Entering the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

Jiang Mingyang watched the Windwhistle Wolf King undergo its transformation and sank into thought.

Even before awakening his Martial Soul, Jiang Mingyang had considered how he could enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and obtain the Immortal Herbs.

As for how to harvest them, he had watched the anime and read the novel in his previous life, and he still remembered. The question was how to get inside.

After drawing on the novel he had read in his previous life, Jiang Mingyang came up with three plans.

The first was to have his adoptive father, Jiang Tian, bring him here. He would say he could cure Dugu Bo's poison, then enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and obtain the Immortal Herbs.

But at its heart, that method was a "deception." It relied on Dugu Bo not knowing the Immortal Herbs' true value.

The second was much like the first, except Dugu Bo would bring him here alone. It, too, was a "deception" at heart.

Tang San had used the second method, combined with "theft."

The third was to trade Soul Bones for them. That was actually the fairest method.

Immortal Herbs were precious. In novels from his previous life, people had even written that they could help a Titled Douluo advance one or two levels.

But Jiang Mingyang estimated that they probably could not. The energy needed to help a Soul Elder advance five or six levels was not enough to advance a Titled Douluo.

In other words, the greatest strength of Immortal Herbs was their ability to trigger an acquired Martial Soul Mutation and help geniuses "steal time"—at least two years of it.

Those geniuses' later achievements owed something to the Immortal Herbs' boost, but also to the advantage their age gave them.

Jiang Mingyang hesitated. His eyes darkened, and his expression shifted. The accumulation of capital had to begin in blood... didn't it?

In fact, Jiang Mingyang had met Dugu Bo before.

Dugu Bo had attended a banquet hosted by the Empire. To pave the way for Jiang Mingyang, his adoptive father, Jiang Tian, had taken him around to meet people.

Then Jiang Mingyang's eyes grew bright and resolute. If he was going to obtain the Immortal Herbs, he would do it openly and honorably.

Two days passed in a flash. The Windwhistle Wolf King completed its transformation. Its body length had hardly changed, but its presence was worlds apart from before.

The Windwhistle Wolf King looked at Jiang Mingyang and lowered its back. "Roar." (Let's go, human.)

Jiang Mingyang asked the Windwhistle Wolf King, "Roar." (Is there anyone in there?)

The Windwhistle Wolf King answered, "Roar." (Yes, but as long as you're careful, you should be fine. I had no trouble when I went in before.)

Jiang Mingyang jumped onto the Windwhistle Wolf King's back. "Roar, roar... roar." (Just take me to the mist. You don't need to go in.)

The Windwhistle Wolf King nodded almost like a human and raced toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

After only a few dozen breaths, the Windwhistle Wolf King stopped. Jiang Mingyang gave it a long look. That speed...

Jiang Mingyang then roared to the Windwhistle Wolf King, "Roar, roar, roar." (You can go now.)

Hearing that, the Windwhistle Wolf King turned and slowly walked away. Then it added, "Awoo, awoo." (If you can't get in, come find me where we were before.)

Jiang Mingyang nodded. He had to admit, the Windwhistle Wolf King kept its word.

Jiang Mingyang looked into the poisonous mist, his gaze firm.

He gathered his focus and called into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, "May I ask if this place belongs to anyone? If it does not, I will come in. If its owner is here, I hope you will come out and meet me."

Yet after he waited a quarter of an hour, no one answered or appeared.

Jiang Mingyang called again, "Judging by the level of this poison, if this place has an owner, might it be Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, or Senior Poison Douluo?"

When Jiang Mingyang spoke the words "Poison Douluo," a figure inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well froze, then flew toward him.

Soon, a figure appeared before Jiang Mingyang. It was none other than Dugu Douluo, Dugu Bo.

The moment he saw Dugu Bo arrive, Jiang Mingyang hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Your Excellency Poison Douluo."

Dugu Bo glanced at him. "Oh, it's you, brat! What are you doing here? And how did you know I was here?"

Jiang Mingyang answered honestly, "A Soul Beast once entered the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and ate a medicinal herb before you took possession of it.

"It told me a Soul Master skilled with poison had sealed this place off, so I thought it might be Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, or you.

"I came because I heard Immortal Herbs grow here, and I hoped to trade with you."

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes. "Immortal Herbs? What are those?"

Jiang Mingyang thought for a moment. "Immortal Herbs are medicinal herbs with unusual effects, far more potent than ordinary ones. Generally, they appear only where yin and yang meet. Your Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is one such place."

Dugu Bo studied Jiang Mingyang and said slowly, "I know you come from an extraordinary family, and I have some friendship with your father. But a price is a price. What do you intend to offer?"

Jiang Mingyang was delighted. As long as Dugu Bo was willing to trade, nothing else would be a problem. He immediately said, "Senior, on overcast or rainy days, you feel an aching numbness in both sides of your ribs. It strikes once at noon and once at night, and each attack lasts more than an hour. Am I right?

"And at night, the top of your head and the soles of your feet suffer stabbing pains, leaving you in agony every time. For my first trade, I offer to find a way to cure those symptoms."

Dugu Bo was startled, then flew into a rage. "Nonsense! How could I be poisoned?"

Jiang Mingyang hurriedly said, "Senior, a theoretical Grandmaster concluded that the traits of a Beast Martial Soul can, to some extent, pass into its wielder's body.

"Most Soul Masters with poison-attribute Martial Souls have short lives for that very reason, let alone someone who has cultivated to the rank of Titled Douluo. Your condition is determined by your Martial Soul. As for whether you are poisoned, the color of your hair says it all. It is exactly the color of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor.

"Besides, your granddaughter Dugu Yan likely has similar symptoms. If they haven't appeared yet, I'm afraid..."

Jiang Mingyang had chosen his words with considerable care.

In the original story, Dugu Bo had distrusted Tang San partly because Tang San was young, inexperienced, and, in Dugu Bo's eyes, had no apparent source for his knowledge. Tang San had also deliberately provoked Dugu Bo to stay alive, telling him that he was no good with poison.

That was the difference between Jiang Mingyang's approach and Tang San's. Different situations called for different responses.

At least Dugu Bo knew Jiang Mingyang. He knew Jiang Mingyang came from an extraordinary family and had access to a wealth of knowledge. Dugu Bo had not known Tang San at first; only after learning his true identity had he changed his attitude and stopped threatening him.

Dugu Bo fell silent. He knew he had not been born into a great clan and was weak on theory. It made perfect sense for Jiang Mingyang, who had been born into one, to know so much.

Jiang Mingyang pressed his advantage. "Senior Dugu, let me share my thoughts. Please hear me out.

"Compared with you, Dugu Yan's symptoms are much milder. She only needs a Soul Bone. Over time, she can channel the poison into it and use it to store the toxins.

"Your condition is much more severe. I would need two Immortal Herbs, though I don't know whether they grow in your Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."

Dugu Bo nodded. Jiang Mingyang's explanation was coherent, and Dugu Bo himself was an expert in poison.

His thinking had simply been too narrow. The moment Jiang Mingyang mentioned using a Soul Bone, Dugu Bo knew the method would work.

Dugu Bo's son had died with poison ravaging his body. Now his granddaughter looked set to follow in her father's footsteps. As far as Dugu Bo was concerned, he would do anything to cure her.

So Dugu Bo took Jiang Mingyang by the arm and led him inside the formation.