Neither Yu Yuanzhen nor Yu Luomian appeared this time, leading Dugu Shuo to suspect that something had changed.
A shift in attitude from one of the Upper Three Sects could influence the continent's political landscape.
Needing to coordinate with various forces in Heaven Dou, Dugu Shuo also departed from the area.
Now, only Dugu Feng remained at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, absorbing the energies of the Marvelous Velvet Sky-Piercing Chrysanthemum and Autumn Water Piercing Gaze Dew.
The medicinal properties of the two Immortal Herbs had already integrated into his body, but some of their energies still lingered, settling in his Sea of Spirit and physical form.
They hadn't been fully absorbed and digested yet.
Perhaps after some time, once he fully assimilated them, his strength would advance further.
At the same time, he was testing his father's hypothesis by attempting to approach the Eight-Angle Black Ice Herb.
His father believed that spiritual herbs were Immortal Herbs.
And the herbs of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well—didn't they later develop spiritual awareness?
Could it truly be possible to refine the cold poison and make the Immortal Herb willingly accept him?
Dugu Feng moved closer to the Eight-Angle Black Ice Herb.
The herb grew at the very center of the Extreme Cold Yin Spring.
Merely stepping within a ten-meter radius of it would immediately subject one to an assault of extreme cold.
Dugu Feng stopped at the ten-meter boundary, not venturing inside.
Instead, he extended his External Soul Bone inward.
Instantly, the three-meter-long Scorpion Pincers were coated in a faint white mist.
At the top of the Eight-Angle Black Ice Herb, the crystalline stamen-like structures glowed brighter.
The chilling mist seemed to emanate from these icy crystals.
Dugu Feng immediately channeled his Soul Power and spiritual perception.
The next moment, he felt a sharp, stinging pain in his mind.
Contrary to his expectations of sensing cold, he realized something.
The Eight-Angle Black Ice Herb was a fusion of extreme cold and poison.
It was cold poison!
Not just cold, not just poison—both combined!
"Let me see just how potent this cold poison is!" Dugu Feng muttered coldly, retracting his Scorpion Pincer External Spirit Bone a few meters.
Then, he unleashed his Soul Power in a sudden surge, directing it into the pincers.
Using the pincers as a battlefield, his Soul Power began refining the traces of cold poison within.
Meanwhile, the silver pincers absorbed the cold poison into their skeletal structure, making the entire External Soul Bone appear more crystalline.
After a while, Dugu Feng exhaled deeply, his eyes gleaming.
The layer of cold poison on the surface of his pincers had just consumed over half of his Soul Power to fully refine.
It was worth noting that even Dugu Bo couldn't withstand this cold poison.
Nor could Dugu Feng channel it into his meridians.
But with the cold poison embedded in his pincers, his Soul Power continuously flowed into them, gradually adapting to the poison's potency.
Finally, after expending most of his Soul Power, he subdued the cold poison, integrating it into his External Soul Bone.
This was only a preliminary transformation—using the External Soul Bone to tame the cold poison.
If he wanted to channel this cold poison into his meridians, he would likely need to advance by one or two major realms before attempting it.
Dugu Feng examined the massive pincers before him.
Ugly? Yes. But devastatingly powerful!
As for the fire poison within the Blazing Apricot Delight, Dugu Feng didn't attempt to absorb it.
The Eight Spider Lances from the Man-faced Demon Spider weren't fire-attributed to begin with. Only because his Scorpion Pincers were ice-attributed did the two treasures oppose each other.
Thus, he had only absorbed the heat from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
However, it would still take some time for it to fully adapt to the fire poison.
Besides, one shouldn't bite off more than they can chew, so Dugu Feng wasn't in a hurry.
Thus, he spent his mornings refining the cold poison, afternoons practicing Soul Skills, and evenings meditating on Soul Power while sensing his spiritual power and digesting the medicinal effects of the two Immortal Herbs. He was completely immersed in cultivation.
On this day, Dugu Feng was deep in his training when Dugu Bo returned.
At a glance, he spotted Dugu Feng sitting cross-legged in the valley.
"Kid, you really have no fear of death, daring to stay here for so long!"
Dugu Bo's gaze was icy as he sneered.
Both Dugu Shuo and Old Snake had left, leaving only Dugu Feng behind.
Though he possessed the Slaughter God Domain, what use was it in this valley saturated with cold and fire poison?
Even Dugu Bo himself didn't dare linger here for too long.
This Dugu Feng was truly risking his life for cultivation!
"Second Grandfather—"
"Who's your second grandfather? Address me as the Jade Phosphor Crown!" Dugu Bo cut him off sharply.
Dugu Feng smiled. It seemed the anger from his father poisoning her still hadn't subsided.
"Jade Phosphor Crown, the Poison Cultivation Lineage emphasizes overcoming adversity.
The cold and fire poison here are also forms of poison.
If I absorb the poison-attribute Soul Power here, wouldn't it strengthen the toxins within my body?"
Dugu Feng spoke calmly.
Dugu Bo listened, then scoffed coldly, "A lunatic who'll poison himself sooner or later!"
His disdain had faded.
In the past, he had looked down on the Poison Cultivation Lineage.
But now, his nephew Dugu Shuo's strength had forced him to reconsider.
All he could do was grumble bitterly—that sooner or later, they'd poison themselves to death.
The main issue was that even he couldn't defend against Dugu Shuo's poison, which left Dugu Bo feeling humiliated.
Dugu Bo stopped bothering with Dugu Feng and turned his attention to the surrounding herbs.
Immediately, he noticed some were missing.
"Huh? A few herbs even I couldn't identify have been picked!"
Suspicion flickered in his heart.
"Kid, did your father take these herbs?"
Dugu Feng stood up. "We must thank the Jade Phosphor Crown. These herbs are useful for our clan's cultivation, so Father took some.
Since Your Excellency agreed to share this treasure trove with the family, naturally, that includes these herbs."
In truth, the father and son hadn't taken much. The most precious Immortal Herbs had been collected, but only a portion of each was taken, leaving the rest to continue growing.
After all, they could return to this treasure trove anytime, and the herbs would thrive here.
They hadn't plundered the place recklessly like Tang San.
Dugu Bo was left speechless.
"Get out. Yan'er has obtained a Soul Bone and is waiting in my cave halfway up the mountain.
I need to refine medicine for her here!"
Dugu Bo found Dugu Feng irritating.
Now it was Dugu Feng's turn to be speechless.
Are you afraid I'll learn your refining methods?
If your skills were truly exceptional, you wouldn't have needed that note from Father.
Without another word, Dugu Feng summoned the Emerald Dragon Emperor and soared into the sky with effortless grace.
"The heavens are unfair!"
Watching Dugu Feng's carefree departure, Dugu Bo roared in frustration, slamming his Storage Soul Tool angrily.
A pile of refining equipment spilled out, and he busied himself preparing medicine for his granddaughter.
Meanwhile, Dugu Feng rode the Emerald Dragon Snake and swiftly arrived at the mountainside on the other side of the hill.
There stood the cave Dugu Bo had built, where Dugu Yan was waiting inside.
Dugu Feng's eyes gleamed.
He had thought before that by controlling Dugu Yan, he would essentially control Dugu Bo.
This was the perfect opportunity!
With a stretch of his left hand, another Emerald Dragon Snake activated its Void Soul Skill and, under the cover of the Core Pearl, arrived at the cave halfway up the mountain.
The Emerald Dragon Snake was a Ten-Thousand Year Soul Beast.
There was no way Dugu Yan could detect such a tiny figure.
(End of Chapter)