The three Titled Douluo turned to look at Lin Huai at the same time.
Dugu Bo's smile froze. He hadn't expected anyone besides himself to have cultivated an Inner Pellet.
"It was an autobiography by a Titled Douluo. His Martial Soul was the Ink Flood Dragon Sword."
"Although he had only innate Soul Power of level eight, he became a Titled Douluo in his fifties, far younger than others with better talent who lived at the same time."
Lin Huai pretended to ponder as he rubbed his temples.
"Also, that Titled Douluo called it a 'Pill Bead.'"
"But based on the book's description, I think 'Soul Core' is a better name for something like this."
Lin Huai watched the Inner Pellet still spinning round and round.
A look of eager curiosity appeared on his face.
"Elder Dugu, when you cultivate, do you feel that this Inner Pellet speeds up the circulation of your Soul Power?
Also, seniors, please just call me Lin Huai. There's no need to be so formal."
Seeing Lin Huai's expression, like a child looking at a beloved toy,
Dugu Bo hadn't yet replied
when Yue Guan's distinctive voice rang out first.
"If it helped Soul Power circulate, he wouldn't still be stuck at level 91, with the title of weakest Titled Douluo."
Dugu Bo's face darkened, but he ignored Yue Guan's taunt.
"As expected of the Grand Elder's disciple. Lin Huai is right. This Inner Pellet really can increase the speed at which Soul Power flows."
With that, he had also subtly praised Qian Daoliu.
"The reason my cultivation has stagnated is that I've been poisoned by this Jade Phosphor Snake."
"As I cultivated, the snake venom became harder and harder to suppress. So I simply stopped cultivating, and that's how I gradually perfected this Inner Pellet."
Yue Guan's mocking smile faded.
He hadn't expected the old fellow to actually come up with something worthwhile.
Qian Daoliu, however, passed over the part about accelerating cultivation.
He had noticed that Dugu Bo's symptoms were somewhat similar to his disciple's.
"Yue Guan, take a look at Xiaohuai's condition."
"See if there's an Immortal Herb that can help."
As Dugu Bo and Yue Guan looked on in confusion, Lin Huai held out his right hand to Yue Guan.
Although he already knew these Immortal Herbs couldn't cure Scarlet Rot,
Qian Daoliu's instinctive concern for him still moved Lin Huai deeply.
Without examining the scars on his hand closely, Dugu Bo and Yue Guan had assumed they were burns from getting too close to the hot spring.
But now, as they stared at the traces of corruption eating away at it, both of them felt their hearts clench.
"Though it won't flare up, you'd better hold this hand instead."
Lin Huai withdrew his right hand and held out his left.
Yue Guan took it with lingering apprehension.
But the moment he probed that strange power with his Soul Power, he let go at once.
His voice held an apologetic note.
"I'm sorry, Grand Elder."
"I can't treat this. Not even an Immortal Herb could ease it in the slightest."
Qian Daoliu's expression darkened and brightened by turns, and the atmosphere grew heavy.
Lin Huai quickly changed the subject.
"Teacher, don't worry. The stronger this curse is, the more it proves how formidable I am."
"Only mediocrities go unnoticed, right? I've even drawn the heavens' envy. Maybe I'll become a god outright."
Qian Daoliu resumed flipping through the Immortal Herb Catalog, his expression once again unreadable.
Seeing that his self-deprecating joke had worked,
Lin Huai turned to Dugu Bo and suggested,
"I think Elder Dugu should take a break for now. You could discuss it with the other elders and elders-in-waiting."
"Maybe this Soul Core can solve your problem outright."
Yue Guan casually picked some ordinary herbs and a few rare flowers.
He tossed them to Dugu Bo.
"Xiaohuai's right. In the meantime, boil these herbs in water and drink it. They'll greatly ease the pain when the poison flares up."
'Xiaohuai?'
Lin Huai's mouth twisted.
He shouldn't have asked Yue Guan to change how he addressed him.
Yue Guan pointed to a white-gold Immortal Herb and another one shaped like a cockscomb, its veins a vivid crimson-gold.
"Grand Elder, these two Immortal Herbs are called the 'Sacred Gold Glazed Bag' and the 'Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.'"
"Other people can't take them together."
Yue Guan looked toward Qian Daoliu.
"But a bearer of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul can. They'll not only increase Soul Power but also strengthen fire and light attributes."
Understanding why Yue Guan had pointed out these two Immortal Herbs,
Qian Daoliu was pleased with his suggestion.
"Then pick them. I'll take care of the rest."
Yue Guan rubbed his hands together and gave an awkward smile.
"Well, taking these two together might cause some unusual phenomena."
Lin Huai gazed thoughtfully at the two Immortal Herbs.
So Yue Guan was suggesting that Qian Renxue take them. That would also help her make up for the cultivation she'd neglected during this time.
"Fine. Choose an Immortal Herb for Xiaohuai first. I'll bring her here."
As soon as Qian Daoliu finished speaking, he left in a streak of golden light.
Swaying his hips, Yue Guan walked over to Lin Huai.
"Xiaohuai, what kind of effects would you like from an Immortal Herb?"
Lin Huai shuddered. One look at Yue Guan's faintly amused expression told him that nothing he said would make him change the way he addressed him.
He thought it over.
There weren't any attributes he needed to improve,
and neither Lianlian's Arm Guard nor her Prosthetic Blade could be enhanced by an Immortal Herb.
"Ordinary poisons probably wouldn't work on me anyway, right?"
Yue Guan recalled Scarlet Rot's terrifying ability to consume everything.
Even his Soul Power as a Titled Douluo had been partially annihilated by it.
"You should be immune to all poisons."
"Old Poison, give me a few drops of venom."
Yue Guan tossed Dugu Bo a small bottle.
Dugu Bo took the Nine-Section Jade from the Wishful Treasure Pouch—the very one from the original story.
As he ordered it to secrete venom into the bottle, he cursed Yue Guan.
"Damn it, Chrysanthemum Guan! What do you take me for?"
"Just use this. I have an antidote. If anything happens to Lin Huai, the Grand Elder will make you pay."
Yue Guan caught the small bottle filled with the Nine-Section Jade's venom and glanced sideways at Dugu Bo.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let that slide." (I'd originally wanted to use "this old lady," but it felt too awkward. Yue Guan wasn't this extreme in the original text either.)
He took out a small knife and gently made a tiny cut on Lin Huai's arm.
Then he poured a drop of venom onto the wound.
"Xiaohuai, tell me if you feel anything wrong."
Half a minute passed.
Seeing that Lin Huai still looked perfectly normal, Yue Guan's guess was confirmed.
"Mm, you really are immune to all poisons."
Lin Huai didn't feel anything unusual either.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, are there any Immortal Herbs that mainly increase Soul Power? One that boosts mental strength would work too."
Yue Guan looked around, then brought over an Immortal Herb with a lustrous, jade-white sheen.
"There aren't any that increase mental strength. This Primordial Immortal Herb mainly boosts Soul Power. My Martial Soul senses that it has another effect, too."
"I'm not sure what it is, but it can only be beneficial. It won't do you any harm."
Watching Lin Huai accept the Primordial Immortal Herb,
Yue Guan said, "You can take it one leaf at a time. After each leaf, meditate and absorb it.
"Gradually increase your Soul Power. Immortal Herbs have a spirit of their own, so take it as soon as possible. Here, you can store the remaining leaves in this."
As he spoke, he tossed Lin Huai a jade box.
Satisfied, Yue Guan turned and strolled around the Immortal Herb Garden.
Lin Huai found an open spot and sat down. He plucked a leaf from the Primordial Immortal Herb and put it in his mouth.
It tasted ordinary, much like chewing grass, and it was very tough.
Only after he swallowed it and felt a surge of dense primordial energy rush into his body, merging with his Soul Power and coursing through his meridians,
did Lin Huai remember that this was an Immortal Herb from Legend of the Dragon King.
After taking the whole thing, it could help refine a Soul Core.
Before you continue