

Within a ten-zhang radius around it, there were no other plants, making it stand out prominently in this valley where all things vied for growth.

"This junior is presumptuous, but are you the Aromatic Silk Beauty, Senior?" Lin Feng already had a guess in his heart; he took Tang Ya's hand, and the two quickly approached the strange, large flower, asking respectfully.

"You Tang Sect people actually still remember that name. Not bad, not bad." The lazy female voice carried a hint of satisfaction, then added with a touch of coquettishness, "No need to call me Senior, you'll make me sound old. Just call me Youyou; isn't that a lovely name?"

"Uh... Sister Youyou, alright," Lin Feng replied awkwardly; this "sister" seemed to be of a rather advanced age.

"Come, come to me," the voice of the Aromatic Silk Beauty sounded intrigued. "Keep me company and chat. I haven't seen anyone enter in a thousand years. Tell me, what has the outside world become now? If you chat well enough, perhaps... this sister will be happy and give you some benefits."

"Alright, Sister Youyou," Lin Feng replied, about to step forward.

"Xiao Feng, watch out for traps," Tang Ya pulled on his sleeve in concern, whispering a reminder, "She is an old monster who has lived for a hundred thousand years..."

"Hey! You little girl over there, what are you saying?" The voice of the Aromatic Silk Beauty immediately rose, carrying clear dissatisfaction. "What one hundred thousand years old? I am not, that, old! This one is only nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine years old; I am still very young, alright! This place is a rare treasure trove to begin with, rich in heaven and earth essence, and we plant-type soul beasts grow here very quickly—almost ten times faster than outside."

She seemed to have opened the floodgates, beginning to chatter incessantly: "Besides, the cultivation and age of soul beasts on the Douluo Continent are not equivalent to begin with. The higher the cultivation, the greater the discrepancy; it can even be dozens of times over! Those bad guys from the animal kingdom rely on hunting and devouring other soul beasts to increase their cultivation. Many of those hundred-thousand-year-old guys are actually less than five thousand years old! It is not easy for us plant-types; we can only slowly absorb the essence of heaven and earth to cultivate. Of course, that does not include those bad guys like predatory plants..."

"Stop, stop! Thank you, Senior... wait, I misspoke, thank you for the guidance, Sister Youyou. We understand now..." Lin Feng felt his head spinning and hurriedly spoke up to interrupt the lecture from this chatterbox immortal herb.

"Hurry up and come over to keep me company! Otherwise... otherwise I will call those hot-tempered guys to beat you up!" The voice of the Aromatic Silk Beauty carried a hint of spoiled, willful threat, but there was no malice in her tone; it sounded more like a bored child throwing a tantrum.

"Don't be afraid, Xiao Ya. I'm here, let's go over."