The instant Oscar leapt into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, his clothing disintegrated into ash. Thankfully, before that, he had removed the soul tool from his right hand to avoid damaging it.
Now submerged in the Well, Oscar felt his entire body being forged from the inside out. Although the extreme ice and fire energies had partially neutralized, once inside his body, they rampaged violently. The medicinal power of immortal herbs was unimaginably terrifying—when their conflicting natures clashed, the explosive surge was something he could only resist through sheer willpower.
At this moment, he was like an ordinary lump of iron, being tempered into fine steel through the combined effects of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, the Blazing Delicate Apricot, and the unique properties of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Time flowed slowly. An entire day passed before Oscar finally opened his eyes again—and by then, he had undergone tremendous change.
Thanks to the Well's aid, he had gradually absorbed a portion of the terrifying medicinal power within the two immortal herbs. Much of it had been used to refine and transform his body, while the remainder had deposited itself deep within his meridians and bones.
Indeed, Oscar could not possibly absorb the entirety of both herbs in just one day. Their medicinal power was far too immense. In this single day, he had only refined about one-third of their total energy—and that alone had pushed him to his absolute limit.
The remaining energy could only be absorbed slowly over time.
Even so, Oscar had gained enormous benefits. His physical strength had already reached the equivalent of a Soul King at the fifty-fifth rank.
Due to the Ice-Fire Body Refinement, his body had undergone a complete transformation. Though the transformation was still ongoing, he already possessed a special constitution—one that rendered him immune to all poisons.
Under the combined effects of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Blazing Delicate Apricot, Oscar had become a living antidote. In the future, he would fear no poison whatsoever. His very blood could serve as a universal detoxifying elixir.
From now on, Oscar himself was a priceless treasure.
Moreover, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well no longer posed any danger to him. The Frozen Yin Spring now felt like nothing more than cool water, while the Blazing Yang Spring was little more than pleasantly warm.
Bathing in the springs not only did him no harm, but also greatly aided him. The residual energy of the herbs within his body could only be fully absorbed with the Well's help, completing the perfection of his Ice-Fire Body Refinement.
But while Oscar gained the fortune of a lifetime, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan suffered a bitter ordeal.
That afternoon, after Oscar had entered the Well, Dugu Yan had prepared food to bring to him. But when she arrived at the valley, she couldn't find him anywhere.
Instantly, panic filled her. She shouted Oscar's name loudly over and over outside the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, but no matter how she called, there was no answer.
Her cries eventually reached Dugu Bo, who hurried down to investigate. But after searching, he too could find no sign of Oscar.
Dugu Bo was truly anxious. He had grown to admire this boy, and Oscar had personally promised he could cure Dugu Yan's poison. Now the child had vanished—how could Dugu Bo not be worried?
But then he noticed something unusual. Three herbs around the Well were missing.
At first, Dugu Bo thought Oscar might have stolen them and fled. But considering Oscar's character, and more importantly, the poisonous formation Dugu Bo had laid outside—deadly enough to frighten even a Soul Douluo—he quickly dismissed the idea.
Oscar was merely an eleven-year-old Soul Elder. There was no way he could have escaped.
That left only one possibility. Dugu Bo's face darkened as he rushed to the Well's edge. If Oscar hadn't left, then he must have fallen into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
The Well's extreme yin and yang energies were things even he dared not expose himself to too long. If Oscar had touched them, wouldn't he have been reduced to ashes instantly?
Originally, Dugu Bo had intended to warn him—but since Oscar had been able to name the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well himself, it was clear he recognized it. So Dugu Bo hadn't said anything, assuming the boy could protect himself.
But never would he have expected Oscar to jump in!
His suspicion was confirmed when he found two soul tools lying on the bank—Oscar's belongings.
Staring into the unfathomable depths of the spring, Dugu Bo could not sense even the faintest trace of Oscar's aura. The clashing extremes of heat and cold completely blocked his spiritual perception.
As much as he hated to admit it, there was only one conclusion left—Oscar was gone.
When he told this to Dugu Yan, the girl froze in place. Then grief overwhelmed her, flooding her heart.
She had been so happy that day. For the first time in fifteen years, she had found a true friend. Someone who understood her, who accepted her despite her poison, who comforted her—and who had even promised to help cure her.
She had told her grandfather that after obtaining her third soul ring, she wanted to enroll in Shrek Academy with Oscar. Dugu Bo had agreed.
He had even teased her, saying that although Oscar was only eleven, he was already taller than her. If they walked together, no one would know their ages unless they said it.
And Oscar's talent and looks were among the finest Dugu Bo had ever seen. If she could spend more time with him, perhaps in the future…
At the time, Dugu Yan had blushed furiously and scolded her grandfather for being improper—how could she, the elder sister, harbor such thoughts about a younger boy?
But now, only a few hours later, her dear friend, her "younger brother," perhaps even her future husband… was gone.
The truth was, though they had only known each other for half a day, Oscar had already carved a place in her heart. Now that he was gone, she collapsed on the spot, sobbing in grief.
Dugu Bo sighed as he watched his granddaughter's sorrow. Holding Oscar's soul tools, he sat beside her and tried to comfort her softly:
"Yan Yan, the world is unpredictable. Some things are beyond our control. Believe me, I don't want to accept this either about little Ao, but…"
Before he could finish, Dugu Yan raised her tear-filled eyes and cried, "Grandfather! Why?! Why does Heaven always target me? Just when I was given hope, now there's only despair!"
Her words stabbed at Dugu Bo's heart. Though he was a Title Douluo, he had no power to bring the dead back to life.
He gently patted her back, and after a long silence, sighed again.
"Yan Yan… tomorrow I will go to the Barak Kingdom, to the academy where little Ao studied. I must inform his teachers. I bear responsibility for this as well. Let's see what compensation I can offer them."
Dugu Yan only nodded faintly through her tears. Though she had only just met Oscar, the depth of her sorrow was undeniable.
She didn't even know what her feelings for him truly were. But now, none of it mattered.
Because… he was gone.