Chapter 35: Success
The spring water within the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire surged with Shi Yi's entrance. It wasn't long before, amidst the surging water, Shi Yi had quietly sunk beneath it. The surface of the water returned to calm, the milky white and crimson still distinct. Steam still hung in the air, and all returned to silence.
An unknown amount of time passed before a figure appeared beside the tranquil spring. A closer look would have revealed the old man's hair and beard to be a dark green, his cheeks sunken, his green hair tangled, and a look of pain flickering across his withered face.
Dugu Bo, enduring the agony of the toxin within his body, sat upright beside the spring. The powerful icy and fire power of the Yin-Yang Eye instantly suppressed the toxin's effects. Gradually, Dugu Bo's expression shifted from pain to a gentle one, a hint of relief creeping into his expression.
Soon, Dugu Bo slowly opened his eyes. Due to the toxin's impact, they were as enchanting as emerald gems.
Dugu Bo looked at the spring before him, a hint of doubt on his face. He could clearly sense that the intense power of ice and fire seemed to have weakened today. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the two rare flowers growing in the center of the ice and fire springs had disappeared.
"Did someone come in?" Dugu Bo wondered.
He quickly dismissed the idea. If someone had truly entered, his herb garden wouldn't have been safe. Furthermore, even he didn't know the purpose of the two rare flowers in the center of the ice and fire springs. One was ice, the other was fire. Even if someone took both, they would usually only choose one.
If someone chose to take both at the same time, Dugu Bo would assume they were too old. The ice and fire here could even suppress the toxins in their bodies. An average spirit master wouldn't be able to withstand the powerful ice and fire energies for long, let alone take two competing rare flowers. In Dugu Bo's experience, taking both simultaneously would only result in death from the conflicting forces of ice and fire.
However, Dugu Bo was unaware that the auras of these two immortal treasures could blend together, neutralizing the extreme powers of ice and fire to a certain extent. While this method of consumption wouldn't grant a spirit master powerful fire or ice abilities, the gradual fusion of these two extreme energies could greatly enhance the body's energy tolerance, particularly that of ice and fire. In the original novel,
Tang San relied on this ability to defeat the Tianshui Blazing Fire.
In the current timeline of Douluo Continent, there's actually no such thing as an ultimate attribute, but Shi Yi was certain that the ice phoenix at Tianshui Academy, even if not the ultimate ice, was certainly not far off.
Just in case, Dugu Bo carefully surveyed the area and quickly located the spot where the little ant had broken ground.
Seeing the traces of the ground breaking through, Dugu Bo's face lit up with realization. While his poison formation could resist most attacks from spirit beasts and humans, it couldn't defend against it underground.
"It seems a soul beast strayed into the area, attempting to devour the two rare flowers. It's probably already buried in the strange spring," Dugu Bo thought to himself, looking at the pit. The pit was clearly not man-made, and since there was no damage, he didn't think much of it and headed back to his hut.
Time flowed like water, from dawn to dusk, with the sun rising and setting.
As night fell again, darkness enveloped the earth, and the area within the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire was once again plunged into darkness. Shi Yi, submerged in the spring, smiled slightly.
He had won his gamble, his first major gamble since entering this world. He had won, and it was also the first time he had staked his life on it.
"Next, I'll collect the other immortal medicines and flee. I don't know if Dugu Bo is outside yet, so I can't go out for now. I'll call out Little Ant to sense him," Shi Yi thought to himself.
Then, a tentacle extended from the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire.
Before Shi Yi could surface to question Xiao Yi, he sensed Xiao Yi's fear, a fear he had never felt before. Clearly, only Dugu Bo could achieve this. Shi Yi then temporarily took Xiao Yi back.
The days passed like this. To facilitate his breathing, Shi Yi had already prepared a specially crafted long metal tube within his soul guide. Late at night, when the soul master's training was most intense, Shi Yi dared to surface from his Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire, taking some food from his soul guide and eating. Although his storage belt had melted under the powerful forces of ice and fire, the jade on it remained usable.
Even while eating, Shi Yi would often have Xiao Yi check for Dugu Bo's presence at this time.
If Dugu Bo wasn't there late at night, it meant Shi Yi had the opportunity to sweep away his forces. Unless Shi Yi was extremely unlucky, no one would venture into this wilderness at night.
Finally, three days after Shi Yi woke up, he finally received the good news he had been waiting for from Xiao Yi.
Dugu Bo was gone.
Shi Yi didn't dare waste a moment. He leaped from the water and donned his clothes. Despite soaking for a long time in the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire, the power of the immortal essences left him feeling no bubbling sensation.
