Nurturing a Soul in the Tower

On the third day after returning to Heaven Dou City, Nan Feng finally had time to enter the Tower Spirit Space.

Two days ago, he was Huo Wu on the stage by Huo Wu and fought her. That girl hasn't been idle lately; the blazing heat of her Heaven-Burning Blazing Sun technique is 20% stronger than last time, forcing Nan Feng to use 20 Immortal Power to subdue her.

After defeating Huo Wu, she dragged Shui Bing'er to block the door, saying that the fourth version of the combo technique had to be demonstrated in person. The two of them messed around in the yard for most of the day, and the shockwaves from the clash of ice and fire blew away three pots of herbs that Ye Lingling had left drying on the windowsill.

After settling these matters, Nan Feng remembered that someone was still living in the Tower Spirit Space. He hadn't been inside for three days.

As soon as I stepped through the tower gate, the Old Huai poked its head out from its trunk.

"You've finally arrived. That girl has been like she's lost her soul for the past three days, squatting in front of that Nine Heart Begonia sapling every day, not saying a word, just staring at it."

"I called her for tea, but she ignored me. Shifang grilled fish for her, and she ate it, but then she squatted back down."

Nan Feng paused for a moment.

He walked deeper into the Tower Spirit Space, bypassing the newly sprouted branches of the Ancient Tree of Life.

In the small area designated in the southeast corner of the space, he saw Bibi Dong.

She squatted on the ground, wearing a plain white dress, her hair loosely tied with a wooden hairpin, her back to him, her shoulders leaning forward, her whole body curled up into a small ball.

She stared at the half-foot-tall Nine Heart Begonia sapling in front of her. The sapling's leaves were still a little wilted. She held a small watering can formed from the Space-Time Power in her hand, watering the leaves. After watering, she reached out and touched the leaves, then watered them again, going back and forth.

Nan Feng squatted down next to her.

How many times have you watered it?

Bibi Dong paused for a moment, but didn't turn around; her voice was muffled.

"Have no idea."

"Overwatering will cause the roots to rot."

Bibi Dong's hand froze in mid-air. She looked down at the soil in the earthenware pot. The soil had turned into mud. Her ears turned red, and she put the kettle aside, stubbornly refusing to admit it.

I'm not worried about it being thirsty.

Old Huai clicked his tongue not far behind, only to be glared at back by Nan Feng.

Nan Feng reached out, picked up the earthenware basin, drained the excess water, and put it back.

"This Begonia 'Nine Heart Begonia' was given to me from Ye Lingling. It has strong roots and won't die. Watering it once a day is enough."

Bibi Dong didn't reply, she just squatted there staring at the soil that had been drained of water.

She suddenly blurted out a sentence.

"I'm stuck inside, unable to do anything."

Nan Feng glanced at her.

The Space-Time Spider Emperor and the Mountain Suppressing Spider Emperor circled around her. The silver-white and cyan-gold Martial Soul phantoms were much more solid than when she was first resurrected, and the fluctuations in her Soul Power had also stabilized.

However, her Soul Power Level is only in the early thirties now. The drop from a level Level 99 Titled Douluo to this level is quite significant.

There was no one else in the Tower Spirit Space except her. Nan Feng was out running around, Old Huai and Shifang each had their own things to do, and all she could do every day was water the flowers, drink tea, and stare blankly at the Ancient Tree of Life.

"Who said there's nothing to do?" Nan Feng stood up and walked towards the center of the Tower Spirit Space. "Follow me."

Bibi Dong looked up at him, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and followed him.

In the center of the Tower Spirit Space, beneath the Ancient Tree of Life, Nan Feng drew out a Space-Time Power from the fifth level of the tower, condensing it into a semi-transparent light curtain.

The light screen displayed a dense array of patterns, which was a diagram of the internal structure of the Tower Spirit Space.

"You used to be the Pope, you know more about the Spirit Hall than anyone else."

Nan Feng pointed to the patterns on the light screen.

"The Space-Time flow rate in the Tower Spirit Space can currently be adjusted to ten to one, but this is just the basics. Theoretically, with increased Space-Time Power, it's possible to achieve localized time freezing, spatial dissection, and even small-scale time reversal. I don't have time to delve into the details right now; you can help me figure it out."

Bibi Dong was taken aback for a moment.

"I?"

"Your Martial Soul is the Space-Time Spider Emperor, naturally compatible with the Space-Time Power. You previously used the Rakshasa Divine Power to take a different path, and now you're changing your path, but the foundation is still there."

Nan Feng pushed the light screen towards her.

"Let's start with freezing Space-Time. Tell me when you've figured it out, and I'll give it a try."

Bibi Dong stood in front of the light screen and reached out to touch the flowing patterns.

The phantom of the Space-Time Spider Emperor's Martial Soul emerged from behind her. Silver-white spider silk wrapped around the light screen along her fingertips; the patterns trembled and lit up when they touched the silk.

The Old Huai peered out from its trunk in the distance, its mouth moving slightly, but it shrank back after being glared at by the Nan Feng.

In the following days, Bibi Dong's condition was noticeably different.

Every morning when Nan Feng enters the Tower Spirit Space, she is already squatting in front of the light screen, spider silk winding and turning on the patterns. Next to her is a rough pottery bowl containing a fish that Shifang has grilled, which she eats half of and then forgets about.

When Nan Feng passed by, she would casually remark something without even looking up.

"This node is incorrect."

Then, pointing to a certain spot on the light screen, he recited a series of deductions that would take Nan Feng two breaths to process. Nan Feng tried it twice, and the efficiency of the Space-Time freeze did indeed increase by half a percent.

