The Sunset Forest did not welcome life.
A green haze blanketed the land, thick enough to stain the air itself. Trees stood twisted and blackened, their leaves corroded into brittle husks. Even the insects had learned to avoid this place. Any bird foolish enough to cross the forest's heart fell from the sky mid-flight, its body already dissolving before it hit the ground.
This was not a forest.
It was a warning.
High above, space folded silently as the Black Dragon Fortress descended. Void Shields flared to life, violet light rippling across the hull as the corrosive miasma struck and slid away harmlessly.
Inside the bridge, Xiao Yi Xian stood near the viewport, her pale eyes shining—not with fear, but fascination.
"This poison…" she murmured softly. "It's powerful. Aggressive. But crude."
Su Chen rose from his seat.
"Because the one who owns this place uses poison," he said calmly, "but doesn't understand it."
He turned toward the others.
"Bibi Dong, stay aboard. You devoured a Grand Priest three days ago — your cultivation is unstable."
She didn't argue.
"Esdeath. Mera. Xiao Yi Xian." His gaze lingered on each of them. "Come with me. This place contains Ice, Fire, and Poison. You'll all benefit."
---
The Old Freak
They landed in the forest's central clearing.
At its heart stood a single figure.
An old man with emerald hair, emerald eyes, and fingernails stained permanently green. Nine Spirit Rings revolved behind him, radiating oppressive pressure that poisoned the ground with every rotation.
Dugu Bo.
Poison Douluo.
He glared at the intruders, fury boiling beneath his weathered face.
"Who dares trespass in my garden?!" he roared. "Leave now, or I'll melt you into sludge!"
He didn't wait for an answer.
The Jade Phosphor Poison erupted outward—a tidal wave of lethal green mist that could corrode spirit power itself.
Su Chen didn't move.
He simply turned his head.
"Show him."
Xiao Yi Xian stepped forward.
She wore no armor. No spirit rings flared behind her. She only opened her arms.
The poison struck her head-on.
And vanished.
The fog was absorbed, drawn into her skin like water into dry soil. Her complexion brightened, her breathing steady and calm.
She tilted her head, thoughtful.
"It's a little bitter," she said innocently. "Like old snake venom."
Dugu Bo's world shattered.
"You— you absorbed my poison?!" His voice cracked. "Without a martial spirit?! Who are you?!"
"I'm a doctor," Xiao Yi Xian replied gently.
Then her eyes hardened.
Her palm rose.
"Purple Cloud Palm."
A concentrated burst of violet poison slammed back toward Dugu Bo.
He barely raised a shield in time.
It melted.
The poison brushed his sleeve.
The fabric disintegrated instantly.
Dugu Bo tore the sleeve away, staring in horror.
"This… this poison is purer than mine…"
Su Chen stepped through the thinning mist.
"Dugu Bo," he said calmly. "Your martial spirit is killing you. Your son died because of it. Your granddaughter is dying for the same reason."
The old man froze.
"…Yan-er?" His voice trembled.
"I can cure you," Su Chen continued. "And I can cure her."
Silence.
Then desperation.
"What do you want?" Dugu Bo whispered.
Su Chen pointed toward the mountain peak behind him.
"The Well. And everything growing around it."
Dugu Bo clenched his fists.
His pride lasted exactly three seconds.
"…If you save my granddaughter," he said hoarsely, "you can have it all."
"Deal."
---
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well
The peak revealed a sight that defied reason.
A perfectly divided lake—half boiling white, half frozen blue. Extreme Yang and Extreme Yin existed in flawless balance, radiating energy so dense it warped the air.
Around it grew plants that glowed faintly, reverently.
Immortal Herbs.
Mera inhaled sharply. "This place… it feels alive."
Esdeath smirked. "Cold enough to hurt."
Su Chen's eyes sharpened.
"Don't touch anything yet. These herbs kill idiots."
He knelt beside two plants.
Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Infernal Delicate Apricot.
He touched them.
Copied them.
Then the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
The system hesitated.
Su Chen smiled and brute-forced reality.
"Infinite supply," he muttered.
---
Distribution and Refinement
"Esdeath," Su Chen said, handing her the Ice Grass. "Absolute Zero."
She didn't hesitate.
"Mera. This restores your origin."
Xiao Yi Xian hesitated only briefly before jumping into the lake itself.
Pain.
Transformation.
Rebirth.
Finally, Su Chen sat down.
He ate the remaining herbs.
His Gold Body cracked.
And beneath it—
Diamond.
---
The Well Goes Missing
Two hours later, Su Chen stood.
Perfect.
Unbreakable.
"I'm not leaving this behind," he said.
Reality bent.
The entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well vanished into the Black Dragon Fortress.
---
The Late Arrival
Tang San arrived too late.
The garden was gone.
The destiny he remembered—erased.
Su Chen appeared once.
Stole everything.
And left him with nothing but fear.
---
Status Summary
Ice/Fire Well secured
Waifus upgraded
Tang San robbed blind
Destiny altered permanently
And somewhere in the world…
The protagonist felt it.
His path had been stolen.