The two of them walked deeper into the Sunset Forest, one in front and one behind.
Dugu Bo was clearly very familiar with the routes around here. He made his way through the dense forest, sometimes circling around a swamp, sometimes passing through a narrow crevice in the rocks. After winding this way and that for about an hour, the vegetation around them began to change noticeably.
The temperature in the air began to grow strange—one moment, it was as hot as a steamer; the next, as cold as the depths of winter. Two utterly different energies intertwined, forming a unique aura.
The plants around them grew increasingly unusual. Some were crimson all over, their leaves like burning flames; others were icy blue, their surfaces covered in delicate frost. Still others were an eerie mix of red and blue, as though they were being baptized by ice and fire at once.
"We're here." Dugu Bo stopped and pushed aside a thick clump of bushes.
Yu Tianlong stepped forward. At the sight before him, he couldn't help holding his breath.
It was a basin hidden in a mountain valley, surrounded by mountains with sheer cliffs rising steeply on every side. It looked as if some tremendous force had cleaved the land apart, creating an isolated world cut off from everything else. At the very center of the basin lay two springs, side by side, one on the left and one on the right.
The spring on the left was a deep crimson. Bubbles rose and burst across its surface as scorching steam billowed upward. Even from dozens of meters away, he could feel the waves of heat rolling toward him.
The spring on the right was a pure icy blue. Its surface was as still as a mirror, yet it radiated bone-chilling cold. Thick frost coated the rocks around it.
One hot, one cold; one red, one blue. Their boundaries were clear, and neither encroached on the other.
Dense clusters of plants grew around the two springs. Some were lustrous as jade, others blazed like fire; some were as transparent as crystal, while others were a strange purplish black.
They came in all shapes and forms. Some resembled lingzhi mushrooms, some orchids, some vines, and some fruit. Every plant gave off a rich medicinal fragrance and a powerful fluctuation of Soul Power.
"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well..." Yu Tianlong murmured, his voice brimming with barely contained excitement.
This was it!
The opportunity he had been searching for ever since he had arrived in Douluo Continent was right before him!
With the Immortal Herbs here, his strength could undergo a qualitative leap! His two Luo Sanpao could also draw on the Well's ultimate ice and fire energies to evolve further!
"You recognize these plants?" Dugu Bo asked curiously, seeing how excited he looked.
"Some of them." Yu Tianlong took a deep breath, tamping down his excitement. Then he turned to Dugu Bo, his eyes shining.
"Senior Dugu, every one of these plants is a rare Immortal Herb seldom seen in the outside world. Used properly, they can greatly increase a Soul Master's cultivation, transform their physique, and even cause their Martial Soul to evolve!"
"Immortal Herbs?" Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. "They can increase one's cultivation? Why didn't you say so earlier? I've been here several times, but I never dared touch them for fear they were poisonous."
"Your caution was justified, Senior." Yu Tianlong smiled. "Although these Immortal Herbs have astonishing effects, their medicinal properties are extremely potent. Taking them indiscriminately won't just be useless; it can be harmful. You have to choose the right herb based on a person's physique and Martial Soul attribute, then take it the right way to get the greatest benefit."
He went over to the crimson spring, crouched down, and looked at a coral-shaped plant, red from top to bottom. A glint flashed in his eyes.
"For example, this Infernal Delicate Apricot contains ultimate fire-attribute energy. If a fire-attribute Soul Master takes it, it can greatly increase their affinity for fire and may even evolve their Martial Soul into a top-tier fire-attribute Martial Soul."
He walked over to the icy blue spring and pointed at a lotus-shaped plant, blue all over. "That Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass contains ultimate ice-attribute energy and is suitable for Soul Masters with ice attributes."
He stood up and surveyed the area, excitement written all over his face. "And every Immortal Herb here has its own unique effect. If you combine them properly, you can even undergo a complete transformation!"
Standing nearby, Dugu Bo listened as Yu Tianlong rattled off one name and effect after another. The expression on his face shifted from curiosity to shock, and finally to utter numbness.
"Wait, wait, wait..." Dugu Bo couldn't help cutting him off. He pointed at the plants on the ground, not one of which he recognized.
"How do you know every single one of these? I've pored over all kinds of ancient texts and still couldn't find a thing about them. How does an eight-year-old kid know more than I do?"
Yu Tianlong had already prepared an explanation. Without batting an eye, he replied:
"I once read an ancient text in the Library Pavilion at my family's estate. It was all about rare natural treasures, and it happened to include pictures and descriptions of these Immortal Herbs. I only skimmed through it at the time. I never thought it would come in handy today."
Dugu Bo gave him a skeptical look, but didn't press the matter. After all, everyone had their secrets, and Dugu Bo wasn't the sort of person who had to pry into everything.
He waved a hand and said generously, "All right, all right. Since you recognize them, I'll leave these things to you. I don't know what they are anyway, so keeping them would be a waste. Take whatever you want. There's no need to be polite with me."
"Senior, I couldn't possibly..." Yu Tianlong hurriedly protested. "You discovered this place, so by rights, all the Immortal Herbs here should belong to you. I'm already more than satisfied just to share in the good fortune."
"Don't give me that." Dugu Bo shot him an exasperated glare.
"You saved my son, and you might as well have saved half my life, too. If these things stay with me, they're just a bunch of pretty weeds. I don't even know how to use them. Better to let you put them to good use than leave them to rot in the ground. That's making the best use of everything, understand?"
He paused, then added, "Besides, once you get stronger, you'll have a better chance of taking revenge on that old bastard Yu Yuanzhen. When the time comes, don't forget to give him a couple of kicks for me, and we'll call it repayment."
Hearing this, warmth welled up in Yu Tianlong's heart. He knew Dugu Bo was making light of it, but in truth, he was helping him in his own way. He would remember this kindness.
"Since you're so generous, Senior, I won't stand on ceremony." Yu Tianlong stopped protesting and turned to carefully choose among the Immortal Herbs.
First, he picked out three herbs suited to Dugu Bo.
The first was a blood-red flower shaped like a swan's downy body. Fine fuzz covered its petals, giving it an eerie beauty.
The Blood Swan Kiss was not poisonous in itself, but it could amplify the effects of any poison it came into contact with a thousandfold. For a Soul Master like Dugu Bo, renowned for his poisons, the value of this Immortal Herb was simply beyond measure.