When You You pressed her question, Xie Zhaolin's heart skipped a beat.
She hadn't expected the little ghost to catch on so quickly. Without even a full explanation, You You had already pinpointed the core of the issue and even pushed further toward the real question behind it all.
This old monster really wasn't simple.
Still, this was exactly what she needed right now, so she didn't bother hiding anything.
"You're right," she said coolly. "It's not just that Bewitching Beast Yam. The other plant-beasts I've run into across the Endless Beast Plains also showed... unusual interest in me."
The confirmation deepened the confusion on You You's small face. She floated closer, circling halfway around Xie Zhaolin, her tiny brows drawn tightly together as if she was trying to solve some impossible riddle.
After a while, she stopped in front of her master, her gaze sharp, voice more serious than ever.
"Master, have you... ever come into contact with—or maybe even devoured and refined—something that's tied to the origin of life or plant essence itself?"
Her tone dropped lower, cautious but firm. "And not just any item. Its rank must be extremely high, high enough for these mindless plant-beasts to sense it by instinct alone!"
That question hit Xie Zhaolin like a bolt of lightning in the dark, cutting straight through the fog clouding her mind.
Something tied to the origin of life... extremely high rank...
She instantly thought of one thing—the Rebirth Flower.
Could it really be because of that?
But no... she'd devoured and refined that flower nearly two years ago.
By now, any lingering trace of its aura should've long since merged with her own spirit power or faded completely.
So why were these plant-beasts still reacting so strongly? Why had the Bewitching Demon Yam hunted her so obsessively for almost a year?
That made no sense at all.
Her face shifted between disbelief and unease.
You You noticed her expression change and immediately understood.
"So it's true... you really do have something incredible inside you," she murmured, her small face a mix of awe and worry.
"This is bad," she clicked her tongue softly. "Once a plant-beast locks onto its target—especially one that benefits it—it's even more stubborn than any beast. That Bewitching Demon Yam won't give up easily."
Her tone grew heavier. "And honestly, its rank might be even higher than I thought..."
She looked up at her master, voice trembling slightly between shock and curiosity. "For the aura to last this long, and not only not weaken, but actually grow richer and more enticing over time? That's not something any normal treasure could do."
She paused, then asked carefully, "Master, that thing you refined... could it have some kind of origin property?"
"Origin property?" Xie Zhaolin frowned deeply.
The Rebirth Flower was a mysterious, heaven-defying existence. Even she barely understood its true nature.
"If that's the case," You You sighed, her expression falling, "then we've got a real problem.
Plant-beasts are most sensitive to origin-type auras. Once they catch a whiff, they'll never stop chasing it. The Bewitching Demon Yam's probably just the first, but it sure won't be the last.
As long as that aura lingers on you, you're basically a beacon in the dark. You'll keep drawing in more and more powerful plant-beasts."
By the time she finished, Xie Zhaolin's expression had completely darkened. She'd thought this was just an unlucky accident, but now she realized the problem came from within her—and it wasn't something that'd disappear anytime soon.
The Rebirth Flower truly was both a blessing and a curse. Its benefits were unmatched, but the trouble it brought was just as terrifying.
"Is there a way to hide it or get rid of it?" she asked calmly, suppressing the storm rising inside her.
You You rubbed her chin, her little soul-body flickering faintly as she fell deep into thought.
The valley went quiet. Only the sound of wind brushing through the trees filled the air.
After a long while, she looked up again, her expression a mix of helplessness and caution.
"Master, there's definitely a way to hide or fix it. But first, I need to know exactly what that item was.
Every heaven-and-earth treasure has its own unique origin aura, lingering pattern, and way of attracting plant-beasts. If I don't know the exact thing, and we try to mask it blindly, it might not only fail but actually make the aura stand out even more."
Her big eyes blinked, full of sincerity. "Master, can you tell me what it was you refined?"
Xie Zhaolin hesitated.
The Rebirth Flower was one of her biggest secrets.
But then again, You You was bound by their master-servant contract, making it impossible for her to leak any information or harm her in any way. Besides, if she wanted to solve this problem, she needed You You's insight.
After weighing the risks, she decided that telling part of the truth would do more good than harm.
She took a quiet breath, met You You's gaze, and said evenly,
"The Rebirth Flower."
The words had barely left her mouth when—
"Ahhhh!!!"
A piercing shriek exploded from You You's tiny body, loud enough to make Xie Zhaolin's ears ring.
The girl froze mid-air like she'd been struck by lightning, her eyes wide, mouth agape.
"Th-the Rebirth Flower?! Are you serious?!" she stammered, voice trembling in disbelief. "You mean the legendary Rebirth Flower?! The one from the ancient records?!"
She started darting around in circles, completely losing composure.
"My heavens! No way! That thing actually exists?! I thought it was just a myth!
Master! You—you actually got your hands on a Rebirth Flower! And you refined it?!"
Xie Zhaolin winced at the shrill noise, her brows twitching.
"Quiet," she snapped coldly. "You trying to draw the whole forest here?"
She understood the girl's reaction—anyone who cultivated the Xuanyin Foundation Technique knew how heaven-defying the Rebirth Flower's effects were—but still, this was way too much.
You You clapped both hands over her mouth, her glowing eyes still huge, trembling with disbelief, envy, and something dangerously close to tears.