After lunch, Oscar continued guiding Du Gu Yan in familiarizing herself with the process of refining the poison within her body. Once she obtained a spirit bone, she would be able to detoxify herself at the fastest speed.
Right now, both Du Gu Bo and Du Gu Yan still have unrefined poison in their bodies. Even if Oscar gave them Detoxifying Pills, it would be useless—the toxins would quickly erode them again.
So, the first step in curing the grandfather and granddaughter was to have them refine the poison into a spirit bone. Only then could detoxification be permanent.
During this training, the closeness between Oscar and Du Gu Yan still left him a little unsettled—he couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.
Some might think: Isn't this too fast? They've only known each other for a day or two, and already they're this familiar? Spending time alone together, with a hint of ambiguity?
Oscar himself would not have believed it—until he experienced it personally. Yet it happened naturally.
That's how it goes sometimes. When you meet someone you connect with, and mutual attraction exists, ten minutes can feel like hours. In half an hour of conversation, you may already know each other deeply, sharing topics that spill out effortlessly.
And after parting, both would eagerly anticipate the next meeting, even making preparations for it without realizing.
At first, Oscar thought his feelings came only from wanting to use Du Gu Yan to approach Du Gu Bo and gain access to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. But now, after entering the well and even consuming two immortal herbs, that feeling remained.
Which meant—it wasn't just about the Ice and Fire Well. He really did feel something for Du Gu Yan.
Having understood that, Oscar no longer forced himself to suppress it. After all, if Du Gu Yan truly accepted him, it was nothing but a gain.
Still, he didn't dare to go too far. He was only eleven years old. Though his body, strengthened by three spirit rings and immortal herbs, was already well-developed, he couldn't risk testing Du Gu Bo's temper. If the old man ever found out he had "bullied" his beloved granddaughter, Oscar might not survive the consequences.
Moreover, Du Gu Yan herself, though showing interest in him, wasn't bold enough for that step yet. She wasn't the aloof, domineering big sister of the original story.
With no friends growing up, she had always been lonely. Now she was more like a kitten taking its first steps outside—shy, hesitant, blushing easily. The "ice queen" persona hadn't formed yet.
So whenever Oscar felt his self-control slipping during their interactions, he decisively chose to retreat to the Ice and Fire Well to cultivate or prepare medicines.
Since Du Gu Bo had given him free rein to use the herbs here, Oscar was not polite about it. He knew exactly which herbs he needed and would never waste them.
Thus, once apart from Du Gu Yan, he threw himself fully into serious work—herb collection, pill refining, and cultivation.
Every day, Oscar also spent at least half a day cultivating in the Ice and Fire Well itself, absorbing and refining the medicinal energy of the two immortal herbs he had consumed.
Three days passed. Oscar, having prepared the ingredients, began his first furnace of pill refining.
This pill wasn't especially complex. As long as one had sufficient knowledge of pharmacology and understood the special properties of the herbs, success was possible.
The pill he was refining was called the Phoenix Nirvana Pill. Its main ingredient was an immortal herb named the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
This herb carried pure fiery yang energy. Though its heat wasn't as extreme as the Fiery Apricot, its blazing vitality was unmatched among immortal herbs.
Oscar used the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower as the main medicine, then combined it with several ten-thousand-year spirit herbs—such as Ice Silkworms, Earth Lotus, and Silver Spirit Lotus. The proportions were carefully chosen by Oscar himself, based on their interactions with the sunflower.
This wasn't really an "original formula"—Oscar had plenty of pill-refining experience, but not to the level of creation. What he sought was to refine the sunflower's properties, ensuring its full medicinal potential could be drawn out.
And this Phoenix Nirvana Pill—Oscar was preparing it for Ma Hongjun.
Although Ma Hongjun's second spirit ability already solved much of his Evil Fire problem, allowing him to vent it regularly, that was still not a perfect solution.
The best way was the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. Not only could it completely purify the Evil Fire, it would also awaken his bloodline, vastly increasing his strength and potential.
By refining it into a pill, Oscar ensured that Ma Hongjun could perfectly absorb and maximize its effects.
As for why Oscar hadn't refined the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Fiery Apricot, it was because those two immortal herbs could not coexist for long—they had to be consumed directly, as he had done.
Having confirmed his target pill, Oscar set up his alchemy furnace at the Ice and Fire Well. He would use the terrifying temperatures here to refine medicine.
With the well's mystical properties, the pill might even gain extraordinary effects.
Because of the Ice and Fire Well and the two immortal herbs he consumed, Oscar had already felt changes in his body—strengthened physique, altered constitution, even transformations in his martial spirit and his external spirit bone.
But he wasn't overly surprised. After all, Tang San had experienced the same in the original timeline. Oscar had expected this outcome. Since Du Gu Yan hadn't asked, he also didn't mention it.
Once fully prepared, Oscar plucked the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
It was a trembling, crimson herb, soft and supple, its simple red leaves forming a crest like a rooster's comb.
But upon close inspection, one could see its uniqueness—the veins shone with scarlet-golden light. The moment it was picked, the surrounding temperature soared.
Yet Oscar, with his enhanced physique, was unfazed. He held the sunflower carefully and placed it into the alchemy furnace, beginning the refining of the immortal pill.
Du Gu Yan, unable to enter the Ice and Fire Well, could only watch from outside after finishing her practice.
But instead of feeling bored, she felt a deep, unprecedented sense of fulfillment—simply because Oscar was there.
This feeling was entirely new. Ever since Oscar had returned from death, it had only grown stronger.