There's no rush to absorb the Immortal Herb. What Wang Li wants to absorb are the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the lie huo xing jiao su. Rather than Immortal Herbs, they are more like poisonous herbs, possessing terrifying Ice Poison and Fire Poison.
In the original work, Tang San barely survived absorbing them at the Spirit Elder stage, relying on his protagonist's halo.
Wang Li is only a Spirit Grandmaster, so absorbing the Immortal Herb can be postponed a bit. There's no need to take risks if it can be avoided.
Moreover, he has already entered the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and the Immortal Herbs are right under his nose, so there's no need to worry about them disappearing.
For now, the focus is on cultivating spirit power and gaining some experience. What he said earlier was also true; he wants to experience the feeling of being on the brink of death.
He wants Dugu Bo to severely injure him, thereby stimulating his greater potential. In the past, he relied on his 'Vitality' characteristic and 'Tenacity' passive to train himself by crashing into trees.
There was some effect, but it wasn't enough. Crashing into trees could injure him, but it couldn't truly severely injure him.
He wants a more comprehensive improvement so that when he absorbs a spirit ring next time, or even the time after that... he can absorb a spirit ring that exceeds the age limit.
Spirit Beasts of higher quality and older age can bring him more life essence. The panel can increase the spirit ring's age limit and enhance the power of Spirit Abilities, but to absorb life essence and evolve his Spirit again, currently, absorbing a spirit ring is the only way.
Soon after, Dugu Bo brought Wang Li to a relatively open area in the valley. Wang Li truly faced Dugu Bo and deeply felt the pressure from a Titled Douluo.
Dugu Bo just stood there, making Wang Li feel powerless. His heart pounded, his breathing was heavy, and a terrifying sense of oppression came from all directions.
At this moment, Dugu Bo had a joyful expression. He raised his palm, and his robe moved without wind. He didn't use his Spirit or Spirit Abilities; he just condensed terrifying spirit power in his hand.
He had wanted to beat Wang Li for a long time. Looking at Wang Li, who was as if facing a formidable enemy, Dugu Bo even had the mood to speak teasingly:
"Kid, since you want to feel the pressure, I'll let you feel the pressure from a Titled Douluo!"
Then, with a flash, Wang Li only felt a blur before his eyes, and Dugu Bo was already in front of him. A palm strike landed, carrying terrifying spirit power and fierce might, hitting him in the chest.
Bang!
Intense pain struck, and Wang Li was sent flying directly. He flew fourteen or fifteen meters before falling heavily to the ground. He only felt as if his entire body had fallen apart.
The pain made him open his mouth, but he couldn't make a sound. Pressure, he felt infinite pressure.
But under this pressure, he still stood up and grinned, saying:
"Senior, it's not enough yet, I'm not on the verge of death!"
Dugu Bo frowned. Although he had held back a bit just now, Wang Li being able to stand up was somewhat beyond his expectation.
After a slight hesitation, he raised his palm again and then spoke in a deep voice:
"Kid, use all your spirit power to resist, otherwise this palm strike will take more than half your life!"
Blood spilled from Wang Li's mouth. He was very disheveled now, but his eyes were bright, and he mobilized his spirit power to circulate throughout his body:
"Senior, please make your move!"
Dugu Bo flashed out, and the ferocity was even greater than the previous palm strike. Wang Li only felt that he could no longer move, and the spirit power from all directions was squeezing him.
Bang!
Wang Li lay on the ground, his vision blurred. The intense pain had reached its threshold, making him wish he could faint, but he gritted his teeth and held on.
In the pain, he showed the most brilliant smile.
Dugu Bo was a little anxious and also worried about hurting him. He squatted down, looked at Wang Li, and said:
"Wang Li, are you alright?"
Wang Li's mouth twitched, and enduring the pain, he said:
"Senior, I'm fine, it's just that a lot of bones are broken, and some of my internal organs are displaced. I really feel like I'm about to die."
"This severe injury will probably take three to five days to recover, but my Spirit and my spirit power are very active and are working hard to heal my body."
Hearing that Wang Li could still speak clearly, Dugu Bo felt relieved but immediately felt shocked. What kind of strange mutated Spirit was this, that it could only exert its maximum effect when half-dead?
At this moment, Wang Li was very happy, even excited. Dugu Bo's two attacks just now directly generated over three thousand experience points, which was more than what he gained from spending half a year in the Great Spirit Arena.
Moreover, in this near-death state, on the brink of life and death, he truly felt the indomitable vitality of the Blue Silver Grass. This was the source of his 'Vitality' characteristic and 'Tenacity' passive.
Now, this indomitable vitality was erupting from all parts of his body, restoring himself, strengthening his physique, and enhancing his potential.
The result was that in just one day, Wang Li could walk freely; in just three days, Wang Li had basically recovered; in just seven days, Wang Li was bouncing around again.
Then he cheerfully went to Dugu Bo again, got another good beating, and finally lay on the ground half-dead, waiting to recover.
Seeing how resilient Wang Li was, Dugu Bo's attacks became heavier and heavier later on, at most leaving some leeway so as not to actually kill him.
More than twenty days passed like this. On this day, Dugu Bo warned Wang Li:
"Kid, I'm going to pick up Yan Yan Jie for her holiday. In front of Yan Yan Jie, you know what to say and what not to say, right!"
Wang Li immediately nodded:
"I understand, I understand, Senior, hurry up and go, I miss Yan Yan Jie too!"
Hearing this, Dugu Bo glared at Wang Li fiercely, but ultimately shook his head helplessly, then transformed into an afterimage and disappeared.
After Dugu Bo left, Wang Li stretched. Thinking of the extreme improvements over the past twenty-plus days, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled upwards.
The improvement in physical fitness was terrifying. If this continued, by the time he reached level thirty, the maximum spirit ring he could absorb would definitely not be 1,700 years. He should be able to accept anything under 3,000 years, and even challenge anything under 5,000 years.
The key was still experience. He could gain tens of thousands of experience in a month, which would be a hundred thousand in a year. By the time he left Dugu Bo's side, he would have the capital to protect himself.
After a long time, Dugu Bo returned with Dugu Yan. Not seeing each other for more than twenty days didn't distance them; instead, it deepened their longing.
Dugu Yan ran to Wang Li, stroked his head, and complained:
"Your hair is long, and you don't even take care of it. Also... Xiao Li, is Grandpa abusing you every day? Why are your clothes so tattered?"
Wang Li glanced at Dugu Bo, who was looking at him threateningly. He smiled and said:
"Nothing of the sort, Senior has guided me a lot. I did this myself during training, and I don't have any extra clothes to change into!"
Dugu Yan was half-believing, then pulled Wang Li and said:
"Come on, let's go to Heaven Dou City, get a haircut, buy clothes. Boys can't be so sloppy!"
...
Wang Li's life began to become more regular: getting beaten, recovering, cultivating, and... dating...
Ten months later, Wang Li woke up from his cultivation, the corners of his mouth curved into an uncontrollable smile:
"Not bad, I'm level thirty!"