Leaving Immortal Herbs for His Daughter

Upon hearing this, Qian Xunji looked at Bibi Dong again.

"Good. Why are you still soaking in there?"

Bibi Dong had not expected him to really stare at her so directly, and she could not help feeling both happy and shy.

"Teacher, bring me my clothes."

"Alright."

Qian Xunji took out a bundle from the Angel Ring. Inside were Bibi Dong's clothes.

With a toss, the bundle landed on a rock by the spring.

"Get dressed."

"Congratulations, Dong'er. The Ice-Fire Golden Body has succeeded."

"Mm. It was all thanks to your help, Teacher. But could you turn around?"

"Didn't you say it didn't matter?"

"I-I said it didn't matter. It just feels strange."

Qian Xunji nodded and turned his back to Bibi Dong.

Blushing, Bibi Dong emerged from the spring, picked up the bundle, and quickly dressed herself.

Once she had changed, she seemed utterly transformed.

Not only had her appearance become even more breathtakingly beautiful, but she also exuded an aura that came from deep within.

She walked up to Qian Xunji, her eyes sparkling and her face unable to hide its delight.

"Teacher, I feel like... I could take on ten of my former selves now."

Qian Xunji turned around and carefully examined her, then nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good. The ice-fire body tempering has not only greatly improved your physical constitution, but more importantly, it has strengthened your foundation."

"Looking across the entire continent, I'm afraid no one can compare to your foundation now."

"And... if I'm not mistaken, your affinity for both ice and fire has also risen to an extremely high level."

"This may open an unexpected door for you in the future."

Bibi Dong nodded as if she understood, then suddenly stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and kissed Qian Xunji on the lips.

It was over in an instant.

"Dong'er?"

"Thank you, Teacher. This is a small reward." After saying that, Bibi Dong lowered her head, her little face red.

Qian Xunji was in especially high spirits. He reached out and rubbed her head.

"I like this reward."

"I-I'm glad you like it."

"By the way, Teacher, what about you? Have you found an Immortal Herb suitable for yourself?"

Qian Xunji opened the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record and pointed at two illustrations on the page as he spoke to Bibi Dong. "I've studied it carefully. There are two herbs in this valley that suit me best."

"One is called the Saint Soul Flower, and the other is the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower."

Bibi Dong curiously leaned closer, her violet eyes fixed on the illustrations and text.

Qian Xunji continued, "The Saint Soul Flower has seven-colored petals and emits soul light at night."

"It can greatly enhance spiritual power. Even more rare, it can purify the quality of one's Martial Soul, especially for Martial Souls with sacred attributes."

He turned to the next page. "As for the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, it is shaped like a rooster's comb and red as fire."

"This Immortal Herb can greatly strengthen one's affinity for fire. If consumed by someone with a fire-attribute Martial Soul, it may even trigger a beneficial mutation of the Martial Soul."

Bibi Dong's eyes lit up. "Then Teacher can take both, just like me."

Qian Xunji smiled and shook his head, closing the record. "One should not be greedy with Immortal Herbs."

"Everyone's constitution has limited endurance. Taking two top-grade Immortal Herbs with different attributes at once would not only cause their effects to conflict, but could also damage one's foundation."

"But didn't I take two kinds as well?"

"The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot you took were a special case."

"They were complementary paired Immortal Herbs to begin with. They had to be consumed simultaneously in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well for them to work."

"Then I suggest that Teacher choose the Saint Soul Flower."

"Your Angel Martial Soul already possesses a sacred attribute, so the Saint Soul Flower's purifying effect would be even more powerful for you."

Qian Xunji nodded approvingly. "That's a good analysis, but the Saint Soul Flower has mild medicinal properties. It needs to be saved for someone else."

"Who? The Grand Pontiff?"

"No. My father has already reached his peak. Taking it would not improve him much."

"Then who is it for?"

Qian Xunji leaned closer and lowered his voice. "The Saint Soul Flower... is for our child."

"M-our...?"

Bibi Dong's eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed scarlet in an instant, like a ripe tomato.

She lowered her head in panic, unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes with her fingers. "T-Teacher... what are you saying? What child... I-I haven't..."

Seeing her so flustered, Qian Xunji could not help laughing.

"The Saint Soul Flower can be properly preserved for many years. When the time comes... well, when our child is born, it won't be too late to let him take it."

"I'll take the more potent Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower instead. Angels already have an affinity for fire, after all."

Bibi Dong nodded with a red face.

Then she secretly glanced at Qian Xunji. When she found her teacher smiling at her, she hurriedly looked away again.

"Then, then is Teacher going to take the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower now?"

Qian Xunji looked toward the crimson plant growing at the edge of the hot spring.

"Let's pick it first. But harvesting it requires a special method..."

Halfway through, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Bibi Dong. "Wait, can you now withstand the extreme environment of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well?"

"I think... yes. I can't feel the spring water's extreme temperatures anymore."

Then she reached her hand toward the hot spring.

The scalding spring water, which could instantly burn an ordinary Soul Master, felt only warm and comfortable in her hand now.

She touched the surface of the cold spring as well, and its bone-piercing chill had become merely cool and refreshing.

"Can I do it?"

Qian Xunji nodded with a smile. "You consumed the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot and completed the ice-fire body tempering. Your constitution can now fully adapt to the extreme environment here."

"Perfect. Go help me harvest the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower."

"Alright!" Bibi Dong agreed happily, then asked, "Do you only want the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower? What about the other Immortal Herbs?"

Qian Xunji thought for a moment and took several specially made Jade Boxes from the Angel Ring.

"Like this: follow the records in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record and harvest one of every mature Immortal Herb we have. But remember two things."

"First, every Immortal Herb must be harvested using the proper method recorded in the book. Do not damage the roots."

"Second, leave behind seeds or offshoots after harvesting. Do not exhaust the source."

"Alright!" Bibi Dong nodded solemnly. "Whatever Teacher wants, I'll pick it for you."

"I'll watch from here and guide you whenever necessary."

Qian Xunji found a flat rock by the spring and sat down. He flipped the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record to the page on the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. "Let's start with this one."

Over the next two hours, an unusual "Immortal Herb harvesting lesson" unfolded in the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Bibi Dong first walked toward the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.

According to the record, she first needed to wrap her hands in Soul Power.

"Teacher, like this?"

"Correct."

"Then use Soul Power to envelop the entire Immortal Herb and dig it out together with the soil within three feet of its roots—remember, do not damage the main root."

Bibi Dong took a deep breath and focused intently on the flame-like plant.

She crouched down, and her Soul Power slowly seeped into the soil, forming a perfect spherical layer around it.

Then, with a lift of both hands and a soft pop, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower was completely extracted along with a large clump of crimson soil.

The Immortal Herb lay quietly within the embrace of her Soul Power.