Li Sen stood right in front of Ning Rongrong, listening to her muttering, and nearly laughed aloud.
Ultimately, his maid was one of his own, too. He would not withhold good things from her.
There was only one aromatic silk beauty in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and he had given it to Ning Fengzhi.
With his guidance, Ning Rongrong could absorb the power of Soul Rings and Soul Bones to evolve. Naturally, she could also absorb other immortal herbs to strengthen her foundation and power.
As long as she shed her princess syndrome and trained seriously, she could grow stronger quickly and evolve her martial soul into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Fortunately, aside from the aromatic silk beauty, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well also contained a Colorful Treasure Flower. It was an immortal herb, too, and was even more compatible with the martial soul origin of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Watching Ning Rongrong mutter sorrowfully, Li Sen handed her a top-grade spirit herb and said,
"Stop muttering. Take this herb."
Whoosh!
Ning Rongrong abruptly opened her eyes. At the sight of the brilliantly multicolored Colorful Treasure Flower, her pupils trembled, and her body shook with excitement.
"I... I get one, too?"
Li Sen gave an evil smile. "Of course. Didn't you say I was lecherous?
Well, I specially picked out this Lustful Herb for you. It's exclusively for maids."
"Once you eat it, you'll cling to me every day, begging to do naughty things."
Ning Rongrong froze. Her delight turned to terror, and she took to her heels, shouting, "You demon! No! Don't come near me!"
She broke down. She had never expected Li Sen to be so petty.
She could have accepted a few insults and a beating to let him vent, but he actually intended to keep her as his personal maid.
Ever since she was little, Ning Rongrong had despised women who sold themselves. She would run even if it cost her life.
Unfortunately, she was far too weak. In the blink of an eye, he had her dangling from his hand, stuffed the immortal herb into her mouth, and forced her to refine it.
After dealing with everyone else, Li Sen released Xiao Zi, the evolved Luo Sanpao, and let it find medicinal herbs on its own.
Unlike humans, Xiao Zi, as a martial soul incarnation, had no limit on how much it could consume. There were only limits on its absorption speed and storage capacity.
After devouring three immortal herbs that strengthened its bloodline and physique, along with several spirit herbs, Xiao Zi closed its eyes and turned into a dragon egg.
Li Sen himself ate a Purple Thunder Immortal Herb and a Life Grass Seed.
Rumble!
Half a day later, Dugu Bo was the first to finish refining his herb and break through his shell of soul power.
His martial soul's appearance had changed dramatically. It had two dragon horns, emerald-green scales, a pair of wings on its back, a plump belly, and four newly grown limbs. It looked every bit like a Western dragon.
"Jade Flood Dragon King!"
Dugu Bo murmured to himself. This was the name that had appeared in his mind after his martial soul evolved.
All the toxins in his body were now stored in his martial soul's two purplish-black dragon horns.
Carefully examining his body, Dugu Bo exclaimed in delight, "All the toxins in my body are gone, every Soul Skill has doubled in power, and I've even gained two levels. So this is the evolution Li Sen spoke of!"
At that moment, Dugu Bo felt fortunate that he had chosen to become a teacher at Li Sen's academy.
Over the years, the toxins had tormented him. Not only had he suffered pain, but he had not even dared to increase his soul power cultivation, remaining stuck at level ninety-one for decades.
Rumors had even spread across the continent calling him the gatekeeper of the Titled Douluo rank.
Nearby, Dugu Yan completed her evolution soon after him, her hair turning black.
Her martial soul remained long and slender, without Dragon Wings. Otherwise, like Dugu Bo's, it had grown dragon scales, dragon claws, and other such features.
Her soul power fluctuated violently, having surged by two levels. Without a Soul Ring, however, she was stuck at level 40.
Dugu Bo watched with excitement, tears welling in his eyes.
It had been decades. Ever since he began cultivating, he had been tormented by the toxins inherent in his martial soul, suffering bouts of agonizing pain.
Even more terrifying had been discovering, after marrying and having a child, that his martial soul and its toxins were hereditary.
His son had died, his daughter-in-law had died, and he had been powerless to save the granddaughter they left behind.
Now, after meeting Li Sen, his herb garden was gone, but so were the toxins that had plagued him all his life. Both his and his granddaughter's talent and strength had soared as well.
With this experience and Li Sen's strength, Dugu Bo could not help acknowledging him. He recalled Li Sen's offer to take on a disciple.
