Sis, isn't something a little off here?

The hotel.

Bai Wanwan stood outside Qian Renxue's room. After waving Guibao and Yang Wushuang off to rest, she reached out and knocked on the door.

The knocking echoed through the quiet hallway.

Click.

The door opened, revealing Qian Renxue.

"Sis~"

Bai Wanwan called out sweetly and stepped into the room.

"All finished?"

"Wanwan, where did you get that crown? It suits you perfectly."

As Bai Wanwan entered, Qian Renxue immediately noticed the crown on her head. With her discerning eye, she could tell that the Silver Crown Bai Wanwan wore was anything but ordinary.

"All finished. I even came across a little opportunity."

Bai Wanwan sat down in the room and told Qian Renxue what had happened.

Bai Wanwan recounted everything about Dugu Bo and the immortal herbs truthfully, but she slightly altered the details concerning the Water Dragon King, the Azure Dragon Heart Crown, and the Reverse Wave Dragon Spine Spear, merely saying she had found them at the bottom of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

She had not changed those details because she distrusted Qian Renxue, but because even she had yet to figure out exactly what connection she had to the Water Dragon King.

Still, there was one thing Bai Wanwan could now say for certain: her connection to the Dragon Clan ran deep.

"You really are something. Dugu Bo is notorious for refusing both persuasion and threats, yet you wanted to make him bow his head."

Qian Renxue smiled and lightly tapped Bai Wanwan's forehead.

"Sis, you're missing the point."

"The point isn't Dugu Bo. It's the immortal herbs."

Bai Wanwan raised a pale finger and wagged it before Qian Renxue's eyes. Then she took two immortal herbs from her Storage Bracelet and held them out to her. "Sis, these are octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot. Taking them grants immunity to water and fire, strengthens the fire attribute in your martial soul, and improves your cultivation talent."

Qian Renxue looked at the two immortal herbs offered to her, then at Bai Wanwan's earnest expression, and froze for a moment.

"Immunity to water and fire, stronger attributes, and improved cultivation talent? Are their effects really that incredible?"

"Wanwan, aren't you going to take these two immortal herbs?"

"How about we take one each?"

At that, Bai Wanwan firmly shook her head.

"We can't. Taking either one alone would be extremely poisonous. They have to be taken together."

"Besides, I have other immortal herbs."

Bai Wanwan took the narcissus jade bone and eight petal immortal orchid from her Storage Bracelet and waved them before Qian Renxue's eyes. "These are the two I'm going to take. Narcissus jade bone nourishes the tendons and bones and lets energy flow through the eight extraordinary meridians, while eight petal immortal orchid strengthens your foundation and nourishes your vitality."

Although the effects of narcissus jade bone and eight petal immortal orchid seemed inferior to those of octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot, the former pair actually suited Bai Wanwan better.

The immunity to water and fire granted by octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot was excellent, but it would do little for Bai Wanwan.

After all, Bai Wanwan's Water Dragon King Spirit had absolute control over the water attribute. Unless there was an enormous gap in soul power, anyone who used the water attribute against her would learn exactly what it meant to receive a brutal reality check.

As for fire immunity, Bai Wanwan specialized in the water attribute. With water countering fire, she had no need for fire immunity. Absolute control over the water attribute was nothing to scoff at.

In other words, fire-attribute soul masters were precisely the ones she was best at beating.

"Then how should I take this octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot?"

Qian Renxue accepted the two immortal herbs and asked softly.

Bai Wanwan smiled and explained how to take them. Then she and Qian Renxue sat cross-legged together and began absorbing their respective immortal herbs.

Once they swallowed the immortal herbs and felt their medicinal power moving through their meridians, they immediately began refining and absorbing it. As the medicinal power was absorbed little by little, Qian Renxue's and Bai Wanwan's soul power levels continued to rise.

Time slipped quietly by.

The night soon passed.

Qian Renxue was the first to finish absorbing her immortal herbs. She opened her eyes and sensed her current soul power level, discovering that it had risen by a full four levels.

At the Spirit Emperor stage, even Qian Renxue, with her innate level 20, would normally need over a year of cultivation to gain four levels of soul power.

Yet after taking two immortal herbs, not only had her soul power risen by four levels, but the fire attribute in her martial soul had also improved significantly.

She looked at Bai Wanwan beside her. Seeing that Bai Wanwan was still absorbing her immortal herbs, Qian Renxue did not disturb her and simply waited quietly.

About two hours later.

Bai Wanwan's eyelids fluttered a few times before she slowly opened her eyes.

But the moment she opened them, she saw a peerlessly beautiful face drawing closer right in front of her. Caught off guard, Bai Wanwan jumped.

"Phew~"

"Sis, you startled me."

Bai Wanwan lightly patted her chest.

After absorbing the two immortal herbs, her soul power had increased by six levels, raising her from a level 53 Spirit King to a level 59 Spirit King.

Although the increase was smaller than in the original story, Bai Wanwan could understand why. After all, the Shrek members had only been three-ring Soul Elders when they absorbed their immortal herbs in the original story, whereas she was already a Five-Ring Soul King. It was only natural that her gains were smaller.

"Wanwan, after absorbing the immortal herbs you gave me, my soul power rose by four levels. How do you think I should thank you?"

A faint smile lingered on Qian Renxue's lips.

"Sis, what are you saying? With our relationship, do you really need to thank me?"

Bai Wanwan's expression instantly turned serious.

"That's true, but I still need to thank you."

"How about you pledge yourself to me?"

Qian Renxue looked at Bai Wanwan, a teasing note entering her voice.

Silence.

Bai Wanwan blinked a few times, unable to process what she had heard.

She even felt as though her brain had short-circuited.

She wants to thank me by having me pledge myself to her?

Isn't something a little off here?

Did something go wrong while I was absorbing the immortal herbs? Why am I hearing things?

"Ahem~"

"Sis, isn't there something a little wrong with what you just said?"

Bai Wanwan blinked, her eyes filled with bewilderment.

"Is there?"

Qian Renxue countered.

"Isn't there?"

Bai Wanwan countered in turn.

Their gazes met in midair.

A moment later, Qian Renxue reached out and patted Bai Wanwan's head.

"All right, I'll stop teasing you."

"It's still early. We can rest a little longer."

Qian Renxue stretched, then patted her lap.

Understanding the gesture, Bai Wanwan leaned sideways and rested her head on Qian Renxue's lap. Breathing in the faint fragrance that drifted from Qian Renxue, she comfortably closed her eyes.