Then, Shi Yi pulled out his pre-prepared tools from his soul guide and began a frantic sweep. He followed the original text's instructions for harvesting any that weren't. Wherever there weren't instructions, Shi Yi took the vines and soil away.
Vines and soil that could produce immortal essences must have some special qualities. Regardless of whether this kept them fresh, it was the only thing he could do; his life was paramount.
After collecting the immortal essences, Shi Yi set his sights on Dugu Bo's herb garden. As expected, except for those Shi Yi didn't recognize, the garden contained every ingredient on Lan Dian's medicinal bath list, not even a single one missing.
It was clear that Dugu Bo had planted these for his granddaughter and her husband. Shi Yi didn't hesitate and began harvesting frantically.
After completing all this, Shi Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, the clouds on the horizon began to brighten slightly, as if signaling the arrival of dawn.
"You wouldn't eat the immortal treasures left here, but those common things, with the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire, can be planted again. Farewell, Dugu Bo," Shi Yi thought to himself, his lips curling slightly.
Then, Shi Yi summoned Little Ant. He didn't choose the original pit, but instead had Little Ant dig a new one. He couldn't guarantee Dugu Bo wouldn't suddenly return and pursue them.
"Little Ant, return to the original town, exit the forest, and ascend when you're almost there," Shi Yi instructed Little Ant.
Little Ant nodded in a humane manner, its two powerful forelimbs and saber teeth moving.
Shi Yi casually cleaned up the mess and followed Little Ant into the deep pit.
An unknown amount of time passed before Little Ant broke through the ground again, a blinding light piercing the cavern. Shi Yi, suppressing the slight discomfort in his eyes, returned to the surface with Little Ant.
Feeling the glare of the sun, Shi Yi felt no discomfort. Instead, an indescribable joy welled up in his heart. This week-long operation was finally coming to an end.
After collecting the little ant, Shi Yi walked slowly, without showing any abnormality, as if he were a normal spirit master hunting spirit rings, vigilant of everything around him. Soon, Shi Yi returned to the town.
Shi Yi didn't hesitate for a moment. He hired a carriage in the small town and headed towards Soto City. After boarding the carriage, Shi Yi breathed a sigh of relief, his heart finally at ease. He hadn't slept for three days, and his mind was so intensely focused that he felt like he was dancing on the edge of a knife. Relieving this immense pressure, Shi Yi fell into a deep sleep. Despite the bumpy ride, he couldn't wake up.
Shi Yi's condition even made the driver mistakenly believe something had happened to him in his carriage. When the driver entered the carriage and sensed Shi Yi's long breathing, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Just like that, five days later, Shi Yi returned to Soto City, refreshed and full of energy.
He didn't immediately return to Shrek. Instead, he found a hotel in Soto City, booked a room, and began organizing his findings from the past two weeks.
Thinking of the vast array of immortal artifacts within his spirit guide, Shi Yi's thoughts became clear. Now that his body's energy tolerance was high, the next step was to enhance his spiritual power.
The second plant he'd naturally chosen was the Hope-Crossing Autumn Water Dew. Tang San from the original novel had already tested it for poison, so there was no need to worry about any medicinal interactions.
"While significantly increasing my spiritual power, it will also strengthen my eyes without causing a sudden surge in spirit power that would draw attention. It will also grant my eyes special abilities."
Shi Yi opened the box containing the Hope-Crossing Autumn Water Dew. The herb was emerald green, but strangely, in its center, three snow-white leaves lay, with a few drops of water etched in their center, like morning dew.
Improving his spiritual power was also crucial for Shi Yi. While the spirit master world hadn't yet grasped the importance of both body and mind, Shi Yi understood the inextricable connection between body, mind, and martial spirit.
These three elements were like the foundation of a spirit master; the height of this building depended on the strength of these three foundations.
Shi Yi held the Longing for the Autumn Water Dew in front of him, tilting it slightly. A few drops of transparent liquid immediately dripped into his eyes.
By the time the drops had completely left the blade, the entire plant had completely withered in Shi Yi's hands, turning to dust in the blink of an eye and dispersing.
Shi Yi felt a wave of cold spiritual energy flowing from his eyes into his mind, bringing him great comfort. This energy slowly permeated his brain, seemingly opening up its mind wherever it passed, giving him a strange sense of clarity.
Many things he had previously struggled to understand suddenly became clear to him, and Shi Yi's spiritual power rapidly expanded.
Minutes and seconds passed by.
