Bibi Dong quietly watched the whole thing unfold.
Her violet eyes narrowed slightly, and deep within them lay a tenderness and satisfaction no one else could see.
As Su Chen came over, her red lips parted. "Come with me."
"All right, Teacher."
Su Chen followed Bibi Dong away. Many people around them looked on enviously. That was the Saintess, after all—the one who would become the Pope in the future.
"Teacher, where are we going?"
Su Chen followed behind Bibi Dong, watching her graceful figure sway as she walked.
Over the past year, he had certainly worked hard.
He had stopped Bibi Dong from meeting Yu Xiaogang.
Under normal circumstances, if he hadn't been around, they would probably have already become secret lovers by now.
"Obviously, we're celebrating. Now that you've advanced, we should have a proper feast."
"Teacher, I'm already at level nineteen. I'll probably break through in a few days. Should we head into the forest early and look for a Soul Ring?"
Su Chen felt that he could put Bibi Dong's affairs aside for now.
Next, he would focus on Immortal Herbs.
The sooner he got his hands on them, the better.
Then he could finally relax.
After all, with opportunities like these, he'd only feel at ease once they were in his possession.
"Such a hurry?"
"Teacher, you're already a Soul King. I really should be looking ahead, too. Surpassing you is my goal."
"You've got some nerve. I'll be waiting to see when you manage to surpass your teacher."
A faint smile touched Bibi Dong's lips. She was quite pleased that her disciple had such motivation.
Su Chen suddenly suggested, "Teacher, could we go to Sunset Forest this time? I want to see this Soul Beast forest, second only to Star Dou Great Forest."
"Sunset Forest is too far away, and it's on the Heaven Dou Empire's territory, very close to Heaven Dou City. It's also smaller than Star Dou Great Forest, so we'd have fewer choices."
Bibi Dong frowned slightly.
Su Chen had Innate Full Soul Power, so the various factions had probably had their eyes on him for a long time.
The Clear Sky Sect in particular was a great enemy of Spirit Hall, with level ninety-nine Tang Chen at its helm.
Su Chen was already their enemy. The moment he left Spirit City, they would surely target him.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had also gained a Titled Douluo in recent years, one rumored to enjoy assassinating geniuses. There was no concrete proof, but rumors didn't come from nowhere.
Su Chen was a little disappointed. If they didn't go to Sunset Forest, he wouldn't be able to get the Immortal Herbs.
If he didn't take advantage of this chance to go while looking for a Soul Ring, the next opportunity probably wouldn't come until he reached level thirty and left Spirit City.
"Teacher, think of it as a training trip for us master and disciple. Please, Teacher?"
Su Chen put on the kind of pleading act a boy his age would use.
Cling to the powerful.
Bibi Dong was definitely worth clinging to.
He took a deep breath.
His eyes filled with hope, he looked at Bibi Dong.
"Well... we can go, but we'll have to trouble the elders of Elder Hall."
Half a month later.
A luxurious carriage slowly departed from Spirit Hall. Su Chen had smoothly reached level twenty, and Bibi Dong was taking him to Sunset Forest.
An old man rode alongside them. His hair and beard were completely white, his face weathered. At a glance, he was clearly advanced in years.
The old man looked unremarkable, but he had a special title: Broken Sword Douluo.
Su Chen didn't remember Spirit Hall having a Titled Douluo by that name. He must have died sometime later.
After several days on the road, the three of them arrived at Sunset Forest. Bibi Dong took Su Chen into the forest to search for a suitable Soul Beast.
Broken Sword Douluo wouldn't make a move while they were in the forest.
Bibi Dong wouldn't receive any help from him; in fact, she would have to protect Su Chen as well.
For Bibi Dong, it was also a chance to train herself.
"Xiao Chen, finding a Soul Beast isn't something you can rush. Some people search for half a month; others may search for three months and still not find a Soul Beast they like."
After searching for several days without finding a suitable Soul Beast for the Nine Nether Red-Clad Ghost Emperor, Bibi Dong couldn't help trying to comfort Su Chen.
Su Chen really was getting anxious. Disappointment was already showing on his face.
But it wasn't the Soul Beast he was worried about. It was that Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye was much harder to find than he'd imagined. It was clearly a great valley—if only he looked up...
"Hm? That looks a little like..."
Suddenly, Su Chen's eyes lit up. Mist hung over the valley ahead.
"Teacher, there's a valley over there. Let's rest there tonight!"
Su Chen tugged at Bibi Dong's hand. When she agreed, he was overjoyed.
Every Soul Beast they had encountered along the way had been easily dealt with by Bibi Dong.
When they reached the valley, Bibi Dong suddenly frowned. "This mist is poisonous."
Bibi Dong was also a powerful poison Soul Master.
She knew poisons well.
She summoned the Death Spider Emperor.
The Martial Soul absorbed all the mist.
Su Chen was a little surprised.
He knew Bibi Dong's Martial Soul could devour things.
He hadn't expected it to absorb poison, too.
After his initial surprise, it seemed reasonable.
The poison of the Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eater Spider Emperor was certainly no weaker than that of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor.
It was just that the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor excelled at large-scale attacks, and its fame overshadowed Bibi Dong's.
But if they actually competed with poison, the two would be evenly matched, four to six.
Bibi Dong didn't absorb all the poisonous mist.
She left a separate pocket of space untouched. Once they had entered, the mist naturally gathered behind them again. It kept Soul Beasts out, effectively creating a safe zone.
Su Chen knew Dugu Bo definitely wasn't here yet.
At this point in time, he probably hadn't even broken through to Titled Douluo.
The poisonous mist here had formed naturally, too. Otherwise, the Immortal Herbs inside would have been trampled by Soul Beasts long ago.
Unable to wait, Su Chen quickened his pace. When they emerged from the poisonous mist, the sight before them left both of them rooted to the spot.
The valley was covered in vines and all kinds of plants, growing in lush profusion. Below lay a spring, its waters divided into milky white and scarlet.
"What is this place? It's like another world hidden inside."
Bibi Dong gazed at the spring. She sensed danger there; the opposing forces of intense heat and cold made her uncomfortable.
"Teacher, this place looks like a treasure trove!"
Su Chen pretended to exclaim in surprise.
Bibi Dong put on an exaggerated expression, too.
"A treasure trove? What treasure trove?" Bibi Dong asked, puzzled.
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye. It's mentioned in that book Chrysanthemum Douluo gave me."
"They say the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye is an enormous treasure trove where Immortal Herbs grow. Supposedly, eating them can change your aptitude and turn you into a genius."
Bibi Dong's face clearly showed her doubt. Su Chen paid no attention and strode forward. There was no poisonous mist inside, and no Soul Beasts, either.
Su Chen could already see the Immortal Herbs. Two of them grew beside the spring.
One was fiery red, shaped somewhat like a cabbage.
On the far right was a flower resembling a large, eight-pointed blossom.
Su Chen was certain they were the Infernal Delicate Apricot and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
"Tsk, tsk. They're all Immortal Herbs—the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum..."
Besides the Immortal Herbs from the original story, there were also those recorded in the Immortal Herb Illustrated Record but never revealed by Tang San. There were at least several dozen of them.
"I've struck it rich! I've struck it rich!"