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Chapter 45 – Legend of the Dragon King
"Yuhao, why are we here?"
Looking around at the lush, verdant forest, Tang Ya couldn't help but voice the question that had been nagging at her mind.
She was naturally familiar with the Sunset Forest, yet the three of them did not need to obtain Spirit Rings. So what exactly were they doing here?
"To teach you how to cultivate using the Devouring talent of your martial spirit," Huo Yuhao explained softly. As his words fell, a faint golden light bloomed in his pupils, pulling Tang Ya and Gu Yuena into a shared spiritual perception with him.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ya immediately understood Huo Yuhao's intention. She nodded in acknowledgment, saying nothing further.
Soon, guided by spiritual perception, Huo Yuhao led them to an open field.. Though called an open field, it was clearly the battlefield of two massive Spirit Beasts.
Vast swathes of trees had been severed at the midpoint, some marked by jagged claw scratches, others scorched and charred. For the plant life here, the scene was nothing short of devastating.
Huo Yuhao tilted his head toward Tang Ya and spoke gently.
"What you need to do now is serve as a bridge between them, allowing the life force of the entire ecosystem to flow once more."
"Ah? What do you mean?"
"If life force remains confined to individual plants, the environment becomes like a stagnant pond. To prevent it from turning foul, it must circulate—flowing in and out freely."
"Qingde isn't just the Tree of Vitality," Huo Yuhao continued, his tone slightly enigmatic, "it is also the wind that connects all things in their circulation."
( T/N: What is Qingde? Some words in Chinese go over my head. So mistake happens sometimes. You have to bear with it. And English is also my fourth language. I am not an expert in English either.)
Tang Ya scratched the back of her head, a little hesitant, as she asked, "You mean… You want me to draw life force from other plants to revive them?"
"Exactly." Huo Yuhao nodded lightly. "During this process, you may retain a portion of the life force as a reward."
Following Huo Yuhao's instructions, Tang Ya approached a sturdy, towering tree. She opened her palm, and a strand of dark blue-silver grass extended from her hand, connecting to the trunk and absorbing a portion of its life force.
She then turned to a tree stump, already broken in half, and infused it with a part of the life force she had just gathered.
In just a moment, a tiny green shoot sprouted from the severed stump, making the once-dead tree seem reborn.
"…I understand!"
"Let the life flow, forming a healthy cycle!"
Tang Ya's eyes brightened. Now that she understood, she became like a diligent transporter, eagerly drawing life force from the massive trees, keeping some for herself, and channeling the rest into the dying plants.
Simply put, she was the middleman profiting from the cycle.
Gu Yuena watched silently. Gradually, the forest seemed to stir with a gentle breeze. Revived trees swayed lightly, and Tang Ya seemed to be accepted by the surrounding plants, merging completely with the environment. Every step she took caused countless plants to move in harmony with her.
As time passed, the toppled trees, rolled-up sod, and withered shrubs—all the devastation left by the Spirit Beasts—slowly regained life. The once-ruined ecosystem was being restored, life force circulating once more.
Meanwhile, the life force accumulating inside Tang Ya grew steadily. By the time this area was fully restored, she would have absorbed enough life energy to sustain herself for quite some time.
Seeing her grasp the technique so quickly, a faint smile curved Huo Yuhao's lips. Gu Yuena glanced at him, noticing the expression.
"I didn't expect you to understand this," she remarked.
"I just wanted to try it out. Judging by the results, the plants don't seem to resist," Huo Yuhao explained with a light chuckle.
Regardless of whether plants shared human values, those Tang Ya saved today could potentially save her in the future. As beings incapable of resistance, they wouldn't reject such an opportunity.
Viewed on a small scale, there might appear to be a law of the strong getting stronger and the weak weaker, but on a larger scale, balance is the truth of nature.
Just as he spoke, Huo Yuhao suddenly sensed wind behind him. The next second, a pair of arms wrapped around his neck.
"Yuhao—"
Tang Ya spread her hands excitedly, revealing the Blue Silver Grass pulsing with life energy. The life force she had painstakingly accumulated was now fully concentrated here.
"This is for you."
"Uh?"
Before Huo Yuhao could react, Tang Ya leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, her tone earnest.
"You taught me all of this, so you're the first to receive this life force in return."
"…Thank you."
After a brief moment of surprise, Huo Yuhao reached out and accepted the particularly magnificent Blue Silver Grass. While it wasn't as powerful as Life Gold, carrying it long-term would still be immensely beneficial to the body.
"Hmph, I'll make one for Auntie next," Tang Ya said with a mischievous grin.
She quickly planted another playful kiss on his cheek before returning to her work with unrestrained enthusiasm. Huo Yuhao touched his cheek, still damp from her kiss, and tugged the corner of his mouth into a small smile.
Beside them, Gu Yuena watched quietly, her gaze flickering. Sensing it, Huo Yuhao looked toward her.
"What is it?"
"Nothing," Gu Yuena shook her head, then suddenly turned to a distant part of the forest, as if sensing something.
"There's something there."
"Hm?"
Huo Yuhao followed her gaze and immediately understood.
"You mean the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"
Although he wondered how Gu Yuena discovered it without probing, he didn't question further and slowly shared what he knew.
Having visited this place several times in a previous life, he naturally had some insights. However, due to his current weakness, he had refrained from acting on them.
For now, he couldn't say whether his ice-attribute Martial Spirit could overcome the toxic outer layer. Even if he succeeded, his current strength might not impress the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass enough to claim it as his Spirit.
And the Cold Spring… drinking it would be a gamble with death. The only feasible option might be the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, but with his weak body, forcing a second awakening of his Martial Spirit would be a massive strain. Attempting it now was hardly worth the risk.
"It's not a spring," Gu Yuena said, shaking her head, her tone unusually complex.
"That is the remains of the Dragon King. What you call the spring is merely the energy dispersed from its corpse."
"Dragon King?" Huo Yuhao instinctively looked at her. "Like you?"
"Sort of. But I am different from them," Gu Yuena said calmly. "Although they are stronger than me, if they were still alive, they would kneel on one knee upon seeing me."
"…."
(End of Chapter)