Demon Subduing Douluo glanced at him but didn't ask any more questions.
"Fine, I'll go look around. Be careful."
"A lot of the herbs here seem poisonous. Don't eat any of them at random."
"I understand."
After warning him, Demon Subduing Douluo turned and headed toward one side of the valley. He'd gone only a few steps when he stopped and looked back at Ji Ye.
Ji Ye had already crouched beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well again, staring at several herbs.
Demon Subduing Douluo was becoming more and more convinced that this kid, Ji Ye, was far too mysterious.
A twelve-year-old child had killed a Titled Douluo and showed not the slightest fear.
No, wait.
Could anyone really believe that a child could kill a Titled Douluo?
That alone put him beyond anything a normal person could compare to.
Just how many secrets did this kid Ji Ye still have?
After Demon Subduing Douluo disappeared,
Ji Ye crouched beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his attention completely captured by the Immortal Herbs before him, each with its own peculiar shape.
He lowered himself and let his gaze wander from one Immortal Herb to another.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well truly deserved its reputation as one of the world's treasure troves. Every herb growing here would be priceless if taken outside.
Ji Ye reached out and carefully pushed aside a drooping vine, revealing a pale golden orchid beneath it.
Its petals were thin as a cicada's wings, gleaming with a soft luster. Each one looked like a piece of jade, meticulously carved, while tiny golden flecks glimmered in the heart of the flower.
A faint fragrance drifted from the petals, mild and mellow. Just one breath of it made the Soul Power in his body flow a little more smoothly.
Aromatic Silk Beauty.
The king of Immortal Herbs.
Ji Ye studied the golden orchid for a while, then slowly shifted his gaze to the side.
A snow-white herb grew at the edge of the blue cold spring, its roots probing into the frigid water and a thin layer of frost covering its leaves.
Not a single plant dared come within ten yards of it. Even the soil had turned white with frost, and a chilling aura hung faintly in the air.
Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, a rare and deadly cold poison.
"This would suit Feather Douluo quite well." Ji Ye considered it, then looked elsewhere.
A few steps away, in the scarlet spring, a fiery red plant had taken root at the bottom of the scalding water.
Its leaves were red as blazing flames, their veins the gold of molten lava. The entire herb looked like a frozen tongue of fire, and the air within thirty yards of it shimmered and warped.
Infernal Delicate Apricot, an extreme fire poison, the complete opposite of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
"This one can go to Mighty Lion Douluo."
Ji Ye continued his search.
Farther away, an Immortal Herb shaped like a phoenix's crown trembled gently in the breeze.
Its crimson-gold veins shimmered with a regal luster in the sunlight. The layered petals resembled a fire phoenix about to spread its wings, radiating warm and mighty life force.
Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, an Immortal Herb that greatly nourished pure Yang.
"Demon Subduing Douluo could probably use a little nourishment, right?"
"Never mind. I'll leave this one for him."
Ji Ye had made up his mind.
Just then, his gaze was drawn to an herb near the center.
It was a pale blue orchid, its petals smooth as jade and its fragrance gentle.
Its medicinal properties were mild and mellow, neither showy nor harsh. It simply bloomed there, quiet and unassuming.
"What's this?"
"Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid? The best choice for strengthening the foundation and nurturing the source!"
A hint of delight appeared on Ji Ye's face.
This Immortal Herb had no special effects beyond increasing Soul Power and speeding up cultivation.
Besides, it was gentle in nature and had no side effects!
"I'll give this Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid to Qian Renxue. She's spent all these years undercover, letting her fine cultivation talent go to waste."
It was probably the most regrettable thing of all.
She clearly had the greatest talent on the continent, yet she had to go and play spy...
Bibi Dong's brain was seriously bugged.
Ji Ye had already decided that as soon as he returned, he would visit the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Ji Ye didn't stop. He continued searching for Immortal Herbs.
His gaze fell on a corner.
A golden chrysanthemum bloomed alone there, its plump, thick petals gleaming like metal. Its straight, sturdy stem resembled a sword sheathed in its scabbard.
Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?!
The Martial Soul of a certain Titled Douluo.
Many other herbs of different colors grew around the pool, layered together in a dazzling display.
Every one of them was a rare medicinal treasure.
At last, Ji Ye's gaze settled on a particularly unusual flower, red and white in equal measure.
Half its petals were snow-white and the other half blood-red, the two colors blending perfectly at the heart of the flower.
The whole bloom gave off a faint glow. A subtle fragrance drifted from its stamen, and when he breathed it in, the image of someone he cared for rose involuntarily in his heart.
Lovesick Heartbreak Red, a wondrous flower that could be plucked only by one with a truly devoted heart.
Ji Ye crouched there in silence for quite a while, then slowly stood.
He still couldn't pluck the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
He had already decided what to do with the other Immortal Herbs as well.
So, over the next three days,
Ji Ye began plucking them.
The process was difficult, but fortunately, he managed to gather them all.
He carefully stored each Immortal Herb in a jade box he'd found at Dugu Bo's residence.
He put the frigid Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass in a chilling jade box, sealed the Infernal Delicate Apricot in a red-flame jade box, placed the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid in a warm jade box, and used an ordinary jade box for the Cockscomb Phoenix Tail Sunflower.
Carrying several jade boxes, Ji Ye walked to the other side of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and sat cross-legged on a flat stretch of rock.
He held the Aromatic Silk Beauty in his hand, its golden petals shining with a soft luster in his palm.
He had decided to keep this Immortal Herb for himself.
He couldn't let the good stuff go to waste on someone else.
Ji Ye looked down at the Aromatic Silk Beauty in his hand and fell silent for a moment. Then he pinched its stem, brought it to his mouth, took a bite, and chewed slowly.
It tasted sweet, with the fresh, distinctive fragrance of plants. A warm sensation slid from his tongue down his throat and into his stomach, spreading through him like a gentle current.
With every bite, the warmth grew richer, coursing through his body and spreading into his limbs and bones. Even his Soul Power began to flow more smoothly.
A faint pain stirred deep in his meridians.
Ji Ye gritted his teeth, circulated his Soul Power, and began absorbing it.
Soul Power gathered around his body in a faint halo, then slowly drew back inside him.
Five hours later,
Ji Ye opened his eyes and looked down at his palm. He clenched his fist, then relaxed it.
Feeling the much fuller strength within him, he slowly raised the corners of his mouth.
He'd broken through.
His Soul Power had now reached level forty-nine.
He'd gone straight from level forty-three to level forty-nine.
He was just one step away from breaking through to Soul King!
Ji Ye stood and put away the remaining jade boxes one by one.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was for Feather Douluo, the Infernal Delicate Apricot for Mighty Lion Douluo, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower for Demon Subduing Douluo, the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid for Qian Renxue, and the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum for Golden Crocodile Douluo.
The Aromatic Silk Beauty, Snowy Swan Kiss, and Lovesick Heartbreak Red could stay here for now. There was no rush.
Before you continue