Permission Upgraded Again

By the time they arrived at Luo's Herb Shop, dusk was already approaching.

Luo Can led Ye Lingling inside by the hand.

Bai Wuliu and Bai Qiba were huddled before the counter, going over the accounts by the light of an oil lamp. Hearing footsteps, they both looked up. When they saw Luo Can, they hurriedly set down their ledger and abacus.

"Boss Luo, you're here!"

"Mm."

Luo Can nodded, walked to the counter, and picked up the open ledger to look through it.

As he read, he casually asked, "How has your cultivation been these past few days?"

"Thanks to Boss Luo's blessing—and the meditation method you gave us—my sister and I have both advanced a level!" Bai Qiba answered excitedly.

Bai Wuliu added with a smile, "I'm already level seven now, and my brother is almost there too. At this rate, we should both break through to level ten before the end of the year."

"Not bad." Luo Can closed the ledger, satisfaction in his eyes. "Cultivate diligently. Once you reach level ten, I'll take you to hunt your first Spirit Ring."

"Thank you, Boss Luo!"

The two spoke in unison, their faces brimming with excitement.

For low-level Spirit Masters like them, having someone guide their cultivation was already an immense blessing. To say nothing of someone promising to help them hunt Spirit Rings—such a favor was enough for them to remember for a lifetime.

Luo Can put the ledger back on the counter and looked at the two seriously.

"In the next few days, go to Baican Village and handle something for me. Investigate how many people in the village possess Innate Soul Power. Also, make a complete count of every villager between six and twenty years old who has awakened a White Silkworm Martial Soul. Can you do that?"

The siblings exchanged a glance, then nodded heavily in unison.

"Yes! Leave it to us!"

"Good." Luo Can smiled. "Once this is done, I'll reward you with something that will help you break through to level ten faster."

"Thank you, Boss Luo!"

The two hurriedly bowed, their eyes full of anticipation.

"Oh, right." Luo Can gently nudged Ye Lingling, who had been standing quietly at his side, forward. "This is Ye Lingling, my disciple. Get acquainted."

Ye Lingling raised her head and obediently greeted them with a small bow. "Hello, big sister and big brother."

Bai Wuliu and Bai Qiba were briefly stunned, then hastily returned the gesture with cupped fists, their tones respectful.

"Greetings, Young Master."

Though they did not know the little girl's exact identity, anyone accepted as Boss Luo's disciple had to be extraordinary. Calling her Young Master was only natural.

After giving a few more instructions regarding the shop, Luo Can saw that it was getting late and left the herb shop with Ye Lingling in hand.

Ten minutes later, at Jueming Cliff.

Ye Lingling looked at the bottomless abyss before her, a trace of nervousness appearing on her little face.

Luo Can bent down and picked her up. Under her puzzled gaze, he took a step forward.

Then he leaped down.

"Ah—!"

As the sensation of weightlessness hit her, Ye Lingling cried out in fright and clutched Luo Can's lapels tightly with her little hands.

But the next moment, the two had already passed through the thick clouds.

The view before them suddenly opened up.

Under the moonlight, emerald-like spring water shimmered with rippling light. Exotic flowers and herbs bloomed everywhere around it, while medicinal fragrance and spiritual energy mingled into mist that slowly drifted through The Valley.

"This, this is..."

Ye Lingling's eyes widened, her little mouth forming an O as she remained speechless for a long while.

"Lingling, this will be your home from now on." Luo Can gently set her down and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"

"It's... it's so beautiful..." the little girl murmured, staring unblinkingly at the paradise before her.

Luo Can led her into the Wooden House and pointed at the only wooden bed inside.

"It's getting late. You'll sleep here tonight."

"What about you, Master?" Ye Lingling asked, looking up at him.

"Your master will make do outside for the night."

Ye Lingling nodded and said nothing more. She climbed onto the somewhat hard wooden bed and lay down obediently.

Once the little girl had settled down quietly, Luo Can walked out of the Wooden House and gently closed the door.

Then he sat down beside the spring and took out his fishing rod.

He cast the line, and it entered the water.

Two hours passed. When a completely crimson Spirit Bone was reeled out of the water, today's Fishing time had also just reached zero.

[ Ding! This Fishing session has ended. Overall rating: Excellent. Reward: 1000 Points ]

[ Points: 5700 ]

Luo Can put away his fishing rod and looked at the Virtual Panel that appeared before him.

[ Fisher: Luo Can ]

[ Permission: Level 2 (5000/5000) ]

[ Highest Fishable Quality: Black ]

[ Daily Fishing Time: 2 hours ]

[ Points: 5700 ]

[ Unique Fishing Spot: Fate-Defying Spring (Level: Intermediate) + ]

"The Points needed to upgrade both Permission and the Fishing Spot are enough..."