Shi Yi slowly opened his eyes, and the world around him was transformed. The colors were rich, and the depth of the world had shifted dramatically. It was like the phone in Shi Yi's previous life, now with a high-refresh rate. With just a slight focus, even the dust particles in the air were clearly visible.
"My vision has improved significantly, worthy of an Immortal Item. I'm afraid Tang San's years of training with the Purple Demon Pupil are only this good. As for dynamic vision, it will only be apparent in combat. After absorbing it, it's not just my eyesight that's improved, my thinking and senses are also enhanced. It must be the mental boost from the Longing Dew."
Then Shi Yi slowly closed his eyes. Though the world had darkened, it felt incredibly open. He seemed to detect faint fluctuations.
"I can actually sense something!" Shi Yi felt a surge of excitement. This feeling was a transcendent power that Shi Yi, a modern person, had never experienced before.
It wasn't clear yet, but it made Shi Yi feel like he had installed radar in his brain. He didn't know the specifics of the fluctuations, but he could sense their presence.
Shi Yi suddenly understood why spirit masters could persevere through such a tedious practice as meditation for decades. The feeling of possessing extraordinary strength was truly wonderful. He also understood why many people became so obsessed with the pursuit of such power. This heightened perception made Shi Yi feel like a god.
Looking at the box containing so many immortal treasures, Shi Yi's eyes flickered with desire. Although he longed to consume them all at once, his rational mind told him that was not an option.
"So what I need to do now is to train continuously, pushing my body to unleash the full potential of the medicinal properties," Shi Yi thought to himself.
Shi Yi also understood why Tang San had distributed his immortal treasures. Although Tang San had absorbed more than one immortal treasure, each one had a different focus. Shi Yi suspected that continuing to absorb the immortal treasures for physical enhancement wouldn't yield any significant improvement.
At most, it would only increase his spirit power by a few levels. If that were the case, then saving the immortal treasures for cultivating his own people would be a good option.
Now Shi Yi had another problem: not understanding the medicinal properties, he didn't know which immortal treasure to give to Xiao Yi.
"As long as it's not too outrageous, letting Xiao Yi choose for herself might be a good idea." With this in mind, Shi Yi summoned Xiao Yi.
Looking at the various immortal treasures before him, Xiao Yi's face showed a human-like joy. He knew why Shi Yi had asked him to come out at this time.
"Xiao Yi, choose for yourself," Shi Yi said with a chuckle.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi walked over to the Qiluo Tulip without hesitation and gently tapped it with his huge forelimbs, as if even a second of hesitation would be disrespectful to the Qiluo Tulip.
Shi Yi's face showed surprise. He had originally expected Xiao Yi to choose the Qiluo Tongtian Chrysanthemum, which, judging by its effects, would be the most suitable for Xiao Yi. However, thinking of the Douluo Continent ten thousand years later, Shi Yi felt it was somewhat natural.
In the original novel, after Tang San plundered the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire, the story progresses to the Huo Gua period, ten thousand years later. The Qiluo Tulip, known as the king of immortal herbs, is the foremost of the six ferocious beasts within the Yin-Yang Eyes and the only plant-based beast to have survived two heavenly tribulations within them.
It can discern the characteristics of all spiritual beings and command them. It possesses all abilities related to scent, and its fragrance can even alter a person's aura. All plant-based spirit beasts lose half their combat power in its presence.
Shi Yi smiled faintly and nodded gently. Little Yi, fearing Shi Yi's regret, quickly devoured the Qiluo Tulip whole.
Soon, Little Yi fell into a deep sleep, and upon seeing this, Shi Yi took Little Yi back into his body.
Shi Yi glanced at the immortal items. The most potent was probably the Acacia Heartbreak Red, whose origins were quite remarkable, as it was a divine treasure connected to the gods. Next in line was the Qiluo Tulip, and finally the other immortal items.
"Okay, let's put these away for now." Shi Yi muttered, and continued to put them in front of him. Shi Yi was really afraid that he would not be able to resist and let him eat them all. On the other side, the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire.
When Dugu Bo returned to the Yin-Yang Eyes of Ice and Fire and saw the mess, a layer of strong green light suddenly released from him, and then, circles of light rose from his feet one after another.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black. A total of nine spirit rings swirled up, releasing a powerful aura.
"Who is it! Who destroyed my medicine garden!"
On that day, all the spirit masters who entered the Sunset Forest to hunt spirit beasts were investigated by Dugu Bo. Whenever they saw someone, they left their spirit guide for inspection. Those who cooperated were considered to have saved their lives.
Of course, there were also those who were blind, or those who had some power behind them, who refused Dugu Bo's request. The result was that they were directly buried under Dugu Bo's poison.
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