"There will be a backlash from the power..."
Ye Tian raised an eyebrow—this risk was quite significant.
Up until now, the holders of the Clear Sky Hammer had always been those with the Clear Sky Clan's bloodline.
Thus, they never had to worry about being unable to wield the divine artifact's power.
But now that the Clear Sky Hammer had fallen into his hands, he had no choice but to consider how to make it his own.
The first two methods proposed by Xuan Miaoyin were clearly unfeasible.
As for the third method, the risks were too high—it simply wasn't worth it.
After all, he wasn't even a Spirit Master. Even if he could get the Clear Sky Hammer to recognize him as its master, he wouldn't be able to unleash its power.
Beside him, Xuan Miaoyin stood quietly, clearly unwilling to take the risk either.
She sighed with regret. "What a pity. Such a divine artifact… It looks like we'll have to leave it here."
"Lord Ye Tian… Can I give it a try?"
Xiao Ying stepped forward, volunteering herself, her voice soft yet firm.
Ye Tian was taken aback and turned to look at her with curiosity.
His gaze swept over the clever young woman, her sideburns adorned with two small braids.
She seemed barely in her early twenties, only a Rank 34 Spirit Elder.
Such a talent wasn't considered low, but within the Spirit Hall, it was undoubtedly mediocre.
And yet, this seemingly ordinary girl had dared to follow them into the dangerous Star Dou Forest.
That courage alone was commendable.
Her loyalty was something Ye Tian took note of.
"You can try," Ye Tian said, his gaze steady, "but Xuan Miaoyin already warned you—divine artifacts have powerful backlash. One misstep, and it could cost you your life."
Despite his warning, Xiao Ying's expression remained resolute.
If she could obtain the Clear Sky Hammer, her position by Ye Tian's side would skyrocket.
And with that power, she would have the ability to rescue her parents and her family.
Of course, she was also aware of the worst possible outcome—
She could die before ever getting the chance to save them.
In that case, death might even be a form of relief.
Her mind churned through these thoughts, her determination gradually solidifying.
She met Ye Tian's gaze, then knelt on one knee.
Her voice was devoid of hesitation:
"Lord Ye Tian, I understand that power comes with a price."
Ye Tian found her words intriguing.
Indeed, for Spirit Masters of the Douluo Continent, strength was everything.
They were willing to risk their lives if it meant growing stronger.
Moved by Xiao Ying's persistence, Ye Tian reached into his storage space and retrieved a pill.
His expression remained calm as he handed it to her. "This is a Tianyuan Pill. It can protect your dantian from foreign energy for a short time."
"If the divine artifact tries to consume you, this pill will greatly increase your chances of survival."
Xiao Ying stared at the pill in shock.
Within Spirit Hall, medicinal pills that aided cultivation were worth astronomical sums.
Even the most basic Soul-Stabilizing Pill cost 100 gold soul coins—practically three years of her total earnings.
She had only heard of such pills before but had never had the chance to use one.
But today…
This man named Ye Tian had casually given her a pill—just like that.
Even though she knew little about alchemy, she understood that the Tianyuan Pill was extremely precious.
A pill capable of protecting one's dantian from a divine artifact's power…
Only a Titled Douluo would even be worthy of consuming such a thing.
The price must be unimaginable.
For a moment, Xiao Ying hesitated to even reach for it.
Even if she sold herself, she wouldn't be able to afford something this valuable.
Even her entire family might not be worth more than this single pill.
Her gaze flickered toward Ye Tian once more.
Who exactly was this young man?
He even had a Titled Douluo acting as his bodyguard…
Not even the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall enjoyed such treatment.
"If you don't take it, I'll take it back," Ye Tian teased, slowly pulling his hand back.
This girl had quite the eye for value.
He hadn't even mentioned how rare the Tianyuan Pill was, yet she had figured it out on her own.
Ye Tian's appreciation for her grew.
Xiao Ying froze at his teasing.
She wasn't close to him—she had to remain respectful.
Ye Tian could joke with her, but she couldn't joke with him.
Lowering her head, she bowed again.
Ye Tian found her deference somewhat dull.
With a smirk, he extended his hand once more, placing the pill in her palm and then firmly clasping her hand.
His gaze locked onto hers meaningfully.
