"Oh."
Li De gave a perfunctory reply, utterly unconcerned.
Come on, he had known since his son was little that his strength grew fast.
The hardest stretch had been from six to fifteen. Those first two soul rings had taken nine years, and even though he trained himself half to death every day, his level had still risen slowly.
After those two soul rings, he had been on the brink of death every day.
Li De and his wife had nearly started over with another kid.
Terrifying perseverance, relentless training, remembering everything at a glance, choosing his own soul rings, and frightening growth.
Whatever he achieved, Li De would not be surprised.
Li Sen brought the two of them back to the hotel and took out the immortal herbs he had prepared.
The immortal herb he absorbed had been a thunder dragon type, and naturally, his father would use the same kind.
It was just a pity about the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings' soul bones.
"Dad, Mom, these are immortal herbs that can improve your talent and increase your soul power."
"Take them. In a few days, we'll go find soul rings together."
Li De instinctively wanted to refuse.
Li Sen anticipated him immediately. "I've already had mine, and so have your daughters-in-law."
The two no longer refused and swallowed the herbs with Li Sen standing guard.
Under Li Sen's guidance, their martial soul origins had accumulated a great deal of power. Once they used the immortal herbs, both underwent evolution.
[Martial souls, from lowest to highest: trash, low, intermediate, high, top-tier, super, divine, super-divine]
Their already high-tier martial souls both evolved to the top tier.
Li De's evolved into the Purple Thunder Tyrant Dragon. Its martial soul aura was even slightly stronger than that of the top-tier Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, approaching a super martial soul.
Qingwan's evolved into the Moonlit Mysterious Grass King, likewise becoming a top-tier martial soul.
Watching the two absorb their immortal herbs, Li Sen set up a Soul Power Barrier to conceal them and had the four girls stay to keep them company.
He himself left the hotel, preparing to scout the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace's treasury again.
During his wanderings over the past few days, he had already quietly figured out the treasury's guard arrangements.
He just had not found the Star of the Vast Sea's location yet.
There was no helping it. Having Dugu Bo ask Xue Xing would practically be announcing that he wanted to steal the Heart of the Vast Sea.
After agreeing to become his teacher, Dugu Bo had already told Xue Xing that he would be leaving.
He did not have much time left. Following Tang San's publicity and his two major battles with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Bibi Dong had already sent someone to find him.
Salas had failed the first time. Who would come the second time?
In the original story, Bibi Dong would rather kill than spare anyone in her quest to unite the Douluo Continent.
Just after leaving the hotel, Li Sen suddenly noticed a lively crowd.
More than a dozen young men had gathered in a circle on the street, introducing themselves like peacocks spreading their tails.
"Beautiful miss, seeing as you're alone, may I ask whether you're already betrothed?"
"My father is the Heaven Dou Empire's Brave General, commanding twenty thousand troops. Marry me, and you'll never want for food or clothing!"
"Miss, I'm twenty-five, a rank thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder. I'm certain to surpass Soul Emperor in the future. Marry me, and you'll have a bright future ahead!"
Li Sen took a closer look. Good grief!
An exceptionally pure and noble-looking woman stood surrounded by them. Her skin was snow-white, her figure curvaceous, and her white-and-gold robe lent her a sacred air.
Any man with ordinary tastes would feel an urge to defile that purity at the sight of her.
The men surrounding her had their greedy gazes glued to her.
That was right—Li Sen's gaze was glued to her too.
Good grief. Golden hair, a white-and-gold robe, and she looks to be in her twenties.
Her looks and figure are even a notch above Zhu Zhuqing's and Ning Rongrong's.
This must be Qian Renxue. No wonder she was called the number-one goddess in the original story, and most fanfics made her the female lead!
She's finally lost her patience after being ignored over and over. Knowing I'm lustful, she's come to find me in her true form!!!
Li Sen swallowed. His emotions urged him to possess her, while reason told him that Qian Renxue was not something easily conquered.
