Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid

Qin Ming stopped at the city gates and turned to face everyone. "It's only morning. Most spirit fighting matches don't begin until after dusk.

I won't be arranging anything during the day. You're free to look around wherever you want and buy whatever you want.

Gather at the Heaven Dou Royal Hotel, south of the city, before nightfall.

Once we're settled in, we'll head straight to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena tonight to register."

"Long live Teacher Qin!"

Yu Feng let out an excited shout and immediately prepared to enter the city to begin his day of freedom.

"Yu Feng, wait. Teacher Qin hasn't finished speaking yet."

Yu Tianheng sighed helplessly and hurriedly stopped Yu Feng.

Although Ning Chen had the highest cultivation among them, Yu Tianheng was the oldest. On top of that, he came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, so he held great prestige in everyone else's eyes.

Furthermore, Dugu Yan had already confirmed her relationship with Yu Tianheng. As a result, hardly anyone ever objected when Yu Tianheng spoke.

"Don't come back too late. Return around dusk, and we'll go register at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena."

After giving them a few more reminders, Qin Ming dismissed everyone to go their separate ways.

However, Ning Chen and Ye Lingling remained behind.

"You two aren't going into the city to have some fun?"

Qin Ming raised an eyebrow and looked at them.

"No need. I'd rather go to the hotel with you, Teacher." Ning Chen shook his head. Heaven Dou City might have been prosperous, but its entertainment industry was nothing compared to his previous life, and he had little interest in it.

"No." Ye Lingling shook her head as well, her voice cool.

She had never liked lively places and preferred being alone.

"Alright, then. Come with me to the hotel."

Qin Ming smiled helplessly and led the two of them toward the south of the city.

The hotel had already been booked. Their group of nine had reserved nine rooms.

The Heaven Dou Royal Hotel had deep ties to both the royal family and Heaven Dou Royal Academy. They did not need to pay for any of their expenses; the royal family and academy would cover everything.

Ning Chen and Ye Lingling returned to their respective rooms. Qin Ming, meanwhile, left the hotel and headed to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena to discuss that evening's fights with the arena's manager.

Nearly every class of students from Heaven Dou Royal Academy who participated in the Continental Soul Master Tournament came to fight at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena to gain practical combat experience.

Thus, Qin Ming was thoroughly familiar with the process.

Moreover, most Soul Masters who could study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy were either wealthy or noble, so these matters had to be discussed beforehand.

Otherwise, setting aside everything else, if anything happened to Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo would never let him off.

The day passed in a hurry.

Ning Chen cultivated in his room for the entire day. Nine Yang Soul Power circulated through his meridians again and again, and he could clearly sense the growth of every strand of Soul Power.

However, compared to the rapid progress he had made at lower realms, his cultivation speed had indeed slowed considerably.

That was unavoidable.

The higher one's cultivation, the greater the limit of Soul Power the body could contain. The total amount of Soul Power required for each level increased geometrically, so cultivation time naturally grew by multiples as well.

Over these four years, aside from the extremely fast cultivation speed brought by the Nine Yang Divine Skill, he had also consumed an immortal herb: the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.

The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid was one of the immortal medicinal herbs nurtured within the Icefire Yin-Yang Well.

It took the form of an eight-petaled orchid, snowy white and crystalline throughout, with an aloof, otherworldly elegance.

Only when picked with a golden tool and stored in a jade container could it remain unfaded for a thousand years and unwithering for a hundred generations.

Among all immortal medicinal herbs, it possessed the gentlest yet richest medicinal properties.

Its medicinal power was like a warm spring, seeping silently into every limb and bone.

Yet it was precisely this gentleness that gave it an advantage difficult for other immortal herbs to match: its medicinal power endured for a long time, continuously nourishing a Soul Master until after Rank 70.

The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid had two effects.

First, it strengthened the foundation and replenished vitality, purging impurities.

It could cleanse away the hidden injuries, impurities, and unstable foundations accumulated in a Soul Master's body over the years, making their Soul Power purer and more substantial.

Second, it increased Soul Power cultivation. In the original work, after the food-type Soul Master Oscar consumed it, his Soul Power leaped directly from Rank 33 to Rank 38, rising five ranks in a row while leaving his foundation as firm as a rock.

When Ning Chen consumed the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid back then, he had felt its effects especially deeply.

The warm medicinal power did not immediately disperse after entering his body. Instead, it flowed slowly through his meridians like countless tiny currents of warmth.

Wherever it passed, the subtle hidden injuries left behind by his rapid cultivation were soothed away one by one, while the impure elements within his Soul Power were silently removed.

It took a full three months before the medicinal power completely merged into his Soul Power system.

After that, his Nine Yang Soul Power was not only supremely yang and fierce, but also gained a steady, weighty foundation.

This was the key to his ability to cultivate the Thousand Mountains Formula to the point where he could condense even more phantom mountain peaks.

Without the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid strengthening his foundation, it would have been difficult for him to withstand the Thousand Mountains Formula's domineering technique of using Soul Power to form the force of towering mountains by relying solely on the Nine Yang Divine Skill to forcibly break through realms.

The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid also had another marvelous trait. It formed a pair of complementary immortal herbs with another immortal herb, the Aromatic Silk Beauty.

The medicinal properties of these two immortal herbs perfectly complemented one another.

The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid focused inward, strengthening the foundation, replenishing vitality, purging impurities, and solidifying a Soul Master's own base.

The Aromatic Silk Beauty focused outward, drawing in the essence of heaven and earth and guiding the radiance of the sun and moon, helping a Soul Master absorb external energy for their own use.

One guarded, while the other guided.

One reinforced the inner self, while the other expanded the outer world.

When consumed together, they could achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Ning Chen felt that his physique had changed somewhat due to the mutual support of the two immortal herbs.

Not only had his Soul Power become purer and smoother in circulation, but his perception of the energy of heaven and earth had become far keener as well.

However, because he used a Human-Skin Mask to alter his appearance, no one had noticed these changes in him.

At that moment, a rhythmic knock sounded from outside.

It was not loud, but enhanced by Soul Power, it carried clearly into the room.

Ning Chen slowly ended his cultivation. The Nine Yang Soul Power in his body receded into his dantian like a tide and fell silent.

He opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them before vanishing. With a single breath, his entire aura shifted from a cultivation state back to normal, returning to simplicity without a single flaw.

He rose and walked to the door, then pulled it open.

Qin Ming was indeed standing outside.

"Are you ready? It's time to go," Qin Ming said.

"Mm." Ning Chen nodded.

"Then let's go. The others are already waiting downstairs." Qin Ming stepped aside to clear the way, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

"Today is your first battle. I hope you can achieve good results."

Ning Chen stepped out and casually closed the door behind him. The two walked side by side down the corridor and descended the stairs.

The remaining seven members of the Emperor Team had already gathered in the first-floor lobby.

Yu Tianheng was speaking quietly with Dugu Yan.

The Shi Mo brothers stood quietly nearby.

Yu Feng paced back and forth with an excited expression, while Osler leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, resting.

Ye Lingling sat alone in a chair in the corner, her expression cool. When she saw Ning Chen come down, her gaze paused on him for a moment before shifting away.

"Everyone's here." Qin Ming glanced around and nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go."

The group of nine walked out through the doors of the Heaven Dou Royal Hotel.

Night had fully fallen. The streets of Heaven Dou City were brightly lit, and the signs of the shops swayed gently in the evening breeze.

In the distance stood the massive circular building of the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, brilliantly illuminated. A bright beam of white light shot from its dome into the night sky, visible for miles around.