Douro Continent

Chapter 256 Hercules, Pure and Immaculate: Tang San Shao (Part 1)

Ning Rongrong kissed Tang San hard, and under the strange gazes of Xiao Wu and Oscar, she said to Tang San:

"Third Brother, thank you, thank you so much. Although I know that 'thank you' is far from enough to repay your kindness, I really don't know what to say. If you didn't already have Xiao Wu, I would definitely pursue you. Third Brother, look, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda has become a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, which means that I no longer need to be restricted by the family's inheritance."

Tang San raised his hand and patted Ning Rongrong's head. "We're partners, why are you saying these things?" As he spoke, Tang San slowly opened his eyes.

In an instant, the entire wooden house seemed to light up. Ning Rongrong, who was closest to Tang San, saw it clearly: Tang San's eyes had turned completely golden-purple. The dazzling light made her vision go white, and she couldn't see anything at all.

Tang San's gaze swept over the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand. When the golden-purple light in his eyes fell on Xiao Wu, Tang San's body suddenly trembled violently, and the expression on his face became strange.

Xiao Wu felt Tang San's gaze fall on her. Although Tang San had toned down the light in his eyes, she still felt as if he could see right through her. Her heart suddenly raced. Could it be that he had seen through something?

Just as Xiao Wu's heart was in her throat, the light in Tang San's eyes faded and quickly returned to normal. He lowered his head and asked Ning Rongrong in front of him with a normal expression, "Rongrong, are you alright? I couldn't control my gaze just now."

The white light before Ning Rongrong's eyes gradually disappeared, and her vision returned. "Third Brother, what kind of skill is this? How come I couldn't see?" Although she had recovered, she was still somewhat afraid to look Tang San in the eye.

Tang San smiled and said, "This is my Purple Demon Eye. If I'm not mistaken, my Purple Demon Eye has been upgraded to another level."

The "Wang Chuan Qiu Shui Lu" truly lived up to its reputation as a celestial treasure. Although it did not help Tang San further enhance his soul power, it did allow his Purple Demon Eye to leap beyond the microscopic level, directly entering the third level of all four layers of the Purple Demon Eye—the Mustard Seed.

Moreover, due to the effect of "Looking Through Autumn Water Dew", Tang San's Purple Demon Eye also underwent some special changes.

It is no longer just a supporting role.

"Congratulations, Tang San," Xiao Wu said with a smile as she walked to his side. At the same time, her eyes were fixed intently on Tang San's eyes, as if trying to discern something from his expression. Unfortunately, no matter how she looked, Tang San remained completely unchanged, seemingly showing no difference whatsoever.

He patted Xiao Wu's head and said, "If you're willing to eat this 'Heartbreak Red' plant, the benefits you'll receive should be the greatest among all of us. This is a divine treasure among divine treasures, capable of bringing the dead back to life, healing flesh and bone, and possessing the power to rival the wonders of nature. Right now, only you can eat it."

Xiao Wu hugged the "Heartbreak Red" to her chest. "No, I can't bear to eat it. I want to keep it with me forever."

"Meow—" A soft meow attracted the attention of the group. When they turned around, they saw that Zhu Zhuqing had opened her eyes at some point, as if she had just woken up from a dream. Her beautiful eyes were filled with a sense of confusion.

"Zhuqing, how much has your strength improved?" Xiaowu seemed to have regained her usual liveliness, skipping and hopping over.

Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, "It seems...it seems to be level seven?"

"What do you mean 'seems'? Level seven is level seven." Xiao Wu chuckled, using her body to block the gazes of others behind her, and reached out to touch Zhu Zhuqing's chest. "Don't worry, it's not an illusion."

"Ah—" Zhu Zhuqing gasped as Xiao Wu touched her, her pretty face instantly turning bright red. "What are you doing…"

Xiao Wu said seriously, "I was helping you feel the reality of all this. I didn't expect your 'Narcissus Jade Bone and Skin' to be even more effective than theirs. It actually increased your level by seven, so you now have level thirty-eight soul power?"

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze drifted to Tang San behind Xiao Wu. Just as Xiao Wu was warily blocking her, afraid that she would throw herself into his arms like Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing had already bowed slightly to Tang San, "Third Brother, thank you."

Tang San smiled slightly and said, "We're all partners, there's nothing to thank me for. Actually, it's not that Zhu Qing's 'Narcissus Jade Bone and Muscle' is stronger than others'; it's just that the effects of these immortal herbs are different. For example, each immortal herb increases soul power by about ten levels, but a portion of it mainly manifests in the transformation of the self, so the increase in soul power naturally weakens it. Xiao Ao's 'Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid' has a relatively slow absorption process, requiring a gradual and imperceptible process. That's why it only increased by five levels."

