"Yes." Dugu Bo nodded and pointed at Lin Changgeng, who was watching from nearby. "That young fellow gave me a way to purge the poison and told me to bring you here so we could both be treated."
Hearing this, Dugu Yan looked toward Lin Changgeng, then stared in astonishment.
"Grandpa." Dugu Yan reached out to feel Dugu Bo's forehead. "You haven't been taken in by them, have you? Even you can't solve our family's problem. How could a six-year-old brat solve it?"
Dugu Yan wondered whether the poison had addled her grandfather's brain. Lin Changgeng looked as though he had only just awakened his martial soul. How could he possibly solve their family's problem?
"Don't talk nonsense." Dugu Bo stroked Dugu Yan's head. "This young gentleman has real ability. Otherwise, I wouldn't have told you about the problem with our martial soul."
Dugu Bo understood his granddaughter's doubts. After all, Lin Changgeng's age was plain to see. No one would believe it.
Lin Changgeng, standing nearby, did not mind Dugu Yan's attitude either. If she did not believe him, she could refuse treatment. He was not the one poisoned, anyway.
"Really?" Dugu Yan tilted her head.
"When have I ever lied to you?" Dugu Bo asked softly.
"That's true." Dugu Yan nodded. Dugu Bo had never lied to her.
Realizing her mistake, Dugu Yan stepped forward and bowed to Lin Changgeng.
"I'm sorry. I judged you by your appearance just now. I shouldn't have doubted you because of your age."
As Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan was no fool. Her life lay entirely in his hands, so what right did she have to put on airs?
"No harm done." Lin Changgeng did not mind. "You're Senior Dugu's granddaughter, after all. My name is Lin Changgeng."
After all, Dugu Bo had given him this herb garden. There was no need to quibble over something so trivial. That would only make him look small-minded.
"My name is Dugu Yan." Dugu Yan introduced herself as well.
With that little interlude over, they prepared to begin purging the poison.
"Qiu'er, help me pick the octagonal mysterious ice grass and the infernal delicate apricot," Lin Changgeng said as he stood beside the spring.
The octagonal mysterious ice grass was ice-blue all over, its leaves seemingly cast from ice crystals and radiating a bone-piercing chill.
The infernal delicate apricot was scarlet all over, like a blazing flame, and radiated scorching heat.
One ice, one fire-Wang Qiu'er held these two immortal herbs of opposing extremes, one in each hand, as cold and heat intertwined in her palms.
"Here." Wang Qiu'er handed the two immortal herbs to Lin Changgeng.
Lin Changgeng took them and, without the slightest hesitation, stuffed both into his mouth at once.
Within seconds, ice-blue and fiery red alternated across Lin Changgeng's body.
While he was still conscious, Lin Changgeng leaped into the spring.
"Don't!" Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically, and he immediately moved to save him.
He knew how terrifying this spring water was. Even he dared not approach it. When he first discovered this place, he had tossed in a soul beast to test it, only for the spring to consume it completely on the spot.
"Don't worry." Wang Qiu'er stopped Dugu Bo. "Taken separately, these two herbs are extremely poisonous. Taken together, they neutralize each other and temper the body. Jumping into the spring makes the process more efficient."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's heart finally settled. If Wang Qiu'er said so, then everything must be fine. All that remained was to wait patiently.
Meanwhile, Lin Changgeng alternated between freezing cold and scorching heat in the spring. Before long, he passed out.
Tempering his body in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was excruciating, but if he could endure it, the benefits to his body would be tremendous. Once he made it through, his body would become impervious to water and fire, just like the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and immune to all poisons.
Time slowly passed, and soon a day had gone by.
Hmm, aside from a little discomfort at the start, it actually felt pretty comfortable afterward, Lin Changgeng thought as he sensed his surroundings. The spring water no longer affected him, and he could swim freely through it.
I'd better get out. With that thought, Lin Changgeng rose to the surface. The others on the bank perked up when they noticed movement in the water.
"Ah!" Dugu Yan immediately covered her eyes when she saw Lin Changgeng surface, while Wang Qiu'er watched him with keen interest.
