"Thank you, Elder Chrysanthemum!"
Faced with what he desired, Ye Tian showed no pretense and sincerely raised both hands to accept the Illustrated Flora and Herbs.
Examining the cover, he saw a meticulously embroidered Gold-wrapped Purple Sky-Piercing Chrysanthemum. Above its purple stamens, a milky-white Pill hovered amidst swirling, gradient-colored clouds—all inlaid with circular jade. This cover alone demonstrated Chrysanthemum Douluo's dedication and the importance he placed on Ye Tian.
Naturally, Ye Tian understood the gesture's significance. He solemnly declared, "Your Excellency, rest assured, I will study this diligently and not waste your kindness."
"Haha, with you, this compendium will certainly not go to waste," Chrysanthemum Douluo laughed, gently patting Ye Tian's shoulder before straightening up. "It's getting late—time for the banquet to begin."
"Great! Finally, we're eating. I'd almost forgotten I had a stomach," Jin Yue'er cheered, clutching her belly.
"Heh." Ye Tian shook his head with a smile, standing in place and eagerly flipping open the illustrated guide.
As soon as he opened it, an odd expression crossed his face. The first entry was none other than the ubiquitous, ordinary, yet famously tenacious Blue Silver Grass. Though a common roadside weed, under Chrysanthemum Douluo's brush, it appeared vivid and lifelike, as if swaying in the wind.
Ye Tian couldn't help but feel admiration. He believed—no, was certain—that Chrysanthemum Douluo had illustrated this masterpiece with a deep love, even reverence, for flora from start to finish. He wondered if the compendium included entries on the Blue Silver King and Blue Silver Emperor.
Lacking time for a thorough read, Ye Tian was eager to find the Immortal Herbs. He immediately employed a speed-reading technique: propping up the heavy book, bending the cover slightly, then releasing it slowly. Pages rustled rapidly.
Meanwhile, Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed once more to Qian Renxue. "Young lady, please be seated. This subordinate will serve the dishes shortly. Please wait a moment."
"Elder Chrysanthemum, proceed at your own pace," Qian Renxue replied indifferently, her eyes fixed on Ye Tian's back.
After expressing thanks, Chrysanthemum Douluo withdrew.
Jin Yue'er's face fell. "Huh? We still have to wait?"
"Yue'er, if you're hungry, you can have some flower tea and blossom cakes first," Qian Renxue gently reminded. She then stepped closer to Ye Tian's side and called softly, "Ye Tian~"
"..." Silence was her only reply.
Ye Tian stared intently at the book, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"?!" Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow curiously and leaned in to look.
After flipping several pages quickly, Ye Tian turned directly to the last page of the thick flora guide. What greeted them was a blood-stained peony named Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
"??!" Astonishment flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian grinned widely, his smile stretching ear to ear. Blue Silver Grass at the beginning, the King of Immortal Herbs at the end! Clearly, Chrysanthemum Douluo had arranged these plants in a simple order, even including their related legends.
The Lovesick Heartbreak Red naturally would not be an exception.
Qian Renxue's eyes shimmered, her violet pupils reflecting the blood-red peony as she couldn't help but ask, "Ye Tian, does this King of Immortal Herbs truly exist?"
"Of course!"
The reply came abruptly, Ye Tian's answer almost instinctive.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ye Tian's expression shifted slightly.
Such a straightforward and overly confident response clearly risked causing trouble.
It made one wonder—had he actually seen an Immortal Herb before?
Ye Tian chuckled, quickly trying to cover up, "Little Xue, you mustn't underestimate the creativity of this world."
With that, he turned his gaze to the girl beside him.
"Is that so~"
Qian Renxue withdrew her attention from the book, meeting Ye Tian's eyes as a faint blush warmed her fair cheeks.
She hadn't been overthinking it—
She just wanted to use that flower to test her feelings for Ye Tian.
"Of course, nature's craftsmanship is divine~"
Ye Tian smiled, closing the illustrated guide in his hand.
It wasn't that Ye Tian feared Qian Renxue learning about the Immortal Herbs' existence.
Nor was he trying to hoard them all for himself.
But revealing the herbs too early simply didn't align with his interests.
To put it nicely, he was currently the Saintess's disciple, the Pope's grand-disciple.
But what did that matter?
Without even reaching the level of a Soul Grandmaster, he was still as insignificant as a roadside weed.
If he led them to the Immortal Herbs, how much would he actually get?
One stalk? Or two?
That couldn't satisfy Ye Tian's appetite—he had his own pace.
He needed to let the bullet fly a little longer.
Not long after, Chrysanthemum Douluo returned to the pavilion, bringing dishes filled with the fragrance of flowers.
Every dish was shaped like a flower.
The blooming lotus was made from fish meat ground into paste, mixed with natural lotus pigments, then reshaped into petals and assembled.
Even the stamens were crafted from golden caviar.
Ye Tian hadn't expected that, aside from his love for flowers, Chrysanthemum Douluo possessed such culinary skills.
The five of them sat properly in the pavilion.
Dining, admiring the flowers.
As the Hundred Flowers Banquet drew to a close, Jin Yue'er sprawled contentedly on the ground.
"That was absolutely delicious!"
"Burp—!"
"Burp!"
Qian Renxue seemed to seize the moment, letting out a short, abrupt burp as well.
Under Ye Tian's gaze,
Qian Renxue blushed, glaring at him fiercely.
It held no intimidation,
Instead, it made Ye Tian unable to hold back his laughter.
—
Clouds drifted, flowers on the Hundred Flowers Tree withered.
Another three months passed,
Leaving only scattered remnants of nearly a hundred varieties of flowers on the Hundred Flowers Tree.
Yet it still managed to awe many.
By noon.
Inside the Eternal Heaven, at Wisteria Residence.
Ye Tian sat alone in meditation before the Pill Furnace, having just finished his cultivation.
He had manually drained himself completely along the way.
Leaving not a single drop of Soul Power remaining.
Over the past few days,
Bi Bi Dong had been away on a mission, leaving Ye Tian to keep the empty room.
The only people he saw daily were Qian Renxue and the other girl.
With no worries about food or clothing, and no need to cater to a certain woman's moods,
He lived quite freely.
In the past, Ye Tian would have been perfectly content with this.
But times had changed.
Now, there wasn't a day he didn't wish for that woman to return sooner.
It wasn't because Ye Tian enjoyed suffering.
But because, on the night before Bi Bi Dong left for her mission,
He had already broken through to level twenty!
He couldn't wait to hunt for his second Spirit Ring.
He could easily have others do it, such as Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and the like.
But this time, he wanted to try conducting a Soul Hunt personally!
If the Fire Tipped Spear and Palm Thunder were exposed and discovered by Qian Xunji, wouldn't Bi Bi Dong skin him alive?
Therefore, Ye Tian had been waiting until now.
Tap, tap, tap!
Suddenly, just as Ye Tian was filled with anticipation, familiar footsteps sounded outside the door.
"Brat, get out here right now! I have good news for you."