However, compared with Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo,
Dugu Bo had only recently broken through to Titled Douluo, and his cultivation had just reached rank ninety-one.
Thus, even after he consumed the Dragon Blood Grass and his martial soul transformed from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor into the jade phosphorus poison flood dragon,
Dugu Bo's cultivation only rose to rank ninety-two.
After Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, Dugu Bo, and Dugu Yan had each refined their immortal herbs and supreme-grade spirit medicines, completing their martial soul evolutions,
Lin Hao stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said with a smile,
"Congratulations, Teacher, Uncle Ghost, Senior Dugu, and Sister Yanzi, on successfully evolving your martial souls and greatly increasing your cultivation!"
Feeling the surging soul power within him, Chrysanthemum Douluo's delicately handsome face filled with emotion.
"Hao, this is all thanks to you!"
"If you hadn't learned from Brother Dugu that he had such a miraculous medicine garden,
"I might never have had the chance to witness such a marvel of nature in my lifetime, much less evolve my martial soul to the immortal grade."
"Our breakthroughs this time were entirely thanks to you, Hao!"
Ghost Douluo nodded as well, a flicker of emotion passing through his eyes as he spoke in his cool, stern voice.
Dugu Bo laughed heartily and patted Lin Hao on the shoulder.
"Little Monster, I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"
"Not only did you save my Jade Phosphorous Serpent Family, you also helped Yanyan and me evolve our martial souls."
"I'll remember this kindness!"
Beside him, Dugu Yan looked at Lin Hao, her beautiful emerald eyes brimming with gratitude.
At that, Lin Hao merely smiled.
"Senior Dugu, there's no need to just remember it!"
"You can repay me right now!"
"As it happens, I'm planning to choose two more immortal herbs to consume."
"Whatever immortal herbs you want, take your pick!"
Dugu Bo smiled generously and waved his hand.
At that, Lin Hao turned his gaze back toward the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Two more immortal herbs grew near the freezing Yin Spring and the scorching Yang Spring of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
One was ice-blue throughout, its leaves shaped like eight-pointed snowflakes. Fine ice crystals clung to their edges, and it radiated a bone-piercing chill that froze the surrounding air into white mist.
It was the octagonal mysterious ice grass!
The other was scarlet throughout, with golden leaf veins and a blossom shaped like a head of cabbage. From a distance, it resembled a mass of burning flames, and its heat waves warped the surrounding air.
It was the infernal delicate apricot!
Lin Hao pointed to the two immortal herbs and turned to Dugu Bo.
"Senior Dugu, I also want to consume those two immortal herbs-the octagonal mysterious ice grass and the infernal delicate apricot!"
"What?!"
Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly said,
"Little Monster, you mustn't!"
"You can't even touch those two immortal herbs! I only brushed against them by accident back then, and one gave my hand frostbite while the other burned it."
"They took days to heal!"
"You absolutely cannot consume those things!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo also recognized the octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot, and hurriedly agreed.
"Hao, Brother Dugu is right."
"Although those two are immortal grade, they're poisonous herbs of the most extreme ice and fire."
"The octagonal mysterious ice grass contains extreme cold poison, while the infernal delicate apricot contains extreme fire poison."
"If you consume them recklessly, you could die on the spot!"
"Hao, don't do anything rash!"
Faced with the two Titled Douluos' warnings, Lin Hao smiled confidently and said,
"Teacher, Senior Dugu, there's something you don't know."
"These two ice and fire immortal herbs can actually be consumed. The key is to consume them simultaneously, allowing them to reach a balance within your body."
"Afterward, you can use the waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for ice and fire body tempering. Not only will it greatly strengthen your physique and improve your aptitude, it will also grant immunity to ice and fire energy below the extreme level!"
"I've never been one to act impulsively!"
"Well..."
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Dugu Bo exchanged a glance, both somewhat hesitant.
"Teacher, Senior Dugu, trust me!"
Lin Hao looked earnestly at Chrysanthemum Douluo, his eyes filled with confidence and resolve.
"I wouldn't gamble with my own life."
Chrysanthemum Douluo fell silent for a long while. Looking into Lin Hao's clear, determined eyes, he finally sighed and nodded helplessly.
