The return to Heaven Dou City was a homecoming to a place that had never truly been home. Yet, after the cold, stark beauty of the Extreme North and the overt, aggressive pride of Dragon City, the capital of the Heaven Soul Empire felt like a familiar, comfortable coat. Its streets were a chaotic symphony of life, its air thick with the scent of a thousand different foods and the low, constant hum of a million intersecting destinies.
For Jin Xi, however, comfort was a secondary concern. Her primary objective, now that the immediate threat had passed and their coffers were overflowing with the spoils of their victory, was to establish a proper base of operations. A lair fit for a dragon.
"No," she declared, her arms crossed, her veiled ruby eyes scanning a perfectly pleasant, three-story residence with a disdainful glare. They stood in one of the city's more affluent residential districts, accompanied by a perspiring, overly eager property agent who had been showing them courtyards for the better part of the day.
The agent, a man named Mr. Feng, wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "But… but Madam," he stammered, completely intimidated by the two breathtaking, powerful women and the quiet, intense young master. "This courtyard has a fine southern exposure, a lovely garden with imported Moonpetal flowers, and the stonework is impeccable…"
"The sunlight is the wrong shade of yellow," Jin Xi stated with absolute finality, as if this were the most logical and damning flaw in the world. "It is far too… cheerful. It clashes with my complexion. We will look elsewhere."
Mr. Feng stared, his mouth agape, utterly speechless. He had been a property agent for twenty years, and he had heard every complaint imaginable—the rooms were too small, the well water was brackish, the neighbors were too loud. But never, in all his years, had anyone complained about the fundamental color of the sun.
Huo Yuhao just sighed, a long, suffering sound that was becoming his default response to Jin Xi's particular brand of royal logic. They had been at this for hours.
The first courtyard she had rejected because the gate was "insufficiently imposing." The second, because the fish in the ornamental pond were "uninspired and lacked a proper fighting spirit." The third, a beautiful, sprawling estate, had been dismissed because the wind whispering through the bamboo grove "sounded vaguely judgmental."
Xue Nu, serene and silent, simply observed the proceedings with the detached curiosity of a scientist studying a strange and fascinating new species. Human nesting habits, she was learning, were deeply complex.
"Xi'er," Huo Yuhao said finally, his voice a low, patient murmur as he gently steered her away from the sputtering property agent. "Perhaps you could tell me what it is you are actually looking for? A specific size? A certain style?"
Jin Xi paused, tapping a thoughtful finger against her lips. "I am looking for a place that feels… right," she said vaguely. "It must have a proper aura. One of magnificence, of quiet power, and it must be suitable for a being of my station."
Huo Yuhao translated this in his head. She had absolutely no idea what she was looking for, and was simply enjoying the power of rejecting things until something caught her fancy.
"Alright," he said, taking charge. He turned to the beleaguered Mr. Feng. "Sir, is there anything available slightly outside the main city walls? A private manor, perhaps? Something with a large garden, a bit of natural landscape, far from the noise of the central districts."
Mr. Feng's eyes lit up with a renewed hope. "Outside the city? Yes, Young Master! Yes, of course! There is one property. The Jade Creek Manor. It was owned by a wealthy merchant who recently retired to the southern coast. It is very large, very private, with its own small lake and a bamboo forest. It has been on the market for some time as most clients prefer to be within the city walls for protection, but it is a place of unparalleled beauty and tranquility."
"Show us," Huo Yuhao said with a decisive nod.
An hour later, they stood before the gates of the Jade Creek Manor. It was nestled in a gentle valley just a few miles beyond the city, surrounded by rolling green hills and the babbling of a clear, winding stream. The manor itself was a masterpiece of elegant, understated architecture—graceful, curving rooftops, wide verandas, and walls of smooth, pale stone. A high wall, overgrown with sweet-smelling jasmine, ensured absolute privacy.
