Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well once again.
The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb, Qiluo Tulip, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and Infernal Delicate Apricot- these four plant-type soul beasts with a hundred thousand years of cultivation, all sensed the change in Xu Zihuang's aura.
For plant-type soul beasts like them, although their combat strength couldn't compare to animal-type soul beasts of the same cultivation level, their perception was exceptionally sharp.
They could clearly sense the incomparably stable spiritual origin of the Thunder Prison Vine existing within Xu Zihuang's sea of consciousness. Moreover, compared to before, it seemed to have undergone some kind of transformation.
"She actually really broke through the hundred thousand years bottleneck?!"
It wasn't just the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb and the others; all the plant-type soul beasts in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, whose intelligence wasn't weak, were also struck by raging waves in their hearts.
The Thunder Prison Vine was different from them. Its early cultivation was extremely difficult, and at every moment there was the risk of self-destruction. When breaking through to the hundred-thousand-year level, it would even face a terrifying lightning tribulation.
Because the Thunder Prison Vine's growth was too heaven-defying, it would be suppressed by the will of the Douluo plane's master.
However, in contrast, once the Thunder Prison Vine broke through to the hundred thousand years level, there would no longer be any restrictions.
And all the changes that had occurred to the Thunder Prison Vine were inseparable from the young man before them, Xu Zihuang.
But when Xu Zihuang's spiritual power swept over them, these plant-type soul beasts seemed to receive some kind of stimulus and immediately stopped their chaotic thoughts. Some of the weaker plant-type soul beasts even revealed obvious fear.
Fear stemmed from the unknown. Right now, they simply couldn't figure out Xu Zihuang's attitude.
The main bodies of plant-type soul beasts were all very fragile. For Xu Zihuang, who now controlled the power of the Thunder Prison Vine, dealing with them would be effortless.
The place where Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi landed was right in front of that hundred thousand years' Yearning Heartbroken Red.
While Xu Zihuang released his spiritual pressure to intimidate the plant-type soul beasts, he stood protectively behind Ye Guyi. Their gazes met on that Yearning Heartbroken Red.
"A flower unparalleled in the world, it chooses its master to serve. When picking it, one must think of the beloved person in their heart, with utmost sincerity, and spit out a mouthful of heart blood onto the petals." Ye Guyi murmured, then turned her head to look at Xu Zihuang, revealing a soul-stirring smile. The two parts of memory constructed between her childhood and adulthood fused. Sweetness mixed with indulgence.
Though not pure, it was genuine.
Xu Zihuang's mind was involuntarily tugged for a moment. At this instant, he completely let go. The bond-like family that they established in childhood could not be severed, nor did they need to deliberately avoid it.
In this world, to each other, they were unique existences, existences that could be trusted without reservation.
It was neither pure familial affection nor simple romantic love between man and woman, but a special emotion formed by the fusion of the two.
With a backhand palm, Ye Guyi's right hand heavily struck her own chest.
Puff——
A mouthful of bright red blood sprayed onto the surface of the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
A layer of holy light quietly emanated from that small white flower, enveloping Ye Guyi's body. It trembled lightly, struggling upward. The original trace of bright red on the petals silently faded away.
Although it was so delicate, the moment it broke free from the Wujue Stone, all the plant-type soul beasts in the valley, even including the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Infernal Delicate Apricot, and Qiluo Tulip, these immortal herbs of a hundred thousand years of cultivation, all closed their petals and slowly drooped downward. It was as if vassals were paying respect to their monarch.
Once again, their hearts received a tremendous shock. The Xu Zihuang before them truly gave them the feeling of being favored by the heavens. It was as though he had gathered all of heaven's grace upon himself.
His astonishing talent and strength far surpassed those of the person from back then. Setting that aside for now, the woman by his side was devoted to him to the point that she could pick the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
That small flower floated to Ye Guyi's front and landed in her fair palm, radiating a jade-like luster.
"Zihuang." Ye Guyi smiled like a blooming flower and lifted the Yearning Heartbroken Red toward Xu Zihuang.
Xu Zihuang stepped forward with a gentle smile, lowered his head, and lightly touched her rosy lips. That affection blended with their breath.
"Take off the petals and hold them in your mouth to refine it."
"Mm."
