Clue to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!

At dawn the next morning, the White Flood Dragon woke from its stupor. The moment it cracked its eyelids open, it suddenly went rigid.

On the clearing not far away, Zhang Qingxuan was slowly practicing his punches.

His movements appeared gentle and fluid, yet every punch he threw made the air beneath his sleeves tremble with a dull rumble of thunder.

Even more frightening, fine arcs of lightning burst into existence wherever his fists passed, snaking through the air and making the morning mist flicker between light and dark. A faint scorched scent permeated the air.

In an instant, memories of last night came flooding back—the lightning-wreathed fist smashing into its scales, each impact bringing tearing agony. Its bones had seemed ready to fall apart, and in the end it could only collapse to the ground, with even its strength to struggle utterly scattered by that tyrannical lightning.

The White Flood Dragon shuddered all over. Almost instinctively, it squeezed its eyes shut and even held its breath, praying that the man had not noticed.

"Since you're awake, stop pretending."

Zhang Qingxuan did not stop his punches or even turn around, yet his voice reached it clearly, calm but carrying an unquestionable authority.

"I'll ask you one last time. Are you coming with me or not?"

Knowing it could not hide, the White Flood Dragon tremblingly nodded its massive head and lowered itself even closer to the ground.

Fear and lingering dread intertwined in those slit pupils—the bone-deep agony of being struck by lightning yesterday was something it never wanted to experience a second time.

"Roar—?" (Then... what you said yesterday, about roasted meat and wine, and the chance to become a dragon... does that still count?)

It squeezed out a low growl from deep in its throat, cautious and carrying one last shred of hopeful expectation.

Hearing this, Zhang Qingxuan's punching rhythm paused, and he rolled his eyes.

"No."

He withdrew his stance and turned around, patting nonexistent dust from his hands. His tone was openly irritated.

"Who told you to refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit? When I tried to persuade you nicely, you ignored me. You had to take a proper beating before you were willing to behave. Well, too bad. Your benefits have been canceled."

With that, he ignored it and began rolling his shoulders and neck before practicing another set of palm techniques.

The White Flood Dragon's gaze immediately dimmed. Its entire head drooped onto the grass as it let out a suppressed, aggrieved whimper.

Its hopes had been dashed. Was there anything more heartbreaking for a flood dragon than that?

A chance to become a dragon—that was a fortune it had never dared hope for despite cultivating for so many years...

It should have agreed earlier.

"However..."

Seeing its utterly devastated appearance, Zhang Qingxuan shook his head helplessly.

Naturally, he understood the value of this White Flood Dragon—a Soul Beast with little killing karma and bearing the fortune of heaven and earth was already rare. Rarer still was a White Flood Dragon that had taken on a dragon's form, with the potential for dragon ascension hidden in its bloodline.

If he could tame and guide it, then nurture it properly, its eventual transformation into a true dragon would not be impossible.

With such aptitude, it would be perfectly suited to serve as a guardian beast for the mountain.

With that in mind, his tone softened slightly. "If you perform well in the future and render meritorious service, I may consider it."

There was hope again!

The White Flood Dragon abruptly raised its head. The gloom in its eyes vanished, replaced by a nearly tangible brilliance as it stared fixedly at Zhang Qingxuan.

Its gaze was so scorching it nearly seemed capable of burning holes through him.

"What? Why are you staring at me?" Zhang Qingxuan frowned, feeling uncomfortable beneath its gaze.

The White Flood Dragon tilted its massive head. Light flickered through its slit pupils as though it were weighing its options.

After a moment, it finally made up its mind and let out a low, solemn roar.

"Roar—!"

(I know of a place... where many precious treasures are hidden, and the energy of heaven and earth is terrifyingly dense. But... a "Medusa Queen" occupies that place. She guards it, and she is extremely vicious.)

"Medusa Queen?"

Zhang Qingxuan's heart stirred. He sharply turned toward it, a rare urgency entering his voice.

"Does that place have a peculiar spring? One half ice-blue, with freezing energy that condenses water into mist; the other crimson, boiling hot like churning lava? And around the spring, countless rare flowers and herbs grow, things almost impossible to find elsewhere?"

The White Flood Dragon's eyes widened, its slit pupils narrowing into thin lines as disbelief filled them.

"Roar—?!"

(You... how do you know it so clearly? Have you been there?)

A meaningful smile appeared on Zhang Qingxuan's face.

As expected! The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. He had not expected to find a clue this way.

He shook his head. "I only know its name and appearance, but I have not been able to find its exact location. Can you take me there?"

The White Flood Dragon hurriedly nodded, but then swiftly revealed a deeply wary expression. It let out a warning growl, its voice clearly fearful.

"Roar—" (I can lead the way, but that snake really... really isn't easy to deal with!)

"Oh? What makes her special?" Zhang Qingxuan raised a brow, intrigued.

"Roar—!" (She has a strange ability that can slow the movements of living creatures within a certain range to a crawl, like they've fallen into a swamp. She can even render them completely unable to move for a short time! I once saw a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast frozen in place and crushed to death by her!)

"Roar—!" (And her eyes! When she stares at something, they can fire grayish-white beams of light. Any living thing struck by them starts turning into cold, hard stone, beginning from its flesh!)

"Roar—!" (She relies on these two abilities to occupy that treasured land. For years, none of the nearby Soul Beasts have dared provoke her!)

Hearing this description, the smile at Zhang Qingxuan's lips deepened, and understanding flashed through his eyes.

Wasn't that Dugu Bo's eighth Soul Skill, Time Freeze, and Medusa's Gaze from that Medusa Head Soul Bone? So this was where they came from.

That was right! Judging by the current timeline, that Old Poison Dugu Bo definitely had not discovered the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well yet.

This treasured land was fated to be mine!

"No matter. Just lead the way."

"She's only a long worm. I'll deal with her."

He was completely confident, and his relaxed tone carried unquestionable self-assurance.

Zhang Qingxuan felt no concern at all over the two abilities the White Flood Dragon feared so greatly. If anything, he found them amusing.

Petrifying beams? Temporal stasis?

Could they hold him?

His Golden Light Incantation had already reached great mastery. With a single thought, the protective golden light around him would circulate on its own, seamless and unceasing.

No evil could approach, and no technique could harm him! Those eight words were not empty boasts.

As for temporal stasis, its effectiveness ultimately depended on who wielded it.

Had no one seen how Wang Ye of Wudang in later generations used Feng Hou Qimen to restrain the Old Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, only managing to win a fleeting instant to escape?

Trying to fight back? That was nothing but wishful thinking.

No matter how strong this Medusa was, could she possibly be stronger than him after his years of cultivating the Golden Light Incantation and Thunder Method?

Even Dugu Bo, who was not skilled in direct combat in the future, would eventually deal with this Medusa Queen and obtain her Soul Bone and Soul Ring.

Now that he possessed the supreme teachings of the Celestial Master Mansion, if he still could not deal with her, would that not be the greatest joke in the world?

No, that would be a joke among jokes!

"Let's go. Lead the way." Zhang Qingxuan swept his sleeve and stood with his hands behind his back.

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, along with the immortal-grade treasures within that could alter the fate of the continent—he was determined to claim them today.

Watching the composed, unhurried bearing of the figure before it, the fear in the White Flood Dragon's heart somehow faded somewhat.

It let out a low roar, twisted its massive body, and slowly turned toward the depths of the dense forest.

Zhang Qingxuan stepped after it. As his robes fluttered, faint lightning flickered around him.