"Hah... Luckily, I didn't mention the part about the Bodhisattva driving away Sun Wukong, or I would've been stopped again."
Gu Han exhaled in relief after putting some distance between himself and the dormitory.
Just then, a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.
"It's quite late. Why are you wandering around instead of heading back to your dormitory?"
Leaning casually against a wall, Yueguan appeared, holding a chrysanthemum near his nose with one hand and resting the other on his chest.
"Senior Yueguan," Gu Han greeted respectfully, bowing slightly. "I just returned from visiting my senior sister. I am on my way back now."
Yueguan removed the flower from his nose and approached with hands behind his back. "Mm. What did you think of today's class?"
Gu Han nodded earnestly. "The students are far stronger than the soul masters I've met at the Great Spirit Arena. Elder Ghost Leopard's teaching methods are also very unique. I learned a lot."
"Good. Take this," Yueguan said, pulling out a golden-covered book and handing it over.
"It's the compendium of flowers and herbs you asked for. There are many fairy herbs in here you've likely never heard of. Study it well."
Gu Han accepted the book and flipped it open. The first entry detailed the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum.
"Thank you, Senior. I'll return to my room and start reading right away."
"Go on. If anything confuses you, come ask me." Yueguan waved him off.
After Gu Han left, shadows shifted nearby, and a figure in black armor emerged silently from the darkness.
"So, Chrysanthemum Douluo, is this kid really as good as you say?"
Yueguan didn't turn. He simply nodded. "Absolutely. If he weren't exceptional, do you think His Holiness the Pope would have accepted him as a disciple?"
"Fair enough. I investigated the background you asked me about. The boy's parents were independent cultivators with low spirit power—only soul kings."
"Oh? And where are they now?"
"Killed twelve years ago. Reportedly, by an evil soul master."
Yueguan's eyes narrowed slightly. "No wonder the boy was left behind as a child. That explains it. No parents would abandon their child unless there was no other choice."
He sighed. "Poor child."
"What about the evil soul master who killed them?"
"Handled. The local branch of the Martial Soul Hall eliminated him twelve years ago."
"Will you tell the boy?"
Yueguan's lips pressed into a thin line. "Eventually. But not yet. He's still too weak. If I tell him now, he might do something reckless."
"Suit yourself," the ghostly figure said. "And don't forget, you promised me food and wine."
"Of course, I wouldn't let you run errands for nothing." Yueguan grinned. "Come on. I brewed a batch of Hundred Flower Wine myself—you'll want to taste it."
——
Returning to his room, Gu Han sat at his desk and opened the golden book Yueguan had given him.
Though he'd read many novels and manhua before transmigrating, the details of the fairy herbs were fuzzy now. The book was just what he needed.
He knew Tang San had given some fairy herbs to the Shrek Seven Devils, but the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well still held many rare plants that hadn't been mentioned in the story. After all, Tang San had cleaned out Dugu Bo's entire medicinal garden.
Yueguan's book was thorough—each herb accompanied by detailed notes and even hand-drawn illustrations.
It wasn't limited to just immortal herbs either. It also included common yet valuable plants and flowers.
Gu Han frowned slightly as he flipped through. "With knowledge this rich, why is Yueguan still stuck at Rank 95?"
Logically, with all this herbal knowledge, even without fairy herbs, he should've found ways to improve his aptitude and advance.
Yet even at the end, after refining his body into Vajra form, Yueguan still failed to reach Rank 96.
Was it truly the infamous 'villain ceiling' at work?
Gu Han shook his head.
No matter. He had already joined this world—he would do his best to change its course.
Although Ju Douluo had an eccentric and feminine personality, his character was solid and he had looked after Gu Han quite a bit. It was a pity his cultivation was stuck.
Gu Han's eyes sparkled as he remembered: there was an immortal herb among the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well tailored to Yueguan—a hybrid of mushroom and chrysanthemum.
If Yueguan took that, its effects would be far greater than what Dai Mubai had received.
Gu Han continued reading. Some of the herbs weren't even mentioned in the original story—like the Nether Bianhua or the Nine-Petal Immortal Lotus.
Sadly, none suited him.
Eventually, his attention landed on two familiar names: Star Anise Mysterious Ice Grass and Fiery Apricot Delicate.
With their complementary nature, refining them together would significantly enhance his physique, helping make up for his mediocre innate talent.
The ice immunity wasn't particularly useful, but fire immunity? That would be a huge asset against fire-type spirit masters.
He'd gain a massive edge.
——
Inside the Memorial Hall, Qian Daoliu stood tall, summoning his son, Qian Xunji.
"Father, you summoned me?"
"Yes. Here—try this."
Qian Daoliu turned around, pulled an object from his soul tool, and tossed it.
Qian Xunji caught it with both hands: an 80,000-year-old piece of whale glue.
Its energy was powerful, yet gentle. Even a normal person wouldn't be harmed by eating it—but the energy would go to waste.
"Thank you, Father."
He naturally understood that his father must have gone to great lengths to obtain this. His recent absence suddenly made sense.
In his younger years, Qian Xunji had focused too much on blindly increasing his cultivation level, neglecting to build a solid foundation.
Now, though a Title Douluo, he lacked the stable strength of past six-winged angel successors.
Advancing further had become increasingly difficult.
And if this continued, he feared he would forever remain stuck at Rank 96.
That was unacceptable.
Every Angel Douluo in history had reached Rank 99.
For him to fall short?
Impossible.
The legacy of the six-winged angel could not end with him.
He refused to accept that fate.
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