Ye Guyi gave the Yearning Heartbroken Red in her palm one last reluctant look, then without hesitation, followed Xu Zihuang's instruction. She plucked one petal and placed it into her mouth.
The feelings between her and Xu Zihuang no longer needed this so-called Yearning Heartbroken Red to prove anything. What she needed most at the present stage was to raise her strength so that she could help Xu Zihuang.
That petal, hard as metal and stone, melted into liquid the moment it entered Ye Guyi's mouth and flowed into her abdomen.
One petal after another.
When Ye Guyi had consumed the entire Yearning Heartbroken Red, a faint golden-red radiance began to appear around her body. Her delicate skin was filled with luster, crystalline and brimming with life force.
Xu Zihuang's gentle voice sounded beside her ear.
"Sister Lingyi, refine the medicinal effect. Leave the rest to me."
Hearing Xu Zihuang's reminder, Ye Guyi nodded lightly, sat cross-legged, and entered a state of meditative cultivation.
He watched Ye Guyi until her aura stabilized. Only then did Xu Zihuang turn around and face the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb and the other hundred thousand years of immortal herbs.
However, he did not make any excessive moves. Instead, he also closed his eyes and sat cross-legged.
Earlier, after completing the fusion with the Thunder Prison Vine, there were many insights he needed to digest.
For example, the new soul skill Thunder Forest on his right leg bone, as well as the soul skill from his Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon's first soul ring.
When the Thunder Prison Vine fused with him, it had not yet broken through to the hundred thousand years level. Therefore, the hundred-thousand-year soul ring that it granted him came with one soul skill.
But in his opinion, this soul skill was more suitable than any other to serve as the first soul skill of his Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon martial soul.
There was also the extremely destructive single-target attack soul skill, Thunder God's Whip. This soul skill was neither a soul ring skill nor a soul bone skill of Xu Zihuang. It was a brand-new innate soul skill that the Thunder Prison Vine had obtained after breaking through to the hundred thousand years level and undergoing transformation.
If Xu Zihuang wanted to use this skill, he had to borrow the power of the Thunder Prison Vine.
Watching Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi begin to cultivate, the group of plant-type soul beasts in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well did not dare make any movements.
"Xiangxiang, what should we do next?" The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb communicated with the other hundred thousand years plant-type soul beasts through a special method. If she had a human facial expression, she would definitely have a crying face right now.
A fiend had come to their home; no one could be happy about that.
Qiluo Tulip sighed lightly.
"We should try our best to beg for his forgiveness. From what I see, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who is completely unreasonable and bloodthirsty."
"If that doesn't work, we can negotiate and let one of us become an existence like the Thunder Prison Vine and follow them. That would be a win-win situation. I believe they wouldn't refuse." The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass spoke in its cold voice.
Among the four hundred thousand years of plant-type soul beasts, Qiluo Tulip had the highest cultivation and the most authority, while the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was the best at thinking.
This suggestion was immediately approved by Qiluo Tulip and the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb.
"This is indeed the best solution at present."
After thinking for a moment, Qiluo Tulip deeply agreed. With Xu Zihuang's heaven-defying talent, stubbornly fighting to the death truly wasn't wise.
The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb's eyes lit up, and she immediately asked, "But among us, it seems none of our attributes are suitable for his martial soul."
The moment this thought from the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb was transmitted, their spiritual thoughts subconsciously focused on the Infernal Delicate Apricot, who had remained silent all this time.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass spoke faintly:
"Our attributes don't match his martial soul, but A'jiao is suitable for the girl beside him."
The Infernal Delicate Apricot instantly became furious. She was not a soul beast with a good temper.
"Octagonal, what do you mean?! You want me to sacrifice myself to exchange for your safety?!"
Although the Thunder Prison Vine had gained tremendous benefits by following Xu Zihuang, who knew whether there were any risks involved? Moreover, among the four hundred thousand years of plant-type soul beasts, she was the one who disliked being restrained the most. She did not want to attach herself to a human and lose her freedom.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was not willing to show weakness and retorted:
"But wasn't it you and Youyou who caused this trouble in the first place? If you two hadn't acted on your own initiative, things wouldn't have come to this point."
"Uh…" After a moment of silence, the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb spoke in an extremely tea-art-like manner.
