Douluo: Jianmu Martial Soul, Am I an Abomination of Abundance?

This was the intense resonance that an extremely compatible simulated cultivation environment brought to Spirit Masters and martial souls.

If Spirit Masters with ice, fire, or wood attributes cultivated at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, they could greatly increase their cultivation speed.

This was also why many advanced Soul Master Academies came equipped with simulated cultivation environments.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye before them was simply of a higher grade.

"All right, this is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye. It will also be where we live for a long time from now on."

"However, there are still things I need to warn you about. Do not touch those two-colored springs under any circumstances. Even if your martial soul attributes match them, you still cannot touch them. You won't be able to endure it."

Hearing Mu Ci's warning, the three girls immediately nodded their little heads obediently.

For Mu Ci to warn them so solemnly and seriously, it had to be extremely dangerous.

In nature, the more beautiful something was, the more likely it was to be accompanied by danger. Even in another world like Douluo Continent, that principle still held true.

Although the spring water looked beautiful, their own safety was more important.

Mu Ci then told the girls about several immortal herbs they needed to watch out for, lest they accidentally touch one someday.

Special immortal herbs like the Snowy Swan Kiss, which possessed no poison itself but could amplify poison hundreds or thousands of times over, were among the things Mu Ci warned them about most sternly.

There was not much need to be afraid, though, because Mu Ci had long since used reinforced vines to form cages that isolated those special immortal herbs.

He told them only so they would not grow too curious. After all, curiosity killed the cat.

He did not want to fail to tell them about the dangers, only for the girls to accidentally touch something out of curiosity after he left to handle something, then be unable to save them in time and watch one of them die beyond all remedy.

Mu Ci had no desire to see such brainless melodramatic nonsense unfold.

After explaining the precautions, Mu Ci summoned his martial soul under the curious gazes of the girls.

Soul rings emerged beneath his feet, and the third and fourth rings shone with dazzling light.

The two domain soul skills unfolded. Countless dark-golden vines grew and rose, weaving themselves into several exquisitely crafted wooden houses on the ground around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye.

They were positioned in different areas according to the girls' attributes. Huo Wu's was near the Fire Eye, while Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er's were near the Ice Eye.

There was even a corresponding wooden house for Dugu Yan, who would come here later, ensuring that everyone had the best possible cultivation environment.

"Go tidy up your rooms first. I made the furniture directly from wood as well. Wait for me in your rooms for a while. I have something to give you."

At the mention of gifts, the girls' pretty faces filled with anticipation and excitement as they headed to their rooms in high spirits.

After they left, Mu Ci gathered the immortal herbs he needed, then returned to his room to refine them into the pills he required.

A Gift for Huo Wu

"Knock, knock."

Mu Ci gently knocked on Huo Wu's door.

Hearing the sound she had been waiting for, Huo Wu quickly opened the door and ushered Mu Ci inside.

"Did I keep you waiting long?"

After Huo Wu pulled him to sit by the bed, Mu Ci smiled at her.

"No, I just finished tidying up."

With expectation in her beautiful eyes, Huo Wu looked at Mu Ci and replied.

Mu Ci saw through her thoughts at once. With a flick of his hand, he took out the gift he had just refined from his storage Soul Tool.

It was a round crimson pill with golden patterns on its surface.

Even without touching it, Huo Wu could feel the fire-attribute energy radiating from it, making the Fire Shadow Origin within her stir with excitement.

"This is the Infernal Apricot Spirit Pill. I usually do not bother naming pills, but since it is a gift, I felt it should have a proper name."

"It doesn't sound very good, so don't mind it."

Mu Ci held the pill in his palm and looked at Huo Wu somewhat sheepishly.

However, Mu Ci did not dwell on it for long before continuing.

"This pill was refined from the Infernal Delicate Apricot at the center of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye. It can greatly improve a Spirit Master's cultivation talent and fire-attribute abilities."

Mu Ci took Huo Wu's delicate hand and placed the pill in her palm as he looked at her.

"As long as you take this pill, you will gain talent no less than Innate Full Soul Power, along with exceptionally powerful fire-attribute abilities."

"By then, you will have taken a huge step toward your dream of surpassing me."

Hearing Mu Ci's words, Huo Wu looked at the pill in her palm, her eyes turning slightly red. Even her breathing became somewhat hurried as she lowered her head and spoke softly.

"But this is far too precious. I can't accept it."

Huo Wu's grip around the pill tightened slightly, and her voice trembled.

"I didn't follow you for things like this."

A pill that could improve a Spirit Master's innate Soul Power and even strengthen their martial soul—although Huo Wu had never heard of such a thing, she knew how rare and important it had to be.

Seeing Huo Wu's expression, Mu Ci lifted her pretty face with his hand, their eyes meeting.

"I know. This is simply a gift I want to give you."

"You already decided to follow me. How could I not show you something in return?"

