Hundred-Thousand-Year Purple-Gold Yaoguang Chrysanthemum

Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Yue Guan had finished gathering the herbs, stripping the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well of nearly everything he could harvest.

Gui Mei had finished absorbing his Spirit Bone. Qian Xunji had taken the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot, and Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, and was now soaking in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Bibi Dong had taken the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower and two herbs suited to her Martial Soul, though neither qualified as an immortal herb.

Qian Xunji let out a breath in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"This feels incredible. I'm already level 96, and my injuries have completely healed. Immortal herbs really do live up to their name."

After taking a little more time to adjust, he swam deeper into the well. But after only a few dozen meters, his body was close to its limit.

"Is it because I've only just taken them and haven't fully absorbed them yet? Looks like I'll have to wait a while longer."

Qian Xunji swam back up and saw that Yue Guan had also finished taking the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. He climbed out of the well.

"Yue Guan, how do you feel?"

"Eighth Worshipper, many of my old injuries and hidden ailments are gone. My body has grown at least thirty percent stronger, and once I've fully absorbed the herb, that should rise to at least fifty percent."

"Good."

"And you? How do you feel?"

Qian Xunji turned to Bibi Dong.

After taking the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Bibi Dong felt much of the hostility in her heart fade—toward Qian Xunji, the Angel family, Spirit Hall, and even the memories of those countless lifetimes.

It had only eased those feelings, of course. It could not erase them. But she could now think about those things more rationally, without being so consumed by them.

She slowly opened her eyes. "Good. I feel fine."

Qian Xunji looked at Gui Mei.

"Eighth Worshipper, the Spirit Bone ability I gained is called Medusa's Gaze. It can turn opponents to stone, which pairs perfectly with the Martial Soul Fusion Skill Yue Guan and I use."

As he answered, Gui Mei gazed at Qian Xunji with admiration and respect. His Holiness the Pope had somehow known, even before Gui Mei absorbed the bone, that its ability would suit their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

And then there was Qian Xunji's plan for the Clear Sky Sect. Without losing a single soldier, he had all but destroyed the sect and split it apart. His foresight was terrifying!

"Now that everyone's finished, it's time to get your Spirit Rings. We're going to the Star Dou Great Forest!"

Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei had all reached level 90 before the mission against the Clear Sky Sect. They had put off obtaining their Spirit Rings so the mission would not be delayed.

Having them take immortal herbs and absorb Spirit Bones first would also strengthen their foundations for absorbing their rings, making them more powerful once they became Titled Douluo.

Two days later, deep in the Star Dou Great Forest.

With Bibi Dong leading the way, they soon found a Hundred-Thousand-Year Death Spider Emperor.

It was an old acquaintance of hers. She had hunted it tens of thousands of times. If killing it did not yield two Spirit Bones, she might even have considered having a talk with it and persuading it to sacrifice itself willingly.

"It dropped two Spirit Bones! A left arm bone and a right arm bone from a Hundred-Thousand-Year Death Spider Emperor!"

"His Holiness the Pope found a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast just like that, and it dropped two Spirit Bones! Heaven truly favors Spirit Hall!"

Yue Guan and Gui Mei watched in amazement as Bibi Dong absorbed the Spirit Ring.

Qian Xunji toyed with the two Spirit Bones. Bibi Dong's luck really was extraordinary: one Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, two Spirit Bones. If Tang San had never appeared, she would probably have been Douluo's favored child of fate—or rather, favored daughter.

Even Xiao Xue could not compare. At most, Xiao Xue was the daughter of fate's favored daughter.

Thanks to the immortal herbs' strengthening effects, Bibi Dong soon finished absorbing the Spirit Ring and Spirit Bones, reaching level 95.

The four continued deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest, searching for Spirit Rings for Gui Mei and Yue Guan.

Before long, they found a ninety-thousand-year-old Netherworld Shadow Fang for Gui Mei.

Bibi Dong stepped in and severely wounded the beast so Gui Mei could absorb its Spirit Ring.

"When did you kill that mother rabbit in your previous life? Should we kill the old rabbit while we're here?"

"Not yet. It was about five years from now. That little rabbit only took human form and entered the human world after I killed the old one."

"Then let's wait. She can live a little longer."

Bibi Dong nodded, and the four flew farther into the forest.

As they pressed deeper, ordinary Thousand-Year and Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts sensed the presence of top-tier Titled Douluo and fled in panic. The dense forest fell silent, save for the rustle of wind through the leaves.

At some point, the trees began to thin. Chrysanthemums appeared across the ground, some short, others nearly ten meters tall.

An exquisite floral fragrance, far surpassing that of ordinary immortal herbs, drifted through the thick vegetation toward them.

The four breathed it in and felt their spirits lift.

The scent was crisp and pure, neither cloying nor overpowering. It had a strange power to clear the mind and steady Soul Power, driving away the damp, oppressive air of the forest.

"Have you been here before?"

Bibi Dong shook her head.

"Looks like we've found another treasure trove. Like the Blue Silver Forest, this might be a Chrysanthemum Forest."

The four flew deeper. Before long, they reached the center of the Chrysanthemum Forest, where an exquisite purple-gold chrysanthemum bloomed upon a stone platform beside a natural spirit spring. Its petals lay in layer upon layer: purple-gold light shimmered across the outer ones, while the inner ones glowed a gentle white. A lustrous halo of Soul Power flowed across every petal.

"That's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Purple-Gold Yaoguang Chrysanthemum!" Yue Guan exclaimed.

Qian Xunji turned to Bibi Dong. "Do you want it?"

"Give it to Yue Guan," Bibi Dong said calmly.

Qian Xunji shot her a surprised glance.

"You've changed too."

"Are you the only one allowed to change?"

Blushing slightly, Bibi Dong gave him an annoyed look. She had not expected herself to change so much. In her previous life, she would never have given a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to Yue Guan, no matter how well suited it was to him.

Back then, Yue Guan and Gui Mei had been no more than pieces she could discard at any time—subordinates, even servants.

Now she felt a trace of guilt toward them, though she had yet to wrong either of them in this life.

Yue Guan was on the verge of tears. He knew Her Holiness the Pope possessed Twin Martial Souls. Yet simply because this Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast suited him better, she had given up the chance to add a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring to her second Martial Soul and offered that chance to him instead.

"Waaah, Old Ghost, I'm so moved! Her Holiness the Pope gave up a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring for me! Waaah!"

Eyes brimming with tears, Yue Guan threw his arms around Gui Mei, eager to share his joy and gratitude.

"Chrysanthemum Guan, get away from me! You're wiping your snot on me!"

Gui Mei shoved Yue Guan away in disgust.

Yue Guan then bowed to Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong.

"Thank you, Your Holiness! Thank you, Eighth Worshipper! I can never repay this kindness. Gui Mei and I will serve Spirit Hall for the rest of our lives, even if it costs us everything!"

Yue Guan spoke through his tears, overflowing with gratitude.

Qian Xunji watched Yue Guan, while Bibi Dong looked at him with a hint of distaste.

"Get up already."