"Who's there, skulking in the shadows?!"
Luofan shouted, swiftly raising his hand as his Two Forms Exquisite Pagoda manifested.
"Y-your martial soul contains the auras of two immortal herbs, ice and fire! D-did your martial soul evolve because you ate those two immortal herbs?"
At Luofan's shout, a cloaked figure emerged from the darkness, his appearance completely concealed and his voice tinged with excitement.
"Who are you? What are you trying to do, sneaking in here?"
Luofan stared gravely at the intruder, pondering just how powerful he was!
His three soul skills, even the skill granted by his soul bone, all possessed rule-based effects.
But aside from his shield, his other soul skills were of little use against anyone whose level far exceeded his own.
After hearing Luofan's words, the cloaked figure fell silent for a moment, then reached up and pulled back his oversized hood, revealing a delicate, handsome face!
Though he was a man, his features had a feminine softness to them.
"You're Luofan, correct? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yue Guan. I am an elder of Spirit Hall, a level 95 Power Attack System Titled Douluo. My martial soul is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, a top-grade immortal plant-type martial soul!"
After lowering his hood, Yue Guan introduced himself.
Luofan: "..."
In truth, Luofan was rather bewildered as he looked at Yue Guan.
Didn't you sneak up here in a cloak because you wanted to hide your identity and do something that couldn't bear the light of day?
Yet the moment I asked, you willingly revealed who you were?
Does that make any sense?
Still, the man before him was Yue Guan. He had recognized the ice and fire immortal herb auras within Luofan's martial soul, which was why he had willingly revealed his identity. That made everything reasonable!
"So it's Senior Chrysanthemum Douluo. I'm very grateful to you, Senior!"
Thoughts raced through Luofan's mind like lightning, but he betrayed none of them. Instead, delight appeared on his face.
"Huh? Grateful to me?" Luofan's words left Yue Guan momentarily stunned as well.
"I've read your handwritten notes on the Thirty-Six Immortal Herbs and the Seventy-Two Top-Grade Spirit Plants many times, Senior Chrysanthemum Douluo. I know them backward and forward. Without them, I wouldn't have recognized the immortal herbs!"
Luofan took out the handwritten notes he carried with him.
"I see. To think my notes could actually help someone obtain immortal herbs. That certainly makes writing them worthwhile!"
After listening to Luofan and checking the contents of the notes to confirm that they were indeed his own work, Yue Guan found him more and more pleasing to the eye!
After all, Luofan's having consumed immortal herbs was already enough to make Yue Guan regard him highly!
On top of that, as an author, he had met a fan, someone who had benefited from his notes!
Naturally, the more Yue Guan looked at Luofan, the more he liked him!
"Senior, may I ask what you intended to do, sneaking here in the middle of the night...?"
Using the immortal herbs and the handwritten notes as an opening, Luofan had won Yue Guan's approval and goodwill in just a few words. He then steered the conversation back to the matter at hand and asked curiously.
The question made Yue Guan stiffen slightly as he remembered his mission.
Then he waved a hand helplessly and said, "Actually, I came here today on the orders of Her Holiness the Pope!"
Just as I thought!
Yue Guan's reply confirmed Luofan's suspicions!
After all, he had never met Yue Guan before. The man had sneaked in at midnight—even thinking with his toes, Luofan could have guessed that it was on the orders of that crazy woman, Bibi Dong!
Besides that lunatic, how many people could order Yue Guan around?
"Let's leave the mission for later. Let's talk about the immortal herbs first!"
"Judging by their auras, the immortal herbs you obtained should be infernal delicate apricot and octagonal mysterious ice grass, correct?"
"Where did you find them? And how did you manage to consume two immortal herbs with such completely opposing attributes?" Yue Guan's eyes were now brimming with a thirst for knowledge.
"You're right, Senior. Those were indeed the two immortal herbs I obtained. Then, with the help of a peculiar place and its innate scorching heat and icy cold, I successfully consumed both herbs. They greatly strengthened my physique and gave my martial soul the attributes of ice and fire!"
"Actually, those weren't the only two immortal herbs. I also obtained a Radiant Light-Concentrating Grass and gave it to the Young Master!"
"From what I've seen now, that immortal herb is an even better match for the Young Master's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul!"
Luofan gave Yue Guan a broad explanation of what had happened.
"What truly heaven-sent fortune!" Yue Guan said with envy and delight after hearing Luofan's account.
Obtaining two immortal herbs and then finding a treasured place perfectly suited to absorbing them—if that wasn't heaven-sent fortune, what was?
And Radiant Light-Concentrating Grass?
That was also one of the Thirty-Six Immortal Herbs, and Luofan had given it to the Young Master?
Indeed, that immortal herb was an excellent match for the Young Master's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul!
No wonder that, while he had been outside the hall earlier that day, the Young Master had openly confronted Her Holiness the Pope for Luofan's sake.
If someone gave him an immortal herb suited to him, he would be willing to give that person his life too!
"Luofan, you... did very well!"
Deep down, Yue Guan also regarded Qian Renxue as Spirit Hall's first rightful successor. As he looked at Luofan, his eyes shone with boundless affection.
Not only had Luofan enjoyed such a fateful encounter with immortal herbs, but he had not forgotten the Young Master after obtaining them. His loyalty to her was truly unwavering!
"Luofan, meeting you today has been a blessing for me as well!"
"I'll be going now. We both belong to Spirit Hall, so we'll certainly meet again when the opportunity arises!"
"Next time, I'll be sure to have a proper chat with you about all the immortal herbs and spirit plants under heaven!"
Having learned everything he wanted to know, Yue Guan prepared to leave and said his goodbyes.
"Wait, Senior. What mission did Her Holiness the Pope give you? Wouldn't it be a problem if you simply left like this?"
Luofan was not surprised that Yue Guan had let him off so readily, but he asked another question.
In the original story, when faced with the protagonists who had consumed immortal herbs, Yue Guan had been willing to defy Spirit Hall's orders to kill them and had protected them instead!
And unlike them, Luofan himself currently belonged to Spirit Hall.
It made perfect sense that Yue Guan would let him off.
"Ah, at worst, the Pope will give me a scolding. It's not as though she'd take my life over it, is it?"
Hearing Luofan's concern about the consequences he might face, Yue Guan waved a hand dismissively.
"Actually, Senior, since your martial soul is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, I can keep an eye out for you in the future. Perhaps one day, I can let you see a mature singular velvet sky chrysanthemum!" After a brief silence, Luofan spoke again.
Before you continue