Surprise for Xu Xiaoyan and Le Zhengyu

An Ping and Gu Yuena showed Lin Qing and Xu Xiaoyan's family what they needed to do, then took them to their new home. After making sure they were settled, they went back to the island outside Tianhai City.

Xu Xiaoyan ran up to Gu Yuena and hugged her arm as soon as they returned. "Sister Nana, can you tell us what the surprise is now?"

Le Zhengyu said, "Just spill it. You two talked about me a lot while you were in Mingdu."

Xu Xiaoyan glared at him and snapped, "Le Zhengyu, don't you want to know?"

Le Zhengyu was curious, of course, but he shrugged and acted casual. "I told you, it's a surprise. We'll find out soon enough. I'm not like you, always nagging about it."

Xu Xiaoyan huffed and said, "Yeah, right. You couldn't stop talking about it after Sister Nana and Brother An Ping left. Right, Sister Bi Ji?"

Bi Ji smiled and stayed silent. She found it amusing how these two bickered.

"I said it was a surprise, and I meant it. Come with us." An Ping said, leading them to the attic.

They entered the living room and An Ping pulled Gu Yuena to the sofa. Xu Xiaoyan and Le Zhengyu sat across from them. An Ping took out two jade boxes from his storage props and handed one to each of them.

Le Zhengyu and Xu Xiaoyan looked at the boxes with curiosity. What could be inside such small boxes? An Ping said, "Open them and see for yourselves."

Xu Xiaoyan opened her box first and saw a golden fruit. It looked like it had tiny stars inside.

She could tell it was a rare treasure, and she felt a strong attraction to it.

"Brother An Ping, what is this? It feels like it's calling to me."

An Ping said, "It's a Star Lou Holy Pearl, a hundred-thousand-year-old heavenly treasure. It can enhance your martial soul and soul power, and help you communicate with starlight."

Xu Xiaoyan's eyes widened in shock. She had never heard of such a treasure, but from An Ping's description, she knew it was extremely valuable. And it was a hundred thousand years old!

She hesitated and said, "I can't accept this. It's too precious. You've already given me so much."

She was sincere. She felt grateful for everything An Ping and Gu Yuena had done for her. They had taught her how to cultivate and given her various tools. She hadn't been able to help them at all, and they had even helped her family. She didn't think she deserved such a priceless treasure.

Gu Yuena understood her feelings and said, "Xiaoyan, I know what you're thinking. But if you really want to help us, you need to improve your cultivation. The meditation method An Ping gave you is more important than this Star Lou Holy Pearl, but it can still help you."

Xu Xiaoyan was aware of how much she had changed, and she knew that the meditation method was more valuable than any treasure. But she still felt conflicted.

Xu Xiaoyan realized that if she wanted to keep up with An Ping and Gu Yuena, practicing on her own might not be enough. She didn't want to rely on their protection forever. She wanted to grow up fast.

But An Ping and Gu Yuena didn't think too much about it. They gave her these things because they had known her for a long time and liked her lively and cute personality. They treated her like a sister.

So Xu Xiaoyan decided to accept their gift and said, "Thank you, Brother An Ping and Sister Nana. But how do I use this thing? Do I just eat it?"

An Ping nodded and said, "Yes, just eat it."

Xu Xiaoyan carefully picked up the Star Lou Holy Pearl from the box and put it in her mouth. As soon as it touched her teeth, it turned into a golden light and vanished.

Xu Xiaoyan was startled at first, then felt a warm current in her body. She closed her eyes quickly to digest it. At the same time, her body glowed with starlight, wrapping her in a cocoon. She looked like a hazy star.

Le Zhengyu watched Xu Xiaoyan's transformation and opened his own box. Inside, he saw a huge purple chrysanthemum. It was strange because every petal was fluffy, and the center of the flower shone with a dull golden light.

He gasped and said, "Is this the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?"

An Ping smiled and said, "You know your stuff. I don't need to explain anything, then."

Le Zhengyu shook his head and said, "No, you don't. This is perfect for me."

He said that because the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was good for strengthening the body, and he was skilled in close combat.

An Ping chose this fairy grass for him based on that. He could have given him the Fire Star Pepper Tree, which would boost his fire attribute, but after learning the new meditation method and getting the holy sword, the Fire Star Pepper Tree wouldn't make much difference. The Single Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was more suitable for him.

Le Zhengyu wasn't being modest. He knew he was on the soul beast's side now, and An Ping and Gu Yuena had promised to help him become a god. He wouldn't give up that chance and turn against the soul beasts. That would be foolish.

So he ate the petals one by one, following the method he remembered, and then closed his eyes to digest them.

Bi Ji saw Xu Xiaoyan and Le Zhengyu increasing their soul power with the help of the medicine and asked An Ping curiously, "My lord, why don't you take some fairy grass too?"

An Ping shook his head slightly and said, "Nana and I are different from them. Fairy grass doesn't do much for our talents. It only improves our soul power a little, and that's not very useful for us."

He was right. An Ping and Gu Yuena relied more on their magic power than their soul power.

And talent was irrelevant. The most important thing for wizards was the source of magic power and various knowledge, not bloodline talent.