Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

At dawn the next morning, before the sky had even brightened, a modest carriage was already waiting in front of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back, quietly studying the shop, which had yet to open for business.

His granddaughter, Dugu Yan, stood at his side. Today she wore a pale green outfit suited for action. She seemed less willful than usual and carried a rare air of solemnity.

"Grandpa, can Ye Guchen really cure the poison in your body?" Dugu Yan asked softly, still sounding somewhat uncertain.

Dugu Bo didn't answer right away. He merely patted the back of his granddaughter's hand.

For years, he had searched everywhere for a way to cure the poison, only to come up empty-handed. He had thought he would be tormented to death by the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's venom.

Who could have guessed the answer had been hiding right under his nose all along?

The cruel twist of fate had kept him awake all night.

"If he could draw what that herb looked like, it couldn't have been a coincidence."

Dugu Bo spoke slowly, his voice low and certain.

Just then, the side door of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion creaked open.

Ye Guchen stepped out, with Zhu Zhuqing following behind him. Today she wore a neat black outfit, her long hair tied up. The youthful softness in her features had faded somewhat, replaced by a more composed air.

She really did look a bit like the proprietress.

"Sorry for the wait, Lord Dugu." Ye Guchen clasped his hands in greeting, smiling calmly.

Dugu Bo's gaze passed over Ye Guchen and Zhu Zhuqing, then drifted unconsciously to the granddaughter beside him. "Since you're ready, let's go."

Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward and said softly,

"Be careful on the way."

She had wanted to give him a few more reminders, but when the words came to her lips, they seemed too fussy, so she said only those four words.

Yet everyone there could hear the affection tucked inside them.

Ye Guchen reached out and ruffled the crown of her head, the gesture as natural as if he had done it a thousand times. "I'll leave the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in your hands, proprietress."

Zhu Zhuqing's ears turned faintly red, but she didn't protest. She only gave a soft "Mm."

Dugu Yan watched the whole exchange and, for some reason, felt a little uncomfortable.

The carriage rolled slowly out of Heaven Dou City and headed southwest.

Inside, Dugu Bo closed his eyes to rest. Ye Guchen didn't say much either, sitting quietly opposite him and occasionally lifting the curtain to glance at the scenery outside.

After about an hour, Dugu Bo suddenly spoke. "Kid, aren't you afraid this old man will turn malicious, lure you out into the wilderness, and kill you to silence you?"

At that, Ye Guchen smiled. "If Lord Dugu wanted to kill me, you could have done it in the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Why go to all this trouble?"

Dugu Bo snorted. "You do see things clearly."

"It's not that I see things clearly." Ye Guchen shook his head. "It's that I know Miss Yanyan's safety matters more to you than anything else. And I can cure the poison in your body. That's the best protection I could ask for."

Dugu Bo was silent for a moment. Then he opened his eyes, fixing his emerald-green gaze on Ye Guchen. "Aren't you afraid that once you've cured the poison, I'll turn on you and go back on my word?"

Ye Guchen met his gaze, his expression calm. "I am, but this deal is worth taking a chance on."

"What's more, after spending time with you yesterday, I realized that Lord Dugu isn't really any different from us. You're a person, just like anyone else."

Dugu Bo stared at him for a long while, then suddenly burst into laughter, the sound carrying a note of unrestrained delight.

"Good! You've got guts!" Dugu Bo's laughter faded, and his tone grew more serious. "I may not be a gentleman, but I've always kept my word. Once you've cured me, I'll guarantee the Hundred Treasures Pavilion ten years of peace!"

Ye Guchen clasped his hands. "Then I thank you, Lord Dugu."

The carriage continued onward. After about another two hours, the road gradually grew rough.

The scenery around them changed from the bustling outskirts of the city to desolate mountain forest.

Ye Guchen knew they were nearing Sunset Forest.

"All right, Young Friend Ye. I'll take over from here!"

Then Dugu Bo released his Soul Power, lifted Dugu Yan and Ye Guchen into the air, and flew off.

