Revisiting Old Haunts · An Azure Lotus to Repay a Debt

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Nan Feng has traveled the road to Sunset Forest many times.

The first time was riding a skinny horse he bought from Gengxin City. At that time, he wasn't even Soul Elder. Later, he used the Shrinking the Ground to an Inch, taking a hundred steps in one step, with immortal light drawing golden arcs under his feet.

This time, he took Ye Lingling with him and didn't rush. They set off from Holy Soul Village and headed towards Sunset Forest along the official road.

Ye Lingling walked half a step to his side. The Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul bloomed around her, with golden Immortal Mark on the pink and white petals, casting a layer of light among the wild grass on both sides of the official road.

Her Soul Power has been steadily increasing since the battle of Jialing Pass. The origin of the Nine Heart Begonia was nourished by the Primordial World Immortal Power, undergoing a fundamental change, transforming from a healing-type Martial Soul to Immortal Level Martial Soul. Now her Soul Power is stable at the threshold of the God Level, and she is only one step away from stepping into the God Level.

"When was the last time you went to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?" Ye Lingling asked.

Nan Feng thought for a moment.

"A few years ago," he said, "When I had just come out of the Slaughter City, and my Soul Power was only around level 30."

"Did you go alone back then?"

"Hmm. Old Huai said there's Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, planted by the Pagoda God, capable of stabilizing Primordial World Power. I sneaked into the Poison Mist Valley alone and gambled with Dugu Bo for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Ye Lingling turned her head to look at him. Petals of the Nine Heart Begonia floated around her cheek.

"You dared to gamble with Poison Douluo back then?"

"I won the bet," Nan Feng said. "After carrying it for the duration of an incense stick, both the Immortal Herb and the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus are mine. Dugu Bo said afterwards that I owed him a favor."

Ye Lingling smiled.

How many people do you owe favors to?

Nan Feng was silent for a moment.

"Quite a few. Dugu Bo was one of the earliest."

The two left the official road and turned into a forest path on the outskirts of Sunset Forest. Poison Mist Valley is deep in Sunset Forest, and to enter from the outside, one must pass through several layers of natural poisonous miasma and the territory of Soul Beast.

Nan Feng's divine sense covered an area of dozens of miles. Soul Beast along the way avoided it when they sensed the fluctuations of Immortal Power, and even the poisonous miasma dissipated automatically when it approached within three zhang of the tower.

Ye Lingling watched as the poisonous mist around her dissipated amidst the azure -Golden Immortal light emanating from the tower. The originally dark green to almost black miasma became thin and transparent under the celestial light, revealing the lush vegetation beneath.

She reached out and touched the poisonous mist that drifted past her. The Nine Heart Begonia petal on her fingertip glowed, and the poisonous mist condensed into a green dewdrop on the petal, the dewdrop containing spiritual energy.

"The poisonous fog has changed," Ye Lingling said.

Nan Feng nodded. He sensed that the poisonous miasma in Poison Mist Valley was completely different from what it had been a few years ago.

Back then, the poisonous fog here was so thick it was almost black; an ordinary Soul Master would collapse after just one breath, and even Titled Douluo dared not linger. Now, the fog is still toxic, but its concentration has been reduced by more than half. The fog is mixed with azure -Golden Immortal, which can actually help low-level Soul Master temper their meridians.

"The lingering effects of Immortal Power," Nan Feng said. "Back then, when I refined the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus and absorbed Immortal Herb in the valley, Primordial World Immortal Power seeped into the valley's ley lines. Over the years, the poisonous mist fused with the Immortal Power, reducing its toxicity and actually enhancing its body-tempering effects."

Ye Lingling collected the dewdrop from her fingertips into her palm. Her Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul absorbed and transformed that bit of spiritual energy.

"Senior Dugu Bo should be very pleased."

After passing through the last patch of poisonous miasma forest, the entrance to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well appeared before them.

The rock walls on both sides of the valley entrance are covered with cyan-gold vines, with tiny flower buds on the vines, from which celestial light shines. When Nan Feng left, he set up a layer of Immortal Power barrier at the entrance of the valley.

Years later, the barrier had completely merged with the earth's veins in the valley, transforming into Immortal Mark on the rock walls.

