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For the whole of the following day, Na'er stayed glued to Bai Chen's side, pouring all her energy into doting on him.
Her exuberant warmth left even Yuan En Yehuī a little taken aback.
"Is this really what normal siblings are like?"
"Well, the young master and the young miss's situation is rather special — I'd say so, more or less."
Faced with her bewilderment, Xue Ni could only respond with a helpless smile.
The day passed quickly. When the sun rose again, Zang Xin was already waiting at the Bai family's front gate.
Under Na'er's lingering, reluctant gaze, Bai Chen left the family villa and got into Zang Xin's car.
After closing the car door, Zang Xin started the engine and asked:
"Do you still have the Tang Sect Ice and Fire Seal on you?"
"Mm, I have it with me."
"Good."
Zang Xin said plainly:
"The place I'm taking you to next is called the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes. Even among Tang Sect disciples, not just anyone has the right to enter. Your outstanding performance over this past year has earned my approval — but I hope you'll guard against arrogance and impatience, and not let this go to your head. Keep pushing yourself with the same drive as always. Understood?"
"Understood."
Hearing Bai Chen's clean, crisp reply, a smile rose on Zang Xin's face as well.
He smiled and began his introduction of the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes.
"The so-called Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes are a secret realm managed by the Tang Sect. For reasons unknown, all plants there grow at an extraordinarily accelerated rate — one year of cultivation within it is equivalent to ten years in the outside world. As a result, many medicinal herbs that don't exist in the outside world have appeared there, and some of the herb-type plants have even cultivated into soul beasts of the hundred-thousand-year level."
Bai Chen played along and asked:
"So you're taking me there this time to collect medicinal herbs?"
"That's right. At regular intervals, the Tang Sect selects the most talented member of the current generation and sends them into the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes to gather herbs."
Zang Xin said matter-of-factly:
"You originally chose the Medicinal Sutra and the Poison Sutra, didn't you? Both of those record the properties, gathering methods, and uses of these herbs. When the time comes, you'll choose the herbs most suited to you yourself. Understood?"
"Understood."
Bai Chen nodded, his heart filled with anticipation.
The Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes served as a shared external bonus for the main cast of Douluo III — its value could not be overstated.
Even hundred-thousand-year-level spirit herbs could be found there in abundance, representing the absolute pinnacle of what existed in Douluo in terms of medicinal herbs.
In the original story, Zang Xin had brought too many people in with him, provoking the displeasure of the many spirit herbs led by the Daffodil Jade Carrot. But this time he was only bringing Bai Chen alone, which was within the agreement made with the plant-type spirit herbs — they would not be likely to refuse entry.
As for what herb to choose, Bai Chen had long since had his answer.
Beast-level herbs were out of the question. Those powerful entities with their own consciousness would never willingly be consumed by Bai Chen or become his soul spirit — at least not for now.
Among the remaining herbs, the one most suited to Bai Chen was likely the Exotic Chrysanthemum of Heaven.
First, its function: put simply, it enhanced stats — specifically, it boosted a soul master's physical strength. Nothing extraordinary, but simple and effective.
No soul master would ever look down on having a weaker physique, and this was especially true for a power-type soul master like Bai Chen.
Second, its age: the Exotic Chrysanthemum of Heaven in the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes was a hundred-thousand-year specimen. A hundred-thousand-year-level spirit herb was in a completely different league from anything below that threshold.
And third — Bai Chen was now approaching the thirtieth rank. He would soon need to absorb a new soul ring. The Exotic Chrysanthemum of Heaven could greatly improve his body's capacity for endurance, and if his estimation was correct, once he had absorbed the Exotic Chrysanthemum, he would then be ready to attempt absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring.
The boost that a ten-thousand-year soul ring would bring to a soul master was immense. When that time came, Bai Chen's strength would undoubtedly rise to a whole new level.
Zang Xin drove to the soul guidance railway station, and the two of them boarded a maglev train heading in the direction of Heaven Dou City.
The Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes lay within the Sunset Forest not far from Heaven Dou City — just as in the original story, unchanged across twenty thousand years.
After disembarking from the maglev train, Zang Xin led Bai Chen to the outskirts of Heaven Dou City and pressed forward toward the Sunset Forest.
By the time the sky had been painted golden by the setting sun, dense trees appeared before Bai Chen — they had finally arrived at the Sunset Forest.
Zang Xin said gravely:
"Follow in my footsteps. There are many highly toxic plants here, and getting poisoned would be extremely troublesome."
"Understood."
Bai Chen understood exactly what he meant.
The closer one got to the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes, the greater the concentration of toxic plants — and with it, the miasma in the air grew thicker and thicker.
This miasma had accumulated over twenty thousand years and had reached an almost incomprehensible level of potency, one that even a titled Douluo would struggle to withstand.
And beyond the miasma, the interior was filled with vast swaths of Phosphor Seven-Absolute Flowers waiting to challenge any intruder. The venom of the Phosphor Seven-Absolute Flower ranked among the very top of all toxic plants, and even peak-level Limit Douluo powerhouses had to treat it with the utmost caution.
This layered toxic formation was the finest defensive barrier against outsiders — any careless visitor who stumbled in would most certainly meet their end here.
Regrettably, as time passed and the overall cultivation level of humanity rose higher and higher, the number of people capable of forcibly breaking through the toxic mist grew more and more numerous. As a result, the spirit herbs within the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes had no choice but to sign a treaty with the Tang Sect.
After all, without the Tang Sect's protection, it wouldn't take long for a swarm of powerful soul masters to strip the place bare. Compared to such a fate, they preferred to have one herb taken away by the Tang Sect every hundred years.
And the Tang Sect was, at its core, an organization that kept its word. In ten thousand years, it had never once broken its promises — and there were even records of entire millennia passing without a single request being made — so over the long span of time, both parties had managed to coexist peacefully.
Before long, Zang Xin guided Bai Chen through the outermost ring of toxic mist and brought them to the formation of Phosphor Seven-Absolute Flowers.
Having come this far, Zang Xin said nothing more. He simply raised his hand, enveloped both himself and Bai Chen in a soul power barrier, and flew with Bai Chen straight into the heart of the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes.
The moment they entered the toxic formation, the soul power barrier condensed from Zang Xin's power began to twist and warp violently — numerous pits and craters appeared across its surface.
Fortunately, this layer of the toxic formation was not particularly deep. After flying for only several dozen meters, it vanished entirely, and a small valley opened up before Bai Chen's eyes.
At the center of the valley lay a lake, divided cleanly into red and blue — its two colors vivid and distinct, which was precisely the origin of the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes' name.
Growing all around the Ice and Fire Two-Instrument Eyes were all manner of extraordinary medicinal herbs — the most elite specimens in the entire world of herbology. Having studied the Medicinal Sutra, Bai Chen could recognize almost all of them at a glance. Any single one taken to the outside world could sell for upward of one billion Federation coins.