Huo Rui's cultivation was far superior to Oscar's, and she completed the refinement of the immortal herb essence in less than half an hour.
However, Tang San had claimed that this immortal herb possessed effects akin to strengthening one's foundation, cleansing the body, and even acting like a "Cultivation Base Pill" from traditional cultivation stories. Yet, whether it was because the Douluo World was truly a "hydrogen world" or because soul masters naturally had fewer impurities in their bodies, there was no appearance of the foul-smelling black sludge typically depicted in classic cultivation novels.
Still, after finishing the refinement of the immortal herb, the change in her complexion was clearly visible—her skin now radiated a youthful glow.
If Huo Rui had previously been a fiery and passionate older sister figure, she now looked as though she had regained her youth, transforming into a vivacious young woman in her twenties.
This made Ye Wen quite happy.
But calling her "Grandma" had already been difficult when she appeared to be in her thirties or forties. Now that she looked younger, Ye Wen felt even more awkward about it.
Huo Rui's eyebrows began to twitch slightly, and then she slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze seemed to reflect a sense of relief.
Ye Wen suddenly recalled something, and his previously cheerful mood instantly dissolved. Frowning, he asked softly:
"Grandma, are you alright? How effective was the immortal herb?"
At this moment, Huo Rui finally came back to her senses and turned to look at Ye Wen, smiling warmly.
"Thank you, Xiao Wen. This immortal herb is truly remarkable. I feel like I've become ten years younger. And…"
Huo Rui clenched her fists with delight, exclaiming, "I can't believe it! After my battle with Dugu Bo, my cultivation had already broken through to level 83. But under the influence of this immortal herb essence, I've now reached level 84. It seems there's a glimmer of hope for me to challenge the Title Douluo realm!"
(Author's Note: Earlier chapters mentioned that after breaking through to Soul Sage, soul power becomes denser and transitions to a liquid state. The same amount of energy that could boost Oscar by five levels now only raises Huo Rui by just over half a level. This is very reasonable.)
Ye Wen wasn't surprised by this result. After all, setting aside external factors like innate talent, anyone who consumed an immortal herb essentially laid the groundwork to reach the Title Douluo level. As for advancing further to become a Super Douluo, that was another matter entirely.
But this wasn't what concerned Ye Wen the most. With a serious expression, he said:
"Grandma, that's not what I'm asking about. I want to know how your hidden injuries have healed. Are there any lingering side effects?"
It seemed his question struck a nerve. Huo Rui was momentarily stunned, while Ye Wen, unable to wait, immediately took action. He placed his hand on her wrist to examine her condition through her pulse.
Huo Rui was startled at first, but realizing it was Ye Wen, she suppressed her instinctive reaction.
Then, with a light sigh, she said, "You really are something, Xiao Wen. I didn't say a word, yet you must have noticed something from my earlier state. But don't worry—it's fine now. Thanks to the immortal herb you gave me, about seventy to eighty percent of my hidden injuries have healed."
Ye Wen remained silent, his face grim, but inwardly, he felt a pang of guilt.
Huo Rui's explosive strength, rivaling that of a Title Douluo, was indeed astonishing. But such a dramatic increase in power couldn't come without consequences, could it?
As someone who had transmigrated, Ye Wen should have realized this issue immediately. Yet, due to Huo Rui's carefree demeanor, he had unconsciously overlooked it.
After examining her, Ye Wen confirmed that, as Huo Rui had said, about seventy to eighty percent of her hidden injuries had indeed healed. However, there were still some areas with noticeable damage to her meridians. If left untreated and allowed to accumulate, these injuries could recur, and even immortal herbs might prove ineffective against them.
Ye Wen released her wrist, his mind racing as he brainstormed furiously. Combining his insights with everything he had learned recently, various medicinal formulas began to take shape in his mind.
Looking directly into Huo Rui's eyes, Ye Wen spoke earnestly: "Grandma, you're right—your hidden injuries have healed by at least eighty percent. But that's not enough. If you continue fighting with unresolved injuries, sooner or later, you'll end up in the same situation again. Even if we give you the same immortal herb next time, it won't help.
So, as your grandson, I'm begging you. For the time being, please listen to me, focus on treatment, and avoid unnecessary battles."
Seeing the sincerity in Ye Wen's gaze…
Huo Rui, who had initially intended to brush off the matter nonchalantly, felt a wave of emotion. Slowly lowering her radiant head, she smiled sweetly and said:
"Alright, I'll do as you say, Xiao Wen."
Once they had agreed, Ye Wen hurried to find Dugu Bo.
When Dugu Bo heard that Ye Wen wanted Huo Rui to recuperate at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he was briefly surprised but quickly agreed.
After all, Dugu Bo wasn't petty—he could lend the place for recovery without issue.
However, when Dugu Bo saw Huo Rui, he lost his composure.
"You… you… you…"
Staring at the rejuvenated Huo Rui, Dugu Bo was at a loss for words. Wasn't reversing aging supposed to be *his* unique talent as a Title Douluo?
Huo Rui flipped her ink-black hair with an air of pride and said teasingly:
"What's wrong, Dugu Bo? Never seen a beautiful woman before?"
Although Dugu Bo was a decade older than Huo Rui, both were old enough to be grandparents. Having bonded through their frequent bickering, Dugu Bo didn't explode in anger. Instead, after regaining his composure, he rolled his eyes and retorted:
"Beautiful woman? I've lived for seventy or eighty years—I've seen plenty of beautiful women.
If I really wanted women, I'd have filled this mansion with them long ago. What I'm curious about is why someone like you, an old maid, would bother reverting to youth. Are you trying to paint over an old cucumber to make it look fresh?"
Ye Wen was shocked. 'Wait, isn't this going too far? You're straight-up attacking her now?'
Instantly, Huo Rui, who had been in high spirits due to her restored youth, narrowed her bright eyes into daggers and shot Dugu Bo a scathing glare, lashing out sarcastically:
"I may be pretending to be young, but at least I don't look like a sissy despite being seventy or eighty!"
"Huo Rui, you!"
"Want to fight? Old Poison Snake! Bring it on—I'm ready!"
As their verbal sparring escalated, each hitting the other's sore spots, the tension between them grew palpable. Ye Wen watched with cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Teacher, Grandma, please calm down! We're all on the same side. There's no need for this—it's really not necessary!" Ye Wen pleaded anxiously.
Dugu Bo and Huo Rui exchanged glances, and finally, they gradually retracted their overwhelming soul power.
"Hmph, Dugu Bo, I'll let it slide today for Xiao Wen's sake," Huo Rui said, still visibly annoyed.
Dugu Bo sneered, "A mere Soul Douluo. If Xiao Wen hadn't told me you were injured, I'd definitely make you understand the dignity of a Title Douluo today."
Seeing that although they were still bickering, they at least weren't on the verge of throwing punches anymore, Ye Wen breathed a sigh of relief.
'Seriously, they're both so old, yet their tempers are still so fiery. What's with that?'
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed.