Hu Liena's Persistence and a Chance to Identify Immortal Herbs

"Ahem."

Golden Crocodile Douluo cleared his throat. "Big Brother, you're a level ninety-nine Angel Douluo. Picking on a child... doesn't seem right, does it?"

"Second Brother, want to spar with me?"

"Of course not. I never said that."

"Hmph!"

Qian Daoliu snorted. For Golden Crocodile Douluo's sake, he lowered his hands, though he still shot Qin Yu a fierce glare. "Brat, if you don't live up to your potential, you'll regret it."

With that, golden light flashed around Qian Daoliu, and he vanished.

Golden Crocodile Douluo shook his head, turned around, and glared at Qin Yu too. "Yu, you're getting bolder by the day. You even dared to tease the chief priest."

"We're family. A little teasing won't hurt." Qin Yu grinned. "Besides, Grandpa Qian wasn't really angry."

"You..."

Golden Crocodile Douluo didn't know whether to laugh or scold him.

He said nothing more, though. Qin Yu was right: Qian Daoliu hadn't truly been angry.

"Teacher, I'll head to the Library Pavilion," Qin Yu said.

"Wait."

Golden Crocodile Douluo caught Qin Yu by the shoulder. After glancing around, he lowered his voice. "Yu, now that you've chosen Xiao Xue, you need to be careful around Hu Liena."

"I know what I'm doing, Teacher."

"Never mind that. Remember to keep your distance."

"Come on, we're just friends."

Qin Yu waved a hand. Before Golden Crocodile Douluo could say another word, he darted off.

"Just friends?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo thought for a moment, his expression turning peculiar.

If he remembered correctly, Qin Yu and Qian Renxue had started out as friends too. It hadn't taken long for that to change.

So perhaps Qin Yu's "friendship" with Hu Liena was also...

"Ah."

Golden Crocodile Douluo sighed and shook his head. "Forget it. An old man like me had better stay out of young people's affairs."

He had never had children of his own. Now he was counting on Qin Yu to give him a few great-grandchildren.

If Qin Yu found himself a few more partners, there would be strength in numbers. That wouldn't be bad either.

"Qin Yu, why do you smell like another girl?"

Inside the Library Pavilion, Hu Liena leaned close to Qin Yu and sniffed carefully. Her expression shifted. "Tell me. Have you been up to something naughty?"

"Do I? I can't smell anything." Qin Yu played dumb.

"You..."

Hu Liena was about to say more, but Qin Yu picked up an old book and began reading. "I won't be coming here next time."

"What? You're not coming back?"

Hu Liena shot to her feet, suddenly flustered. "Qin Yu, where are you going? Why aren't you coming back?"

"I've read almost all the books in the Library Pavilion. Coming here again would just waste time," Qin Yu said.

"Oh, so that's all." Hu Liena sat back down and breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you were leaving Spirit Hall."

That's a surprisingly good guess.

Qin Yu was startled, but he chose not to tell her.

Just as Qin Yu was about to return to his book, Hu Liena asked again, "Qin Yu, which girl left that scent on you—"

"Take your time reading, Senior. I'm going to find another book."

Qin Yu stood and hurried away.

Watching him go, Hu Liena's lips curved into a smile. She couldn't help laughing. "I wasn't going to interrogate you. Why run?"

Interrogate Qin Yu?

Of course not!

She wasn't his girlfriend. She had no reason to question him.

She was simply curious about which lucky girl had won Qin Yu's affection.

She wanted to know who the girl was.

"Qin Yu, I'm not giving up," Hu Liena murmured, then returned to her book.

Meanwhile, Qin Yu reached the shelves. He put his book back and searched for any new books on medicinal herbs.

Unfortunately, there were none.

This is going to be difficult.

Qin Yu sighed inwardly, at a loss.

He couldn't identify the Immortal Herbs, much less know how to harvest or use them. Even if he reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, all he could do was stare.

"What's wrong? Couldn't find the book you wanted?"

A familiar, composed voice sounded behind him.

Qin Yu turned. When he saw who it was, he immediately bowed. "Greetings, Your Holiness."

Bibi Dong gave a slight nod and stepped closer, stopping less than half a meter from him.

At that distance, Qin Yu could smell her faint fragrance, a distinctive, gentle scent.

He quickly collected himself, though, and took a few unobtrusive steps back.

Bibi Dong noticed.

"You look troubled." Bibi Dong stepped closer again and asked casually, "What book are you looking for?"

"..."

After a long pause, Qin Yu asked, "Your Holiness, does the Library Pavilion have any old books on medicinal herbs? Preferably rare, hard-to-find spiritual herbs."

Her question had given him an idea.

Qin Yu remembered that Bibi Dong knew a great deal about theory. She might have read more books than he'd eaten grains of salt.

"Oh?"

Surprise flickered in Bibi Dong's eyes. "I thought you preferred old books on martial souls and Soul Beasts. Why the sudden interest in medicinal herbs?"

"...Uh."

Qin Yu's mouth twitched. He gave Bibi Dong an odd look.

He could now be fairly sure that the person who had been secretly watching him lately was Bibi Dong.

Seeing his look, Bibi Dong realized she had let something slip.

For a moment, she felt awkward, and her gaze became slightly unnatural.

But the Pope was still the Pope. She recovered so quickly that Qin Yu noticed nothing.

"I'm just interested," Qin Yu replied. He asked again, "Your Holiness, do you know where I could find books like that?"

"I do."

Bibi Dong answered slowly.

Qin Yu's eyes lit up in surprise.

He had asked Qian Daoliu and the others, but they had come up empty. The people of the Worship Hall paid little attention to medicinal herbs.

He hadn't expected Bibi Dong to have a lead.

"Then could you..."

Qin Yu tried to ask her for it.

Before he could finish, however, Bibi Dong gave him a captivating smile. "But I don't want to tell you."

Qin Yu's mouth twitched. There was nothing he could do.

The good news: he had found a lead on the books he wanted.

The bad news: Bibi Dong held that lead.

"What's wrong? Are you angry?"

Bibi Dong's smile widened as she watched him. An inexplicable glimmer of interest flashed in her eyes.

"I wouldn't dare."

"You wouldn't dare, rather than you aren't?"

"I wouldn't dare, and I'm not." Qin Yu shook his head at once, afraid of angering the woman before him.

"So you're not angry now, but you might be later?" Bibi Dong pressed on, the interest in her eyes growing. She was plainly teasing him.

Qin Yu could tell as much, but he didn't dare take the chance.

He could joke with anyone else in Spirit Hall. With Bibi Dong alone, he had to watch every word.