Feeling the warmth of his grip, Xiao Ying's eyes widened.
Her pupils darted around, unable to focus on his face, while her heart pounded violently.
…What was Lord Ye Tian trying to do?
Ye Tian's voice was gentle yet firm.
"If you can wield the Clear Sky Hammer, you must become mine."
He wasn't going to hand over a divine artifact for nothing.
If Xiao Ying successfully claimed the hammer, she would have to pledge her loyalty to him.
Of course, once she swore allegiance, Ye Tian wouldn't hold back.
He would ensure she became a Titled Douluo as quickly as possible.
After all, aside from Zhou Long, he currently had no other Titled Douluo under his command.
Gaining another would only strengthen his position.
And a Spirit Master capable of wielding a divine artifact was absolutely worth nurturing.
But to Xiao Ying, Ye Tian's words carried a different implication.
A faint blush crept up her neck and spread to her cheeks.
"Become… Ye Tian's person?"
They had no romantic relationship.
But that didn't matter to her.
She needed Ye Tian's help to save her family.
For that, she was willing to give up everything—even her future.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Ying still couldn't meet Ye Tian's eyes.
But her voice was steady: "Alright. I swear my loyalty to you, my lord."
With that, she sliced her palm open and approached the Clear Sky Hammer.
She let her blood drip onto the divine artifact.
The moment the blood touched the hammer—
A golden light shot into the sky at lightning speed.
A suffocating aura of slaughter erupted forth.
This was the murderous energy of the God of Slaughter.
After all, the Clear Sky Hammer had been forged under the influence of the God of Slaughter's power.
Ye Tian narrowed his eyes at the golden radiance.
But this was only the beginning—the light grew stronger, wave after wave surging outward.
Each surge was fiercer than the last.
Within the glow, countless divine runes shimmered.
Even Ye Tian couldn't decipher their meaning.
But he could feel it—
The runes were slowly pushing him away from the divine artifact.
Not just him—Xuan Miaoyin was also being repelled.
Xuan Miaoyin speculated, "It seems the artifact is testing its new host. No one else can interfere in this process."
Ye Tian murmured, "I hope Xiao Ying succeeds."
He slowly walked over to a large tree and sat down.
Xuan Miaoyin, however, remained on high alert beside him.
"We're not far from where the Sea Witch and the others were fighting. We could get caught in the aftermath at any moment."
"Xiao Ying is protected by the artifact for now—she should be safe."
"I suggest we find a safer location first."
"Alright." Just as Ye Tian sat down, he heeded Xuan Miaoyin's suggestion and stood up again.
He glanced around, noticing that the surroundings were a dimly lit primeval forest, seemingly lacking a suitable shelter.
Then, Ye Tian looked up at the sky, his gaze falling upon the towering trees that blocked out the sun.
An idea struck him immediately, and he turned to Xuan Miaoyin, saying:
"Why don't we hide in the trees?"
Hearing this, Xuan Miaoyin covered her mouth and chuckled, pointing at Ye Tian:
"I can't believe you actually came up with that."
"Hiding in the trees would make it even easier for spirit beasts to detect us with their spiritual senses."
"You should know that spirit beasts don't just rely on their eyes to hunt; they primarily use spiritual senses. The higher we are from the ground, the fewer obstacles there are, making us easier to scan."
Ye Tian nodded in agreement. "What you said makes sense, but you forgot—I am an outstanding healer. Concealing my energy fluctuations is as easy as breathing for me."
With that, a Taiyi Divine Needle appeared in Ye Tian's hand.
He smiled gently and said, "As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is often the safest."
Before his words had even fallen, Xuan Miaoyin suddenly pushed Ye Tian aside.
"Watch out!"
Hearing her warning, Ye Tian instinctively looked up.
From the forest canopy, something vine-like and green came crashing down.
Upon closer inspection, the tip of the vine had a bull's head.
Seeing the bull's head, Ye Tian's heart skipped a beat.
Good grief, it was the Sky Azure Bull Python!
Looking at its snake-like body with a bull's head, Ye Tian couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. He wondered if this slender Sky Azure Bull Python was the same one from the Star Dou Forest's core region.
"It shouldn't be."
After a brief moment of thought, Ye Tian denied the possibility in his heart.
After all, in the original story, the one from the Star Dou Forest's core region was a colossal beast.
