After a thorough examination,
Dugu Bo confirmed that Li Chang'an's physical condition had never been better. His soul power and overall health were perfect—no hidden issues whatsoever.
This proved beyond all doubt that the immortal herbs truly possessed the miraculous ability to help a Soul Master shed his mortal shell and be reborn anew.
Still, to be safe, Dugu Bo decided to observe him for a while longer. Once he was sure there were no lingering side effects, he would let his granddaughter choose a suitable immortal herb to consume.
As for himself, he had already given up the idea. For one thing, he was far too old—the herbs' effects would be greatly reduced on his aged body. For another, none of the known immortal herbs suited his unique situation or could cure his chronic poisoning.
So he decided not to waste such treasures, choosing instead to preserve them in case they might serve a greater purpose in the future.
Li Chang'an and Dugu Yan soon returned to the academy together.
When the three education committee members received word of their safe return, they finally sighed in relief—apparently, Dugu Bo hadn't caused any trouble for the boy.
As for the obvious increase in intimacy between the two, the committee members simply turned a blind eye. After all, Dugu Yan was the granddaughter of the Poison Douluo. When that old man lost his temper, his destructive power could surpass even that of ordinary Title Douluo.
He might be one of the weaker Title Douluo in direct combat, but his mastery of poison arts could easily wipe out any opponent below that level. Even armies would crumble before his venomous mists. No one wanted to provoke him unnecessarily.
As for Li Chang'an and Dugu Yan's relationship—it could be seen as both a major and a minor issue.
Normally, as the imperial son-in-law, one was expected to remain loyal and avoid scandal, for the sake of the royal family's reputation. But that rule only applied to weak son-in-laws who depended entirely on imperial favor. If one's clan was powerful—or one's own strength unmatched—then the matter was… flexible.
If Li Chang'an were already a Title Douluo, even if he wanted to marry multiple women openly, the Emperor of Heaven Dou would probably pretend not to notice, perhaps even send gifts to celebrate his wedding.
Such was the privilege of strength.
Although Li Chang'an was not yet a Title Douluo, his talent was undeniable. No one doubted that he would one day stand among the ranks of the nation's pillars.
And those with great power… always had special rights.
Since the relationship between the two had already reached this stage, forcibly separating them would only alienate him from the royal family. In the end, the Heaven Dou Emperor chose to turn a blind eye to Li Chang'an's "romantic behavior," pretending not to see.
After returning to the academy that day,
Li Chang'an and Dugu Yan—newly in love—began living like inseparable lovers. Aside from training and study, they were almost always together, wrapped in the sweetness of early love.
Their relationship deepened rapidly.
In just six short months, Li Chang'an had thoroughly explored every part of his enchanting "snake beauty" except for that final step.
Between the two, there were no more secrets—complete trust, complete intimacy.
As for why he refrained from taking that last step—Dugu Yan had said:
"Grandfather told me we're still too young. Doing that too early will harm our health, and might make us addicted, ruining our cultivation."
Grandfather's orders.
With that reasoning, Li Chang'an—despite being the one suffering most—could only grit his teeth and restrain himself.
After all, he still had his eyes on Dugu Bo's immortal herbs, and defying the old man was definitely not in his best interest.
Six months later, at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Li Chang'an and Dugu Yan returned once more.
Dugu Bo had been waiting for them. The moment he saw Li Chang'an, he hurried over and clasped his hand, channeling soul power into his body to check his condition.
After a detailed inspection, Dugu Bo was amazed—Li Chang'an's condition was even better than six months ago. It was clear that all the residual medicinal power from the immortal herb had been completely refined. His soul power had now reached level thirty-eight.
Before taking the immortal herb, he had only recently absorbed his latest soul ring and was at level thirty-one. In just six months, he had gained seven levels!
And it wasn't due to borrowed power from his soul beast clone—he had refrained from using that shortcut in order to digest the herb properly. These seven levels came purely from his own cultivation.
But even more important than the increase in level was the strengthening of his body—his meridians had become more flexible and durable, his foundation more solid, and the hidden benefits countless.
Seeing these positive results, Dugu Bo was finally at ease. Confirming that the herb had no side effects, he decided it was time for his granddaughter to take her turn.
He brought out a white, crystal-clear flower that looked as pure as a lotus carved from jade—this was the immortal herb Jade Water Narcissus Bone.
Its function was to nourish muscles and bones, open the seven meridians and eight channels, much like the Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, but gentler and better suited for women.
To take it, one needed to eat only the petals, then gently suck the stamen to absorb its full power. The process required calm focus and the use of soul power to draw out its essence.
Dugu Yan followed the instructions, consuming the flower as directed.
Then she sat cross-legged, breathing slowly as the medicine began to take effect. Soon, her body glowed faintly with a translucent jade hue—she looked like a living statue carved from pure jade.
After a while, when her absorption had stabilized and no anomalies appeared, Dugu Bo nodded in satisfaction.
He then turned to Li Chang'an, who had been watching her intently, and said,
"Chang'an, come with me."
Without another word, he walked out of the cave.
Though confused, Li Chang'an followed.
They climbed steadily up the mountain path. Though Dugu Bo seemed to walk slowly, each step spanned ten meters or more, perfectly even—his movement so smooth it looked as though he were floating upward.
Li Chang'an gathered his own soul power to keep up, though his steps were far less composed than the old man's.
Before long, the two reached the mountain's peak.
Before them lay a vast, inverted cone-shaped crater.
The summit where they stood formed the rim, while thick steam rose from within—hot, moist, and carrying the faint scent of sulfur.
Gazing upon the sight, Li Chang'an couldn't help but imagine what it must have looked like countless millennia ago, when the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings fell from the heavens, their massive bodies entwined like a meteor blazing across the sky, crashing into this very place like a fallen sun—
shattering the earth and giving birth to this wondrous terrain.
And that heavenly scene—like a setting sun crashing to the ground—was witnessed by the people of that age.
Thus, they named this forest… Sunset Forest.
(End of Chapter)
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