Arrival at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

Dugu Bo's expression changed completely, as if he had seen a ghost.

These symptoms were a secret he had painstakingly hidden for many years. Even his closest granddaughter did not know. Aside from himself, no one knew that his condition had deteriorated to this extent.

Yet this boy, who looked no older than twelve or thirteen, had exposed it in a single sentence, without the slightest error!

"Who exactly are you?" Dugu Bo's voice held a trace of tension. This was one of his greatest secrets.

Lin Ming was utterly unafraid. Facing Dugu Bo's oppressive gaze calmly, he spoke slowly:

"Senior, there is no need to be nervous. I mean no harm. I once read an ancient text in the library of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. It recorded a rare toxic affliction whose symptoms are identical to yours.

According to that ancient text, this condition is caused by the long-term accumulation of toxins within the body. The poison has already seeped into the marrow and fused with Soul Power. If it is not dealt with in time, it will gradually erode the internal organs and eventually threaten one's life. Even immortals would be powerless to save them."

He paused, turning his gaze toward Dugu Yan beside him. His tone became even more solemn:

"Furthermore, if I am not mistaken, Miss Dugu Yan should have similar symptoms as well, correct? Though they are not obvious yet, the poison is already lying dormant within her body. If it is left unchecked, she likely will not live past twenty-five."

The moment those words fell, Dugu Bo's body jolted. His face instantly turned pale as paper, as though all strength had been drained from him.

This was the deepest pain in his heart, the reason he had tossed and turned through countless sleepless nights.

The reason he had obsessively researched poison arts, searched everywhere for antidotes, and even risked testing poisons on himself was to save his own life and his granddaughter's.

Yet after all these years, after trying countless methods and enduring endless hardship, he had never found a cure. He could only watch helplessly as he and his granddaughter moved step by step toward death.

And now, a teenage boy had seen through their condition at a glance and even knew the consequences!

"You can cure it?" Dugu Bo's voice trembled slightly, and a glimmer of hope lit up in his eyes, like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline. "You really can?"

Lin Ming nodded, his tone certain. "I can."

"What are your conditions?" Dugu Bo said without hesitation, his voice filled with the resolve to stake everything on this.

"As long as you can cure me and Yan Yan, I can agree to anything! Didn't you want that herb garden? I'll give it to you! The entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, I'll give it to you! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"

At those words, Sword Douluo and Ning Rongrong were both stunned. They looked at each other, unable to believe their ears.

They had never expected Lin Ming to truly understand medicine, much less be capable of curing Dugu Bo's toxic condition. What shocked them even more was that Dugu Bo was willing to use the herb garden he treasured as his life as bargaining collateral. It was the fruit of decades of labor!

But Lin Ming shook his head, speaking sincerely. "Senior, you misunderstand. I am not trying to repay kindness with demands. That herb garden is indeed very important to me, but I would rather make a fair trade with you.

I will detoxify you and Miss Yan Yan, and you will lend me the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well so that I may pick some Immortal Herbs. How does that sound? That way, neither side owes the other anything. It is fair and reasonable."

Dugu Bo looked deeply at him. A complex emotion flashed through his eyes—surprise, admiration, and a touch of sentiment.

This kid was no simple character.

He clearly held all the cards and had every advantage, yet he had not taken the chance to make exorbitant demands. Instead, he had given both sides a graceful way forward. His temperament and wisdom far exceeded those of his peers.

If it had been an ordinary person, they would have seized the chance to demand the moon. Yet he could remain calm and knew when to stop while he was ahead.

"Good!" Dugu Bo agreed at once, his tone carrying a hint of exhilaration. "We'll do as you say! As long as you can detoxify us, you may use the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for as long as you wish and pick whatever you want. I will not interfere!"

Lin Ming smiled faintly before finally explaining the method of detoxification:

"It is actually very simple. The reason the toxins in your bodies cannot be removed is that they have fused with your Soul Power and cannot be separated. Forcibly expelling them would only damage your foundations.

But if the toxins can be drawn out and sealed within a stable vessel, the problem will be solved. And the most ideal vessel is a Soul Bone. Transfer the toxins into a Soul Bone, and not only will it avoid affecting the circulation of Soul Power, but it can also turn the toxins into a means of attack. It kills two birds with one stone."

After hearing this, Dugu Bo's eyes lit up sharply, like a man seeing a beam of light in the darkness. He slapped his thigh, his excited voice trembling.

"Brilliant! Why hadn't I thought of that? Transfer the toxins into a Soul Bone—detoxify the body and increase one's strength at the same time! Two birds with one stone! Genius! What a genius idea! I have studied this for so many years, yet I am not even as clear-minded as a mere youth!"

He excitedly paced in circles, rubbing his hands, his face filled with delight. Then he grabbed Lin Ming by the shoulders, with such force that Lin Ming felt a burst of pain.

"Kid, you really are a genius! Come, come, come! I'll take you to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well right now! Pick whatever Immortal Herbs you want! From now on, you are my honored guest!"

Sword Douluo stared in astonishment from the side. It took him a long while to recover, and when he looked at Lin Ming again, his eyes were filled with shock and admiration.

Just how many secrets was this kid hiding? First the Sky-Piercing Spear, then the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear Spirit Bone, and now medical knowledge—he could even cure Dugu Bo's toxic condition. How exactly was his brain made?

Ning Rongrong looked at Lin Ming with worship in her eyes, which sparkled like stars. She practically wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him on the cheek right then and there.

Lin Ming smiled to himself. Sorry, Senior Dugu. The answers were all written in the original story—I'm just copying them. But since you're being so generous, I won't hold back. Immortal Herbs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, here I come!

Led by Dugu Bo, the group passed through layers of mist, rounded countless winding mountain paths, and pushed aside dense vines before finally reaching a hidden valley deep within Sunset Forest.

When the sight before them came into view, everyone was stunned.

It was an enormous basin surrounded by mountains. The cliff walls were covered in thick moss and perpetually soaked by water vapor, giving the place a secluded, mysterious air.

Mist drifted through the valley, and the dense spiritual energy seemed almost tangible. Every breath left them refreshed, as though every pore greedily absorbed the essence in the air.

At the center of the basin was a spring of strange dual colors. The left half was scorching like fire, bubbling and churning as blazing steam rose from it, as if it could melt a person at any moment.

The right half was cold as frost, its chill biting to the bone. A thin layer of ice crystals formed across the surface, radiating piercing cold.

The two utterly different currents met, yet neither disturbed the other. They remained separate as well water and river water, forming a strange tableau where fire and water coexisted, like the chaos at the birth of heaven and earth.

Around the spring grew dense clusters of plants. Every one of them emitted a faint glow, dazzling in color and varied in shape, leaving the eye unable to take them all in.