Strange. Why does it feel so drafty? After surfacing, Lin Changgeng felt a chill all over. He looked down and discovered that the spring water had consumed his clothes.
"Ahem." Realizing his predicament, Lin Changgeng gave two dry coughs.
"Turn around, all of you. Qiu'er, toss me some clothes." Lin Changgeng blushed a little. He had nearly forgotten that his clothes would burn away.
"Tch, what's a little kid got to be embarrassed about?" Wang Qiu'er curled her lips and turned around, though she still tossed him the clothes as he had asked.
After making sure everyone had turned away, Lin Changgeng climbed onto the bank and began dressing.
Lin Changgeng finished dressing in no time. The others could only hear a brief rustling.
"All right, you can turn around." Once dressed, Lin Changgeng spoke to the others, whose backs were still turned.
"Can we start purging the poison now?" Dugu Bo asked as he turned around.
"Yes." Lin Changgeng nodded, pointing at the aromatic silk beauty as he told Dugu Bo, "Senior, to purge the poison, you'll first need to pick this and use it to neutralize the toxins in your body. Then you and your granddaughter need medicinal baths to clear out the remaining poison, followed by condensing soul cores. Finally, you'll take immortal herbs, and the poison will be completely dealt with."
Lin Changgeng outlined the steps to follow. Dugu Bo listened carefully, not daring to miss a single word. His life and his granddaughter's depended on this.
"Understood." Dugu Bo nodded and committed every step to memory. Then he picked the aromatic silk beauty and began neutralizing the toxins inside him.
While Dugu Bo was neutralizing the poison, Lin Changgeng assessed his current condition.
First, his cultivation had reached rank twenty, and his physical capabilities had more than doubled. He was only one Soul Ring away from becoming a Soul Grandmaster. He should be able to withstand a second soul ring of around thirty-five hundred years. The immortal herbs' medicinal power strengthened his body gradually; it could not immediately boost him so far that he could jump straight to ten thousand years.
Half a day later, Dugu Bo finished condensing his poison core.
Many of the wrinkles on Dugu Bo's face had vanished. He had originally looked to be in his seventies, but now he had instantly become twenty years younger and appeared around fifty. For some reason, though, his hair remained vividly green.
Because he already had the beginnings of a poison core, along with the neutralizing effects of the aromatic silk beauty, Dugu Bo had practically condensed all the toxins in one go. His soul power reached rank ninety-two.
"I haven't felt this good in ages." Dugu Bo stretched.
"Don't celebrate too soon. This is only the first step," Wang Qiu'er said mildly.
At her words, Dugu Bo's upturned lips settled, and he hurried to prepare two tubs of medicinal baths according to Wang Qiu'er's instructions.
He put all manner of top-grade medicinal herbs into them.
Only the best would do for his granddaughter. Wang Qiu'er watched for a while. This tub of medicinal bath alone could qualify as a heavenly treasure. Soaking in it could expel impurities, eliminate hidden injuries, clear the meridians, boost soul power, and even beautify the skin.
He truly doted on his granddaughter, sparing no expense whatsoever. This single tub contained at least thirty-odd medicinal herbs, two of which were even lesser immortal herbs.
Half a day later, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan finished eliminating their hidden injuries, one after the other.
Dugu Yan's skin had become so delicate that a puff of air seemed enough to break it. With her fair skin, beautiful face, and long legs, she was truly a feast for the eyes.
Dugu Bo's transformation was even greater. He now looked barely over thirty. His once messy, unkempt dark-green hair was now smooth and neat, as graceful as willow branches, and a red mark had appeared between his brows.
"Hahaha! I've never felt so refreshed and clearheaded! The lingering poison in my body is finally gone. I feel reborn!"
Dugu Bo felt the lightness of his body, as though his entire being had become clear and unobstructed.
"Wow, Grandpa, were you really this handsome when you were young?"
Dugu Yan's eyes sparkled. She had never imagined her grandfather had been so handsome in his youth.
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