"I'll remember you." Tang San's voice rasped like grinding iron, his eyes cold as a frozen pool as he burned Li Taibai's image into his memory.
With Tang Xiao on one side and himself on the other, he struggled to help Tang Hao, who was in so much pain he was nearly unconscious. They turned to leave.
"Wait." Li Taibai suddenly called after them.
Tang San and the other two stiffened at the same time, their backs instantly tense—were they going back on their word?
Li Taibai pointed at the three of them. "Hand over everything you dug up at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
He had seen how the ground there had been turned into a mess of pits. They had clearly dug up plenty of good things.
Tang Xiao looked at Tang San. The meaning in his eyes was unmistakable.
Tang San fell silent for a moment, then unfastened the Soul Tool at his waist and tossed it back to Li Taibai.
Li Taibai caught the Soul Tool and probed inside with his Mental Power, but his brows furrowed. "It's only herbs? Nothing else?"
Li Taibai suspected they were holding something back.
Tang San lowered his head and said nothing, only tightening his grip on Tang Hao.
"We only have this one Soul Tool," Tang Xiao said in a low voice, his anger barely contained.
Li Taibai looked at Qian Daoliu, a questioning look in his eyes. He wanted to search them, but Tang Xiao was a Titled Douluo. At close range, even with his teacher protecting him, Li Taibai might not be safe.
He still needed to lie low and grow stronger. He couldn't act rashly.
Qian Daoliu slowly nodded. "They really only have one Soul Tool."
"If there's nothing else, then get lost. Don't stand around here and annoy me." Li Taibai waved them away like flies. "From now on, this place belongs to Spirit Hall. Get out of here!"
He turned and handed the Soul Tool to Qian Renxue. "Young Lady, these are the herbs they dug up. They're all in here."
Qian Renxue took the Soul Tool and turned away. "Grandfather, let's go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
"All right," Qian Daoliu replied. His gaze swept over the disheveled backs of Tang San and the others, then settled on the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his eyes profound.
The group returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Amid the swirling mist, spiritual herbs covered the ground, their faint glow shimmering.
Qian Renxue stood beside the spring and began forming hand seals. Her fingers fluttered like butterflies, her gestures mysterious and intricate. Qian Daoliu, Snake Lance Douluo, and the others felt dizzy just watching her, as though countless streams of information were crashing into their Sea of Consciousness. They couldn't understand the principles behind it at all.
"Master, I can barely hold on," Qian Renxue silently murmured. Fine beads of cold sweat had already appeared on her brow.
Chen Qingxuan's voice sounded in her Sea of Consciousness, and a gentle energy flowed into it at the same time. "Steady your mind."
As the energy circulated, Qian Renxue's thoughts suddenly cleared. The hand seals that had felt sluggish now flowed smoothly.
As she formed the final seal, a strange energy rippled outward, enveloping the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Divine ability, Heavenly Evolution Technique, activate!"
Countless details about the herbs poured into her soul like a tide: the ingredients and properties of each Immortal Herb, how to combine them, their uses in pill refinement, even their age and the possibility of future mutations—all became crystal clear.
Chen Qingxuan acted again, placing a seal over the information. From now on, Qian Renxue would only need to brush it with her thoughts to retrieve it whenever she wished.
The Heavenly Evolution Technique was far too heaven-defying. It could deduce the workings of all things, but it also carried an immensely powerful backlash.
If Chen Qingxuan hadn't been there to bear the burden, the backlash would already have torn Qian Renxue apart.
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Qian Renxue opened her eyes and said to Qian Daoliu, "Grandfather, help me dig up the herbs I need."
"Xiao Xue, how should I dig them up? I don't have any experience," Qian Daoliu said, looking helplessly at the spiritual herbs in all their varied shapes.
"Just use your Soul Power to pull them out of the soil. Remember, the roots must not be damaged at all," Qian Renxue instructed him.
"All right." Golden Soul Power surged around Qian Daoliu as he carefully reached toward an Immortal Herb glowing red.
With Qian Renxue directing him, Qian Daoliu carefully removed the mature Immortal Herbs and spiritual herbs from the soil one by one. Qian Renxue put all of them into her Space Ring.
The immature ones were left where they were to continue growing.
Two hours passed. Even Qian Daoliu, who was at the demigod level, had sweat beading on his forehead after releasing his Mental Power at such intensity.
Fortunately, they had now collected all the herbs Qian Renxue needed.
Li Taibai stared at the plain-looking ring in Qian Renxue's hand, his heart pounding.
Could this be her cheat?
Was there an old master or a celestial sister hiding inside?
Otherwise, how could any of this make sense?
"Ahem." Qian Daoliu cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Xiao Xue, Taibai found this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. What do you think..."
Qian Renxue took out nine bottles of pills from her Space Ring and flicked her finger. They floated in front of Li Taibai. Neat little characters on the bottles described their effects:
"Great Strength Pill: Each pill increases strength by one hundred pounds. The effects diminish with each use. Take no more than nine pills, once every half-month. No cultivation level requirement."
"Meridian Expansion Pill: Expands the meridians and speeds up cultivation. Usable by Soul Masters and above."
"Body Tempering Pill: The first pill increases strength by five hundred pounds, activates the blood and qi, and enhances the resilience of the meridians..."
"Marrow Cleansing and Bone Forging Pill: Rebuilds the body from the ground up..."
Li Taibai's eyes went wide. These were all good stuff! Even the worst of them, the Great Strength Pill, cost five hundred points in the system shop. The best, the Marrow Cleansing and Bone Forging Pill, cost over three hundred thousand points.
And each bottle clearly held quite a few. He was rich!
"They're all yours," Qian Renxue said, looking at him. "The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well belongs to me. Any objections?"
"None, none at all!" Li Taibai hurriedly put the pills into his Soul Tool, grinning from ear to ear.
"Since Young Lady has spoken, how could I possibly object?"
According to the system's calculations, these pills were worth as many points as five Immortal Herbs. He had really struck it rich this time.
Li Taibai felt a sudden urge to cling to a rich lady's coattails. He truly didn't want to work hard anymore.
Then he remembered something and leaned closer. "Young Lady, I read in the records of past Popes that six years ago, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor sacrificed herself for Tang Hao."
"I looked into Tang Hao's life. He had already completed his set of Soul Bones."
"But a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is guaranteed to drop a Soul Bone. That means Tang Hao must have a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone in his possession."
Over the past few years, he had spent a lot of time currying favor with Qian Daoliu and had gained plenty of clearance. In a sense, his access was almost on par with the Pope's. Apart from the absolute secrets of the Angel Clan, he could consult almost all of Spirit Hall's records.
"Grandfather, is that true?" Qian Renxue asked Qian Daoliu.
"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is guaranteed to drop a Soul Bone. Taibai enjoys reading, and as long as Spirit Hall's records about Tang Hao are accurate, then it must be true," Qian Daoliu replied with a nod.
A cold glint flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes. "Father didn't obtain that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. I'll take the Soul Bone myself."
She turned to Li Taibai. "You, Snake Lance Uncle, and Porcupinefish Uncle will investigate the whereabouts of Tang Hao and the other two. Remember, don't reveal your tracks."
"Yes!" Li Taibai's spirits soared. Great, there's work! My points, your grandpa is coming again!
Li Taibai exchanged a glance with Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo, then turned and flew out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Before you continue