After explaining the remaining two methods to Dugu Bo,
Yu Tianchen said:
"Those are all the methods I can think of, more or less."
"As for what you decide to do, that's up to you."
Dugu Bo furrowed his brows.
Of the three methods Yu Tianchen had offered, the one that sounded the most reliable
was the first.
The second was a gamble. Dugu Bo had spent his whole life wielding poison; asking him to give up all his poison cultivation just like that was no different from killing him.
The third was even more absurd.
"Looks like I can only choose the first method after all..."
Dugu Bo let out a soft sigh.
"Actually, in theory, all three methods can be used together."
Yu Tianchen thought it over, then said to Dugu Bo:
"The first method can free you from your poisoned state in the shortest time. After that, I can temper your body with small-scale bolts of heavenly thunder, strengthening your physique so it can better contain the poison."
"By using these two methods, we can greatly extend the time you can go without being troubled by the poison. If I manage to create a Soul Tool that can store poison by then, you'll be able to make a seamless transition. If I don't, your body will still be able to withstand the poison's corrosive effects after being tempered by heavenly thunder."
"Really?"
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up.
"Mm. But using all three methods together does have its drawbacks."
A faint, hard-to-detect smile touched Yu Tianchen's lips.
"Both methods besides the first depend on my help."
"So if you want to use all three together, you'll be tying yourself to me."
"Since I'm a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I don't think I need to spell out what that means, do I?"
Yu Yuanzhen, who had been listening the whole time, brightened.
Dugu Bo's expression, however, changed.
"This..."
Dugu Bo's face showed both eagerness and hesitation.
Combining Yu Tianchen's three methods would not only let him solve the problem of the poison in his body, but might even raise his overall strength to a whole new level.
But just as Yu Tianchen had said, if he wanted to use all three methods together, Dugu Bo would have to stay by his side for a long time.
Even if Dugu Bo had no intention of joining any faction,
other factions would assume he belonged to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan simply because he was with Yu Tianchen.
"Old Poison Freak, this kind of once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity has fallen right into your lap. What are you hesitating for?"
Yu Yuanzhen had finally caught on to Yu Tianchen's intentions. He immediately glared and said:
"What, would joining the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan be beneath you?"
"You think I'm eager to join your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
Dugu Bo glared right back at Yu Yuanzhen.
But Yu Yuanzhen's interruption had helped him see things more clearly.
"Forget it. Advancing my strength suits me better than keeping my freedom."
"I can stay by your side, Tianchen. I don't care what people outside say, but your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had better not force me to do anything I don't want to do!"
"Hahaha, now you're talking!"
Seeing Dugu Bo agree, Yu Yuanzhen burst into laughter.
Then he patted Yu Tianchen on the shoulder:
"All right, Xiao Chen. Since this old fellow has agreed, go take care of your own business."
"Be careful. Grandpa has a few things to discuss with him."
With that,
he stepped forward, slung an arm around Dugu Bo's shoulders, and pulled him toward the other side:
"Come, come, Old Poison Freak. I have to discuss your joining the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan with you properly."
"Joining the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? I only want to stay with Tianchen. Don't mix those two things up!"
"Ah, it's all the same, all the same!"
"..."
Watching Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo walk away, Yu Tianchen could only smile helplessly.
Then he looked toward the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
"In that case, I'd better get started too."
He circulated the Great Sun Thunder Body technique and activated his Bronze Thunder Body. Braving the impact of the surrounding spiritual energy, which was split between extreme heat and extreme cold, he made his way to the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
There was no denying that the impact of the two extreme energies around the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was something else.
Even with Yu Tianchen's current Bronze Thunder Body, he could distinctly feel the heat and cold.
He quickly surveyed the herbs growing beside the extremely hot and cold springs.
Yu Tianchen soon spotted the two Immortal Herbs he had been looking for.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was white all over and shaped like an eight-pointed star. At its center, tiny stamens glimmered like ice crystals. It grew at the center of the Cold Extreme Yin Spring.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot, by contrast, was fiery red all over and shaped like a cabbage. It grew at the center of the Scorching Yang Spring.
The two Immortal Herbs stood out quite clearly at the centers of the two springs.
Once he had pinpointed their locations, Yu Tianchen took the Storage Soul Tool from his waist and emptied out everything inside.
He had prepared all these tools specifically for picking herbs, based on his memories of how Tang San had gathered them.
"Hmm... if I remember right, Tang San suffered quite a bit when he picked these two Immortal Herbs."
"I wonder if my body can withstand it as it is now."
As he considered this, Yu Tianchen strapped the dagger and jade knife he had prepared to his body.
Then he circulated the Great Sun Thunder Body and began walking toward the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Out of respect for the Immortal Herb, and to prevent his body from suffering serious damage,
Yu Tianchen activated his Martial Soul just before he reached the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
His first and second Thousand-Year Soul Rings lit up at the same time.
Pale purple lightning patterns and a suit of lightning armor appeared on his body.
Then Yu Tianchen activated the Eight Gates Resonance Method.
Four acupoints resonated at the same frequency, boosting him fourfold once again.
After that, he followed the method Tang San had used to pick the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot, plucking the two Immortal Herbs one after the other.
Only after he had forced himself to place the two Immortal Herbs together did Yu Tianchen slump down onto the ground, looking rather wretched. His face flushed red, then turned pale, as he gasped for breath.
Unlike Tang San, he didn't have the Mysterious Jade Hand or Blue Silver Grass. So, to pick the two Immortal Herbs, he could only use the clumsiest method: grab them and put them together.
Luckily, his physique was tough enough.
Otherwise, that alone would have been enough to cost him his life.
The process had been painful, but at least he had succeeded.
Watching the two Immortal Herbs begin to fuse, Yu Tianchen gradually calmed his agitated breathing. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
"Then let's begin."
"Ice and Fire Refined Golden Body!"
"This time, I'm definitely breaking through to the second level of the Great Sun Thunder Body!"
Before you continue