Just as Long Qianming was about to stand up and stretch his limbs, he spotted a green-haired, middle-aged man standing atop the distant cliff, with a man and a woman following behind him.
"Dad, the extraordinary place I told you about is right here," Dugu Xin said with some concern as he looked at Dugu Bo's slightly impatient expression.
"This place is a masterpiece of gods and spirits. Truly extraordinary. Even the air currents rising from the valley are superb cultivation resources for Soul Masters. A treasure land-it really is a treasure land!"
At that moment, the sight of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well filled Dugu Bo with emotion.
Why hadn't he carefully explored the poisonous mist blanketing the jade phosphorus seven-absolute flowers when he had previously come to the Sunset Forest to obtain Soul Rings?
Had he discovered this treasure land earlier, he would not have needed to endure the agony of poison backlash alone, and his wife would not have died so young.
However, as he swept his Soul Saint-level spiritual power across the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he spotted a black-clad youth looking back at him.
His expression tightened, and he jumped down with a grave look on his face. Beside him, Dugu Xin and Su Qing'er were worried sick, fearing that Dugu Bo might do something harmful to Long Qianming.
"Dad, wait for me! He's the young miracle doctor I told you about! He saved my life! You mustn't repay kindness with ingratitude!"
Dugu Xin activated Martial Soul Possession and leaped down, using the Jade Phosphorus Dragon's ability to remain briefly airborne. Su Qing'er jumped down right after him.
"You must be Senior Dugu. This junior, Long Qianming, offers his respects."
Long Qianming walked slowly toward Dugu Bo and greeted him.
Yet Dugu Bo, who was walking toward Long Qianming, gave no response, his expression still exceedingly grave.
Just as the two behind him were about to stop Dugu Bo from attacking Long Qianming-
Thud-
A heavy kowtow rang out. Dugu Bo knelt on both knees before Long Qianming and solemnly bowed his head to the ground.
"Thank you, miracle doctor, for saving my son and helping their Martial Souls undergo a transformation. You deserve this bow from me, Dugu Bo."
At that moment, Dugu Bo's attitude was deeply reverent as he sincerely thanked Long Qianming for the kindness he had shown their Dugu Family. Repaying such a life-changing favor with money would have been far too vulgar.
At this utterly astonishing sight, Long Qianming, who received the kowtow, and Dugu Xin and Su Qing'er behind Dugu Bo all froze in stunned silence, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"Dad, you weren't about to make a big move-you were offering a grand bow!"
"Who told you I meant to harm our benefactor?! I, Dugu Bo, can still tell right from wrong."
Dugu Bo turned and grumbled at Dugu Xin behind him. Then, before Long Qianming could gesture for him to rise, he stood up on his own and asked curiously,
"Benefactor, Xin'er told me that your Martial Soul is an external Dark Sacred Dragon. Could you release it and let this old man have a look? In all my years, I've never seen a Beast Martial Soul that can leave the body, let alone the legendary Dark Sacred Dragon."
Admittedly, it was rather excessive for Dugu Bo to ask someone so bluntly to release their Martial Soul.
But he had, after all, kowtowed to Long Qianming with utmost reverence despite being a Soul Saint, so making one small request wasn't too much, was it?
"All right!"
Looking at Dugu Bo, Long Qianming forcibly suppressed his smug smile.
He had never imagined that someone who would become a Titled Douluo in the future would actually kneel before him just now.
At that thought, Long Qianming felt immensely satisfied.
Then, with a sweep of Long Qianming's hand, a twelve-meter-long Dark Sacred Dragon shot out from his right side. The way it ran looked somewhat comical, until its body coiled in place and its head looked down upon Dugu Bo and the others below.
Dugu Bo raised his head and met the gaze of the Dark Sacred Dragon above him. At that moment, he could not help feeling awed, with a faint trace of fear.
"Your Dark Sacred Dragon Martial Soul is truly impressive, but its size isn't right. And its ability to fly seems rather poor?"
Dugu Bo did not know much about External Martial Souls and was merely making a rough judgment based on the Dark Sacred Dragon's size. In his view, legendary true dragons like this were all immensely powerful beings, and even as Martial Souls, they could hardly be weak.
"Indeed. Your discerning eyes are like torches, Senior Dugu. You spotted the problem at a glance."
The current Dark Sacred Dragon could be considered a mere hatchling. Though it had a dragon's form, it lacked sufficient draconic might and dark origin, and could only fly briefly, unable to perform the innate flight skill of dragon-type Soul Beasts.
Judging by a mature Dark Sacred Dragon, even if its body did not reach a hundred meters, it would at least measure over sixty meters.
Yet Long Qianming's Dark Sacred Dragon was currently only twelve meters long. Without using any Soul Skills, and while it still could not fly,
its physical strength was probably comparable to that of a three- or four-thousand-year-old Soul Beast, or a Soul Elder-level Soul Master.
"But, benefactor, this old man has great faith in your Martial Soul's potential. If you ultimately break through to Titled Douluo, your Dark Sacred Dragon will surely become even stronger."
Dugu Bo had extremely high expectations for the Dark Sacred Dragon before him. If such an unusual External Martial Soul could not grow, that could only mean one thing: the problem lay with the Soul Master himself.
"Then thank you for your auspicious words, Senior Dugu."
Long Qianming was extremely confident in the direction of his Martial Soul's development.
Hearing this, Dugu Bo knew the time had come and immediately asked,
"Benefactor, this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is a treasure land. Would you be willing to lease it to this old man? I happen to need a good medicinal garden, and this treasure land is perfectly suited."
As he spoke, Dugu Bo kept glancing at the few medicinal herbs remaining within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, as well as the precious herbs whose roots and stems remained and could grow again.
Even if he did not recognize the herbs, guarding this extraordinary place was equivalent to possessing an inexhaustible fortune. Besides, wasn't someone skilled at identifying medicinal herbs standing right before him?
"Well..."
Seeing Long Qianming hesitate slightly, Dugu Bo immediately took out a black card and handed it to him.
"Benefactor, of these two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, consider half compensation for saving Xin'er, and the other half the lease payment for this medicinal garden. If the herbs grow back in the future, you may harvest as much as you like!"
"All right. Since you want it, Senior, I'll gladly help fulfill your wish."
Long Qianming quickly accepted the black card, barely able to suppress his smile.
"Senior, don't call me benefactor anymore. It makes things feel rather distant between us, and that's no good."
"Good, very good! I like a lad who doesn't drag his feet. If my daughter hadn't died young, I would certainly have introduced you two."
While the old man and the youth chatted and laughed, Dugu Xin eagerly plucked the earth dragon golden melon and held it out before Dugu Bo.
"Dad, my Martial Soul only transformed after I ate this earth dragon golden melon. You should eat it too!"