Standing once again before the pool of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Shen Hanyu extended his hand to sense the faint energy below that seemed to draw him in, a slight smile appearing on his face.
Dugu Bo approached slowly, his expression somewhat grim, and said:
"You seem to have always been very interested in this spring water. The moment you returned, you came straight here. Why? Is it that important?"
Shen Hanyu glanced at Dugu Bo, then replied:
"This spring water is undoubtedly a supreme treasure, but it depends on the person. For ordinary people, prolonged contact offers no benefits and might even cause them to explode and die on the spot."
"For someone like you, who is deeply poisoned, this place can effectively suppress the toxins, making it naturally a treasured location."
"There is also another type of person, like me, who understands the origin of this spring and has truly uncovered its secrets. However, people like me often face the greatest danger."
Dugu Bo nodded, then asked with some confusion:
"Kid, after you went out and came back, you really gave this old man quite a shock. Breaking through nearly twenty levels in two years, whether it's true or not, this old man suspects you swallowed some kind of pill that overdraws your potential…"
Shen Hanyu rolled his eyes at Dugu Bo and said somewhat speechlessly:
"Do I look like that kind of idiot to you?"
Dugu Bo didn't speak, merely staring at Shen Hanyu until the latter felt chills down his spine.
"Fine, fine, I didn't take any pills or anything like that. I just had a bit of a fortuitous encounter, and my cultivation soared. It's not a big deal, at least, for me; it's a good thing."
After giving a brief explanation, Shen Hanyu said no more. Instead, his gaze turned toward the cliff above, where he sensed a somewhat unfamiliar presence; it was none other than Dugu Yan, whom he had "humiliated" once before.
Shen Hanyu looked back at Dugu Bo and asked:
"So, Dugu Yan is back?"
Dugu Bo nodded, hands clasped behind his back as he spoke with a touch of emotion:
"Although what you said last time dealt quite a blow to that girl, over these two years, Yan Yan has indeed become much more restrained, and her cultivation has become more diligent. It's said she's even using you as her goal. Now, Yan Yan has broken through to the Soul Elder realm, it's just that…"
Shen Hanyu nodded. When young, even a small matter could become an obsession that haunts one for life. Shen Hanyu had experienced this in his previous life, so his interest was piqued. He asked curiously:
"What's wrong? Could something have gone wrong?"
Dugu Bo's expression grew complicated as he said softly:
"It's that kid from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He was pressured by Yan Yan to cultivate together, and for some reason, the two of them have quarreled several times. The conflict between them has grown worse and worse…"
"Moreover, I don't know if Yan Yan wasn't careful, but somehow she let slip that she had undergone such a massive transformation after consuming a strange immortal herb. That kid from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan took it very seriously and reported the matter to his clan."
"The last time I was handling affairs in Tiandou City, I was stopped by the Second Elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Although he knew very little, his words clearly implied he wanted to inquire about the origin and whereabouts of those herbs."
Shen Hanyu nodded, lowered his head in thought for a moment, then said:
"It's not a big deal. Although that old dragon is powerful, he cannot casually leave the clan. The others are no match for you, and I doubt they would have the courage to commit murder and robbery. Besides, very few people know the exact uses of those immortal herbs. Every medicine has its poison; eating too much isn't always entirely beneficial."
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement. Many immortal herbs were growing around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Back then, Shen Hanyu had only taken the portion he recognized, leaving the rest here to continue growing.
After a pause, Shen Hanyu added:
"Still, Old Poison, I have to remind you: better safe than sorry. Be wary of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Those fellows have been spoiled rotten; sometimes their brains don't work properly. Who knows when they might tear off all pretense and make things ugly."
Dugu Bo grunted in acknowledgment. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he took out a blue-white scale and tossed it to Shen Hanyu, saying:
"This is a head scale from a seventy-thousand-year Blue Sapphire Dragon. I happened to obtain it at the Tiandou Grand Auction House. It can reflect and absorb a portion of mental energy. I'm giving it to you."
Shen Hanyu caught it with some curiosity, examined it briefly, then stored it in his spirit tool and thanked Dugu Bo.
The item wasn't particularly useful to him, but it was Dugu Bo's kind intention. He couldn't refuse it outright and decided he would simply compensate him with something later.
Speaking of Blue Sapphire Dragons, Shen Hanyu had once encountered this type of spirit beast in the Far North, but unfortunately, it was only at the hundred-year level and held no value, so he hadn't bothered to hunt it.
Otherwise, he would very much have liked to obtain a spirit ring or spirit bone from a Blue Sapphire Dragon and acquire their innate spirit skill: Materialization of Spirit.
This spirit skill was different from skills like Intangibility or Invincible Golden Body, which were limited by time and spirit power consumption. Materialization of Spirit would disperse the physical body into pure mental energy, scattering it over an unfixed range, from one meter to half a continent.
As long as mental power remained, the person could achieve near-infinite revival to a certain extent. Of course, no one had ever actually obtained it.
However, this spirit skill also had significant drawbacks: in that state, one could neither cultivate nor replenish the energy their body needed. Moreover, upon reforming the physical body, the amount of mental cultivation lost would cause a corresponding permanent drop in mental strength. Still, as a life-saving divine skill, there was little more to complain about.
Even among the currently prosperous Blue Sapphire Dragon clan, it was unlikely anyone possessed this skill.
Just like the Ice Explosion Technique inherited by the Ice Jade Scorpion clan, which only appeared in one clan member every few generations, the probability of the Materialization of Spirit appearing in the Blue Sapphire Dragon clan was even lower than the ocean running dry.
The most recent record dates back five thousand years, and even the ancient book recording that history had weathered away, leaving only versions copied by later generations.
Its authenticity remained uncertain, but Shen Hanyu was still very interested in it.
After chatting briefly with Dugu Bo for a couple more sentences, Shen Hanyu prepared to head directly into the depths of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Although Dugu Bo didn't quite understand, he could only cooperate with Shen Hanyu's actions as best he could.
In the mental sea, Tian Meng had remained unusually silent for a long time, deep in thought.
Shen Hanyu asked softly:
"Tian Meng, are you ready?"
Only then did Tian Meng snap back to attention. He nodded seriously and said:
"Hanyu, bro has a rather immature idea…"