Nan Feng raised his hand and pressed it on the Immortal Mark. The lapis lazuli immortal Immortal Mark on the rock wall lit up, and the valley entrance opened.

The valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is completely different from what it was a few years ago.

The ice spring on the left side remained icy cold, with a ring of cyan-gold ice crystals around its edge, containing tiny Immortal Mark. The hot spring on the right side continued to steam with heat. The rocks beside the hot spring were covered with a layer of dark gold mineral crystals, the patterns of which were of the same origin as the cyan-gold Immortal Mark on the tower.

Two springs converge in the center of the valley. In the middle of the pool where they meet, the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus is blooming.

The Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus was much larger than before. All nine azure-gold petals had fully unfolded, each with golden Immortal Mark extending from the root to the tip. At the center of the lotus heart was a drop of dewdrop interwoven with three colors: the crimson gold of the Sun Essence, the silvery white of the Moonlight's radiance, and the deep blue of the Star Marrow, all swirling and blending within the dewdrop.

The entire lotus plant emitted a gentle, ethereal light, which covered half of the pond.

A person was sitting on a stone platform by the pool.

Dugu Bo wore a faded gray cloth robe, his hair and beard were completely white, and he was even more vigorous than before. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul was coiled behind him, and the scales on the serpent's body had changed from dark green to dark green with a hint of lapis lazuli, and the serpent's eyes reflected a divine light.

The old man's Soul Power fluctuations were ten times stronger than they were back then. He had already crossed the threshold of the Demigod Level.

Dugu Bo held a rough earthenware wine bowl in his hands and drank directly from the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus.

Hearing a noise coming from the direction of the valley entrance, he turned his head and glanced over. His cloudy old eyes narrowed slightly when he saw Nan Feng, and then narrowed even more when he saw Ye Lingling behind Nan Feng.

"You brat." Dugu Bo slammed his wine bowl down on the stone platform, his voice still that same hoarse tone from years ago, "You still know how to come back?"

Nan Feng walked to the stone platform. He sensed that the Jade Phosphorous Serpent essence within Dugu Bo's soul had evolved to the ultimate Demigod Level under the nourishment of the residual immortal Immortal Power.

The snake venom contained Immortal Mark, resonating with the earth's veins in the valley and the celestial light of the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus.

"Senior," Nan Feng said.

Dugu Bo looked him up and down. His gaze swept from the cyan-gold Immortal Mark on the tower to the silver-white Soul Power patterns on the red ribbon on his left wrist, and then from the red ribbon to the medal on his chest.

Finally, it landed on his face.

The old man snorted.

"I heard you made a name for yourself as a Celestial Master at Jialing Pass?" Dugu Bo picked up his wine bowl and took a sip. "The Divine Realm even bestowed an honor upon you?"

"The Divine Realm bestowed upon me the title of Primordial World Immortal Master," Nan Feng said.

Dugu Bo's beard twitched.

"Primordial World Immortal Master." He savored those four words, as if appreciating fine wine. "A Dao higher than even God King, you've actually made it."

Nan Feng didn't reply. He walked to the edge of the pool and looked at the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus. The nine azure-gold lotus petals trembled in the celestial light, and the three-colored dewdrops in the lotus heart echoed the Three Lights Divine Water in the Nine Heavens Treasure Pearl at the top of the tower.

He reached out and touched a lotus petal. The Immortal Mark on the petal lit up for a moment, and the entire blue lotus swayed, as if responding to his touch.

"This lotus is growing well," Nan Feng said.

Dugu Bo snorted.

"I've raised it for years, how could it not be good?"

He stood up, holding his wine bowl, walked to Nan Feng's side, and looked up at the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus that was taller than him.

"Back then, you plundered all the Immortal Herb in this valley, leaving only one Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus. At first, I scolded you for being greedy, but then I discovered that this lotus grew bigger and bigger in the valley, its roots penetrating into the earth's veins, changing the poisonous mist throughout the entire valley."

The old man paused, then took another sip of his drink.

"The poisonous fog in the valley is no longer harmful to ordinary Soul Master; on the contrary, it can help temper their bodies. Several small sects from Heaven Dou City have approached us, wanting to open a body tempering camp nearby. I found it annoying and chased them all away."