Mu Ci did not doubt Huo Wu's words. He could sense the change in her attitude.

At first, Huo Wu might have followed Mu Ci because of her admiration for strength. She had been curious about his power and his talent for creating secret techniques, which had given rise to affection and led her to stay by his side.

But as the time they spent together lengthened, and that affection gradually became love, everything from before became irrelevant.

On Douluo Continent, one could doubt anything else, but there was never any need to doubt love.

Whether it began because of hatred or something else, once two people were together, none of the previous conditions mattered anymore. Both sides could accept everything about the one they loved.

Had Long Xiaoyao not endured the Holy Spirit Cult's countless evils for over a hundred years for Ye Xishui? He had gone from one of the Black and White Twin Sacred Dragons to the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Worshiper, shielding evil from punishment.

Had Gu Yuena not done the same for... Never mind, there was no need to mention the Silver Dragon Fish. Poor Di Tian had served her all his life and given everything for the Soul Beast Race, only to end up like that. Hard to judge.

With her face held by the man she loved, Huo Wu's pretty cheeks slowly turned red and hot. Her crimson lips moved as she hesitantly murmured, "Then... what is our relationship now?"

As Mu Ci looked at Huo Wu's increasingly radiant face, his hand unconsciously began to stroke her smooth, elastic skin.

"What do you think our relationship is now?"

"I... I don't know."

Huo Wu looked at Mu Ci with some hesitation.

They had held hands and embraced before, but they truly had never defined their relationship.

Even though her grandfather had entrusted her to Mu Ci's care, that had not truly established anything between them.

"Miss Huo Wu!"

Mu Ci suddenly withdrew his hands from her face and sat upright with a solemn expression.

The abrupt movement caught Huo Wu off guard, leaving her pretty face adorably blank.

"I like you. Are you willing to be my girlfriend?"

Huo Wu stared blankly as she listened to Mu Ci's words. Each one struck her already tender heart like thunder.

Her turbulent emotions were like a ladle of water thrown into boiling oil, erupting with a bang.

Huo Wu stared directly at the man confessing to her, but she did not answer.

Instead, she gave him her answer through her actions.

Her arms tightly wrapped around Mu Ci's neck, and her glistening pink lips pressed against his.

Feeling Huo Wu's delicate body tremble in his arms, Mu Ci opened his arms and embraced her, letting them feel each other's warmth.

He inhaled the fragrant scent of Huo Wu's hair by his nose, gradually closed his eyes, and began awkwardly returning her kiss.

After a long while, their lips parted.

Mu Ci wrapped his arms around Huo Wu's slender waist and looked at her lying in his embrace with a flushed face. He could not help but chuckle as he asked,

"You still haven't told me whether you're willing to be my girlfriend."

Hearing the question from the man, Huo Wu immediately knew he was teasing her. She raised her soft, weak hand and lightly tapped Mu Ci's chest.

"What do you think?"

Seeing Huo Wu like this, Mu Ci stopped teasing her and smiled. "Then, girlfriend Huo Wu, are you willing to accept the gift I prepared for you now?"

Huo Wu nodded. Holding the pill against her chest with her delicate hand, she said somewhat regretfully, "Now I almost can't bear to eat it."

"Be good and listen. After you take it, you'll have the talent to challenge for the rank of Peak Douluo, or even Peerless Douluo. Then we can be together for one hundred years, two hundred years, or even longer."

Hearing Mu Ci's words, Huo Wu obediently nodded.

Compared with being able to spend hundreds of years with the man she loved, such minor details no longer mattered.

Huo Wu struggled out of Mu Ci's arms, then reached out with her flushed face and pushed him toward the door.

"What's this? We just made our relationship official, and you're already pushing me out?" Mu Ci did not resist, taking two steps outside with her push.

Hearing this, Huo Wu immediately glared at Mu Ci with annoyance. "If it were only the two of us here, of course I wouldn't do this."

"But aren't there still two younger sisters outside waiting for you?"

This answer made Mu Ci awkwardly touch his nose, feeling somewhat embarrassed to face Huo Wu.

"Huo Wu, I..."

"All right. If I cared about such things, do you think I would have followed you?"

Huo Wu straightened Mu Ci's slightly messy collar, then met his gaze with ruby-like eyes. "As long as I have a place in your heart, that's enough."

Huo Wu's words added another layer of emotion to Mu Ci's heart. How many women were truly willing to share the one they loved with others? She had merely made a concession.

Mu Ci embraced Huo Wu again, kissed her jade-like forehead, and said, "I'll watch you take the pill before I go."

Huo Wu obediently walked to the bed and sat cross-legged. After looking at the pill once, she swallowed it directly.

Immediately, powerful fire-element energy began transforming her body. Crimson-golden patterns began to emerge across Huo Wu's exposed snow-white skin.

However, Mu Ci was not worried. The Infernal Delicate Apricot alone could not be consumed because of its fire poison.