An unknown amount of time passed as Dugu Yan's green-tinged skin gradually returned to normal, the signs of poisoning slowly fading.
"Is she succeeding?" Bone Douluo watched Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan with grave focus.
Above the two girls, a towering Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda stood solemnly.
The pagoda rotated slowly, its base connected to a massive taiji diagram that covered the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The glowing diagram caused gentle ripples across the well's surface as it balanced the opposing yin-yang forces, making them intertwine and restrain each other.
The green hue covering Dugu Yan's body began receding, her deep green hair returning to its original purple though faint green traces remained at the tips, barely noticeable unless inspected closely.
Dugu Bo finally exhaled in relief.
With his decades of poison expertise, he could tell Dugu Yan was improving. That alone sufficed.
Several more hours passed.
The enormous taiji diagram in the sky vanished, leaving only the slowly rotating Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and its six ten-thousand-year spirit rings.
Ning Rongrong lowered her raised hands, performing several energy-circulating gestures.
The pagoda shrank and returned to her side but without the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's support, cracks appeared on her sixth spirit ring.
"Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit condense!"
The unstable sixth ring stabilized rapidly.
However, the first three spirit rings dropped from ten-thousand-year level back to 9,999 years.
Wiping blood from her lips, Ning Rongrong opened her eyes to examine the pagoda in her hand.
"As expected... my foundation still isn't sufficient."
Forcibly breaking through to Xiantian realm had overtaxed her body. Reverting to Houtian realm now might prevent another breakthrough attempt for a long time.
Left with no choice, she stabilized her opened Ren and Du meridians in a half-sealed state.
Her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda now had three purple and three black spirit rings much weaker than its temporary peak empowered by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Her current strength hovered around levels 63-64.
By certain novel classifications, this equated to:
Half-step Xiantian Peak Limit Great Perfection.
Not too weak, but not exceptionally strong either.
A sharp pain pierced her skull
Ning Rongrong felt dizzy.
She really had been reckless. Invading Dugu Yan's consciousness placed tremendous strain on her soul.
Fortunately, she cultivated the life-nurturing Everlasting Life Art rather than offensive techniques. Otherwise, permanent damage might have occurred.
"With the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit formed, I can attempt another complete breakthrough to Xiantian realm after recovering mentally and spiritually."
Her earlier domain had been a temporary creation combining the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's properties with the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's innate rules.
Its purpose was transforming everything within range into mutable forms governed by:
Taiji → Two Extremes → Four Symbols → Eight Trigrams
Only this framework allowed Dugu Yan to refine her poison core through yin-yang unification in her consciousness, ensuring neither soul nor body would reject the toxins.
The Snow White Swan Kiss and Tenderness Xian Immortal Herb formed a mutually reinforcing cycle
In short: condensing the Misfortune Poison Body.
Ning Rongrong exhaled deeply:
"Done."
Dugu Yan remained meditating. Ning Rongrong stood to leave without disturbing her
But staggered immediately, nearly collapsing.
"Rongrong!"
Ning Fengzhi and the others moved to assist, but stopped when she weakly shook her head.
Step by unsteady step, Ning Rongrong walked away from the springs.
"Are you alright?" Ning Fengzhi asked anxiously. Dugu Yan's earlier condition had been extremely dangerous even a Soul Sage wouldn't dare approach those toxic emissions.
"One or two months' rest will suffice." Ning Rongrong avoided details. Some things were better left unsaid, especially since the damage wasn't permanent.
Dugu Bo looked uncharacteristically humble: "I... Whatever this old man can do in the future, just ask! Don't hold back!"
"Elder Dugu, there's no need. Since I proposed the Misfortune Poison Body, handling the aftermath is my responsibility. Wouldn't it seem irresponsible otherwise?"
"Admittedly, there were risks but the outcome is good, isn't it?"
"Sister Yan should wake in an hour or two. I left her a nice gift too!"
Leaning against a boulder, Ning Rongrong wiped cold sweat from her forehead.
Just some mental exhaustion and minor soul contamination from the toxins.
Why did she feel so drained, as if her body had been hollowed out?
"Rongrong, what about your spirit?"
Relieved she wasn't seriously hurt, Ning Fengzhi turned to her changed spirit rings.
"Hmm... 3 purple, 3 black Soul Emperor around levels 63-64. There were issues during the breakthrough, but don't worry. Full recovery within six months at most."
Six months was bearable.
Besides, she'd gained something too her zhenqi now carried ice and fire attributes.
Reaching Half-step Xiantian Peak Limit Great Perfection placed her just shy of true Xiantian mastery.
Once her mental injuries healed and the residual toxins purged from her soul...
She felt confident about completing the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit, achieving full zhenqi circulation, and becoming a genuine Xiantian master.
After resting thirty minutes, Ning Rongrong rejoined the others with regained strength.
"Elder Dugu, guess what gift I left for Dugu Yan?"
"Uh... the Misfortune Poison Body?"
"No, that was the goal. I mean something special she'll need next."
When Dugu Bo looked puzzled, Bone Douluo studied Ning Rongrong's smirk and ventured:
"A spirit ring? Is that even possible?"
As all eyes turned to her, hoping for confirmation, Ning Rongrong just smiled mischievously:
"Wait and see you'll know soon enough."
Though she avoided specifics, her expression confirmed their suspicions. The three elders exchanged astonished looks.
Not only could Ning Rongrong create her own spirit rings
Now she could bestow them upon others too?
This was nothing short of divine miracle!