The long-dreamed-of immortal herb was finally before their eyes.
Li Chang'an naturally couldn't just give up at this point. So he began to reason and persuade, appealing both logically and emotionally, assuring them that there would be absolutely no problems. In the end, even Dugu Bo joined in, promising that if anything went wrong after Li Chang'an consumed the herb, he could use his power to expel it from his body immediately, minimizing any harm.
After much convincing, Dugu Yan finally relented and agreed to let Li Chang'an try the immortal herb.
Dugu Bo retrieved a large chrysanthemum from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
This chrysanthemum glowed with a magnificent violet hue. Strangely, every petal looked soft and fuzzy, giving it a charming appearance. Though the flower appeared seamless and flawless, it emitted no fragrance. The central stamen rose half a foot above the petals and shimmered faintly with golden light.
It was none other than the neutral-type immortal herb—Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum!
Compared to other unknown immortal herbs, this one at least had precedent—there was a Title Douluo whose Martial Soul was based on this very plant. So even if something went wrong, they could potentially seek out that individual for help.
Moreover, the medicinal properties of this herb were perfectly suited to Li Chang'an's condition and wouldn't conflict with any Martial Soul.
Taking the herb into his hands, Li Chang'an suppressed his excitement, sat cross-legged, and began consuming it—first the golden stamen, then the petals one by one, discarding the root at the end.
He then closed his eyes and began cultivating, allowing the medicinal energy to flow through his body.
Beside him, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan watched nervously, keeping a close eye on every change in his condition.
Soon, a faint golden radiance began to spread!
Li Chang'an's expression was calm, his breathing steady. A faint golden light emerged from his skin, while soft cracking sounds echoed from within his body—as though his bones were being shattered and reforged!
Dugu Bo's sharp eyes stayed fixed on him, astonishment growing by the second. He could sense Li Chang'an's aura becoming more stable over time, and his soul power fluctuations growing deeper and purer—proof that his soul power was being refined! The cracking sounds weren't from bones breaking, but from his body—bones, muscles, and meridians—all being strengthened under the influence of the herb.
So this was the so-called Indestructible Body of Diamond!
After such strengthening, he might truly be able to absorb soul rings of far higher years than before.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo finally relaxed. Everything in Li Chang'an's condition was improving—nothing amiss at all. That could only mean one thing: the immortal herb truly worked!
But amid his joy, he couldn't help but feel a trace of regret. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well nurtured many kinds of immortal herbs, and Li Chang'an had only identified a small portion of them. Most remained unknown.
Perhaps, he thought, the decayed ancient text they'd found long ago had once recorded the others' details.
What a pity that knowledge was now lost.
Dugu Bo sighed inwardly, disappointed that none of the known immortal herbs seemed able to help his own poisonous condition.
Meanwhile, far away in the depths of the Soul Beast Forest—
Inside a vast underground cavern, the colossal Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor lay coiled, and a faint golden light began to shimmer along its scales. Clearly, since its main body had consumed the immortal herb, even this soul beast clone was receiving the benefits.
So the connection between his true body and his clone was far deeper than Li Chang'an had realized.
Then again, it made sense—if the clone could share soul power and even part of the main body's physical strength, why couldn't the reverse happen as well?
After some time, the golden glow faded from the serpent's scales. It opened its dark-golden eyes, sensing its newly strengthened body.
"This body's resilience has clearly reached a higher level," it murmured. "There are even many subtle benefits that will make my future growth smoother. But alas, the herb only strengthened my body—it didn't evolve my bloodline.
"In terms of bloodline hierarchy, I'm nowhere near someone like Di Tian, a pure-blooded dragon descended from the Dragon God's era. At best, I'm on the same level as those gatekeepers—Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python. My potential ceiling is already visible."
For Soul Beasts, bloodline was everything.
Their power rose effortlessly thanks to their inherited blood, with almost no bottlenecks. As long as they cultivated consistently, they would grow stronger. But that same bloodline also set a hard limit that could never be surpassed.
Take Di Tian for example—born of the purest dragon blood from the Dragon God's age. His potential ceiling was high enough to reach the level of a first-tier god.
Yet because the laws of the Douluo Continent were tampered with by the Divine Realm, even he—trapped on this plane—had stagnated for hundreds of thousands of years, unable to reach godhood.
The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's bloodline, by contrast, could at best reach the level of a third-tier god if it somehow ascended to divinity. Breaking through beyond that—into second or first-tier godhood—was utterly impossible without an extraordinary stroke of fate.
This was what people meant when they said: "Blessed by blood, yet cursed by it as well."
Humans, by comparison, lacked the innate advantage of bloodlines. Each stage of cultivation was fraught with bottlenecks. But they also lacked the same inescapable ceiling, making it easier for them to break limits and transcend themselves.
For a Soul Beast to overcome its bloodline's shackles was nearly impossible—without a heaven-defying opportunity, one could never surpass the rank their lineage permitted.
Back with Li Chang'an's main body—
After a long period of absorption, he had fully digested the medicinal power of the Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. His body had undergone tremendous improvement.
When he finally opened his eyes, his complexion was glowing with health, his eyes gleaming with vitality. His entire being radiated renewed energy.
Rising to his feet, his posture had grown stronger and more balanced. Muscles traced faint lines along his frame, and he seemed taller, exuding an aura of stability and strength.
"Brother Chang'an, how do you feel?" Dugu Yan asked, throwing herself into his arms. She immediately noticed that his embrace felt firmer than ever, his heartbeat powerful and steady—bringing her a deep, reassuring warmth.
"Yanzi, I feel wonderful," Li Chang'an said softly, stroking her back. "Better than ever before. The immortal herb truly works."
"Chang'an, come here. Let me check you over carefully," Dugu Bo called out, gesturing him closer. Though everything looked fine, he wanted to double-check with his soul power and spiritual sense—just to be safe.
After all, he now truly regarded Li Chang'an as one of his own. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him.
(End of Chapter)
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