Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well

When Xiao Wu, Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Qin Ming rushed to the battlefield where Zuzong and Dugu Bo had fought, the battle was already over. The area was deserted, with only a scorched ruin left behind.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Not finding Zuzong's body meant he was possibly still alive.

Finally, after repeated reassurances from Dugu Yan, Qin Ming took Xiao Wu and Ye Lingling back to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, while Dugu Yan went to find Dugu Bo.

After an unknown amount of time, Zuzong opened his eyes and found himself on a steep cliff. Below, the valley was shrouded in mist, its depth impossible to see. Zuzong let out a helpless smile.

"That old poison master knocked me unconscious at the last critical moment and brought me to this cliff. What is he planning? Does he want to trap me and wait for me to ask for help? Given his personality, that seems likely."

However, the old poison master underestimated Zuzong. This cliff may be impassable for spirit masters without flying abilities, but Zuzong could use his spirit power to adhere to surfaces, whether it be water or a cliff.

Stretching his aching body, he muttered, "First, I need to recover my spirit power and heal my injuries."

With that thought, Zuzong sat down and began practicing the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

Half an hour later, Zuzong opened his eyes again, smiling in surprise. "I didn't expect to have a breakthrough to level 40, and the Nine Yang Divine Skill has reached the fifth level. But now's not the time to celebrate."

At that moment, a system notification rang in Zuzong's mind:

[Beep, congratulations to the host for reaching level 40, gaining one additional stealing opportunity.]

Zuzong quickly suppressed his excitement and began descending the cliff using his spirit power.

As soon as he reached the bottom, his attention was caught by the scene in the valley.

An oval-shaped hot spring emitted steam, its waters divided into two distinct colors: crimson red and milky white.

"This is... the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?" Zuzong exclaimed. He had long coveted the treasures here.

No wonder he couldn't see the bottom of the valley from above. The rising steam from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well had obscured his view.

Through the mist, Zuzong saw various rare herbs growing by the spring, such as the Infernal Delicate Apricot, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and the Yearning Hearbroken Red.

"Gulp." Zuzong couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

Just as Zuzong was about to start picking the herbs, he heard voices from a distance—it was Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.

"Grandpa, please let Zuzong go! He hasn't done anything to offend you."

"My dear granddaughter, don't you trust your grandpa? I told you, I was just testing his resistance to poison."

Soon, Dugu Bo emerged. Seeing Zuzong standing unharmed, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Dugu Bo asked, "Kid, how did you get down here?"

Zuzong smiled calmly and replied, "How else? I recovered my spirit power, healed my injuries, and then walked down."

For once, Dugu Bo rolled his eyes. "Try doing that with a spirit master who can't fly."

Suddenly, Dugu Bo's pupils contracted. "Wait, something's wrong! You've reached level 40."

Zuzong nodded without denying it.

Dugu Bo took a deep breath. If his guess was correct, this kid was not even 13 yet. A spirit master under 13 reaching this level—who would believe it?

After composing himself, Dugu Bo's tone became threatening. "You might be a prodigy, but if you don't explain what happened today, I'll kill you, even if it makes Yan Yan hate me forever."

Zuzong chuckled. "What? Does Senior Dugu now believe what I said?"

Dugu Bo fell silent, which was essentially an admission.

Seeing his opportunity, Zuzong continued, "Originally, I only had a way to save Yan Zi, but now that I've seen this herb garden of yours, I believe I can cure your poison as well."

Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, but he cautiously replied with a threat similar to what he had used on Tang San in the original story. "All my herbs are planted here. There are all kinds of poisons and tonics. You can use them, but if you damage anything, I'll make your life a living hell. I'll give you two days. By dawn the day after tomorrow, I'll poison you. If you can't cure it, it will be the end for you. Don't think about escaping. Even if you run, your little girlfriend at the Heaven Dou Academy won't get away."

After issuing his threat, Dugu Bo left, reminding Zuzong to stay away from the hot springs.

Watching Dugu Bo leave, Zuzong almost burst out laughing. Although he wouldn't damage the old poison master's herbs, the rare immortal herbs by the spring were too valuable to pass up. Initially, Zuzong had planned to leave him one herb, but after being threatened with Xiao Wu's safety, he decided just curing Dugu Bo would suffice.

With his Sharingan activated, Zuzong carefully approached the hot spring.

His eyes landed on two immortal herbs: the Infernal Delicate Apricot and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.

These were crucial for absorbing his fourth spirit ring, a ten-thousand-year ring. Although his second and third spirit rings had exceeded their age limits, the difference wasn't too big, as they were both millennium rings. But a ten-thousand-year ring was different—it could cause soul shock and lead to death if mishandled.

Near the milky white spring, Zuzong released his Eight Spider Lances, took out a sharp blade, and activated his Mysterious Jade Hand. He had been dreaming of this moment for six or seven years.

He swiftly cut the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, using his blade of refined steel to collect it. Meanwhile, his Eight Spider Lances leaped to the other side of the spring, where his Mysterious Jade Hand dug out the Infernal Delicate Apricot. Both herbs caused intense pain in Zuzong's hands—frostbite from the Ice Grass and burns from the Infernal Apricot.

Without hesitation, Zuzong combined the two herbs. A faint red glow covered the Ice Grass, while a soft white mist enveloped the Apricot.

Seeing the two herbs neutralize each other, Zuzong grabbed them and swallowed them in large bites.

He paused for a moment, surprised. "The taste is actually pretty good."

But before he could enjoy the flavor, his body alternated between extreme cold and heat. He tried using the Nine Yang Divine Skill to resist, but it was ineffective—the cold subsided, but the heat intensified.

Panicking, Zuzong glanced at the distinct waters of the hot spring and quickly stripped off his tattered clothes, jumping into the spring.

Today, Zuzong would experience the power of the "Ice and Fire Alchemy Body."

With a splash, Zuzong sank into the spring.

"Ah!" As his head emerged from the water, Zuzong let out a painful scream. The excruciating pain was ten times worse than when he had fused with the Eight Spider Lances. If that pain had been akin to childbirth, this felt like being sliced to death, with countless blades cutting through his flesh.

Moments later, Zuzong lost consciousness.

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