"Earth Dragon Golden Melon, Golden-Veined Dragon Blood Lotus."
Beiming Lieyang plucked them and handed them to Dugu Bo.
"Your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor has a Martial Soul flaw. Toxins have been continuously accumulating in your body and backlashing against you. Unless that flaw is resolved, the poison can never be cured."
"These two Immortal Herbs contain traces of dragon aura and dragon blood. They can transform your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor."
"After taking them, there is a high chance that the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor will evolve and eliminate its inherent flaw. However, there is also a high chance that it will no longer possess poison."
"After all, few powerful creatures rely on poison as their means of attack."
Venomous snakes needed to consume a great deal of energy to produce toxins, while pythons relied entirely on their powerful bodies.
Just like Auntie Bing. Her true form was an Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, but in pursuit of Ultimate Ice, she had already shed her toxins. Ultimate Ice could also restrain poison.
Well, the poisons in Third Ghost's novels were pretty bizarre too.
In the original work, Tang San had used realgar wine and flames during a spirit battle to dispel Dugu Yan's poison.
At the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Ultimate Strength could also erase toxins, leaving no poison behind.
The toxins in this world were still classified as protein toxins.
High temperatures could render them ineffective.
Dugu Bo accepted the two Immortal Herbs, his hands trembling slightly.
"Lord... could you leave one for Yanyan...?"
"There is another way to solve your granddaughter's problem." Beiming Lieyang stared directly at him, his voice cold.
"I need you to guard the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. If you die, who will guard it for me? Is your granddaughter stronger than you?"
"If you die, who will protect your granddaughter? Do you expect me to protect her?"
Dugu Bo's body trembled. "Yes, this subordinate overstepped."
Standing behind Beiming Lieyang, the Ice Empress watched Dugu Bo lower his head. The corners of her lips curled up quietly as she turned and winked at the Snow Empress.
The Snow Empress's gentle gaze rested on Beiming Lieyang, but she said nothing.
"Hurry up and take them."
"Yes."
Dugu Bo swallowed the two Immortal Herbs. As their medicinal power entered his body, the phantom of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor suddenly appeared behind him, roaring savagely.
Immediately afterward, its snake scales split apart, and thick new dragon scales surged forth. Its serpentine body swelled and transformed into a jiao body.
Its back bulged, growing dragon-spine-like bone spikes. Four limbs emerged beneath its belly, each claw possessing two toes.
Its head lifted. The originally somewhat triangular snake head broadened, while four black horns behind its head suddenly lengthened.
The vertical marking between its brows trembled faintly. A dark golden vertical mark appeared upon its forehead, and a layer of dark golden radiance emerged within its vertical pupils.
Its roar changed from a snake's hiss into a deep jiao cry. The phantom completely transformed into a dark green jiao dragon clad in dragon scales, with four limbs and two-toed claws beneath its belly, coiling in midair.
Dugu Bo raised his head at the massive phantom, his voice hoarse but unable to suppress his excitement.
"...Bilin Poison Jiao, rank 92."
"The toxins in my body have been removed."
Although his Martial Soul still possessed toxins, those toxins were no longer accumulating within his body.
The flaw in his Martial Soul had truly been resolved.
"Not bad. The Bilin Poison Jiao has also allowed you to retain all your poison arts."
"Thank you, Lord, for the grace of granting me new life." Dugu Bo bowed deeply toward Beiming Lieyang.
His Martial Soul had evolved into a Poison Jiao, and its toxins had become even stronger.
It had also greatly increased his strength once more.
Beiming Lieyang nodded slightly.
He did not rush to leave afterward. Instead, he carefully searched the vicinity of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well once more.
The Immortal Herbs here were far more abundant than he had imagined. Amid the ice crystal clusters outside the spring, he discovered another six Immortal Herbs with ice attributes.
Moreover, these Immortal Herbs could provoke a faint reaction from the Void Mysterious Ice.
They could all strengthen Ultimate Ice Soul Power.
He divided the six Immortal Herbs into two sets of three and handed them to the Ice Empress and Snow Empress.
"Mother Xue, Auntie Bing, I sensed through the Void Mysterious Ice that these are compatible with Ultimate Ice and can make your Soul Power more refined."
In this world, poison could not invade anything possessing Ultimate Strength.
The Ice and Snow Emperors already possessed Ultimate Ice and could completely ignore toxins.
Not to mention that the Sun God Apollo within him also possessed Ultimate Light and Ultimate Fire.
Those could likewise purify and burn away toxins.
"With the Extreme Cold Yin Spring and Ten-thousand-year Mysterious Ice Marrow as support, they should further improve your foundations."
The Ice Empress looked at the Immortal Herbs and Cold Spring offered before her, a glimmer appearing in her eyes as she reached out and accepted them.
The Snow Empress accepted hers as well, nodding slightly without saying much. She sat down where she was and began refining them.
