However, no matter how long Zhao Ling and Ah Yin waited, the Xiangsi Duanchanghong (Yearning Heartbroken Red) still didn't absorb the blood Ah Yin had dropped on it. In other words, the attempt to form a bond had failed.
The two of them immediately felt extremely awkward—especially Ah Yin, who was too embarrassed to even look at Zhao Ling.
Just moments earlier, she had confidently declared that her feelings for Zhao Ling would definitely be acknowledged by the flower. Yet now, not even five minutes later, she was completely slapped in the face by reality, her cheeks burning red.
Zhao Ling wasn't pleased. He lifted his hand and gave her bottom a few light smacks, his tone dissatisfied.
"Yin'er, were you lying when you said you loved your husband so much? Or is it really that hard to think only of me when you drop your blood on the flower?"
Feeling the sting from his smacks, Ah Yin lowered her head pitifully and explained:
"I really was thinking about you… it's just that I couldn't help but remember how you always pounce on me like a starving wolf…"
"Uh…" Zhao Ling was speechless. How could this girl be daydreaming about that kind of thing while dropping blood onto the Xiangsi Duanchanghong (Yearning Heartbroken Red)? Didn't he already tell her she needed a clear and undistracted heart?
Annoyed, he lightly smacked her again.
"You silly girl, why are you always thinking about nonsense? Focus only on the good things about me, alright?"
After being scolded, Ah Yin playfully stuck out her tongue at him. Then, she tried to calm herself, focusing solely on Zhao Ling's kindness to her as he had instructed, and dropped another drop of blood onto the flower.
But once again, to their toe-curling embarrassment, the blood wasn't absorbed.
Zhao Ling's face darkened.
"Are you still daydreaming? Or is it that your feelings for me aren't deep enough, and I need to teach you a lesson?"
Ah Yin's delicate face fell with frustration as she replied:
"I can't help it… As soon as I think about you, I just picture all the bad things you do to Yin'er every night…"
"…." Zhao Ling was floored. Completely floored. This girl had clearly been ruined by him to the point of being totally unserious.
She couldn't even concentrate anymore without being reminded of their nighttime antics. How could she possibly succeed in bonding with the Xiangsi Duanchanghong (Yearning Heartbroken Red)?
Zhao Ling sighed. It seemed that Ah Yin was simply not fated for this flower. What a pity—he had really hoped she could form a bond with it. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about being recognized as a soul beast by a Title Douluo.
But if she couldn't focus and was always thinking about his "harassment," what could he do?
Speaking of hiding her identity, Zhao Ling suddenly remembered he still hadn't removed the Soul-Sealing Mark he had placed on her.
He needed to do that first. After all, Bo Saixi was already a level 99 Limit Douluo, and judging by her character, even if she found out Ah Yin was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, she wouldn't want to hunt her.
In the original story, Bo Saixi knew that Xiao Wu and Bai were both hundred-thousand-year soul beasts and didn't try to harm them. That showed she could be trusted.
As for whether other Title Douluo might show up in Heaven Dou Imperial City and expose Ah Yin, Zhao Ling wasn't too worried. Most of the time, he'd be by her side.
If any blind fool dared to provoke her, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy them. Still, the failure to bond with the flower puzzled him.
Did that flower only respond to Xiao Wu in the original story? Was the original female lead's halo really that strong?
Ah Yin noticed Zhao Ling's unhappy expression and gently tugged at his sleeve, apologizing softly:
"Hubby, I'm sorry for letting you down… But it's just a pretty flower, right? It doesn't matter whether I get it or not. Please don't be mad…"
Looking at her timid expression, Zhao Ling sighed deeply.
"Yin'er, this Xiangsi Duanchanghong (Yearning Heartbroken Red) isn't just a beautiful flower. It's a celestial-grade herb. If it bonds with you and you consume it, it could help you instantly increase your level and significantly improve your innate talent.
Even if you don't consume it, just keeping it on your person would allow you to hide your soul beast aura. Not even a Title Douluo could detect your true identity. It's incredibly useful for you."
"This flower is that powerful?" Ah Yin's eyes widened slightly, her gaze at Zhao Ling now tinged with guilt.
"I'm sorry, hubby… Maybe I really just wasn't meant to have it."
"Forget it. If you really can't bond with the Xiangsi Duanchanghong (Yearning Heartbroken Red), then I'll give you something else instead."
With that, Zhao Ling put the flower back into his storage space and brought out two more celestial-grade herbs: the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
These two herbs, when taken together, were especially beneficial for someone like her, the Blue Silver Empress. Not only would she gain immunity to both ice and fire, but she might even develop a constitution immune to all poisons.
These two herbs were originally consumed by Tang San in the novel, but Zhao Ling figured there shouldn't be any problem giving them to Ah Yin now.
With a gentle smile, he said:
"Yin'er, since you're not fated for the Xiangsi Duanchanghong (Yearning Heartbroken Red), take these two herbs instead. Pluck them both and consume them at the same time, then sit cross-legged and absorb the medicinal effects."
Ah Yin looked at the two herbs Zhao Ling handed her, stunned.
She failed to bond with one flower, and yet her husband not only didn't get angry, but gave her two even more precious herbs?
She examined the herbs carefully before shaking her head.
"Hubby, one is enough. Leave the other for one of our other sisters."
But Zhao Ling shook his head firmly.
"No. These two herbs are called the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot. One contains extreme cold poison, the other extreme fire poison. If you take only one, it'll harm you.
Only by consuming both together and letting their opposing properties neutralize each other can you safely absorb them and gain their full benefit."
Seeing how serious he was, Ah Yin finally nodded and sat down cross-legged.
After Zhao Ling removed the Soul-Sealing Mark from her, allowing her to control her soul power again, she accepted the two herbs and consumed them as instructed.
Immediately, she felt two overwhelming sensations—one icy cold, the other unbearably hot—tearing through her body. The pain was immense.
Zhao Ling knew this would happen. He quickly poured his own immense soul power into her body to help suppress the wild, tyrannical energies and aid her in absorbing the herbs' medicinal effects…