When Xiao Wu, Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Qin Ming arrived at the battle site between the zuzong and Dugu Bo, the battle was already over. The scene was deserted, leaving only charred ruins.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; the absence of the zu zong's body meant he was at least possibly still alive.
Finally, after Dugu Yan's repeated assurances, Xiao Wu and Ye Lingling were taken back to the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy by Qin Ming. Dugu Yan went to search for Dugu Bo.
After an unknown amount of time, the zuzong opened his eyes, looked around, and found himself on a steep cliff. Below the cliff was a bottomless valley shrouded in mist. The zuzong gave a helpless, bitter smile.
"That old poisoner stopped at the crucial moment and knocked me unconscious. Then what's with bringing me to this cliff? Is he trying to trap me and wait for me to call for help? Given that old poisoner's personality, it's quite possible."
However, that old poisoner underestimated Zu Zong. Cliffs might be insurmountable for other Soul Masters without the ability to fly, but Zu Zong could absorb his Soul Power beneath his feet. Whether it was water or cliffs, he could walk as if on flat ground.
Stretching his aching body, he muttered to himself, "The most urgent thing is to recover my Soul Power as soon as possible and heal my injuries."
With that thought, Zu Zong sat down cross-legged and began circulating the Nine Yang Divine Art.
Half an hour later, Zu Zong opened his eyes again, a surprised smile on his face. "I didn't expect to benefit from this misfortune and actually break through to level 40, and the Nine Yang Divine Art has also successfully reached the fifth level. But now is not the time to be happy."
At the same time, a system notification sounded in Zu Zong's mind.
[Ding, congratulations to the host for increasing his Soul Power to level 40, and one more opportunity to steal.] Soon
, Zu Zong suppressed his joy at the breakthrough and, imbued with soul power, descended the cliff face.
Upon reaching the valley floor, his gaze was immediately drawn to the scene within.
An oval-shaped hot spring, steaming with mist, its source divided in two, the crimson and milky white waters clearly distinct.
"This is—the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire?" Zu Zong exclaimed in surprise. He had been eyeing these things for a long time.
No wonder, despite the cliff not being very high, Zu Zong couldn't see the valley floor clearly; it was the rising steam from the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire that created this.
Through the mist, Zu Zong saw various immortal herbs growing beside the spring: Fiery Apricot, Eight-Cornered Ice Grass, and Heartbreaking Red of Longing
. "Gulp." Zu Zong couldn't help but swallow.
Just as he was about to pick them, the voices of Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan echoed from afar.
"Grandpa, please release the clan leader! He hasn't offended you."
"My precious granddaughter, don't you trust your grandpa? I already said I was just researching poisons with him."
A short while later, Dugu Bo emerged. Seeing the zuzong standing unharmed before him, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
Dugu Bo asked, "Boy, how did you get down here?"
The zuzong smiled faintly, saying, "How else could I get down? After recovering my soul power and healing my injuries, I just walked down!"
Unusually, Dugu Bo rolled his eyes. Try making a Soul Master who can't fly walk down .
Suddenly, Dugu Bo's pupils contracted. "Hmm, wait! You've broken through level 40."
The zuzong nodded, not denying it.
Dugu Bo inwardly gasped.
If he wasn't mistaken, the other party was still a month or two away from turning 13! A Soul Master under 13 years old—no one would believe it.
Having calmed his complicated emotions, Dugu Bo's words suddenly revealed hostility, "Although you're a monster, if you don't explain what happened today clearly, then even if Yan Yan hates me for the rest of her life, I will kill you."
The zuzong smiled and said, "What? Senior Dugu, do you believe me now?"
Dugu Bo fell silent, which was tantamount to tacit agreement.
The zuzong also knew when to stop and continued, "Originally, I was only confident of saving Yan Zi, but after seeing your medicinal garden, your poison can also be cured."
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, but out of caution, he used the same tactic he employed against Tang San in the original story: "All my medicines are planted here. Various poisons and tonics are available. You can use them, but if you dare damage this place, I'll make you wish you were dead. I'll give you two days. The day after tomorrow morning, I'll poison you. If you can't cure it, then it's your end. Do
n't even think about running away. Even if you do, your little girlfriend from Tiandou Academy won't be able to escape." With that, Dugu Bo left, reminding the zuzong to stay away from the "hot spring" before he departed.
Watching Dugu Bo leave, the clan leader almost burst out laughing. Although he wouldn't touch the herbs Dugu Bo had transplanted, he wouldn't let the immortal herbs near the spring go to waste. He had originally planned to pick one for this old poisoner, but since the old bastard dared to threaten him with Xiao Wu, he'd just cure him.
Activating his Sharingan, the zuzong cautiously walked towards the spring through the mist.
At first glance, the zuzong spotted two immortal herbs: the Fiery Apricot Blossom and the Eight-Cornered Ice Grass.
These were crucial for absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring into his fourth. Although his second and third soul rings were absorbed beyond their lifespan, the difference wasn't significant; both were thousand-year soul rings, requiring only sufficient physical attributes. A ten-thousand-year soul ring, however, would cause a soul shock, potentially leading to death.
Approaching the milky-white spring, he released his Eight Spider Lances, drew a sharp blade, and unleashed his Jade Hand technique. He had longed for this moment for six or seven years. He
swiftly cut off the Eight-Cornered Ice Grass, which required refined iron to extract, and grasped it in his hand. Simultaneously, the Eight Spider Lances leaped to the other side of the spring, and he used his Jade Hand to dig out the Fiery Apricot Blossom. At this moment, the zuzong felt excruciating pain in his hands—frostbite from the Eight-Cornered Ice Grass and burns from the Fiery Apricot Blossom.
Without the slightest hesitation, the clan leader combined the two immortal herbs. A faint red light enveloped the Eight-Cornered Mystic Ice Grass, while a faint white mist enveloped the Fiery Apricot Blossom.
Seeing the herbs neutralize, the zuzong grabbed both and swallowed them in large gulps.
He paused, muttering, "This tastes pretty good."
Before he could even feel happy, he felt his body suddenly become hot and cold. He tried to circulate his Nine Yang Divine Skill to resist, but it was clearly not very effective. The coldness subsided, but the heat intensified.
Alarmed, he glanced at the clearly defined spring water before him, stripped off his already tattered clothes, and jumped in.
Today, the zuzong would also experience the taste of "Ice and Fire Refining the Golden Body."
With a splash, the zuzong was completely submerged in the spring, sinking to the bottom in an instant.
"Ah!" When his head resurfaced, the clan leader screamed in agony. This excruciating pain was ten times more agonizing than when he fused with the Eight Spider Lances. If the former was like the pain of childbirth, then this was almost like being slowly sliced to death. It felt as if countless tiny knives were cutting his flesh piece by piece.
Moments later, the zuzong lost consciousness.