Upon hearing Dugu Bo's words, Tang San pondered for a moment before extending three fingers with equal seriousness. "First," he said, "since you've laid all your cards on the table, I won't resort to petty tricks either. Martial Soul evolution isn't achieved through words alone. Your successful evolution wasn't because of me—it was entirely due to your own efforts. At most, I merely helped complete the final one percent. Dugu Yan is starting from absolute zero. She needs to evolve her Martial Soul from scratch, and your evolution method might not even suit her. So I can't promise you anything definitive. All I can say is that I'll try my best, but I can't guarantee success."
"Second," Tang San continued, "I can't promise to help Dugu Yan either. After leaving Heaven Dou Imperial City, I'll return to Spirit Academy. Once the Pan-continental Elite Soul Master Competition concludes, I'll go back to the Clear Sky Sect. Under normal circumstances, our paths won't cross again. If fate does bring us together someday, and I'm in a position to assist her, then that would prove Dugu Yan has such destiny. At that time, I'll help her."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's eyelids twitched violently. Internally, he thought: What a brat! You don't doubt your ability to become a Titled Douluo at all, do you? Your concern is merely whether you'll meet her!
"As for the third point..." Tang San smiled. "That's no problem at all. Even after my death, as long as the Clear Sky Sect exists, should your Dugu family face annihilation, the sect will intervene to save you—at the very least preserving some of your bloodline."
"Old Freak, you can rest easy. After all, we've known each other for some time."
Hearing Tang San's sincere promise, Dugu Bo immediately felt reassured. After all, Titled Douluo weren't immortal—especially poison cultivators like Dugu Bo, whose lifespans were naturally shorter. Even reaching level ninety-nine would only grant a few centuries, less than a millennium of life. Thus, the greatest challenge in reaching level one hundred to attain godhood was time.
Most Titled Douluo ultimately died of old age.
"That's more than enough." Dugu Bo extended his palm. "I swear by my Martial Soul—should either of us break this vow, may our Martial Souls be destroyed with no chance of rebirth."
Tang San also extended his palm, his expression solemn. "I swear by my Martial Soul."
Their hands met with a resounding clap.
"Now that this is settled," Tang San said, "there's no need to keep this place hidden anymore. Old Poison, go fetch Dugu Yan so I can help detoxify her. Oh, and bring Bai Chenxiang along too."
Dugu Bo rolled his eyes at Tang San. "You little rascal, already trying to shoo me away so quickly? Fine, fine. It's time for your cultivation anyway. Use the Immortal Grade Herbs here as you see fit—just don't waste them."
Dugu Bo knew Tang San must have long had his eyes on certain Immortal Grade Herbs, but as a man of his word, he said nothing more before flying off toward Heaven Dou Imperial City.
Had he known Tang San intentionally withheld the proper usage methods for the Eight-Horned Profound Ice Herb and the Fiery Passionate Apricot, planning to use them himself while only providing some extracted juice for Dugu Bo's evolution, he might have died of rage.
Moreover, Dugu Yan wasn't without means for evolution. Had she used the Eight-Horned Profound Ice Herb and Fiery Passionate Apricot to temper an Impervious Golden Body, her Martial Soul would have had a high probability of evolving—potentially even surpassing Dugu Bo's in strength.
But then again... Tang San needed those two herbs for himself.
"Knowledge is power~~~" Seeing that Dugu Bo had already left, Tang San hummed a little tune as he walked towards the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Normally, special jade tools would be required to harvest the Eight-Horned Profound Ice Herb and the Fiery Passionflower, as the potent toxins of these Immortal Grade herbs would corrode even metal, making preservation impossible. But Tang San just happened to possess something that could withstand Immortal Poison Herbs.
With a click, the Rakshasa Artifact Armguard instantly enveloped Tang San's right hand. If even a divine artifact armguard could be corroded, then the Rakshasa God would deserve to die.
Tang San immediately activated his Soul Avatar with the Rakshasa Martial Soul and leaped into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, swiftly plucking the two opposing Immortal Poison Herbs - the Eight-Horned Profound Ice Herb and the Fiery Passionflower.
Holding both poisonous herbs in his hands, even with his Soul Avatar active, it was difficult to endure. The alternating cold and heat erupted within his body, causing Tang San's face to alternate between green and red hues as his blood and qi churned violently. The Rakshasa Domain was becoming increasingly unable to suppress the effects.
Tang San knew he couldn't hesitate for even a moment. After the two herbs briefly interacted with each other, he took a deep breath and swallowed them both whole, then immediately jumped into the convergence point of the spring to begin tempering his golden body.
Within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, although the energies of the two poisonous herbs had somewhat neutralized each other, once inside his body they began to churn wildly. The medicinal power contained in Immortal Grade herbs was terrifyingly potent. The opposing forces of ice and fire created an explosive energy surge that nearly knocked him unconscious despite the protection of his Rakshasa God Eye.
However, soon the medicinal properties of the ice and fire herbs began to conflict with and neutralize the energies of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The previous torment of alternating extremes gradually transformed into a comfortable sensation. The relief following the pain made Tang San feel as if he were soaking in warm water, entering a marvelous state of being.
Tang San relaxed his body, allowing himself to slowly sink into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, experiencing this special state as his body gradually underwent transformation.
A full day passed before Dugu Bo finally returned from Heaven Dou Imperial City with Dugu Yan and Bai Chenxiang. Even with Dugu Bo's formidable strength, the round trip had taken an entire day.
"Wow, Grandpa, is this your Herb Garden? It's amazing! Just breathing the air here seems to loosen my Soul Power cultivation." Dugu Yan took a deep breath upon arriving at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and her level 38 Soul Power actually showed slight improvement. Even though she didn't understand the significance of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, her body's reaction didn't lie.
"Yan Yan, you don't blame Grandpa for not telling you about this place, do you?" Dugu Bo affectionately patted Dugu Yan's head.
Dugu Yan shook her head: "How could I? I understand the principle that 'a man's wealth is his own ruin by causing others' envy.' If too many people knew about this place, it would only bring unnecessary trouble."
While this touching grandfather-granddaughter scene unfolded, Bai Chenxiang, having arrived at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, searched around but couldn't find any trace of Tang San.
Frowning, Bai Chenxiang immediately activated her Soul Avatar, her arms transforming into swallow wings as she took to the sky, circling above the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in search.
"Young Sect Master!" Bai Chenxiang suddenly gasped, her face turning pale. From her aerial view, Tang San appeared to have drowned, his entire body submerged at the bottom of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Whoosh! Without another thought, Bai Chenxiang immediately dove downward.
"Hey little girl, you can't go there!" Seeing Bai Chenxiang diving towards the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo was startled—was she trying to get herself killed?
Dugu Bo quickly moved to intervene. Just as he was about to rescue her, Tang San, who had been submerged in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, suddenly opened his eyes. A golden light flashed in his Rakshasa God Eye, followed by a loud splash as a completely naked Tang San rose from the waters. His hands shot out and firmly caught Bai Chenxiang mid-dive, preventing her from being contaminated by the well's spring.
"Chenxiang, your concern has made you reckless. Senior Dugu would never let me die here."
Yesterday was truly exhausting—the worst day ever. Heavy rain delayed my food delivery by three hours, then an electrical short caused a blackout in the morning. It wasn't until 1 PM that the power finally came back. Utterly drained.
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