Ultimate Ice

"What do you mean, my old nest?!"

Dugu Bo's old face reddened as he glared at his granddaughter. "This is a medicine garden! A medicine garden, understand? It's full of treasures!"

"Yes, yes, a medicine garden." Dugu Yan nodded perfunctorily.

Ye Feng ignored the grandfather and granddaughter's bickering. He stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Snow Empress, we're back!"

The Poison Barrier fell silent for a moment before churning violently, as though stirred by an invisible hand.

Then, a cold and crystalline voice, as if it could freeze one's soul, emerged from deep within the Poison Barrier and rang directly beside their ears.

"Enter."

Just one word, yet it made Dugu Bo instinctively straighten his back. Dugu Yan shivered and ducked behind her grandfather.

Shui Bing'er's icy eyes narrowed slightly. She could sense that the owner of this voice possessed a level of frost beyond anything she could imagine.

It was an Ultimate Ice that was nearly primordial, transcending all things.

The next instant, the Poison Barrier automatically parted to reveal a narrow passage. A peculiar aura of frigid cold intertwined with scorching heat rushed toward them.

"Let's go."

Ye Feng stepped in first, followed closely by Shui Bing'er. Dugu Bo hurried after them, pulling along his curious yet somewhat timid granddaughter.

Once they passed through the passage, the view suddenly opened up before them.

Red and white springwater intertwined and boiled. Icy and fiery energy rose like mist, while exotic flowers and rare herbs blanketed the surroundings. The rich medicinal fragrance and pure natural energy refreshed their spirits.

At the edge of the spring stood a snow-white figure in silence.

Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, her bare feet hovered above the ground, and faint icy crystals and snowflakes swirled around her. Her face was cold and peerlessly beautiful, as if it had gathered all the spiritual grace of ice and snow in the world.

It was the Snow Empress.

Her gaze first fell upon Ye Feng, and her icy eyes softened for an instant before turning toward Shui Bing'er beside him. A trace of subtle surprise flashed through her eyes.

"A rudimentary Ultimate Ice?"

The Snow Empress's voice remained calm, yet Shui Bing'er felt an invisible pressure, as though nothing about her could be hidden beneath that gaze.

She took a deep breath and gave a slight, neither humble nor overbearing bow. "This junior is Shui Bing'er. Greetings, Senior."

The Snow Empress gave a slight nod in response.

She had not expected to see the beginnings of Ultimate Ice within a human.

"Snow Empress, Bing'er's Martial Soul is an Ice Phoenix. Her talent is exceptional, and she's only one step away from touching Ultimate Ice."

Ye Feng smiled. "If her Martial Soul can evolve, it should ease the backlash from the Karma Fire, right?"

The Snow Empress glanced at him without speaking. She merely raised a jade-like finger, sending a streak of ice-blue light into a crevice near the spring.

The next moment, an Immortal Herb, crystal-clear like blue crystal and shaped like an orchid, radiating gentle coldness, was softly lifted from the crevice and floated slowly toward Shui Bing'er.

"This can help you stabilize your foundation and purify your cold energy."

The Snow Empress said indifferently, "As for whether you can reach true Ultimate Ice, that depends on your own fortune."

Shui Bing'er carefully received the Immortal Herb.

It felt cool and smooth in her hand. The vast, pure ice-element energy made the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul within her emit a delighted cry.

Excitement flashed through her ice-blue eyes as she solemnly bowed again. "Thank you, Senior, for bestowing this medicine!"

Dugu Bo watched from the side with envy. He leaned close to Ye Feng and whispered, "Young Master, could you also look around for something suitable for my Yanyan...?"

Dugu Yan also looked at Ye Feng expectantly.

Ye Feng froze for a moment, then understood and patted his chest. "Leave it to me."

Dugu Bo's eyes immediately lit up. "Then thank you, Young Master."

Ye Feng did not delay. He turned and began searching through the herb garden, his gaze sweeping across the exotic flowers and rare plants like a searchlight.

"Though the Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul excels at poison, its strength and speed aren't inferior to those of other beast Martial Souls. Perhaps..."

As he muttered to himself and searched his memories of Immortal Herbs suitable for Dugu Yan from the original story, his steps suddenly halted.

"Found it!"

He walked beneath a shaded rock wall near the spring, crouched down, and carefully pushed aside several thick, dark-green leaves.

A strange Immortal Herb was revealed.

Its stem twisted like a dragon's body, while five long slender branches extended from its top. Their sharp, curved tips resembled dragon claws.

The entire herb was dark gold, with a faint purple-black sheen flowing across its surface. It gave off a distinct scent that mixed a faint fishy sweetness with a strange fragrance.

Ye Feng plucked the Immortal Herb in a few quick motions and handed it to Dugu Yan.

"This Immortal Herb is called the Earth Dragon Golden Claw Orchid. It can strengthen the body of a beast Martial Soul, and its effects are especially outstanding for Martial Souls with dragon or snake bloodlines."

"If you're lucky, it might even evolve your Martial Soul into a Jade Phosphor Flood Dragon."

"A Jade Phosphor Flood Dragon?!"

Dugu Yan received the Immortal Herb with both hands, her arms trembling slightly.

"H-how do I use it?"

"Eat it directly."

"Huh?"

Ye Feng turned to Shui Bing'er. "Yours too. Just eat it directly."

"The finest ingredients are often best eaten raw."

"R-really? Nothing will happen?"

Dugu Yan held the dark-gold Earth Dragon Golden Claw Orchid and sniffed it near her nose, her expression becoming somewhat strange.

The smell mixed earthy musk with an unusual sweetness. It really did not seem like something fit to eat.

Ye Feng stood nearby with his arms folded, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "What are you afraid of? Immortal Herbs are all about preserving their original flavor."

"I've eaten a few before. They tasted pretty good."

Dugu Bo stroked his beard beside them and nodded with a profound expression.

"The Young Master is right. Taking it raw preserves the medicinal properties to the greatest extent. Yanyan, don't hesitate. This is a heaven-sent opportunity."

Shui Bing'er was far more decisive. Holding the Ice Blue Crystal Orchid, she examined it only briefly before stuffing it into her mouth.

In an instant, a pure and gentle force of icy cold slid down her throat and swiftly spread through her limbs and bones.

Cold air began to radiate from her body of its own accord, while fine ice crystals formed on her hair and brows. Clearly, she was undergoing a transformation.

On the other side, Dugu Yan saw that Shui Bing'er had already started eating.

Gritting her teeth and closing her eyes, she stuffed the Earth Dragon Golden Claw Orchid in her hand into her mouth as well.

"Mmm... it kind of tastes like chewing tree roots... and it's a little spicy?"

She muttered indistinctly before swallowing it whole.

A few breaths later, Dugu Yan's expression abruptly changed.

A scorching, tyrannical current exploded from her stomach and violently surged into her meridians.

She let out a muffled groan as dense dark-gold patterns appeared across her skin.

"Grandpa... it's so hot..."

Fine sweat seeped from Dugu Yan's forehead, and her voice trembled.

Dugu Bo's face tightened as he was about to move, but Ye Feng spoke first.

"Senior, don't panic. The medicinal power is taking effect. Miss Yan, sit cross-legged and circulate your Soul Power to guide it!"

Dugu Yan endured the discomfort and sat down as instructed.

Jade-green Soul Power surged from her body, intertwining and clashing with the dark-gold current within her. Soft hissing sounds rang out.

For a time, the scene beside the spring became rather strange.

On the left, Shui Bing'er radiated icy air as ice crystals spread around her, like an ice-and-snow goddess descending into the world.

On the right, heat waves churned around Dugu Yan, golden patterns flickering faintly over her body, like a flood dragon being born.