"Sis, don't tease me."
Su Chen shook his head helplessly.
"What kind of seclusion was that? It hadn't even been two full days."
"What proper Soul Master counted seclusion in days? I'd be laughed at if word got out."
That was true. For high-level Soul Masters, who often went into seclusion for months or even years, two days was hardly more than a nap.
"So what if it was two days? Two days is still a long time!"
Zhang Lexuan's pretty face flushed slightly as she gave him a reproachful look. Her eyes seemed to hold a pool of spring water.
With graceful movements, she took a handkerchief embroidered with orchids from her Storage Soul Tool and gently dabbed the fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
Putting the handkerchief away, she walked over to Su Chen and reached out to straighten his slightly rumpled collar. Her voice turned especially tender, with a hint of coyness that was almost impossible to detect.
"For your big sister, it's been a full twenty-four hours a day, fourteen hundred and forty minutes without seeing my little Chen."
"Do you know how I've managed these past two days?"
"...That's so cheesy..."
Hearing Zhang Lexuan's doting words, Su Chen couldn't help shivering and muttered under his breath.
Though he complained, warmth spread through his heart.
In this world of survival of the fittest, having an older sister who cared for him wholeheartedly was an incredibly rare blessing.
Still, business came first.
Su Chen dropped his playful expression and grew serious.
"By the way, Sis, this is for you."
As he spoke, he turned his wrist, and an unusual plant appeared in his palm.
It was an Immortal Herb of vivid green, with a pure white, jade-like flower blooming at its tip.
Its petals were translucent, as though carved from the finest white jade, each one glowing faintly.
The moment it appeared, a refreshing fragrance filled the entire courtyard. Just breathing it in lifted their spirits, as if every pore in their bodies had opened.
An immortal-grade herb—the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone!
"What is this...?"
Zhang Lexuan's beautiful eyes widened.
Although she didn't recognize the herb's origins, her instincts as a Soul Douluo told her it was no ordinary plant!
Just one breath of its fragrance made the Soul Power that had long lain dormant in her body stir. Even her skin felt softer and more delicate.
"This is the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone."
Su Chen explained with a smile, a hint of teasing in his voice.
"It's incredibly potent. It can nourish your meridians and bones, circulate energy through your extraordinary meridians and eight channels, and help you break through cultivation bottlenecks."
"Most importantly, it can make a girl's skin as smooth and supple as a baby's, and keep her young forever!"
Su Chen grumbled to himself: Women needed to take good care of their skin no matter their age—even if they were in their early twenties and at the height of their beauty.
After all, time was merciless!
"Is this flower for your big sister?"
Zhang Lexuan looked at Su Chen with a faintly amused smile. A flicker of longing passed through her eyes, but she didn't reach out for it right away.
This thing was far too precious.
Just one breath of its fragrance told her it was priceless. If she actually consumed it, it could be worth years of cultivation.
As his older sister, how could she casually accept such a precious gift from her little brother?
"The way to take it is simple."
Su Chen pointed to the glistening herb, his tone serious.
"Eat only the petals, then suck the flower's stamen dry at the end. Remember to use your Soul Power to activate it so you can absorb its effects."
Seeing that Zhang Lexuan still seemed inclined to refuse, Su Chen cut her off before she could speak.
"Sis, don't hesitate. The Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone is precious, but it doesn't suit my constitution. I've already taken an Immortal Herb that suits me better."
At this, Su Chen gave her a sly smile.
"Besides, once you absorb this herb and your strength increases, I'll be counting on you to take me hunting for a Soul Ring."
"Go hunting for a Soul Ring? You..."
Zhang Lexuan had been about to ask, "Aren't you only level thirty-six?" But the words caught in her throat the next moment.
Buzz—!
Su Chen stopped hiding it. A surge of incredibly concentrated Soul Power burst from his body!
Though he didn't summon his Martial Soul, the sheer depth of his Soul Power surged toward Zhang Lexuan like a rising tide.
Zhang Lexuan's beautiful eyes widened, her red lips parting in disbelief.
Level forty?! No! The density of this aura even surpassed that of an ordinary level-forty Quasi-Soul Ancestor!
She remembered clearly that little Chen had been only level thirty-six two days ago!
Four levels in just two days?!
This was beyond the word "genius." It was a miracle!
It seems little Chen had an extraordinary opportunity of his own these past two days...
Though shocked, Zhang Lexuan felt even more pride and joy that she could barely conceal.
An eight-year-old Quasi-Soul Ancestor!
Throughout the history of the Douluo Continent, there had probably never been another like him!
Someone else might have felt jealous, but Zhang Lexuan felt nothing but pure happiness for him.
My little brother is destined to be a true dragon, soaring through the heavens...
Looking at Su Chen's confident, radiant face, Zhang Lexuan felt her softest, most tender feelings stir.
"All right. Since this is a gift from little Chen to your big sister, I'll accept it."
Zhang Lexuan didn't insist any further.
She reached out with her slender hand, but instead of taking the priceless Immortal Herb, she gently placed it on Su Chen's head and ruffled his hair.
Her touch was tender and full of affection.
In her heart, not even a hundred or a thousand Immortal Herbs could compare to her little brother by the slightest measure.
His thoughtfulness was the most precious treasure in the world.
As she took the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, the two stood very close.
Su Chen could even clearly smell the faint, delicate fragrance coming from Zhang Lexuan.
It wasn't the vulgar scent of cosmetics, but a subtle, orchid-like fragrance, warm and gentle, with the consideration unique to a mature woman.
The scent drifted into his nose, calming his mind. Just being by her side made him feel as though he'd found the safest haven in the world.
Just as Su Chen was still savoring the lingering sensation, a soft fragrance suddenly swept over him.
The next second, a pair of warm, gentle arms wrapped around his waist without warning.
Then a warm embrace enveloped his entire body.
It was Zhang Lexuan.
She held him tightly, as if trying to share her warmth with him—or perhaps afraid that the boy who had risked his life for her might suddenly disappear.
In that instant, her hair's fresh, clean scent filled his nostrils. The sensation was unbelievably soft, as if he'd fallen into the clouds and was floating weightlessly.
"Little Chen, thank you..."
Zhang Lexuan's voice sounded beside his ear, trembling slightly, yet filled with boundless tenderness.
Su Chen froze.
His hands hovered in midair. He had no idea where to put them.
It wasn't that Su Chen didn't want to speak or respond.
His brain had completely crashed!
His CPU had burned out!
Before you continue