Gift, Shui Bing'er Breaks Through to Level 40 Soul Ancestor

As they stepped into the depths of the valley, the view before them suddenly opened wide.

A pool of milky-white spring water appeared in the center of the valley. The spring was split into two halves: one half wreathed in cold mist, the rock wall on that side covered in icicles; the other half steamed with heat, the water bubbling and boiling, even the air scorched until it warped faintly.

The two currents of hot and cold air met and collided above the spring, forming a yin-yang dividing line visible to the naked eye.

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

The surrounding rock walls were covered with all kinds of medicinal herbs, vibrant and dazzling, shimmering with flowing light.

Li Yuan swept his gaze over them and recognized several familiar ones at a glance: the Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb, Blazing Apricot Delicate, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum... everything was here.

"Hiss—!" Shui Bing'er sucked in a sharp breath. "Why is it so hot?"

As soon as she spoke, another wave of heat rushed at her face, and fine sweat beaded at her temples.

Dugu Bo walked ahead. He glanced back at her, his tone carrying a trace of pride. "Little girl, this place is called the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Heat and cold alternate here, yin and yang harmonize. Ordinary soul masters who get within fifty steps of the spring's center can't even last the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Even this old man has to withdraw if he stays too long."

Long Yuan looked around and clicked his tongue. "Dugu Bo, you've got quite a few good things here."

Dugu Bo stroked his beard, a rare look of smugness appearing on his face. "Naturally! These medicinal herbs are the fruit of more than twenty years of this old man's painstaking effort. I gathered and transplanted them from all across the continent, then carefully nurtured them until today. Take any one of them outside, and those soul masters would fight until their heads split open for it."

As he spoke, he turned to Li Yuan, his face full of attentiveness. "My lord, whichever ones catch your eye, this old servant will pick them for you."

Li Yuan was just about to speak when the system notification sounded in his mind.

"Ding! A large quantity of rare immortal-grade medicinal herb resources has been detected. Collection mission triggered.

Please, Master, within one day, transplant all immortal-grade medicinal herbs within the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well's range to the Nibelungen Spirit Field.

Completion reward: Spirit Medicine Seed Bag x1 (contains: Blood-Coagulating Grass x10, can be refined into fast-acting healing liquid; Soul-Gathering Flower x10, after consumption, doubles soul power cultivation speed for seven days; Bone-Tempering Vine x10, long-term consumption can strengthen bones and physique; Spirit-Awakening Ganoderma x10, after refinement, increases resistance to spiritual power.)"

Li Yuan's eyelid twitched.

Move all of it?

Did this mean he had to clean out Dugu Bo's entire foundation in one go?

He glanced at the Poison Douluo beside him, who was still smugly showing off his collection, and silently apologized in his heart.

"Dugu Bo."

"This old servant is here."

"I want every herb here."

The smile on Dugu Bo's face froze.

"...Ev-every one?"

"My, my lord..." Dugu Bo's voice trembled with heartache. "Some of them still need a little more time. If they're transplanted now, I'm afraid—"

"No matter. Transplant them all back to Nibelungen." Li Yuan's tone was calm. "Since you've already joined me, these things should naturally come along too. Leaving them here is still just leaving them. Once they're moved to my place, I have a spirit field there, and its conditions won't be worse than this. Their growth will even be faster, not slower."

Dugu Bo opened his mouth, the corners of his eyes twitching from sheer pain.

But just as the words reached his lips, he looked at Long Yuan's smiling face beside him and swallowed them back down.

"...My lord is right." He forced out a smile uglier than crying. "This old servant will make arrangements at once."

Li Yuan patted him on the shoulder, his tone sincere. "Don't worry. Once that medicinal field of yours reaches my place, it will only be better."

Dugu Bo nodded with a bitter face, silently shedding tears in his heart.

More than twenty years of hard work, and it was being moved just like that.

Off to the side, Dugu Yan looked at her grandfather's expression, furious but not daring to speak, and couldn't help curling her lip, though she didn't dare make a sound either.

Li Yuan withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention to Dugu Bo's bitter-gourd face, and turned his head toward Long Yuan.

"Long Yuan, pick that Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone."

Long Yuan answered and leapt onto the rock wall. He reached out and plucked the immortal herb, its whole body a lustrous white, its petals like congealed fat, then landed lightly before Li Yuan and offered it up with both hands.

Li Yuan took it, turned, and handed it to Shui Bing'er.

"The gift I said I'd give you earlier is this."