"Octagonal, don't blame A'jiao. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I was the one who acted on my own initiative; it has nothing to do with A'jiao. Although I'm not good at fighting, I can detoxify hundreds of poisons. Perhaps they will take a liking to me instead."
Precisely because she knew her abilities and attributes were not suitable for Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi, she dared to say this.
Sure enough, Qiluo Tulip took the responsibility onto herself.
"Let me do it. I can sense two extremely powerful bloodline powers within his body, seemingly related to the power of the golden sun and silver moon. And I happen to be able to grant others the ability to absorb the essence of heaven and earth and the radiance of the sun and moon."
"How can that be?! We can't drag you into this because of me. Let me do it. Don't forget, I still have the Qiluo Heart. To humans, the Qiluo Heart is a supreme treasure that can only be encountered by chance."
The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb continued her dramatic performance.
"Youyou, I—"
This time, even the Infernal Delicate Apricot felt a trace of shame in her heart.
At this moment, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass proposed a compromise.
"When the time comes, let them choose for themselves. Whoever is chosen, I hope no one will complain."
Finally, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass said something meaningful.
"If possible, I actually hope that he chooses me."
…
For three full days, Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi maintained the cross-legged meditative posture.
However, Xu Zihuang had actually finished cultivating long ago. He had only been sitting with his eyes closed, resting and waiting for Ye Guyi to fully absorb the medicinal effect of the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
Golden-red light continuously flickered around Ye Guyi's body. Suddenly, the light stopped flickering. Ye Guyi reopened her clear golden eyes. The life aura she was emitting at this moment actually surpassed even the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb and the other hundred thousand years plant-type soul beasts.
But Xu Zihuang could clearly sense that the vast majority of the medicinal power of the hundred thousand years Yearning Heartbroken Red was still contained within Ye Guyi's body and had not been completely absorbed.
Even though Ye Guyi had only absorbed a portion of the medicinal effect, her physical strength had been elevated to a terrifying degree, at least enough to withstand a hundred thousand years' seventh soul ring.
This was the divine-grade immortal herb, the Yearning Heartbroken Red, that could seize the creation of heaven and earth.
At the same moment, Xu Zihuang opened his eyes. The two looked at each other and smiled.
"Zihuang." Ye Guyi smiled sweetly as she stood up and threw herself into Xu Zihuang's embrace.
"Now let's get down to business."
Xu Zihuang understood immediately. Holding Ye Guyi's jade hand, he walked step by step until they stood before the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb.
"You… what are you going to do?!" The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb was greatly alarmed. Her large pink flower instantly closed up, turning into a huge flower bud. Then a small purple stamen poked out from inside, watching Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi with extreme caution.
She had deliberately pretended to be dead earlier to lower her presence.
She still didn't want to leave the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Xu Zihuang gave a faint smile.
"In consideration of the fact that you once gave me that stalk of Gaze-through-Autumn-Water Dew, hand over the Qiluo Heart, and I'll spare your life for now."
"The Qiluo Heart was something I worked so hard to cultivate. Can't I give you something else instead?" The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb said in a very aggrieved tone.
"The Gaze-through-Autumn-Water Dew I gave you back then should have been very helpful to you, right? You can't be so ungrateful."
"Weren't you the one who initially joined forces with the Infernal Delicate Apricot to harm Zihuang? Do you still have the face to say such words?" Ye Guyi's face was cold as frost as she let out a humph.
"I'll ask you one last time, will you give it or not?"
As she spoke, the soul power within both her and Xu Zihuang began to circulate.
"Ah! Ah! No! Don't! Don't do this!"
The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb panicked instantly and could only surrender.
"I'll give it to you, okay?!"
A ball of purple light rose from her stamen. This purple light looked very gentle, without the slightest overbearing aura. It was just a cherry-sized purple bead. It resembled a purple crystal, but within that crystal-clear bead, one could faintly see a layer of light, mist-like radiance gently pulsing.
Under the Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb's pained, humiliated, and reluctant gaze, Xu Zihuang reached out his right hand, grasped the Qiluo Heart, and stored it in his storage soul guide device.
Then Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi looked remotely toward the Infernal Delicate Apricot located in the center of the fiery-red spring.
"Next, it's your turn."