Zhu Zhuqing said with some concern, "But won't our strength increase too quickly? The master once told us that cultivation requires a gradual approach, and the foundation is the most important."

Tang San said, "Don't worry, there won't be any problems. These immortal herbs are meant to strengthen the foundation and cultivate vitality. They won't shake your foundation; on the contrary, they will make it even stronger. I think you'll understand this as you cultivate."

A moment later, the master slowly opened his eyes, his eyes sparkling with divine light. He looked much younger, but he was covered in filth and didn't have time to say anything to everyone. He turned around and walked out of the wooden house to find a place to take a bath and change his clothes.

Just as everyone was experiencing the changes in themselves after consuming the divine herbs, a loud phoenix cry and a deep, resonant tiger roar rang out almost simultaneously.

Golden-red flames suddenly erupted from Ma Hongjun's body, shooting skyward. The wooden roof did not provide any protection and was burned with a large hole, without even a speck of dust falling.

Ma Hongjun's body stretched out in the flames. Although he still looked chubby, the fat on his body had obviously shrunk a lot.

His mohawk-style long hair had grown several times longer, reaching down his back. His small eyes shone brightly, and with each slight movement, flames swirled around his body, and a phoenix pattern faintly appeared on his back, as if he had been reborn from the ashes.

At this moment, the fat man was no longer the sleazy creature he once was. He looked up at the sky and cried out, displaying a majestic and awe-inspiring presence. The oppressive aura emanating from the phoenix, the king of birds, made the air noticeably heavier.

Another tiger roar naturally came from Dai Mubai. He had sprung up from the ground, his surging soul power contained within a one-meter radius around his body. All the hair on his body turned into a crystal-clear white, and a series of dense and explosive sounds came from his limbs. In the white light, Dai Mubai's evil eyes appeared and disappeared, giving people a thrilling feeling.

"It's so hot!" Ma Hongjun shouted, opening his mouth to inhale deeply. The golden-red flames around his body instantly turned into wisps and condensed into his mouth, disappearing in a short while. His hair gradually returned to its original color, but his small eyes still shone brightly.

The "Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower" that Ma Hongjun ate and the "Blazing Apricot Blossom" that Tang San once consumed are both pure Yang immortal herbs. The difference is that the "Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower" is a nourishing immortal herb, while Tang San's "Blazing Apricot Blossom" is a highly poisonous immortal herb. Therefore, their effects differ.

First of all, the external energy of Ma Hongjun's immortal herb is not strong, so it can be consumed directly. However, if Tang San were to consume Tang San's herb directly, he would probably be burned to death before he even swallowed it. It would require the neutralization of the "Eight-Cornered Mystic Ice Grass".

The two pure yang herbs each possess distinct characteristics: one is a gentle, continuous fire, while the other is an explosive, fierce heat. From the perspective of easier absorption, the 'Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower' consumed by the fat man is clearly superior.

"That feels great!" The fat man laughed heartily. "My fire seems to have changed; it seems more mellow than before. Can you feel the magnificent aura within my flames?"

Ning Rongrong chuckled, "You fatso, bragging again. How many levels has your soul power increased?"

Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun all recently obtained their third spirit rings, putting them on the same starting line. Zhu Zhuqing's spirit power increased by seven levels, and she herself had reached level six.

The fat man activated his soul power to sense it and couldn't help but exclaim, "Damn, my soul power has reached level thirty-six! It's increased by a full five levels!"

Ning Rongrong chuckled, "Then you're not even as good as us. Zhu Qing and I improved by six and seven levels respectively."

The fat man was stunned for a moment. "No way. That's amazing? Third Brother, you can't be biased!"

Tang San said helplessly, "What favoritism? Go wash up first. The 'Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower' you ate is even more potent than theirs. Haven't you noticed that your constitution has been completely changed? If I'm not mistaken, you'll no longer need to suffer from that evil fire. Although I don't know if your current martial soul is a pure phoenix, it shouldn't be inferior to a phoenix."

The fat man then realized that he was covered in filth, feeling sticky and extremely uncomfortable, so he quickly ran out to wash himself.

Dai Mubai stood there quietly. After the tiger's roar ended, he stood still with his eyes closed. His fur gradually receded, and his swollen body gradually returned to normal.

Although Zhu Zhuqing did not step forward, her concerned gaze remained fixed on Dai Mubai. Seeing that he had not spoken for a long time, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She wanted to step forward, but she was also a little shy.

(End of this chapter)