"It seems that using Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Fierce Fire Apricot isn't enough to trigger another evolution of the Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine."
"But after the Ice-Fire Body Refining, the Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine should now be immune to ice and fire energy attacks below an extreme level!"
Ye Yu muttered to himself as he looked at the Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine in his hand, which was as crystal-clear as blue crystal, with golden threads woven throughout its stem and leaves, wrapped in red and ice-blue patterns.
At this moment, Ye Yu was alone near the Ice-Fire Two Poles Eye.
When he first started the Ice-Fire Body Refining, Dugu Bo was worried and stayed behind to watch over him.
But later, seeing nothing wrong, Dugu Bo only occasionally came by for secluded training.
Most of the time, he stayed at the Dugu Residence, researching whale resin.
He planned, following Ye Yu's ideas, to develop a body-strengthening elixir based mainly on whale resin.
Originally, after taking Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Fierce Fire Apricot and completing the Ice-Fire Body Refining, Ye Yu intended to take the Strange Fungus Heaven-reaching Chrysanthemum and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone to further temper his body.
After that, starting from his first soul ring, he would absorb thousand-year soul rings!
But after finishing the Ice-Fire Body Refining, Ye Yu realized the effect was much stronger than he had imagined.
At this point, he recalled Tang San's fourth soul ring, which reportedly absorbed a ten-thousand-year soul ring.
According to Yu Xiaogang's theory on the absorption limit of soul rings,
the highest-level fourth soul ring in the Spirit Hall was from a soul master who had absorbed a five-thousand-year soul ring at most.
This meant the Ice-Fire Body Refining should increase the soul ring absorption limit by around five thousand years!
Combined with the strengthening effect from fusing the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone into his body,
if he took Strange Fungus Heaven-reaching Chrysanthemum and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone afterward,
Ye Yu might be able to set his first soul ring absorption target directly at the ten-thousand-year soul ring.
However, after some hesitation, Ye Yu gave up.
Crossing such a large cultivation year gap to absorb the first soul ring was too risky.
Although the original novel mentioned that taking Strange Fungus Heaven-reaching Chrysanthemum grants near indestructible abilities,
it was never actually demonstrated.
It's uncertain if taking both Strange Fungus Heaven-reaching Chrysanthemum and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone could extend the soul ring absorption limit by another five thousand years.
If it didn't work, and he took too many immortal herbs consecutively, weakening the medicinal effects,
absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring could cause unforeseen problems!
Also, it would be difficult to explain this to Dugu Bo.
So in the end, Ye Yu decided to wait to take Strange Fungus Heaven-reaching Chrysanthemum and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone
until the medicinal power from the Ink Jade Divine Bamboo Shoot, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and Fierce Fire Apricot he had already taken
was fully absorbed in his body.
That way, the effects of the Strange Fungus Heaven-reaching Chrysanthemum and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone could be maximized.
After completing the Ice-Fire Body Refining,
Ye Yu originally wanted to immediately leave the mountain where the Ice-Fire Two Poles Eye was located and return to Tiandou Imperial City
to ask Dugu Bo for help hunting soul rings in the Star Dou Great Forest.
But since he was still only a Level 10 Soul Master,
although he had fused the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone and taken the Ink Jade Divine Bamboo Shoot,
his true cultivation was far beyond that level.
However, without absorbing soul rings, the spiritual power couldn't manifest.
This forced Ye Yu to wait here helplessly.
Fortunately, Dugu Bo gave him a storage spirit device shaped like a green pouch filled with various foods,
so Ye Yu didn't have to worry about food.
Counting the time spent on Ice-Fire Body Refining, Ye Yu had suppressed his cultivation for three years!
This time, needing strength, Ye Yu was more eager than ever to break through.
He felt like a cicada buried deep in dark soil, dormant for over a decade,
waiting for the ultimate transformation!
Now, that day had finally come!
At this moment—
After waiting several days near the Ice-Fire Two Poles Eye,
Dugu Bo finally returned.
