Seeing that his son had obtained a satisfactory Soul Ring, Yang Zhentian said, "Son, let's get ready to head back. We've been out for several days now."
"Dad, let's not go back just yet. I want to train in Sunset Forest for a while."
Yang Zhentian was a little puzzled. "Son, you're already a Soul Grandmaster. You can pretty much start taking part in Soul Fighting now. The Soul Fighting Arena is relatively safer, so why do you want to train in Sunset Forest?"
Yang Podi thought for a moment and couldn't help grumbling inwardly: I can't exactly tell you I'm looking for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, can I?
"Dad, ever since we arrived in Sunset Forest, I've felt a particular sense of closeness to it, as though something here is especially drawn to me."
Hearing this, Yang Zhentian immediately became interested. Before the battle at the Clear Sky Sect, his son had sensed danger and insisted on leaving the sect for Heaven Dou City, sparing the clan losses as a result. Could this situation be similar?
"Son, what exactly are you feeling? What's drawing you in? Could you have fallen under some Soul Beast's illusion spell or something?"
"Dad, if I'd fallen under an illusion spell, wouldn't you have noticed? You're a full-fledged Soul Saint."
After discussing it for a while, they finally agreed to stay and train in Sunset Forest.
Yang Podi carefully recalled the original story. It didn't seem to describe the precise location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. All it said was that the area outside was covered in poisonous miasma, some of which Dugu Bo had created. The spring itself should also have given off a great deal of poisonous gas; otherwise, it wouldn't have gone undiscovered for tens of thousands of years.
As long as they searched places with poisonous gas, perhaps they could find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
And so, the two trained in Sunset Forest. Even after reaching its core region, they found no places where poisonous gas gathered. They did, however, discover many extremely powerful Soul Beasts, the oldest of which had reached seventy or eighty thousand years, frightening them into making a swift retreat.
A Soul Beast of that level was not something a mere Soul Saint could handle. Even a Titled Douluo would find it rather difficult.
As for Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, they encountered even more of those, running into several almost every day. There were quite a few strength-type Soul Beasts too, but unfortunately, neither of them needed one for now. His father was only level 76, and it would probably take several more years for him to reach Soul Douluo.
One day, as they passed a marsh, both of them stopped at the same time.
"Dad, don't you think there's something very strange about this area? Normally, even around a marsh, there should be plenty of Soul Beasts nearby. Why is it so quiet here? There aren't even any insects chirping."
Yang Zhentian said nothing. Instead, he took his son's hand and quietly backed away. Only after they had left the marsh did he speak. "Son, you were right. There really was something strange about that marsh. I'm afraid something extraordinary is hiding in there."
Yang Podi thought for a moment. "Dad, how about we toss a live Soul Beast in there to test it? That way, we'll know to be more careful in the future."
"Son, that's a good idea. Wait a moment. Let's go catch a small Soul Beast."
With that, Yang Zhentian took his son to catch a Soft Bone Rabbit. Soft Bone Rabbits were extremely common Soul Beasts in forests. They reproduced so rapidly that they were practically impossible to wipe out, and could even be considered a pest in some small Soul Beast forests. At the same time, they were a relatively common source of meat for the residents of the Douluo Continent. After all, compared with other Soul Beasts, Soft Bone Rabbits seemed to have no advantages other than running fast.
Thinking of this, Yang Podi couldn't help grumbling inwardly again: With the survival abilities of Soft Bone Rabbits, how did Xiao Wu and her mother become Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the dangerous Star Dou Great Forest? Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were coveted not just by humans, but by Soul Beasts as well.
The one they caught was a ten-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit. After being caught, its entire body seemed to tremble a little, especially as they approached the marsh.
Yang Zhentian hurled the Soft Bone Rabbit into the marsh like a javelin. The rabbit trembled in the middle of the marsh, as though it had encountered something utterly terrifying.
Suddenly, an enormous head emerged from the marsh and swallowed the Soft Bone Rabbit in a single gulp. The head measured five meters across, with two lantern-sized eyes and sharp teeth in its mouth. There were even two horns growing from the top of its head, though both were relatively small.
"Dad, what is that thing? It looks terrifying."
Hearing his son's question, Yang Zhentian swallowed too. "Son, it's a good thing we're relatively far away. Otherwise, we'd really be in danger."
"That thing just now should be a Titan Giant Python, the pinnacle of pythons. Judging by the size of its head, this Titan Giant Python might be over a hundred meters long. It might even be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast already."
"Titan Giant Pythons are rather lazy and don't like coming out to forage. They like hibernating and hiding in cold, damp places. That whole stretch of marsh is probably its territory. No wonder there aren't any Soul Beasts nearby."
"Titan Giant Pythons are incredibly strong, no weaker than ordinary bear-type Soul Beasts. Their body temperature can also change with their surroundings, so even a Titled Douluo might not be able to sense one."
Hearing this, Yang Podi felt a surge of lingering fear. There were actually Soul Beasts of this level in Sunset Forest too?
"Dad, since this Titan Giant Python is so powerful, why hasn't anyone thought of catching it? After all, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are worth a fortune."
"Son, think about how large that marsh is. There might even be a snake den beneath it. Hunting it down would probably be extremely difficult."
"Dad, how potent is a Titan Giant Python's venom?"
"A Titan Giant Python's venom is quite ordinary. Our clan can cure it. Son, why have you suddenly taken an interest in poison? How about I teach you how to refine poison when we get back?"
"Son, let's leave this place first. This area is far too dangerous. I'll find somewhere safe before we talk." And so, they first moved far away from the marsh. Although the Titan Giant Python was quite far off, it would still be troublesome if it happened to sense them.
After leaving, they found a clearing. Yang Podi was speechless at what he had just heard. Although he had learned about refining medicine and poison over the past two years, he had never refined any himself. He wouldn't even touch them, and had never considered developing in that direction.
Yet his father and grandfather had always wanted to guide him down that path. After all, it was one of the foundations of the Breaking Clan.
"Son, how about we head back first? Sunset Forest might be even more dangerous than we imagined."
Yang Podi thought carefully for a while before finally speaking. "Dad, my main reason for coming to Sunset Forest this time was to see whether I could find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? How could that be possible? Although books do record its existence, no one has ever found it. It might not even be in Sunset Forest."
The Breaking Clan's ancient texts also contained records of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but they were only scattered words and phrases. Almost no one believed it existed.