At the first light of dawn, Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan had already mounted their Horned Scale Horses, leaving Heaven Dou City behind as they galloped toward the Sunset Forest in the northeast. The rhythmic sound of hooves kicked up a faint trail of dust, leaving the bustling imperial capital far in their wake.
Prince Xue Han stood atop the city gate, watching their receding figures with deep, contemplative eyes. The Second Prince Xue Rong stood by his side and whispered, "Uncle, he just left like this? Should we..."
Xue Han waved a hand, cutting him off. "This kid has a firm will and is no ordinary man. Forcing him to stay is useless; it is better to foster goodwill. Pass down the order: from now on, as long as members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan do not violate imperial law within Heaven Dou territory, provide them with every convenience."
He paused for a moment before adding, "That kid is already Level 90. He is likely searching for a suitable soul beast for his Ninth Soul Ring. Do not be clever and assume he is after some treasure."
"Understood," Xue Rong bowed and replied.
If Yu Yuanchen knew this, he would certainly be left between laughter and tears—wondering who exactly was the one being clever.
Several days later, Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan arrived at the edge of the Sunset Forest. Unlike the primitive and vast Star Dou Great Forest, the Sunset Forest appeared more rugged and precipitous, with rolling mountains and crisscrossing ravines. The air was filled with a complex atmosphere, alternating between cold and dry heat.
According to clues obtained from the Royal Academy, the "Profound Yin Earth Vein" mentioned in the records was located deep in the far north of the forest, while the "Earth Fire Yang Vein" was in the mid-east. The two decided to head north first to investigate the state of the Profound Yin Earth Vein.
After entering the forest, Yu Yuanchen no longer deliberately suppressed his aura, allowing a faint trace of True Dragon Pressure to flow naturally. This pressure might not be obvious to human soul masters, but to the soul beasts in the forest, it was like a lighthouse in the dark, carrying fear and awe that originated from the depths of their bloodlines.
Most of the soul beasts encountered along the way had cultivation levels below thirty thousand years. Upon sensing this aura that made their souls tremble, they all panicked and fled in disarray, not daring to come anywhere near. This greatly accelerated the pair's progress, saving them from many unnecessary troubles.
After several days of trekking across numerous mountain ranges, the two finally followed the rough markings on the Ancient Map to a deep canyon wedged between two black peaks. Before they even approached, a bone-chilling cold rushed toward them. The rocks at the canyon entrance were covered in a thick layer of white frost, appearing completely out of place in the lush surroundings.
"This is it, the 'Place of Profound Yin' mentioned in the Northern Travels Record," Yu Yuanchen confirmed, sensing the pure, chilling energy in the air.
The two stepped into the canyon, where the light suddenly dimmed and the temperature plummeted. The valley was deathly silent, with sparse vegetation consisting mostly of cold-resistant moss and lichen. Deep at the bottom of the valley, there was indeed a pool of deep, dark water. The water was ink-black, overflowing with cold air, and the edges of the pool were frozen with eternal Profound Ice. This was the "Profound Yin Pool" formed by the leakage of the Yin Earth Vein energy.
However, compared to the "bone-piercing cold and stagnant soul power" described in ancient texts, the chilling power here had clearly weakened significantly. Yu Yuanchen sensed it carefully with his Spiritual Power and discovered that the Yin Vein, which should have been vast and flowing deep underground, had become extremely faint, like an underground river on the verge of drying up, leaving behind only a trace of pure cold.
"The earth vein has withered... or rather, the main body has shifted," Yu Yuanchen concluded. "However, the remaining 'charm' of the cold and the 'trajectory' where the earth vein once flowed are still clearly identifiable."
He closed his eyes and focused, the Thunder God Seal between his brows warming slightly. His powerful Spiritual Power seeped into the earth like a spiderweb, meticulously capturing the flow of the weak yet pure Yin Vein. A moment later, he opened his eyes and traced a vague dashed line on the newly drawn map he had brought: "The remaining aura of the Yin Vein extends roughly toward the southeast."