"All right. Since your mind is made up, I'll trust you."
"Don't worry, Teacher!"
"Just wait-I'll give you a huge surprise!"
Lin Hao grinned and turned toward the two immortal herbs.
Since it was closer, Lin Hao approached the octagonal mysterious ice grass first.
After taking out the Jade Knife,
Lin Hao swiftly cut through the stem of the octagonal mysterious ice grass, harvested it, and placed it in a Jade Box.
The instant the Jade Box touched the octagonal mysterious ice grass, a thick layer of frost formed over its walls with a series of cracking sounds.
Not daring to delay, Lin Hao quickly harvested the infernal delicate apricot as well and placed it in another Jade Box.
That Jade Box instantly became scalding hot, its walls even beginning to glow faintly red.
Fortunately, consuming the immortal herb, singular velvet sky chrysanthemum, had given Lin Hao a body of bronze skin and iron bones.
Thus, he could still withstand it.
After harvesting both immortal herbs, Lin Hao took a deep breath and swiftly lifted both Jade Boxes at once, bringing the octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot close together.
Once they drew near each other, the bone-piercing chill and scorching flames radiating from the two immortal herbs vanished simultaneously.
Now!
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Hao's eyes lit up. He quickly grabbed both immortal herbs from their Jade Boxes, stuffed them into his mouth, and swallowed them in a few gulps.
In an instant, two utterly opposing forms of extreme energy erupted within Lin Hao.
Extreme ice and fire power clashed fiercely inside his body, surging forth in alternation.
One moment, Lin Hao felt as though he had plunged into a ten-thousand-year-old ice cavern, white frost coating his entire body. The next, he seemed to be submerged in a lake of magma, his skin turning scarlet and scalding hot as billowing heat rose from it.
The agony of alternating ice and fire was far beyond what an ordinary person could endure.
Lin Hao clenched his teeth, forcing himself to withstand the heart-rending pain as he rushed toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and leaped.
With a splash,
He plunged into the center of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, sending up great sprays of water.
The freezing Yin Spring and scorching Yang Spring waters collided in midair, turning into thick white mist that rose to shroud the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in a hazy veil.
After entering the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,
Lin Hao's body slowly sank, as though he had fallen asleep.
Within him, the medicinal power of the octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot continued to pour forth.
It resonated with the ice and fire power invading his body from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, constantly counteracting and neutralizing it.
Together, they became streams of pure, gentle energy that nourished and tempered every inch of his flesh, every meridian, and every bone.
On the first day, the second day, and the third,
Chrysanthemum Douluo stood beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, waiting anxiously.
His heart burned with worry, yet he dared not rashly interrupt.
However, as elders and Pope Bibi Dong's two trusted guardians, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo could not take leave and remain away from Spirit City for too long.
Thus, after finding that Lin Hao had spent three days inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well without any sign of emerging,
Chrysanthemum Douluo could only turn to Dugu Bo and say helplessly,
"Brother Dugu, there's no telling how long Hao's ice and fire body tempering will take."
"Old Ghost and I only have limited leave. We have to return to Spirit City first."
"I'm sorry for the trouble, but we'll have to ask you to look after Hao from here."
"Rest assured, Brother Chrysanthemum!"
"Little Monster is my benefactor. I'll certainly keep him safe!"
Dugu Bo naturally thumped his chest and gave his assurance.
After leaving the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo flew through the air toward Spirit City.
Along the way, Ghost Douluo asked quietly,
"Old Chrysanthemum, should we report the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and those immortal herbs to His Holiness the Pope?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo remained silent for a moment, then shook his head, a somber note entering his soft voice.
"Not for now!"
"Old Ghost, you and I have toiled without complaint for Spirit Hall and that Bibi Dong for so many years, yet we've never received even a single Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone."
"But that child Hao gave me a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone after being my disciple for little more than a year."
"Hao discovered this medicine garden. Whether to report it, whether to bring back immortal herbs, and how to use them should all be discussed and decided by Hao and Brother Dugu."
"You and I had better not take over the cook's kitchen."
Hearing that, Ghost Douluo also fell silent for a moment before finally nodding.
"That's true."
Before you continue