Zhu Zhuqing

"Damn it,"

I looked at the little girl who kept trying and trying but wasn't able to affect me. She was now sprawled on the ground.

"Are you done?" I asked, and she just glared at me.

"Then from now on, you are my maid," I said as she just sneered and replied, "I am your maid, only because Big Sis asked me to," she said, rolling her eyes.

I sighed as when I greeted her earlier, after she woke up, she just fawned over Cai Lin, saying she should just accept her as an apprentice, not me. She even called me weak, but in the end, after Cai Lin said to be my maid, she accepted her role, not so peacefully as she challenged me for a fight.

"Just wait until I get my Spirit Ring. I will defeat you," she said, and I nodded.

"But now that you are my maid, you can't just accept any ring," I said as she looked at me and frowned, wondering what I meant.

"Here, learn this," I said, passing her a book. It was a cultivation art, called Nine Nether and Abyss Art. Though not as powerful as my Art of Beginning and End, it was strong enough for her to learn, given her spirit was similar in nature to the art.

Her Martial Spirit is Hell Spirit cat after all, so it was very suitable for her.

"what is this?" She asked looking at me

"It's a powerful technique. Learning it will make you stronger than any normal cultivator," I explained. She glanced at Cai Lin for confirmation, and only after Cai Lin nodded did she thank me for the gift.

Watching this, I couldn't help but twitch my lips and shake my head. "Hmm, now that I think of it, should I have a maid harem? I mean, any normal MC would go for it," I wondered, my thoughts drifting as I considered the idea.

'Well, I should go for it, or how can I enjoy my second life ' I thought as turning back I saw both Cai Lin and Zhuqing looking at me.

"what?" 

"NothingX2" 

As I shrugged, my eyes drifted toward the center of the forest where the medicinal garden lay. I didn't recall why, but I felt an odd attraction to it.

[New Quest Alert]

Quest: Find a Suitable Cultivation Spot

Description: A suitable cultivation spot can accelerate cultivation progress. Host is now near one and should claim it.

Objective: Claim the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Reward: Alchemy Saint Knowledge and Skills.

[Side Quest]

Quest: Help the Dugu Family

Description: Assist the Dugu family with the poison affecting their life.

Objective: Resolve the poison issues of the Dugu family's martial spirits.

Reward: Loyalty of the Dugu family and a pet. ]

The mention of a pet caught my interest. It wasn't often that the system offered something so... personal. As for Dugu Bo, now that I thought about it, I remembered who he was—the Poison Douluo, a formidable character in this world.

The idea of gaining his loyalty and perhaps even access to his toxic abilities was intriguing. But it was the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that was truly exciting. With a place like that, my cultivation would soar. And if I could gain the Alchemy Saint Knowledge, I'd have access to some of the most potent medicinal techniques.

"Well, Dugu Bo," I murmured to myself, "looks like you and I are going to cross paths sooner than you think."

I looked back and saw Zhuqing studying the scene intently. "Let's go. I found an interesting place," I said with a grin.

Both Cai Lin and Zhuqing looked at me, curious about what I had in mind. Shaking my head with a slight smile, I motioned for them to follow.

Soon, we reached the center and saw a dark green, cloudy barrier.

"What is this?" Zhuqing asked, her curiosity evident.

"It's a highly poisonous boundary," Cai Lin replied. "Just approaching it would be fatal for most."

I nodded, taking in her words. "Help us get to the other side," I requested. She nodded in response, enveloping us both in her aura as we moved through the toxic boundary and reached the well.

On the other side it was an beautiful contrasting environment, a fire and frozen environment.

And in between lies a hot Spring.

The hot spring wasn't large, but it was divided into two distinct parts. The oval-shaped pool held water in two separate colors—milky white on one side and vibrant vermilion on the other. Despite being in the same pool, these waters remained clearly separated, never mixing and each maintaining its own side.

Ordinary plants wouldn't survive here, unable to adapt to the unique, intense environment. However, certain rare and valuable plants thrived in this spot, with their cultivation time shortened by a factor of ten.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well wasn't just for plants. It had profound effects on the human body. If anyone—human or animal—lingered too close, their body would soon be assaulted by potent heavenly energies from both extremes. If they stayed too long, they'd be at risk of their bodies bursting apart from the overwhelming forces.

"This is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well," I explained to Zhuqing and Cai Lin, "a heavenly place formed after the deaths of the Water Dragon King and Fire Dragon King."

These two dragons, each close to a million years old, were incredibly powerful beasts. Yet after the Dragon God's defeat, they met a similar fate, perishing together. Their remains and immense energies transformed this place into the heavenly garden we see now.

'To claim it, though, I'll need to deal with Dugu Bo,' I thought, glancing around. 'He's bound to rush over soon, sensing us cross his Seven-Colored Miasma Wall. There's no way he missed us bypassing his boundary.'

"It looks like someone is here," Cai Lin said, pointing toward a small, somewhat worn-looking hut nearby. From the hut emerged a middle-aged man with Green hair and graying streaks as if he could die any moment, his gaze sharp and unfriendly as he studied us.

"Who are you?" he demanded, frowning deeply. Just behind him, another figure stepped out—a girl with striking light blue hair, her expression curious but wary.

"I asked, who are you? And how dare you invade my family property?" he repeated, his tone more cold as we remained silent, undeterred by his presence.

***

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