We are up to 'Chapter 72: Tang San's Hidden Intentions' on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
------------------------------------------------------
Yang Xiong had prepared an exceptionally long steel cable for this mission, stretching hundreds of meters.
As he used his soul power to control the cable and slowly descend, it took him nearly a hundred meters before he finally touched the ground.
At this point, Yang Xiong didn't hesitate any longer. He quickly removed his armor, revealing a breathtaking sight before him.
The Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well was brimming with all kinds of medicinal herbs. Some were familiar to Yang Xiong from the books he had read, but many more were unknown plants.
In particular, there were two springs within the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well—one red, one blue—serving as the source of all the ice and fire energy in the area.
Yang Xiong couldn't help but burst into wild laughter. After so much planning and effort, he had finally reached the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well. Now, whether it was the sect's safety or his own future development, he no longer had to worry. With these priceless immortal herbs in his possession, his potential for growth was limitless. He could even ascend to the pinnacle of the soul world.
After his bout of laughter, Yang Xiong immediately sprang into action.
Although he didn't possess the Mysterious Jade Hand (Xuan Yu Shou) that Tang San used to harvest immortal herbs, Yang Xiong had prepared a specialized pair of gloves made from ten-thousand-year Heavenly Silkworm silk. These gloves were designed for handling toxic plants, protecting him from their harmful effects.
Yang Xiong first located a large, pale pink flower. It had no leaves, with a three-foot-long stem and an enormous blossom, nearly a foot in diameter. Each petal shimmered like crystal, while the pistil was a delicate shade of purple, resembling tiny embedded diamonds.
This was the Aromatic Silk Beauty, known as the nemesis of all poisons. As long as Yang Xiong held this herb and avoided being pricked by toxic plants, he would remain safe.
Yang Xiong carefully uprooted the entire Aromatic Silk Beauty, including the soil around its roots, and began harvesting the treasures of the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well.
Whether he recognized the herbs or not, he dug them all up without hesitation, placing them into jade boxes. Even if some potency was lost during the process, it was better than leaving them behind for others. After all, this place was Dugu Bo's stronghold, and Yang Xiong might never have another chance to return.
The Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well was teeming with immortal herbs. While Yang Xiong recognized only a few, he wasn't about to leave the rest behind.
He first unearthed a massive tulip-like plant, which closely resembled the illustrations in ancient texts stored in the seven-story library. This was likely the legendary Beautiful Silk Tulip.
Without wasting time, Yang Xiong uprooted it and placed it into a jade box.
Next, he discovered several other immortal herbs he recognized, including the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, and Yearning Heartbroken Red. He also unearthed multiple ten-thousand-year ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms, as well as some extremely rare herbs.
Regardless of whether he recognized them or not, Yang Xiong uprooted everything and stored them in jade boxes. He even found herbs mentioned in ancient texts but absent from the original storyline.
One particular herb left Yang Xiong in awe. Though the ancient texts provided only vague descriptions, this herb was unmistakable.
It stood about a foot tall, with nine sword-shaped leaves. Each leaf exuded a sharp, blade-like aura, and its presence felt incredibly intense. This was the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass, one of the rarest and most precious immortal herbs.
Strangely, the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass didn't appear in the original storyline. If consumed by Sword Elder, it might elevate his Seven Kill Sword to unprecedented heights.
Moreover, this herb was perfectly suited for both his father and older brother's spirits—it was truly an invaluable treasure.
---
After two hours, the dozens of jade boxes Yang Xiong had prepared were completely filled. Even the twenty-cubic-meter Hundred Herb Pouch was packed with various medicinal plants. Many herbs were stored in wooden boxes or wrapped in cloth.
By the time he finished, the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well resembled a plowed field, stripped bare of all greenery. Not a single blade of grass remained.
Now, Yang Xiong turned his attention to two immortal herbs growing beside the twin springs. These were the primary reason he had come to the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well.
These two herbs were the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot, among the most valuable immortal herbs in the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well.
Yang Xiong's spirit was his body itself—the rarest type of spirit. To fully unleash its potential, relentless physical training was essential, especially body tempering.
Despite his extensive reading, Yang Xiong found very little information on Body Spirits. There were no clear cultivation methods available.
Even more elusive was the concept of a secondary awakening for Body Spirits. Before such an awakening, a Body Spirit was merely ordinary, lacking in strength and attributes.
However, after a secondary awakening, a Body Spirit could rival top-tier spirits. If it reached the golden-level awakening, it might even match so-called god-level spirits.
Beside the blue spring stood a white herb shaped like an eight-petaled flower. Its center sparkled like ice crystals, emitting no fragrance. Positioned at the heart of the Yin Cold Spring, this was the legendary Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was an intensely cold herb, capable of freezing the mind and numbing the central nervous system. Within a ten-meter radius, its chilling aura was unbearable, and prolonged exposure could result in incurable cold poison.
Near the fiery red spring grew the Infernal Delicate Apricot, resembling a fiery red cabbage.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot was a highly toxic immortal herb imbued with top-tier fire poison. It thrived in scorching environments, even surviving in magma. Its effects were the exact opposite of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Within the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well, these two herbs were the true core treasures, growing closest to the twin springs.
According to Yang Xiong's calculations, undergoing ice-fire body tempering in this extreme environment of heat and cold would surely trigger a secondary awakening for his Body Spirit, potentially reaching the golden-level awakening.
However, harvesting these two herbs would be incredibly difficult. Moreover, as a mere Soul Grandmaster without Tang San's Xuan Tian Gong, the pain he would endure during the process would be unimaginable.
Yang Xiong didn't dwell on these thoughts any longer. He had come this far; if he didn't consume these herbs now, he might never see them again.
Yang Xiong set aside several of his soul-guidance devices, equipping himself with an iron knife in one hand and a jade knife in the other. In addition to his Heavenly Silkworm silk gloves, he donned an extra pair of iron gloves.
The secondary awakening won't increase my soul power—it will only enhance my physical capabilities.
------------------------------------------------------
Double Daily Chapters Until We Are 40 Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow