Zhu Zhuqing's Stubborn Face, You're Not My Brother Anymore! (Seeking Readership)

In response to her grandfather's question, Dugu Yan said calmly, "While studying recently, I heard someone say that there seem to be treasures on the continent capable of improving a Soul Master's talent. Then I started wondering whether, with your knowledge of herbs, Grandpa, you might have discovered some unusual plants that could help people improve their talent or increase their Soul Power."

After pondering for a moment, Dugu Bo shook his head. "Yan Yan, I don't recall any herb that can enhance a Soul Master's talent. If there were one, I would have gone looking for it long ago."

Dugu Yan failed to get a satisfactory answer from her grandfather and could not help feeling somewhat disappointed.

Her grandfather's poison arts ranked among the best on the continent, and he knew quite a bit about herbs and alchemy. Even he did not know of the existence of immortal herbs. Other than Dai Yichen and that Tang San, who else on the continent could know?

"Alright, then. It looks like I can only cultivate even harder. I wonder when my Martial Soul will evolve into a Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor like Grandpa's. Then my Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison will become even stronger." Dugu Yan clenched her fists, encouraging herself.

Yet Dugu Bo's expression turned slightly unnatural as he said flatly, "Yan Yan, with Grandpa here, you don't need to put so much pressure on yourself. It doesn't matter if you cultivate more slowly. Your happiness is what matters most."

Dugu Yan did not catch the meaning behind her grandfather's words. Thinking that he simply did not want her to cultivate too hard, she smiled. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'm not unhappy. Every time my Soul Power improves, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Besides, you're a Titled Douluo, Grandpa. As your granddaughter, I can't bring shame to your name."

"Alright, Grandpa. Ling Ling is still waiting for me to go to the Mimetic Cultivation Room with her, so I'll be leaving first."

Watching his granddaughter's retreating figure, Dugu Bo's lips moved, yet he could not say anything. An irrepressibly complicated emotion filled his eyes.

How laughable. As Poison Douluo, he had always believed his poison arts to be unmatched across the continent, yet he could not even cure the poison within his own body. Worse still, he had caused his son and daughter-in-law to die young.

He did not want his granddaughter to cultivate too quickly. Her hair and eyes had already turned purple and green from the poison.

Dugu Yan did not know she had been poisoned. She believed it was a normal reaction caused by cultivating the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul, especially since her body showed no signs of discomfort.

Only Dugu Bo knew that this was merely temporary. As her cultivation rose, the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison would become increasingly potent. Once her body could no longer neutralize it on its own, all the poison would erupt at once!

As for the herbs his granddaughter had mentioned, he had indeed seen many in Sunset Forest. However, there were too many herbs he did not recognize, and he had no idea whether any of them could improve cultivation talent or increase Soul Power as she had described.

But according to his past experience, the more vividly colored a herb was, the more likely it was to be poisonous.

Besides, he had never wanted his granddaughter to cultivate too quickly in the first place. What if consuming those herbs caused the Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison to erupt ahead of time?

Could there possibly be herbs among them that could help them detoxify themselves or keep the poison under control?

Star Luo Imperial Palace.

After Dai Yichen had spent most of the day with the Zhu family sisters, Zhu Zhuyun prepared to leave with Zhu Zhuqing. They had stayed long enough, and if they delayed any further, the sun would set. That would not be appropriate.

Dai Yichen escorted the two of them to the palace gates and smiled. "Alright, I'll see you off here. Zhuqing, be good at home. I'll come visit you again in a few days."

As he looked at them, Dai Yichen spoke with the air of an old father.

Zhu Zhuyun walked over to Dai Yichen. With her back to Zhu Zhuqing, she lowered her voice and said, "Younger Brother Yichen, those things you said today were quite bold. Aren't you afraid Zhuqing won't like you anymore?"

Dai Yichen remained utterly composed. "Sister Zhuyun, those were my truest thoughts. Saying them now, while our relationship is still that of siblings, causes the least harm to Zhuqing, doesn't it?"

At that, Dai Yichen paused slightly. Then, with a faintly aggressive gleam in his eyes, he looked at Zhu Zhuyun. "Sister Zhuyun, you should first think carefully about what you'll do if I defeat Eldest Brother in the future. If possible, I don't want anything to happen to you either."

"Alright, that's all I have to say. Sister Zhuyun, if you're interested in that throne, you'd best start preparing early. Eldest Brother can't defeat me."

After saying that, Dai Yichen walked up to Zhu Zhuqing, crouched slightly, and rubbed her head with a smile. "Remember to take Whale Rubber every day after you go back. If you run out, come tell your brother. Try to make the age limit of your first soul ring even higher than mine!"

Brother?

Zhu Zhuqing froze slightly, her large eyes blinking as she looked at Dai Yichen. This was the first time Brother Yichen had referred to himself as her brother in front of her.

It was clearly an intimate form of address, so why did she feel as though this "brother" had created an invisible barrier between them?

"Zhuqing, let's go." Zhu Zhuyun came over and took her younger sister's small hand.

She did not know how to respond to what Dai Yichen had just said. Did she like the position of Empress?

Would she sit upon it and rule over a harem of three thousand beauties?

What use was that to her? It was better for her little sister to live well.

Zhu Zhuqing was led away by Zhu Zhuyun. Dai Yichen rose and stood where he was, watching the two of them leave.

Zhu Zhuqing kept looking back from time to time, so reluctant to part.

Suddenly, she somehow found the strength to shake free of her sister's hand and jog back to Dai Yichen. Dai Yichen instinctively opened his arms and pulled her into an embrace.

"What's wrong?"

Zhu Zhuqing rubbed her little head against Dai Yichen's chest. Her voice was faint and carried a trace of coquettishness. "Brother Yichen is such a big bully! You were so good to me before, yet today you had to say all those things. I won't back down!"

Zhu Zhuqing lightly punched Dai Yichen's chest with her little fist, then pulled herself out of his embrace. Raising her small face, stubbornness shone in her eyes. "Today is the last time I'll call you brother. I won't call you brother anymore, and I don't want to be your little sister either! Hmph!"

"After I go back, I'll train hard. When I awaken my Martial Soul a year from now, I'll definitely make you regret it!"

With that, and without waiting for Dai Yichen to speak, she ran back to her sister without looking back.

At that moment, the three of them stood bathed in the evening glow. Dai Yichen's thoughts stirred, and the two girls' backs beneath the sunset were so breathtakingly beautiful that they were forever captured in a photograph.