DD Black White [178-183] (Patreon)

Chapter 178: Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes

In Nan Shuishui's view, Lu Jingming was not only of good character but also exceptionally handsome and distinguished in temperament.

Judging from the attitudes of Xue Di and Bing Di toward him, as well as his background from Haiyuan City, Nan Qiuqiu had truly married up.

Added to that, being able to injure a titled Douluo while still at the Soul King level—such terrifying talent and strength—made him all the more remarkable.

After much consideration, Nan Shuishui was actually quite happy to have such an outstanding young man as her son-in-law.

However, a woman's intuition told her that Lu Jingming was a massive pitfall. If her naïve daughter fell in, it would be hard to climb out!

More importantly, Nan Qiuqiu's giving herself away for free was far too obvious. They hadn't even known each other long, yet she was already getting intimate. If Lu Jingming made the slightest move, would Qiuqiu obediently bathe and jump into his bed?

So now, she was a bit conflicted about whether to stop Nan Qiuqiu from getting closer to Lu Jingming.

When Xue Di and Bing Di emerged from the ancient well, everyone could clearly feel that the cold air that had been constantly emanating from the well had diminished greatly.

Lu Jingming immediately looked at Bing Di. Observing carefully, although Bing Di's appearance hadn't changed noticeably, her aura had become deeper.

Though she hadn't recovered to her peak due to losing her original body, with the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow—a supreme ice treasure—her return to full strength was only a matter of time.

With the Profound Ice Marrow in hand, Lu Jingming talked with Nan Shuishui about the Extreme Ice Divine Crystal Mine. Nan Shuishui, of course, wouldn't refuse such a benefit and was quite grateful. After all, without Lu Jingming and company, the Earth Dragon Sect would have struggled to extract even a single crystal, let alone mine the vein for resources and money.

After an open exchange, they reached a consensus. Lu Jingming then took his leave, preparing to depart from Dragon City.

"Ah! You're leaving already? Won't you stay and have fun for a few more days?" Nan Qiuqiu's face fell, her eyes full of reluctance when she heard of Lu Jingming's departure.

She had hoped to spend more time with him and deepen their understanding of each other.

"We still have important matters to handle and can't stay long. If you have the chance, you're welcome to visit Haiyuan City. I believe you won't be disappointed."

Lu Jingming smiled. He still had much to do, and though Dragon City was unique, there was no longer any reason for him to linger.

"Okay, I'll definitely visit!" Although a bit depressed, Nan Qiuqiu quickly perked up.

Her affection for Lu Jingming had soared due to his heroics and good looks, but she wasn't yet hopelessly infatuated.

Mainly, she just regretted the brief time they'd had together.

Nan Shuishui and Nan Qiuqiu personally escorted Lu Jingming and his party out of Dragon City, quietly watching their figures recede into the distance.

"Mom, I want to train hard and then travel the continent." Staring after Lu Jingming and his companions, Nan Qiuqiu suddenly said with determination.

She'd never slacked in her cultivation before, but now she was filled with a true desire for strength.

The harrowing experience of being attacked by evil soul masters and now having a clear goal gave her real motivation.

"Alright, Mom will help you!" Nan Shuishui was momentarily surprised, then smiled with relief.

She gently stroked Nan Qiuqiu's pink hair. Though she wasn't sure whether letting Qiuqiu continue to interact with Lu Jingming was a blessing or a curse, at least Qiuqiu now had motivation to grow stronger—which could only be good for the Earth Dragon Sect.

After all, in this Douluo Continent where strength was everything, the stronger Nan Qiuqiu became, the more secure the sect's future would be.

Ultimately, Nan Qiuqiu was the next sect leader—her limits were the sect's limits.

…

Once again entering Sunset Forest, Lu Jingming and his group were confident and daring, flying straight toward the forest's core from high above.

Though vast, Sunset Forest had no soul beasts strong enough to threaten them.

Even the intimidating multicolored miasma in the sky posed no real harm.

With Xue Di and Bing Di's ultimate ice power, they were naturally resistant to toxins.

Thus, the poisonous miasma pervading the forest was meaningless to them, offering no real obstacle.

Before long, the four reached the area of densest miasma.

Ahead, the dazzlingly colorful miasma billowed like a giant cloud, filling the space with an acrid stench.

Gu Yue frowned deeply. Sunset Forest had once been a vibrant gathering place for soul beasts, but now it was desolate and bleak.

The culprit was this very miasma—it had altered the ecosystem, killed countless soul beasts, and driven the once prosperous forest into decline.

