Picking Herbs, Preparing for the Ice and Fire Refined Golden Body!

After explaining the remaining two methods to Dugu Bo in full, Yu Tianchen spoke up.

"That is generally all I can think of."

"As for how you intend to proceed, that is up to you."

Dugu Bo furrowed his brows tightly.

Of the three methods Yu Tianchen had provided, only the first one sounded remotely reliable.

The second required a gamble; Dugu Bo had spent his entire life mastering poison, and asking him to abandon his cultivation would be no different from killing him.

The third was even more absurd.

"It seems I have no choice but to choose the first method after all..."

Dugu Bo let out a soft sigh.

"Actually, theoretically speaking, all three methods can be used in conjunction."

Yu Tianchen thought for a moment before saying to Dugu Bo:

"The first method can rid you of your poisoned state in the shortest amount of time. Then, I can use small-scale Heavenly Lightning to temper your body, strengthening your physique so that it can better contain the toxins."

"By combining these two approaches, we can greatly extend the time you remain free from the toxins' interference. If I truly manage to create a Soul Tool capable of storing poison by then, you can transition perfectly. If I fail, your body, tempered by the Heavenly Lightning, will be robust enough to withstand the erosion of the toxins on its own."

"Really?"

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up.

"Yes, but there are drawbacks to using all three methods together."

A subtle, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of Yu Tianchen's mouth.

"Aside from the first method, the other two cannot be performed without my assistance."

"Therefore, if you wish to use all three, you will essentially be binding yourself to me."

"Binding yourself to a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—I think I don't need to say much for you to understand what that implies, right?"

Yu Yuanzhen, who had been listening to the entire conversation from the side, felt his eyes brighten.

Dugu Bo's expression, however, shifted.

"This..."

Dugu Bo's face was a mixture of temptation and hesitation.

If Yu Tianchen's three methods were combined, not only could he resolve the issue of the toxins within his body, but his overall strength could even reach a higher level.

Yet, as the other party had pointed out, if he wanted to utilize them all, he would essentially have to remain by Yu Tianchen's side for a very long time.

By then, even if he had no intention of joining any faction, other powers would assume he was a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan simply because he was always with Yu Tianchen.

"Old Poison Freak, why are you still hesitating over such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"

Yu Yuanzhen, having realized Yu Tianchen's intentions, immediately glared and spoke up:

"What, is joining my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan somehow beneath you?"

"Do you think I'm desperate to join your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"

Dugu Bo glared back at Yu Yuanzhen.

However, thanks to Yu Yuanzhen's interruption, he managed to clear his thoughts.

"Fine. Compared to freedom, a breakthrough in strength is more to my liking."

"I can stay by the side of this kid, Tianchen. I don't care what the outside world says, but you Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon people are not allowed to force me to do anything I don't want to do!"

"Hahaha, that's the spirit!"

Seeing Dugu Bo agree, Yu Yuanzhen burst into laughter.

He then patted Yu Tianchen on the shoulder:

"Alright, Little Chen, since this old thing has agreed, you go and attend to your own affairs."

"Stay safe. Grandfather needs to discuss a few things with him."

With that, he stepped forward, hooked his arm around Dugu Bo's shoulder, and pulled him toward the other side.

"Come, come, Old Poison Freak, I must have a proper discussion with you about joining the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

"What 'joining the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan'? I only want to follow the kid, Tianchen. Don't conflate the two!"

"Eh, it's all the same, all the same!"

Watching Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo walk away, Yu Tianchen could only offer a helpless smile.

Immediately, he looked toward the location of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

"In that case, I suppose it's time for me to begin as well."

He circulated the Great Sun Thunder Body technique and activated the Bronze Thunder Body, braving the impact of the two extreme spiritual energies of heaven and earth—one scorching hot and the other freezing cold—as he reached the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

One had to admit, the impact of these two extreme spiritual energies at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was truly something else.

Even at the current level of Yu Tianchen's Bronze Thunder Body, he could feel a distinct sensation of heat and cold.

He took a brief look around at the medicinal herbs growing along the edges of the scorching and freezing springs.

Yu Tianchen quickly locked onto the two immortal herbs he was looking for.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, white all over and octagonal in shape, with a center shimmering like ice crystals, was located at the center point on the side of the Cold Extreme Yin Spring.

The Infernal Delicate Apricot, meanwhile, was fiery red all over, shaped like a cabbage, and located at the center point of the Scorching Yang Spring.

These two immortal herbs were quite conspicuous at the center points of their respective sides.

After confirming the locations of the two immortal herbs he sought, Yu Tianchen took the Soul Tool he wore at his waist and emptied all its contents.

These were the tools Yu Tianchen had specifically prepared, following the methods Tang San used to harvest herbs in his memories.

"Hmm... if I recall correctly, Tang San suffered quite a bit when he picked these two immortal herbs back then."

"I wonder if my current physical body can withstand it."

Yu Tianchen mused, tucking the dagger and jade knife he had prepared onto his person.

He then circulated the Great Sun Thunder Body and began to walk toward the location of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.

Out of respect for the immortal herbs, and also to prevent serious damage to his own body, Yu Tianchen abruptly activated his martial soul as he neared the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.

His first and second thousand-year soul rings lit up simultaneously.

Pale purple thunder patterns and thunder armor manifested on his body at the same time.

Immediately following this, Yu Tianchen activated the Eight Gates Resonance Method.

Four acupoints resonated at the same frequency, granting him a fourfold boost once again.

Then, following the method Tang San used to harvest the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot, he plucked the two immortal herbs one by one.

After struggling to place the two immortal herbs together, Yu Tianchen sat down on the ground in a rather disheveled state, his face flickering between red and blue as he gasped for air.

He was different from Tang San; he lacked the Mysterious Jade Hand and the Blue Silver Grass, so to harvest these two immortal herbs, he could only use the most brute-force method to bring them together.

It was only thanks to his sufficiently tough physique that he managed this.

Otherwise, this alone would have been enough to cost him his life.

However, although the process was painful, he had succeeded in the end.

Watching the two immortal herbs begin to merge with one another, Yu Tianchen calmed his restless aura slightly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"Now then, let's begin."

"Ice and Fire Refined Golden Body!"

"This time, I will definitely break through to the second level of the Great Sun Thunder Body!"