The Nine Dragon Tower, first floor, Dugu Bo's private room.
Dugu Bo sat cross-legged on the sofa, his eyes closed as he condensed his soul core.
Suddenly, he sensed a faint fluctuation of power around him.
Dugu Bo's eyes snapped open.
A blue Light Curtain appeared out of thin air before him.
Within the Light Curtain, a crystalline, snow-white orchid floated quietly.
Dugu Bo was slightly startled.
"This is!"
He recognized this immortal herb.
It was the same kind his master had given him before, telling him to take it back to help restore Yanyan's health!
Just as Dugu Bo was puzzling over it.
Shen Yan's voice came from the blue Light Curtain.
"If you're injured, focus on recovering. For a gentleman seeking revenge, even ten years isn't too late."
"Absorb this immortal herb. It'll help you recover."
Dugu Bo looked at the eight-petal immortal orchid within the Light Curtain, his eyes growing hot.
His master had actually given him another eight-petal immortal orchid!
Only after learning the effects of these immortal herbs had Dugu Bo realized how valuable his herb garden was.
Dugu Bo took a deep breath and bowed deeply toward the blue Light Curtain.
"Thank you, Master!"
Inside the Cultivation Room on the top floor of the Nine Dragon Tower.
With a thought from Shen Yan, another eight-petal immortal orchid appeared in his hand.
Without hesitation, he stuffed it straight into his mouth.
A gentle, rich medicinal power flowed down his throat into his dantian.
It differed from the overbearing nature of the singular velvet sky chrysanthemum and the soothing warmth of the narcissus jade muscle bone.
The medicinal power of the eight-petal immortal orchid was the gentlest, like spring rain nourishing all things.
Shen Yan took off his clothes and stepped into the medicinal bath beside him.
The water in the pool had been saturated with the medicinal power of eight immortal herbs, turning a pale amber.
Shen Yan sank into the water, leaving only his head exposed.
The warm medicinal water enveloped his entire body.
Streams of pure medicinal power seeped into his body through his pores.
Shen Yan closed his eyes and began meditating to cultivate.
Inside the private room.
Dugu Bo held the eight-petal immortal orchid, examining it from every angle.
He suddenly frowned and muttered to himself.
"There was clearly only one eight-petal immortal orchid among the herbs I gave Master."
"But he gave Yanyan one, and now he's given me another."
"What on earth is going on?"
Dugu Bo pondered for a long time but could not make sense of it.
In the end, he could only attribute it to a deity's methods.
He stuffed the eight-petal immortal orchid into his mouth and began absorbing its medicinal power.
As the gentle medicinal power spread through his body, he could clearly feel it.
His broken bones were rapidly knitting together, and his damaged meridians were healing too.
Dugu Bo closed his eyes and continued recuperating.
Somewhere in the mountain forests outside Heaven Dou City.
Tang San was leading the Shrek group through the forest.
They had already been searching for ten days.
They had found no secret realm, though they had encountered plenty of soul beasts.
Ma Hongjun plopped down on the ground and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Tang San, are you sure there really is some secret realm here?"
"We've been searching for ten days and haven't found so much as a hair."
Dai Mubai leaned against a tree as well, frowning.
"Yeah, Tang San. Could your instincts have been wrong?"
Tang San shook his head, his tone utterly certain.
"Impossible."
"That secret realm is definitely in this forest!"
Yu Xiaogang walked over and patted Tang San on the shoulder.
"Tang San, don't rush."
"Even if we can't find it, everyone can treat this as training."
"Everyone's practical combat experience has improved quite a bit during this time too."
Tang San nodded, but his gaze remained resolute.
He had to find that secret realm!
For some time afterward, the group continued wandering through the forest.
Yet no matter what they did, they could not find that secret realm.
What they did not know was this.
Dugu Bo had long since sealed the entrance to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well with a poisonous barrier.
Moreover, Dugu Bo had long since dug up every last immortal herb inside.
Even if they found the entrance, all that remained inside was an empty patch of ground.
In a flash, another ten days passed.
The Nine Dragon Tower, the top-floor Cultivation Room.
The water in the medicinal bath had become clear enough to see the bottom.
The medicinal power of the eight immortal herbs had vanished completely.
Although most of it had dissipated, every little bit he could absorb counted.
Completely naked, Shen Yan walked out of the medicinal pool.
Water droplets ran down his well-defined abs and dripped onto the floor.
A towel flew over of its own accord and landed in Shen Yan's hand.
Shen Yan took the towel and dried himself while assessing the changes in his body.
His aura was now thoroughly restrained.
Unless he deliberately released his soul power, he was simply an ordinary level-20 soul master.
But only Shen Yan himself knew.
Just how terrifying the power contained within his body was.
The singular velvet sky chrysanthemum had strengthened his muscles and bones externally, the narcissus jade muscle bone had nourished his meridians internally, and the eight-petal immortal orchid had fortified his foundation and replenished his vitality.
On top of that, he had undergone the tempering of a medicinal bath made from eight immortal herbs.
His physical capabilities were at least dozens of times greater than before his seclusion!
But he was still somewhat worried. Could he withstand a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?
Shen Yan finished drying himself and put on his clothes.
He looked at the Light Curtain before him and asked.
"Little Tower, did anything important happen while I was in seclusion?"
Little Tower's voice immediately rang out.
[Tower Master, the following events occurred during your seclusion.] [First, Ning Fengzhi came to the tower once, but you were in seclusion and did not respond, so he went back.] [Second, unable to find her grandfather, Dugu Yan also came once. She waited outside the tower for quite some time before leaving as well.] [Third, after absorbing the eight-petal immortal orchid you gave him, Dugu Bo's soul power level broke through to level 93, and all his injuries healed.]
Hearing this, Shen Yan nodded slightly.
Dugu Bo's breakthrough to level 93 was within his expectations.
The eight-petal immortal orchid fortified the foundation and replenished vitality, and he was already a Titled Douluo himself.
Breaking through by one level was perfectly normal.
Little Tower continued.
[The fourth event is also the most important.] [Today, the Nine Dragon Tower's monthly random item refreshed.]
Shen Yan's eyes brightened slightly.
Every month, the Nine Dragon Tower would refresh one random item.
The first item it had generated was that God-bestowed Soul Ring.
What would it be this time?
Shen Yan immediately said.
"Show me."
As his words fell.
A Light Curtain appeared before Shen Yan, and an item slowly materialized upon it.
It was a golden sphere.
It was the size of two fists, with an openwork design.
Intricate patterns on its surface slowly shifted as though alive.
A mass of peculiar power was concentrated at the sphere's center.
Shen Yan could sense no attribute whatsoever in that power.
Shen Yan frowned.
"What is this thing?"
Little Tower did not answer directly.
Instead, it displayed the item's information directly before Shen Yan.
[Item name: Random God-Bestowed Martial Soul Origin] [Item grade: Divine] [Item effect: After use, grants one additional martial soul.] [Note: No conditions apply. Grants one random martial soul. Each person can only absorb one.]
As Shen Yan read the information on the Light Curtain, his pupils abruptly contracted.
The Random God-Bestowed Martial Soul Origin!
After using it, he could obtain another martial soul!
And there were no conditions at all!
Shen Yan's breathing grew a little quicker.
He already had twin martial souls. If he obtained another martial soul.
Then he would have... triple martial souls!
Shen Yan excitedly reached out.
"Give it to me, quick!"
Before you continue