Now in the forest's core, Gu Yue observed carefully and realized this miasma was likely not natural, but deliberately created.

The coverage was too regular, the signs of human arrangement too obvious.

"With miasma this intense, no wonder almost all the soul beasts here are dead. Even a titled Douluo would struggle to withstand such poison if they charged in recklessly!"

Lu Jingming shook his head. Sea God Tang San had really done something reprehensible.

To hide the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Tang San had laid down such a terrifying poison formation, with no regard for the soul beasts' extinction—truly ruthless and lacking compassion.

With Xue Di and Bing Di's cold aura shielding them, the miasma couldn't approach.

Lu Jingming guided the flying soul device down from above.

Crack!

The moment he landed, a chilling sound of bones shattering came from underfoot.

Looking down, he saw the ground littered with bleached bones—remains of soul beasts everywhere.

The bones were streaked with colors, as if silently recounting the agony and torment they had suffered.

"Bastard!" Gu Yue cursed through gritted teeth.

She had always slept in the Star Dou Great Forest and hadn't known the specifics of Sunset Forest.

She'd thought the soul beasts here were wiped out by relentless human hunting over millennia.

But now, seeing it herself, she understood—the real culprit wasn't just human soul masters, but someone else entirely.

The one who set this horrifying poison formation over the forest's core was truly to blame for its extinction.

Not just Gu Yue, but Xue Di and Bing Di's faces darkened as well.

The tragic scene before them was shocking.

Countless soul beasts had died agonizing deaths to this miasma over millennia—the numbers were unimaginable, filling them with anger and helplessness.

Seeing the fate of Sunset Forest, they couldn't help but think of the future of all soul beasts.

Tang San, who set the poison formation, perhaps only wished to protect the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. But he ignored the life and death of soul beasts, causing irreparable destruction to this forest—an undeniable fact.

"This way!"

Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's voice sounded in Lu Jingming's ear. Guided by her, he quickly locked onto the direction of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The Well was home to countless precious immortal herbs, brimming with life energy.

Despite the miasma, it couldn't escape the detection of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, sovereign of all plant life.

Following Lu Jingming, Xue Di and Bing Di released intense cold, freezing any miasma in their path.

Along the way, everywhere they went was strewn with corpses. Nourished by these remains, all kinds of colorful poisonous plants flourished.

Soon, they arrived at a completely different world.

Before them stretched a sea of lush green.

Green plants densely blanketed the ground, exuding wisps of green mist into the air—the very source of the forest's sky miasma.

These green plants weren't tall, only about half a meter high.

Each had nine strangely shaped leaves—resembling a human hand, but with seven fingers, or sometimes even nine on the larger ones.

Atop each plant bloomed a large green flower, petals dewy and radiant, the stamens constantly releasing green mist.

The mist slowly spread outward, merging with the multicolored miasma, creating a strange and dangerous scene.

"Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes!"

Lu Jingming immediately recognized the plant, and knew the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was just beyond it—their final barrier.

The Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes was one of the most terrifying poisonous plants in the Douluo Continent, a treasure countless poison attribute soul masters dreamed of.

Yet now, so many of them congregated together, covering several kilometers, was truly shocking.

Such a massive gathering meant many had transformed into plant-type soul beasts, some even reaching ten thousand years of cultivation.

These powerful plant soul beasts would clearly be a major obstacle.

Chapter 179: The Power of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata

"Who arranged this?"

Gu Yue, Xue Di, and Bing Di also recognized the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes, their faces turning grim.

These flowers weren't social plants. For so many to gather here, someone must have transplanted and nourished them.

"Who else could have pulled this off?" Lu Jingming curled his lip.

Even a titled Douluo couldn't manage such a vast and complex arrangement.

Only a deity could.

Gu Yue, Xue Di, and Bing Di weren't fools. With a little thought, they recalled the Sea God Tang San from ten thousand years ago.

Only he had the power back then, and the forest's transformation started at that time—making him the obvious suspect.

"Stand down!"

Lu Jingming raised his right hand. His holy mark glowed red, and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's phantom appeared behind him, green light forming a holy halo radiating powerful life energy.

At his command, the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes parted, opening a wide path.

At the same time, the green poisonous mist in the air was reabsorbed by the flowers, which drooped in submission to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

"Let's go, I'll show you something good!" Lu Jingming smiled.

As the Lord of a Thousand Trees, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata naturally commanded all plant-type soul beasts.

Under her aura, the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes dared not resist.

Gu Yue, Xue Di, and Bing Di looked at Lu Jingming with surprise.

Especially Gu Yue, whose knowledge inherited from the Dragon God far surpassed the others.

