The Method of the Soul Core

"Good! Good! Good! You are truly the worthy son-in-law I have set my sights on!"

Dugu Bo's laughter echoed above the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, causing the surrounding poisonous miasma to tremble slightly.

He stroked his chin, his eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction as he looked at Yang Fan.

"If you can truly help Yan-yan evolve her martial soul, I will gift this entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to you as her dowry!"

Dugu Bo calculated inwardly that once the martial soul evolved, as long as he had Yan-yan bear a few more children with Yang Fan, the evolved martial soul would surely be passed down.

Wouldn't that mean their Dugu family could finally see a revival?

Moreover, Yang Fan was a steady and reliable young man; even if he gained this treasure, he would never swallow it all for himself and would certainly share a portion with the Dugu family.

No matter how he calculated it, this deal was a win!

"Tell me, how do we make Yan-yan's martial soul evolve..."

Yang Fan felt a bit dizzy from the sudden "dowry" thrown at him by Dugu Bo. Just as he was inwardly criticizing the Poison Douluo's generosity, he saw the old man urging him on impatiently.

He shook his head helplessly, collected his thoughts, and spread his vast spiritual power outward like ripples in water.

His gaze swept over the immortal herbs emitting strange glows, finally settling on an inconspicuous corner at the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Dugu Bo followed Yang Fan's gaze to an herb shaped like a pumpkin, its entire body radiating a warm, earthy-yellow halo.

"You mean to say that this thing, which looks like a pumpkin, can help Yan-yan complete her martial soul evolution?"

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of suspicion.

Yang Fan explained, "This is the Earth Dragon Golden Melon. It contains the essence of the earth and the breath of a true dragon. It can deepen dragon-type bloodlines and is perfectly suited for Sister Yan-yan right now."

"You certainly know a lot. Because of my martial soul, I have immersed myself in the study of herbs for years, yet I don't recognize several of the plants here. I've even tried feeding some of these strange things to nearby spirit beasts to test them, but they were mostly poisoned and turned into pus."

Dugu Bo felt more and more that his investment was sound.

Compared to hoarding a treasure he didn't fully understand, gifting the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to Yang Fan, his future son-in-law, might be the wisest decision he had ever made in his life.

Yang Fan stood up, walked to the Earth Dragon Golden Melon, and carefully plucked it.

The immortal herb felt warm to the touch, and a faint, earthy scent mixed with dragon might rushed toward him. He turned and returned to Dugu Yan's side, handing the Earth Dragon Golden Melon to her.

Seeing the dried blood still on his lips, Dugu Yan did not hesitate. As the Earth Dragon Golden Melon entered her stomach, a vast and gentle energy slowly dispersed throughout her body.

Seeing this, the heavy stone in Dugu Bo's heart finally dropped. He immediately pressed his palms against Dugu Yan's back, and the spirit power of his Jade Phosphorus Snake Emperor transformed into an impenetrable barrier to begin protecting her.

Yang Fan stood to the side, watching the fully focused Dugu Bo, then shifted his gaze not far away.

He saw Ye Lingling sitting quietly against a blue stone by the spring. She had exhausted her spirit power to save Dugu Yan, and her face was pale. She looked like a kitten abandoned in a corner, so lonely it made one's heart ache.

After a moment of thought, Yang Fan spoke up, "Miss Lingling, you exhausted your spirit power for Yan-yan. Your meridians are empty now, which is the perfect time to consolidate your foundation and cultivate your essence."

Yang Fan then turned and walked to the other side of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. His gaze wove through the clusters of glowing immortal herbs until it stopped on an orchid blooming in silence.

He carefully plucked it, cradled it in his palm, and walked slowly back to Ye Lingling.

"This item is called the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid."

Yang Fan handed it to Ye Lingling and introduced it softly.

A refreshing, subtle fragrance instantly filled the air.

Ye Lingling looked at the snow-white, eight-petaled orchid in Yang Fan's palm. The edges of the petals shimmered with a faint lunar glow, giving her a sense of refined, otherworldly elegance.

"The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid is the most gentle and mellow of all the immortal-grade herbs."

Yang Fan looked into Ye Lingling's blue eyes and said warmly, "Its medicinal effect lies in consolidating one's foundation and expelling impurities from the body. For an auxiliary-type spirit master, it not only compensates for slow cultivation speed but might also resolve the flaws in your clan's martial soul."

Ye Lingling was slightly stunned, her cold gaze falling on the snow-white, translucent orchid in the jade box.

She was usually reserved and rarely smiled, but at this moment, an undisguised touch of emotion surfaced in her eyes. To Yang Fan, she might just be a chance acquaintance, yet he was willing to give her such an immortal herb that could change her destiny.

"Thank you, Yang Fan."

Ye Lingling spoke softly. Her voice remained cold, yet it carried a hint of imperceptible softness. Looking at Yang Fan's handsome face, she didn't know why a forbidden thought crossed her mind.

But this was her best friend's fiancé; she couldn't, and with the Poison Douluo nearby, she dared not.

She could only silently extend her slender hand to accept the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, silently accepting this kindness. The fact that her martial soul was passed down through only one descendant had been a source of anxiety for her since childhood.

"Take it now. Grandfather is protecting Yan-yan, so I will protect you here."

Yang Fan said with a smile.

Ye Lingling nodded gently and placed the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid into her mouth.

The immortal herb melted upon contact, transforming into an extremely gentle, mellow, and warm current that flowed slowly down her throat and into her limbs and bones.

"Close your eyes, focus your mind, gather your spirit power, and guide the medicinal energy through your eight extraordinary meridians."

Yang Fan instructed from the side.

Ye Lingling followed his words, sat cross-legged, and entered a state of meditation. As she refined the medicinal power, wisps of faint white mist began to emanate from her skin.

Enveloped in this white mist, she seemed to be covered in a hazy veil, and her originally cold temperament gained a touch of otherworldly, ethereal grace.

Ye Lingling was Dugu Yan's best friend and had sacrificed much to save her. Even if he hadn't given her the herb, Dugu Yan would likely have suggested it once she woke up; it was better to simply offer the favor now.

Dugu Bo did not stop him, clearly having anticipated Yang Fan's actions.

"Ahem..."

Dugu Bo cleared his throat, stroked his chin, and couldn't help but ask, "My good son-in-law, you've found immense fortunes for both Yan-yan and Ling-ling, but surely there isn't a fairy herb you've considered for yourself?"

"Naturally, there is."

Yang Fan smiled candidly, his eyes clear and resolute.

Having said that, Yang Fan slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping past the distinct red and white spring waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, landing directly on a corner where the spiritual energy was most concentrated.

Growing there quietly was a seemingly ordinary white flower.

The flower was the size of a palm and shaped like a peony. It had no leaves, and its stem was connected to a large, pitch-black stone of astonishing weight. Upon the white petals were several striking streaks of red, as vivid as fresh blood, giving it a heart-stopping appearance.

Dugu Bo looked over curiously and asked, "What is this?"

Yang Fan replied, "Love-Sickness Broken-Heart Red. This fairy herb has extremely harsh requirements for choosing its master. When picking it, one must think of their beloved with absolute sincerity and drop a bead of heart's blood onto the petals. If one is half-hearted, even if they cough up blood and die, they will never be able to pluck the flower."

Legend had it that it not only possessed the power to bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh on bones, but consuming it could also grant one immortality alongside heaven and earth, performing an all-encompassing transformation of the physical body.

"No wonder... I was wondering why I couldn't pull it off."

Dugu Bo whispered to himself. He had tried to pick it before but could never find the trick to it; it turned out there were such strange and harsh conditions.

"A long time ago, there was a young man of a calm and detached nature who loved nothing more than tending to flowers and trees. His garden was filled with green lotuses, water lilies, and a myriad of vibrant colors. He would recite poetry to the flowers and invite the moon to drink with him, feeling boundless sorrow whenever a flower withered..."

Yang Fan slowly recounted the origin of the Love-Sickness Broken-Heart Red, leaving Dugu Bo sighing repeatedly as he listened.