Ye Yu, after taking and refining those two Ice-Fire Immortal Herbs, did your Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine evolve?"
Seeing Ye Yu had successfully absorbed and refined Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Fierce Fire Apricot, Dugu Bo asked with curiosity.
Ye Yu stretched out his hand and summoned the Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine again, shaking his head regretfully.
"This time, it only got stronger, but no soul evolution."
"That's a pity!"
Seeing the Blue Silver Spirit Jade Vine after Ice-Fire Body Refining, which had thickened and developed ice-blue and fiery red patterns, Dugu Bo sighed.
Then Ye Yu told him the real reason for coming—he hoped Dugu Bo would take him to hunt his first soul ring.
"Do you want your first soul ring to be from a Life attribute soul beast or a plant soul beast with extremely strong vitality?"
Dugu Bo pondered.
"Then we should go to the Star Dou Great Forest."
"Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest, the plant soul beasts in the Sunset Forest are fewer in variety and cultivation years."
Since Dugu Bo had accepted Ye Yu and truly regarded him as his grandson-in-law,
he took Ye Yu back to the Dugu Residence,
instructing the servants to inform Dugu Yan that he was taking Ye Yu to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings.
Then Dugu Bo set out with Ye Yu towards the Star Dou Great Forest.
After several days of traveling,
they reached the inner areas of the Star Dou Great Forest,
and started searching.
Ye Yu wanted a Life attribute or a plant soul beast with cultivation around five thousand years.
At first, Dugu Bo completely disagreed.
Absorbing a thousand-year soul ring as the first was already unimaginable.
Absorbing a five-thousand-year soul ring?
That was practically suicidal!
But after Ye Yu demonstrated the strength of his Ice-Fire Body Refining,
his skin radiated faint ice-blue and fiery red light when he activated his spirit power,
and even sharp stones only left white marks on his skin.
This stunned Dugu Bo, who finally agreed.
After more than ten days of searching in the Star Dou Great Forest's inner area,
Ye Yu finally found a soul beast perfectly matching his criteria.
It was not only Life attribute, but also a plant soul beast with cultivation over five thousand years—the Undying Grass!
This extremely rare plant soul beast looked like a shuttlecock without a stem,
consisting of a cluster of long, jade-green leaves with golden veins, mysterious and profound.
Its roots penetrated deep into the earth, easily reaching several hundred meters.
Even if burned to ashes, as long as a small root segment remains, it can regenerate, demonstrating terrifying vitality!
"The longest leaf is half a meter. This Undying Grass is just over five thousand years old."
"Grandpa, let's choose this one!"
Looking at the Undying Grass growing not far away, Ye Yu was excited and hopeful.
"Good!"
Dugu Bo nodded and summoned the Emperor Green Phosphor Snake spirit beast.
Nine soul rings instantly appeared and surrounded him.
Because of its extremely strong vitality,
even soul masters far stronger than the Undying Grass had difficulty killing it.
But as a poison specialist, Dugu Bo happened to counter this kind of vigorous plant soul beast.
"First soul skill: Green Phosphor Poison Fire!"
After summoning the Emperor Green Phosphor Snake spirit beast,
Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes, shouted, and unleashed the first soul skill,
forming a ball of green poison fire that immediately shot at the Undying Grass.
Upon being hit,
the Undying Grass erupted in green poison fire, trembling violently,
countless roots continuously emerged from underground, desperately trying to slap the poison fire.
But it was useless!
The poison fire was no ordinary flame.
Poison and fire merged into one.
The Green Phosphor Poison Fire would continue burning with the poison's corrosion.
Even the roots underground couldn't escape!
Under Dugu Bo's control,
the roots underground were soon all burned away.
Only the cluster of scorched, shuttlecock-like jade-green leaves with golden veins remained above ground.
After Dugu Bo withdrew the poison fire,
Ye Yu grabbed a large rock and fiercely smashed the Undying Grass.
Soon, it was smashed to pieces!
A large number of purple light particles scattered from it.
Quickly, a deep purple soul ring formed above the "corpse" of the Undying Grass.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin