The Wood Release Spirit surged wildly within his body, with phantom green vines flickering faintly across his skin.
Su Yu struggled to maintain consciousness, channeling his Soul Power to guide the two opposing forces.
He had no idea how long he had endured within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but when the excruciating pain finally subsided, he felt as if he had already died once.
The moment his consciousness returned, a gentle warmth akin to spring snowmelt quietly flowed through his limbs and entire body.
Wherever it passed, every inch of his muscles, bones, and even individual cells trembled subtly.
Like parched earth encountering sweet rain, they greedily absorbed this newborn energy.
His eyes snapped open, now completely free of pain. With explosive force from his waist, he leaped out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well like a fish.
Droplets of water trailed crystalline arcs through the air, refracting rainbow colors.
Standing beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his body steamed with faint mist, his skin glowing with a delicate radiance.
"This is the Yin-Yang Icefire Body Tempering? How fascinating!"
The surging vitality within him nearly burst forth with every breath, as if he could draw energy directly from heaven and earth.
Consulting his system internally, he learned that his Sage Body had broken through, with vitality and recovery capabilities far surpassing previous levels.
With a thought, Su Yu quickly moved away from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Soul Power rising from his feet created a gentle breeze as he landed instantly on an open grassy field.
The sparse vegetation here made it perfect for testing that technique!
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"
The moment the words left his mouth, his Soul Power resonated violently with the surrounding natural energy.
The ground beneath him shook violently as countless dark brown roots erupted from the soil.
These roots grew and spread at visible speeds, transforming in the blink of an eye into towering giant trees.
Branches interlaced as they stretched toward the sky, dense foliage blotting out the sun and instantly turning the grassland into a lush, imposing forest.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! This is Wood Release! This is true Wood Release! Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha!"
Su Yu threw his head back in laughter, unrestrained joy causing all surrounding leaves to rustle loudly.
Though the technique currently only covered about twenty meters in range.
As his Soul Power continued to break through, this technique would eventually expand across hundreds, even thousands or tens of thousands of meters!
Observing the forest before him, Su Yu realized every single tree was under his control!
Dispelling the technique, the twenty-meter square forest receded like a tide.
Roots retracted into the soil, branches and leaves dissolved into points of light, leaving only the fresh scent of grass lingering in the air.
He turned and hurried back to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, spotting Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan from a distance holding a clay bowl.
The bowl contained a black, viscous-looking potion emitting strange wisps of gray smoke.
Dugu Bo stood nearby, his brow furrowed deeply, green eyes warily fixed on the bowl while side-eyeing Chrysanthemum Douluo:
"Old Guan, are you sure this black concoction of yours is drinkable?"
"You're not trying to settle old scores by poisoning me, are you?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo immediately bristled, slamming the clay bowl onto a stone platform with a snort:
"Bah! Would I resort to such methods?"
"This potion was brewed from the roots of several Immortal Herbs found around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!"
"Although the color is a bit unpleasant, it can draw out the snake venom inside your body—the effect is absolutely genuine!"
He stood with his hands on his hips, his tone carrying a hint of impatience: "Drink it or not, it's your choice. But if you miss this chance, there won't be another."
"When your toxin flares up and your whole body aches, don't come begging me."
Dugu Bo stared at the bowl of medicine, his nose still catching a faint, elusive scent of bitterness and fishiness.
After hesitating for a long time, he finally gritted his teeth—compared to the agony of the snake venom backlash, what did this unsightly color matter?
"Hmph, if it doesn't work, I won't let you off," he muttered, reaching out to take the bowl.
"Hold on."
Chrysanthemum Douluo stopped him, pulling out a small jade vial from his robe and dripping three drops of clear liquid into the medicine.
"Added a bit of Mind-Calming Herb sap—at least it'll make it less bitter to drink."
The gray fumes on the surface of the potion faded slightly. Only then did Dugu Bo pick up the ceramic bowl, frown, and down it in one gulp.
The taste was indeed far from pleasant—fishy and astringent!
But as it slid down his throat, it strangely carried a warm current that instantly dispelled some of the chill within his body.
He smacked his lips and, for once, refrained from snapping at Chrysanthemum Douluo, only mumbling vaguely:
"...Not bad."
Chrysanthemum Douluo snorted with laughter, turning away to organize the herbs, though the corner of his mouth curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
Not long after Dugu Bo swallowed the potion, a sharp, intense pain suddenly pierced through his chest.
It felt as though countless fine needles were stabbing him all at once, forcing him to double over in agony.
Clutching his chest tightly, Dugu Bo's green eyes widened in shock and fury as he glared at Chrysanthemum Douluo:
"Old Guan! Did you really tamper with the medicine? What the hell is this thing?"
"What's all the shouting about?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo shot him an annoyed glance, still holding a freshly picked herb in his hand.
"This is the potion taking effect—it's agitating the accumulated snake venom inside you. Of course it hurts!"
He stepped forward, his tone turning more serious: "Don't resist it. Do as I say."
"Calm your mind, circulate your Soul Power, guide it through your meridians, and slowly direct the churning toxins toward your Soul Bone!"
Dugu Bo's forehead veins bulged from the pain, his teeth clenched tightly. But Chrysanthemum Douluo's explanation sounded reasonable and didn't seem fabricated.
In the end, he forced himself to steady his mind and sat down cross-legged.
His Soul Power began to circulate laboriously within his body, each cycle feeling like walking on the edge of a blade.
Su Yu watched Dugu Bo, whose brows were furrowed tightly and lips pressed thin, looking as if he had swallowed an entire bitter melon.
Unable to resist, Su Yu turned to Chrysanthemum Douluo, a hint of teasing in his tone:
"Uncle Guan, are you sure you didn't mix in any extra 'ingredients' into that potion?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo coughed dryly, a sly smile flickering across his face as he lowered his voice:
"Don't worry, Your Highness, the medicinal effect is genuine—I guarantee it will lock the toxins obediently into his Soul Bone."
"It's just that..."
He glanced at Dugu Bo, who was still grimacing in pain.
"I conveniently added a bit of Soul-Piercing Herb powder to stimulate his meridians and speed up the reaction!"
"It's just that the process might be... a tad more painful than expected."
"A tad?"
Su Yu raised an eyebrow. Judging by the way Dugu Bo's temples were throbbing, it looked far more than just "a tad."
Chrysanthemum Douluo spread his hands, his expression completely matter-of-fact: "That old poison-user is stubborn. If it doesn't hurt enough, how could he obediently circulate his energy?"
"Besides, what's a little pain? Once the poison is completely cleared, he'll be thanking me."