The next morning, after his usual early cultivation, Song Qing requested an audience with Bibi Dong. He wanted to tell her his secret, and the sooner he did it, the better he felt. He found her in her study, surrounded by stacks of documents, her usual aura of formidable authority softened by a hint of morning serenity.
"Teacher," Song Qing said respectfully, bowing slightly as he entered the room.
Bibi Dong looked up, her gaze softening as she saw him. "Qing'er, what is it?"
Song Qing took a deep breath, his small hands clasped nervously in front of him. "Teacher, there's something I need to tell you. Something I've been keeping a secret."
Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in her pink eyes. "A secret? What is it, Qing'er? You know you can tell me anything."
"Yes, Teacher," Song Qing said, his voice a little hesitant. "But… please don't be angry with me. It was supposed to be a surprise, but recent events have made me realize I should tell you now."
Bibi Dong's curiosity deepened, but she remained calm. "Angry? Why would I be angry, Qing'er? Just tell me what's on your mind."
Song Qing took another deep breath and plunged in. "Teacher… I have a Second Spirit."
Bibi Dong's pen stilled in her hand. Her pink eyes widened in utter shock. 'A Second Spirit?' she thought, her mind reeling. 'Just like me? But how…' Her gaze sharpened, studying her young disciple intently. She had never sensed the presence of another spirit within him.
"A Second Spirit, Qing'er?" she asked, her voice a low murmur, tinged with disbelief.
Song Qing nodded, his gaze earnest. "Yes, Teacher. It's… it's a plant spirit. A very simple one, or so I thought at first."
Bibi Dong remained silent, her mind trying to process this unexpected revelation.
"It's because of this spirit," Song Qing continued, emboldened by her lack of immediate anger, "that I was able to… well, I came across some very special plants a while ago, Teacher. Immortal Herbs, I think they were called. And using the Second Soul Ring of my plant spirit, I managed to absorb some of their… essence energies." He carefully avoided mentioning the exact location or circumstances of his encounter with these herbs.
Bibi Dong's shock intensified. 'Immortal Herbs? Absorbed their essence?' This was becoming increasingly unbelievable.
"After that," Song Qing went on, "I planted them in ceramic pots in my room. I water them every day, just like you taught me." He deliberately omitted his ability to accelerate their growth, knowing that would be too much to reveal at once. "But they grow so slowly, Teacher." He sighed dramatically.
Bibi Dong was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that her eight-year-old disciple possessed a Second Spirit. 'So, he's like me…' A realization dawned on her. 'That must be why his sensing range is so incredibly vast. Even during our hunt for Hu Liena's third soul ring, I noticed his senses seemed to extend further than mine, but I couldn't understand how.'
A wave of warmth washed over her. Instead of anger, she felt a surge of pride. Her young disciple had kept such a significant secret, showing a level of caution and maturity beyond his years. 'This world is a dangerous place,' she thought, her protectiveness towards him intensifying. 'He is wise to be careful.'
"Qing'er," she said softly, her gaze filled with a newfound understanding, "I am not angry. In fact, I am… impressed. You kept this hidden well. Show me this plant spirit of yours."
Song Qing's face brightened with relief. He extended his left hand, and with a gentle surge of his soul power, several emerald green vines snaked out from his palm, their leaves a vibrant, healthy green. They twisted and turned in the air, seemingly alive.
Bibi Dong stared at the vines, her pink eyes scrutinizing them intently. She didn't recognize the specific type of plant, but she didn't dismiss it as weak. 'If Qing'er possesses it, it must have extraordinary potential,' she thought.
"You have already attached three soul rings to it, I see," she observed, her gaze falling upon the three purple rings that shimmered around the vines. A hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes. "They are all thousand-year beasts, Qing'er. While impressive for your age, they will not allow this spirit to reach its full potential."
Song Qing looked down, a wave of embarrassment washing over him. He hadn't exactly had a wide selection of spirit beasts to choose from for his Second Spirit.
Bibi Dong, sensing his discomfort, reached out and gently cupped his small hand in hers. "Don't be ashamed, Qing'er," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "The fact that you possess a Second Spirit is already a miracle. Now that I know, I will help you nurture and strengthen this spirit. But you must promise me, Qing'er, you must keep this a secret from everyone else. Do you understand?"
Song Qing nodded earnestly, his dark eyes filled with gratitude. "Yes, Teacher. I understand." He then leaned closer, whispering softly, "I'm telling you because I trust you the most in the whole world, Teacher."
Bibi Dong's heart clenched. A wave of emotion washed over her, so intense it almost brought tears to her eyes. 'He trusts me… this precious child trusts me more than anyone.' Her resolve to protect him, to guide him, solidified. She squeezed his hand gently, her gaze filled with a love and protectiveness that words could not express. "I know, Qing'er," she whispered back, her voice thick with emotion. "And I will never betray that trust."
