"Uncle Yue Guan, don't get so excited just yet. Do you know where these two hot springs came from?" Li Chang'an cut in, interrupting Chrysanthemum Douluo.
There was no doubt that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was the essence of heaven and earth. But unlike the essence he'd cultivated, which he knew how to use and where to apply, this spring—how exactly was one supposed to harness it? Was it even suitable for him? Li Chang'an truly had no idea...
"Of course I know," Yue Guan said, for once sounding serious. "These two springs are called the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—one yin, one yang; one cold, one hot. It's precisely because of the well's existence that all these rare medicinal herbs could be born here. And if my memory serves me right, specific plants grow dozens of times faster here than they do outside!"
As a native of the Douluo Continent, Yue Guan had certainly heard of the legendary Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but this was his first time actually seeing it.
"Then Uncle Yue Guan, is there a way I can absorb some of the energy from it?" Li Chang'an asked.
Yue Guan frowned slightly. "Logically speaking, you could even absorb a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring. Drawing some of this energy and converting it for your own use shouldn't be a big problem. You can give it a try."
"But before you begin, you have to ingest these two herbs. Only then can you achieve twice the result with half the effort." As he spoke, Yue Guan waved his hand lightly, and two stalks of immortal herbs floated into his palm without the slightest damage.
The first herb had a large, snow-white flower at its top, shaped like an eight-pointed star. At the center, icy crystalline filaments shimmered faintly. It gave off no fragrance whatsoever and grew right in the heart of the extreme cold spring.
This was the Eight-Petal Ice Crystal Grass, a flower of deadly chill that could freeze one's core and numb the central nervous system. Its cold aura could chill anyone within ten meters, and prolonged exposure would lead to incurable frost poisoning. Not to mention eating it—even standing near it could spell disaster.
The second herb was the Fiery Apricot Delicate Leaf, with effects diametrically opposed to the Eight-Petal Ice Crystal Grass...
After explaining all the necessary precautions, Yue Guan finally handed the two immortal herbs over to Li Chang'an and told him to consume them boldly, reassuring him that he would personally guard him during the process.
Following Yue Guan's instructions, Li Chang'an didn't hesitate. He carefully brought the two herbs together. Though their properties were mutually restraining, after ten seconds, the medicinal effects would completely dissipate. Those ten seconds were the optimal window to consume them.
Li Chang'an stuffed both herbs into his mouth in large bites. Although potent and poisonous on their own, once neutralized by each other, they lost their overbearing nature and melted instantly in his mouth. The herbal essence flowed down his throat, and he felt a sweet aroma bloom beneath his tongue.
Hmm... the taste was surprisingly good…
It's happening!
Within just three seconds, Li Chang'an's body convulsed violently. A layer of icy blue light surged from beneath his feet, and in the blink of an eye, his entire body turned blue. Immediately after, a layer of red flared up. Now, Li Chang'an looked like a freshly boiled shrimp—blue and red alternating over his skin, forming a strange and dazzling sight.
[Ding! Detected absorption of two immortal herbs. System will now auto-refine for optimal results]
[Ding! Detected presence of Yin-Yang spring nearby. Please enter the convergence point immediately to achieve best effect!]
The system's alerts made Li Chang'an feel at ease. With the system's support, he only needed to follow instructions.
Once the medicinal effects fully activated, Li Chang'an dove directly into the convergence point of the frigid yin spring and scorching yang spring.
Splash!
He plunged into the water and disappeared in an instant.
Although the opposing forces of ice and fire had somewhat balanced out beforehand, now that they had entered his body, they began to wreak havoc. The medicinal power from two immortal herbs was unimaginably fierce. Under such an intense clash of opposing elements, even with his formidable spiritual strength, Li Chang'an found it difficult to endure.
Fortunately, the system came through. It quickly stabilized the two opposing energies in his body. Under the guidance of a mysterious force, they began refining his physical form.
Even after the ice and fire energies from the herbs had been fully consumed, the system didn't stop. Instead, it continued absorbing energy directly from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well itself, relentlessly tempering Li Chang'an's body and martial soul.
Meanwhile, outside the spring, Yue Guan—who had been standing guard—suddenly noticed something shocking: the total energy of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had diminished by a full ten percent.
A tenth! Just like that?
He was stunned. This spring had taken decades to accumulate that kind of energy. Yet Li Chang'an, a mere Spirit King, had just absorbed a full tenth of it? That was beyond absurd.
But before Yue Guan could recover from his shock, a figure burst from the spring waters. In Li Chang'an's hand was an axe black as ink, but with a blade that gleamed ice-blue—it looked freezing cold just from the sight of it.
"Chang'an, did your martial soul evolve?" Yue Guan asked, uncertain.
"Sort of," Li Chang'an replied with a grin. "From now on, my soul skills can all carry both ice and fire attributes. And not just any kind—Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Fire." As he landed lightly, he raised the axe. "Pangu Axe," he added casually.
It was only thanks to the massive energy here that such a transformation had been possible. Not only had his martial soul gained dual Ultimate attributes, but his body had also been refined to the point of being comparable to a Titled Douluo's physique. This opportunity—absolutely worth it.
"Tch, can't even be jealous of you… you're beyond envy now." Yue Guan clicked his tongue in admiration. Li Chang'an's martial soul had already been freakishly strong, and now with the addition of two Ultimate attributes, he might already be close to Spirit Douluo level in raw power.
"Uncle Yue Guan, could you help me pick a few immortal herbs? First, I want Lovesick Heartbreak Red. Then maybe something suitable for my teacher, and for Nana. Also, I have a friend with a support-type martial soul—you should know Mu Xi—and another with the Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul, and one more with a Hell Spirit Cat martial soul..."
Li Chang'an rattled off a whole list, leaving Yue Guan speechless. Just how many friends did this kid have?
Despite grumbling in his heart, Yue Guan still did his best to pick out the most suitable herbs for each of them. Li Chang'an didn't need to store them carefully either—he just tossed them all into his Nullspace. Since time stood still in there, preservation wasn't a concern.
After he was done choosing, Yue Guan also selected a few herbs for himself. Then he gazed thoughtfully at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Chang'an... I'm afraid if the Spirit Hall wants to take full control of this place, it's going to be tricky..."
After all, while relations between Spirit Hall and the two great empires were outwardly cordial, they had long since treated each other as rivals. This location lay within Heaven Dou Empire's territory, and it would be unrealistic for Spirit Hall to station troops here. Especially with Poison Douluo being a royal enshrined elder of Heaven Dou.
"Then let's not let Spirit Hall take it over," Li Chang'an replied. "Let the Elephant Armored Clan do it. We'll support them from behind."
The Elephant Armored Clan was, after all, a Clan within the Heaven Dou Empire. If they were the ones to manage the place, and with backing from Spirit Hall, it wouldn't be too hard—especially if they could get Poison Douluo on their side.
"Uncle Yue Guan, if possible, try to use some of the herbs here to cure Poison Douluo's granddaughter. That way, we'll face far less resistance."
Li Chang'an didn't know whether it was pity for Dugu Bo or something else, but he still said the words.
Yue Guan didn't ask further—he simply nodded silently and promised to do his best.
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T/N:
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