Qian Daoliu took out another two Soul-Gathering Pills.
"These medicinal herbs aren't particularly old."
"With your current cultivation, taking a single spirit grass on its own would have very limited effects."
"Combining several medicinal effects should help you break through your current bottleneck."
Qian Renxue reached out and accepted them.
"Grandpa, what should I do?"
Qian Daoliu pointed at a gray stone beside the stream.
"Take the Soul-Gathering Pills first."
"Once the pills have dissolved, take the golden sun grass."
"I'll guide the medicinal power for you."
Qian Renxue walked over to the stone and sat down.
She placed the two Soul-Gathering Pills in her mouth.
The pills dissolved as soon as they entered her mouth.
Warm energy rapidly circulated through her meridians.
She then picked up the golden sun grass and swallowed the spirit grass.
Rich light energy surged into her body.
Golden soul power shone through her fair skin.
Her long golden hair fell to her waist, a few strands resting against her delicate profile.
Her white dress spread out from her slender waist.
Her long legs were folded beneath her, a section of luminous white calf exposed beneath her skirt.
As her soul power continued circulating, the sacred aura around her grew stronger.
Qian Daoliu moved behind her.
His palm settled on Qian Renxue's shoulder.
Pure angel soul power slowly flowed into her body.
The medicinal power that had been surging in all directions was soon guided into the correct meridians.
"Steady your mind."
"Practice the Angel Meditation Method."
Qian Renxue closed her eyes tightly.
The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul manifested behind her.
Three pairs of golden wings slowly unfurled.
The surrounding light energy was drawn toward her, gathering around her in succession.
Medicinal power flowed through every limb and bone.
The soul power within her gradually grew abundant.
Qian Daoliu carefully sensed the changes in Qian Renxue's meridians.
The medicines Ning Rongrong carried were of good quality.
But these things were more helpful to ordinary soul masters.
Qian Renxue had already reached rank sixty-seven.
Medicinal herbs a few hundred years old could offer only a very limited improvement.
Fortunately, she was only one final step away from rank sixty-eight.
This cultivation session would be just enough to help her break through her bottleneck.
Time slowly passed.
The sky gradually darkened.
Qian Renxue remained seated on the stone.
Golden soul power battered the bottleneck again and again.
Qian Daoliu was in no hurry to force a breakthrough for her.
For a soul master's cultivation, the foundation mattered most.
When using external power to improve cultivation, the medicinal power had to be fully refined first.
Otherwise, although soul power could indeed increase in the short term, the foundation would become unstable.
That would do her future cultivation no good.
Night fell.
The golden light radiating from the Six-Winged Angel illuminated both sides of the stream.
Qian Renxue's aura continued to build.
The soul power within her had already reached the limit of rank sixty-seven.
The barrier preventing her soul power from rising further gradually loosened under the repeated assaults.
Qian Daoliu withdrew his palm.
Qian Renxue would have to complete the breakthrough herself.
Moonlight spilled through the trees.
The stream flowed.
Qian Renxue maintained her cultivation posture.
She gathered all her soul power in one place and launched another assault on the bottleneck.
Boom!
A golden pillar of light shot skyward from her body.
Three pairs of angel wings spread fully.
Streams of light energy swirled around her slender body.
After breaking through the bottleneck, her soul power rapidly flowed into the meridians throughout her body.
Rank sixty-eight.
Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes.
Pale golden light flashed through them.
Sensing the increased soul power within her, she smiled with delight.
"Grandpa."
"I broke through."
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly.
"Good."
"Your soul power has reached rank sixty-eight."
"Once you consolidate the remaining medicinal power, rank sixty-nine won't be far away either."
Qian Renxue rose from the stone.
Her white dress outlined her slender waist.
Her two long, lovely legs were faintly visible beneath her skirt.
After a night of cultivation, she showed no signs of fatigue.
The sacred radiance set off her fair skin, making her look even more radiant.
Just then.
A golden panel appeared before Qian Daoliu's eyes.
[Disciple Qian Renxue's cultivation has advanced] [Current cultivation: rank sixty-eight] [Congratulations to the host for completing a disciple's first cultivation advancement] [System rewards are being issued] [Congratulations to the host for obtaining three years of lifespan]
Qian Daoliu's expression shifted slightly.
A warm energy surged into his body out of thin air.
This energy did not increase his soul power.
Nor did it strengthen the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.
Yet the life essence within him, which had already begun to decline, recovered in part under the energy's nourishment.
Three years of lifespan.
For ordinary people, three years was not a long time.
But Qian Daoliu now had little time left.
Any extension of his life was especially precious.
The system could even award lifespan.
This meant that as long as he continued nurturing disciples, he would have a chance to replenish this body's depleted life essence.
He might even regain the long lifespan a Peerless Douluo should possess.
Qian Renxue noticed the change in her grandfather's expression.
"Grandpa, what's wrong?"
Qian Daoliu looked at her.
"Nothing."
"Your breakthrough has shown me a new path."
Although Qian Renxue did not understand what he meant, she was still very happy.
As long as she could help her grandfather, she was willing to work even harder.
Qian Daoliu reconsidered their upcoming cultivation arrangements.
The spirit grasses Ning Rongrong carried could only help Qian Renxue advance by one rank.
If she wanted to improve further, relying solely on Spirit Hall's ordinary resources would still be too slow.
Qian Renxue was already in her twenties.
Even with her outstanding talent, cultivating to Titled Douluo would still take considerable time.
Qian Daoliu could not wait that long.
He had to find higher-quality Heavenly Treasures as soon as possible.
A place immediately came to mind.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
It was one of the continent's three great treasure basins.
A vast number of immortal-grade medicinal herbs grew near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Aromatic silk beauty, eight-petal immortal orchid, cockscomb phoenix sunflower, singular velvet sky chrysanthemum.
Every immortal herb possessed the power to change a soul master's talent.
In the original course of events, Tang San had used the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to lay the foundation for Shrek's members to become gods.
Such a precious place absolutely could not be left for Tang San.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was probably still in Dugu Bo's hands.
To find it, he only needed to find Dugu Bo first.
Qian Daoliu made his decision.
"Xue'er."
"We're going to Sunset Forest next."
Qian Renxue asked:
"Grandpa, what's there?"
"A Titled Douluo named Dugu Bo."
Qian Daoliu looked in the direction of Sunset Forest.
"More precisely, a medicinal garden in his possession."
Heaven Dou City.
Early morning.
Qian Daoliu led Qian Renxue through the streets, preparing to head to Sunset Forest.
The shops along the streets had only just opened.
There were not many pedestrians.
As the two reached an intersection, a woman's scream suddenly came from ahead.
"Let go of me!"
"Please, let go of me!"
Qian Renxue stopped.
She looked toward the commotion.
Beside the street, a red-haired man was gripping a commoner woman's wrist.
The man wore luxurious robes.
A jade pendant carved with the imperial crest hung at his waist.
Several attendants stood nearby, blocking the paths of the surrounding pedestrians.
The commoner woman struggled continuously.
His grip had already left red marks on her wrist.
"Your Highness, I have to go home."
"Please let me go."
Before you continue