The two women swallowed the Immortal Herbs and Extreme Cold Yin Spring at the same time, then each took out a piece of Ten-thousand-year Mysterious Ice Marrow from their Storage Soul Tools.
The moment the medicinal power entered their bodies, their auras surged explosively.
Ice-blue frost spread madly outward from them. The air solidified into fine ice crystals amid the bitter chill, while a thick layer of frost rapidly formed across the ground.
Dugu Bo, standing in the distance, underwent a drastic change in expression, his pupils abruptly contracting.
That terrifying power of ice swept toward him like an overwhelming tide.
Even though his Martial Soul had already evolved into the Bilin Poison Jiao,
he still felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness spreading from the depths of his bones before that chill.
He swallowed hard.
What level of strength was this?
Who exactly were those two women...?
The cold energy continued to churn, only gradually subsiding after quite a while.
The Ice Empress and Snow Empress opened their eyes at the same time, their auras several degrees deeper and steadier than before.
The Ice Empress's cultivation rose from 450,000 years to 470,000 years.
The Snow Empress's rose from 750,000 years to 770,000 years.
The increase in cultivation was only one aspect. More importantly, their foundations had been reinforced anew.
Their origins had become more stable, broadening their future paths even further.
The Ice Empress suddenly jumped up and pounced on Beiming Lieyang, cupping his face in both hands and vigorously kneading it.
"Xiaoyang! You're incredible! I can feel that my ice is purer than before! The Immortal Herbs and Extreme Cold Yin Spring really work wonderfully."
Beiming Lieyang was nearly unable to breathe from her grip. He struggled and leaned backward. "Auntie Bing... gentler..."
"Hmph, don't give me that!" The Ice Empress kneaded his face twice more before letting go, her golden eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
"The next time you find something this good, remember to give it to your Auntie Bing first!"
"Got it, got it." Beiming Lieyang rubbed his reddened cheeks and turned toward the Snow Empress, only to see the faint curve of her lips and her gentle gaze resting upon him.
The Snow Empress said nothing. She merely raised a hand and gently brushed away a flake of frost clinging to his shoulder.
Beiming Lieyang smiled, then walked to the edge of the spring and took out an empty Storage Soul Tool.
With a wave of his hand, he condensed the Extreme Cold Yin Spring and Blazing Yang Spring into enormous cubes, then froze them into ice.
He remembered that Tang San had once used this spring water to refine Yama's Invitation, a weapon capable of intimidating a Title Douluo.
By coating the Godly Zhuge Crossbow with spring water, one could easily kill ten-thousand-year sea Soul Beasts.
He had even used the Blazing Yang Spring to hunt the hundred-thousand-year Evil Orca King.
The Extreme Cold Yin Spring would greatly benefit Mother Xue and Auntie Bing's cultivation.
As for the Blazing Yang Spring, keeping it might prove useful in the future.
After storing the spring water, he stood and spoke to the Ice and Snow Emperors. "I've reached rank 50. I need to obtain a Spirit Ring first."
After obtaining a Spirit Ring, he would return to search deeper within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for the Spirit Bones of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings.
Otherwise, even if he found the Spirit Bones now, refining them would not increase his strength.
He then turned to Dugu Bo. "Senior Dugu, I'll leave this place to you."
Dugu Bo bowed and clasped his fists. "Rest assured, Lord. This subordinate will give everything he has and never allow anyone to set foot here."
"When I return next time, I'll help you see how your granddaughter's poison can be cured."
Dugu Bo's body trembled slightly as he solemnly clasped his fists. "This subordinate thanks Lord on Yanyan's behalf."
The Ice Empress moved closer, her eyes sparkling. "We're going to find a Spirit Ring now?"
Beiming Lieyang nodded, his gaze growing slightly profound.
"Yes, but before obtaining a Spirit Ring, I want to visit a place first."
The True Form Armor that appeared after adding Spirit Rings, along with Dugu Bo still retaining his youthful appearance, all pointed toward the manga version of Douluo Continent.
But he needed to confirm one final matter.
Notting City.
That "Master," Yu Xiaogang.
The manga version of Master retained at least some personal charm.
He was somewhat better than the repulsive portrayal in the anime and original novel.
Yet Beiming Lieyang always felt that something was off, an odd feeling lingering in his heart.
He wanted to see for himself whether this world was truly the pure manga version or something else entirely.
Only by confirming that answer could he better plan his next step.
The Ice Empress tilted her head. "What place?"
"Notting City." Beiming Lieyang withdrew his thoughts. "To find someone."
"And perhaps I can obtain a rather good Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone as well."
[Just confirming whether he was the manga version of Master or the piece of shit from the anime and original novel. While I'm at it, I'll intercept the rabbit before Tang San reaches Notting City, make her sacrifice herself, and level up like crazy.]
Before you continue