The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well (revised)

An External Soul Bone?!

Dugu Bo's pupils widened slightly. He stared at Qian Renyue as though he had seen a ghost. "Girl, are you really only ten?"

"Really! Honest to young and old alike!"

Qian Renyue nodded slightly.

She explained, "I obtained my external soul bone when I acquired my third ring. It's a pair of ice-attribute wings."

"All right, say no more. I think I understand why that old man Chen Xin wanted you to kill that fifty-thousand-year soul beast alone. Don't worry. Leave finding the soul beast to me!"

After all that talk, Dugu Bo discovered that he had been the clown all along. He marveled at how absurdly gifted Qian Renyue was while envying Chen Xin for having a disciple blessed with such exceptional talent and luck.

How wonderful would it be if he could have a disciple like her?

"Mm-hmm! Then I'll leave it to you, Senior!" Qian Renyue replied. In truth, she wanted to visit the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well within the next few days. If she waited until the tournament was over, Tang San might already be helping himself to the immortal herbs. To be safe, she couldn't wait.

"Senior, why don't you take me there in the next couple of days?" Qian Renyue suggested. "If we wait until after the tournament, I'm afraid Sister Yanzi will ask you to go shopping. Then I'd be troubling both you and her, which wouldn't be very nice. After thinking it over, these next few days would be best!"

"The next few days?"

Dugu Bo considered it. The team battles were about to begin. If the girl left now, would she make it back in time for the tournament?

As though she had seen his concern, Qian Renyue said with a determined expression, "Don't worry, Senior. I have my own plans. I won't let it interfere with the tournament."

With her external soul bone's flight ability, traveling from Heaven Dou City to Sunset Forest wouldn't actually take Qian Renyue very long. Her only goal was to help herself to the immortal herbs, so she wouldn't stay long. That left her plenty of time, with no scheduling conflicts. At most, she would miss a few one-on-one matches.

Seeing how determined Qian Renyue was, Dugu Bo said nothing more. Getting to Sunset Forest as quickly as possible wasn't beyond him. If necessary, he could summon his Martial Soul Avatar and slither there at top speed. They should arrive in roughly two or three days.

With their plans settled, Dugu Bo and Qian Renyue ran toward Sunset Forest, one behind the other. Dugu Bo couldn't casually activate his Martial Soul Avatar inside Heaven Dou City, and he had no external soul bone, so he had to rely on his legs. Fortunately, a Titled Douluo could run remarkably fast. Even against Qian Renyue's flight ability, he didn't fall far behind.

Once they left Heaven Dou City, they both climbed onto the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor. When Dugu Bo told her to climb aboard, Qian Renyue hesitated. After all, the thing had neither guardrails nor a proper seat. It wouldn't be good if one careless move sent her flying off.

Although there were serious safety concerns, Qian Renyue had no other choice. If Azure Luan Douluo were there, she could ride a bird. Now, to avoid exhausting herself into a complete wreck, she could only choose to ride a serpent.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor moved incredibly fast. Under Dugu Bo's control, it avoided rocks and branches as much as possible, but crossing a forest inevitably meant a bumpy ride. Qian Renyue's backside endured one jolt after another. After this experience of riding a serpent, she felt that having a carriage was truly a blessing.

The heart of Sunset Forest

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

This was a mountain of both fire and ice, its perimeter guarded by the Jade-Scaled Seven-Absolute Flower. Its uniquely blessed spring gave birth to two waters in a single well, their opposing forces restraining each other. Countless varieties of herbs grew all around it.

Qian Renyue jumped off the serpent and was stunned by the magnificent sight before her. Her eyes widened as she took in its grandeur, thinking that experiencing it in person really was different from watching it on television.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor disappeared. Dugu Bo had expended a considerable amount of soul power as well. Seeing Qian Renyue about to walk straight into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he quickly caught the back of her collar. "The Jade-Scaled Seven-Absolute Flower is highly poisonous. Girl, stay beside me. Don't run around."

"..."

Caught without warning, Qian Renyue pouted. "I know, I know! Senior, let go already. Let go!"

Dugu Bo was much taller than Qian Renyue. He lifted her up, and no matter how she struggled, her short little arms couldn't reach him. "Hahahaha!" Dugu Bo laughed without a shred of conscience. For the first time, he realized that teasing children could be so much fun. Dugu Yan had lost both parents when she was young, and he had rarely teased her for fear of upsetting her. He had never experienced this pleasure. Now that he had found it with Qian Renyue, he had fulfilled one more wish.

