In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed.
During those months,
Dugu Bo had remained in a cave dwelling on a rocky peak in the valley where the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well lay.
He cultivated while keeping an eye on Lin Hao's condition in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Only when his supply of dry rations ran out did he return to Heaven Dou Imperial City.
Throughout that time, Lin Hao remained motionless in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, as though fast asleep.
Yet his body, which had gained copper skin and iron bones after he consumed the immortal herb, singular velvet sky chrysanthemum, continued to change silently under Ice and Fire Body Tempering.
His already fair skin took on a deeper luster, faintly gleaming like jade.
As for the soul power within him, he had yet to absorb his third Soul Ring, so it remained stuck at the level-thirty bottleneck, unable to break through.
Still, the soul power he cultivated each day continued to accumulate within him.
Then, one day,
the waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well suddenly began to churn violently.
Splash!
With a rush of water, a figure burst out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, sending spray flying everywhere.
The ice-blue and crimson splashes collided in midair, instantly turning into thick white mist that spread all around.
Amid the billowing white mist,
Lin Hao landed steadily on the bank without a drop of water on his body. His skin shone with a warm, mellow luster, like fine jade tempered a thousand times over.
He clenched his fists, producing a series of cracks, and felt the strength within him-several times greater than it had been half a year ago.
A smile slowly spread across his flawless, handsome face.
"Not bad!"
"After Ice and Fire Body Tempering, my body's reached a whole new level!"
"Now I should be more than capable of absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as my third Soul Ring!"
Beyond that,
when he had stood beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well before,
Lin Hao had clearly felt unbearably hot and cold auras.
Now, however, they brought him only a refreshing comfort, coolness and warmth intertwined.
Clearly, after Ice and Fire Body Tempering,
the ice and fire immunity he had gained was taking effect!
Thoroughly pleased, Lin Hao strode toward the Golden Chrysanthemum Bracelet still lying on the bank, picked it up, and took out a fresh set of clothes to put on.
Once he was dressed,
Lin Hao swept his gaze around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and soon noticed an unusual plant.
It was jade-green all over and only a palm's height tall. Its exceedingly thin leaves resembled petals formed from condensed dew, while the three flower leaves at its tip were snowy white, with a single drop of "dew" pooled at their center.
That "dew" looked crystalline and transparent, as clear as an autumn lake.
A single glance brought a cooling sensation to the eyes, as though even the mind had grown a little clearer.
That's... Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew...
Lin Hao naturally recognized this immortal herb, and temptation stirred within him again.
After consuming the Food System singular velvet sky chrysanthemum and ten-thousand-year whale glue he produced over a long period, then taking the immortal herb, singular velvet sky chrysanthemum, and undergoing Ice and Fire Body Tempering this time,
he had even cultivated bloodline power and gained copper skin and iron bones.
Now that he had built such a powerful body, Lin Hao's thoughts began to stir once more.
He had thought of another way to improve his strength besides whale rubber.
That was-compressing soul power!
At the same soul power level, the more densely he compressed his soul power, the greater the quality of the soul power in his dantian would undoubtedly become.
It would unleash greater power in a burst and last longer, too.
That was the advantage a Soul Master who compressed soul power held over others at the same level!
But to compress soul power,
he needed not only a body strong enough to withstand the pressure placed on his meridians and internal organs during compression, but also extremely precise control over his soul power.
That required the support of mental power.
As for Soul Masters without a mental attribute who wanted to develop mental power,
Lin Hao currently knew of only two methods: cultivating the Purple Demon Eye or consuming Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
The first method was certainly unavailable to him at present.
The second, however, was now entirely within reach.
"Little Monster, you've finally come out of seclusion!"
Just then, a familiar voice came from nearby.
A green figure swept down from a distant rocky peak, reaching Lin Hao's side in a few swift bounds.
It was Dugu Bo!
Seeing that Lin Hao's aura had clearly grown much stronger, Dugu Bo could not help clicking his tongue in wonder.
"You brat, that Ice and Fire Body Tempering of yours certainly took long enough!"
"It's been more than half a year!"
"Brother Chrysanthemum and Brother Ghost still had duties to attend to, so they left ahead of us."
"Have you really gained immunity to ice and fire now?"
Dugu Bo asked curiously.
"Of course!"
At that, Lin Hao grinned and answered confidently.
"Before, standing here, the extreme cold and heat were simply unbearable."
"But now, all I feel standing here is a breeze brushing my face and sunshine warming me!"
"I could hop into this pool for a bath whenever I wanted, and I'd be perfectly fine!"
"You little monster really have become even more monstrous!"
Dugu Bo could not help muttering.
He imagined those ice- and fire-attribute Soul Masters fighting Lin Hao in the future, laboriously unleashing one ice and fire Soul Skill after another.
Yet when their attacks struck Lin Hao, only his clothes would be damaged; he would remain completely unharmed.
Dugu Bo could not help observing a moment of silence for those ice and fire Soul Masters.
"By the way, Senior Dugu!"
"I'd like another immortal herb!"
"That one, right there."
Now that Dugu Bo had appeared, Lin Hao spoke up again, pointing at Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
"You saved our Dugu Family, and you even gave Yanyan and me the opportunity for Martial Soul Evolution."
"This Medicine Garden of mine is yours as well!"
"Whatever you want, just take it!"
Dugu Bo spoke with great generosity.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
Lin Hao grinned and walked over, taking out the Jade Knife to harvest Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
As he did, that drop of "autumn water" trembled slightly at the center of the snowy-white flower leaves, yet never spilled, as though supported by some invisible force.
After sitting cross-legged, Lin Hao tilted Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew slightly, letting that drop of "dew" fall into his mouth.
In an instant, an exquisitely crisp chill slipped down his throat into his abdomen, then turned into countless streams of cool air that surged straight toward his niwan palace.
Snow-white light immediately blossomed from within Lin Hao's body, while countless golden streams of light flowed from all over him toward his eyes.
His eyes instantly blazed with dazzling golden light.
Under the medicinal effects of Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew,
Lin Hao barely felt any increase in his soul power.
Instead, he felt countless warm currents pouring into his eyes, making them scorching hot.
At the same time, countless cool currents surged toward the space between his brows, continually strengthening and transforming his mental power.
At last, it seemed to reach some kind of qualitative change.
Lin Hao suddenly felt an invisible perception break free of its shackles, bursting out from between his brows and enveloping his surroundings.
Through that invisible perception,
although he had yet to open his eyes, Lin Hao saw everything around him from another perspective.
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