Zhou Sichen read unhurriedly. Compared to the other immortal herbs, the section on Lovesick Heartbreak Grass, the emperor of immortal herbs, was noticeably longer.
It included two deeply emotional love stories—one was a legend about the plant's origin, and the other was a real account of the love between the Tang Sect ancestor Tang San and his beloved, Xiao Wu.
Zhou Sichen found it a bit excessive. Deep down, he knew this was just about soul beast sacrifice. That so-called god-king and his entire family all had relationships with soul beasts... As far as humans were concerned... let's just say they were very unique.
It took Zhou Sichen a full hour to memorize the entire section before he finally closed the book and let out a long breath.
He had only remembered some of the herbs mentioned in the original story, but after reading this book, his mind felt completely clear.
Looking back at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he realized he could now recognize almost every plant and herb within it. He knew how to harvest them, how to use them, and what they were capable of.
This sense of omniscience and omnipotence was exactly what Zhou Sichen wanted. He had a strong desire for control, and only when he felt in complete command did he feel satisfied.
As he stood up, Youyou asked, "Are you done reading?"
Zhou Sichen nodded slightly and returned the book. Then, switching into full acting mode, he said, "Thank you, Youyou. Only now do I realize just how precious the Autumn Dew of Insight you gave me really is. I'll remember today forever."
Hearing that, Youyou—who had just stored the book away—seemed delighted. "Heehee, we're friends now, right? Don't you humans say that friends should help each other?"
Zhou Sichen smiled gently. "If there ever comes a day when you need my help, as long as it's within my power, I won't refuse."
Youyou happily nodded. Nearby, Jiaojiao looked a little jealous, but she was too shy to speak up.
Noticing the fire witch's mood, Zhou Sichen looked in her direction and said, "Jiaojiao is also my friend now. If you ever get lonely here, I'll come visit you both and keep you company."
Upon hearing that, Jiaojiao's heart leapt, but she pretended to be aloof: "Hmph, only if I'm in the mood."
Under the Soul Eyes' gaze, Zhou Sichen could clearly feel the emotions of both immortal herbs. His charm had worked—they had accepted him.
All that effort to humor them, keep them entertained, and provide emotional value was paying off.
Youyou gently swayed. "Alright, now you can choose seven immortal herbs. Oh, and the one you already ate doesn't count."
Zhou Sichen nodded. "There aren't any restrictions, are there?"
Youyou replied, "None now. You're our friend! I'd never trick a friend."
Then, in a soft and playful tone, she added, "But I have a tiny request. After you choose your herbs, could you stay a few more days and tell us stories about the human world?"
Jiaojiao's fiery body trembled at those words, subtly signaling encouragement to Youyou with a stream of glances.
Zhou Sichen pretended not to notice. After a moment of thoughtful silence, he nodded. "Since I've acknowledged you both as friends, how could I refuse?"
Youyou exclaimed joyfully, "You really mean it?!"
Zhou Sichen then turned to Jiaojiao. "I'm saying yes to you too. I just hope you're happy to have me around."
Hearing her name mentioned, Jiaojiao tried to act proud but worried about being too cold and scaring him off. Her tone softened as she muttered, "Since Youyou asked… you can stay."
Zhou Sichen grinned. "Jiaojiao, you're really sweet when you're not mad. You're even prettier that way."
Hearing that, Jiaojiao's fiery-red face flushed even deeper. She thought he couldn't tell—but he could.
Youyou pouted. "So, I'm not pretty?"
Zhou Sichen chuckled. "Youyou, you're beautiful too. Among all the plants I've ever seen, you two are by far the most stunning. I'd take you with me if I didn't care so much about hurting you. Even though I now understand your abilities, I still don't want to harm you."
As he spoke with such seemingly heartfelt emotion, both immortal herbs were moved. This "little brother Sichen" really was a good man.
Even knowing how powerful they were, he still chose not to harm them. The two immortal herbs exchanged a look, and Youyou gently extended a vine to brush against his cheek.
She said softly, "It's okay. Don't worry. Since we've gained spiritual awareness, we've condensed a part of our essence—an item with the same power as our bodies."
"This essence isn't useful to us. Giving it to you won't hurt us either. Since you care so much, we'll give you our essence instead."
Zhou Sichen's eyes widened. "Really? You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"
Youyou reassured him, "Of course it's true. Here, look."
With a slight motion, a soft pink, quail-egg-sized orb appeared from somewhere within her. It exuded the same scent as her—just a few breaths of its fragrance were enough to refresh the spirit.
"This is the Heart of the Qiluo. I spent ten thousand years condensing it."
"It has the same effect as my full body. As long as it's on you, it'll nullify any poison within a thirty-meter radius."
"Even if poison enters your bloodstream, as long as you hold it in your mouth, it can purge all toxins."
"In a sense, it's like a second me—but without the personality. And it's very durable too. Isn't that worthy of being called a priceless treasure?"
Zhou Sichen responded with genuine awe, "Youyou, you're amazing. This is definitely a priceless treasure. With the Heart of the Qiluo, I can now walk through the Biling Poison Array freely—and come visit you two anytime."
Youyou was thrilled at his reaction. She'd been afraid he wouldn't be impressed, but now she was proud of herself.
"Heehee, here you go. We'll count it as one of your seven picks."
Zhou Sichen accepted it with both hands and said sincerely, "Youyou, you're too kind. If you were a human girl, I might've kissed you just now."
Youyou instantly turned bright red. "W-What are you saying?! I'm older than you, you know! I'm like your big sister! Don't say stuff like that again!"
Zhou Sichen laughed. "Alright, alright. Whatever you say."
He carefully took out a jade box from his soul tool and placed the Heart of the Qiluo inside before putting it away.
Then, looking excitedly at Youyou, he asked, "Since awakened immortal herbs like you can create essences without being harmed… does that mean I can get everything I want without hurting anyone?"
Youyou nodded. "In theory, yes. But gaining sentience isn't easy. Most herbs here are still unconscious."
"If you're afraid of hurting any herb that might have gained awareness, you can just ask me. I can safely extract their essence and give it to you."
Zhou Sichen smiled. "That would be perfect."
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