Lingyuan's Shock! Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower?

"Big Sis Lingyuan, I... I'm still a child!"

"Pfft..."

Seeing Ning Chen's bashful, innocent-young-man expression, Lingyuan could no longer hold it in and burst out laughing.

She laughed so hard that her whole body trembled, her ample chest bouncing along with it, leaving Ning Chen staring wide-eyed.

"Giggle... Honestly, you're already so grown up, yet you're still this shy."

Lingyuan reached out with a slender jade finger and tapped Ning Chen on the forehead, teasing him with a smile.

"Weren't you being quite bold just now? Why did you chicken out the moment your big sister took the initiative?"

"I... I didn't!"

Ning Chen stubbornly retorted, but his flushed cheeks and evasive gaze had already completely given him away.

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."

Seeing that he was practically about to burrow into the ground from embarrassment, Lingyuan stopped provoking him.

The smile faded from her face, and her expression grew more serious.

"Let's talk business."

Lingyuan looked at Ning Chen, her beautiful eyes revealing concern and gravity.

"You little brat, where exactly have you been these past few days?"

"Do you know that news of your disappearance nearly turned all of Spirit Hall upside down?"

"His Holiness the Pope flew into a rage and ordered a search for you across the entire continent. Elder Chrysanthemum and Elder Ghost practically turned the continent inside out."

"If you hadn't suddenly returned tonight, I was preparing to sneak out and look for you myself!"

Hearing Lingyuan's words, warmth welled up in Ning Chen's heart.

He knew that Big Sis Lingyuan had truly been worried about him.

Being cared for so wholeheartedly by someone felt really good.

He scratched his head and smiled a little awkwardly.

"Ahem, well... I just went out for a casual stroll and gained some experience. I didn't really do anything."

Of course, he could not tell Lingyuan about what had really happened to him.

The Ice Fire Yin Yang Eyes, the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone—fewer people knowing about such things was always better.

"A casual stroll?"

Lingyuan clearly did not believe that excuse.

She reached out and pinched Ning Chen's cheek, saying irritably,

"Do you take me for a fool? Would a casual stroll make His Holiness the Pope that angry?"

"You must have gone off and done something dangerous again, didn't you?"

She knew Ning Chen too well. This little brother of hers had been bold and opinionated since childhood, with a ruthless streak deep in his bones. He was absolutely not the type to behave himself.

"Come on, Big Sis Lingyuan, stop asking."

Ning Chen pulled her hand down, chuckled, and began changing the subject.

"Didn't I come back safely? Besides, I even turned misfortune into a blessing and got much stronger!"

"Oh, right, Big Sis Lingyuan, I brought you a gift this time."

"A gift?"

Lingyuan was immediately intrigued. Her phoenix eyes lit up at once.

"What gift? Hurry up and let your big sister see!"

She looked at Ning Chen expectantly, like a little girl waiting for candy.

Seeing her adorable appearance, Ning Chen's heart softened.

With a smile, he willed it into existence and took a strange crimson flower shaped like a rooster's comb from his storage soul tool.

The instant the flower appeared, the surrounding temperature abruptly rose, and a scorching yet pure fire-element energy radiated from it.

It was none other than the Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb—the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower!

Ning Chen held the Immortal Herb out before Lingyuan and said with a grin,

"Ta-da! Big Sis Lingyuan, look! This is the gift I prepared for you!"

Yet the expectation on Lingyuan's face vanished the moment she saw the herb.

She frowned and looked at Ning Chen with utter disdain.

"Hey, brat, who gives something like this as a gift?"

"Isn't this just some lousy flower that looks like a rooster's comb? It's all red and ugly as hell!"

Lingyuan curled her lips, her tone full of dissatisfaction.

"You should at least give your big sister a bouquet of roses or buy some pretty jewelry! What kind of gift is one lousy flower? There's no sincerity at all!"

Looking at Lingyuan's disgusted expression, Ning Chen did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Damn it, big sis, are you serious?

This is an immortal-grade herb! An immortal-grade herb! The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower!

A peerless treasure that might let you break through to Titled Douluo! And you think it's ugly?

Ning Chen felt as though his heart were bleeding.

If any fire-element soul master on Douluo Continent saw this Immortal Herb, they would probably drop to their knees and call it daddy on the spot.

Yet when it came to Lingyuan, it had been treated like some worthless flower?

What a waste of a heavenly treasure!

Ning Chen took a deep breath and decided to properly educate this ignorant woman.

"Big Sis Lingyuan, don't underestimate this lousy flower."

Ning Chen's expression became serious. Holding the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower in his hand, he said solemnly,

"This thing is ten thousand times more precious than whatever roses and lousy jewelry you mentioned!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Lingyuan clearly did not believe him. She extended a slender jade finger, poked one of the crimson petals, and curled her lips.

"I don't see what's so precious about it."

"It does feel warm, though. Is it some legendary hand warmer? It would be pretty convenient in winter."

"A hand warmer?"

Hearing those words, Ning Chen nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He felt as though this woman's train of thought was about to anger him to death.

A fire-element soul master, and all she could think of was a hand warmer?

"Big Sis! I'll call you Big Sis, alright?!"

Ning Chen looked at her helplessly.

"This isn't some hand warmer! This is an Immortal Herb! An Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herb! Do you understand?"

"An Immortal Herb?"

Hearing those words, Lingyuan finally froze for a moment.

Her beautiful phoenix eyes widened slightly as she looked at Ning Chen in confusion, then at the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower in his hand.

"You're saying... this is an Immortal Herb?"

Her tone was full of doubt.

Naturally, she had heard the legends of Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herbs.

It was said that they were supreme treasures born from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, each possessing incredible effects and serving as an opportunity every soul master dreamed of.

But such things existed only in legends and ancient records. Who had ever seen one in reality?

And even if it truly were an Immortal Herb, it could not possibly look so... so down-to-earth, could it?

It looked just like the comb on a big rooster's head.

"Of course it's an Immortal Herb!"

Seeing that she was finally taking it seriously, Ning Chen hurriedly explained while the iron was hot.

"This Immortal Herb is called the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower! It is one of the finest fire-element Immortal Herbs!"

"Its medicinal power is supremely yang and unyielding. It can greatly purify the fire-element energy within a soul master's body and can even... promote the evolution of one's martial soul!"

"Big Sis Lingyuan, your martial soul is the Blazing Spirit Kite, already a top-tier fire-element avian martial soul. If you absorb this Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, I guarantee that the intensity of your flames will rise by at least one level!"

"And..."

At this point, Ning Chen deliberately paused, keeping her in suspense.

"And what?"

Ning Chen's words had stirred Lingyuan's curiosity, and she could not help asking.

Though she was still somewhat skeptical, Ning Chen sounded so serious that she could not help but take it seriously.

Ning Chen looked at her, smiled mysteriously, lowered his voice, and said each word slowly.

"And it might... help you break through that threshold in one stroke and become a true... Titled Douluo!"