The phantom behind Lu Jingming was likely a god's projection, and from the aura, it was a goddess of life.

Gu Yue was puzzled. She knew the Goddess of Life, but who was this goddess radiating such strong life aura behind Lu Jingming?

He was full of secrets, but Gu Yue wasn't determined to dig them up. As long as he meant her no harm, that was enough.

Crossing through the flower barrier, they arrived at a sunken valley.

The entrance was shrouded in green poisonous mist, thick as liquid, hiding the bottom from view.

Xue Di waved her hand, and with the ultimate ice's terrifying cold, the mist froze and dissipated.

With the path cleared, Lu Jingming and the others flew down.

As they descended, the green mist thinned, revealing the valley walls.

On the cliffs, multicolored blue vines began to stir, awakened by their arrival.

The vines whipped through the air with frightening power, each strike as strong as a Soul King's full attack.

"Hmph!" Bing Di snorted coldly.

She clawed, and five green claw lights flashed, instantly severing the blue vines, blue sap oozing from the cuts with a pungent odor.

With Bing Di's intervention, the vines couldn't approach.

After descending over three hundred meters, they finally shook off the vines and continued to the valley's depths.

Soon, as they neared the bottom, they were greeted by a breathtaking, dreamlike scene—like a wonderland.

Shrouded by multicolored miasma, sunlight scattered into the valley, turning it into a radiant rainbow world.

The distant cliffs were covered in the blue vines, reflecting dazzling colors like a giant gemstone artwork.

The valley, though not vast, was a vibrant kingdom of plants.

Flowers of every hue blossomed, swaying in the breeze as if competing in a silent pageant.

Branches were heavy with tempting fruits, and many plants glowed with varying intensity, indicating their extraordinary nature.

At the valley's center, all vegetation surrounded a strange lake.

The lake was divided in two: one side icy white, steaming with cold air; the other fiery red, radiating heat.

The red and white contrasted perfectly, like two flawless jades embedded in the land.

The air was thick with life energy, so strong it felt tangible. The interplay of ice and fire infused the entire valley with vitality.

"What is this...?" Even Gu Yue, well-traveled and knowledgeable, was amazed.

The life force here rivaled even her own Life Lake.

Such terrifying vitality was a paradise for plant-type soul beasts—who knew how many rare treasures grew here.

What made Gu Yue even more uneasy was a faintly familiar aura in the valley, especially from the ice and fire lake.

Lu Jingming smiled and looked toward a large pink flower nearest the lake.

He recognized it as the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb, and scanned for other immortal herbs.

A fiery red cabbage-shaped Infernal Delicate Apricot, a deep blue Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, the mysterious Yearning Heartbroken Red—each a legendary Douluo Continent treasure.

Also the dazzling golden Beautiful Silk Tulip, radiating a mesmerizing fragrance.

All these rare herbs were here.

At the same time, the World Tree's mark allowed Lu Jingming to sense four awakened consciousnesses.

There were four immortal herbs here that had cultivated to one hundred thousand years and gained intelligence.

The others, though old, had only animal instincts.

"Humans, how did you get in here?"

Just as they landed, the pink flower gently swayed, and a crisp, melodious female voice sounded.

"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast!"

Xue Di and Bing Di tensed. On Douluo, only soul beasts of a hundred thousand years or more could speak.

"I'm not a hundred-thousand-year soul beast; I'm only ten thousand years old." The pink flower sounded a little annoyed, wafting a dreamy, refreshing fragrance that instantly lifted the spirit.

Lu Jingming and the others were unafraid of its poison.

Lu Jingming had the Black Abyss White Flower and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's power—no toxin could threaten him.

Xue Di and Bing Di's ultimate ice naturally countered poison.

As for Gu Yue, avatar of the Silver Dragon King, such toxins were meaningless.

"With this life energy, a plant soul beast here grows a year for every ten outside."

Lu Jingming said calmly.

Chapter 180: Ice and Fire Dragon Kings

The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb was indeed only ten thousand years old, planted here by Tang San ten thousand years ago.

"You know quite a lot! Hmm, those two have the aura of the ultimate ice, no wonder you could pass the poison array."

The flower swayed happily, excited at seeing visitors after so many lonely years.

"According to the rules set by that person, outsiders aren't allowed here. Even if you stumble in, you must pass my test, or leave. If you chat with me, maybe I'll give you a reward. Come talk to me!"

The flower's tone was both eager and lonely, having endured endless solitude.

Lu Jingming sneered, "Rules? I am the rules, Xue Di!"

