The two Immortal Herbs could only maintain their medicinal effects for ten breaths after their auras intertwined.
So Yu Tianchen didn't hesitate. He picked up the herbs and stuffed them into his mouth.
The herbs melted as soon as they touched his tongue, and a fresh fragrance blossomed in his mouth.
Yu Tianchen had no time to savor the sensation. He quickly placed the note he'd prepared beforehand on top of his Storage Soul Tool, so Yu Yuanzhen wouldn't worry.
He had only just put down the note.
A domineering wave of extreme heat and cold suddenly rose from his body.
It was starting to take effect!
Yu Tianchen clenched his teeth and stood up. Fixing his gaze on the spot where the Cold Extreme Yin Spring and Scorching Yang Spring met, he leaped straight in.
As soon as he plunged into the pool,
his clothes failed to last even a moment before turning into a pile of ice crystals and ash.
The alternating hot and cold spring water answered the alternating waves of extreme heat and cold within Yu Tianchen's body, relentlessly battering his flesh.
Yu Tianchen forced himself to stay conscious and began circulating the Great Sun Thunder Body technique amid the torment of the two extremes.
Fine strands of lightning coursed over his body, and the distinctive lightning markings of the Bronze Thunder Body emerged across his skin.
The two utterly different forces of extreme heat and cold began to follow the circulation route of the Great Sun Thunder Body, entering Yu Tianchen's meridians and working with the technique to cleanse them.
His Bronze Thunder Body, which had originally glowed with a bronze hue, was steadily evolving toward a jade-like state.
Outside,
not long after Yu Tianchen entered the pool,
Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen returned after settling their business.
When they didn't see Yu Tianchen, both men froze.
"Where's Tianchen?"
Yu Yuanzhen furrowed his brows and searched for him.
Beside him, Dugu Bo spotted the tools Yu Tianchen had left by the pool.
His expression changed at once, and he hurried over.
Yu Yuanzhen followed him.
"This is... the Storage Soul Tool I gave Tianchen?"
Dugu Bo had picked up a pouch-like Storage Soul Tool and a piece of paper. Yu Yuanzhen looked at his grim expression.
"Old Poison Freak, what happened?!"
"Did something happen to Tianchen?"
"That reckless brat."
Dugu Bo read the note. His expression shifted several times before he finally sighed and handed it to Yu Yuanzhen.
"See for yourself."
Yu Yuanzhen took the note, puzzled, and read what was written on it.
After finishing, he looked toward the pool, still confused.
"So Tianchen went into this pool?"
"Mm."
Dugu Bo gazed at the pool of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and nodded gravely.
"Even I couldn't last more than a moment in there."
"That boy Tianchen was far too rash! Even if he was confident he could go in, he should've told us first."
"That brat..."
Seeing Dugu Bo's grave expression, Yu Yuanzhen understood just how terrifying the pool was, even if he didn't know all the details.
His face darkened. He activated his Martial Soul, ready to enter the pool.
"What are you doing?"
Dugu Bo frowned and stopped Yu Yuanzhen.
"Obviously, I'm pulling that brat out."
Yu Yuanzhen said angrily,
"Does that reckless fool even know how dangerous this is?"
Dugu Bo pondered for a moment.
Yu Yuanzhen was a Level 95 Super Douluo, and on top of that, he possessed a top-tier Beast Martial Soul.
With his constitution, he should be able to go in and check on Tianchen without any trouble.
Thinking this, Dugu Bo released his hold on Yu Yuanzhen and said solemnly,
"The water here carries two opposing extremes, intense heat and bitter cold. You can go in, but come straight back after the time it takes to burn one incense stick!"
"If you see Tianchen, don't bring him up right away. Check his condition first."
"If he's doing all right, then that means he was right to be confident. Don't interfere."
"If he's clearly at his limit, then bring him straight out!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You really are a nag, Old Poison Freak."
Yu Yuanzhen understood what Dugu Bo meant. He went to the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, ready to enter.
But just then,
dark clouds gathered overhead, carrying flashes of lightning.
A moment later, a thick bolt of azure lightning crashed into the pool right before Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen's eyes.
"Watch out!"
Dugu Bo's expression changed. He hurriedly circulated his Soul Power to block the spring water that had been blasted up and was spraying in every direction.
Yu Yuanzhen reacted just as quickly. He instantly retreated and released his Soul Power as well, helping Dugu Bo fend off the splashing water.
"Old Jade Dragon, go to the other side! Don't let the spring water ruin the surrounding herbs!"
Seeing the herbs damaged by the splashing water, Dugu Bo's face filled with distress. He quickly shouted to Yu Yuanzhen.
"Then make sure you hold the line!"
Yu Yuanzhen knew that any herbs growing in such a treasured place had to be extremely valuable.
Without hesitation, he hurried to the other side, and together with Dugu Bo, used their Soul Power to seal off the small pool.
Boom! Boom, boom!!
Lightning continued to slam into the spring water.
As Dugu Bo maintained the barrier around the pool with his Soul Power, he stared at the spot where the lightning struck, astonished.
Ever since he'd taken possession of this treasured place,
he'd never seen anything like this.
The only person who could've caused such a commotion was Yu Tianchen, who had jumped into the pool.
What in the world had that boy done to cause all this?!
After a short while, the lightning stopped, and the dark clouds overhead slowly dispersed.
Yet even after the storm clouds cleared,
the water in the pool continued to boil.
The milky white and crimson waters, once sharply divided, had become thoroughly mixed. Every so often, faint arcs of lightning rose from the spring.
After a while, the water began to calm.
The milky white and crimson waters gradually returned to their original, sharply divided state. As the spring resumed its former appearance, the arcs of lightning vanished too.
Seeing that the water had stopped boiling, Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen
immediately withdrew their Soul Power.
Both Yu Yuanzhen and Dugu Bo could now be fairly certain that Yu Tianchen, down in the pool, was behind it all.
Although they were both a little angry about what that boy was doing down there,
all that commotion actually eased their worries.
At least, the fact that something was happening proved the boy was still all right.
"Hmph. When that brat gets out, I'm going to beat his backside black and blue."
Yu Yuanzhen glared at the now-calm surface, fuming.
"I agree. That boy deserves a good beating."
Dugu Bo gazed at the herbs growing along the pool's edge with a pained look and emphatically seconded Yu Yuanzhen's proposal.
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