"Many thanks, Master..." Ye Jingyu had initially worried that Dugu Ba-chen would reprimand him for focusing on romantic matters over martial arts. Hearing Dugu Ba-chen speak as he did, his mind finally eased. However, with that relief came the reemergence of his inherent inquisitive nature...

"Master, back then, you and Mistress..."

"Get out! Is that something you should be asking? Here, take this Tianyuan Pill. Consume it first; it will be immensely beneficial for the injuries within your body. In half an hour, I will take you to find the Tianpian Fruit and, while we’re at it, show you the true terror of the Blue Dream Marsh..." Before Ye Jingyu could finish his question, Dugu Ba-chen roared at him.

"Oh..." Ye Jingyu reluctantly accepted the pill handed over by Dugu Ba-chen, perplexed. Staring at the pitch-black medicine and inhaling its foul scent, Ye Jingyu looked up again, summoning his courage to ask, "Master, is this pill actually edible?"

"Your internal organs have all been damaged by shockwaves. If you choose not to eat it, don't come crying to me later about any lingering side effects..." Dugu Ba-chen coldly snorted, clearly displeased by Ye Jingyu's disdain for his Tianyuan Pill.

Seeing Dugu Ba-chen's dark expression, Ye Jingyu dared not utter another word. He choked down the terrible smell and directly tossed the black pill into his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, the entire pill dissolved, transforming into an incredibly pure stream of energy that flowed into his viscera. Instantly, the searing pain throughout his body lessened by more than half...

He sat down cross-legged and began channeling this power to mend his body, even his shattered right arm started slowly knitting itself back together...

As Ye Jingyu regulated his breathing, the surrounding Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surged towards him in a frenzy, constantly converting into the most potent Bayuan Force. The rate at which his right arm recovered accelerated rapidly. Eventually, Dugu Ba-chen watched as flesh began to sprout even upon the exposed white bone...

Witnessing all this, Dugu Ba-chen's eyes were filled with astonishment. This body of Ye Jingyu's was practically more formidable than that of a Martial God—at least this recovery speed was more terrifying than that of a fifth-tier Martial God...

It seemed his choice to take him as a disciple was indeed correct. Even though his current strength was far from matching a fifth-tier Martial God, he should at least be capable of contending with a first-tier Martial God, right?

This was only because his True Essence remained at the Grandmaster realm...

Of course, if Dugu Ba-chen knew that Ye Jingyu's meridians were all simulated by him, and even the True Essence was merely a pretense, one could only imagine his reaction.

With Ye Jingyu's current strength, he could indeed fight a first-tier Martial God. Naturally, if he disregarded his injuries and risked his life, he could even battle a second-tier Martial God, though the outcome would be highly uncertain...

However, one thing was certain: below the level of a Martial God, Ye Jingyu was an invincible existence...

The half an hour passed quickly. Ye Jingyu's injuries were more than halfway healed, and his arm had regenerated a significant amount of flesh. Although not fully recovered, it no longer hindered his movement...

Seeing Ye Jingyu's drastic recuperative power, Dugu Ba-chen merely shook his head, saying nothing, and turned, stepping deliberately toward the center of the Blue Dream Marsh...

With Dugu Ba-chen clearing the path ahead, Ye Jingyu felt no apprehension, following closely behind his Master as they stepped into the Blue Dream Marsh, a place infamous for being the graveyard of the powerful...

Although their progress appeared slow, their pace was extremely fast, covering several hundred meters with every stride. However, because the surroundings were enveloped in blue mist and the swamp showed little variation, it was hard to gauge their true speed...

They walked for a full half an hour when Dugu Ba-chen, leading the way, suddenly halted, his gaze fixed ahead. Ye Jingyu blinked in surprise and followed his Master's line of sight, spotting before them a massive blue lotus—a flower easily over three zhang tall and more than one zhang wide...

Even more peculiar was the object suspended at the center of the lotus: a teardrop-shaped crystal, the size of a fist, gently emitting a faint blue luminescence...

"Blue Demon's Tear?" Dugu Ba-chen softly breathed out the words.

"This is the Blue Demon's Tear?" Ye Jingyu gasped. Was this the very thing Shu Yun had desperately tried to obtain earlier? He had fought Ying Kongshi just moments ago, but that brute must have fled somewhere. Now, with his Master here, he certainly wouldn't dare reappear, would he? In that case, wouldn't this treasure belong solely to him?

A Soul Master, no matter how powerful, was nothing in the face of Dugu Ba-chen...

"Indeed. This is a supreme spirit medicine that takes one thousand years to sprout leaves, one thousand years to flower, and one thousand years to bear fruit. I never imagined such a thing could still exist in this world..." Dugu Ba-chen spoke calmly, yet even this peerlessly rare spirit medicine failed to stir the slightest ripple in his heart...

At that moment, several powerful auras materialized around them. Ye Jingyu swept his Rinnegan across the area and spotted a giant python that had already transformed into a Jiao (flood dragon), lurking in the grass. Nearby coiled a scorpion easily seven or eight zhang long, and a centipede even more formidable than the Ink Duke they encountered in Medicine City lay hidden close by...

From the sky above, the faint cry of an eagle could be heard; judging by the aura it projected, it was at least at the Saint level or higher...

Besides these, at least ten more powerful auras were concealed in the vicinity...

These were all Sacred Beasts, and beasts that had evolved purely through their own might—definitely creatures more potent than ordinary Martial Saints. Yet, they were all eyeing the Blue Demon's Tear with covetous intent...

However, perhaps sensing Dugu Ba-chen's overwhelming aura, none of the Sacred Beasts dared to make a rash move, seeming instead to wait patiently for Dugu Ba-chen to depart...

Once again, Ye Jingyu comprehended the sheer potency of true power. No action was needed; merely the presence of his Master's aura was enough to subdue these formidable entities...

If Dugu Ba-chen hadn't been present, even if he had found this Blue Demon's Tear himself, he would never have secured it, let alone the Tianpian Fruit located deeper within the Blue Dream Marsh...

"This time, when you return, you will also marry Luo Ling'er. As your Master, I don't have many suitable gifts. I shall present the Blue Demon's Tear as a wedding present this time. As long as she isn't a complete fool, after fully absorbing the power of the Blue Demon's Tear, she should be able to achieve the realm of Martial Saint or Soul Immortal!" Dugu Ba-chen stated after a moment of quiet contemplation...

What kind of phrasing was that? What did he mean, 'as long as she isn't a complete fool'? That was his future disciple-in-law! While Ye Jingyu was internally grumbling about his Master's tactless words, Dugu Ba-chen had already taken a step forward...

Almost simultaneously, the various exotic beasts that had been eyeing the Blue Demon's Tear also moved, several powerful auras erupting at once...

(Five chapters for today first. My condition hasn't been great these past few days, and writing feels blocked. Once my state improves, I will update more frequently. This month, I won't promise much else, but the word count will certainly not be less than last month. Please continue to support me! Golden Bricks, collections—don't miss a single one!)