Ignoring Dai Mubai for the moment, Ye Yin turned his attention to Zhu Zhuqing, his curiosity piqued. "So, what's the effect of your new spirit ability?"
"My third Spirit Ability is called Nether Shadow Clone," she explained, a hint of excitement in her voice. "It can split me into two shadow clones, and each one has fifty percent of my strength. They can also use my first and second spirit abilities. I'm not sure if they'll be able to inherit my later abilities; I guess I'll only know after I get my fourth spirit ring."
Ye Yin nodded, impressed. "Not bad at all. That's a very practical ability. Having three people attacking at once effectively doubles your overall power, but the clones can do more than just that. They can perform tasks one person could never achieve alone."
Zhu Zhuqing then mentioned an even more surprising development. "Oh, right. There's one more thing. After absorbing the spirit ring, my spirit power increased by two full ranks. I'm at rank thirty-two now."
Everyone present gasped.
"What? Your spirit power jumped by two ranks at once?" Ma Hongjun exclaimed. "That's what you get from a five-thousand-year spirit ring!"
Dugu Bo, who had been listening quietly, was now intensely curious about the group's absurd spirit ring configurations. He couldn't help but ask, "How did you all manage to absorb thousand-year spirit rings for your first few rings? You," he said, pointing at Ye Yin, "are a Spirit Elder with three thousand-year rings. And him, and her," he motioned to the others. "Even the girl from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School will surely have the same when she reaches the Spirit Elder realm. How is this possible?"
Ye Yin offered a simplified explanation. "It's because of my Spirit. It has a special property that allows me to consume my own spirit power to increase the age limit of my companions' spirit rings. Originally, all of their first rings were hundred-year ones, just like mine. I upgraded them later."
Dugu Bo sighed in amazement. "The world is truly full of endless wonders! To think such a miraculous Spirit exists. Yan Yan mentioned it before, but I never imagined it was this powerful."
As he considered this, a thought began to form in Dugu Bo's mind. If Dugu Yan and Ye Yin were to get together, it might not be such a bad thing. With his help, Yan Yan's first and second spirit rings could both become thousand-year rings. With three thousand-year rings, her fourth might even be a ten-thousand-year one. The idea was incredibly tempting.
While they were talking, Dai Mubai finally finished absorbing his fourth spirit ring. His aura surged, becoming noticeably stronger.
"Mubai, what's your new spirit ability?" Oscar asked eagerly.
Dai Mubai sensed the new power flowing through him and decided to demonstrate. "Fourth Spirit Ability, White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
His fourth spirit ring flashed. With his body as the epicenter, countless fist-sized golden orbs of light materialized in the sky and began to rain down. Strangely, the apex of each golden orb was tinged with an odd, sickly green light, giving them a bizarre appearance.
"It's an area-of-effect attack," Dai Mubai explained, quite satisfied with his new skill. "But I can also concentrate all the meteors onto a single point for a higher degree of burst damage."
"Kid," Dugu Bo said, his patience wearing thin. "Can we go to my medicinal garden now?"
Ye Yin nodded. "Yes."
While Ye Yin seemed completely at ease with the Titled Douluo, the others were not.
"Senior," Flender asked cautiously, "may I ask where your medicinal garden is located? Just so it's convenient for us to find Ye Yin later."
Dugu Bo snorted. "What? Are you afraid I'll kill the kid after he's served his purpose?"
Flender gave an awkward laugh. "No, of course not. How could Senior be that kind of person?"
Dugu Bo chuckled dryly. "It's in the center of the Sunset Forest. Once you get close, you'll find the poison array I've set up. I'm inside. Besides, Yan Yan is still at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. You're worried about this kid, but I'm also worried you might get desperate and turn on her."
Hearing this mutual assurance, everyone finally relaxed.
Ye Yin smiled at his friends. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Dugu Bo grabbed Ye Yin's shoulder, and with a few powerful leaps, they disappeared from sight, heading toward the heart of the forest. In what felt like the blink of an eye, the swirling, toxic mist of Dugu Bo's poison array appeared before them. Although he no longer carried the toxins in his own body, he was still a master of poison arts. He easily navigated a path through the deadly fog, leading Ye Yin into the sanctuary of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"My medicinal garden is inside," Dugu Bo said, gesturing forward. "There are all sorts of rare herbs here. It just depends on whether you know how to use them. If you can't find the herbs needed for the Bezoar Detoxification Pill here, then you won't find them anywhere else!"
Ye Yin followed Dugu Bo into the valley. He immediately felt the impact of the conflicting natural energies on his body. As the legendary well came into view, he couldn't help but feel a sense of shock. One well, two opposing forces, yin and yang, coexisting in a delicate, impossible balance.
"What a magnificent supreme mandarin duck hotpot!" he exclaimed.
[Resentment from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well +99!]
The system notification left Ye Yin momentarily confused. An inanimate object could generate resentment?
"What herbs do you need? Take them yourself," Dugu Bo said. "But remember, don't touch the two springs. The intense heat and extreme cold are more than even I can bear for long. If you touch them, you'll only find death."
Ye Yin nodded. He was well aware of the dangers of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Surrounding the well was a paradise of plants of all shapes and forms, each one an impossibly rare treasure. Just one glance left him speechless. If Ye Yin hadn't obtained the upgraded Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, his only thought would have been, "Holy crap, that's beautiful!" But now, with his enhanced knowledge, his thought was, "Holy crap, that's a lot of priceless immortal herbs!"
"Well? Are the medicinal herbs you need in here?" Dugu Bo asked eagerly, getting to what he cared about most.
"Yes, of course, some of them are here," Ye Yin said after a dramatic pause. "But it's not enough."
Dugu Bo immediately grew anxious. "Then what do we do?"
Ye Yin grinned. "But if we combine them with the medicinal herbs you're carrying on you, then it should be enough."
Dugu Bo was speechless.
[Resentment from Dugu Bo +30!]
The Titled Douluo couldn't help but curse under his breath. "Can't you just stop being a jerk for once?!"
Ye Yin just chuckled mischievously as his gaze swept over the legendary treasures before him, his mind taking inventory: Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Fiery Apricot, Qiluo Tulip, Earth Dragon Golden Melon, Dark Jade Divine Bamboo, Star Luo Spiritual Pearl, Mixed Yuan Immortal Herb, Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, Marvelous Chrysanthemum, Narcissus Jade Bone, Looking-Through Autumn Water Dew, Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, and Yearning Heartbroken Red...
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