Why should he follow rules set by Tang San? If someone unrelated to Tang San stumbled in and wasn't strong, they'd only die.

These immortal herbs, all planted by Tang San, were naturally biased toward him.

If they didn't know their place, Lu Jingming would show no mercy.

"What do you want?"

Just then, a gentle male voice sounded, and golden light swept out—a mesmerizing fragrance spreading.

The voice came from the golden Damask Tulip—the king of immortal herbs.

At the same time, two other powerful auras rose up: one blazing hot, one icy cold, from the Infernal Delicate Apricot and Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, both resisting Xue Di's pressure.

Lu Jingming had no interest in talking with these herbs; if not for Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's wishes, he'd use force.

Time was precious; no need to waste it here.

So he left persuasion to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

With a surge of World Tree power, a gentle green light filled the valley.

Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's beautiful, sacred form appeared, radiating life energy like the source of all vitality.

"Who... are you?"

Sensing her overwhelming life aura and noble divinity, the hundred-thousand-year immortal herbs trembled in shock and fear.

Not just them, but all herbs in the Well stirred in submission.

Even the proud Yearning Heartbroken Red swayed obediently.

On Douluo, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was the absolute ruler of all plant life.

Even the Shrek Academy's Golden Tree would be at risk if not for Tang San's deterrence.

One day, perhaps, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata could even take over the Golden Tree.

Lu Jingming ignored Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's conversation and turned to Gu Yue, smiling gently. "It's your turn, Gu Yue."

"Me? You brought me here for this valley?" Gu Yue was puzzled.

The valley was full of rare treasures, any of which could cause a sensation on the continent.

But she couldn't understand why Lu Jingming brought her here.

Most of the journey, she'd felt like a bystander.

Lu Jingming leaned closer, gently whispering in her ear.

Gu Yue blushed but didn't resist.

But when she heard his words, her pupils shrank in shock.

"You actually know my identity! Since when?"

She'd suspected he might have figured it out, but hearing him state it outright still shocked her.

She'd always displayed her Elementalist martial soul, never revealing she was a Silver Dragon.

"From the start. The simulation universe isn't as simple as it seems." Lu Jingming smiled mysteriously.

Of course, the simulation universe wasn't the only reason, but it could analyze any data, even soul data, exposing all secrets.

As a creation of the Silver Dragon King's divine blood, Gu Yue couldn't hide from the simulation universe's scrutiny.

With Herta, few things in this world could escape detection.

Gu Yue twitched her mouth, giving Lu Jingming a slightly scornful look.

He was truly cunning—using the simulation universe to gather intelligence, collecting all her information without her knowing.

At this rate, was there anyone on Douluo whose secrets wouldn't be exposed?

Unless someone never used the simulation universe—but for soul masters, that was impossible.

The opportunities and advantages it offered were irresistible.

With her identity exposed, Gu Yue no longer bothered to hide.

She released her martial soul.

A dazzling silver light flashed, a silver dragon spear appearing in her hand.

A massive silver dragon phantom formed behind her, silver horns growing from her forehead, and small, agile silver wings spread on her back.

As her aura rose, the red and white lake suddenly boiled.

Twin deafening dragon roars burst forth; a red and a white pillar of water shot into the sky, as if to pierce the heavens.

The sudden dragon roars caught everyone's attention. Xue Di frowned, alert.

She could feel two powerful auras from the lake, both as strong as herself, even stronger than Dragon God Douluo Mu En.

Soon, two gigantic dragons burst from the Ice and Fire Well.

One, ice-blue, radiating piercing cold.

The other, fiery red, radiating intense heat.

Chapter 181: Plucking the Yearning Heartbroken Red

The twin dragons of ice and fire soared and spiraled through the sky before both dived straight toward Gu Yue.

Xue Di's expression instantly turned cold. She reflexively prepared to intervene and protect Gu Yue.

But at that moment, she noticed Lu Jingming gently shaking his head at her, signaling not to act rashly.

Facing these two imposing, charging dragons, Gu Yue showed no fear at all.

Her expression was complicated, her eyes full of tangled emotions as she slowly extended her hand.

Strangely enough, as the enormous, majestic dragons neared Gu Yue, their forms gradually shrank.

By the time they reached her, they had become only as thick as her arms—now appearing like two adorable, lively little dragons, circling around Gu Yue with affection and joy, much like two huskies greeting their master.

"So it's you two…" Gu Yue murmured, her expression full of complex sorrow.

She instantly recognized the true identity of these little dragons, and her heart surged with emotion.

She also finally understood the origin of this mysterious land.