The moment they stepped through the gates, they entered a different world. The garden was a lush, sprawling paradise, with weeping willows trailing their branches into a crystal-clear lake. A small, elegant stone bridge arched over the water, leading to a secluded pavilion in the center. The air was clean, filled with the scent of damp earth and flowers, and the only sound was the gentle whisper of the wind through the bamboo grove at the edge of the property.
It was peaceful. It was beautiful. It was perfect.
Jin Xi stood in the center of the garden, slowly turning in a circle, her ruby eyes wide with a genuine, unfeigned wonder. This place… it felt right.
"This one," she declared, her voice holding a note of quiet satisfaction. She then turned to Huo Yuhao, a smug, triumphant grin spreading across her face. "You see? I knew if I was patient enough, I would eventually guide us to the perfect location. My instincts are, as always, flawless."
Huo Yuhao just shook his head, a helpless smile on his face. He paid Mr. Feng, purchasing the manor outright with a handful of the gold coins from their winnings, a transaction that left the agent bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. Their strange new life now had a home base.
That night, after a celebratory feast of takeout from the Scaled Goblet, a quiet, focused energy settled over their new home. It was time.
In the largest, most private room of the manor, Jin Xi sat cross-legged on a soft, silk cushion. Before her, resting on a velvet cloth, was the Solar Flame Devourer Dragon torso bone. It pulsed with a gentle, sun-like warmth, its golden-red light filling the room with a potent, draconic aura.
Huo Yuhao and Xue Nu stood guard at opposite ends of the room, their expressions grave and focused. This was a critical moment.
"Are you ready, Xi'er?" Huo Yuhao asked softly.
She gave him a confident, predatory grin. "I was born ready, Yuhao."
She placed her hands on the Soul Bone. The moment her skin made contact, a profound resonance shuddered through her. The bone did not resist. It did not fight. Instead, it hummed with a joyous, almost subservient energy.
A majestic, ethereal Golden Dragon, far larger and more brilliant than ever before, materialized behind her. It let out a silent, triumphant roar, its authority absolute. The faint, lingering will of the sub-dragon within the Soul Bone, a creature of fire and sun, instantly recognized its master, its sovereign. It was like a common soldier coming face to face with the emperor of all dragons. It did not cower in fear; it bowed in absolute, willing reverence.
The Soul Bone dissolved into a stream of pure, golden-red light and flowed into Jin Xi's body.
There was no pain. No violent struggle. It was a comfortable, warm, and deeply pleasant sensation, like sinking into a hot spring of pure power. The bone's essence flowed through her, merging seamlessly with her own torso, strengthening her core, and reinforcing her very being.
She could feel the Solar Devour ability integrating with her soul. It was not a foreign power being grafted on, but a missing piece of her own heritage being returned. The ability to absorb and command the essence of the sun felt as natural to her as breathing.
A new, potent wave of energy, born from the fusion of the bone's power and her own immense potential, surged through her. Her Soul Power, which had been resting at the peak of Level 68, crashed against the bottleneck of Rank 69 like a tidal wave against a sandcastle. The barrier shattered instantly. The torrent of power continued to rise, pushing past the threshold, climbing higher and higher, before finally, with a deep, resonant pulse that made the very air in the room hum, it settled.
Level 70. Soul Sage.
The Golden Dragon soul behind her seemed to solidify, its scales shining with a new, purer light. A hint of the true, raw power of the Ultimate Strength attribute, once a dormant seed within her, began to awaken, making her aura feel heavier, more substantial, more absolute. She had not just advanced in rank; she had taken a profound step forward on her own evolutionary path.
She opened her eyes, a brilliant, triumphant fire burning within their ruby depths. "Well," she said, her voice a low, satisfied purr. "That was invigorating."
She stood up, her movements fluid and filled with a new, potent grace. "Now, I am a Soul Sage. And a Soul Sage needs her seventh Soul Ring." She looked at Huo Yuhao, her expression a mixture of demand and eager anticipation. "It is time to make good on your promise, my clever little craftsman. It is time for you to get me my first Soul Spirit."