The Nan Feng levitated the tower to its chest. The nine-story bronze tower spun in the celestial light of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, its azure-gold Immortal Mark resonating with the Immortal Mark of the earth's veins in the valley.

He sensed that the lingering Immortal Power of the entire Poison Mist Valley was connected to the tower. The Immortal Power barrier that had been set up back then had merged with the earth's veins in the valley, becoming a part of this world.

"The entire valley belongs to you, senior," Nan Feng said. "I left my Immortal Power here."

Dugu Bo's lips twitched. He held the wine bowl, looked at Nan Feng, and blinked his cloudy old eyes twice.

Then he handed the wine bowl to Nan Feng.

"Drink."

Nan Feng took the wine bowl and took a sip. The wine was snake gall wine brewed by Dugu Bo himself, spicy yet with a touch of mystical energy, originating from the same source as the lingering Immortal Power in the valley.

He returned the wine bowl to Dugu Bo. The old man took it and also took a sip.

Ye Lingling walked over from the side. The Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul bloomed around her, and the pink and white petals were touched by the blue-gold Golden Immortal from the valley. She stood beside Nan Feng and nodded to Dugu Bo.

"Senior Dugu."

Dugu Bo glanced at her. The old man's gaze swept from the Immortal Mark on the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul to the depths of Ye Lingling's soul, then back to Nan Feng, and finally landed on the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus.

"Alright." Dugu Bo swirled the wine bowl in his hand. "Back then, he came here alone to gamble on drugs, and now he's brought a girl back with him."

He glanced at Ye Lingling again.

"Nine Heart Begonia, Immortal Mark. Almost a god, huh?"

Ye Lingling nodded.

"Just one last step."

Dugu Bo snorted.

"Following him, becoming a god is only a matter of time."

He turned and walked towards the stone platform, but stopped after taking two steps, looked back at Nan Feng, and squinted.

"You brat, you emptied my Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well of all its Immortal Herb back then." Dugu Bo's voice was calm, each word carrying his unique intonation. "Now, it's not too much to ask for a Immortal Level Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus in return, is it?"

Nan Feng looked at him.

"This valley originally belonged to you, senior," Nan Feng said. "Moreover, I nourished this place with my Immortal Power, so the poisonous fog is no longer harmful to ordinary Soul Master; on the contrary, it can temper their bodies."

Dugu Bo cursed.

Don't give me that.

As he cursed, the old man's eyes were full of laughter. He slammed the wine bowl heavily on the stone platform, the rough earthenware bowl making a crisp sound as it hit the stone.

"Immortal Level Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus," Dugu Bo said. "You owe me a Immortal Level Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus. When are you going to pay me back?"

Nan Feng retracted the tower into his palm. He sensed the celestial light of the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus in the center of the pool shining through the azure-gold Immortal Mark on the tower.

The three-colored dewdrops on the lotus heart echo the Three Lights Divine Water in the Nine Heavens Treasure Pearl.

He remained silent for a moment.

"I can pay you right now," Nan Feng said.

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.

Nan Feng walked to the edge of the pool and pressed his hand on the petals of the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus. Golden Immortal Power surged from the tower and flowed into the lotus heart along the Immortal Mark on the petals.

The three-colored dewdrops on the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus suddenly shone brightly for a moment under the nourishment of Immortal Power. The Immortal Mark on the lotus petals transformed from lapis lazuli to pure gold, and the entire green lotus grew in the immortal light, growing from one zhang tall to one zhang and a half.

The nine lotus petals fully unfolded, and the dewdrop in the lotus heart condensed into a golden lotus seed the size of a thumb.

Dugu Bo stopped holding the wine bowl.

Nan Feng plucked the golden lotus seed from the lotus heart and handed it to Dugu Bo.

"The lotus seeds of the Immortal Level Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus," Nan Feng said, "Are even more effective than the entire Azure Lotus plant. If you had consumed them during your cultivation, your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul could have advanced another level."

Dugu Bo stared at the golden lotus seed for a long time.

He put down the wine bowl, reached out his rough hand to take the lotus seed, and weighed it in his palm. The lotus seed shone in his palm, and golden Immortal Mark spread from the surface of the lotus seed into the lines of his palm.

