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"Buzz—!"
As Ye Han began absorbing the energy from the two immortal herbs, a warm sensation spread through his limbs and bones. His eyes and body felt as if they were being cleansed and nourished, undergoing a profound transformation.
"Phew~~!"
The process didn't last long. Soon, Ye Han let out a long exhale. When he opened his eyes, a strange, sharp glint flickered within them. This was the effect of the Eyes of Autumn Dew, which had significantly enhanced his visual perception and detection abilities.
The Chrysanthemum of Heavenly Passage also played a crucial role, tempering his body and making it even more resilient. However, despite these improvements, his soul power hadn't increased. The energy from the herbs had been absorbed by the three divine treasures within him.
At this moment, Ye Han could feel that under the influence of the two immortal herbs, his Dragon God's Holy Body, Dragon God's Soul, and Dragon God's Spirit had all experienced significant enhancements. The most noticeable improvement was the increase in the soul ring absorption limit, which had multiplied several times over. He could now absorb a 50,000-year soul beast's soul ring without worrying about the soul impact.
The compatibility rate of the three divine treasures had also risen to 10%. However, reaching the target of 50% for the fourth trial still required a 40% increase. This would likely come with time and practice, as mastering their use would gradually improve the compatibility rate. It seemed the two-and-a-half-year deadline set by the Dragon God's fourth trial was well-justified!
Just as Ye Han was deep in thought, a sudden cry echoed from outside:
"Ah! Wuwuwuwu…"
"Xiao Wu knows she was wrong! Xiao Wu won't dare to do it again…"
Accompanying the cries was the sharp sound of a whip striking tender skin:
"Snap! Snap! Snap!!!"
The loud, sudden noises interrupted Ye Han's contemplation.
"Heh, serves you right, you naughty bunny!" Ye Han wasn't surprised. Instead, a cold smile curled on his lips.
Earlier, when he and Ling Yuan were bathing, Xiao Wu had secretly been peeking. Naturally, when Ling Yuan discovered her, she couldn't escape a whipping. Ling Yuan had always harbored a deep hatred for soul beasts, so she showed no mercy.
"Snap—!"
"Ahhh! Wuwuwu, please spare me! I won't dare to do it again! I know I was wrong! Wuwuwu!"
As time passed, the sound of the whip grew louder, and Xiao Wu's cries became more desperate, echoing throughout the courtyard.
"This…" Ye Han frowned slightly. This couldn't go on. If Xiao Wu were driven mad by the whipping, it would create a rift between them. In the future, he might still need her to lure Da Ming and Er Ming into sacrificing themselves for him. If she were mentally broken, she might turn against him someday!
With this in mind, Ye Han immediately stood up and went to intervene.
As he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Xiao Wu kneeling on the ground, stripped of her clothes, with Ling Yuan mercilessly lashing her back with a whip. Although Xiao Wu, as a soul master, wasn't severely injured, her tender skin was covered in bright red welts, a shocking sight to behold.
When Ling Yuan noticed Ye Han, she didn't stop. Instead, she intensified the whipping.
"Ahhh! Wuwuwu!"
Xiao Wu, upon seeing her master, didn't cry out for help. Fearful that it would only provoke more punishment from Ling Yuan, she could only beg for forgiveness:
"Wuwuwu, I'm sorry! I won't dare to do it again! I know I was wrong! Please forgive me! I'll be obedient from now on!"
Seeing this, Ye Han was momentarily stunned. In the past, this mischievous bunny would have immediately begged him for help. It seemed Ling Yuan's whip had truly tamed her, making her too afraid to act out.
"Alright, Sister Ling Yuan, let her off this time," Ye Han said softly, feeling a pang of pity.
Ling Yuan stopped and glanced at Ye Han with a meaningful smile. Her eyes then flicked toward a side room, as if hinting at something. Without a word, she turned and walked back into the house, leaving behind an enigmatic aura.
Ye Han understood. Ling Yuan had deliberately played the role of the villain, allowing him to step in as the savior. This would make Xiao Wu feel grateful and increase her loyalty to him.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Han crouched down to check on Xiao Wu.
"Master! Xiao Wu is in so much pain, wuwuwu…"
Xiao Wu, as if finding a lifeline, threw herself into Ye Han's arms and burst into tears, pouring out all her grievances.
"There, there, it's alright now," Ye Han comforted her softly, holding her tightly.
Since this was part of Ling Yuan's plan, he decided to play along. He picked Xiao Wu up and carried her toward the side room Ling Yuan had hinted at earlier.
Upon entering, he noticed a specially prepared healing ointment on the table, clearly placed there in advance.
"Be good, I'll apply some medicine for you now," Ye Han said gently, taking the ointment while Xiao Wu was too distraught to notice.
He laid her down on the bed and began applying the ointment, pretending to be heartbroken as he tended to her wounds.
"Ah, wuwuwu, Master, it hurts! Xiao Wu hurts!"
Xiao Wu trembled in pain, her delicate body quivering uncontrollably.
Ye Han continued applying the ointment, soothing her gently, "Endure it a little longer. The pain will fade soon. Be good."
Xiao Wu, gasping and sobbing, pleaded weakly, "Wuwu, Master, Xiao Wu knows she was wrong… Xiao Wu will listen to Master and Sister Ling Yuan from now on… Please, ask Sister Ling Yuan not to whip Xiao Wu anymore, okay…"
Ye Han nodded, inwardly marveling at Ling Yuan's clever tactics.
As the ointment took effect, Xiao Wu's cries gradually subsided. She curled up in Ye Han's arms like a wounded kitten, her eyes filled with dependence and adoration.
Exhausted both physically and emotionally, Xiao Wu soon fell asleep under Ye Han's gentle care. He laid her down gently, covered her with a blanket, and gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, his thoughts swirling with complexity.
I hope this naughty bunny behaves from now on. If she dares to act out again, I'll have to personally discipline her!
Just as Ye Han was lost in thought, a cheerful voice called out from outside:
"Little Han, we're here~"
Hearing the voice, Ye Han quickly got up and went to greet them.
Outside, Hu Liena and Dugu Yan had arrived as promised. The two girls were arm in arm, clearly having become close sisters.
After glancing around and confirming that a certain annoying individual wasn't present, they both asked in unison:
"Little Han, what's the gift you have for us?"
"Little Han, what's the gift you have for us?"
Ye Han found Dugu Yan's tone a bit odd but didn't dwell on it. He promptly took out two Nine-Colored Purple Mushrooms and handed them over.
"These are… immortal herbs!" Dugu Yan recognized them immediately, though she wasn't sure of their exact effects.
"Ahem, these immortal herbs are called Nine-Colored Purple Mushrooms. They…" Ye Han began explaining their effects to the two girls, emphasizing how much they would aid their cultivation and urging them to keep it a secret.
After listening, the girls were both amazed and delighted. They quickly agreed and consumed the herbs. The Nine-Colored Purple Mushrooms primarily served to strengthen their foundations, so their soul power only increased by one level each.
Dugu Yan went from level 29 to 30, while Hu Liena went from level 31 to 32. Although their strengths were similar, there was a two-year age difference between them—Dugu Yan was 14, and Hu Liena was 12. This clearly highlighted the vast talent gap between the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall and ordinary soul masters.
…
The long night passed quickly.
When the next day arrived, Ye Han woke up early. After preparing, he set off for Heaven Dou City with Qian Daoliu. Accompanying them were Ling Yuan and the now-tamed Xiao Wu.
The purpose of this trip to Heaven Dou City was to meet his future wife, Qian Renxue.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 80 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 50 power stones I will publish the next chapter.