Chapter 103: Another Disciple Accepted, A Gift

At the mention of a gift, everyone turned their eyes toward Dugu Yan.

Zhou Sheng'an smiled slightly and shook his head. "There's no need for any gifts. I helped you simply out of righteousness."

Dugu Yan nodded seriously. "I know that, Teacher Zhou. You helped us not because you wanted anything in return. But if we don't show gratitude for your kindness, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives. So, please, you must accept it."

She looked at Zhou Sheng'an sincerely.

Of course, she understood that with his talent, Zhou Sheng'an didn't need these immortal herbs to ascend to godhood.

In the simulations, he had never used immortal herbs. She only knew about them because Chrysanthemum Douluo had once come to bother them, only to be thrown into the herb garden by Er Ming. In the process, the identity of the herbs had been unintentionally revealed.

Back then, she was the only one who consumed an immortal herb, while the others refrained out of respect for their senior brother's garden.

But for Zhou Sheng'an's disciples, whether or not they consumed immortal herbs wasn't that important—it was just an added bonus.

That said, there was no denying that these herbs could significantly shorten their cultivation time!

This was precisely why Dugu Yan wanted to offer them to Zhou Sheng'an.

"Teacher Zhou, please take a look. This first immortal herb is called the Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. It is a neutral immortal herb that, when consumed, allows the energy to flow through all four limbs and clears the eight meridians, refining the body into an indestructible state."

She took out an immortal herb.

It was a massive chrysanthemum with a brilliant purple hue. Strangely, each petal appeared soft and fuzzy, making the entire flower look adorably plush. The flower was completely intact, yet no fragrance escaped from it. At the center, the pistil stood over half a foot higher than the petals, glowing faintly with a golden light.

The moment the herb appeared, the entire room was filled with an intoxicating aroma.

Just one whiff made the mind feel refreshed and clear!

Poison Douluo looked at his granddaughter in surprise. Even he didn't know the effects of this herb, yet she did.

Lowering his voice, he asked, "Yan'er, what do you mean by 'immortal herb'?"

Dugu Yan smiled. "This is something that should only exist in the heavens. It is a rare treasure that mortals are fortunate to even encounter."

Everyone exchanged glances, their eyes burning with desire—everyone except Zhou Sheng'an.

Poison Douluo's expression twisted with pain. He had unknowingly been sitting atop a mountain of treasure all this time!

And now, his spendthrift granddaughter was giving it all away!

Dugu Yan handed the chrysanthemum to Zhou Sheng'an and took out a jade box, which she delicately opened.

In an instant, the entire room was filled with a rich, orchid-like fragrance. The scent was so pure and refreshing that everyone unconsciously took deep breaths, feeling their minds clear and spirits uplifted.

Inside the jade box lay an eight-petaled orchid. Its petals trembled ever so slightly, appearing as pure and crystalline as freshly fallen snow. Just looking at it gave off an air of transcendence.

Dugu Yan continued her explanation. "This is the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, also an immortal herb. It must be stored in jade containers, or else it will wither in mere moments. However, when kept properly, it remains fresh for a thousand years without wilting.

"This herb has the gentlest yet most profound medicinal properties among all the herbs I've brought. It is easily absorbed but takes a long time to fully integrate. Its effects include strengthening the foundation, purifying the body of impurities, and compensating for low innate soul power."

She smiled faintly—this herb had been handpicked specifically for Zhou Sheng'an.

His innate soul power was only at half a level, a major bottleneck restricting his cultivation speed.

But now, with this immortal herb, most of that problem could be resolved!

Dugu Yan proceeded to take out seven or eight more immortal herbs, each incredibly precious.

The sound of people inhaling sharply filled the room—it had never ceased!

The entire room was now thick with various enchanting aromas, making everyone feel as if they were floating in paradise.

Only Poison Douluo's face remained stiff. After listening to his granddaughter's explanations, he felt such an unbearable heartache that he nearly passed out.

'Such a waste… Such an utter waste!'

But his granddaughter had already spoken so decisively earlier that he couldn't openly object now. He could only maintain a poker face, even though his heart had shattered into countless tiny pieces.

Dugu Yan sincerely said, "Teacher Zhou, I hope you will accept these. My grandfather's herb garden still has plenty left. These are not particularly valuable to us."

"…" Poison Douluo's face remained calm, but inside, he was utterly broken.

Zhou Sheng'an chuckled and shook his head. "These immortal herbs are very precious. I won't accept them. Besides, if my guess is correct, consuming these herbs should be enough to resolve your poison issue, so you don't actually need my help."

Even when faced with such a tempting offer, he remained completely unfazed.

His innate soul power might be low, but with the knowledge and experience he had gained from his simulations, it was no longer a limiting factor for him!

Moreover, he already carried a divine inheritance within him—one that was incredibly mysterious, surpassing even a God King!

How could he betray his own conscience for mere herbs?

Dugu Yan was silent for a moment before looking at Zhou Sheng'an and saying, "Alright… Actually, what I really wanted was…"

'To cling onto your leg!'

She hesitated for a moment, trying to find a more refined way to phrase it.

Immortal herbs?

They were nothing compared to following Zhou Sheng'an!

Taking a deep breath, she spoke solemnly. "The reason is that I want my grandfather and me to follow you, Teacher Zhou. I believe you are someone who will change this era! You will surely reach level 100 and become a god, and I hope to be your disciple!"

Poison Douluo frowned. She was choosing to follow a mere Soul Elder instead of her own grandfather, a Titled Douluo?

Zhou Sheng'an glanced at Dugu Yan's determined expression and nodded slightly.

It made sense. She was probably also a player of the Goddess Simulator. Clinging to a powerful figure was only logical.

Since she was already kneeling before him, Zhou Sheng'an thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Since you are so determined, I have no reason to refuse."

Dugu Yan immediately knelt down, looking at Zhou Sheng'an with excitement. "Teacher, please accept this disciple's formal bow!"

Her voice trembled with joy.

Poison Douluo couldn't bear to watch. 'Why? Why is my granddaughter so fixated on this Soul Elder?'

Zhou Sheng'an calmly accepted the bow. Forming this connection with Poison Douluo was beneficial to him as well.

"Teacher, please choose an immortal herb as my offering for becoming your disciple," Dugu Yan said sincerely.

Zhou Sheng'an nodded slightly. Since this was part of the formal disciple-acceptance process, taking one herb was completely reasonable.

…

That same day, Zhou Sheng'an distributed the customized soul ring allocation plans to all his students.

Upon receiving their plans and reading the contents, the students were silent for only a few seconds before erupting into cheers, shouting, "Long live Teacher Zhou!"

Their voices echoed throughout Blue Tyrant Academy.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu, sitting together, hadn't received theirs. The noise around them felt nothing but disruptive.

"It's a shame I can't use the soul ring allocation plan… or rather, I can only start from my seventh ring. Zhuqing, Teacher didn't give you one either. He's probably planning to take you directly to hunt for a soul ring," Xiao Wu said with a sigh.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, unconcerned, and continued organizing her notes.

If it wasn't Zhou Sheng'an's class, she simply didn't listen.