As the transparent droplet was swallowed by Yu Hengqing, the once vibrant Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew instantly withered.
Ice Dragon King exerted a little force, and the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew crumbled into a cloud of dust, returning to the embrace of Mother Earth.
The moment he swallowed the droplet, Yu Hengqing felt waves of coolness rush straight to his head. With each wave, his senses grew sharper.
Before, Yu Hengqing could detect auras only within two hundred meters at most. Now, he could detect them within five hundred meters.
At that moment, Yu Hengqing's mental space was changing too.
His entire mental space was steadily expanding. His Sea of Consciousness, which had once only reached his ankles, had risen to his calves.
"I'm just one step away from meeting the minimum standard for condensing a Soul Core that Sky Dream Ice Silkworm mentioned!"
Feeling the changes in Yu Hengqing's mental space, Leiyi was sincerely happy for him.
Before Yu Hengqing could wake, the two Dragon Kings returned their Dragon Pearls to the pool, using its power to transform them into their divine artifacts.
"Zhantian, we're about to use the reincarnation method. We won't be able to wake you until we succeed. So I hope you take good care of yourself. After all, reviving the Dragon Clan is a long and arduous task, and we still need you."
Ice Dragon King knew that Yu Zhantian didn't have a reincarnation method as complete as his own and could only rely on time to force his injuries to heal.
But this was the slowest method. The wounds left by that battle wouldn't be easy to recover from, and the slightest misstep could mean his death and the destruction of his soul.
"I understand. And I have plans of my own."
As he spoke, Yu Zhantian glanced at Yu Hengqing, who was still absorbing the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
"This kid has good potential. I believe you can do it."
After offering his blessing, the two Dragon Kings merged into the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
The moment the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings merged with them, streams of the world's essence energy converged on the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
In the blink of an eye, the concentration of the world's essence energy in the well doubled, and it continued to rise.
It wasn't until Yu Hengqing had finished dinner that the concentration of the world's essence energy in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well finally stabilized.
"The concentration of the world's essence energy is five times higher than before. Dugu Bo will definitely get suspicious when he comes back."
Looking at the faintly glowing Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot, Yu Hengqing could only grumble helplessly.
The next day at noon, Dugu Bo returned.
The moment he stepped into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo noticed that something was amiss, just as Yu Hengqing had expected.
A slightly scrutinizing gaze fell on Yu Hengqing. Dugu Bo said nothing; he merely watched him for a while before looking away.
After dealing with Yu Hengqing for so long, Dugu Bo knew the kid was strange and always managed to stir up some trouble.
As long as Yu Hengqing hadn't destroyed his Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo was already grateful.
"Kid, I went back and managed to figure out the initial reason the poison dissipated. It happened because the accumulated poison in my body actively attracts new poison."
"If I want to keep cultivating, I have to use Soul Power to encase the poison and stop it from attracting more poison inside my body."
"But if I do that, I'll have to divide my attention two ways, maybe even three. So I'll have to put the Poison Core Method on hold for a while."
Looking at Dugu Bo's regretful expression, Yu Hengqing couldn't think of anything to comfort him. He simply said, "It's all right. There's still plenty of time. Have faith in yourself."
"Mm. Even if I can't make it work, letting Yan Yan learn from my mistakes is worthwhile."
Dugu Bo soon came to terms with it. Ever since his son had died from the poison, he had devoted all his efforts to Dugu Yan and finding a way to detoxify her.
Now that the poison in Dugu Yan's body was under control and there was a lead on how to remove it, Dugu Bo was quite satisfied.
"All right, you've been away from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect for quite a while. I should take you back."
Soon, Dugu Bo took Yu Hengqing away from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
But Dugu Bo left in such a hurry that he didn't even notice that a few medicinal herbs were missing from the well.
"Dad, it's been so long!"
After Dugu Bo brought Yu Hengqing to Yu Yuanzhen's study, he immediately turned and left. He didn't want to interrupt the father and son as they caught up, and Yan Yan had missed him too.
"You came back safely, and you've even reached level twenty-two. Not bad! Not bad!"
Yu Yuanzhen patted Yu Hengqing's shoulder with a pleased smile. He had already heard all about what Yu Hengqing had been through recently from Yu Hezai.
But before Yu Yuanzhen could say anything more, Yu Zhantian impatiently emerged from the pearl again.
"You're the ancestor of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Zhantian?"
Seeing Yu Zhantian suddenly appear before him, Yu Hengqing cautiously questioned the ancestor, who looked like a wisp of white smoke.
"The real deal!"
"The current patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan pays his respects to Ancestor Yu Zhantian!"
Yu Yuanzhen didn't use his title as Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. After all, the sect belonged to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, but the two were not one and the same.
"No need for formalities. I came to you today for one reason only. With my help, I hope to greatly increase your strength and make the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan the greatest clan under heaven."
Yu Zhantian spoke casually, yet with an undercurrent of conviction, as though boosting a level-ninety-five Titled Douluo's strength were a simple matter.
Hearing that Yu Zhantian could improve his strength, Yu Yuanzhen immediately grew excited.
Level ninety-five was a threshold for Titled Douluo. Yu Yuanzhen had been stuck there for a long time, unable to find a way through.
Now that a powerful ancestor had offered to help him, how could Yu Yuanzhen not be thrilled?
"Thank you for granting me this opportunity, Ancestor. I will not disappoint you!"
Though his heart was brimming with excitement, Yu Yuanzhen maintained his manners and bowed deeply to Yu Zhantian.
"Good. In that case, come with me to the back mountain. Oh, and little Qing, you're coming too."
As Yu Zhantian spoke, he took the pearl from Yu Hengqing's waist and guided it toward the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's mysterious back mountain.
Yu Hengqing had been planning to make himself scarce, but now he had no choice but to follow Yu Zhantian and Yu Yuanzhen.
Looking at Yu Zhantian floating in front of him, Yu Yuanzhen asked a question that had weighed on his mind for a long time.
"Ancestor Yu Zhantian, may I ask if you were the one who set up the Sect Master Trial in the back mountain?"
Yu Yuanzhen still had regrets about the Sect Master Trial and felt he had been wronged. He had nearly passed it back then.
"The Sect Master Trial? I don't remember anything about it. My original body must have set it up later. But if even you couldn't pass, that proves the trial is about more than simply testing a sect master."
"Most likely, my original body wanted to choose an heir with the potential to become a god and pass on the wish I never fulfilled."
Hearing the key phrase "wish I never fulfilled," Yu Hengqing's alarm bells immediately rang. It didn't sound like anything good.
Looking at his dad's suddenly enlightened expression, Yu Hengqing recalled that Yu Yuanzhen had previously tried to sound him out about something, asking if he'd be willing to take part in a trial.
At the time, Yu Hengqing had thought it was some kind of sect trial, so he had told Yu Yuanzhen that he'd definitely go take a look when he had time.
Now it seemed his dad hadn't passed the trial and had placed his hopes of clearing it on Yu Hengqing instead.
"May I ask, Ancestor, with your strength, why do you need us weak juniors to fulfill the wish you left unfinished?"
Before you continue