After noting the clues for the Yin Vein, the two did not linger and immediately turned east to search for the "Earth Fire Yang Vein."
After several more days of travel, they found their target in a hilly area in the middle of the forest where the vegetation was sparse and the surface was reddish. Heat steamed from this place, and the air was filled with a faint smell of sulfur. Hot air erupted from several ground fissures from time to time, forming small hot spring eyes. This was the manifestation of the "Earth Fire Remnant Vein" mentioned in the Mountain River Earth Qi Overview.
Likewise, the masculine, scorching energy here was far weaker than recorded. The Earth Fire Remnant Vein also seemed to have dived deep, leaving only a little residual warmth. Yu Yuanchen sensed it again and determined the flow of the remaining Yang Vein aura: "The remaining Yang Vein extends roughly toward the southwest."
After marking the remaining flows of the two earth veins on the map, Yu Yuanchen's gaze focused on the convergence area where the two dashed lines extended—an unknown region located in the heart of the Sunset Forest, where the terrain was extremely complex and marked as the "Misty Valley."
"This is it!" A sharp light erupted in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. "The remaining auras of both the Yin and Yang veins point here! If the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well truly exists in this world, it must be here!"
With their target locked, the two were greatly encouraged and immediately set off toward the "Misty Valley."
The closer they got to that area, the more bizarre the surrounding environment became. The temperature was no longer stable; at times, a hot wind would blow, as if they were standing at the edge of a furnace, and at other times, a cold current would strike, making them feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar. The energy in the air also became extremely chaotic, and even the circulation of their soul power was slightly affected. The trees began to thin out and appeared withered.
"Brother Yuanchen, the energy here is so chaotic!" Ye Zhilan felt the strange environment, a look of solemnity appearing on her pretty face.
"Hmm, this means we found the right place," Yu Yuanchen said with a grave expression. "Only when extreme Yin and Yang energies converge and collide here can such a peculiar scene be formed. Be careful; such places are often occupied by powerful soul beasts."
His premonition was soon confirmed.
As the two passed through a stone forest filled with pale pink miasma and rugged rocks, and were about to reach the valley entrance marked on the map, an aura that was chilling, evil, and carried a strong spiritual deterrent suddenly erupted from behind a giant rock in front of them!
"Hiss, hiss--"
A hair-raising hissing sound rang out, and a massive figure slowly slithered out from behind the rock.
It was a giant python over ten meters long, its entire body covered in dark green scales! Most unsettling of all, its upper body was that of a human, with a bewitching and evil female face! A pair of vertical pupils appeared in a strange, dark green hue; just being swept by that gaze gave one the illusion that their body was about to turn rigid! Snake hair grew from its head, like countless snakes coiled together, making anyone with trypophobia feel their scalp tingle.
A sixty-thousand-year soul beast—Medusa! The Queen of Snakes!
This Medusa clearly regarded this place as its territory and was full of hostility toward the intruders. It coiled its body, a ferocious expression appearing on its bewitching human face. Its dark green snake eyes locked onto Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan, and a powerful spiritual shock mixed with lethal Petrification Power surged forth like a tide!
"Watch out for its eyes!" Yu Yuanchen gave a low shout, stepping forward to shield Ye Zhilan behind him. Purple-gold lightning erupted from his body, and his vast Thunder True Essence formed an incredibly solid Thunder Battle Robe, enveloping his entire body. The lightning was most intense around his eyes, resisting the invisible Petrification Ray.
At the same time, his powerful Spiritual Power condensed into a wall, blocking the Medusa's spiritual shock entirely.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Thunder Sacred Dragon True Body!"
Facing a Medusa with sixty thousand years of cultivation and a rare petrification talent, Yu Yuanchen did not dare to be careless and immediately activated his Martial Soul True Body! In an instant, his figure expanded, transforming into a majestic sacred dragon over ten meters long, covered in purple-gold lightning! The vast dragon pressure spread out like substance, actually suppressing the Medusa's evil aura!