He had to leave. He could not let an impulsive use of force cause an irreversible outcome and bring Qian Daoliu's frenzied pursuit down on him.
Li Sen turned to leave, but unfortunately, Qian Renxue was right by the entrance. As he spotted her, she spotted him too.
Qian Renxue took two steps forward and spoke with a smile.
"You must be Grandmaster Li, the creator of the Martial Soul Evolution Theory."
"Grandmaster, my name is Qian Renxue. I've heard your disciple saying around the city lately that you're accepting disciples. May I ask what your requirements are?"
There was not a trace of emotion in Qian Renxue's voice, yet Li Sen somehow felt that she was speaking through gritted teeth.
Naturally, Li Sen knew that Tang San was searching the city for disciples.
He smiled. "Since you know my disciple is helping me recruit, you should know my requirements."
"First, a fated connection. Second, benefits."
"Beautiful miss, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
"The boys behind you are glaring so hard, they look ready to chop me into eight pieces."
Qian Renxue smiled.
Over the past few days, Li Sen's exploits in Heaven Dou City had become well known.
Any soul master family or noble house with a shred of sense had warned its younger members and descendants not to provoke him.
They had even put up portraits of him.
Qian Renxue could clearly sense that Li Sen was once again trying to brush her off and ignore her.
But she was no longer using Xue Qinghe's identity. She no longer needed to worry about the plan involving the Imperial Family and could recruit him without restraint.
Qian Renxue stepped forward, blocking Li Sen's path. "Grandmaster Li, you seem to be in quite a hurry. Is there something you need to attend to?"
"Or am I so unattractive that you won't even spare the time to speak to me?"
Li Sen smiled. "Renxue, just say what you want. I have things to do and little time."
Qian Renxue said, "I want to become your disciple. Our meeting is a fated connection, and I can give you a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone. Is that enough of a benefit?"
She stared at Li Sen, her tone assured and confident.
She could not match his strength, but she was confident in her looks. Once she became his disciple and spent more time with him, would he not be at her beck and call?
Li Sen smiled. "You came because you heard of my reputation, so that doesn't count as a fated connection."
"As for soul bones, I don't need them. Goodbye!"
Qian Renxue froze.
What do you mean, it doesn't count as a fated connection, and you don't need soul bones?
Aren't you lustful?
Aren't my looks enough of a fated connection?
How rare is a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone? Even Titled Douluos scramble to get one.
Isn't that enough of a benefit?
"Li Sen!!!"
After being rebuffed again and again, Qian Renxue was furious.
"You say we don't have enough of a fated connection, yet you have four girls following you around. Are they prettier than me? How do they qualify?"
"A Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone is something even Titled Douluos fight over. Doesn't that meet your requirement for benefits?
"Ning Rongrong might be able to offer one, but what about your other women?"
"You're not leaving today without explaining why you won't take me as your disciple!"
As her words fell, two figures appeared beside Qian Renxue, each displaying nine soul rings.
They were the rank ninety-three Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo.
"Holy shit, Titled Douluos?"
The young men who had just surrounded Qian Renxue and asked to marry her were dumbstruck, sweat pouring down their backs.
They had actually proposed to a girl with an imperial background.
If Qian Renxue took offense, they would be finished!
In particular, the legs of several noble sons from better-off families, with Soul Saints and Soul Douluos backing them, began to tremble.
Truth be told, they had just been thinking about abducting Qian Renxue if she refused to play along.
Looking at Qian Renxue with her two Titled Douluos, Li Sen could not help narrowing his eyes.
He remembered these two. They were Pufferfish and Snake Lance Douluo, who secretly protected Qian Renxue in the original story. Both were rank ninety-three.
Neither was above level 95, so he was not afraid.
The main issue was whether a fight would draw Qian Daoliu's attention.
For the moment, Qian Renxue was like a hedgehog: he could neither touch her nor strike her. He found her rather troublesome.
Since you've forced my hand, don't blame me for being shameless!
Before you continue