This was the place where the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings had fallen. No wonder this place brimmed with such powerful life force, spawning so many precious, rare immortal herbs.

After all, the fall of two god-king level dragons here would leave behind immense energy and life essence. It would be more surprising if no miraculous treasures were born from it.

And these two little dragons were the lingering dragon souls of the fallen Dragon Kings, now left with only instinct and no complete intelligence.

They had long slumbered within the Dragon Kings' remains, awakened only now by the pure aura of the Silver Dragon King from Gu Yue.

Thinking of this, Gu Yue couldn't help but glance at Lu Jingming beside her.

Her heart was full of confusion and amazement. How much did this guy know, exactly?

Even she, as the Silver Dragon King, hadn't known the Dragon Kings had perished here, yet Lu Jingming seemed to know everything, even bringing her here deliberately. He clearly knew about the existence of these dragon souls all along.

Even the immortal herbs that had lived here for ages didn't know this secret!

With the souls of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings suddenly appearing and being effortlessly subdued by Gu Yue, all the hundred-thousand-year immortal herbs were instantly stunned.

Just from the aura the dragon souls emitted, the herbs could tell—these two were the very source of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

If even the source had submitted, what reason did the herbs, who depended on this very environment, have to hesitate?

Gu Yue's easy subduing of the dragon souls saved Greater Lord Rukkhadevata a great deal of effort.

Even the most hot-tempered of the herbs, like the Infernal Delicate Apricot, submitted obediently, expressing their willingness to follow Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

Of course, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's innate ability to win the favor of all plant life played a crucial role here.

Winning the trust of these immortal herbs was never easy.

Seeing the intelligent, hundred-thousand-year herbs all submit, Lu Jingming didn't stand on ceremony.

He directly harvested all the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Earth Dragon Golden Melon, Black Jade Divine Bamboo, Star Luo Holy Pearl, Origin Energy Immortal Grass, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, and more—none escaped his grasp.

While these herbs weren't particularly useful to him directly, they'd be perfect for cultivating his subordinates or as gifts for his close female friends.

With the help of these immortal herbs, women like Zhang Lexuan, Xu Jiujiu, Ye Guyi, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, and others would surely progress much faster in their cultivation.

After all, compared to those like Firefly and Castorice who were summoned here, their natural talent was a bit inferior.

With these herbs, their talent and cultivation would be significantly boosted.

Of course, Lu Jingming didn't overdo it—herbs that hadn't matured, he deliberately left behind.

He also left behind seeds of other herbs; given the Well's tenfold growth rate, more would grow in time.

At this moment, Lu Jingming's gaze fell on a small red flower ahead, and he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

This immortal herb, the Yearning Heartbroken Red, had extremely harsh picking requirements.

It could only be picked by the heartfelt blood of one who truly loved; otherwise, it couldn't be taken at all.

If one tried to take it by force, it would instantly lose all its medicinal properties.

Even with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Goddess of Life, present, the Yearning Heartbroken Red remained stubborn as a rock: without the blood of true love, it refused to submit to anyone.

"Sigh, if I'd known, I'd have brought Lexuan along." Lu Jingming shook his head in frustration.

He'd thought that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's affinity and authority would be enough to tame the herb, but he'd underestimated its resolve. Even the Goddess of Life's presence meant nothing if not for true love.

Now, he was at a loss.

Of all his close female friends, Zhang Lexuan undoubtedly had the deepest feelings for him.

He couldn't be sure about the others, but with Lexuan, there was no doubt.

As for himself, he knew better than to try.

When the group learned of the herb's unique requirements, Xue Di, Bing Di, and Gu Yue all exchanged glances in surprise.

To think there existed such a bizarre herb, with such strange conditions!

 "Between the four of us, who can pick it?" Bing Di surveyed the group with an odd expression.

She knew she couldn't, having never truly loved anyone.

Xue Di subtly glanced at Lu Jingming, then shook her head slightly.

She figured she probably couldn't either. At most, she liked Lu Jingming a bit, but nowhere near the level of undying love.

"How about you two give it a try?" Lu Jingming suggested helplessly.

He'd miscalculated the herb's stubbornness and could only pin his hopes on Gu Yue and Xue Di.

Of those present, only those two might stand a chance; he knew both harbored some affection for him, but wasn't sure how deep it ran.

If it didn't work out, he'd just bring Zhang Lexuan next time.

After all, there was no way anyone else could break through the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes's barrier anytime soon.

"Let's try."

Gu Yue hesitated for a moment, then summoned her soul power, drew out a drop of her heart's blood, and spat it onto the Yearning Heartbroken Red.

