Time passed quickly as the grandfather and granddaughter chatted, and before long, noon had arrived.
The carriage didn't stop for a moment, carrying the group deeper into the Sunset Forest. Dugu Bo released his aura along the way, using it to intimidate and drive off the surrounding soul beasts, ensuring safe passage.
Before long, the carriage reached an area shrouded in poisonous mist, where it finally came to a halt, unable to proceed further.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo knew they had arrived.
"Little freak, wake up—we're here," Dugu Bo called out as he roused Wu Tong and led the two down from the carriage.
Looking at the dense poisonous fog ahead that seemed like a natural barrier, Wu Tong feigned confusion and asked, "So… where is it? The legendary Icefire Yin-Yang Well?"
"It's inside that mist," Dugu Bo replied. "Here—these are anti-poison pills. Take one and follow me in. But don't go wandering around. If you get lost, there's nothing I can do to save you."
He took out three pills, swallowed one himself, and handed the remaining two to Wu Tong and Dugu Yan. After the two took them, he gave a stern warning.
Sensing Dugu Bo's seriousness, Wu Tong and Dugu Yan nodded solemnly in response.
Dugu Bo then led them through the poisonous mist. They soon arrived atop a cliff, where he pointed to the red-and-blue mist-shrouded area below.
"Little freak, that's the Icefire Yin-Yang Well you were talking about."
Wu Tong activated his soul power and triggered his spiritual eye. His enhanced vision easily pierced the mist, and he clearly saw what lay beneath—a strange-looking pool came into view.
The pool resembled a Yin-Yang Taiji diagram. It was perfectly circular and divided into two distinct halves of spring water.
One side was icy blue, emitting waves of chilling air.
The other was crimson red, bubbling and surging with waves of scorching heat.
The two types of spring water, like the yin and yang fishes in the taiji symbol, wrapped around each other—distinct yet perfectly balanced, forming a complete whole.
The cold and hot air from both sides met in the middle and turned into a thick mist that blanketed the entire mountaintop.
"The Icefire Yin-Yang Well… what a masterpiece of nature!"
Though Wu Tong had already read about the legendary spring, seeing it with his own eyes left him deeply awed. He couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"What do you think, little freak? Beautiful, isn't it?" Dugu Bo said, clearly proud. "There are many rare herbs growing around the Icefire Yin-Yang Well—just from a glance, some of them already look extraordinary. I just don't know if any of them can help treat us."
Hearing Wu Tong refer to this place as the Icefire Yin-Yang Well, Dugu Bo began using the name as well.
"Don't worry, old man," Wu Tong replied with confidence. "This place is a real treasure. It will absolutely have what we need to cure you. Not only does it suppress toxins, it's also one of the greatest medicinal gardens in the world.
According to ancient texts, the Icefire Yin-Yang Well is one of the three great treasure troves of the world. Ordinary plants can't survive here due to the extreme climate—but rare herbs thrive in it, growing at accelerated rates.
To put it simply, a ganoderma that normally takes ten years to mature will have the effect of a hundred-year ganoderma if it grows here for the same duration. That's why this place is truly a paradise for medicinal herbs. You don't need to worry about a lack of rare ingredients here."
"I see… No wonder so many precious herbs are growing so densely in this place," Dugu Bo nodded with newfound understanding after Wu Tong's explanation.
"But there's one thing you both need to keep in mind—especially you, Yan'er. Whatever you do, don't stay too long near the Icefire Yin-Yang Well," Dugu Bo said sternly.
"This place may be a paradise for plants, but it's extremely hostile to humans."
"The entire area is filled with potent ice and fire energy. That very energy forms the mist that surrounds the spring and will gradually erode the human body. If you don't leave in time, your body will explode from within. While it's possible to resist it with soul power, even I don't dare linger too long."
Dugu Bo's tone became even more serious as he focused his warning on Dugu Yan. He seemed desperate to drill the instructions into her head.
Seeing this, Wu Tong rolled his eyes. 'This old man really doesn't hold back...'
"Don't worry. Since I know about the Icefire Yin-Yang Well, of course I know the dangers too. Old man, you'd better keep reminding Sister Yan instead. I'm heading out."
With a casual remark, Wu Tong dashed off toward the distant Icefire Yin-Yang Well without hesitation.
Dugu Bo looked at Wu Tong's hasty figure and let out a sigh, shaking his head. Then he stopped paying attention to Wu Tong altogether.
After all, what Wu Tong said made sense. If he knew about such a legendary treasure ground, how could he not know the risks?
Turning around, Dugu Bo focused his attention on continuing his warnings to Dugu Yan.
Meanwhile, Wu Tong had already reached this marvel of nature in just a short time.
As he stepped into the mist of ice and fire, he activated the Scarlet Wheel Heart Scripture. A surge of burning Lesser Sun True Qi burst from his body, instantly evaporating the surrounding mist and shielding him from the corrosive energy.
"Huh? This environment actually seems to boost my cultivation of the Scarlet Wheel Heart Scripture."
Wu Tong felt the unusually active Lesser Sun True Qi within him and noticed with some surprise that the energy was circulating nearly 30% faster than usual.
After some careful thought, Wu Tong suddenly understood.
Though the Icefire Yin-Yang Well manifested in the form of ice and fire, its deeper structure—the opposing yet unified principles—mirrored the philosophy of yin and yang, like the taiji symbol itself.
His Scarlet Wheel Heart Scripture was a technique rooted in the path of extreme yang, but yang alone tends to be too rigid, too brittle.
The intertwined principles of the Icefire Yin-Yang Well embodied the harmony of hardness and softness, the coexistence of opposites.
This inspired a shift in Wu Tong's own energy. His once purely forceful Lesser Sun True Qi began to develop a hint of softness.
This balance allowed the qi to flow faster and with more efficiency. The energy became more refined, more profound.
Thanks to this change, Wu Tong's overall combat ability increased by at least fifty percent compared to when he first arrived.
"This place really is a land of fortune. Not only does it accelerate my cultivation, but it's also surrounded by countless rare herbs and mystical plants."
Now that he understood the benefits, Wu Tong no longer focused on the qi itself. After all, it was a good thing.
Instead, he turned his gaze to the patch of herbs near the Icefire Yin-Yang Well.
Zhusha Lotus, Snow Silkworms, Nine-Leaf Ginseng, Ganoderma, and even Tianshan Snow Lotus... Plants of all kinds, some hundreds or even thousands of years old.
Many of these herbs would typically require vastly different environments and cultivation periods. Yet here, they thrived side by side as if all natural limitations had been cast aside.
Staring at this astonishing sight, Wu Tong couldn't help but marvel in silence.
'To think there's actually a place like this in the world…'
(End of Chapter)
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