As soon as Xu Zihuang finished speaking, a low rumbling of thunder followed immediately after. Thick bucket-sized streaks of black-purple lightning descended from the sky without warning, piercing through the seven-colored poisonous miasma and covering the main body of the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
In the blink of an eye, the black-purple lightning in the sky above the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had become extremely dense, continuously striking the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
Thunder Prison Vine, right leg bone soul skill, Thunder Forest. Moreover, it was a Thunder Forest comparable to a twenty-thousand-year soul bone skill, further amplified by the Ultimate Lightning attribute.
"Ah!"
This sudden scene caused the Infernal Delicate Apricot to let out a terrified scream. She hurriedly mobilized her soul power to form a fiery-red light shield to protect her main body. Under the continuous bombardment of the Thunder Forest, that fiery-red light shield rapidly dimmed. The Infernal Delicate Apricot felt her entire body go numb, and even her soul seemed to be trembling.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot was indeed a genuine hundred-thousand-year soul beast, but as a plant-type soul beast, her abilities leaned more toward using her own Ultimate Fire attribute for long-range attacks or defense. Her main body's combat power and durability were far inferior to those of a hundred thousand-year-old animal-type soul beasts.
Moreover, the Ultimate Fire attribute she specialized in was now completely suppressed by Xu Zihuang's Ultimate Lightning attribute.
Even among Ultimate attributes, there were differences in superiority.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot's fire attribute had only just stepped into the realm of Ultimate Fire, while the Ultimate Lightning attribute of Xu Zihuang's Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon martial soul was already approaching the limit. He was using a hundred thousand years-level soul skill, suppressing the Infernal Delicate Apricot, was perfectly normal.
After fusing with the Thunder Prison Vine, Xu Zihuang was now even capable of contending with Title Douluo-level powerhouses.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot's aura grew weaker and weaker.
The violent and dense lightning attribute elements raged wildly within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. All the plant-type soul beasts instinctively felt fear.
But Qiluo Tulip still mustered the courage to shout:
"Wait!"
"Hm?" Xu Zihuang glanced indifferently toward Qiluo Tulip.
Qiluo Tulip spoke sincerely yet bitterly:
"Your Excellency, could you please spare A'jiao once? As compensation, you may choose one among me, Youyou, Octagonal, or A'jiao. We will unconditionally become existences like the Thunder Prison Vine and follow you. We are all at the hundred-thousand-year level. I believe this will be more helpful to you."
"No need."
Xu Zihuang gave a light laugh. A circle of blood-red soul ring rose from beneath his feet. Blood-red light shimmered on the soul ring.
A long spear condensed in front of him.
The spear was about three meters and sixty centimeters long, entirely a profound black color. Its style was simple and unadorned, without any ornate decoration.
But the instant this black long spear appeared, the surrounding light seemed to be devoured by the spear, and the surrounding space visibly darkened. Staring at this long, black spear, both soul and consciousness felt as though they would instantly be annihilated.
Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon's first soul skill, Annihilation God Spear.
This was a perfect fusion of the Ultimate Lightning and Destruction attributes, a rare weapon-type soul skill. In the future, when Xu Zihuang added other soul skills to his Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon, using the Annihilation God Spear to cast them would receive amplification because of this.
Then, under Xu Zihuang's control, the Annihilation God Spear floating in front of him split into two.
A Thunder God's Spear flickering with black-purple lightning radiance, and a Destruction Spear wreathed in deep-purple flames. Compared to the Annihilation God Spear, these two were far more dazzling. Each was coiled with a clear dragon pattern, one a variant Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the other a Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon. Inside were luxurious golden patterns, precisely the bamboo-joint-like golden patterns on the Thunder Prison Vine's body.
Xu Zihuang held the Thunder God's Spear in one hand and the Destruction Spear in the other. With a smile on his face, he looked toward Qiluo Tulip.
"Today, the Infernal Delicate Apricot must die. If you want to help her, feel free to make your move."
As he spoke, the Thunder God's Spear and Destruction Spear in Xu Zihuang's hands swung simultaneously. Two exceptionally thick bolts of lightning crashed down from the sky like two giant dragons entwined together, one black-purple, one deep-purple, distinctly separated, and violently smashed onto the Infernal Delicate Apricot.
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