Chapter 62: The Interception of Dugu Bo's Fortune
Another seven days passed.
The journey from Spirit City was fast and uneventful. Lingyuan Douluo, having fulfilled her duty as an escort and satisfied her own curiosity about Qin Xuan's new family, had departed once they were clear of the city's immediate sphere of influence, returning to the Elder Palace with her own report.
Now, Qin Xuan's family of three—himself, Jingni, and the infant A Yan—safely arrived at their destination: the Sunset Forest.
He and Jingni, carrying A Yan, found a safe, concealed clearing to set up a simple camp. Qin Xuan then activated the second skill of his 100,000-year Suzaku Left Leg Bone.
With a flash of golden-red light, four perfect clones of himself shimmered into existence. Wasting no time, the four clones, along with Qin Xuan's main body, summoned their Changming Swords, stepped onto them, and took to the sky.
Flying with his sword, a skill he had practiced relentlessly over the past six months, he began a systematic, carpet search of the vast, uncharted mountain range.
The clones flew as silent shadows over the canopy, their mental force scanning every peak and valley. They didn't just search; they fought.
A 3,000-year-old Ghost Face Spider ambushed one clone, its neurotoxin dissolving the construct instantly. Another was swatted from the sky by a furious 5,000-year-old Overlord Sky-Armored Ape that guarded its territory. They encountered many powerful 1,000-year Spirit Beasts attacking them along the way, and even encountered 10,000-year Spirit Beasts stronger than Qin Xuan's main body, whose clones were ambushed and destroyed, sending jarring, painful feedback to his mind.
But fortunately, it was a close call. With a conscious, relentless search, and after losing several clones, his main body finally found the target on the evening of the fourth day.
"It looks like this should be the place," Qin Xuan said, his sword descending. He landed softly on the hidden mountaintop, holding A Yan and Jingni in his arms.
This was a circular mountain range, about 500 meters high, nestled within the larger forest.
At the center of the mountain range was an inverted conical valley. From its depths, thick, white steam rose, carrying a humidity so palpable it was like walking through a cloud. The air carried a distinctive, sharp sulfurous smell, mixed with an almost overpowering floral fragrance.
Before bringing Jingni and A Yan, Qin Xuan had specifically used a clone to investigate the valley floor. He had found no trace of Dugu Bo, nor any of the caves or structures that would later exist.
There was only a single, massive Spirit Beast over 50,000 years old: a Medusa, known as the Empress of Snakes, residing deep within the valley, apparently guarding the central spring.
Just as he had guessed, at this point in the timeline, Dugu Yan had not yet been born, or was at least not yet poisoned. Dugu Bo's son had not yet been poisoned to death by his own Spirit, and therefore, Dugu Bo had not yet found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
If Dugu Bo had found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well this early, then with the suppressing and purifying effects of the well, his son and granddaughter would not have been poisoned to death so early. He had arrived just in time.
Jingni, standing beside him, sighed, her breath pluming in the misty air. "No wonder no one has discovered it for tens of thousands of years. This mountain range is so steep... the valley below is completely surrounded by mountains with no exit to the outside, and above, this thick mist acts as a natural gateway. If not for accidentally stumbling upon it, no one would ever discover this place."
"Indeed," Qin Xuan agreed. "But even if discovered, ordinary people would definitely not survive."
He pointed down into the roiling steam. "A 50,000-year-old Medusa, known as the Empress of Snakes, resides below. She possesses an extremely terrifying petrification ability. Once illuminated by the light from her eyes, even pure energy can be turned to stone. Moreover, she is extremely adept at concealing her aura; my clone was ambushed and destroyed by her before it could even react."
After Qin Xuan finished speaking, he secretly speculated that perhaps Dugu Bo, in the original story, had hunted this very Medusa and obtained that valuable head Spirit Bone after accidentally stumbling in here.
Jingni stepped forward, her hand already on the hilt of her sword. "I'll go take care of it."
Qin Xuan looked at her, then at A Yan. "You're at Level 80, but with no rings. That beast is 50,000 years old."
"And I am a Titled Douluo in physique and mind," she countered, her voice flat. "I need to know how my skills translate to this world's monsters. I am your weapon, am I not? A weapon must be tested."
Qin Xuan studied her determined face and nodded. "Then be careful in everything. Remember its petrification light; do not meet its gaze directly. Also, do not approach the red and white springs below. And do not harm the flowers and plants near the spring eye."
Although Qin Xuan was not afraid of the so-called Empress of Snakes, he understood Jingni's need. She was not a vase. With her current Level 80 spirit power, her full set of 100,000-year Spirit Bones, and her Titled Douluo-level physique, she was fully capable of killing that Medusa.
Jingni nodded slightly, summoned her Jingni Sword, and with a single, graceful leap, flew down into the valley, disappearing into the steam.
Soon, intense fighting sounds—the clang of swords, the shriek of a monster, and the roar of a giant beast—came from below.
Qin Xuan, holding A Yan, stood on the mountaintop, his mental force spread out, watching the battle unfold in his mind.
In his perception, Jingni was somewhat constrained at the beginning, her assassination techniques proving ineffective against the Medusa's sheer size and tough scales. But being a killer by nature, she quickly adjusted, abandoning stealth for overwhelming power. She adapted, and soon, she gained the upper hand.
About half an hour passed.
