Absorbing the Immortal Herbs

The scenery of the Frozen Forest was as it had always been. As far as the eye could see, the world was dressed in silver.

"Bing'er, judging by the Soul Power pressure I just exerted on you, your limit should be around 7,000 years. That's a full 2,000 years higher than the 5,000-year limit for an ordinary Soul Master's Fourth Soul Ring. The Ice Phoenix really is a top-tier Beast Martial Soul."

Shui Bing'er pondered for a moment, then said with a determined gaze, "Aunt, I intend to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring this time."

"Have you gone mad? The age of the Soul Ring you can absorb depends on your physical strength. Being able to absorb a Soul Ring 2,000 years older than others can already makes you extraordinarily gifted. Going another 3,000 years beyond that is absolutely impossible. You can't do it."

But no matter how Shui Xinrou tried to persuade her, Shui Bing'er's gaze remained firm. She then looked at Yu Tianshuang and said, "I-I just don't want to fall too far behind him in the future. I don't want to-not even be qualified to stand behind him someday."

Her expression dimmed somewhat after she spoke, because she could already feel a distinct sense of helplessness. If she continued step by step, the distance between her and him would only grow greater, so she had to find a way to keep up with him.

Her gaze grew even more determined as she looked at Shui Xinrou.

After hearing Shui Bing'er's words, Shui Xinrou was troubled. Just as she was wondering how to dissuade her, Yu Tianshuang spoke.

"Teacher, I think Senior Sister Bing'er can absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. I was originally going to give it to her when she broke through Soul Elder, but it doesn't matter. I just remembered that Soul Power won't go to waste because a Soul Ring hasn't been absorbed, so I can give it to her now. Also, Teacher, I was going to give yours to you when you reached rank 89, but now is a good time to give them to you both."

He took two identical sets of Immortal Herbs from the storage ring on his hand and said, "I obtained these Immortal Herbs when I helped Senior Dugu Bo remove his poison. To absorb the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, you eat only the petals, then suck the stamen. You need to use Soul Power to absorb it. It nourishes the sinews and strengthens the bones, and lets Qi flow through the eight extraordinary meridians. It can increase physical strength and total Soul Power. The Heavenly Mountain Snow Douluo Red is the Immortal Herb best suited for ice-attribute Soul Masters. It can increase the power and effects of the ice attribute and has a strong chance of causing Martial Soul Evolution. To absorb it, you swallow the whole plant."

He handed the two Immortal Herbs to them, but Shui Xinrou didn't take hers. She looked at Yu Tianshuang and said, "Just let Bing'er absorb these Immortal Herbs. I don't need them. I'm truly gratified that you thought of me."

"Teacher, don't worry. I still have more of both Immortal Herbs."

He then took out another set of Heavenly Mountain Snow Douluo Red and Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone to show Shui Xinrou.

Only after seeing Yu Tianshuang take out another set of Immortal Herbs did Shui Xinrou accept hers without worry.

"Oh, you. You should have said you had more earlier. Then I wouldn't have made such a fuss about accepting them."

She accepted the Immortal Herbs and spoke with a somewhat reproachful look.

"Bing'er, you absorb yours first. Aunt will stand guard for you."

Shui Bing'er looked at the two Immortal Herbs and sat down cross-legged. She first picked up the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone and began absorbing it as Yu Tianshuang had instructed.

When she finished, Shui Bing'er felt that her total Soul Power had increased by at least half, if not more. She could also clearly feel that her body was much stronger than before. She felt as if she had boundless strength now, and was itching to smash something to test it out.

Shui Bing'er suppressed the urge to try it, however, and picked up the Field Mountain Snow Douluo Red and consumed it next.

Absorbing it took noticeably longer than the first herb, and Shui Bing'er's picturesque brows drew together slightly. An hour later, her brows relaxed and she opened her eyes. Looking at the two standing guard for her, she exclaimed in delight, "My Martial Soul seems to have evolved!!"

