Watching Bibi Dong hesitate, Ban Shu held out the Lovesick Heartbreak Red. "Why don't you try this one first?"
"Oh?"
Bibi Dong looked at the large flower before her. Its pure white petals were speckled with bright red, like drops of blood.
"What a strange flower."
"Of course. It has a tragic yet beautiful story behind it."
Ban Shu cleared his throat and began under Bibi Dong's expectant gaze. "Legend has it..."
"A fairy fell in love with a mortal, but the gods forbade it. The mortal lost all hope and eventually died. Before he passed, his blood stained the peony that was the fairy's incarnation, and it became the Lovesick Heartbreak Red."
"..."
Bibi Dong blinked, her expression stiffening. "That... is tragic and beautiful? I think it sounds ridiculous."
"The full story is too long. Just take it as beautiful."
Ban Shu offered her the flower. "To pluck it, you have to drip your heart's blood onto it and think of the person you love. Then you'll be able to pick it."
"But if you hesitate even a little, all your effort will be wasted."
"I understand."
Bibi Dong nodded, circulated her Soul Power, and spat out a mouthful of heart's blood, letting it fall onto the flower. Then she glanced at Ban Shu before closing her eyes.
After Bibi Dong's blood touched the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, the flower began to tremble. Seeing this, Ban Shu furrowed his brow slightly and stole a glance at her.
But soon, the Lovesick Heartbreak Red stopped trembling and settled back into stillness.
Bibi Dong opened her eyes, looking disappointed. "I failed. I'm still too young. I couldn't bring myself to do it."
"What's too young?"
"Ah, nothing!"
Bibi Dong hurriedly shook her head, then turned her gaze to the Crystal Grass beside her. "Never mind. There's still this one. I'll eat this instead."
"All right."
Ban Shu nodded and set the Lovesick Heartbreak Red aside, then began introducing the Crystal Grass. "This Immortal Herb is called Crystal Grass. Eating it can greatly enhance dark attribute power, and make you as light as a swallow, able to move with extraordinary speed."
"As a spider Martial Soul, agility is essential too."
As he spoke, Ban Shu parted the flower bud surrounding the Crystal Grass, revealing its stamen. In its center was an eyeball. "This eyeball is the essence of the herb. Hurry and swallow it."
"Uh..."
Bibi Dong stared at the lifelike eyeball in Ban Shu's hand, undisguised disgust on her face. But things had come to this, so she had no choice but to go through with it.
Bibi Dong took the eyeball, closed her eyes, and swallowed it. The nauseating texture she had imagined never came. The moment the eyeball entered her mouth, it turned into a stream of cool liquid and slid down her throat.
Bibi Dong immediately sat cross-legged and began refining its medicinal power.
Ban Shu looked at Bibi Dong, then at the Lovesick Heartbreak Red. In the end, he put it away in his Storage Jade Pendant.
Next, Ban Shu found a Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma and handed it to Dugu Bo. "Senior, you shouldn't take any Immortal Herbs that strengthen your Martial Soul right now. They'd do more harm than good. Take this one first."
"Though this Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma isn't an Immortal Herb, it's still a sacred treasure for strengthening your foundations and nourishing your vitality. Once your poison is removed, I'll choose a good Immortal Herb for you."
"Thank you, young friend."
Dugu Bo was delighted. He hadn't expected to get a share of the Immortal Herbs. "But, young friend, aren't you only supposed to eat one Immortal Herb?"
Ban Shu glanced at Dugu Bo. "I never said that. Eating too many Immortal Herbs only increases your resistance to them. You just have to avoid eating too many."
Dugu Bo didn't dwell on it and ate the ganoderma too.
"That leaves only me."
Ban Shu had already picked out the Immortal Herbs he wanted: the Infernal Delicate Apricot, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
The first two would strengthen his body, while the last would enhance his mental power. Perfect.
Standing before the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Ban Shu slowly closed his eyes. A flash of scarlet light passed, and his Sharingan opened.
Ban Shu let out a soft breath. Relying on the Sharingan's powerful dynamic vision, he swiftly cut down the two Immortal Herbs and stuffed them into his mouth with lightning speed.
"Grandpa Qian, don't worry about me."
With that, Ban Shu jumped straight into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and began refining the herbs' medicinal power.
"!"
Seeing Ban Shu's actions, Qian Daoliu jumped in alarm. But after hearing Ban Shu's words, he stopped himself. It seemed Ban Shu had been prepared. All he had to do was protect them.
In the spring, Ban Shu's body gave off an eerie red-and-blue glow. With the well's help, the medicinal power of the two Immortal Herbs was slowly absorbed into his body.
After an unknown amount of time, Ban Shu's previously calm face suddenly twisted in pain. The spring water around him began to boil, and thin strands of red and blue energy gradually seeped into his body.
Gradually, a phantom began to take shape behind Ban Shu. Clad in beast-faced, sky-swallowing linked armor and gripping a Painted Halberd, it gazed calmly into the distance as the Eternal Mangekyou in its eyes slowly spun.
As more and more power gathered, the phantom grew more solid, and the aura around Ban Shu steadily spread.
Suddenly, Divine Steed Ban behind Ban Shu stirred. Its expression shifted from calm to stern. "Is this the child's world?"
It looked around, then slowly closed its eyes. A moment later, it moved, thrusting the Painted Halberd into the ground before it.
"Peerless Under Heaven!"
"Hah!"
With a mighty shout, flames of power ignited around Divine Steed Ban. It stood with an air of invincibility, then hurled the Painted Halberd in its hand toward the depths of the spring.
"I cannot be stopped!"
Divine Steed Ban turned into a streak of red flame and chased after the Painted Halberd, plunging deeper and deeper below.
After an unknown amount of time, Divine Steed Ban appeared again beside two enormous dragon-shaped skeletons.
Seeing a blue and a red Soul Bone floating above the skeletons, Divine Steed Ban reached out to seize them.
"Who are you?"
At that moment, the Ice and Fire Dragon Souls suddenly appeared and roared at Divine Steed Ban.
Divine Steed Ban couldn't even be bothered to spare them a glance. They were nothing more than two corpses. They posed no threat.
The Mangekyou in its eyes spun, and a red skeleton wreathed in flames appeared around Divine Steed Ban. Ignoring the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, it forcibly took the two Soul Bones.
To avoid vanishing, the spirits of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings were forced to retreat into the Soul Bones, where they clung to life.
With its goal achieved, Divine Steed Ban's Martial Soul turned back.
After an unknown amount of time, Divine Steed Ban appeared again, holding a red and a blue Soul Bone that shimmered with light. They were none other than the Ice and Fire Dragon King Soul Bones.
Everything that needed to be done was done. Divine Steed Ban held the Soul Bones as its figure merged into Ban Shu's body. The two Soul Bones entered him as well, and a faint glow spread from his arms as they began to fuse.
"Don't let my name be forgotten. This power is the last thing I can give you."
After those words, the light in the eyes of Divine Steed Ban's Martial Soul vanished completely. It merged with Ban Shu, becoming one with him. Now, Ban Shu was Divine Steed Ban.
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