Ye Guchen could fly on his sword, but with his current strength, he couldn't keep up with Dugu Bo. He might as well catch a ride.

Before long, a valley shrouded in poisonous mist came into view.

"We're here!"

Dugu Bo gave a quiet shout and landed in front of the poisonous mist.

This time, unlike when he had tested Tang San, Dugu Bo simply swept the poisonous fog around them aside.

It revealed a passage two meters wide.

"Follow me. Remember, don't touch the poisonous mist."

Ye Guchen nodded and followed the two of them.

Before long, a sunken valley appeared ahead.

"It's down there."

Dugu Bo again lifted the two of them with his Soul Power and slowly descended into the valley.

Dugu Bo was being exceptionally considerate this time; he showed no sign of trying to test Ye Guchen.

As soon as they landed inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, they saw medicinal herbs covering the ground. Most had been left to grow wherever they pleased, clearly having been there from the start.

In one corner, a batch of poison-attributed herbs had been planted in neat rows. They had clearly been planted by Dugu Bo later.

Ye Guchen forcibly suppressed the excitement stirring inside him. The more important the moment, the more he had to keep calm.

He absolutely couldn't let his shock show. Unlike Tang San, Ye Guchen didn't have Tang Hao backing him up.

He was all alone. If Dugu Bo learned the value of these Immortal Herbs, whether he'd let Ye Guchen take any was anyone's guess.

Ye Guchen turned to Dugu Yan.

"Since we're here, why don't I cure Miss Dugu Yan first? With Lord Dugu here to help, it'll be safer."

Ye Guchen knew that although Dugu Bo hadn't tested him, he still needed to prove what he could do first if he wanted Dugu Bo to willingly let him take those two Immortal Herbs.

"Sounds good!"

Dugu Bo nodded and took out a five-thousand-year poison-attributed Soul Bone, handing it to Ye Guchen.

On Dou I's timeline, Soul Bones were indeed rare. Even many Titled Douluo didn't have a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone.

The Soul Bone Dugu Bo had offered was only at the thousand-year level, but it was still hard to come by.

Ye Guchen took the Soul Bone, weighed it for a moment, then handed it back to Dugu Bo.

"Will this not do?"

Seeing Ye Guchen hand the Soul Bone back, Dugu Bo visibly panicked. Was the Soul Bone's age too low?

"This is the best poison-attributed Soul Bone I could find!"

Seeing Dugu Bo's anxious expression, Ye Guchen didn't respond. Instead, he took a Ten Thousand Year poison-attributed Soul Bone out of his Storage Soul Tool Ring.

Under Dugu Bo's astonished gaze, he said slowly,

"I happen to have a Ten Thousand Year poison-attributed Soul Bone here. I think it'd be better to use this one."

Dugu Bo stared at the Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, his expression complicated. He remained silent for a long time.

"A Ten Thousand Year poison-attributed Soul Bone..." he murmured, repeating the words, unable to hide his shock. "Kid, who exactly are you?"

Even he, a Titled Douluo, had only two Soul Bones, and one of them was only a thousand-year Soul Bone.

Yet this young man, who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen, could casually take out a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone. It was simply inconceivable.

Ye Guchen smiled faintly but said nothing. The more he explained, the more trouble it would cause. Better to keep a little mystery about himself.

"Lord Dugu, there's no need to say more. I told you, we're on the same side. As a guest advisor to my Hundred Treasures Pavilion, I think offering up a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone is well worth it!"

Then Ye Guchen took out the box of Toxin-Purging Pills, poured out one, and handed it to Dugu Yan along with the Soul Bone.

"Absorb the Soul Bone first, then take the pill."

"As for guiding the poison into the Soul Bone, I think it would be best for Lord Poison Douluo to do that himself."

Dugu Yan accepted the Soul Bone and the pill, still completely dumbfounded.

They were far too precious. She instinctively looked to Dugu Bo, hoping her grandfather would decide what to do.

Naturally, Dugu Bo wanted his granddaughter to have the best. He nodded. As for repaying the favor, he could take his time doing that later.