The next instant, everyone stared in shock.

The Yearning Heartbroken Red absorbed Gu Yue's blood, then detached itself from the rock.

Gu Yue instinctively caught the flower, which had now turned golden-red, her face full of disbelief.

"I… picked it?" Bing Di and Xue Di looked at Gu Yue in astonishment.

Gu Yue herself was completely stunned. She hadn't expected to succeed!

Lu Jingming's mouth twitched, regarding Gu Yue with a complicated look.

Seriously? Did her affection run that deep?

Thinking back, he hadn't even tried to woo Gu Yue!

Even in the simulation universe, he'd been merciless; he never tried to butter her up.

Are soul beasts just this pure? Once they fall for someone, is it really for life?

Lu Jingming suddenly thought of the original series' soul beasts—Ah Yin, Xiao Wu, Wang Qiu'er, Bai Xiu Xiu, and so on—always ready to sacrifice themselves for love.

Maybe this devoted for life trait really was a soul beast racial instinct. The thought made Lu Jingming look at Gu Yue a bit more gently.

Maybe he should treat her better in the future—at least go easier during sparring.

"What are you looking at?!" Gu Yue clutched the flower, her face flushing, heart pounding.

Even she found it unbelievable—how did she succeed?

She admitted she liked Lu Jingming, but hadn't realized it ran so deep.

Xue Di frowned and tried with another Yearning Heartbroken Red, biting her lip and dropping her own blood onto it.

The next moment, that flower also gently fell into Xue Di's hand.

"Huh?" Bing Di stared at Xue Di in disbelief.

Lu Jingming was also stunned. Xue Di, what are you doing? What's your deal?

"It's not hard. Just think of the one you love, with a clear mind, and it will accept you." Xue Di wiped blood from her lips and spoke calmly.

As she mentioned "the one you love," her gaze briefly landed on Lu Jingming.

Chapter 182: The Exchange Students Arrive

"So that's it. The key is to think of your beloved and keep your mind clear, then the Yearning Heartbroken Red will acknowledge you." Lu Jingming stroked his chin, lost in thought.

That made sense.

In the original, Huo Yuhao liked Wang Dong'er, but had also liked Wang Qiu'er. Yet when he picked the herb, his heart was set on saving Wang Dong'er—no distractions, and thus succeeded.

Clearly, the herb's judgment wasn't so precise after all.

Ten thousand years ago, Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Xiaogang failed because they were distracted.

If you keep your mind clear and think only of your beloved, anyone could do it!

Lu Jingming felt a bit regretful; if he'd known, he would've tried himself.

If he'd managed to pick it, it would've been the perfect tool for raising affection. Whose affection to raise would depend on the situation.

All in all, this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well visit was a tremendous success.

All kinds of immortal herbs had been collected, even the famously picky Yearning Heartbroken Red. The dragon souls of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings now belonged to Gu Yue.

This adventure was a perfect ending.

Besides the rare herbs and dragon souls, the greatest gains were the four intelligent, hundred-thousand-year immortal herbs.

The essence of the World Tree was memory, knowledge, and wisdom.

By acquiring the memory and power of those four herbs, the World Tree Stigmata had grown yet again.

Lu Jingming channeled the mark's power, and suddenly, a blazing flame appeared in his hand, radiating extreme heat, as if to incinerate all.

The next moment, the flame disappeared, replaced by chilling cold.

A crystal-clear ice crystal formed in his palm.

Now, he had mastered both ultimate ice and ultimate fire—powers from the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot.

For the World Tree Stigmata, memory equaled power. Acquiring the herbs' memory meant gaining their unique abilities.

Besides those two, he also gained the abilities of the Aromatic Silk Beauty and Beautiful Silk Tulip—one granting complete poison immunity, the other the ability to sense traits of spiritual plants, both passive effects.

The memories of the other herbs were also absorbed.

Although those without intelligence had vague memories and didn't grant new powers, it was enough.

What Lu Jingming needed wasn't more abilities, but for these memories to further evolve the World Tree Stigmata.

This was closely tied to his future plans, even affecting his path to godhood.

As for the four herbs whose power and memory were absorbed, Lu Jingming would arrange for them properly, not just discard them.

..

…

"Haiyuan City, we're back!"

Meng Hongchen landed gently from the sky, putting away her flying soul tool and stretching lazily.

Looking at the familiar city, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of soon seeing Lu Jingming.

"So this is Haiyuan City. Truly impressive!" Jing Hongchen gazed at the stunning soul tool architecture, especially the massive artificial island—the Eye of the Abyss—admitting that Haiyuan City's soul tool research had surpassed the Sun Moon Empire, at least in civilian applications.

