The small town buzzed with the clamor of vendors and hawkers.
There were many such settlements on the fringes of soul beast forests—some with a few hundred residents, others with thousands, and the largest even exceeding ten thousand.
Their sole clientele? Soul masters.
Yang Fan now found himself in one of the smaller towns—more like a village or open-air market than a proper settlement.
His first order of business upon arrival was securing lodging, followed by stocking up on ample food and water.
Late at night—
The moment Yao Lao pulled out the Black Demon Cauldron from his spatial ring, Yang Fan knew the time had come.
When he'd first arrived in Tian Dou City over a year ago, his primary goal was to find herbs capable of countering the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's venom.
That search had taken him a full year…
"Master, here you go!"
He handed over:
Half-Edge Lotus, Wood Hibiscus, Realgar Powder, Paris Polyphylla…
Plus the hundred-year Raging Demon Bear gallbladder he'd snatched from Lanba Academy, and the ten-thousand-year Blazing Dragon Gallbladder Grass acquired for 50,000 gold coins.
Ignite flame → Preheat cauldron → Add ingredients → Quench…
Refining pills here on the outskirts of Sunset Forest was far safer than in Tian Dou City.
Though the town teemed with soul masters, true experts wouldn't deign to set foot in such a backwater.
Yao Lao's refinement proceeded flawlessly.
He suspended the Black Demon Cauldron midair, directing bone-chilling Mutant Flame into it. Within an hour, Yang Fan already smelled the rich herbal fragrance wafting from within.
After a year of training, Yang Fan recognized this as the final stage: Pill Condensation.
Soon—
A fiery red pill materialized in Yao Lao's palm.
"A Tier-4 Toxin-Purging Pill—effective against all snake venoms."
After a year of rest, Yao Lao's soul had long since recovered to its peak condition (though "peak" here meant relative to his state since arriving in Douluo).
"Thank you, Master!"
The phrase "effective against all snake venoms" sounded almost too good to be true—but coming from Yao Lao, Yang Fan believed it completely.
Holding the pill, he could practically feel its explosive fire-attribute energy!
"If only I could get my own Black Demon Cauldron…"
A quality cauldron didn't just boost success rates—it prevented energy leakage during high-grade refinements, making it an indispensable tool for any elite alchemist.
"These are treasures of fate," Yao Lao smiled wistfully, his thoughts drifting to the Light and Shadow Space where he'd obtained both the cauldron and the Flame Mantra.
"Want it?"
"When you become an exceptional alchemist, I'll gift it to you."
This wasn't empty promise.
With near-zero chance of rebuilding his body, what use was hoarding treasures as a soul fragment?
"Thanks, Master—but I'd rather earn my own someday," Yang Fan declared.
"You've got spirit, kid!" Yao Lao chuckled. "May you achieve that dream."
They chatted briefly before resting.
Unusually, Yang Fan didn't cultivate that night—instead conserving energy in bed.
Tomorrow, he'd enter Sunset Forest. Barring surprises, he'd face a Title Douluo—his first encounter with such a powerhouse.
Though Dugu Bo was considered the "floor tile" of Title Douluos, he was still far beyond ordinary soul masters' reach.
The night passed in silence.
…
Dawn.
Before the sky fully brightened, Yang Fan was already on the path to the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Soul masters in these towns shared one trait: they traveled in packs.
Even unorganized groups would enter the forest together before splitting up—safer against soul beasts, but risky when disputes arose over soul rings… or soul bones.
In such cases, only one survivor would walk away.
Yang Fan's strategy? Leave early and avoid them entirely.
Not long after entering Sunset Forest, he spotted a corpse in the underbrush.
The face was unrecognizable—only identifiable as male.
Once, this would've terrified him. But after a year of watching brutal arena duels like a bloodthirsty spectator, he'd grown numb.
Pulling out his map, Yang Fan cross-referenced Sunset Forest's terrain, marking five likely locations for Dugu Bo's lair.
"Master, what's my next training phase?" he asked, still confused.
Logically, if he successfully found and exited the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well, his next step would be acquiring a soul ring.
He'd been stuck at Soul Master level for 15 months—even the most patient cultivator would grow restless.
"No rush—you'll know when the time comes," Yao Lao replied with an enigmatic smile, as if plotting a "conspiracy."
Both deliberately avoided discussing potential failure at the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Because that meant death.
Yang Fan had considered this—but without hesitation, chose to confront Dugu Bo head-on.
Nothing could accelerate his growth like the divine herbs within.
Perhaps even the key to breaking the Soul Breaking Spear's Title Douluo curse lay there.
Hesitation leads to defeat!
After a year of preparation, Yang Fan's resolve was ironclad.
"This isn't it—next location."
Before Yang Fan could approach, Yao Lao's soul perception had already ruled it out.
According to intel, the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well was surrounded by a vast poison barrier—but none was detected here.
"Got it."
Yang Fan marked an X on his map. Three of five locations eliminated.
As he neared the truth, tension coiled in his chest.
What did a Title Douluo's power truly feel like?
…
Half a day later, he reached the next marked site. The moment he stepped in, Yao Lao's voice echoed in his mind:
"Be careful—this place is unusual."
"Did we find it?"
"Not sure. Move forward and see."
Yang Fan advanced deeper, feeling an unnatural chill seep into his bones.
When he crested a 300-meter hill, he froze—stunned by the endless sea of emerald-green mist below.
"Master… this is it."
"It has to be."
Yao Lao floated behind him, his expression unreadable—calm as a still pond.
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