Ice and Fire Refine the Golden Body

Dugu Bo stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move a muscle. He stared fixedly at Di Tian, his heart trembling with dread.

It was too terrifying; this man in the black robe was simply too terrifying. A casual slap from him would be enough to send Dugu Bo flying.

If it weren't for the fact that they held no malice, he would likely be dead already.

Xuan Qing walked up to him and looked him over from head to toe. Green robes, green hair, and a faint, sweet, peculiar scent lingering about him—it was indeed Poison Douluo.

"Dugu Bo, correct?"

Dugu Bo was stunned. "You know this old man?..."

Xuan Qing reached out a hand to cut him off.

"Enough with the pleasantries. I want this herb garden of yours. As compensation, I will help you and your granddaughter resolve your serpent venom problem."

Dugu Bo's eyes widened. "You—you said what? You can resolve the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Venom?"

His voice trembled. This poison had tormented him his entire life and had even been passed down to his granddaughter; every time it flared up, it was a fate worse than death.

If it could truly be resolved, he would give up the herb garden—he would even give his life—but this child before him... was he really reliable?

Xuan Qing saw through his thoughts but offered no explanation.

"Di Tian, pass the cultivation method for the Soul Core to him."

Di Tian walked up to Dugu Bo and poked his finger against the center of his brow, the movement so fast that Dugu Bo couldn't even react.

A massive influx of information flooded Dugu Bo's mind instantly: how to guide soul power, and how to construct an energy core within the body.

Once the transmission was complete, Di Tian withdrew his hand. Dugu Bo staggered back two steps, only steadying himself by leaning against the mountain wall.

As he digested the information in his mind, his eyes grew brighter and brighter. This thing... it actually seemed to have some real substance to it!

Seeing that he had regained his composure, Xuan Qing spoke.

"This technique was discovered within the body of a soul beast. It isn't fully perfected yet, but it is more than enough to solve your problem."

He had found a convenient excuse for the Soul Core cultivation method; he couldn't exactly say he was plucking fruit from the future, could he?

Dugu Bo took a deep breath. The look in his eyes as he gazed at Xuan Qing had completely changed, shifting from vigilance to gratitude, and even a hint of fanaticism.

He bowed deeply. "Many thanks, Young Master, for saving the lives of the Dugu family. If there is any need, the Dugu family is at your command."

Xuan Qing waved a hand. "Your problem is solved. As for your granddaughter, you had best ask for her opinion—whether she wishes to continue down the old path, or take the stronger Dragon Transformation Path."

Dugu Bo was taken aback. "Dragon Transformation?"

"A snake becomes a python, a python becomes a jiao, and a jiao becomes a dragon. Becoming a true dragon is unlikely, but becoming a sub-dragon like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is certainly possible."

Dugu Bo frowned. "Is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon not a true dragon?"

Di Tian, standing to the side, was struggling to hold back his amusement. Since he was in a good mood, he didn't mind providing a bit of education.

"If it were a pure-blooded Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, then yes, it would be a true dragon. But the quality of that martial soul nowadays is nothing more than a sub-dragon."

"If you were to actually rank them, it wouldn't even make the top three. The Tyrant Dragon, King of Sub-Dragons, and the Purple Radiance Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon, Ancestor of Sub-Dragons—which of them couldn't pin the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon to the ground and beat it?"

Dugu Bo's face twitched. Although he was a Title Douluo, he really didn't know much about the dragon race, and he truly hadn't expected the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon to be so lackluster.

"Enough, that's enough idle chatter. You can go fetch your granddaughter now. Resolve this quickly; we are in a hurry."

Dugu Bo nodded, bowed slightly, and retreated. He needed to return to Heaven Dou City immediately to bring his granddaughter back.

Xuan Qing looked at Di Tian and pointed to the spring water in the center.

"That spring water evolved from the remains of the Ice and Fire Dragon King. You may take the remains, but do not touch the immortal herbs here; they are of use to me."

Di Tian nodded slightly. "This junior understands. May I ask, Senior, what is your name?"