Huo Yuhao smiled. "I agree. We will leave tomorrow."
The next morning, under the pale, watery light of dawn, the trio set out once more. Their destination was not some distant, frozen wasteland, but a place much closer, a dense, ancient forest just a day's journey from Heaven Dou City. The Sunset Forest.
As they walked along the winding forest path, the trees growing thicker, the air growing heavier with the scent of damp earth and ancient secrets, Jin Xi voiced her skepticism.
"The Sunset Forest?" she said, her nose wrinkling slightly in disdain. "Are you certain, Yuhao? I have heard of this place and I can feel the life force here. It certainly has lots of different types of species, yes, but it is… too small. The beasts here are a shadow of what we have in Star Dou Great Forest. Are you sure you can find a creature here worthy of becoming my first Soul Spirit? I will not settle for some mangy, ten-thousand-year-old lizard."
Huo Yuhao just smiled mysteriously. "The beast we seek is not one of ordinary strength, Xi'er. It is a creature of unique and immense fortune. And it is not found in the forest itself, but in a place hidden within it. A place of great danger, and even greater opportunity."
He did not elaborate further, letting her curiosity simmer. His own mind, however, was a focused, detailed map, the knowledge from the book of fate laying out the path ahead with perfect, chilling clarity.
'The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,' he thought, his heart beating a little faster with anticipation. 'A place where two opposing, absolute forces of nature meet in a perfect, volatile harmony. A natural treasure beyond all reckoning.'
His thoughts then turned to the obstacle, the great guardian of that sacred place. 'Tang San's poison miasma. A poison defense laid ten thousand years ago, a field of Jade Phosphorous Flowers, so toxic it can kill a Titled Douluo who breathes its air for more than a few minutes. A clever, and incredibly ruthless, defense.'
He glanced at Xue Nu, who was walking beside him with her usual serene grace, the natural coldness of her aura causing the leaves around her to frost over slightly. 'But she is the key. Her power is not just ice. It is Ultimate Snow and Ultimate Ice. An insanely cold power that can ensure that even freeze anything in the world. I am betting that the miasma, a poison born of nature, will be rendered inert by a force that represents the absolute stillness of nature itself. She can protect us. Well...I can probably do the same, but its safer to bet on her since her cultivation is much higher.'
His internal monologue continued, a silent recitation of his grand, audacious plan of plunder.
'For Jin Xi, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. A hundred-thousand-year-old plant spirit. Its gentle, supportive nature will be a perfect complement to her own overwhelming offensive power. It will become her first Soul Spirit, a foundation of healing and resilience.'
'For myself… I need herbs as well' A cold, determined fire lit in his mind. 'The Daffodil Jade Flesh Bone. Ingesting it will clear the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, a feat that would normally be impossible to achieve. My Mysterious Heaven Technique will advance to a new level, my cultivation speed will soar. Then, the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. Consuming it will flood my Spiritual Sea with a pure, immense spiritual energy while allowing my Spirit Eyes to complete their second awakening. Combined with the Daffodil Jade Flesh Bone's effects, it should be enough. Enough to push me from Rank 29, to the bottleneck of 30. Once I attach a third Soul Spirit from among those Immortal Herbs, I can go all the way to the Soul Ancestor to more than 40 and all the way to Soul Ancestor, with my Soul Power level actually reaching past the Level 40. My spiritual energy will break through to the next realm, the Spirit Abyss, and my Purple Demon Eye will reach its own new height.'
He wasn't finished. 'Among those herbs, the best one to choose as my Soul Spirit is... the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass. A creature of pure, ancient ice essence. It will be the perfect second Soul Spirit for my second Martial Soul. With its power, I can condense my third and fourth Soul Rings for the Ice Jade Scorpion Empress Martial Soul.'
His ambition was a towering, audacious thing. But he had not forgotten his newest comrade.
'And for Xue Nu,' he thought, glancing at the serene snow empress. 'She can ingest The Frost Heart Lotus. A ten-thousand-year-old herb, but one whose properties are unique. It calms the mind, purifies ice-attribute energy, and stabilizes one's spiritual foundation. For a being like her, who has just undergone a profound transformation, it will be an invaluable aid. Her power is already at Level 82. The pure, stabilizing energy of the lotus should be enough to push her to Rank 84, perhaps even 85, solidifying her strength and ensuring her new human form is in perfect harmony with her immense soul.'
A cold, dismissive smile touched his lips as he thought of the original purpose of this sacred garden. 'Tang San's trials. His tests of character. His little games of fate. I have no time for them. This well is not his personal pantry. It is a natural treasure of the world. These herbs are not his property to dispense as he sees fit. If they resist, if they dare to speak of destiny or trials… they will learn that my methods are far more direct.'
His final thought was one of grand, possessive ambition. 'If I had the power, I would rip this entire well from the earth and transplant it to the Lake of Life. But for now… I will settle for harvesting all those herbs and planting them near the Lake of Life. The effect of growing near the Lake of Life shouldn't be much worse compared to this place for these herbs, after all, the intense life energy should be even more helpful to these fellows.'
After two days of steady travel, the forest around them began to change. The air grew still, heavy. The cheerful chirping of birds and the rustling of small animals vanished, replaced by an unnerving, absolute silence. The trees themselves seemed warped, their colors sickly, their leaves a strange, purplish-green.
They had arrived at the edge of the poison miasma.
"Stay close," Huo Yuhao said, his voice a low, serious command.
Jin Xi and Xue Nu nodded, moving to flank him, their expressions now grim and focused. They could feel it. A profound, deadly energy permeated the air before them, a presence that screamed danger to every fiber of their being.
"Xue Nu," Huo Yuhao said, turning to her. "It's time. You need to take action to help us get past this poison miasma containing the poison from hundreds of thousands of Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes and Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Nine Absolutes."
She did not need to be asked twice. She stepped forward, her serene face a mask of cool concentration. She raised a slender, pale hand.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Snowy Dance of Ultimate Ice."
The world did not just grow cold; it was fundamentally remade. A perfect, silent dome of swirling, luminescent snowflakes erupted from her, encasing the three of them in a tranquil, shimmering sphere of absolute cold.
They stepped into the miasma.
The world outside their protective dome was a nightmare of lurid color. The air was a thick, soupy fog of rainbow light. The ground was carpeted with beautiful, deadly flowers—the Jade Phosphorous Flowers, their petals glowing with an unnatural, toxic light. The air was so poisonous that the very rocks seemed to sweat with a corrosive slime.
But inside Xue Nu's domain, they were untouched. The moment the poisonous vapor touched the swirling wall of snowflakes, it did not just dissipate; it froze solid. Tiny, colorful crystals of frozen poison would form on the outer surface of their dome for a fraction of a second before being ground into harmless, inert dust by the relentless, grinding motion of the blizzard. Tang San's ten-thousand-year-old trap was rendered completely, utterly useless against the absolute, conceptual power of Ultimate Snow.
They walked for what felt like an hour through the heart of the poisonous hellscape, safe within their serene, wintery bubble.
And then, they passed through it.
The poisonous fog vanished as if it had hit an invisible wall. The world before them exploded with a vibrant, impossible life.
They stood on a small hill, looking down into a circular basin. The basin was a perfect circle, divided down the middle into two halves. One half was a spring of milky-white water that bubbled with a gentle, comforting warmth. The other half was a spring of fiery vermillion water that churned with a searing heat. In the very center, where the two springs met, a constant stream of vapor rose into the sky, forming a swirling, ethereal cloud of mist above.
The banks of the well were a riot of impossible color. Plants that should not exist grew side-by-side in perfect, vibrant harmony. There were glowing, crystalline grasses, flowers with petals of pure, solid gold, and herbs that pulsed with a light that seemed to contain the very essence of life. The air was so thick with pure, potent life force that it was like breathing nectar.
They had arrived. They stood at the edge of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. And its harvest was about to begin.