Li Xun gently rubbed Zhu Zhuqing's head.
Originally a quiet girl, she had now developed a hint of rebellion under Ning Rongrong's influence.
Zhu Zhuqing blushed and lowered her head, about to walk out the door.
Li Xun pressed her head down, turned her shoulders to face the bed, and said, "Go to sleep. I'll go to the next room."
Snap
With that, he lightly tapped Zhu Zhuqing's bottom with a branch in his hand.
Zhu Zhuqing's mind buzzed, her face and ears slightly burning, as she stumbled toward the bed.
"Brother, you said you brought a gift?"
Seeing Li Xun about to leave, Ning Rongrong quickly got off the bed and grabbed his arm. "Where's the gift?"
"You've been chasing me around all day, and you still want a gift?"
Li Xun glanced sideways at Ning Rongrong's fawning expression.
"Brother~~"
Ning Rongrong cooed, shaking Li Xun's arm back and forth.
Feeling the touch on his arm, Li Xun was momentarily lost in thought.
The two had grown up together and had lived together for a long time. The once scrawny girl was slowly maturing.
"The gift is a bit special. It's not something I can just hand over. I haven't slept for a day and a night. I'll give it to you after I wake up."
Li Xun looked utterly exhausted, feeling like he could fall asleep standing up. He simply didn't have the energy to explain the Immortal Herbs to them.
Seeing Li Xun's state, Ning Rongrong felt a pang of heartache.
She didn't know what Li Xun had been up to this time, but it must have been something incredibly difficult.
Having been with Li Xun for several years, this was the first time she had seen him so worn out.
"Brother, you stay here. Zhu Zhuqing and I will go to the next room."
Ning Rongrong pulled Li Xun's arm and led him to the bed.
By now, Zhu Zhuqing had also snapped out of her daze and quickly got off the bed to tidy it up.
"At least you two have some conscience."
Li Xun smiled faintly, collapsing onto the bed, his eyelids already heavy.
Seeing Li Xun so exhausted, Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips, walked over to him, and took off his shoes.
Ning Rongrong quickly reached out, and together they adjusted Li Xun's body.
"Very good, you've pleased me greatly."
Enjoying the girls' care, Li Xun's spirits lifted, and he smiled as he took out three Immortal Herbs from his Soul Guiding Device. "Here's your reward!"
"Brother, is this the gift you brought?"
Ning Rongrong looked at the three Immortal Herbs, slightly puzzled.
She didn't recognize the herbs. Over the years, she had only glanced at the books Li Xun collected, never really interested in them.
"Yes, this one is called the Qiluo Tulip, and it's for you." Li Xun handed the herb to her while lying on the bed.
"The Qiluo Tulip, the king of Immortal Herbs. After consuming it, the user gains the ability to absorb the essence of the sun and moon. It has a miraculous effect on treasure-type Martial Souls."
"After eating it, your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda should evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
Ning Rongrong was shocked and quickly reached out to take it. "Brother, does my father know about this?"
"Haha, at least you're not an ungrateful brat, still thinking about your father."
Li Xun smiled. "Teacher already knows. Don't worry."
At this moment, Li Xun was genuinely pleased. The fact that Ning Rongrong asked this question meant that his efforts over the years hadn't been in vain.
If it were the old Ning Rongrong, she wouldn't have thought about her doting father, let alone Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
When the two Douluo died, it was as if she hadn't even glanced back. It was Ning Fengzhi who silently gathered their remains.
After instructing Ning Rongrong on the steps to consume the Immortal Herb, Li Xun turned his gaze to Zhu Zhuqing.
"There are two Immortal Herbs here," Li Xun said, still lying down, as he handed over the herbs in his hand.
"The one on the left is called Lovesick Heartbreak Red, and the one on the right is called Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower."
Zhu Zhuqing reached out in confusion to take the two herbs: "Brother Li Xun, why do I have two?"
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but glance over.
"Actually, there's only one," Li Xun chuckled. "The Lovesick Heartbreak Red is a treasure among Immortal Herbs. Not only does it greatly enhance a Soul Master's abilities, but it also has the miraculous effect of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh."
"However, to consume this herb, one must gain its approval, which involves a poignant story."
As Zhu Zhuqing listened to the tale of the young man and the flower fairy, her eyes began to glisten with tears.
"To pluck the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, one must think of their beloved while letting their blood soak the petals. If the heart is not sincere, even if the blood runs dry, the herb will not be obtained."
Li Xun introduced the Lovesick Heartbreak Red first because, in the original story, Zhu Zhuqing had missed out on it once, and it was Xiao Wu who had obtained it.
He wanted Zhu Zhuqing to try again, though who she was thinking of was a question.
And even if she couldn't obtain it, there was still the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower as a backup.
As for why he didn't give Zhu Zhuqing the Narcissus Jade Bone from the original story, it was because Li Xun believed that to achieve great things, one must prioritize the bigger picture. Enhancing the strength of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo was the most crucial.
The Narcissus Jade Bone seemed to match the ethereal aura of Sword Douluo.
The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, being extremely yang and fiery, could purify impurities in the Martial Soul. However, Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul was already at its peak, so the effect might not be significant.
As for why he didn't give Sword Douluo and the others the Lovesick Heartbreak Red...
Well, the image of a few grown men thinking of their lovers and taking turns to drip blood for recognition was quite jarring.
"You can try. If you can't obtain it, then consume the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower," Li Xun pointed.
"The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, though a treasure for fire-attribute Soul Masters, should still enhance your abilities if you consume it."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the two herbs in her hand and nodded. She wanted to ask more but noticed that Li Xun had already fallen asleep.
Zhu Zhuqing waited for a while, confirming that Li Xun was truly asleep, then gently sat by the bed. The story of the young man and the flower fairy kept surfacing in her mind.
After some thought, she set the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower aside and focused solely on the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
A drop of blood gently fell.
The Lovesick Heartbreak Red floated down.
Zhu Zhuqing quickly caught it, her eyes filled with astonishment.
She glanced cautiously at Ning Rongrong, who was absorbed in consuming her herb and hadn't noticed the situation.
She pursed her lips.
Li Xun didn't know how long he had slept, but he felt sore all over.
It was a symptom of lying down for too long.
After adjusting to the sunlight in the room, Li Xun slowly sat up.
His gaze inadvertently fell on the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower on the bedside table, and he was momentarily stunned.
"She obtained the Lovesick Heartbreak Red!" Li Xun was incredulous.
At this time, Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai were far apart and had no interaction, and he himself hadn't been romantically involved with Zhu Zhuqing.
Who was she thinking of?
Li Xun rubbed his face and quickly got up to wash.
He was worried that the two might have made a mistake in consuming the herbs and needed to check on them.
It was noon, and the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy had just finished its midday classes.
Li Xun's hurried and intense demeanor immediately startled a group of people.
Most of these students had witnessed Li Xun beating up Yu Tianheng, and even those who hadn't were warned by their peers.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong were slowly walking towards them.
Both sides spotted each other from a distance.
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she quickly ran over.
Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing's face turned slightly red, and she stopped in her tracks.
"Brother, you're awake!"
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