It was a pleasant afternoon, but Shu Yan was in no pleasant mood.
At some point, an elderly woman with kind eyes and a weathered face had appeared on the recliner beside him. Her hair was completely white, and deep wrinkles lined her face, making it impossible to guess her true age. But her identity was unmistakably unique—she was none other than Immortal Healer Douluo Wang Xian'er, Deputy Hall Master of the Star Luo Royal Offering Hall. A Rank 95 Healing-type Super Douluo, she was said to be of the same generation as Moon and the others, her long life owed to the special properties of her martial soul.
Shu Yan wasn't unfamiliar with Immortal Healer Douluo. Since childhood, he had frequently fought opponents far stronger than himself, often ending up battered and bruised. As a result, the place he visited the most was Wang Xian'er's residence. Over time, they had grown close. She treated him like her own grandson, and their bond was deep.
Noticing Shu Yan struggling to rise, Wang Xian'er gave him a once-over and chuckled softly.
"Looks like they didn't hold back this time. I really wonder what kind of foolishness you pulled to make someone that angry…"
As she spoke, she raised a thin, withered hand. A gentle green light formed a glowing shield around Shu Yan. In just moments, all his pain vanished, and his energy and spirit returned to peak condition.
Shu Yan wasn't surprised. He casually rolled his shoulders, producing a series of sharp cracks, then leapt off the bed. He looked at Wang Xian'er and said quietly:
"Sorry to trouble you again, Granny Healer…"
Wang Xian'er waved her hand dismissively. Leaning slightly on her cane, her posture slightly stooped, she looked at Shu Yan and sighed with emotion.
"My little rascal's all grown up now. In a few more years, the duty of protecting the empire will fall on your shoulders. When that day comes, this old woman's life will have been a complete one."
Shu Yan let out a soft laugh, then replied:
"Granny Healer, you're not going anywhere. Believe me, even the others from your generation like Moon—are still alive and well. How could you leave first?"
Wang Xian'er glanced at him with some surprise before shaking her head and smiling faintly.
"You sure know a lot for a brat… But life and death are determined by the heavens. I've lived long enough for a Rank 95 soul master. There's nothing left for me to regret."
Shu Yan didn't argue further. Instead, he quickly helped her sit down in a nearby recliner covered in soft pelts, then brought her a cup of hot tea.
"You've watched me grow up. If you leave before I can even repay you, you might be able to accept that, but I definitely can't."
Wang Xian'er smiled without replying and instead changed the subject.
"I've already heard from His Majesty about your cooperation with the soul beasts. You've got guts, kid. Even more daring than Moon or Long Xiaoyao were in their youth. This is the first collaboration between humans and soul beasts in the history of the continent. Regardless of whether it succeeds or fails, it's a milestone."
Shu Yan looked at her and suddenly asked:
"Do you support my decision?"
Wang Xian'er opened her eyes slightly, glanced at him, and replied gently:
"That doesn't matter. As long as you're confident, that's enough. What others think is just background noise—it can't determine the outcome."
Shu Yan froze for a moment, then felt a sudden clarity. The fog that had clouded his mind seemed to lift in an instant, and everything became clear.
"To be honest, when I first heard you had convinced the Ice and Snow Emperors, I was deeply skeptical and worried. But once I learned of your shared goal, I understood. If your goal is to reach that realm, then I'm willing to believe in you. After all, if you succeed, it would completely reshape the Douluo Continent. That's worth taking a gamble on…"
Her voice was gentle and kind, just like always—at least in front of Shu Yan.
He leaned back in his chair. By the time he came to, Wang Xian'er's figure had already vanished without a trace. Then again, what else should he expect? A top-tier healing-type Super Douluo wouldn't be so feeble she needed help to move around. Her frailty was a matter of choice, not ability.
Shortly after she left, Xu Jiujiu entered the room. Her expression was frosty, but her eyes were filled with concern and a hint of worry. Women—they always got prickly when jealous. Sharp tongues and hard faces were one thing, but if they truly stopped caring, that's when you had to worry.
Seeing Shu Yan acting like nothing had happened, lively and unscathed, she gave a cold snort and snapped:
"So? Was touching the Ice Empress's head that fun? Want to do it again?"
The corner of Shu Yan's mouth twitched. Before Xu Jiujiu could react, he reached out and pulled her into his arms, mercilessly messing up her pretty hair ornament.
"If you ask me, nothing compares to the feel of my Jiujiu head."
Xu Jiujiu smacked his hand away, gave him a resentful glare, then took out a delicate mirror from her soul tool and began checking her accessory.
"You better watch yourself from now on. No more being disrespectful. If you mess around again, I'll ask Granny Nebula to drag you to the purification chamber* and turn you into a real eunuch! Then I'll make you serve this princess during bath time and bedtime—but you'll only get to look, not touch. You know how torturous that would be…"
(*Purification chamber = joke threat implying castration.)
Shu Yan swallowed hard. Just imagining the scene made his scalp tingle. All he could do was sigh helplessly.
It used to be Xu Jiujiu always gave in to him… when did the tables turn?
Ah, well—it's only natural. Girls want to be cherished and spoiled. Shu Yan figured he really had sunk into the role of "pampered consort to the princess"… and honestly, it felt kind of nice?
After some playful bickering, Shu Yan finally settled down. Looking at the golden-haired girl lounging comfortably in his arms, he whispered:
"There's something a bit troublesome I need to take care of soon. I might need your help. So, my dear princess—what say you?"
Xu Jiujiu rolled her eyes, though it was hard to say if it was fake or real.
"Go on. As long as it's within my ability, I'll give it my all. And if not… well, there's always my royal brother."
Shu Yan smiled, a glint flashing in his eyes. Then he said:
"I need to create an eighth-level soul tool. It doesn't have to be refined—just functional. So I'll need you to introduce me to a few of the Empire's senior Soul Engineers."
Why not a ninth-level soul tool? Simple. The former three kingdoms of Douluo didn't have a single ninth-level Soul Engineer. The highest was eight and a half.
Xu Jiujiu paused, then replied after a brief moment of thought:
"That's not too hard. I'll take you to meet Elder Han tomorrow. He's the Empire's top Soul Engineer right now, and a veteran Titled Douluo who's been at that level for over twenty years. But A'Yan… what exactly are you planning to do with a soul tool of such a high grade?"
Shu Yan gave her a mysterious smile but didn't answer.
To attract his attention, Shu Yan had considered many strategies—powerful spirit or light or dark attributes, or replicating that massive mental wave from the original novel, maybe even using Life Gold directly. But in the end, he chose the safest, most reliable route.
Right now, he didn't have a suitable spiritual-type soul master to work with, nor the right "catalyst." In contrast, leveraging the power of a soul tool was highly cost-effective—especially since he just happened to have the right materials on hand.
Besides, this move aligned with his longer-term plans. It was simply too early to explain them now.
One bite at a time, one step at a time some things were too important to rush.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/XenTronix