Xuan Qing smiled. Since he was already flying a banner, he might as well fly it to the end. He straightened his back, his tone carrying a trace of majesty.

"I am one of the Four Spirits of Heaven, the Eastern Azure Dragon who guards the east of the world. Of the same rank as me are the White Tiger of the West, the Vermilion Bird of the South, and the Black Tortoise of the North."

Di Tian's pupils constricted. The Four Spirits of Heaven? This was the first time he had ever heard such a title.

Seeing his reaction, Xuan Qing continued.

"What you see before you now is merely an avatar I use to experience the warmth of the mortal realm. Since I have chosen to manifest in human form, I must abide by the rules of the mortal world."

He released the Little Qilin. The little fellow was still lazily draped over his shoulder, and Xuan Qing poked it.

"This little one is a Qilin, manifested from a wisp of aura borrowed from an old friend. Among the scaled aquatic tribes, the dragon is supreme; among the winged birds, the phoenix is the head; and among the beasts of the earth, the Qilin is the elder."

"Whether it be dragon, phoenix, or Qilin, they are known as auspicious beasts in another world. You should be able to feel it yourself—the speed at which your soul power circulates has increased by half since I arrived."

Only then did Di Tian carefully sense his surroundings, and indeed, it was so.

Di Tian bowed respectfully. "This junior understands."

He looked toward Zi Ji. "From now on, follow by the Senior's side and satisfy all of the Senior's needs."

Zi Ji nodded slightly.

Di Tian did not linger, leaping directly into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Xuan Qing began to identify the immortal herbs based on his memories.

Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum...

About half an hour later, a streak of black light leaped out from the spring water.

Di Tian landed, dragging two orbs of light in his hands, each containing a weak soul.

"Senior, this junior will take his leave. Aunt Ice and Fire is in a very bad state; if I had arrived a few years later, she likely would have dissipated."

"Go. Let that Silver Dragon think of a way; perhaps there is still hope for her."

Di Tian did not hesitate further, opening a spatial gate and heading in the direction of the Star Dou Forest.

Just then, Dugu Bo returned with a girl of about fourteen or fifteen with shoulder-length purple hair.

Dugu Bo introduced, "Young Master, this is my granddaughter, Dugu Yan."

Dugu Yan bowed obediently, "Greetings, Young Master."

Xuan Qing did not waste words and went straight to the point.

"Have you decided? Which path will you take?"

Dugu Yan had already heard everything from Dugu Bo and nodded firmly.

"I choose to transform into a dragon."

Xuan Qing smiled, walked to the side, plucked an Earth Dragon Golden Melon, and tossed it over.

"This immortal herb can stimulate the dragon bloodline within your martial soul. Just swallow it directly, but the process will be very painful. It is not too late to regret it now."

Dugu Yan stuffed it into her mouth without hesitation, chewed twice, swallowed it whole, and sat cross-legged to begin refining it.

Soon, her face flushed red, beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and the phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent emerged behind her, twisting and struggling in great pain.

Dugu Bo watched from the side, his heart aching, but he dared not interfere.

"You may begin condensing your Soul Core. Zi Ji will stand guard for you both."

Dugu Bo nodded, found a spot a little further away from his granddaughter, sat down, and began to circulate his cultivation technique.

Xuan Qing walked to the side of the spring, looked at the two special immortal herbs, and summoned the Azure Sky Demon-Breaking Spear.

He swept the spear horizontally at the roots of the two herbs, and two crescent-shaped spear radiances precisely severed them.

As the immortal herbs fell into his hands, his left hand felt bone-chillingly cold while his right hand felt scorching hot. Xuan Qing took a deep breath and swallowed both herbs whole.

The next second, the energies of Ice and Fire exploded within his body; he felt his left side freezing stiff and his right side burning as if charred.

Xuan Qing gritted his teeth, stripped off his upper garment, and leaped into the spring water. As his body submerged, the energies of Ice and Fire surged in frantically.

Xuan Qing began to circulate the Azure Dragon Mysterious Heaven Art to refine the energy within the immortal herbs, a process that was extremely painful.