Dugu Yan's fair, lovely face flushed bright red the moment she heard Lin Yuan's instructions.
She couldn't stop recalling the shameful scene from when he had detoxified her just moments ago—standing with nothing on, her back to him.
The young woman was wonderfully developed, her close-fitting clothes outlining a waist so slender it could be circled with one hand.
Especially in this steamy environment.
Those long, straight, flawless legs of hers radiated a breathtaking allure.
"Thank you, Young Master Lin."
Dugu Yan shyly lowered her eyes. Her voice was soft as a mosquito's buzz as she accepted the Jade Linglong Saliva Fruit with both hands.
After he had saved her life and she had witnessed the astonishing scene just now,
she had developed a blind faith in this boy, who was several years younger than her.
Even if the fruit had been deadly poison, she would have swallowed it on the spot without hesitation.
After a brief farewell to Dugu Bo and his granddaughter,
Lin Yuan didn't linger in the Sunset Forest. He set off straight back to Spirit Hall.
The moment he stepped into the side hall of the Pope's Palace,
a lively, youthful figure came jogging over from the side path.
"Big Brother!"
Joy filled Hu Liena's foxlike, alluring face as she hurried right up to Lin Yuan.
The instant they drew close, Hu Liena came to an abrupt halt.
She could clearly sense the faint pressure radiating from Lin Yuan.
His aura was more than several times stronger than it had been before he went to the Soul Hunting Forest!
"You've only been gone a few days. How did you get so much stronger again?"
Hu Liena's eyes sparkled as she circled him, praising him over and over.
Lin Yuan let her look him over, his tone easygoing.
"I just happened to come across a fortunate opportunity."
"Go get Xie Yue and Yan, too."
"I have something important to give you."
At the mention of something important, Hu Liena's eyes lit up, and she immediately turned and ran outside.
Before half an incense stick had burned,
Xie Yue and Yan hurried into the side hall behind Hu Liena.
After their earlier crushing defeat and the shock they had experienced, these two peerless geniuses of Spirit Hall had completely submitted.
In front of Lin Yuan, they no longer dared to show even the slightest arrogance.
They stepped forward and bowed in perfect unison.
Their eyes held sincere, absolute respect and admiration.
"Brother Yuan, you wanted to see us?" Yan spoke first, unmistakable awe in his voice.
Lin Yuan's gaze swept over the three of them.
"I called you here because I've prepared some good things for you."
"Immortal Herbs."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Yuan casually turned his wrist.
A peculiar plant, glowing with a captivating pink light, appeared in his palm out of thin air.
A soothing, fragrant aroma filled the entire side hall.
Lin Yuan offered the plant to Hu Liena, who stood at the front.
"This is called Illusion Heart Begonia."
"It can greatly strengthen the alluring properties of your Martial Soul. Just take it and consume it."
Hu Liena accepted the shimmering Immortal Herb in both hands, her pretty face flushed with excitement.
"Thank you, Big Brother!"
Next, Lin Yuan reached out again.
A silver-white leaf, gleaming like a blade of moonlight made solid, appeared in his hand.
"Xie Yue, this is Moonlight Aura Grass."
"It's perfectly suited to your Moon Blade Martial Soul."
Xie Yue took a deep breath and accepted the Immortal Herb with trembling hands, unconcealed fervor in his eyes.
Finally, Lin Yuan brought out a Lingzhi that looked as if it had been carved from red agate, waves of scorching heat radiating from it.
He handed it to Yan.
"Fire Jade Lingzhi."
"It's the best match for your Flame Lord."
Yan dropped to one knee and raised both hands to accept the scorching Lingzhi.
He lifted his head, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Even if I were ground to dust, I could never repay Brother Yuan for this gift!"
The three of them didn't hesitate once they had the Immortal Herbs.
They sat cross-legged on the open tiles of the side hall and swallowed them.
In less than half an hour,
three immense waves of Soul Power burst forth one after another inside the hall.
Pink light flickered wildly around Hu Liena.
Her already alluring Heavenly Fox Martial Soul gathered into an incredibly solid phantom above her head.
Another tail sprouted from the fox, and the waves of spiritual power it gave off sent ripples through the air.
Xie Yue's Moon Blade Martial Soul appeared on its own.
Under the cleansing power of the Moonlight Aura Grass, a glaring red line appeared along the edges of the blades, which had originally been silver-white. Their sharpness was now unmistakable.
A huge phantom of the Flame Lord rose behind Yan.
The flames that had once been scarlet were transforming into an even more terrifying dark red, and the temperature in the side hall climbed sharply.
When the three of them finally finished cultivating and opened their eyes, they were all left utterly dumbfounded.
They quickly examined their bodies.
Just one Immortal Herb had somehow raised each of their cultivation levels by seven or eight ranks!
And that wasn't all. Their Martial Souls had also undergone a complete transformation in quality!
The three of them sprang to their feet in unison.
When they looked at Lin Yuan again, simple admiration no longer described the way they felt.
They worshipped him with fervor, as if he were a god who had descended into the mortal world!
While they were still basking in their overwhelming joy,
a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded in the corridor outside the side hall.
Qian Renxue, dressed in luxurious palace robes, rushed in through the doorway, her face full of anxiety.
She had been far away in Heaven Dou City, carrying out her covert mission, when she heard through special channels that Lin Yuan had faced a deadly crisis while hunting for a Soul Ring.
Even the long-hidden Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao, had personally joined the hunt.
The news had terrified her so much that she immediately dropped all her pressing duties.
She had rushed back to Spirit Hall day and night, filled with worry.
But the moment she crossed the threshold, she was met with a sight that hit like a bolt from the blue.
The rapidly surging waves of cultivation coming from Hu Liena and the others, still not fully reined in, struck her senses like a heavy hammer.
Qian Renxue stopped short in shock.
Her red lips parted slightly as she stared at the people in the middle of the hall, wide-eyed.
Hearing the hurried footsteps, Lin Yuan turned to look.
When he saw that stunning, peerlessly beautiful face, etched with deep worry, he didn't hesitate for a moment and jogged over to her.
There was no unnecessary greeting or small talk.
Lin Yuan simply reached out and took Qian Renxue's soft, fair hand in his.
Then, without giving her a chance to object, he led her by the hand toward the quiet corridor outside the side hall.
Qian Renxue didn't resist at all, letting the boy, considerably younger than her, hold her hand.
When she felt the real warmth of his palm,
the heart that had been lodged in her throat, about to leap out, finally settled back into her chest.
Seeing that he was unharmed from head to toe, not even a hair out of place,
Qian Renxue finally let out a long breath of relief.
Before you continue