On the fifth day, Old Huai couldn't hold it in any longer.

Nan Feng was discussing the feasibility of time reversal with Bibi Dong in front of the light screen. Old Huai slid down from the fairy tree, walked to the side with his hands behind his back, and cleared his throat.

I said--

Bibi Dong looked up at him, then lowered her head and continued calculating.

"This girl used to be the Pope, in charge of tens of thousands of people. Now she spends her days in the tower calculating nodes, watering flowers, and eating grilled fish for you."

Old Huai held his teacup, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

"You've arranged all this for her?"

Bibi Dong paused for a moment, her spider silk coiling twice around the light screen, but she didn't reply.

Nan Feng glanced at the Old Huai.

"Just say what you have to say."

Old Huai placed the teacup on the table.

"I mean, her Soul Power is only in the thirties. You have plenty of Spiritual Power and resources in your Tower Spirit Space, are you just going to let her just watch? You're being way too stingy as the tower master."

Before Nan Feng could speak, Bibi Dong spoke first, though her voice was soft.

He wasn't being stingy. I just didn't want it.

Old Huai turned to look at her.

Bibi Dong retrieved the spider silk, stood up, dusted off the hem of her skirt, and remained calm.

"Giving me tasks is better than giving me Spiritual Power. I used to rely on the Rakshasa Divine Power's power to take shortcuts, and in the end, I almost lost myself. This time, I'm starting over and cultivating on my own."

Old Huai opened his mouth, picked up the teacup, took a sip, muttered "Fine," and turned to leave.

Nan Feng looked at Bibi Dong, his lips twitching. Bibi Dong turned her face away, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

What are you looking at?

"I didn't see anything." Nan Feng also turned his gaze away. "Go through that time reversal point again. I think there's still room for optimization."

Bibi Dong squatted back down, the tips of her ears turning slightly red.

On the tenth day, Bibi Dong's Soul Power broke through to level thirty-three.

Time flows rapidly within the Tower Spirit Space. As she comprehends the Space-Time Power within it each day, her Soul Power also increases. Nan Feng grants her the Power of Devouring of the second level of the tower to aid her cultivation, making her progress much faster than outside.

On the evening of the twelfth day, when Nan Feng entered the Tower Spirit Space, Bibi Dong was not in front of the light screen.

He searched around and found her in that small area in the southeast corner.

The seedling of the Nine Heart Begonia has grown an inch taller, its leaves are lush and green, and it looks much more vibrant.

Bibi Dong squatted to the side, not holding a water bottle, just watching.

"The flowers haven't bloomed yet." Nan Feng walked over.

"I know." Bibi Dong didn't look up. "Ye Lingling said that it takes three months for Nine Heart Begonia to grow from a seedling to bloom. Less than half a month has passed now."

Nan Feng squatted down next to her.

The two squatted there for a while, watching the flowers. The Tower Spirit Space was very quiet, with only the leaves of the Ancient Tree of Life rustling overhead.

After a while, Bibi Dong suddenly spoke.

"When I was first resurrected, I felt that life had no meaning. I remember everything I did: those people at Jialing Pass, those Soul Master, and those who died at my hands... I can see them every night when I close my eyes."

Nan Feng didn't respond, waiting for her to continue.

"Later, you made me water the flowers and count the water nodes." Bibi Dong reached out and touched the leaves of the Nine Heart Begonia'. "Every morning when I woke up, I had something to do and something to water. At first, I forced myself to do it, but after a while, it didn't seem so bad anymore."

She paused, then lowered her voice.

I don't know if this is better or worse.

Nan Feng thought for a moment and said, "It's settled."

He pointed to the Nine Heart Begonia.

"You watered it, look at it yourself, it's growing very well."

He then pointed in the direction of the light screen.

"I can use what you calculated."

Bibi Dong turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were very calm now. She looked at him for a while, then reached out and tugged at his sleeve.

The pressure was light, but the grip wasn't loosened.

Nan Feng didn't pull her hand away, and just squatted there letting her hold it. Old Huai watched from afar on the fairy tree, this time saying nothing.

After a while, Bibi Dong let go of her hand, stood up, patted her skirt, and returned to her usual self.

I've reworked the time reversal point; do you want to try it?

"Try."

The two walked towards the light screen.

Halfway there, Bibi Dong suddenly stopped and said something without turning her head.

"Next time you go out, bring me back a packet of tea. The tower only has tea brewed with the coldest spring water from the Far North; I'm tired of that."

Nan Feng glanced at her.

"Alright. You can choose any tea from the tea shops in Heaven Dou City."

Bibi Dong nodded and walked to the front of the light screen first.

The silvery-white spider silk of the Space-Time Spider Emperor hung down from her fingertips, entwining the flowing patterns. The Old Huai locust tree swayed overhead, and a new leaf sprouted from its tip, shining green.

When Nan Feng came out of the tower that night, the lights of Heaven Dou City were already on full display.

He stretched in the yard.

Old Huai uttered a sentence from inside the pagoda.

"This girl is like a completely different person compared to when she was first resurrected."

Nan Feng didn't reply, but the corner of her mouth curled up slightly as she walked into her room.

There's a ton of stuff to do tomorrow. Bi Ji's Fairy Tale contract is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, Huo Wu's arena matches are over, and Shui Bing'er's combo skills still need one last test.

He pushed open the door, threw himself onto the bed, and mentally reviewed the things he needed to bring the next day before closing his eyes.

Tea leaves, crystal samples for combination techniques, and protective materials needed by Bi Ji.

There's also a packet of tea for Bibi Dong.