Letting Qian Renyue go, Dugu Bo clapped his hands and immediately turned serious. "All right, enough teasing! Little girl, I've warned you. Don't run around. If you die here, I won't collect your corpse. At most, I'll quietly bury you!"

"Tch! Don't worry, Senior. I won't die, and even if I do, you won't have to take responsibility!" After being dangled like a little chick for so long, Qian Renyue's temper had flared. She puffed out her cheeks and, unsurprisingly, rolled her eyes.

"..."

Dugu Bo shook his head, though he was still pleased inside. While Qian Renyue wasn't paying attention, he took her hand and led her into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Qian Renyue looked up at Dugu Bo and gave a soft huff. This rotten old man keeps saying he won't care, but his actions are much more honest.

"Stay here for a while. I'll go find that soul beast for you. Watch for my signal. Once I send it, come over. Remember, fly if you can. Don't run. You're only a Soul Elder, after all. If another soul beast stops you along the way, all our efforts will have been for nothing."

After saying this, Dugu Bo repeatedly warned Qian Renyue not to touch anything inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Only after she nodded in agreement did he leap away.

Just two minutes after Dugu Bo left, Qian Renyue began searching the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for the octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot.

That's right! Rebellion was her specialty!

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was a dragon vein. Legend held that the Water Dragon King and Fire Dragon King, two of the Nine Great Dragon Kings, had perished together and fallen into Sunset Forest, forming this treasure land of heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

According to the original novel, immortal herbs flourished around the springs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Qian Renyue therefore followed one direction until she saw two springs, one red and one blue. Only then did she stop to examine the surrounding plants.

On the bank where the waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well met stood a large, pale pink flower. Its enormous blossom had pale purple stamens, like purple diamonds embedded within it. It had no leaves, a stem three feet long, and a diameter of over a foot. Every petal was as translucent as crystal, and it gave off a faint, delicate fragrance.

"Aromatic silk beauty."

Baidu Baike explained that aromatic silk beauty was the bane of all poisons. It could neutralize any toxin, but couldn't cure poisoning itself. Within the range of its fragrance, all poisonous substances became ineffective, making it the finest immortal herb for protection against poison.

"Mine!"

Smiling, Qian Renyue flew straight to where the springs met and plucked the aromatic silk beauty without another word.

After picking the aromatic silk beauty, Qian Renyue flew to the side of the Extreme Cold Yin Spring. The octagonal mysterious ice grass supposedly grew at its very center. It had eight points, with tiny stamens glittering like ice crystals in the middle.

With its distinctive appearance, Qian Renyue spotted the immortal herb swaying in the breeze at a glance.

The octagonal mysterious ice grass was an immortal herb of extreme cold. Anyone who came within ten meters of it would feel an intensely freezing chill. It was a rare immortal herb bearing cold poison. Stay near it too long, and the poison would invade the heart, leaving no possible cure.

Qian Renyue used her soul power to stimulate the flame in her hand and approached the octagonal mysterious ice grass. Perhaps thanks to the flame, the chill it emitted caused her no discomfort. Instead, the cold balanced the flame in her hand, giving her a very comfortable feeling.

The octagonal mysterious ice grass swayed gently, leaning toward Qian Renyue. The flame in her hand seemed to attract it, drawing it irresistibly closer to her.

Qian Renyue looked at the flame in her hand in confusion. What's going on? How does my magic treasure resonate with an immortal herb?

She frowned slightly. According to her many years of novel-reading experience, this situation was definitely unusual. There had to be some hidden reason behind it!

But whether there was a hidden reason or not, this wasn't the time to think about it. Following the octagonal mysterious ice grass's inclination, she reached out and plucked it. Then she sat down on the ground and began absorbing the immortal herb that resonated with her.

Perhaps there really was some connection, for she felt no discomfort while absorbing it. Only midway through did a pale blue aura suddenly emerge from the corner of her closed right eye, and a layer of frost and snow covered the side of her cheek. It didn't last long. Once Qian Renyue fully absorbed the octagonal mysterious ice grass, that layer vanished.

Beneath the frost and snow, Qian Renyue's skin had become finer and smoother, and her complexion looked much healthier. She slowly opened her eyes. The pale pink in her right iris had become increasingly distinct, and faint traces of blue mingled within it.

