Chapter 26: The Gratitude and Sorrow of the "Hum Ha Duo," and the Next Step
The transaction went smoother than expected for Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo. After handing over their goods, Guang Ling kept his word and immediately gave the manual to Yue Guan, even swearing an oath on the spot.
As soon as the two received the booklet, they were ready to leave and study it as quickly as possible, desperate to see if it could help them break through. However, just as they were about to step out, Guang Ling's voice stopped them.
"You might want to take a look at it here first. Of course, you're free to leave now if you prefer the choice is yours." Guang Ling leaned back lazily in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
Yue Guan hesitated, then glanced at the black robed Ghost Douluo, who, after a moment's thought, gave a slight nod of agreement. Understanding his intent, Yue Guan sighed and sat back down, flipping open the booklet alongside Ghost Douluo.
Qing Luan, noticing Guang Ling's unusual behavior, initially wanted to ask why this deviated from their original plan. However, seeing Guang Ling wink at him, he decided not to interfere.
The hall fell into silence, broken only by the sound of pages turning.
At first, Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo read with great seriousness. But as they continued, their expressions darkened. The further they went, the more they realized that most of the content was information they already knew. Their reading speed increased until, upon reaching the final pages filled with vague and unhelpful statements, their hands clenched tightly around the booklet, their soul power fluctuating with barely restrained frustration.
"Don't be upset. Keep reading you'll end up thanking me," Guang Ling's voice sounded again.
Taking a deep breath, the two forced themselves to calm down and read on. When they finally reached the last section, their gazes lingered on the final annotation. For a long moment, neither spoke. Their soul power stabilized, but a bitter smile crept onto their faces. Now, they understood why Guang Ling had told them they would be grateful.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Guang Ling. It seems the two of us are fated to remain at Rank 95."
Yue Guan was the first to stand and bow deeply. He looked visibly dispirited. Ghost Douluo followed suit, his silence unbroken, though the flickering black mist around his robe betrayed his inner turmoil.
"There's no need to thank me it was a fair trade. Besides, staying at Rank 95 isn't a bad outcome. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll find the right treasures to restore your potential." Guang Ling's words were hollow even to himself, but before either of them could respond, his tone suddenly shifted. "That being said, if you truly want to break through, there is a way. Whether you can accept the consequences, however, is another matter entirely."
Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo, who had already resigned themselves to their fate, immediately perked up at his words, their eyes snapping to Guang Ling.
But just as quickly, bitter smiles returned to their faces. "Senior, we have nothing left to offer for another trade."
"A trade? No need. Consider this a gift so you won't feel like I completely set you up." Guang Ling's lips curled into a knowing smirk.
"We wouldn't dare…" The two bowed again, their voices low.
"You wouldn't dare, huh? That doesn't mean you wouldn't do it," Guang Ling said playfully, before cutting off their hurried attempts to apologize with a wave of his hand.
"You two do have what it takes to reach Rank 96. You just lack the potential to make it happen. All you need is a soul bone one that is perfectly compatible with your martial souls, and of a high enough age to support the breakthrough. Of course, the bare minimum requirement is 50,000 years. The higher the age, the safer the process. But if you take this route, your cultivation will be permanently capped."
"Do you understand now? Can you accept that?"
Guang Ling spread his hands and leaned back once more, closing his eyes, signaling that he had nothing more to say.
Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo remained silent for a long time, their expressions flickering with hesitation. Eventually, without another word, they both bowed deeply to Guang Ling and departed in silence.
For a while, the hall was filled with nothing but quiet contemplation. Then, two nearly simultaneous sighs broke the silence one from Qing Luan, the other from Han Li, who had just emerged from behind a pillar. Guang Ling opened his eyes and glanced at them, confused.
"You two… You set them up, took advantage of them, and now you expect them to thank you? You're unbelievable," Qing Luan muttered, shaking his head.
Guang Ling and Han Li exchanged glances before shrugging.
"And you, my dear disciple, what are you sighing about?" Guang Ling turned to Han Li with a smirk.
"I'm just lamenting their situation. Two hardworking Super Douluo, loyal and diligent, yet they don't even have the courage to ask Bibi Dong for two suitable soul bones. Isn't that just… pathetic?" Han Li responded, shaking his head.
Qing Luan and Guang Ling were momentarily stunned. When they thought about it, Han Li wasn't wrong. Their expressions subtly shifted, tinged with faint sympathy.
…
After chatting with his master and uncle master a little longer, Han Li left with a smile, happily pocketing yet another one million gold soul coins card.
He had some business to take care of namely, organizing the precious plants he had acquired. Though they weren't immediately useful to him, he had promised Chrysanthemum Douluo to take care of them. Besides, creating a small botanical garden sounded nice. It would also give Xiu'er something to do, keeping her from spending too much time gossiping with the maids and picking up strange ideas.
Upon returning home, he immediately summoned Xiu'er, took out all the plants, and handed her Chrysanthemum Douluo's cultivation manual. He emphasized the importance of proper care, and upon seeing her excitement at being entrusted with the task, Han Li simply shook his head. He wasn't sure what to say, so he let her enjoy herself.
Afterward, he returned to his room, instructed the maids not to disturb him, and sat down at his desk, taking out the botanical guide. He didn't immediately try to memorize everything. Instead, he tapped his fingers rhythmically against the tabletop, deep in thought.
Due to his rigorous training over the past three months, he hadn't had much time to refine his long term plans. Now that his schedule was a little more flexible, it was time to bring some of those ideas to life.
Obtaining the immortal herbs wasn't urgent. Based on Yue Guan's notes, while it was true that the earlier one consumed them, the better, there was still a minimum threshold of physical and soul power required. At his current level, even if he managed to obtain them, he probably wouldn't be able to use them yet at least, not without significant risk.
And he wasn't about to let others benefit from them.
No, Han Li wasn't some self sacrificing hero, nor was he interested in becoming a walking target.
His bond with Guang Ling was strong, but not that strong certainly not strong enough for his master to cover for him unconditionally. Things were still too unstable. It was best to proceed cautiously, as per his original plan.
If necessary, he wasn't opposed to leveraging political alliances marriage, for example.
Cough. Truth be told, he had always considered Snake Lady Dugu Yan to be his top candidate for this strategy. He just wasn't sure if the world's "plot correction force" would interfere with his matchmaking efforts.
But that was a matter for the future. Right now, there was something even more pressing how to introduce his next major idea in a way that made sense.
For the next hour, he meticulously considered various approaches, simulating potential outcomes in his mind. Eventually, a satisfied smile crept onto his lips.
Yes.
This could work.
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