There is no rush to absorb the immortal herbs. What Wang Li wants to absorb are the Eight,Angled Mysterious Ice Grass and the Fiery Apricot Delicate Herb. Rather than calling them immortal herbs, they are more like poisonous plants, containing terrifying ice poison and fire poison.
In the original story, Tang San absorbed them at the Soul Elder stage and suffered greatly, surviving only thanks to his protagonist's luck.
Wang Li is only a Grand Soul Master, so absorbing the immortal herbs can be postponed for now. There is no need to take unnecessary risks.
Moreover, he has already entered the Ice and Fire Yin,Yang Well, and the immortal herbs are right in front of him, so there is no worry about them disappearing.
For now, his focus is on cultivating soul power and gaining some experience along the way. What he said earlier is also true,he wants to experience the feeling of being on the brink of life and death.
He wants Dugu Bo to beat him severely and push out greater potential. Back then, he relied on the "Vitality" trait and the "Tenacity" passive by crashing into trees to train himself.
That method had some effect, but it was not enough. Crashing into trees could injure him, but not truly bring him to the brink of death.
What he wants is a more comprehensive improvement, so that when he absorbs soul rings next time,or even the time after that,he can exceed the normal absorption limits.
Only soul beasts of higher quality and age can provide him with more life essence. Although his system panel can increase the age of soul rings and enhance their power, if he wants to absorb life essence and evolve his martial soul again, the only current method is absorbing soul rings.
Not long after, Dugu Bo brought Wang Li to a relatively open area in the valley. Facing Dugu Bo directly, Wang Li deeply felt the pressure of a Titled Douluo.
Just standing there, Dugu Bo made Wang Li feel powerless. His heartbeat quickened, his breathing grew heavy, and a terrifying pressure surged from all directions.
At this moment, Dugu Bo wore a pleased expression. He raised his hand, his robe fluttering without wind. Without using his martial soul or any soul skills, he simply condensed his terrifying soul power in his palm.
He had long wanted to beat Wang Li up. Seeing Wang Li act as if facing a great enemy, Dugu Bo even had the mood to tease him:
"Kid, since you want to feel pressure, I'll let you experience the pressure of a Titled Douluo!"
In an instant, he moved. Wang Li's vision blurred, and Dugu Bo appeared right in front of him. A palm strike descended, carrying terrifying soul power and immense force, striking his chest.
Bang!
A wave of intense pain hit him. Wang Li was sent flying over ten meters before crashing heavily onto the ground. He felt as though his entire body had fallen apart.
He opened his mouth in pain but could not make a sound. Pressure,he felt an overwhelming pressure.
Even so, under this pressure, he forced himself to stand up and said with a grin:
"Senior, it's still not enough. I'm not at the brink of death yet!"
Dugu Bo frowned. Although he had held back, the fact that Wang Li could still stand surprised him.
After a brief hesitation, he raised his hand again and said in a heavy tone:
"Kid, use all your soul power to defend yourself. Otherwise, this strike will take more than half your life!"
Blood seeped from the corner of Wang Li's mouth. He looked extremely battered, but his eyes were bright as he mobilized his soul power throughout his body.
"Senior, please make your move!"
Dugu Bo flashed forward again. This strike was even more powerful than the last. Wang Li felt completely immobilized as soul power from all directions crushed him.
Bang!
Wang Li lay on the ground, his vision blurred. The intense pain had reached its limit, making him want to faint, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.
Amid the pain, he revealed his brightest smile.
Dugu Bo grew a bit anxious, worried he might have gone too far. He crouched down and asked:
"Wang Li, are you alright?"
Wang Li twitched at the corner of his mouth, enduring the pain as he replied:
"I'm fine, Senior. Just several broken bones and some internal displacement of my organs. It really feels like I'm about to die."
"This severe injury will probably take three to five days to recover. But my martial soul and soul power are very active and are doing their best to heal my body."
Hearing that Wang Li could still speak clearly, Dugu Bo felt relieved but also shocked. What kind of strange mutated martial soul was this, that it worked best when its owner was half,dead?
At this moment, Wang Li was extremely happy, even excited. Dugu Bo's two attacks had given him over three thousand experience points,more than he had gained from half a year in the Great Soul Arena.
Moreover, in this near,death state, on the edge between life and death, he truly felt the unyielding vitality of Blue Silver Grass. This was the source of his "Vitality" trait and "Tenacity" passive.
Now, that indomitable life force was erupting from every part of his body, healing himself, strengthening his physique, and increasing his potential.
As a result, after just one day, Wang Li could move freely. After three days, he was basically recovered. After seven days, he was once again lively and energetic.
Then he would go find Dugu Bo again with a grin, get thoroughly beaten once more, and end up half,dead on the ground waiting to recover.
Seeing how durable Wang Li was, Dugu Bo gradually increased the force of his attacks, holding back just enough to avoid killing him.
More than twenty days passed like this. One day, Dugu Bo warned Wang Li:
"Kid, I'm going to pick up Yanyan from her break. You know what to say and what not to say in front of her, right?"
Wang Li immediately nodded:
"I understand, I understand. Senior, go quickly. I miss Sister Yanyan too!"
Hearing this, Dugu Bo glared fiercely at Wang Li, but in the end, he shook his head helplessly and vanished into a blur.
After Dugu Bo left, Wang Li stretched lazily. Thinking about the extreme improvements over the past twenty days, he couldn't help but smile.
The improvement in his physical condition was astonishing. At this rate, when he reaches level 30, the soul ring he can absorb will definitely exceed 1,700 years. He should be able to handle anything below 3,000 years and even attempt up to 5,000 years.
The key was experience. He could gain over ten thousand experience in a month,one hundred thousand in a year. By the time he leaves Dugu Bo, he will have the strength to protect himself.
After some time, Dugu Bo returned with Dugu Yan. After more than twenty days apart, their relationship had not grown distant,instead, their longing had deepened.
Dugu Yan ran up to Wang Li, touched his head, and complained:
"Your hair has grown, and you're not taking care of it. And… Xiao Li, has Grandpa been bullying you every day? Why are your clothes so tattered?"
Wang Li glanced at Dugu Bo, who was staring at him threateningly. Smiling, he said:
"Not at all. Senior has guided me a lot. These are just from training, and I don't have extra clothes to change into."
Dugu Yan was half,convinced, then pulled Wang Li along:
"Come on, let's go to Heaven Dou City. Get a haircut and buy some clothes. Boys can't be this sloppy!"
…
Wang Li's life became increasingly regular: getting beaten, recovering, cultivating, and… dating…
Ten months later, Wang Li woke up from cultivation with a smile he couldn't suppress:
"Not bad at all,I've reached level 30!"
As for absorbing the immortal herbs, that can be postponed for now. Since the protagonist will absorb them, Dugu Yan should as well. I'm thinking of letting her try the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, which should be the highest quality. So I'll spend another two or three years developing their relationship. By then, the protagonist will have grown up, and their relationship will naturally fall into place. Also, when the Jade Phosphor Serpent evolves, should it be given a new name?
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