"Hallmaster Jing, esteemed guests from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, welcome to Haiyuan City. I'm Zhang Lexuan of St. Freya Academy, here to handle the exchange program."

A gentle, pleasant voice rang out as Zhang Lexuan, leading ten St. Freya students, gracefully approached the newcomers.

The Sun Moon Academy took this exchange seriously; Jing Hongchen himself led Meng Hongchen and the exchange students to Haiyuan City.

Zhang Lexuan glanced over the group, instantly recognizing Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, familiar faces from the recent tournament.

She also had detailed information on the other exchange students, from both the simulation universe and the Wuchang Division.

After all, a member of the Wuchang Division—Juzi—was also a Sun Moon Royal student and a close aide to Crown Prince Xu Tianran. As soon as the exchange list was finalized, Zhang Lexuan was informed.

"I'll be relying on you for this exchange." Jing Hongchen smiled at the bespectacled, thin middle-aged man beside him.

"I'll keep an eye on things." Xuan Ziwen nodded gently.

Normally, he had no interest in such matters, but this time, the exchange was with St. Freya Academy. The prospect of meeting the Lady Herta made him volunteer as the supervising teacher.

"Hallmaster Jing, we trust our students to your care. We hope they'll learn much at your academy. Likewise, we'll do our best to teach your students at St. Freya."

Zhang Lexuan smiled, nodding to the lead teacher accompanying the exchange students.

That teacher led the ten St. Freya students toward Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen nodded to Xuan Ziwen, who adjusted his glasses and led his group over to Zhang Lexuan.

With both sides sincere, the exchange went smoothly.

Watching Jing Hongchen spread his giant flying soul tool and depart with the St. Freya students, Zhang Lexuan turned to Meng Hongchen and her group, smiling: "Welcome again—come, I'll take you to the academy."

Following her, Meng Hongchen and the others entered St. Freya Academy.

"I'll take you for entrance testing first, then assign classes, uniforms, and accommodation."

As they walked, Zhang Lexuan explained the academy's procedures.

"Entrance testing?" Meng Hongchen and the others were surprised—was this a show of strength from St. Freya?

"Hehe, don't worry. The test isn't what you think. It's actually a benefit for new students."

Zhang Lexuan quickly clarified, sensing their concerns.

Per Lu Jingming's instructions, Meng Hongchen and the others were to be treated as normal new students—no special privileges, no deliberate suppression.

All the benefits due to St. Freya students would apply to the exchange students as well.

The upgraded holographic strategy system now offered a wide range of challenges.

Meng Hongchen and her group followed Zhang Lexuan to the login room, where they learned about the academy's grading system.

Their performance in the holographic battle would determine their student rank.

"May I ask, what rank are Lu Jingming and the others?" Xiao Hongchen, now more steady after Jing Hongchen's guidance, couldn't help but ask for confirmation.

"They're all S-rank!" Zhang Lexuan answered with a bright smile.

"In that case, we only have one goal—right, Meng?" Xiao Hongchen clenched his fists, eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

He'd lost to Lu Jingming before and didn't want to lose again in the rankings.

"Right, brother, I don't want Lu Jingming to look down on me either!" Meng Hongchen was equally determined.

"If we become S-rank, can we learn swordsmanship from Snow Moon Douluo?"

Among the exchange students, a cold, sword-bearing youth suddenly spoke.

"Of course!" Zhang Lexuan looked him over carefully. Instantly, his details appeared in her mind.

Ji Juechen, only twenty, yet already a five-ring Soul King and top of his class in actual combat engineering—known as the Sword Maniac.

Despite being born with only rank-three soul power, through sheer will and obsession with the sword, he'd forged a unique sword from an ordinary meteorite.

His cultivation level wasn't the highest among his peers, but with such low innate power, reaching Soul King at twenty was unprecedented.

If anyone else had started with only rank-three soul power, they'd be struggling to reach Soul Grandmaster at his age, let alone Soul King.

Chapter 183: The Black Tide Monsters

Ji Juechen, through sheer determination, had shattered the limits set by his talent.

He proved to all: there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters.

Initially, the Sun Moon Academy chose exchange students of similar age to Meng Hongchen and the others.

But Ji Juechen immediately applied for the exchange, and as the undisputed top of his class, he was accepted.

His sole reason for joining was to meet Jingliu.

In the simulation universe, he'd challenged nearly every strong opponent he could find.

The system allowed users to fight AI versions of any known expert.

