"Father, it really worked!!"
Qian Xunji stood up, visibly thrilled. After absorbing the energy from an entire block of whale jelly, he hadn't broken through to the next level, but he could clearly feel that the foundation of his cultivation had been strengthened.
If he had a bit more of it, he might even be able to awaken the Angel God Trials.
The Angel God Trials of the Spirit Hall was different from that of Sea God Island. At Sea God Island, any sea-type Soul Master could participate in the Sea God's trial. But in Spirit Hall, only Spirit Masters with the Seraphim Spirit—Six-Winged Angel—were eligible to activate the Angel God Trials.
Even then, certain prerequisites had to be met. Without sufficient innate talent, the trial would never descend.
Qian Xunji was precisely one of those lacking talent. He had attempted to obtain the Angel God Trials' when he broke through to the Soul Sage realm but had failed.
Now, after absorbing the whale jelly, he discovered his innate foundation had been fortified. For the first time in a long while, he saw hope of receiving the Angel God Trials again.
"This is excellent news! If it really works, in a few days, I'll take some people to the ocean and hunt more for you."
Golden Crocodile Douluo smiled with delight. Qian Xunji had grown up right under his nose. Though the boy had never been particularly outstanding, he was still the son of his elder brother.
Now that a method had been found to remedy the hidden flaw left by his impatient cultivation in youth, even Golden Crocodile couldn't help but reveal his long-suppressed excitement.
Qian Daoliu glanced at Qian Xunji, probing him with the power of the Angel God. After examining his condition, he sighed inwardly with resignation.
"Very well, Xunji. Take these remaining whale jelly orbs back and continue refining them. The ones that are only a few thousand years old likely won't be effective for you. Distribute them as you see fit."
"Thank you, Father."
Qian Xunji didn't notice the change in his father's tone. He reached out to accept the remaining fourteen whale jelly orbs, politely took his leave, and departed.
"Sigh…"
"Big Brother, why the sigh?" Golden Crocodile Douluo looked puzzled at Qian Daoliu's sudden sigh. "Shouldn't we be happy that Xunji's talent can now be improved?"
Both Azure Luan Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo shared his confusion and looked expectantly at Qian Daoliu.
"I just used the Angel God's divine power to examine him. The whale jelly does help, yes—but it's far too little, almost negligible. And ultimately, it only enhances physical constitution, not innate cultivation talent."
"So what? If eighty-thousand-year ones aren't enough, then we old bones will hunt down a hundred-thousand-year one for him!" Golden Crocodile Douluo's tone was overbearing, unwilling to give up now that a path forward had finally appeared.
"It's no use. Even with a hundred-thousand-year whale jelly, it will only slightly improve his foundation. It still won't meet the criteria. Unless…"
"Unless what, Brother?"
"Unless we can find that legendary Radiant Paradise Grass. Without it, no matter how much whale jelly he consumes, Xunji will never be recognized by the Angel God and will remain stuck at Rank 97 for the rest of his life."
"Radiant Paradise Grass? What's that?"
Mighty Lion Douluo looked baffled. He had never heard of a mere plant being capable of something so miraculous.
"That is a mythical immortal herb—something said to appear only once in a thousand years. Legend has it our ancestors once consumed a pearl of this very herb, and from then on, cultivation became as effortless as breathing and drinking water."
At this point, Qian Daoliu shook his head helplessly. "But in the end, it's still just a legend. No one knows if it truly exists in this world."
"And even if it does, would there even be a second one of such a divine object?"
Golden Crocodile finally understood his elder brother's concern and let out a long sigh. "What a cruel twist of fate."
"Still, even so, we must help Xunji break through to Rank 97 first. As for the Radiant Paradise Grass… whether we can find it or not, we'll leave that to the will of Heaven."
Qian Daoliu gave a solemn nod. "That's all we can do now."
Qian Xunji, unaware of the conversation among the elders, returned to his private chamber, overjoyed, and began refining the remaining four ten-thousand-year whale jelly orbs.
---
Elsewhere, Gu Han had just finished his lessons for the day, only to find himself intercepted by Bibi Dong.
"Junior Brother, let's continue our storytime."
Gu Han chuckled. "Senior Sister, I'm happy to tell stories—but we've got to keep up with our studies too."
"Hmmph…" Bibi Dong puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms, turning her head with a pout. "Fine. One hour in the library first, then storytime."
She looked adorably playful—perhaps even a little tsundere.
Gu Han liked this side of her. She had a vibrant personality without being overly spoiled.
"Alright, but let's make a deal, Senior Sister."
"What kind of deal?" Bibi Dong asked curiously.
Gu Han gave her a warm smile. "From now on, if you spend one hour a day reading in the library with me, I'll tell you a story every day."
"Reading…"
At the mention of books, Bibi Dong hesitated. Her lively eyes drooped a little, clearly unsure how to respond.
"What do you say, Senior Sister?"
Gu Han pressed the issue. If he didn't, this mischievous girl would definitely find a way to wriggle out of it.
"Hmph, fine. But your stories better be interesting!"
Bibi Dong agreed, but not without making her own demand.
"Don't worry. They'll definitely be fun."
Gu Han smiled and nodded. He had countless stories stored in his mind—not just classics, but masterpieces he'd once read online. More than enough to keep her entertained for a long time.
The two of them chatted happily as they made their way to the library.
Before entering, Bibi Dong paused, staring intently at the library doors. She clenched her small fists, as if summoning all her courage, and stepped in after Gu Han.
"So many books…"
Looking at the rows upon rows of neatly arranged tomes, Bibi Dong's expression turned into the same pouty face a playful child wears when forced to do homework.
"Alright, Senior Sister. If you find it hard to focus, I'll explain things to you."
Gu Han smiled and gently patted her on the head.
Bibi Dong simply pressed her lips together and nodded, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she'd just been patted.
Gu Han could more or less guess why she disliked reading. Part of it was that she liked to play, sure—but the books themselves were too long-winded. Many concepts that could be explained in a few lines were stretched into page after page.
Even adults didn't want to read them—just look at how empty the library was.
Gu Han selected a few books from the shelves—ones focused on how Soul Masters should choose their soul rings.
Bibi Dong scrunched up her little nose. "Junior Brother, this many? Can you really finish them?"
Gu Han chuckled. "They look thick, but most of it is fluff. The core knowledge is simple. I'll explain it to you."
"…Alright then."
She nodded obediently.
Seeing her like this, Gu Han could only sigh to himself. He really was putting in a lot of effort now—just so that in the future, this pure-hearted girl wouldn't be misled by that pervert Yu Xiaogang.
---
Pointers:
Angel God's Trials (天使神考): A divine-level trial exclusive to those with the Seraphim Spirit. Only the most talented Soul Masters may undergo this test.
Radiant Paradise Grass (光明天堂草): A legendary medicinal herb, likely from a fanfiction itself or something, let me know if you have idea!