With that, she eagerly summoned her Martial Soul to examine it.

"Silence for a thousand li, Ice and Snow Drifting."

Yellow, purple, and purple Soul Rings appeared around Shui Bing'er, followed by an Ice Phoenix behind her. It was noticeably more exquisite than before and a size larger.

Shui Bing'er silently sensed her evolved Martial Soul, then told the other two, "My Ice Phoenix Martial Soul evolved into an Undying Ice Phoenix. Not only has the quality of my Soul Power greatly improved, but my total Soul Power has also increased by half. My ice attribute is noticeably colder than before, too. Most importantly, my Martial Soul has gained another trait: undying. If I suffer a fatal injury, my Martial Soul will take it in my place, then turn into an egg. After seven times seven, forty-nine days, it can be reborn through nirvana. For now, though, this ability only works once. But I feel that if my cultivation realm rises in the future, I'll be able to use it more times."

She looked at Yu Tianshuang with gratitude. Finally, as if mustering immense courage, she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Then, her cool, aloof face flushed red, she lowered her head and said, "Show-off, d-don't misunderstand. I was just a little excited. D-don't read too much into it. I was just thanking you."

Yu Tianshuang reached up and touched the cheek Shui Bing'er had kissed, momentarily stunned. Then he recalled the warm sensation from a moment ago, and his frosty face instantly flushed red. He hurriedly turned his head so the two women wouldn't see.

"You two, honestly... All right, now that Bing'er has finished absorbing them, I'll test whether your physical strength has reached the level needed to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring."

With that, she began exerting Soul Power pressure on Shui Bing'er, who had prepared herself with a solemn expression.

Once she raised the pressure to the level of a Soul King, she saw that only a few drops of cold sweat had appeared on Shui Bing'er's forehead. She withdrew her Soul Power and nodded.

"Good, Bing'er. If we encounter a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast suited to you, Aunt will help you hunt it. A ten-thousand-year Fourth Soul Ring may not compare to Tianshuang's, but it's still a rarity in the Soul Master World."

"Teacher, aren't you going to absorb yours now?"

Having recovered from his embarrassment, Yu Tianshuang asked Shui Xinrou.

"What's the rush? I'm in no hurry to break through. Absorbing them after we return will be just the same. The priority now is to help you and Bing'er find suitable Soul Beasts and break through to the next realm."

Mm, that's true. Teacher is only rank 87 now, still a long way from rank 90. There's no rush to absorb them. But after we return, Teacher should be able to reach the Titled Douluo realm once she absorbs the Immortal Herbs.

Half a day had passed since Shui Bing'er finished absorbing the Immortal Herbs. Near the center of the Frozen Forest, the three still hadn't found a Soul Beast of a suitable age.

Looking at the sky through gaps between the towering trees, Shui Xinrou saw that the sun had already crossed half the sky. She could only say, "Bing'er, Tianshuang, if we still haven't found a suitable Soul Beast after another hour, we'll have to stop for today and come back tomorrow."

The two acknowledged her and rallied their spirits to search carefully. Just then, a small white shadow flashed past not far ahead of the three of them.

Yu Tianshuang, who had already cultivated the Extreme Ice Eternal Frost Eye to the completion of its second level, caught sight of the fleeting white shadow in an instant. He said, "Teacher, it's an Ice Mist Snow-Swallowing Rat. Judging by the section of dark silver markings on its tail, it should be around ten thousand years old. It's just right for Senior Sister Bing'er."

"Mm, very good. Bing'er, you really are lucky. Don't be fooled by its small size. The Ice Mist Snow-Swallowing Rat is an extremely rare Soul Beast in the Frozen Forest. It ranks among the top five ice-attribute Soul Beasts. This Ice Mist Snow-Swallowing Rat, at around ten thousand years old, can almost rival an ordinary Soul Beast of around forty-nine thousand years."