Ji Juechen made full use of this, sparring against all he knew, even dueling the legendary Sword Douluo Chen Xin from ten thousand years ago.

Of course, the simulation always matched the opponent's strength to the player's, so it wasn't real danger.

Among all the strong, Ji Juechen had also sparred with Jingliu's data avatar.

After a duel of swordsmanship, he concluded: this Snow Moon Douluo was truly the peak of swordsmanship, far surpassing even the famed Sword Douluo of ten thousand years ago.

For Ji Juechen, obsessed with the sword, Jingliu was a guiding light to higher levels.

Since encountering Jingliu's data, he no longer challenged any other strong opponent in the simulation.

Each time he logged in, his only opponent was Jingliu's avatar.

Now, with a chance to meet Jingliu in person, he couldn't pass it up.

Fighting a data avatar was rewarding, but could never compare to real teaching.

Thus, when he heard S-rank students could get Jingliu's personal guidance, Ji Juechen's fighting spirit flared—no less intense than Xiao or Meng Hongchen's.

For Xiao Hongchen, it was pride; for Meng Hongchen, a desire to impress Lu Jingming. But for Ji Juechen, it was pure sword passion.

"Go ahead. I'll open a team challenge for you. Your performance will be fully recorded for your ranking."

The holographic system, now much evolved, offered far more variety than simple solo stages.

Zhang Lexuan opened a team instance for the exchange students.

Defeat the monsters, and get rewards and rankings based on your performance.

With a slight dizziness, Meng Hongchen and the others soon recovered—familiar with the sensation from previous simulation logins.

They found themselves in the ruins of a vast arena, dimly lit, surrounded by shattered buildings.

But there was no time to admire the scenery, for black shadows began to gather in the corners.

"Hey, Old Ji, I've got a bad feeling about this," whispered a bespectacled young woman with long black hair to Ji Juechen.

"Isn't that what makes it fun?" Ji Juechen sensed the mounting pressure, slowly drawing his iron sword as a sharp aura burst forth.

He glanced at her, "If you're scared, just hide behind me."

"As if! When have I, Jing Ziyan, ever been scared?" she retorted, brandishing a purple energy whip.

Suddenly, a black tide swept in, and six terrifying monsters appeared before them.

"What are these things!"

Seeing the hideous forms, everyone gasped, faces tense.

Thankfully, the system kindly displayed the monsters' names above their heads.

The first, a Dark Sun Gryphon, looked like a cracked black beast with molten light coursing through its body, a spinning orange core in its head.

Next, the humanoid Black Tide's Decrepit Bow, holding a sinister black bow, its arrows ready to kill.

Nearby, the muscular Black Tide Battle General wielded a massive black sword, glinting coldly.

The slender, dagger-wielding Black Tide Councilor had already vanished, lurking in stealth.

The hulking Black Tide Erode Demon, with dragon-like arms, conjured falling meteor stones behind it.

And the Black Tide Erode Axe, holding a giant axe as tall as a man, radiating destruction.

There were ten exchange students, but against these six monsters, their morale was low.

Each monster exuded madness and destruction, their killing aura so intense it made the students freeze up, unable to bring out their full strength.

Only Ji Juechen seemed unaffected, his fighting spirit burning even brighter.

Boom!

The Black Tide Battle General raised its sword, leaping and slamming down on the team.

A shockwave burst out, dust flying, and the battle began.

Sword light flashed—Ji Juechen's sword slashed like a storm at the Battle General.

But sparks flew—his attacks failed to break its defenses.

Xiao Hongchen and the others frowned. Ji Juechen was famous for his sword skills, and even he couldn't break through?

The others felt desperate. One monster was already so tough, and there were six!

But as elite students, they quickly adjusted and formed up.

As they dodged attacks, their soul tool turrets fired a colorful barrage at the enemy.

The Black Tide's Decrepit Bow fired energy arrows, intercepting many shots in midair with explosions.

The Erode Demon hurled meteor stones like shooting stars at the students.

The Councilor, hidden, silently approached for a deadly strike.

The Erode Axe swung a massive axe, unleashing an orange arc of destruction.

Explosions and roars echoed through the ruined arena.

…

Outside, Zhang Lexuan watched the battle calmly on the screen.

Meanwhile, their supervising teacher Xuan Ziwen was not watching the students at all.

He was lovingly stroking the equipment in the holographic room, eyes full of passion.

To a soul engineer like Xuan Ziwen, this room was a peerless treasure.

If not for a shred of reason, he'd have already begged Zhang Lexuan to let him live here for a month, just to study these advanced soul tools to his heart's content.