"Eighty percent." Dugu Bo murmured. Eighty percent was already a high chance, and this was also the most suitable solution.
"Good, we'll do as you say. What about Yanyan? She won't end up like me, will she?"
Dugu Bo was still worried about Dugu Yan.
Tuoba Xuan chuckled. "Don't worry. Your granddaughter is still young, so her solution will be different from yours."
"As for your granddaughter, I'm a hundred percent confident I can cure her—and even help her go a step further."
Dugu Bo's face lit up. "Tell me."
"First, we need to find a Soul Bone for your granddaughter and teach her how to fuse her toxins. Then I'll help her achieve Martial Soul Evolution. After that, we'll use medicinal pills and medicinal baths to stabilize the change completely."
"Martial Soul Evolution?" This was something Dugu Bo had never expected.
"Exactly. Once her Martial Soul evolves, your granddaughter will no longer suffer from the backlash of her toxins."
"Her descendants' Martial Souls will even evolve as well. From then on, your family will never suffer from the backlash again."
Dugu Bo's eyes brightened. Though Tuoba Xuan had spoken somewhat vaguely, he could see that this method was indeed feasible.
Especially the words, "From then on, your family will never suffer from the backlash again." They struck the deepest longing in Dugu Bo's heart.
From childhood to adulthood, his relatives and clansmen had all suffered from the backlash of their toxins, meeting tragic ends.
If he could truly put an end to the toxin backlash in his generation, then he would be able to face his ancestors with a clear conscience.
"Hahahahaha!" Dugu Bo burst into hearty laughter and gripped Tuoba Xuan's shoulder with his broad hand. "Good. We'll do as you say."
"If you need any help, just ask. I'd climb a mountain of swords or plunge into a sea of flames to get it done."
"That won't be necessary." Tuoba Xuan waved a hand. "But first, we need to solve your problem."
Dugu Bo's expression turned serious. "Go on, lad. Tell me what to do, and I'll do it."
"First, I need to absorb a few medicinal herbs and refine the dragon blood. I can't be disturbed at all, and it'll take about half a month. Your task is to protect me."
Tuoba Xuan laid out his plan.
"Good! Don't worry. I guarantee not even a fly will get in." Dugu Bo clenched his fist, feeling the blood in his veins surge.
"Good. There's no time to lose. I'll begin right away." With that, Tuoba Xuan turned his gaze to the Immortal Herbs on the ground.
Tuoba Xuan's plan was to absorb the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew first, then the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum. After that, he would pick the Infernal Delicate Apricot and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, absorb both in the spring, and use the lingering aura of the Ice and Fire Dragon King deep beneath the lake to fully fuse the Ice and Fire Golden Dragon Body.
This was what the Little Mountain Dragon King in Dragon Valley had told him: the aura of the Ice and Fire Dragon King still remained on the continent, and if he encountered it, he could use the dragon qi of the two Dragon Kings to condense the Ice and Fire Golden Dragon Body.
This was even more domineering than Tang San's Ice and Fire Golden Body.
Without further ado, Tuoba Xuan walked over to the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew and stared at it intently.
Then he sat cross-legged and gently touched the leaves of the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
According to the original story, absorbing the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew required taking in the three crystalline dewdrops at the center of its leaves.
Without hesitation, Tuoba Xuan carefully scooped the three purest and most precious dewdrops into his palm.
Feeling the coolness against his hand, Tuoba Xuan sensed his mind becoming clearer.
"Truly an Immortal Herb." With a sigh, Tuoba Xuan swallowed all three dewdrops at once.
As the dewdrops slid down his throat, they brought an intense coolness, followed by a sense of utter clarity.
It was as if he were receiving a deep-tissue massage to his brain. Tuoba Xuan's nerves and neural pathways began to clear and grow more active.
Then the dewdrops traveled through the meridians in his limbs, coursing through his entire body before gathering once more in his mind.
They surged toward his brow, like wanderers who had found their way home, converging there of their own accord.
Outside, Tuoba Xuan's body trembled slightly, as though his skin were shedding and renewing itself.
Dugu Bo watched him curiously. His Soul Power and spiritual power had already spread out in secret; he would sense any living creature that entered their range.
Tuoba Xuan sat cross-legged on the ground, circulating his Soul Power to flush away the impurities in his body. The itch at the center of his brow gradually faded as well.
Only after absorbing it for half an hour did Tuoba Xuan open his eyes.
The moment he did, his vision felt crystal clear, and his whole body felt wonderfully refreshed.
The scenery around him, the faint poisonous mist, the falling leaves—everything appeared before his eyes in minute detail.
In his bright eyes, countless stars and seas seemed to swirl.
"My spiritual power has actually increased this much." Tuoba Xuan could hardly believe it. No wonder they said Immortal Herbs were essential for becoming a god.
With effects this potent, it was no wonder countless people fought over them.
Next, taking advantage of the rush of energy from absorbing the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Tuoba Xuan immediately absorbed the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum beside him.
The way to absorb the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum was to eat its golden-yellow petals.
Tuoba Xuan slowly savored them, swallowing every last petal.
The Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum would lay the foundation for Tuoba Xuan to form the Ice and Fire Golden Dragon Body, allowing him to endure the searing heat of Ultimate Fire and the bitter cold of Ultimate Ice.
Since Tuoba Xuan's body was already exceptionally strong, the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum was absorbed quickly. In just ten minutes, a faint golden glow appeared over his skin.
"The foundation's set." Tuoba Xuan walked over to the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and stuffed it into his mouth.
The moment it went down, an overwhelming chill struck him—several degrees colder than the Far North Lands.
Tuoba Xuan felt the flow of blood in his veins grow incredibly slow, as if it were being sealed in ice.
"Cough, cough." Even the mist he exhaled was flecked with frost. Gritting his teeth, he rushed toward the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
Without hesitation, he shoved the Infernal Delicate Apricot into his mouth. In an instant, the extreme heat it brought began to fight the extreme cold of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Two completely different temperatures, polar opposites, began to clash inside Tuoba Xuan's body.
Half his blood seemed to boil, while the other half turned to ice.
"Ah!" Tuoba Xuan suddenly let out a pained roar, startling Dugu Bo.
Tuoba Xuan doubled over and collapsed to the ground, his entire back arched like a bow.
Enduring the agony, Tuoba Xuan crawled toward the spring.
He dragged himself forward inch by inch, his knees gouging two deep furrows in the ground.
At last, Tuoba Xuan saw hope. Unconscious, he plunged into the spring.
With a splash, the lake water surged upward, and a distinct golden line divided the spring down the middle.
On one side lay blue dragon patterns infused with extreme cold; on the other, crimson dragon patterns radiating extreme heat.
The Ice and Fire Dragon Kings had sensed the dragon aura on Tuoba Xuan and begun to reveal themselves.
In a special space deep beneath the lake, the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King faced each other.
They could not understand how, after millions of years, they could still sense the aura of a Dragon King of their own rank.
The Mountain Dragon King Mark on Tuoba Xuan's body suddenly appeared and began communicating with the two Dragon Kings.