Dugu Yan shook her head, her eyes brimming with affection. "No, Xiao Xuan. How could anyone bear to consume such a fairy grass? Didn't you say that once it recognizes its master, it will never wither? I want it to stay with me forever, to love and cherish it."
Hearing this, Gu Xuan had a strange sense of déjà vu. He then remembered—in the original story, didn't Xiao Wu say the exact same thing to Tang San?
But currently, Dugu Yan and Xiao Wu hadn't even had the chance to meet. Could it be that this specific Immortal Herb possessed a unique charm over whoever plucked it? Thinking back to that plot point, Gu Xuan couldn't help but sigh at Xiao Wu, that "love-brained" rabbit.
As a soul beast in human form, her priority should have been cultivating to Rank 60 to enter the maturity stage, yet she had allowed herself to be hopelessly lost in romance. It was no wonder she was later hunted and forced into sacrifice—though that was likely the author's way of forcing a hundred-thousand-year soul ring onto the protagonist by lowering the characters' intelligence.
Regardless, Gu Xuan would not allow Dugu Yan to simply keep the Yearning Heartbroken Red. With a treasure like this, it only truly belongs to you once it is inside your body. As for Xiao Wu the rabbit... since she's destined to become a soul ring anyway, what does it matter whose ring she becomes?
Gu Xuan looked at Dugu Yan and explained. "Yan Yan, this Yearning Heartbroken Red is indeed pitiable, but I must tell you: in this world, strength is the root of protection. Without strength, we may eventually find ourselves unable to guard anything we care about."
"So, my suggestion is that you consume it and maximize its utility."
"As I said before, by taking this herb, your fourth soul ring could very likely reach the ten-thousand-year level. The boost provided by a ten-thousand-year ring is far greater than you can imagine."
Gu Xuan's tone was sincere and earnest. Listening to him, Dugu Yan's resolve began to waver. Seeing this, Gu Xuan pressed on. "And as you know, I am only twelve years and four months old, while you are nearly eighteen, five years older than me."
"Yet my soul power has already reached Rank 37, only three ranks behind you. If you don't use the help of this Yearning Heartbroken Red, I will only pull further and further ahead of you in the future. I don't want you to just be the woman behind me; I want you to stand beside me as we face the future together."
At these words, Dugu Yan's pupils trembled slightly. "Face the future together?"
Gu Xuan took her right hand. "Do you want to watch me walk further away while you are left unable to catch up?"
Dugu Yan shook her head. "I don't. I want to progress and grow with you."
Finally, her gaze turned resolute. She said to Gu Xuan. "Xiao Xuan, I understand. I won't be willful."
Gu Xuan released her hand and said softly. "Go on then. Consume the Yearning Heartbroken Red, and then I will accompany you to find a suitable fourth soul ring."
Dugu Yan nodded firmly and headed toward the stone house on the cliffside. She couldn't climb it on her own, so Gu Xuan's purple third soul ring lit up. A row of spinal bones appeared in the air, extending toward the cliff like a bridge. This wasn't the first time she had used this path; whenever Dugu Bo was in seclusion, she would return to the house this way.
Meanwhile, Gu Xuan took out a letter. This was an arrangement made with Ning Fengzhi before leaving the clan three months ago, to exchange news every month. This letter had arrived just today.
It was naturally difficult for outsiders to find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and even if they did, they couldn't enter. However, with the map and detoxification pills Gu Xuan had provided, delivering mail was no problem.
He opened the letter, which spanned nearly ten pages, detailing the major events within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan over the past months.
Over the last three months, several major shifts have occurred. First, Gu Rong consumed the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and broke through to Rank 97. Then, Ning Rongrong consumed the Beautiful Silk Tulip and broke through to Rank 30; after obtaining her soul ring, her soul power directly reached Rank 35.
This wasn't an exaggeration. In the original story, Ning Rongrong took the tulip at Rank 31 and jumped to Rank 37. Here, she went from Rank 27 to 35, including the one-rank jump from her soul ring. Notably, her third soul ring reached 2,300 years—another instance of absorbing a ring beyond her level.
Next, Gu Xuan's second grandpa, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, emerged from seclusion. His soul power had officially reached Rank 97. However, when he learned that the "old bone-head" Gu Rong had also reached Rank 97, he felt as if the world had become surreal.
'I was only in seclusion for two months, and you freaking caught up to me without a word?'
Ning Fengzhi explained the effects of the Immortal Herbs to him. Chen Xin was initially incredulous, but with the living examples of Gu Rong and Ning Rongrong before him, he had to believe it. Ning Fengzhi then produced a brocade box like a magic trick, containing the Black Jade Divine Bamboo.
Chen Xin, who usually disdained relying on external items, was understandably moved and accepted the gift. However, he didn't consume it immediately; having just reached Rank 97, he needed time to stabilize. The best way to stabilize, of course, was to fight Gu Rong. Now that both were Rank 97, Chen Xin could no longer handle him with his usual ease; they were perfectly matched. This sparring allowed both to quickly familiarize themselves with their new strength.
A month later, another piece of good news arrived: Yang Wudi had successfully refined the pills using the Immortal Herb and spiritual plant formulas Gu Xuan had provided.
There were two primary types. One was the Soul Ascension Pill, with the Primordial Immortal Grass as the main ingredient, supplemented by dozens of ten-thousand-year herbs. Its sole purpose was to increase soul power. The highest grade, refined from the Primordial grass, was beneficial even to Titled Douluos.
Since there was only one Primordial Immortal Grass, there were only twelve of these top-tier pills, enough for twelve Soul Douluos or Titled Douluos. However, the effect was best only on the first use; subsequent doses yielded diminishing returns, making it essentially a once-in-a-lifetime pill.
There were also Soul Ascension Pills for the Soul Saint and Soul Emperor levels in significant quantities, as Gu Xuan had provided many materials. While useless for higher ranks, they were sufficient to boost the middle-tier strength of the clan.
For now, Ning Fengzhi kept this quiet. He didn't even hold a celebration for Chen Xin and Gu Rong's breakthroughs because he understood the value of playing it low-key. Every major faction has spies in others; while the Inner Sect was tightly controlled, the Outer Sect was not. To be safe, Ning Fengzhi hid these developments to "farm" in secret, intending to give everyone a "surprise" later.
What exactly is a surprise? When the time comes, having two Titled Douluos—one Rank 97 and one Rank 98—boosted by Ning Fengzhi's support... that is a surprise!
Indeed, Rank 98. Although Chen Xin hadn't taken the Black Jade Divine Bamboo yet, Gu Xuan could predict that he would eventually reach Rank 98. For a Soul Master, the boost provided by a perfectly suited Immortal Herb is beyond imagination.
(End of Chapter)
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