Jingni flew up with her sword, her armor pristine. In her hand, she held a head Spirit Bone that reflected a deep, venomous purple glow.
Qin Xuan smiled. "It seems you've completely adapted."
"Not enough," Jingni shook her head and sighed, landing beside him. "My assassination techniques from the Net Trap are designed to kill people. They rely on speed, precision, and exploiting weaknesses in armor or meridians. That... thing... was a mountain of scales and muscle. It had no vital points I recognized."
She looked at the Spirit Bone in her hand. "In the end, I had to rely on the raw power of the Spirit Bone skills to simply overwhelm it. It was... crude. If it were a human Spirit Master of the same level, I am confident I could defeat them within ten moves, even without giving them a chance to use their Spirit Avatar."
"People always need a process of adaptation, don't they?" Qin Xuan said with a comforting smile.
Jingni nodded, handing over the Spirit Bone to him. "Yes, you're right. But fortunately, it wasn't without gain. I dug this out of that Spirit Beast."
Was this considered intercepting Old Poison's Spirit Bone?
Qin Xuan took the Medusa Head Spirit Bone, tossed it lightly in his hand, and a playful smile appeared on his face. "To obtain a Spirit Bone on your first Spirit Beast hunt, you're really lucky. Like our Spirit Hall's Senior Yue Guan, he still doesn't have a single Spirit Bone even now."
Seeing the playful smile on Qin Xuan's face, Jingni thought he was thinking of something bad again and added, her tone matter-of-fact, "You can give this Spirit Bone to Elder Lingyuan after she marries you."
Qin Xuan's smile instantly froze. He stared at her. Was this the rhythm of convincing him to open a harem? He had expected many things from his assassin-wife, but "supportive matchmaker" was not one of them. He was so taken aback he couldn't even form a witty reply. Jingni, seeing his expression, merely tilted her head, a flicker of amusement in her own eyes. She's serious.
Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Steam billowed upwards, constantly rising until it slowly dissipated at the mouth of the mountain.
Qin Xuan's gaze looked at the distinctly white and red springs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well beneath the steam. Even though he had anticipated it, when he witnessed it with his own eyes, he couldn't help but marvel at the wonder of this place.
It had to be said, this place was truly worthy of being the burial ground of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings.
He saw them all. The Quirky Nimbus Chrysanthemum. The Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone. The Exquisite Scented Silken Tulip. And, at the very center, the king of them all: the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
[Inorin's Note: The MTL names "Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum," "Qiluo Tulip," and "Youxiang Qiluo Xianpin" have been corrected to their official Wiki names.]
Not only did it possess a dazzling array of Immortal Herbs, but it was also a cultivation holy land for Spirit Masters. Plant-type, fire-attribute, and ice/water-attribute Spirit Masters could cultivate here with double the efficiency, making it an ultra-natural simulated training ground.
Jingni was equally amazed, her assassin's composure cracking. "No wonder you said this place is the treasure basin of the Douluo Continent. Such a concentration of the world's spiritual essence... a place where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathers. Even the so-called human paradise is nothing more than this."
As for little A Yan, she was at the age where she loved to sleep. The moment she entered the valley, the dense, nourishing, and pure energy of the well had lulled her. She had already fallen fast asleep in Qin Xuan's arms, her breathing deep and even.
"To avoid prolonged trouble, let's collect all these Immortal Herbs first," Qin Xuan said. He handed the sleeping A Yan to Jingni, then took out the dozens of jade boxes he had prepared earlier and began the harvest.
Having experience studying the Immortal Herb catalog given to him by Yue Guan, Qin Xuan skillfully plucked the Immortal Herbs one by one, sealing their essences in the jade boxes and putting them into his Qiankun Bag.
In a short while, the vast garden of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well became bare.
Except for the Inferno Apricot and Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass—which were too dangerous to touch, growing at the very eye of the springs—all the other Immortal Herbs were harvested.
All but one. The King of Immortal Herbs, the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
This was specially prepared by Qin Xuan for Jingni.
There was no other way. This herb, he knew, required recognition.
Although Qin, as a male, considered himself sincere to his women, he was, at his core, more attracted to their bodies, with very little emotional component. He didn't even have the desire to try and gain the recognition of this Immortal Herb. He knew he would fail.
Rather than being awkward, it was better to give it to Jingni, whose favorability had reached 100%, and let her reach a higher realm.
As for himself, it was better to honestly consume the Inferno Apricot and Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass for the Ice and Fire Refining Body, as well as the Stargazer's Lily to enhance his mental force.
[Inorin's Note: The MTL names "Inferno Apricot Flood" and "Looking Through Autumn Water Dew" have been corrected to their official Wiki names, "Inferno Apricot" and "Stargazer's Lily."]
"Give it a try." Qin Xuan said. He held the Wujue Stone he had also prepared, using it to safely shield his hand as he presented the Yearning Heartbroken Red to Jingni. "You've seen the Immortal Herb catalog, so you should be familiar with this one."
Jingni stared blankly at the moving, blood-red peony in front of her. She knew this flower. She had read the catalog. She knew its requirements. It demanded true, singular, selfless love.
She was an assassin who had become his woman through a contract. Was gratitude? Was loyalty? Was the nascent affection she felt... enough?
She looked at Qin Xuan, at her child sleeping peacefully in his arms, and at the impossible, beautiful flower.
After a long, heavy silence, she took a deep breath and looked directly at him. "I'll try."
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