Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

Dugu Bo stared fixedly at the young man before him, his serpentine pupils churning with emotions that were impossible to decipher.

After a long silence.

"Kid."

Dugu Bo finally spoke: "You talk a good game, but what is the use of just being able to see?"

He took a step forward, and the pressure of a Title Douluo bore down once more: "I have lived for so many years and seen more than a thousand famous doctors. Which one of them didn't describe my condition in flowery terms, only to be completely helpless in the end?"

"You say you can cure me, then I would like to hear how you intend to do it."

As these words fell, everyone's gaze landed on Xu Linjiu.

Xu Linjiu, however, merely smiled slightly.

"Since the senior has asked, this junior will make a fool of himself."

He spoke unhurriedly: "To treat the poison in your body, senior, this junior has two paths."

"Two paths?" Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.

"The first path, while treating the symptoms rather than the root cause, has the advantage of being relatively simple to implement."

Xu Linjiu said slowly: "The poison in your body, senior, has long since fused with your soul power and meridians. Forcibly dispelling it would only harm you, which is the fundamental reason why no one has been able to cure your poison all these years."

"But if we change our perspective and use a high-quality spirit bone as a container, we could channel all the toxins that have accumulated in your body over the years into it."

"However, there is a limit to the amount of toxins a single spirit bone can contain, and once a spirit bone is implanted, it cannot be removed. Unless you, Your Excellency, can assemble a full set of high-quality spirit bones, you cannot be guaranteed peace of mind for the rest of your life."

Dugu Bo snorted coldly: "This is what you call relatively simple? Do you have any idea how precious spirit bones are!"

"This junior is naturally aware, but compared to the second method, the difficulty of obtaining spirit bones is not even one ten-thousandth of the latter."

"One ten-thousandth?"

Dugu Bo's voice lowered involuntarily: "Let's hear it."

"The second method treats both the symptoms and the root cause: it is to have your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul evolve completely. Then, the toxins in your body will naturally cease to be a threat and instead become a great tonic."

"Martial Soul Evolution? Hah!"

Dugu Bo could not help but laugh out loud, and the pressure of the Title Douluo intensified instantly: "In the thousands of years of history of Martial Soul development on the Douluo Continent, how many people have truly understood how a Martial Soul evolves? Are you trying to play a joke on me?"

"Your Excellency, do not be impatient. Since this junior has said so, I naturally know a way to make a Martial Soul evolve."

Dugu Bo stared into Xu Linjiu's eyes, and after confirming that he did not seem to be lying, he continued: "I will spare you for now, assuming you wouldn't dare to deceive me."

"Thank you for your mercy, senior."

Xu Linjiu bowed in salute: "This junior learned from an ancient book that there is a type of rare treasure in this world called an Immortal Herb. Each one possesses mysterious and unfathomable effects."

"If we can find an Immortal Herb that matches the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul, then Martial Soul evolution will naturally not be a problem."

"Immortal Herb."

Dugu Bo murmured these words, and for the first time, a complex expression appeared in those emerald-green snake eyes.

How many years had it been? He had thought he would be trapped in this virulent poison for the rest of his life, until the day he died from its flare-up.

He never expected that one day, someone would stand before him and nonchalantly point out two paths to survival!

Especially the second path—others might not know where to find an Immortal Herb, but how could he, Dugu Bo, not know?

"Hmph."

Dugu Bo suppressed the agitation in his heart, though his tone remained cold and hard: "It sounds nice, but an Immortal Herb is a rare treasure that is hard to find in this world. You are just a level 50 Spirit King; where would you go to find one?"

"Senior is right."

Xu Linjiu smiled slightly: "That is why the suggestion I gave to Your Excellency is to prioritize the spirit bones, and slowly search for the traces of an Immortal Herb in the future."

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes: "Slowly search? Why should I believe that what you say is true!"

"Because not a single word of what this junior just said was false."

Xu Linjiu remained neither humble nor arrogant. "I can see through the poison in your body, senior, and I have a way to treat it. As for whether you believe it or not, you will only know after trying."

Dugu Bo fell silent.

After a long while, he suddenly laughed.

"A good 'only know after trying'."

Before his voice had even faded, his figure suddenly surged!

"Then I will let you try!"

A beam of green light, carrying the terrifying power of a Title Douluo, instantly enveloped Xu Linjiu!

Tang San's expression changed drastically, and he lunged forward.

But how could an eight-year-old Soul Grandmaster react to the speed of a Title Douluo?

Meng Shenji and the others also changed color, and just as they were about to intervene, they felt that pressure crush down like a physical force, causing their very movements to stall!

In an instant, Xu Linjiu was swept up by that green light, and his entire body was lifted off the ground!

"My precious granddaughter will stay here for now. If anything happens to her, you will be held accountable!"

Dugu Bo's voice echoed through the great hall: "As for this kid, I am taking him away first!"

"If you want to save your student, it will depend on whether this kid has real ability!"

Before the words had finished, that dark green figure had already turned into a streak of light, sweeping Xu Linjiu away into the sky!

"Teacher!"

Tang San rushed to the entrance of the hall, but he only saw that green light in the sky gradually moving away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

A strange place hidden in the depths of the mountains and valleys.

Xu Linjiu felt a blur before his eyes, and the scene beneath his feet had completely changed.

The spring was not large, but it was clearly divided into two distinct halves—one side was steaming with cold mist, the water nearly transparent, exuding a bone-chilling cold; the other side was as red as blood, with heat churning as if it were about to ignite the air.

Where the extreme cold and extreme heat met, white mist swirled, and the spiritual energy was so dense it was almost tangible.

All around this realm, countless strange flowers and grasses grew in dense clusters—some were icy blue, some were as red as fire, some were wreathed in lingering fragrance, and some emitted a faint, ghostly luster.

Every single one was a rare treasure that was hard to see in the outside world.

"This is..."

Xu Linjiu's pupils contracted slightly, and he raised his hand subconsciously.

His Pokédex Martial Soul appeared quietly, transforming into an invisible screen of light that swept over the Immortal Herbs before his eyes—

[Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass: Ice-attribute rare treasure. Can be used to strengthen ice-type Martial Souls...]

[Infernal Delicate Apricot: Fire-attribute rare treasure. Mutually reinforcing and restraining with the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass...]

[Aromatic Silk Beauty: ...]

Pieces of information flowed through his heart, and the look in Xu Linjiu's eyes gradually brightened.

"So that's how it is..."

He whispered: "This Poison Douluo is actually guarding a natural treasure trove of medicinal herbs."

"See something?"

Behind him, Dugu Bo's voice rang out coldly.

He stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the spring where the cold and heat met, his emerald-green snake eyes staring fixedly at Xu Linjiu:

"This is a place I have hidden for decades. Those famous doctors outside don't even know I'm poisoned, let alone know about this place."

"If you truly have the ability, prove it to me right here."

"But if you dare to play any tricks..."

He did not finish his sentence, but the cold light that flashed through his snake eyes said everything.

Xu Linjiu merely smiled slightly.

He did not rush to answer, but instead turned around, his gaze slowly sweeping across the garden of Immortal Herbs, finally landing on an herb that emitted a faint, lingering fragrance and an imposing spiritual aura.

In his heart, he already had a plan.

"Rest assured, senior." He spoke slowly, "Since this junior dared to come, I will naturally not let you down."

Deep within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the mist where the cold and heat met churned.

It was as if some strange presence was quietly awakening...