He rubbed his chin and fell into brief thought.

Which should he upgrade first?

Upgrading the Fishing Spot could improve both the quality and odds of the catches, which would benefit his long-term development. Upgrading Permission, meanwhile, could unlock higher-quality items, along with unknown rewards.

After thinking for a while, Luo Can smiled.

"Only children have to choose."

He muttered to himself and took out two Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones he had obtained from Fishing recently from his Storage Soul Tool.

"Dismantle."

[ Ding! Ten Thousand Year Flame Wolf Right Arm Bone dismantled successfully. Obtained 1000 Points. ]

[ Ding! Ten Thousand Year Storm Ape Left Leg Bone dismantled successfully. Obtained 1000 Points. ]

The Points Panel jumped: 5700→7700.

"Upgrade the Fishing Spot first."

With a thought, Luo Can tapped the "+" behind the Fishing Spot.

[ -2000 Points ]

The next moment, a familiar tremor came from the ground.

The spring eye of Fate-Defying Spring expanded at a visible rate, growing from three zhang to four, then five, before finally stopping at six zhang. The spring water became deeper in color, its emerald hue now carrying a faint golden radiance. The spiritual energy around it grew so dense that it condensed into liquid mist droplets, rolling across the blades of grass.

Even more astonishingly, the entire valley expanded by more than double! The Immortal Herb Garden, which had originally felt somewhat cramped, now seemed far more spacious.

Luo Can took a deep breath.

The air rushed into his lungs, yet it made every cell in his body rejoice. Though the spiritual energy concentration here still could not compare to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, it was much gentler and lacked that tyrannical icy and fiery power. Even ordinary people and low-level Spirit Masters would benefit greatly from living here long-term.

"Not bad."

He nodded in satisfaction, his gaze returning to the system panel.

"Next, upgrade Permission."

[ Ding! -5000 Points. Host Permission has been upgraded to Level 2. ]

[ Ding! Congratulations to the host for reaching Level 2 Permission. The following rewards have been obtained: ]

[ 1. The age of all Spirit Rings increases by two thousand years. ]

[ 2. Hundred Thousand Year Abyssal Demon Dragon Torso Bone ×1 ]

The instant the system notification ended, Soul Power around Luo Can's body surged out of control.

His Golden Dragon Moth Martial Soul manifested on its own, and nine Spirit Rings rose beneath his feet.

Purple, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red.

The light of the Spirit Rings flowed as their ages began to soar. The purple of the Fourth Spirit Ring rapidly deepened, black radiance appearing around its edges as it came extremely close to the Ten Thousand Year level. The eighth Spirit Ring's black color also became more profound.

But the most astonishing was that Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring. Its red became even more vivid, like congealed blood, and the pressure it released became heavier as well.

Before Luo Can could carefully sense the changes to his Spirit Rings, his attention was firmly seized by another reward within the System Space.

It was a completely crimson torso bone shaped like a dragon's spine. Its surface was covered in fine dragon-scale patterns, while magma-like crimson gold liquid slowly flowed within it, releasing pure and tyrannical dragon might.

A Hundred Thousand Year Abyssal Demon Dragon Torso Bone.

And a dragon-type one at that.

"This..."

Luo Can's heart skipped a beat.

Perfect.

It was simply a perfect fit for the Spirit Bone requirements of his Golden Dragon Moth Martial Soul. Torso bones were already the most precious of the six great Spirit Bones, and the value of a Hundred Thousand Year Dragon-Type Spirit Bone was utterly incalculable.

"It seems that each increase in Permission level brings more generous rewards."

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he took out the Spirit Bone without hesitation.

The crimson bone floated above his palm, its scorching dragon might rushing toward him. Luo Can circulated his Soul Power and slowly pressed it against his chest.

The instant the Spirit Bone touched his body, it transformed into a stream of crimson gold light and entered him.

Boom—!

Vast energy exploded within his body.

The energy contained within the Hundred Thousand Year Dragon-Type Spirit Bone was terrifyingly immense. It took Luo Can half an hour to absorb it successfully.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Crimson gold light intertwined and flowed in the depths of his eyes before eventually returning to deep black. Soul Power churned around his body, and in the next moment, Luo Can broke through to level ninety-four.

He slowly rose to his feet and loosened his limbs.

The torso bone in his chest had completely fused with him. Crimson gold dragon patterns had even appeared across the surface of his skin.

Luo Can clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body, and the corners of his mouth could not help but rise.

This night had been quite rewarding.

He turned to look in the direction of the Wooden House.

"Starting tomorrow, I need to properly teach this little girl."