Arrival at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

Dugu Bo's brows furrowed ever tighter, fine beads of sweat even seeping from his forehead.

Just then, a clear voice rang out beside him.

"Senior, let me try."

Dugu Bo abruptly raised his head, his sharp gaze landing on the speaker—the brat who had defeated his granddaughter, Xiao Lin.

"You?" There was a trace of hostility in Dugu Bo's voice. "You're the one who beat my granddaughter into this state, and now you still dare to—"

Before he could finish, Xiao Lin had already raised the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute to his lips and gently begun to play.

It was an exceptionally soothing, gentle tune.

The flute's melody was like a clear mountain spring, flowing slowly with a tranquil, peaceful power.

Every note was like a pair of gentle hands softly caressing one's heart, making one unconsciously relax and forget pain and anxiety.

Dugu Yan's tightly furrowed brows gradually eased beneath the sound of the flute. Her body, taut from pain, slowly began to relax as well.

Even more miraculously, the rampaging poison within her became far more docile under the melody's influence, no longer madly corroding her meridians as it had before.

Dugu Bo's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

He could clearly sense that his granddaughter's condition was improving. Though the poison had not been eliminated, the flute melody seemed to possess a peculiar calming power, greatly reducing both the frequency and intensity of the poison's flare-ups.

When the piece ended, Xiao Lin lowered the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute.

Dugu Yan's breathing had become much steadier, and some color had returned to her face. Though she remained unconscious, she was at least out of mortal danger.

"Th-this... what is going on?" Dugu Bo stared at Xiao Lin in shock. "How can your flute suppress the poison of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor?"

Xiao Lin put away the Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute and answered neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Senior, the art of music is vast and profound. Different melodies can have different effects on the human body. Some can invigorate the spirit, some can soothe the mind, and some can even regulate the flow of blood and open the meridians.

"The piece I played just now is called the Pure Heart Melody. It can calm the mind and settle restless blood and energy. It has a certain alleviating effect on symptoms caused by poison backlash."

Music could resonate with people. That was why so many people felt fired up by it.

Moreover, drums could be used on the battlefield to stir soldiers up and make them forget fear and pain. That was no baseless claim...

Xiao Lin had tested it himself, from attracting Xiao Wu to attracting the Sword and Bone Douluo.

"From what I saw of Miss Dugu's... symptoms, she should already be nearing the late stage. If it isn't controlled properly, she likely won't live past twenty-five. I do have a way to cure it completely... but... never mind. I shouldn't say any more."

Xiao Lin suddenly fell silent.

Dugu Bo was silent for a moment, looking at Xiao Lin with a complicated expression.

Of course, he knew there was something wrong with his granddaughter's body. Though the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul was powerful, its poison would continuously grow stronger along with one's Soul Power, eventually turning on its host.

This was the inherited curse of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. He had exhausted his entire life's efforts, yet he had been unable to cure it.

And this youth before him had actually suppressed the poison backlash within his granddaughter with nothing more than a flute melody?

"You just said... you can solve the backlash problem of this poison cultivation technique?" Dugu Bo's voice trembled, carrying a trace of cautious hope.

Xiao Lin nodded. "I saw some research on poisonous Martial Souls in ancient texts, and they mentioned several possible methods. But whether they will actually work still requires further observation and study."

"Really?!" Dugu Bo's eyes instantly lit up. He grabbed Xiao Lin's wrist, his grip so strong it nearly made Xiao Lin's bones creak. "Brat, come with me!"

Without waiting to see whether Xiao Lin was willing, he seized him directly. His figure flashed, turning into a streak of dark green light that shot into the sky!

"Senior! Senior, wait!" Xiao Lin was dragged through the air at high speed, the wind roaring past his ears. He hurriedly shouted, "I still haven't collected the money I won from the Soul Arena betting pool!"

Dugu Bo paused in midair and looked down at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena below.

His gaze was like two bolts of cold lightning as it swept over the luxurious private room at the top floor of the arena. The person in charge inside felt a chill run down his back, as if a venomous snake had fixed its eyes on him, cold sweat instantly soaking through his clothes.

"Listen, you people below," Dugu Bo's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached every person present,

"Hand over every last coin Xiao Ding won. If even one Gold Soul Coin is missing, this old man will visit your Soul Arena headquarters tonight for tea."

The person in charge in the private room was scared out of his wits and immediately ordered his subordinates, "Quick, quick, quick! Settle all of Xiao Ding's winnings! Not one Gold Soul Coin can be missing!"

In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a staff member ran onto the arena platform, panting heavily as he presented a glittering golden card with both hands:

"L-Lord Xiao Ding, this is your Gold Soul Coin card. It contains a total of one million two hundred thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Please verify it."

Xiao Lin accepted the card, weighed it in his hand, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Thank you."

Dugu Bo impatiently urged, "Enough, enough. You've got the money. Come with me!"

With that, he grabbed Xiao Lin again. His figure flashed, and he vanished into the night sky above Heaven Dou City.

The night wind was biting. Dugu Bo carried Xiao Lin through the air, while Heaven Dou City below grew smaller and smaller until it became a field of glittering lights.

"Senior, where are we going?" Xiao Lin asked.

"You'll know when we get there," Dugu Bo replied without looking back, a trace of urgency in his tone.

After flying for about the time it took an incense stick to burn, the terrain ahead began to grow rugged. Dense forests replaced the plains, peaks rose one after another, and clouds and mist swirled through the air.

Dugu Bo took Xiao Lin through layers of clouds and mist before finally descending into a secluded valley.

Heat steamed up throughout the valley, and mist filled the air.

After landing, Xiao Lin looked around, and his heart could not help but shudder.

The environment here was exceptionally strange—at the center of the valley were two adjacent pools. One was scalding hot, steaming heavily, its water crimson like fire. The other was freezing cold, its chill piercing to the bone, its water icy blue like jade.

The two pools pressed tightly against each other, yet did not mingle, forming a wondrous scene where water and fire coexisted.

All kinds of plants grew around the pools. Some were entirely crimson and emitted scorching auras; some were entirely icy blue and covered in glistening frost; others were bizarre in shape, unlike anything he had ever seen.

The air was filled with a rich herbal fragrance, and one breath of it made him feel refreshed and clear-headed.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

A tempest surged through Xiao Lin's heart, but he forced himself to remain calm on the surface, not allowing his emotions to show.

"This is my private herb garden." Dugu Bo stood beside him, a trace of pride in his voice.

"Across the entire Douluo Continent, I'm afraid you won't find another place like this. The herbs here are all the finest of the finest."

He turned his head, his blazing gaze fixed on Xiao Lin. "Brat, you said you can solve Yan'er's poison cultivation backlash. Is that true?"

Xiao Lin took a deep breath, calmed himself, then solemnly nodded.

"It's true."

"Then what do you need?" Dugu Bo asked urgently. "What herbs? What equipment? How much time? Just say the word! As long as you can cure Yan'er, this old man will agree to anything!"

Looking at Dugu Bo's face, filled with anxiety and expectation, Xiao Lin secretly let out a breath of relief.

This was what he had been waiting for.

PS: All right, some readers are right—everyone sees things differently. I'll stick to the setup I established before.

And please forgive any minor differences from the original work...

There are the anime, novel, and manhua, so it's easy to get things mixed up.