Gu Xuan pulled Dugu Yan into his arms and said softly. "That's right, it is also a symbol of two people with the most sincere and devoted love."
Nestled against Gu Xuan's chest, Dugu Yan looked up at his chin and whispered. "We won't be separated, right?"
Hearing her soft whisper, Gu Xuan's heart trembled, and his "ambitious" heart wavered for a moment. He rubbed his chin against her forehead and said tenderly. "No. As long as you don't give up on me, I will never leave you."
At those words, Dugu Yan wrapped her arms around Gu Xuan's waist. The Yearning Heartbroken Red was pressed between their chests, emitting a faint red glow.
"Mhm. In this life, I only recognize you," Dugu Yan said firmly.
After a long while, the two separated, and Gu Xuan continued. "Yan Yan, this flower is no ordinary plant; it chooses its master."
"To pluck this Yearning Heartbroken Red, one must think of their beloved at the moment of plucking. With absolute sincerity and devotion, spit a mouthful of blood onto the petals. If there is even the slightest hint of half-heartedness, even if you spit blood until you die, you won't be able to take the flower."
"Once the flower is removed, as long as it remains by its master's side, this Yearning Heartbroken Red will never wither."
"The stone beneath the flower is called Wujue. If it is forcibly destroyed, the herb will lose all its efficacy, meaning the Immortal Herb will be completely ruined."
"Of course, if you consume this grass, it has the power of immortality alongside Heaven and Earth. I conservatively estimate that if you take it, your soul power will increase by at least ten ranks, and it will completely transform your body."
"If you can consume it, your fourth soul ring might even reach the ten-thousand-year level."
Previously, Gu Xuan estimated her fourth ring could reach eight thousand years, but if she could take this specific Immortal Herb, absorbing a ten-thousand-year ring would be no problem at all.
The Yearning Heartbroken Red possessed terrifying efficacy. In the original story, Xiao Wu had sacrificed her soul to Tang San—essentially dying—but because she had consumed this flower, she managed to preserve her soul beast body, allowing for her eventual soul restoration and resurrection.
Though Gu Xuan didn't have the chance to take it himself, the comprehensive boost it gave a Soul Master was undeniable—not just in physical fitness, but in Spiritual Power as well.
Originally, Gu Xuan planned to take this herb himself, but the current situation didn't allow for it. Since neither Dugu Bo nor Dugu Yan could take the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot, Gu Xuan had to take those two. As for giving the flower to others?
Gu Xuan wasn't that selfless. The clan had geniuses, but he had prepared pills refined from Immortal Herbs for them, which offered similar effects. Because those pills contained other ten-thousand-year medicinal ingredients and spiritual materials, they could compensate for the dispersed essence. While not as potent as a single whole plant, the difference wasn't massive.
Hearing Gu Xuan's explanation, Dugu Yan's heart skipped a beat. She had to think of her true love to pluck it. If that was the case, this herb was not just a top-tier treasure, but also a test of love.
Gu Xuan handed the flower to her. Dugu Yan raised her hands to take it, and memories of her time with Gu Xuan flooded her mind. Especially during these three months at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo had been in seclusion most of the time, giving them plenty of time for their "world for two."
Having recently confirmed their relationship, the two had been inseparable and deeply affectionate. In these three months, even though they stayed in one place, Dugu Yan never felt bored; in fact, she delighted in it.
Gu Xuan was simply too good at flirting. Many times, Dugu Yan was moved to take things further, but this "cunning" guy would only tease her without crossing the line. At most, they would share some deep kisses and snuggle together to sleep.
Gu Xuan felt helpless about this. If he lost his Vital Yang too early, he didn't know about others, but he knew himself. No matter how disciplined he was, with a beauty like her swaying in front of him every day, he wouldn't be able to resist. It was the old saying: some things happen either zero times or infinite times. He didn't deny his inner desires, so he had to try his best to avoid the temptation.
But Dugu Yan felt differently. In her eyes, Gu Xuan acted like he was already an adult. On the Douluo Continent, many girls her age were already mothers of two. If he didn't tease her, it would be fine, but he did it constantly. Girls have desires too, and with Gu Xuan being so handsome and capable, how could she resist?
Eventually, Gu Xuan had to explain his thoughts to her. When she found out, she was stunned. Her first thought wasn't that she was an "old cow eating tender grass" by liking someone five years younger—age wasn't a big deal to her. In fact, she felt a bit excited knowing he was her "little brother." But she never expected just how little he actually was.
She realized then that Gu Xuan's soul power had already reached Rank 37. Even before taking Immortal Herbs, he was Rank 33. What kind of terrifying talent was this? When Dugu Bo found out, he was shocked for a moment before laughing heartily. The higher Gu Xuan's talent, the less he had to worry about Dugu Yan's future.
Now, Dugu Yan held the Yearning Heartbroken Red, her purple eyes filled with tenderness. After a long while, she spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto the flower.
As the blood soaked in, the Yearning Heartbroken Red erupted with an intense red light. It was evening, and the flower swayed gently between them before slowly detaching from the Wujue stone. The stone turned to dust, as if all its energy had been fed back into the flower.
The flower floated quietly between their chests, its occasional red flashes illuminating the couple as they gazed into each other's eyes. Under the red glow, they drew closer until their lips met.
After a long time, Dugu Yan held the flower in her left hand, gently stroking its petals with her right. She whispered. "Xiao Xuan, that story is true, right?"
Gu Xuan nodded and said softly. "While our feelings shouldn't be judged by a flower, it does indeed prove our love."
"Consume it. It will give you the best assistance, allowing you to stay by my side so we can encourage each other and progress together."
(End of Chapter)
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