The next day.
Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye.
"Aaaah~ Aaaah~ Aaaah!"
Dugu Bo stood on a patch of land that was neat and clean, shouting with all his might as if driven mad:
"Who did it? Who did it!"
Suddenly, Dugu Bo's peripheral vision caught sight of a few petals from the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum on the ground. He subconsciously waved his hand, drawing them into his palm with his Soul Power.
"What is this? A chrysanthemum?"
"It feels so familiar, where have I seen it before..."
"Wait, a purple chrysanthemum, emitting a faint golden light. Isn't this Ju Hua Guan's Martial Soul?"
After recognizing the origin of the item in his hand, Dugu Bo's expression instantly became unpredictable.
There was no doubt about it, Ju Hua Guan was notoriously fond of flowers.
Among the many rare medicinal herbs here, he didn't recognize much, but Ju Hua Guan might. Perhaps he knew all of them.
In terms of motive, the medicinal herbs here were definitely worth Ju Hua Guan doing this.
In terms of strength, the poison array he had set up outside the valley couldn't really stop that sissy.
Motive and strength were both satisfied, not to mention that Ju Hua Guan's unique Martial Soul petals were left here.
Dugu Bo looked at the hot spring in the center of the valley, its efficacy greatly reduced, with heartache. The hatred he felt towards Ju Hua Guan reached its peak.
However, when he thought about the difference in strength between them, Dugu Bo could only forcefully suppress the idea of going to seek revenge.
"Fortunately, although the efficacy of the hot spring has been greatly reduced, it still emits extreme cold and extreme heat, two extreme auras, which is enough to suppress the potent poison within this old man."
Discovering this, Dugu Bo had even less reason to risk his life fighting Ju Hua Guan.
After all, his granddaughter Dugu Yan still needed him to take care of her, and he couldn't die yet.
...
Deep within the Lin Clan Duke's manor grounds.
Inside the wooden house.
Ma Hongjun looked at the soft and fluffy medicinal herb in his hand, his heart full of curiosity:
"His Grace said this thing could completely resolve the impurity of my Phoenix Martial Soul's flame."
"But can this soft little grass really be this magical?"
It was a medicinal herb composed of red leaves, with the tips resembling a chicken's comb.
Curiously, the veins of the leaves were actually coppery-gold.
Just holding it in his hand raised the temperature of the entire wooden house by several degrees.
"Alright, Hongjun," Xu Pan said, patting Ma Hongjun's shoulder.
"His Grace said this item cannot be chewed; you need to swallow it directly and then refine it."
"Although the refining process will be somewhat painful, once you succeed, you won't have to worry about becoming a fat person anymore."
"Uncle Xu is right," Ma Hongjun replied with a smile. Thinking about how he wouldn't have to worry about the Evil Fire turning him into an ugly fatty after absorbing this medicinal herb made him incredibly happy.
Then, Ma Hongjun's gaze fell on the purple Nine-Rank Ganoderma in Xu Pan's hand, and he said, "Uncle Xu, you absorb this Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma first. I'll guard you."
"You brat," Xu Pan said with a smile, "You're calling me uncle, so how can a junior guard an elder?"
"You absorb this Phoenix Crested Sunflower first, and I'll guard you."
Ma Hongjun nodded with a smile and replied, "Oh, I got it."
At this moment, in a remote, sparsely populated deep mountain forest.
Lin Rong held a medicinal herb that was emerald green all over, with three snow-white leaves.
In the center of each of the three leaves were a few drops of water, like the dew left in the early morning.
"Autumn Water Dew, whether I can cultivate the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to the Perfect Wisdom and Self-Awareness realm in one go depends on you. Don't disappoint me!"
Saying that, Lin Rong raised the "Autumn Water Dew" in front of him, tilted it slightly, and let the water droplets on the three leaves fall into his mouth.
As the few drops of water completely detached from the leaves, the entire Autumn Water Dew withered instantly, turning into dust and dissipating in his hand.
After doing all this, Lin Rong sat down cross-legged on the spot and began cultivating the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to refine the medicinal properties of the Autumn Water Dew.
Not far away, the old butler stood there, silently guarding his young master.
Time slowly passed.
The sun rose and set, and before he knew it, it was evening.
In the Duke's manor, inside the wooden house.
Ma Hongjun's clothes had already turned to ash.
The potent medicinal effects of the Phoenix Crested Sunflower caused large amounts of black fluid to seep from Ma Hongjun's entire body during its absorption.
These black fluids solidified and accumulated on the surface of Ma Hongjun's skin, making him look like an old man who had lived for decades in a dry desert.
His entire body was so dark that not a single spot of white could be found.
Xu Pan looked at everything before him, finding it hard to believe that such a large amount of impurities could be refined from Ma Hongjun's small frame.
He recalled the words the Duke had once spoken.
Both the Phoenix Crested Sunflower and the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma had the effect of transforming one's body and spirit.
At first, Xu Pan had been somewhat skeptical.
But after personally witnessing the effects of Ma Hongjun absorbing the Phoenix Crested Sunflower, all his doubts vanished.
His gaze towards the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma in his hand grew even more fervent.
"I thought that in this lifetime, Soul Emperor would be my limit."
"But with the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma bestowed by the Duke, after this transformation, Soul Emperor is certain, Soul Saint is within reach, and I might even dare to hope for Soul Douluo."
Just as Xu Pan was fantasizing about his future as a Soul Douluo, a loud phoenix cry suddenly echoed through the wooden house.
Overwhelming golden-red flames erupted from Ma Hongjun's body.
The flames shot skyward, instantly reaching the roof of the wooden house, threatening to burn it to ashes.
Fortunately, the wooden house was specially constructed under Lin Rong's orders, using wood from thousand-year-old phoenix trees, which effectively prevented the flames from escaping into the sky.
Ma Hongjun's body stretched out within the flames. His skin, which had turned a healthy wheat color from prolonged cultivation in the volcanic crater, now became fair and tender again. Golden-red hair flowed behind his head.
Flames coursed through his body, and a faint phoenix pattern appeared on his back, making him look like a phoenix undergoing rebirth.
A pure phoenix pressure emanated from Ma Hongjun, adding a touch of legendary aura to him.
"Uncle Xu, why are you staring at me like that? Have I gotten even more handsome?"
From within the flames, Ma Hongjun somewhat narcissistically touched his cheek.
"The feel is bouncy and smooth, has my skin really become this good?"
"Alright!" Xu Pan couldn't help but cover his face with his hand, saying helplessly, "Stop stroking that peeled egg face of yours and put some clothes on.
At your age, what are you showing off for!"
"Huh?" Ma Hongjun, still in the flames, finally realized that his clothes were gone.
Upon realizing this, Ma Hongjun shyly covered himself and then lowered his head, searching for something.
"Found it, it's here."
Finding his Spirit Tool on the ground, Ma Hongjun quickly took out a set of clothes and put them on.
"Okay, Uncle Xu." Ma Hongjun, a little embarrassed, picked up the conversation, saying, "I've finished absorbing the Phoenix Crested Sunflower, and it felt amazing."
"Uncle Xu, you should absorb the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma quickly too. I'll guard you this time."
Xu Pan naturally understood that Ma Hongjun was trying to change the subject to alleviate his embarrassment.
However, Xu Pan didn't intend to expose him. He nodded, took out the Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma, chewed it, and then sat down to refine its medicinal effects.
Meanwhile.
In a deep mountain forest.
Lin Rong's cultivation had also reached a critical juncture.
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