"The medicinal herbs down there around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well must be what you're looking for, Brother Ming!"
Although Dugu Xin knew little about the medicinal herbs below, such strange flowers and plants growing in such an extraordinary place surely could not be ordinary.
Seeing their astonishment, Long Qianming pointed out the various medicinal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well below and continued,
"The medicinal herbs I need are among them. There's also one that can completely eliminate the Martial Soul poison in your body, Brother Dugu."
"What? It can completely eliminate my Martial Soul poison?"
Dugu Xin gazed in amazement at the profusion of blossoms and strange medicinal herbs below, immensely excited.
"Which of the herbs down there can cure my Martial Soul poison?"
"There's no rush, Brother Dugu. The herbs are all growing right here. Are you afraid they'll run away? It's just that most of them are extremely poisonous, and each requires a different harvesting method. Let's go down first, then make a detailed plan."
Hearing this, Dugu Xin immediately reined in his restless heart. Of the three of them, Long Qianming seemed to be the only one who understood medicinal herbs. If his rash actions damaged the herbs or got him killed by a poisonous plant, the loss would outweigh the gain.
Using the same method, the three climbed down into the valley with the help of climbing pitons. The closer they came to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the faster the Soul Power circulated within Dugu Xin and Su Qing'er.
"Brother Ming, this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well really is an extraordinary place. Not only does it suppress my poison, but my cultivation speed is also considerably faster than usual."
"Qianming, Brother Xin, the currents of cold and heat produced here keep giving me a very uncomfortable feeling. The closer we get to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the stronger that feeling becomes."
Long Qianming patiently explained,
"Sister Qing'er, this place has an excellent enhancing effect on poison-type Soul Masters, but it's somewhat unfavorable for healing-type Soul Masters. The closer you get to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the stronger the cold poison, heat poison, and mixed poison become. It's perfectly normal for you to feel uncomfortable."
With that, Long Qianming carefully led the two through the medicinal herbs to an immortal-grade herb. Its stem stretched four meters, with two golden-brown sweet potatoes growing on it.
Without damaging the plant's roots or stem, Long Qianming used a stone knife to harvest one of the earth dragon golden melons and handed it to Dugu Xin.
"Brother Dugu, this immortal herb is called the earth dragon golden melon. Eating it can transform your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. Besides its poison attribute, it will gain an earth attribute. When that happens, your Martial Soul poison can be cured completely."
"There are two here. One is for you, and the other is just right for Senior Dugu. This way, members of your Dugu Family will never again die young because of poison."
Hearing this, Dugu Xin was overcome with excitement as he accepted the heavy Dragon Golden Melon. He then glanced at Su Qing'er beside him. The day he had awaited had finally come. His Martial Soul poisoning could be cured, which meant he could finally lay down his heavy burden and be with Qing'er.
Dugu Xin looked at Long Qianming with gratitude.
"Brother Ming, you saved my life, and now you've found a medicinal herb to cure my poison. I, Dugu Xin, have no way to repay you."
He then removed a purple-gold storage bag from his waist and said,
"This is the Purple Gold Hundred Treasure Bag my father gave me. It can hold living things. I'll give it to you. It'll also be perfect for holding all the medicinal herbs in this treasure land."
Although Dugu Xin also knew these medicinal herbs were extraordinary, his abilities were limited. Immortal herbs ought to be entrusted to a physician who could identify and use them. That was the right choice.
"All right, then accepting would be more respectful than declining."
Without the slightest hesitation, Long Qianming accepted the Purple Gold Hundred Treasure Bag Dugu Xin offered.
He then took a few steps forward and picked a stone flower that was green all over, with only stems and leaves but no blossoms, and placed it in Su Qing'er's hands.
"This jade-like immortal herb is called Jade Dendrobium. It can strengthen one's foundation, nourish one's vitality, and enhance a Soul Master's potential.
"Sister Qing'er, it's undoubtedly the most suitable one for you. After you take it, there's a very good chance your Jade Snake Martial Soul will evolve toward a lesser dragon species."
"Thank you, Qianming! Doesn't that mean I can grow stronger just like Brother Xin?"
Faced with the delighted Su Qing'er, Long Qianming merely smiled knowingly and nodded slightly.
After reminding Long Qianming to take care and stay safe, Dugu Xin took Su Qing'er's hand and headed toward a stretch of flat ground above the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, where the ice and fire Qi was thinner.
The two sat cross-legged. Dugu Xin split open the earth dragon golden melon, ate all the flesh inside, and began to sink into a profound and mysterious meditative state.
Su Qing'er likewise followed the steps for consuming Jade Dendrobium, eating it and beginning to absorb the pure energy contained within the immortal herb.
Only now did Long Qianming have the chance to examine the various immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well closely. His eyes brimmed with excitement.
"Aromatic silk beauty, aromatic silk beauty, eight-petal immortal orchid, cockscomb phoenix sunflower, ink jade divine bamboo, Lovesick Heartbreak Red, narcissus jade muscle bone, Star Luo Spirit Pearl, primordial immortal herb..."
Besides the two immortal herbs they had consumed, the earth dragon golden melon and Jade Dendrobium, a full thirty-five varieties of immortal-grade medicinal herbs grew here.
Of course, immortal-grade medicinal herbs were not the only things here. Quite a few supreme-grade medicinal herbs also grew along the outer edges of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Cinnabar lotus, Twin Lotus, snow silkworm, Dragon Juice Leaf, ten thousand year ginseng king..."
There were over a hundred varieties of supreme-grade medicinal herbs.
Long Qianming walked to a patch of flat ground and summoned Xiao Tian. Having been summoned very few times recently,
the four-meter-long Xiao Tian lay coiled like a hibernating snake, its head resting on its body, looking extremely languid.
"Xiao Tian, stop sulking. Get up and get to work."
Long Qianming would not indulge Xiao Tian. It was a battle beast, not some pampered little female beast. A Soul Beast acting spoiled was absolutely unacceptable in his eyes.
Hearing its master's stern command, Xiao Tian stretched its body out again and raised its neck slightly, assuming a stance ready for battle at any moment.
"That's more like it! Here, eat these."
Long Qianming tossed some earth dragon golden melon rind in front of Xiao Tian. Its eyes lit up as though it had discovered a treasure, and it devoured all the rind in two mouthfuls.
Although the earth dragon golden melon rind also carried a little of the earth attribute, it did, after all, contain the dragon attribute as well. Since Xiao Tian's first Soul Ring possessed the earth attribute, letting it eat the rind was undoubtedly the best choice.
"What a pity! There isn't a third earth dragon golden melon in this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Otherwise, the earth attribute within its body could surely be refined straight to great perfection."
Yet just as Long Qianming sighed, Dugu Xin's and Su Qing'er's presences suddenly surged. Their Jade Phosphorous Serpent and Jade Snake Martial Souls manifested on their own, coiling around the two of them respectively.
Gradually, the two serpentine Martial Souls began to transform. Their scales split open, and four sturdy dragon legs began to grow out.
Their snake heads also gradually changed into dragon heads, while dragon horns slowly emerged from the tops of their heads.
The colors of both Martial Souls were also gradually changing. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul turned from green to dark green, accompanied by a few earthy-brown stripes.
The Jade Snake became an even more translucent green, like a flawless emerald-green lesser dragon Martial Soul that light could pass through.