No Future Following Bibi Dong

It is a pity that flowers may bloom again, but a person never returns to their youth.

Yue Guan could only feel happy for Lu Fan, and regretful for himself.

After returning to Martial Soul City with Lu Fan, Yue Guan was about to leave once more.

But this time, Lu Fan called out to both Yue Guan and Gui Mei.

"Teacher, Uncle Gui, are you two going on another mission?"

Yue Guan did not understand why Lu Fan would suddenly ask this, but he still nodded. "What is it?"

Lu Fan spoke with a hint of indignation on their behalf: "Teacher, Uncle Gui, you two are distinguished 95th-level peak Douluo, yet you are constantly ordered around by the Pope, even being sent to handle trivial, petty matters."

"You have served diligently for so many years, yet in the end, you haven't even managed to secure a single spirit bone. Is it really worth following such a person?"

"She is clearly doing this to ensure you two have no time to cultivate, fearing that if you break through to the 96th level, you will escape her control and become members of the Worship Hall!"

Hearing this, the expressions of both Yue Guan and Gui Mei changed drastically.

"Xiao Fan, do not speak such nonsense."

Yue Guan's face wore a rare, stern expression, but his heart was deeply stung by Lu Fan's final remark: "In the end, you haven't even managed to secure a single spirit bone."

He and Gui Mei had served two successive Popes.

The former could be said to have died too early, and they hadn't rendered much service yet, but the latter—they had been so diligent for so many years...

Lu Fan continued: "Even if you two disobeyed her orders, could she really kill you? As long as you don't provoke her, I doubt she would even dare to harm you."

"Martial Soul Hall is not her personal fiefdom."

"Teacher, the elders of the Worship Hall are all super powerhouses above the 96th level. Conversely, only those with lower cultivation remain in the Pope Palace. If a conflict were to arise between the two sides one day, you two would be the first targets of those elders. Do you honestly believe you could defeat two of them?"

Listening to Lu Fan's questioning, the two fell silent.

They weighed the situation in their hearts.

Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was famous throughout the world, but against prepared Title Douluo, it was difficult to be effective.

Two against one would be fine, but two against two? Winning was almost impossible.

However, as he thought, Yue Guan's gaze shifted.

"Xiao Fan, tell me honestly, did someone find you and say something, or even threaten you?"

Lu Fan shook his head: "No, these are all my own thoughts. I just feel that it is a waste of talent for Teacher and Uncle Gui to continue working for the Pope."

"And you haven't received the treatment you deserve."

"Sigh."

Yue Guan and Gui Mei let out a sigh.

"Xiao Fan, what you say is not without reason."

Although they acknowledged Lu Fan's words, in the end, Yue Guan and Gui Mei still departed.

Watching their retreating figures, Lu Fan murmured to himself: "It seems that if I don't bring out the Immortal Herb, Teacher and Uncle Gui won't dare to agree."

"Since that is the case, I must prepare early."

Many things had happened over the past six months.

For instance, Lu Fan accidentally discovered that Chrysanthemum Douluo was actually his fellow countryman.

That day, Lu Fan wanted to study pharmacology, so he requested a few relevant books from Yue Guan.

Looking at those books, Lu Fan remarked at the time:

"Why do these books of yours, Teacher, feel so similar to my Hundred Herbs Chart?"

As he said this, Lu Fan even flipped through his Hundred Herbs Chart to compare them.

Hearing this, Yue Guan simply smiled: "That is because your Hundred Herbs Chart was originally left by me in Hundred Flowers Village."

At that moment, Lu Fan was utterly shocked.

Yue Guan chuckled, "The storage Soul Tool you are wearing was something I left for the village chief. I never expected him to give it to you."

"Teacher, why did you give these things to Hundred Flowers Village?"

Lu Fan did not understand.

Could it be that Yue Guan had passed by this village, seen that it was filled with flowers, and since the village's inherited martial soul was also a flower, he had developed some special sentiment for it?

"Because that is also my hometown."

Yue Guan's words were startling.

"It is just that because of certain events, I have been unwilling to return for so many years."

Hearing this, Lu Fan did not ask further.

It was likely that something which happened there had deeply wounded Yue Guan's heart, which was why he said he was unwilling to go back.

The Hundred Herbs Chart in Lu Fan's hand could only be considered a watered-down version, while the Immortal Herb Chart obtained from Yue Guan was the true treasure manual that recorded everything about flowers.

He also learned many methods for pharmacy and detoxification from another manual in Yue Guan's possession.

With these preparations, Lu Fan felt much more confident in his Plan A for plotting to obtain the immortal herbs.

If Plan A failed, Lu Fan would have no choice but to resort to Plan B: an outright robbery.

However, Plan A offered the hope of befriending Dugu Bo, while Plan B would offend him to the point of no return.

If Dugu Yan were to die from the poison of her martial soul one day, Dugu Bo would certainly come looking for him to settle the score.

All things considered, Plan A had a much higher priority.

Moreover, although Dugu Bo was ruthless in character, he could be considered an upright man who kept his word and followed through on his promises.

He was also a person with great charisma.

On the other side, Yue Guan, who was executing a mission with Gui Mei, suddenly spoke up: "Old Ghost, do you think we were truly wrong?"

"We joined the Pope for our own interests, but now it seems that Bibi Dong is by no means a wise ruler."

Beside him, Gui Mei nodded: "Although Bibi Dong has great talent and means, she is far too petty."

He was better off than Yue Guan, as he possessed one Soul Bone.

But that Soul Bone was obtained from hunting a soul beast in his youth and had nothing to do with Bibi Dong.

Looking at his old friend, despite being a Title Douluo, he was worse off than some low-level Soul Emperors or Soul Saints.

Never mind a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, he did not even have a thousand-year one.

"And Xiao Fan is right; Bibi Dong using us like this is clearly because she does not want us to cultivate and break through to higher realms. If we continue to follow her, I fear we will not end up well."

Hearing Yue Guan say this, Gui Mei sighed: "But if we betray that woman, she will certainly not let us go, unless we both break through to level 96."

For a Title Douluo, every single level of breakthrough was measured in years.

Not to mention that the two of them could not even find the time to cultivate.

The difficulty was immense.

"This matter can only be discussed in the long term."

Martial Soul Academy.

"Final exams?"

Lu Fan was somewhat speechless.

He had not expected that coming to Douluo Continent would still require him to participate in such things.

Hu Liena waved her hand and smiled: "For you, Xiao Fan, this is no different from just going through the motions."

"You will definitely meet the requirements for soul power growth, and the rest is just fighting three soul masters who are at most level 29."

"Come to think of it, your cultivation level is actually stuck at a very good stage—level 29. This way, the academy won't send three-ring Soul Elders to fight you; they will only send Soul Grand Masters at most."

Lu Fan's mouth twitched upon hearing this.

"Nana, I have already broken through."

Hu Liena blinked her beautiful, large eyes upon hearing this.