Feeling the terrifying pressure originating from the depths of its bloodline, the Medusa's bewitching face showed fear for the first time. It realized that the enemy before it was far beyond its ability to contend with!
"Hiss!" It let out a sharp hiss, its massive snake tail slammed against the ground, and it turned to dive into the stone forest behind it to escape!
"Want to leave? Too late!" The sacred dragon transformed by Yu Yuanchen let out a heaven-shaking dragon roar. With a flap of its dragon wings, it moved as fast as lightning, catching up to the Medusa in an instant! Destruction Lightning condensed on its dragon claws, and it swiped fiercely at the Medusa's vital point!
In a moment of crisis, the Medusa turned its head abruptly, its dark green snake eyes erupting with unprecedented, brilliant blue light! This time, the Petrification Ray was condensed to the extreme, to the point where even the air seemed to emit a faint sound of solidification!
Yu Yuanchen did not dare to be slow; the lightning on his dragon claws suddenly contracted, forming a solid Thunder Shield in front of him!
"Chi, chi, chi!"
The Petrification Ray and the Thunder Shield collided violently, emitting a harsh sound. The Thunder Shield fluctuated violently, and some areas even showed a faint gray-white color, as if they were truly about to turn into stone! The Medusa's petrification eyes were indeed formidable!
Taking advantage of this gap, the Medusa opened its mouth and spat out a thick, purple poison mist, enveloping Yu Yuanchen while accelerating its escape.
"Petty tricks!" Yu Yuanchen opened his dragon mouth, and a thick blast of purple-gold lightning breath sprayed out, instantly clearing away the poison mist! His dragon tail swept out like a whip, striking the Medusa's waist with precision!
"Bang!"
With a muffled sound, the Medusa let out a shrill, miserable howl. Its massive body was sent flying, crashing into several stone pillars, shattering its scales and leaving it covered in blood.
It was completely panicked and, regardless of the cost, unleashed its petrification eye technique again, attempting a final struggle.
However, Yu Yuanchen would not give it another chance. His dragon body coiled, avoiding the direct hit of the most powerful eye beam. On his dragon claw, a highly condensed "Thunder Emperor's Annihilation Tribulation Spear" instantly formed, turning into a purple bolt of lightning that pierced through the Medusa's bewitching head with incredible speed!
"Puchi!"
The blue light dissipated, and the hissing came to an abrupt halt.
The Medusa's massive body twitched a few times before finally collapsing limply to the ground, its life force extinguished. A pitch-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring slowly condensed and emerged.
Yu Yuanchen deactivated his Martial Soul True Body and returned to human form, his breathing steady as if he had just performed a trivial task. He walked over to the Medusa's corpse, preparing to dispose of it, when he was surprised to discover that where the Medusa's skull had been pierced, a strange energy fluctuation was radiating alongside the soul ring.
With a flash of lightning at his fingertips, he carefully sliced open the snake's skull. A strange bone, roughly the size of a fist, dark gold in color, irregular in shape, and covered in natural, snake-eye-like patterns, appeared before his eyes!
A soul bone! And an extremely rare head soul bone at that!
"A head soul bone, of all things!" A trace of surprise flashed in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. Head soul bones provided immense boosts and protection to Spiritual Power, making them far more valuable than soul bones from other parts of the body. The fact that this Medusa possessed such a powerful petrification eye technique made the appearance of a head soul bone quite fitting.
He picked up the still-warm soul bone, turned, and walked over to Ye Zhilan, handing it directly to her: "Zhilan, this soul bone is perfect for you. The Medusa's petrification ability is closely linked to Spiritual Power; this head soul bone should significantly enhance your Spiritual Power and might even grant you the Medusa's Gaze ability. It will be of great benefit to your cultivation and the execution of your Mountain Splitting Force, while also strengthening your self-preservation."
