Time flew by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Over this half month, Chen Yi and the Grand Elder never left the treasure land of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The extreme environment where ice and fire intertwined had birthed countless strange immortal herbs. The power of heaven and earth here was so abundant it was almost tangible—an unbeatable cultivation holy land for any soul master.
By day, Chen Yi sat cross-legged at the junction of the ice spring and the fire spring, guiding pure ice and fire energies to temper his body and polish his soul power. At other times, he would spread his Frost-Ending Heavenly Wings and soar over the Sunset Forest, getting used to this newborn pair of dragon wings, training until he could freely command their speed and maneuverability.
Aside from cultivation, Chen Yi harbored one more thought in his heart—plunder.
As one of the three great treasures, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had long been occupied by Dugu Bo. In the original timeline, Tang San had also visited it many times. But this place's environment was too unique and its terrain too complex. It was inevitable that not all immortal herbs had been discovered.
With spiritual power far surpassing ordinary people, a keen sense for medicinal properties, and perhaps that protagonist's unique luck, Chen Yi discovered several hidden immortal herbs tucked in cracks in the rocks, shrouded in poisonous miasma, which no one had ever found.
All of these would become valuable foundations in the future, for the strong of the Body Sect to impact higher realms—and to be exchanged for other resources.
At dusk, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a magnificent orange, reflecting off the red and blue mists of the valley and forming a strange, dreamlike scene.
Chen Yi's figure emerged from the mouth of the valley. The edges of the ice wings behind him still trailed lingering frost crystals and embers. In his hand, he was dragging a rather large bird-type soul beast.
It was a Phantom Finch. Its feathers shone with a flowing, deep violet luster, seemingly able to blend entirely into changes in the light. Its body was sleek, wings slender—known for its speed and concealment. From its aura, its cultivation was close to ten thousand years.
Holding this Phantom Finch, Chen Yi's face carried a hint of pride and relief.
Speaking of this Phantom Finch, it actually held a grudge against Chen Yi. A few days ago, while he was practicing sharp turns and low-altitude shuttling with his Frost-Ending Heavenly Wings at the edge of the Sunset Forest, this flat-feathered beast had taken advantage of its speed and stealth. It suddenly pounced out of the clouds and mist, and its talons had gone straight for his heart from behind.
Back then, Chen Yi's control over his dragon wings was still far from perfect. He was indeed caught off-guard. Relying solely on his tough physique, he barely managed to resist, but he still felt a bit embarrassed. In a brief clash, he was forced back and the bird escaped in an instant—he couldn't catch up at all.
Who would've thought this stupid bird would either see Chen Yi as a delicious piece of prey, or feel that its own authority had been threatened? The very next day, it actually tailed him in secret and attempted another ambush.
An uncle can endure, but an aunt cannot!
Chen Yi turned ruthless. Having honed his aerial combat skills for a few more days and deliberately strengthening his control over the Frost-Ending Heavenly Wings, he took the initiative this time. With absolute speed and a sharp perception of energy fluctuations, he finally forced the beast into the depths of the forest.
After a short yet fierce aerial battle, Chen Yi ended the fight cleanly with a dragon-wing slash wrapped in icy flames.
"Tonight we'll make an extra dish and taste this ten-thousand-year Phantom Finch. I've heard its meat is very tender and is a holy material for making broth."
"I must try it."
Chen Yi thought happily to himself, dragging his spoils as he strode back into the inner area of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, intending to greet the Grand Elder and start a fire to cook.
However, the moment he stepped into the core area, his relaxed expression disappeared.
The Grand Elder was not sitting quietly by the campfire as usual. Instead, his hands were clasped behind his back as he stood atop a huge boulder, staring at the cliffside—at the cave Dugu Bo had chosen as his seclusion spot.
Chen Yi's eyes narrowed, and he followed the Grand Elder's line of sight.
The simple concealing barrier at the cave entrance, which had been stable before, was now faintly trembling. A powerful, oppressive aura was constantly surging out from within, like a slumbering beast about to awaken, causing a subtle disturbance in the surrounding power of heaven and earth.
That aura was full of chilly poison, yet inside it there was also a sense of inward concentration and qualitative transformation—a strange feeling.