Shui Bing'er froze, lowering her head to look at the immortal herb that exuded a clear, cold aura. Her pupils widened slightly. "My lord, this..."

"Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, an ice-attribute immortal herb. After consuming it, your soul power will increase greatly, and it will nourish your meridians. It will have a miraculous effect on your Ice Phoenix martial soul." Li Yuan pressed the immortal herb into her hands. "Take it and consume it."

Shui Bing'er gripped the immortal herb, her fingertips trembling slightly, then looked up at Li Yuan. "My lord, this is too precious... You should keep it for yourself."

As soon as she finished speaking, Long Yuan smiled from the side and said, "Miss Bing'er, since my lord gave it to you, just accept it. Only when your strength rises will you be of greater help to my lord."

Shui Bing'er bit her lip, looked at Li Yuan's calm gaze, then looked at the faintly fragrant immortal herb in her hand. In the end, she nodded. "...Thank you, my lord."

She turned and found a flat rock, then sat down cross-legged and placed the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone into her mouth.

In an instant, an extremely cold aura spread from within her body. Ice-blue light enveloped her completely, and the illusory figure of an Ice Phoenix spread its wings and circled above her head. The cold air condensed into tiny ice crystals that danced through the air.

Dugu Yan stood to the side, staring until her eyes went wide.

Half an hour later.

The Ice Phoenix's illusory figure suddenly withdrew. Shui Bing'er opened her eyes, a flash of cold light passing through them, and her entire bearing was clearly more refined and icy than before.

She sensed the surging soul power within her, her face filled with shock and joy.

"Level forty... a Soul Ancestor?"

She had jumped straight from level thirty-three to level forty.

A full seven levels, in just half an hour.

Shui Bing'er stood up and quickly walked over to Li Yuan, then bowed her head solemnly. "My lord, this great kindness..."

Li Yuan waved a hand and cut her off. "It's what you deserve."

From the corner of his eye, he caught Dugu Yan's expression beside them, so envious she looked like she was about to drool. The young girl's lips were slightly parted, her emerald-green eyes fixed straight on Shui Bing'er, her whole face practically saying, "I want one too."

The corner of Li Yuan's mouth lifted slightly. His gaze swept around and landed on an unremarkable pale-pink flower growing in a corner of the rock wall.

The Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb.

"Long Yuan, pick that one too."

Long Yuan followed his gaze, sprang forward, and took the pale-pink flower out together with its roots and soil.

At some point, Dugu Bo had already edged closer. When he saw the little flower, his brows furrowed slightly. He had tended this place for so many years, yet he had never figured out what use this completely ordinary-looking flower had.

Li Yuan took the Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb and turned to look at Dugu Yan.

"For you."

Dugu Yan froze and pointed at herself.

"...For me?"

"Mm." Li Yuan held the immortal herb out in front of her. "After you take this Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb, it will make you completely immune to all toxins, perfectly solve the backlash problem passed down through your family's Jade Phosphor Snake martial soul, and also slightly increase your soul power while improving your constitution."

Dugu Yan stood rooted to the spot, her mind buzzing.

It could solve the inherited backlash?

Ever since she was little, she had known that her grandfather had to endure the agony of poison backlash every so often. She had seen that torment, worse than death, with her own eyes, and feared it in her heart.

She had always thought she would sooner or later walk the same path.

"My, my lord," Dugu Bo had somehow already come up beside them, his voice trembling. "Is that true?"

Li Yuan did not explain further. He simply nodded calmly.

Dugu Bo looked at that pale-pink little flower, and his eyes instantly reddened. He clapped a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking twice, his voice choked. "Wonderful... wonderful..."

For more than twenty years, he had always thought he would never find a solution in this life and could only watch helplessly as Yan Yan followed in his footsteps.

He had never imagined that today, this young man who had beaten him black and blue would casually hand over a flower and say it could undo the curse that had plagued his family for decades.

Dugu Bo took a deep breath, turned his head to look at Dugu Yan, who was still dazed, and said in a trembling voice, "Yan Yan, what are you standing there for? Hurry and thank our lord!"

Dugu Yan snapped back to herself and quickly took the Fragrant Silk Immortal Herb, holding it carefully in her palms. Then she bowed deeply to Li Yuan. "Thank you, my lord!"

"Enough thanks. Take it." Li Yuan waved a hand. "While it's fresh."

Dugu Yan nodded, then turned and followed Shui Bing'er's example, finding a rock to sit on before putting the pale-pink little flower into her mouth.

A faint, delicate fragrance spread through the air.