If Yanyan became his disciple, perhaps she really could become a Limit Douluo. Then my Dugu Family could carve out a glorious reputation on the continent!
With that thought, Dugu Bo walked over to his granddaughter and asked with a broad smile,
"Yanyan, Li Sen is very capable. He just said you'd become at least a Limit Douluo if you became his disciple. Why don't you consider it?"
Dugu Yan shuddered. She had just been terrified that Li Sen would demand her as his reward. She had finally escaped that danger, yet now her grandfather wanted her to become his disciple!
If I became his disciple, wouldn't I become a little bird in a cage, something entirely in the palm of his hand?
Dugu Yan said in alarm, "Grandpa, stop making random suggestions! I don't want to become his disciple!"
Dugu Bo frowned and pressed her. "Why?"
"Li Sen withstood Grandpa's full pressure without his expression changing. He's at least as strong as a Soul Douluo.
He can keep the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Little Princess by his side as a maid, so his backing must be powerful.
If you become his disciple, perhaps even Spirit Hall won't be able to bully you."
Dugu Yan gritted her teeth. "He's a lecher! If your granddaughter becomes his disciple, he'll definitely force himself on her. Do you want to push your granddaughter into a pit of fire?"
As Dugu Yan spoke, she was about to describe what she had seen in the private room at the Master Hotel in Suotuo City.
"Bullshit!"
Suddenly, an icy voice came from beside her, cutting her off before she could speak.
The speaker was Zhu Zhuqing, who had just finished absorbing her immortal herb.
Her martial soul had evolved into the Nine-Tailed Netherworld Cat. Since she had not absorbed her third Soul Ring, the world's rules restricted her, and her soul power had only risen by two levels, reaching level thirty.
At that level, both Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan were stronger than her.
Yet Zhu Zhuqing showed no fear, fixing Dugu Yan with an icy stare.
She activated Martial Soul Possession. Cat ears appeared atop her head, nine tails swayed behind her tailbone, and Soul Rings emerged around her. She looked ready to strike, radiating murderous intent.
Zhu Zhuqing enunciated every word. "Teacher Li is just a little lecherous. He would never force himself on a girl!"
Speechless at Zhu Zhuqing's reaction, Dugu Yan immediately challenged her.
"Then what about Ning Rongrong? She was dragged off to be a maid, and she's clearly unwilling. Isn't that forcing himself on her?"
Zhu Zhuqing said coldly, "That's because she has a foul mouth and a bad temper. Her father sent her here."
Dugu Yan paused, bewilderment in her eyes.
Even with her vivid imagination, she had never imagined a father would give his own daughter away.
"Then why was her skin covered in red marks?"
"Because she wouldn't change her temper even after becoming a maid. She provoked us and played pranks. Of course she got beaten."
"Then, then... Ning Rongrong is pretty. Are you saying Teacher Li wasn't tempted to touch her?"
Zhu Zhuqing scoffed. "That's because after getting hit a few times, she ran over to Teacher Li to hide. What man could resist that temptation?"
Dugu Yan was speechless.
So in the end, Ning Rongrong was the one who liked offering herself up for nothing?
Unwilling to give up, she said, "Then what about him getting five girls for himself? Isn't that lecherous?"
Zhu Zhuqing was about to retort when she suddenly realized something was wrong.
Counting herself, Ning Rongrong, Li Xin, and her sister, there were only four of them altogether.
Zhu Zhuqing asked in confusion, "Where did you get five girls?"
Dugu Yan pointed. "Aside from me, aren't there five girls here?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked around, her gaze settling on Xiao Wu. She could not help pointing at her and asking,
"You mean Xiao Wu?"
Dugu Yan nodded as though it were obvious. "What's wrong? Are you going to say she isn't one?"
Before Zhu Zhuqing could answer, Li Xin, who had just finished absorbing her immortal herb and overheard the last few remarks, spoke up.
"She's Xiao San's girlfriend."
Dugu Yan froze.
She had thought her trump card about master and disciple sharing their pleasures would leave Zhu Zhuqing dumbstruck. Instead, the girl in pink turned out to be Li Sen's disciple's girlfriend.
"Even if Xiao Wu doesn't count, he still wants the four of you. Doesn't that make him a lecher?"
During their argument, all the girls in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well finished absorbing their immortal herbs. Only Tang San and Li Sen, who had consumed multiple immortal herbs, were still absorbing them.
With Li Sen as their topic, the six girls gathered together and launched into a five-against-one debate.
Before you continue