After harvesting many Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and settling matters there, Yu Yan was flown out of Sunset Forest by Dugu Bo.
Held fast by Dugu Bo, Yu Yan watched the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well shrink behind him; having lived here half a year, he felt a twinge of reluctance.
"Reluctant to leave?"
Dugu Yan, held by Dugu Bo's other hand, noticed Yu Yan's odd mood.
"A little. After more than six months here, how could I feel nothing when we suddenly go?"
He was only human—no heart of stone—and such sentiment was only natural.
"Yu Yan Kid, if you can't bear to part, how about I pitch you back in?"
Dugu Bo, soaring through the air, cut into their talk the moment he heard it.
"No, no, no—I'm much more excited about my fourth spirit ring."
Knowing Dugu Bo wouldn't really throw him back, Yu Yan played along instead of talking back.
When you're thousands of meters up in someone else's grip, there's no point picking a fight.
They passed over Heaven Dou City; after dropping Dugu Yan at the family estate, Dugu Bo bore Yu Yan due north, straight for the Extreme North Land—a World of ice and snow, of mighty Spirit Beasts and unbearable cold that made it a forbidden zone to humans.
Standing at the edge of the Extreme North Land and gazing at this snow-shrouded World, Yu Yan marveled at nature's grandeur.
Star Dou Great Forest had the Lake of Life, Sunset Forest held the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well; Yu Yan had always figured the heart of the Extreme North Land must hide a similar treasure.
Sadly, his current Spirit Power Level was too low to venture deep and find out.
Once I'm strong enough, I'll definitely explore the center and satisfy my curiosity.
"Stop gawking. Get the spirit ring and let's get out—I've no wish to stay in this frozen hell."
The icy wind gusting from the Extreme North Land grated on Dugu Bo's instincts; seeing Yu Yan admire the scenery, he urged him to move.
The cold currents meant nothing to Yu Yan—either of the Ice and Fire Twin Fish granted him strong resistance to such chill.
Reading Dugu Bo's dislike, Yu Yan quit sightseeing, pulled out a map to set their heading, and was hauled off toward the volcano where the Molten Vortex Ice Light Dragon lived.
The Molten Vortex Ice Light Dragon dwelt in a volcano within the Extreme North Land.
Yes, you heard that right—amid the endless snow, volcanoes exist, much like under-sea vents.
A sub-Dragon-type of ice-and-fire affinity, the Molten Vortex Ice Light Dragon stands at the apex of all sub-Dragon branches, a hair's breadth from true Dragon-type Spirit Beasts.
Its dual element lets it fight on par with genuine Dragon-type Spirit Beasts.
The volcanic zone it inhabits lies in the middle of the Extreme North Land, and as they flew Dugu Bo's loathing for the place was written plain on his face.
Fortunately it didn't last; nearing the volcano, its warmth dispelled the land's chill and lifted Dugu Bo's mood.
"What age do you need? I'll scout the beast first, then we hunt together."
Having read Yu Yan's notes, Dugu Bo remembered these beasts are fiercely territorial and never group—standard for powerful Spirit Beasts.
"Between twenty-five and thirty thousand years—aim for the upper end."
Having judged his limits, Yu Yan gave Dugu Bo the target range.
"Got it—push toward the thirty-thousand mark."
Normally the limit for a sixth spirit ring is twenty thousand years, and for the seventh, fifty thousand.