"This is… the sign of a successful condensation of a soul core? Senior Dugu has broken through?"
Chen Yi instantly reacted, secretly speaking in his heart.
He gently put down the Phantom Finch in his hand, suppressed his breathing, and quickly walked over to the Grand Elder.
"You feel it?"
The Grand Elder did not turn around, his gaze still locked on the cave. His voice was low.
"Yes. The energy has drawn inward, triggering a resonance with the external primordial forces. His aura is steadily rising. It seems Senior Dugu has not only successfully condensed a poison core, but also used this chance to step further."
Chen Yi nodded and analyzed. His spiritual perception was extremely sharp, allowing him to clearly grasp the transformational meaning contained in that aura.
The Grand Elder nodded slightly, a complex emotion flashing across his face.
"Not bad. Dugu Bo is only one man, yet his talent is indeed extraordinary. In his youth he relied entirely on his own exploration to forge a pseudo–soul core at the Title Douluo realm. Though incomplete, it laid a deep foundation for him. Now that he's learned a proper soul core condensation method, it's no wonder his progress is this fast."
The Grand Elder paused, and for once, there was a hint of respect in his voice.
"To be honest, his speed is far faster than when this old man condensed a soul core. A person who can reach this point by himself—Dugu Bo is undoubtedly someone with great perseverance and remarkable comprehension."
Hearing this, Chen Yi's evaluation of Dugu Bo rose yet again. To be spoken of like this by the Grand Elder, whose standards were immensely high, was enough to prove how extraordinary this Poison Douluo was.
The two did not speak further. They simply stood quietly, gazes focused on the deep cave, waiting for the final result.
Only the sound of the ice and fire springs flowing into the valley remained. Within the cave, the energy fluctuations grew ever more pure and powerful, like the silence before a storm.
Time ticked by. Night gradually fell. The red and blue light emitted from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well became the main source of illumination, casting the surroundings into a phantasmal glow.
Suddenly—
Boom—!
A dull, thunderous explosion rang out without warning.
The piled rocks blocking the entrance of the cave burst apart like papier-mâché. Countless stones were wrapped in a violent shockwave of soul power, scattering amidst billowing dust and smoke!
Immediately after, from within the dust and smoke, a massive beastly phantom emerged, its presence making one's heart palpitate.
A snake!
The gigantic phantom of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor!
Its whole body was a deep turquoise, covered in razor-sharp scales. Its serpentine pupils burned with a cold ghostly flame, and its massive body almost filled one side of the valley.
Compared to before, this phantom of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor was much more solid. Its cold, poisonous aura was not weaker at all, but rather more pure and restrained, radiating a strange field that seemed to devour the surrounding light. This was the manifestation of his martial spirit and soul power reaching a new level of control after forming a soul core.
"Hiss—"
The phantom of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor raised its head to the sky and quietly hissed. Mighty spiritual power and soul power intertwined, and the soul pressure unique to a Title Douluo spread bold and unrestrained. The entire valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well trembled slightly, and countless immortal herbs bowed low beneath this overwhelming might.
Seeing this, the Grand Elder's robe fluttered even without wind. A layer of soul light spread out from him, shielding Chen Yi.
Chen Yi and the Grand Elder both watched, eyes full of approval, as the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's phantom manifested magnificently. From this momentum alone, they were already certain that Dugu Bo had not only succeeded, but that his gains were greater than they had expected.
The dust gradually settled, and the figure at the cave entrance became clear.
He still wore a dark green robe, but the previously hunched posture was now straight and proud like a drawn sword. The dull traces left by years of toxin erosion on his face had faded significantly. His skin had a healthy luster, and his turquoise eyes sparkled. The faint gloom that had always lingered between his brows was now completely gone.
He stood there quietly, eyes half-closed, carefully sensing the awe-inspiring soul power in his body, which was now far more grand than before.
Not only had he shattered the bottleneck of Rank 91 with ease, but because of the soul core condensation, the foundation he'd accumulated over decades had erupted like a burst dam, pushing his cultivation past Rank 92 and steadily into the realm of Rank 93!
Two levels in a row!
From the peak of Rank 91, he had soared straight to Rank 93!
...
PS: Bonus chapter at 100 Power Stones