Compared to it, humans were no different from ants standing before an elephant.
Yet, the one before him looked as thin as a bamboo pole.
Of course, while Ye Tian made his judgment internally, his actions remained swift.
He quickly retrieved the Sea Jiao Pearl gifted to him by Bo Saixi from his storage space.
He also pulled out a smoke bomb capable of disrupting spiritual senses.
With these two items, even if this truly was the real Sky Azure Bull Python, Ye Tian could still make a safe retreat.
"You are a healer?"
The Sky Azure Bull Python suddenly spoke in human language, staring at Ye Tian.
This startled Xuan Miaoyin so much that she gasped, her voice trembling:
"A… a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast?"
With her keen hearing, Xuan Miaoyin detected emotional fluctuations in the Sky Azure Bull Python's voice.
Such emotional fluctuations were something only hundred-thousand-year-old spirit beasts possessed.
Hearing this, Ye Tian's heart sank as well.
"So it really is that one…"
At this moment, within the Star Dou Forest, there was only one Sky Azure Bull Python that had lived for over a hundred thousand years.
Standing just a step away from the creature, a thin layer of sweat formed on Ye Tian's forehead.
This was the closest he had ever been to death.
Inside his storage space, he did possess a weapon capable of instantly killing the Sky Azure Bull Python.
But if he used it, its overwhelming power would definitely take him down along with it.
Seeing Ye Tian remain silent for a long time, the Sky Azure Bull Python spoke coldly:
"I am not like you spirit masters who slaughter spirit beasts indiscriminately."
"I have no interest in taking the life of an ordinary human like you."
"Just answer my question—can you heal or not?"
Ye Tian wanted to deny it.
But he figured that the Sky Azure Bull Python had probably been eavesdropping on his conversation with Xuan Miaoyin from above.
Lying would be pointless.
Moreover, judging from the beast's demeanor, it seemed to be in need of medical attention.
Ye Tian, who had great confidence in his medical skills, sighed softly and admitted, "Yes, I know some healing techniques."
Upon hearing Ye Tian's confirmation, the Sky Azure Bull Python let out a relieved sigh and spoke in a calm tone:
"I need your medical skills. In return, you will receive a treasure afterward."
Without waiting for Ye Tian's response, the creature opened its mouth and released a surge of soul power, instantly enveloping Ye Tian.
The next moment—
A sandstorm-like whirlwind formed around them, making it impossible for Ye Tian to keep his eyes open.
"Young master! Where are you?!" Xuan Miaoyin's panicked voice called out.
But in Ye Tian's ears, her voice sounded extremely faint.
Before long, it faded into nothingness.
By the time the fierce wind subsided, half an hour had passed.
With a thud, the Sky Azure Bull Python casually tossed Ye Tian onto the ground.
Sore and aching all over, Ye Tian struggled to stand up, his gaze filled with confusion as he looked around.
To his astonishment, the sun was hanging high in the sky.
This surprised him greatly.
After all, in the shadowy depths of the primeval forest, he had not seen the sun for ten whole days.
As his eyes gradually adjusted to the light, Ye Tian was finally able to see his surroundings clearly.
He was shocked to find himself standing before a vast lake, its surface rippling with waves of greenish-blue light.
The lake radiated an immense aura of life energy.
Just standing near it made him feel invigorated.
Upon seeing this lake, Ye Tian immediately understood that he had arrived at the core of the Star Dou Forest.
This lake was none other than the legendary Lake of Life, the source of vitality for the entire forest.
Unlike Ye Tian, whose expression was constantly shifting, the Sky Azure Bull Python showed little reaction to the overwhelming life energy.
The beast leisurely transformed into a half-meter-long small snake and slithered ahead, its voice cold:
"Follow my steps carefully, and don't wander off."
Then, it repeated itself:
"All you need to do is demonstrate your medical skills. I will pay you in full for your services."
"Understood."
Ye Tian dared not be careless.
After all, his life was in the hands of this creature.
He followed closely behind the Sky Azure Bull Python.
Before long, a simple thatched hut came into view.
Standing guard outside the hut was a nearly two-meter-tall ape.
Seeing this, Ye Tian secretly gasped.
"Could this be… the Titan Giant Ape?"
(End of Chapter)
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