~~
With Bibi Dong's gentle hand still holding his, Song Qing felt a surge of warmth and affection. He knew he had done the right thing by telling her. "Teacher," he said, his voice filled with a newfound confidence, "there's something else I want to show you." He led her out of her study and towards his private room, his small hand pulling hers along.
As they entered his room, Bibi Dong's gaze swept over the various ceramic pots neatly arranged near the window, each containing a unique and vibrant plant. Her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized some of them.
"These are…" she began, her voice filled with astonishment.
"Immortal Herbs, Teacher!" Song Qing exclaimed proudly, his eyes shining with excitement. He rushed over to the first pot, which held a plant with delicate, silk-like leaves that shimmered with a soft, aromatic fragrance. "This one is the Aromatic Silk Beauty. It's supposed to greatly enhance one's spiritual power."
He then moved to another pot containing a plant with eight sharply pointed leaves, each radiating a chilling aura. "And this is the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass. It's incredibly potent for those with ice-attribute spirits, greatly increasing their soul power and even granting resistance to extreme cold."
Next, he pointed to a small plant with fiery red leaves and a single, delicate apricot-like fruit. "This is the Infernal Delicate Apricot. It's said to be amazing for fire-attribute spirit masters, not only boosting their soul power but also purifying their flames."
He continued his enthusiastic tour, pointing out a plant with a single, velvety chrysanthemum bloom that seemed to absorb all the light around it. "This is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. It's supposed to have incredible effects on those with darkness or shadow-based spirits."
He then showed her a plant with dew-kissed leaves that seemed to glow with a soft, ethereal light. "This one is the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. It's said to be beneficial for healing and enhancing spiritual perception."
His eyes then landed on a plant with eight perfectly symmetrical petals, radiating a gentle, life-giving energy. "And this, Teacher, is the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid. It's supposed to greatly enhance one's overall aptitude and soul power, and it has a complementary effect with other powerful herbs."
Finally, he pointed to a plant with a vibrant red bloom that resembled a cockscomb. "And this is the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. It's incredibly potent for those with fire or phoenix-related spirits, said to even have the potential to awaken dormant bloodline powers." Song Qing beamed, proud of his collection.
"They can all significantly enhance Soul Power, Teacher! It just depends on the herb and the person's spirit." He then added, giving her more details about the other Immortal Herbs he possessed, his descriptions echoing the knowledge he had gleaned from his fragmented memories.
Bibi Dong listened intently, a soft smile gracing her lips as she watched her dear disciple's enthusiasm. She didn't care about using these precious herbs for the Spirit Hall's benefit. Her only concern was Song Qing's growth and well-being. 'He's so knowledgeable,' she thought, her heart swelling with pride. 'He should use these for himself, to become even stronger, even faster.'
At that moment, Song Qing carefully picked up two specific pots. One held a plant with a single, elegant flower that resembled a tulip, its petals shimmering with a soft, silken light. "Teacher," he said, holding up the Beautiful Silk Tulip, "this one is supposed to be perfect for someone with a support-type spirit to absorb. It greatly enhances their spiritual power and can even evolve their spirit."
He then held up the pot containing the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid. "And this is the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid. It complements the effects of the Beautiful Silk Tulip perfectly." A determined look crossed his young face. "Teacher, it's these two herbs that I was planning to… well, to use to foster cooperation with the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan. To help Rongrong and ensure they remain our allies."
Bibi Dong's smile softened, a touch of sadness entering her eyes at his selfless gesture. "Qing'er," she said gently, "you don't need to use these precious herbs for that. We can find other ways to ensure their cooperation."
Song Qing shook his head, his gaze earnest. "But Teacher, I want to help Rongrong. She's my friend, and I want to see her clan become stronger. Besides," he added shyly, "it feels good to help my friends."
Bibi Dong reached out and gently ruffled his hair, her heart overflowing with affection for her kind and thoughtful disciple. "You have a good heart, Qing'er. I won't have the Spirit Hall attack or become enemies with the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan as long as they don't betray us first. That's what I can promise you."
Song Qing's face lit up with relief. "Thank you, Teacher!"
Bibi Dong then looked around his small room, her gaze lingering on the numerous pots. "Qing'er," she said thoughtfully, "instead of growing all these precious herbs in these small pots, how would you like to have a large, private garden? Just for you. Somewhere only you can enter. You can grow all the herbs you want there, with plenty of space."
Song Qing's eyes widened in surprise. "A private garden?"
Bibi Dong nodded. "Yes. I will even have some special Spiritual Tools placed there to help conserve and enhance the spiritual energy, which should help your herbs grow a bit faster."
Song Qing was momentarily speechless, his mind racing with the possibilities. A large garden, just for him, with enhanced spiritual energy? That would be incredible! He slowly nodded, a wide smile spreading across his face.
"That would be amazing, Teacher! Thank you!"
He then thought to himself, 'With a larger garden and enhanced spiritual energy, maybe my Soul Power will recover even faster there! And that means… I can use my First Soul Ring's ability to greatly increase the age of these Immortal Herbs much more frequently!' The prospect filled him with excitement. This was even better than he could have hoped for.