"Kid, it's already the third day. What exactly are you plotting? You weren't lying to me about everything you said before, were you?"
Three days had passed since Xiao Yan and Dugu Bo had reached an agreement. During those three days, Xiao Yan had not touched a single herb, nor had he begun preparing for the Poison Pill Method. He had simply cultivated beside the ice and fire pool every day. The daily wait left Dugu Bo somewhat restless, but he also knew that he had nowhere else to turn. The entire Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor bloodline was counting on Xiao Yan's method to work. So, after keeping his composure for three days, he finally lost patience and went to speak to Xiao Yan.
"What's the rush, old poison? You're already part of my Spirit Hall. As the Holy Son, I wouldn't take your life," Xiao Yan said with his eyes closed. Now that Dugu Bo had taken the bait, there was no need to be so polite. Dugu Bo was deeply aggrieved. Ever since he had agreed to join Spirit Hall, the brat's attitude had made a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. Clearly, his earlier courtesy and politeness had all been part of his scheme; he had not truly held Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo, in any esteem. Not long ago, the boy had called him Senior Dugu again and again. Though Dugu Bo did not much like the brat, those words had indeed been pleasant to hear. But now it was "old poison" one moment and "Old Monster" the next. Xiao Yan even called him "Old Freak Dugu." Not only did it sound unpleasant, but whenever Xiao Yan said it, his tone always made it feel as though he were facing an enemy. Now Dugu Bo felt like a young maiden, inexperienced in the ways of the world, who had strayed from the right path-once she had been tricked into giving up her body, she was no longer cherished.
If Xiao Yan had known what Dugu Bo was thinking, he would probably have laughed until his stomach hurt. But Xiao Yan was wholly focused on cultivating and clearly had no time to pay attention to Dugu Bo's wild thoughts. Ever since he had first arrived and sensed a ghastly white flame flickering in his spiritual perception between the waters of ice and fire, Xiao Yan had wanted to sense that flame again. That ghastly white flame must be one of the Heavenly Flames! Unfortunately, Xiao Yan's body was not yet strong enough for him to enter the pool and cultivate arduously. His cultivation these past few days had been aimed precisely at allowing him to step into the water and draw out the full source power of that ghastly white flame.
"Old Monster, have you never thought of giving this place a name?" As the sun sank behind the western mountains, Xiao Yan slowly rose, bringing the day's cultivation to an end. Looking at Dugu Bo, who had been watching him here all day, he asked the question casually.
"Huh? Oh... I've never thought about naming this place. I'm a practical man. This is my private herb garden; other people generally can't get in. A meaningless name serves no purpose, so I didn't waste any thought on it." Dugu Bo was taken aback, but he soon replied. At the same time, he marveled inwardly, This brat cultivates for a whole day at a stretch. With such endurance, never mind the younger generation-even some Old Monsters who've lived for years probably couldn't catch up to him on horseback.
"Even so, it's rather inconvenient without one," Xiao Yan mused. "Extreme heat and extreme cold meet here. It's a treasured place where ice and fire blend and yin and yang are harmonized. The supreme ultimate gives rise to the two complementary forces, and those forces are yin and yang. When yin and yang are harmonized, the Great Dao is formed."
"Let's call it the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. What do you think?"
With that, Xiao Yan turned and left for his lodgings to rest, leaving only a few words behind.
"Old poison, find some time to prepare the Demon Poison Dragon Scorpion's blood essence and Soul Ring. Perhaps, for your family's convenience, it would be good to raise a few Demon Poison Dragon Scorpions in the future."
"Tomorrow, I'll use your Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to temper my body. Once that's done, I'll be ten parts sure of the Poison Pill Method!"
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's spirits lifted. The Poison Pill Method he had been awaiting for so long was finally about to begin.