After absorbing the octagonal mysterious ice grass, Qian Renyue rose from the ground. She instinctively looked at her palm and summoned her flame again.

This time, the flame before her was markedly different from before.

It was a flame shaped like a nine-petal lotus, shining a brilliant red. At its center, however, a pale blue flower core drew even more attention. Qian Renyue's lips parted slightly. She hadn't expected absorbing the octagonal mysterious ice grass to transform her flame.

Moreover, the octagonal mysterious ice grass hadn't merely changed the flame's color and shape. Its temperature had changed as well.

Previously, Qian Renyue had found the flame a little too hot to hold. Every time she used it, she stuck a "Guang Ling-brand" Little Cooling Patch onto her palm. Now, however, the flame felt a little cold in her hand.

After staring at the flame for a while, a spark of inspiration flashed through Qian Renyue's mind.

Then...

If I absorb the infernal delicate apricot too, will the flame change again?

With that idea in mind, she put away the magic treasure in her hand and flew toward the Scorching Yang Spring.

The infernal delicate apricot grew at the center of the Scorching Yang Spring. Fiery red all over, it was the exact opposite of the octagonal mysterious ice grass, a deadly poisonous immortal herb bearing the highest-grade fire poison.

Perhaps because the octagonal mysterious ice grass had altered Qian Renyue's constitution, a chill suddenly spread around her as she approached the infernal delicate apricot. Its fire poison was extremely potent, and Qian Renyue didn't want to touch it directly. She was afraid of burning her hand.

After some thought, she wondered if she should cut it down with the Silver Frost sword.

Qian Renyue wasn't sure whether an ordinary weapon could cut down an immortal herb, but with the flame that had just evolved, perhaps it could.

She unleashed her Fusion Soul Skill. "Silver Frost!"

At Qian Renyue's soft shout, a silver longsword appeared in her palm.

Gripping the hilt, she used her soul power to stimulate the flame. Before long, red fire covered the Frost Sword's blade. The flames danced enchantingly, as though telling Qian Renyue not to worry.

Qian Renyue found it a little strange, but didn't dwell on it. She cut down the infernal delicate apricot with one stroke, and the Frost Sword in her hand abruptly disappeared.

The infernal delicate apricot floated in the air.

"..."

Qian Renyue frowned slightly, her eyes widening a little as she stared at the severed immortal herb in disbelief.

An ordinary weapon really could cut down an immortal herb?

Pressing her lips together, Qian Renyue wasted no time. She sat down on the ground and began absorbing the infernal delicate apricot floating in the air.

An hour passed, and Qian Renyue perfectly absorbed the immortal herb. As she rose, she felt two forces surging inside her body. Those forces seemed to be enclosed within something. Apart from clearly sensing their movements, she felt nothing else.

Although it was a little strange, Qian Renyue didn't pay it much mind. She instinctively summoned her flame, and sure enough, its color had changed again. Instead of being entirely red, it was now half red and half blue, while the flower core in its center had turned purple. The two colors complemented each other, looking remarkably like the two-colored waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"Are they connected?"

Qian Renyue murmured.

She pondered it, but couldn't quite figure it out.

Dugu Bo still hadn't sent his signal. Since Qian Renyue couldn't understand why this had happened anyway, she simply began harvesting immortal herbs in bulk. She picked every one she could and tossed them all into her soul tool.

However, to keep Dugu Bo from discovering that she had helped herself to his immortal herbs, Qian Renyue decided to be discreet. She had already prepared some substitute herbs to cover her tracks. After harvesting the immortal herbs, she took similar-looking herbs out of her soul tool and planted them all in the soil. That way, Dugu Bo naturally wouldn't notice that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had been stripped bare.

Once everything was done, Qian Renyue clapped her hands. Standing with her hands on her hips, she surveyed the conspicuous spread of herbs before her and nodded in satisfaction. Mm, not bad. With everything growing so thickly, that poisonous old man definitely won't notice I've pulled up his immortal herbs!

Whoosh-

A firework suddenly flashed in the sky.

Qian Renyue looked up. That was Dugu Bo's signal. The firework formed a smiling face-Dugu Bo's smiling face, specifically.

"..."

Although she badly wanted to mock that poisonous old man, Qian Renyue swallowed her remarks for the sake of all the immortal herbs she had taken from him. After all, he didn't have it easy either. Accepting someone's gifts tied your hands, and eating their food softened your tongue. She would tell him how to purge his poison in a little while.