Ye Zhilan looked at the precious soul bone in front of her, then up at Yu Yuanchen. Her beautiful eyes were filled with emotion, but she was more concerned for him: "Brother Yuanchen, this is too precious! You should absorb it; it would improve your strength much more."
Yu Yuanchen shook his head, his tone brooking no refusal: "My Spiritual Power is already strong enough, and I have the Thunder God Seal to protect me. This soul bone's age is too low to provide me with much of a boost. You, however, need to strengthen your Spiritual Power. Be obedient and absorb it. I will be your Guardian."
Seeing the firm look in Yu Yuanchen's eyes, Ye Zhilan stopped declining and nodded heavily: "Mm! Thank you, Brother Yuanchen!"
She immediately sat cross-legged, adjusted her state, and began to absorb the sixty-thousand-year Medusa Head Soul Bone. The process went quite smoothly; Ye Zhilan's Spiritual Power was already formidable, and with Yu Yuanchen by her side using his pure Thunder True Essence to guide the energy and stabilize her mind, the fusion was completed in just over half a day.
When Ye Zhilan opened her eyes again, they had become clearer and brighter, with a faint, imperceptible green halo swirling within them, giving her an even more ethereal and spirited temperament. Her Spiritual Power had surged significantly, and her Soul Power had naturally followed suit, breaking through to level sixty-five!
"How do you feel?" Yu Yuanchen asked with concern.
"Very good!" Ye Zhilan happily sensed the changes within herself. "My Spiritual Power is much stronger, my perception is sharper, and my Soul Power flows much more smoothly. This soul bone also granted me a soul skill called 'Medusa's Gaze,' which perfectly inherits the Medusa's petrifying eyes."
"Not bad, it suits you well." Yu Yuanchen nodded with satisfaction. Even though he had dealt with the Medusa's petrifying eyes easily, that was because his Thunder True Essence, while nourishing the godhood within his body, had also taken on some properties of divine power. This gave him extremely high resistance to such curse-like abilities; if an ordinary Titled Douluo were to be caught off guard by this move, they would suffer a great loss.
After disposing of the Medusa's corpse and resting for a moment, the two of them couldn't wait to continue deeper into the valley.
The deeper they went, the more obvious the environmental anomalies became. At times, they had to circulate their Soul Power to resist extreme cold capable of freezing blood, and at others, they had to erect barriers to block heat intense enough to melt metal and stone. Frost and scorched earth coexisted in a bizarre fashion.
Finally, they reached a hill about five hundred meters high. The hill resembled an active volcano, yet its exterior was covered in ice, appearing truly miraculous. The perimeter of the mountain was surrounded by Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flowers, forming a natural poisonous miasma that made it difficult for ordinary people and animals to approach. Upon reaching the summit, they could see an inverted cone-shaped hollow, from which thick heat rose, carrying humid water vapor and the scent of sulfur.
In the valley below the hollow lay a small lake. The lake was clearly divided into two parts: one side was ice-white, shimmering with faint white mist, while the other was fire-red, with the light above it slightly distorted. The colors of the lake water were milky white and vermilion, distinct and non-encroaching. The billowing steam created a misty atmosphere around them, making it look like a fairyland.
The sky above the valley was shrouded in a Seven-Colored Poison Cloud, and the sunlight filtering through it added a gorgeous array of colors to the entire valley. The distant cliff walls were covered in deep blue vines that flickered with a faint seven-colored light, as if cast from sapphires. Various exotic flowers and grasses grew within the valley, competing for beauty around the lake. Many of these plants emitted treasures of varying intensity, reflecting off the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to create a breathtaking scene.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well! They had finally found it!
Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan stood at the entrance of the valley, gazing at this miraculous creation of heaven and earth, their eyes filled with shock and joy.
"Found it... we finally found it!" Yu Yuanchen let out a long breath, a heartfelt smile appearing on his face. After all the twists and turns, their goal was right before them!
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan