Sunset Forest.
They had set out at dawn and arrived by dusk.
Now, deep in the woods under the cover of night, silence reigned.
One elder, one adult, and one youth—
Three shadows moved quietly through the forest.
Dugu Bo led Ye Qingxian and Lin Xiao toward a steep cliffside. With one hand on each of their shoulders, he carried them effortlessly, leaping from rock to rock with the ease of a phantom.
After reaching the summit, they descended into a concealed valley beyond a narrow mountain pass.
Ye Qingxian couldn't help but comment:
"Senior Poison Douluo, I must say, you really went all out finding this place."
"Desolate cliffs, twisting paths, and no sign of life."
"I honestly wonder how you ever found it. Even knowing it's hidden somewhere in Sunset Forest, without your guidance it'd be like searching for a needle in the sea."
Dugu Bo gently landed with the two in tow.
"I stumbled upon it by accident," he replied. "I often explore uninhabited places in search of rare poisons. One day, I came across this place by chance. Call it fate."
"Besides, I've laid a poisonous formation around the valley. Even if someone were lucky enough to find it, they'd never make it out alive."
They entered the valley.
Despite the darkness up on the cliff, inside the basin it was bright and misty.
Hidden among shadows, a world reveals itself.
A wave of steamy vapor rolled in. As Lin Xiao and Ye Qingxian looked ahead, they found themselves standing at the threshold of a lush inner valley. In the distance, two oval pools shimmered—one milky white, the other a vivid crimson.
"This… is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well you mentioned?" Ye Qingxian murmured, staring in awe.
Yin and yang in harmony.
Twin forces clashing.
A true land of miracles.
Dugu Bo nodded calmly.
"The closer you get to the spring, the more abundant the herbs—and the stronger the extreme cold and heat. Even I can't stay long near the source."
"Master Ye, you don't have the protection of the evil fire. You mustn't go too deep."
Ye Qingxian gave a small nod.
In truth, she understood these herbs far better than Dugu Bo did.
She stepped into the outskirts of the field and was instantly stunned—rare medicinal plants she'd only ever read about were growing all around her, healthy and vibrant. Not just old in age, but of exceptional quality.
The deeper she went, the wider her eyes grew.
"According to Lin Xiao, the well boosts plant growth hundreds or thousands of times. But from what I see—it's far more than that."
"The further in you go, the faster the plants grow. On the outer rim, they reach ten years in days. A bit further? A hundred. Near the spring itself? A thousand years or more… and the ones right by the pool?"
"They've already surpassed the realm of logic."
Lin Xiao mentally nodded. That would explain why A-Yin, who once hid in this place, had been able to regain her cultivation to ten thousand years in just a few years.
Some people dream of things like this… and others find them.
Ye Qingxian suddenly started breathing faster.
"Oh, my heart hurts!"
"I spent years painstakingly collecting rare herbs—why!?"
"I used to get excited over a hundred-year-old lingzhi... and now that's basically trash here!"
So much for being well-traveled and composed.
So much for being the elegant, eagle-like, poised woman she prided herself on being.
Today, she felt like a clueless country bumpkin.
"Wuwuwu… Why do I suddenly want to become a farmer!?"
She reached down to pluck a violet flower.
Dugu Bo gasped, "Don't! That flower's poisonous!"
But Ye Qingxian was perfectly fine.
Upon closer inspection, she was wearing ultra-thin silk gloves—coated with a delicate alchemical membrane that shielded her from toxins.
Dugu Bo: "…"
Did he just embarrass himself?
Lin Xiao chimed in helpfully:
"Senior Dugu, have you considered that maybe… just maybe… Auntie Ye knows way more about herbs than you?"
Dugu Bo's face twitched—then turned red with embarrassment.
A beat later, he grumbled in frustration.
"I was just trying to help, you brat. Stay out of it."
Just then—
Ye Qingxian pulled a jade-handled trowel from her soul tool and began digging up herbs from the ground.
Then she brought out a hoe and started tilling the soil.
Dugu Bo and Lin Xiao stared at her in disbelief.
"…Auntie Ye, what are you doing?"
Her voice sounded slightly regretful.
"It's such a waste!" she sighed.
"This place is a miracle—but the herbs grow completely at random.
They only flourish because of the land's power, not from good care."
"It's barbaric. Blasphemous, even!"
"I need to reorganize this place. Some of these herbs are taking up way too much space—do they even realize how much they're hogging!?"
"Once I optimize the layout, I can triple the yield."
"Ignore me. Lin Xiao, weren't you looking for celestial herbs?
Go explore and report back later."
With that, she resumed her work.
While she labored, she looked over the vast field surrounding the Ice and Fire Well with burning determination.
"So much waste!
Why do I really want to stay here and become a farmer!?"
Dugu Bo tossed a small blue pouch to Lin Xiao.
"This is Bishui Shengyu. It can store living things. It's yours."
Though he'd stayed quiet these past few days, Dugu Bo had been observing Lin Xiao and Dugu Yan's relationship. Seeing their genuine bond slowly melted the old man's icy heart.
What's more, Dugu Yan's body had grown stronger by the day.
That meant she could now accept higher-aged spirit rings—effectively increasing her potential.
He didn't know why, exactly.
When asked, she only said it was a secret.
But it was clear everything had changed since Lin Xiao arrived.
Dugu Bo wasn't the type to hoard treasures.
Lin Xiao caught the pouch and accepted it without hesitation. He gave Dugu Bo a side glance.
"Well, well. Weren't you super grumpy before?"
"Now look at you—being generous!"
"Thanks, Senior Dugu."
After offering his thanks, Lin Xiao headed toward the heart of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Dugu Bo watched him go, visibly relieved when he saw that Lin Xiao remained unaffected by the extreme energies.
With nothing better to do, he began helping Ye Qingxian in her "reorganization" of the herb field.
Lin Xiao moved deeper into the valley.
The further he went…
The more extreme the cold and heat became.
A true realm of dual extremes—frost and flame.
Suddenly, his Phoenix Spirit stirred restlessly.
The evil fire within him, usually raging and volatile, was being suppressed by the opposing energies—just like how Dugu Bo's toxins were held at bay.
"This place really is extraordinary…"
As he ventured into the core zone, Lin Xiao took stock of the herbs around him.
"Eight-Petal Ice Grass. Blazing Delicate Apricot. Yearning Heartbroken Red. Autumnwater Dew. Fragrant Silken Immortal. Swan's Kiss. Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King. Dragon Leaf Ganoderma. Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng. Silken Golden Orchid. Harmonized Immortal Herb. Black Jade Divine Bamboo. Earth Dragon Melon…"
"A treasure trove beyond imagination."
Even though Lin Xiao had mentally prepared himself—
He was still awestruck by the sheer wealth of celestial herbs before him.
And some of them weren't even in the original story.