The valley lay hushed under dawn's pale light, the twin springs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well steaming in silent vigil. Mist drifted lazily through the rock formations, weaving between frosted lilies and ember-tipped moss. Li Wei stood at the edge of his fledgling sanctuary plot—an area ringed with carefully tended soil and sealed by the faint hexagonal glow of barrier.
In the center, the Jade Spirit Cleansing Flower petal can be seen as he just planted it, as it swayed gently in the breeze. Its luminous stem and pearlescent petals glowed with an inner light, as though the combined energies of ice and flame pulsed through its veins. Li Wei inhaled deeply, tasting the promise of hope in the crisp air.
At the original plant before, he reached into his space ring and withdrew a small spirit tool—a delicate pair of silver shears engraved with Kamen Rider insignias. Activating BuffRide: Faiz for precision and BuffRide: Build to stabilize surrounding energy, he approached the plant. The world around him seemed to slow, each breath measured, each movement deliberate. With a whispered apology to the flower, he severed the bloom at the petal and held it reverently in his palm. It trembled like a living heart.
Three petals would suffice for what he want to do.
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Moments later, Li Wei approached the stone house carved into the cliffside. Smoke curled from its chimney, carrying the scent of brewing medicinal tea. He entered quietly, surprised to find Dugu Bo tending to a place where he made the pill for elevating the poison beside the bed where Dugu Yan rested.
The younger Poison Douluo lifted her head, pale features framed by the soft glow of morning light. She blinked as Li Wei knelt, holding out the bloom.
"I—I wasn't expecting this," she whispered, eyes wide.
Li Wei bowed once. "This flower… is the Jade Spirit Cleansing Flower. Its petals carry purifying energy. I harvested it this morning."
Dugu Bo stoic expression softened for the briefest moment. He stepped forward, arms crossed, and examined the flower. "You actually did it," he murmured, voice low. "I tried once… it withered."
Li Wei nodded. "It thrives when tended carefully. But today, we need relief, not propagation." He plucked a single petal and offered it to Dugu Bo. "This is for you."
The elder's hand closed around the petal, the flower's glow pulsing under his touch. Li Wei then turned to Dugu Yan and presented the second petal with a small smile.
"For you, Dugu Yan. One petal each."
Tears welled in her eyes as she took it. "Thank you, Li Wei…"
Li Wei has placed the third petal into a small, carved depression in the earth at the sanctuary's heart. He whispered a brief incantation—drawing from his martial spirit and BuffRide: Build—to seal the petal in place. A tiny ripple of energy spread outward, infusing the soil.
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They moved to the simple wooden table near the window. Li Wei had prepared three shallow bowls. He placed the petals gently inside, then poured springwater—first from the frozen well, then from the fiery spring—over them in precise sequence. The water's steam hissed as it mingled, and the petals dissolved into iridescent pink-green swirls.
"Drink," Li Wei said, indicating a bowl for each of them.
The exact calculation is done after he use both Ex-aid and Build to find the best proportion. He even activate W to tried whether he able to use Philip but it is in vain.
Dugu Bo lifted the bowl with a steady hand. The liquid shimmered with a soft jade glow. He sipped, brow furrowing as the concoction's potency washed over him. Dugu Yan followed, the liquid trembling on her lips before she drank.
Silence fell. For a heartbeat, the room stilled—no steam, no breath, only the faint hum of spiritual energy.
Then, Dugu Bo's eyes widened. He leaned forward, placing a hand on the table, voice rough. "My… my poison backlash… it's… halved."
Indeed, Li Wei could sense the shift in his aura. The dark tang of toxin that had throbbed in Dugu Bo's meridians was now only half as strong, replaced by a gentle undercurrent of cleansing energy.
Dugu Yan let out a shaky laugh. "I… I can breathe without the searing pain."
Li Wei exhaled, relief flooding him. "This is temporary relief. The flower's properties purge and rebalance the poison energy in your bodies—and you can also push the excess venom into spirit bone, preferably a spirit bone that can complement the venom. The higher spirit bone the better."
"Using this method can also cause spirit bone to overload so that why it preferably to use higher spirit bone age… when the poison inside exceeds the limit the bone might shatters, and the poison floods out. This can be said to be deadly."
Dugu Bo expression turned grave.
Li Wei nodded. "I won't let that happen. We have time—maybe months—to refine a permanent cure. But you must avoid collecting more poison than this flower can clear."
Dugu Yan voice was firm despite fatigue. "I'll abide by your caution. Anything to live without this nightmare."
Dugu Bo placed a gaunt hand on his granddaughter's shoulder. "We'll follow your guidance, boy. You've done more for us in days than many masters over years."
Li Wei bowed deeply. "I'm honored."
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Later that afternoon, Li Wei returned to the sanctuary plot. The soil around the buried petal had sprouted tiny green shoots—proof that the flower was taking root. He knelt to examine the shoots, his mind already racing with calculations: optimal water ratio, sunlight exposure, soil pH adjustments, ward reinforcement.
His heart hammered with purpose. This was only the beginning.
He reached into his sleeve for his Diendriver and brushed his thumb against its surface. The sealed rune on the token Crocodile Douluo gave him—shaped like a coiled serpent—glowed faintly in his palm. It was more than a key; it was a promise.
To protect this place.
To protect those who call it refuge.
His thoughts turned upward, to the sky beyond the well's steam. Another promise flickered in his mind: to reach a higher level—so he could summon even more Riders, unlock greater power, and ensure no threat could breach this valley.
He closed his eyes. Higher level… more Rider Cards…
Memory sparked—the faint echo of a Ridewatch beyond his standard deck. A card he'd glimpsed only once, during the domain's final moments, when he'd drawn on every ounce of his soul. A card he couldn't summon yet because he lacked the necessary rank.
Li Wei's heart quickened. I need to grow stronger. Not just for them, but for what lies beyond. A cruel smile tugged at his lips. I will break every boundary.
He opened his eyes, resolve blazing. The sanctuary's new shoots caught the light—tender, vibrant, and determined to bloom against all odds.
Li Wei stood. The path ahead would be fraught with poison, peril, and politics. But this valley, this house, these people—they were no longer isolated victims. They were his responsibility.
He lifted his gaze to the mist-shrouded peaks.
I will gather every Rider the world has forgotten.
I will shatter the constraints that bind me… and then protect what I have vowed to keep.