Dugu Bo's beard twitched. He tucked the lotus seeds into his sleeve, picked up the wine bowl, tilted his head back, and drank the wine in one gulp.

"Alright." Dugu Bo slammed the empty bowl onto the stone platform, his voice still hoarse, but slightly softer than before. "You can come to this valley anytime from now on. Poisonous fog or immortal Immortal Herb, I'll save them all for you."

He turned and walked towards the stone house deep in the valley, waving goodbye to Nan Feng and Ye Lingling with his back to them.

"Pour yourself when you're done drinking. I'm going to take a nap, don't make a sound."

The old man's figure disappeared into the stone house.

The valley fell silent, with only the spring waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well converging in the center.

The Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus swayed in the celestial light, and the Immortal Mark on the rock walls at the valley entrance resonated with the azure-gold Golden Immortal emanating from the tower.

Ye Lingling walked to Nan Feng's side. The petals of the Nine Heart Begonia fluttered in the fairy light of the valley.

She looked in the direction of the stone house where Dugu Bo had disappeared, and then looked at the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus in the pool that had regained its ethereal glow.

"He accepted it," Ye Lingling said.

Nan Feng nodded. He sensed that the golden lotus seed in Dugu Bo's sleeve was glowing, and the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul had begun to evolve under the nourishment of the lotus seed's Immortal Power.

The old man grumbled as he accepted the lotus seeds, and a crack appeared in the bottleneck that had been blocking his soul for many years.

"Senior's Jade Phosphorous Serpent is about to evolve," Nan Feng said.

Ye Lingling looked at him. The petals of the Nine Heart Begonia bloomed at her fingertips.

"Was it like this when you were in this valley back then?"

The Nan Feng levitated the tower to its chest. The nine-story bronze pagoda spun within the celestial light of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The lapis Immortal Mark on the tower echo the earth veins in the valley, the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus, and the lotus seeds in Dugu Bo's sleeve.

He remained silent for a moment.

"Back then, I came here alone to gamble on drugs," Nan Feng said. "Now I've brought a girl back with me."

Ye Lingling smiled. She walked to the edge of the pool, squatted down, and looked at the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus. The petals of the Nine Heart Begonia touched the lotus leaves on the water's surface.

The Immortal Mark on the lotus leaf lit up for a moment, resonating with the Immortal Mark on her petals for a brief instant.

"Can this lotus help me evolve into the Nine Heart Begonia?" Ye Lingling asked.

Nan Feng walked to her side.

"Yes, but we have to wait until it grows for another season. The lotus seeds need time to recover after being harvested; the next season's lotus petals will be the best."

Ye Lingling nodded. She stood up, and the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul unfolded behind her. The pink and white petals were covered with Immortal Mark, intertwining with the azure-gold Golden Immortal in the valley.

She gazed at the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus the center of the pool, which had regained its ethereal glow.

"Then I'll come back next season," Ye Lingling said.

Nan Feng retracted the tower into his palm. He sensed that Dugu Bo had turned over in the stone house deep in the valley, and the wine bowl on the stone platform had shaken.

He had ventured into this Poison Mist Valley alone several years ago, risking his life.

"Let's go," Nan Feng said, "We'll come back next season."

The two walked towards the valley entrance. Ye Lingling walked half a step beside him, and the petals of the Nine Heart Begonia drifted down in the fairy light of the valley.

As she reached the valley entrance, she glanced back. The Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus in the center of the pool shone in the celestial light, and from the direction of the stone house came the soft sound of Dugu Bo's wine bowl hitting the stone platform as he turned over.

"He was actually quite happy," Ye Lingling said.

Nan Feng didn't turn around. He sensed the lotus seed glowing in Dugu Bo's sleeve. The old man turned over, muttered something, and the wine bowl clattered on the stone platform again.

"Hmm," Nan Feng said.

As the two walked out of the valley, the azure-gold Immortal Mark on the rock wall closed behind them.

The Poison Mist Valley deep within the Sunset Forest fell silent, with only the Soul-Suppressing Azure Lotus swaying in the celestial light.

Dugu Bo's snoring came from the stone house, mingling with the sound of the spring water from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.