Far behind them, Cai Shu trailed at a distance. He raised a hand, hesitated, then finally decided to contact Qing Chen.
"Master, I found Star Source Liquid." Facing Qing Chen, that was the first thing Cai Shu said.
Qing Chen wasn't surprised. "The Cloud Ladder."
Cai Shu frowned. "The Four Sides Heavenly Balance?"
Qing Chen sighed. "Times have changed. Back then, with the Lu family holding things in check, no one dared set their sights on the Mother Tree. But now..." He trailed off, his expression complicated.
Cai Shu gritted his teeth. "The Mother Tree is the foundation of our survival. It sustains humanity and protects us from those monsters. They're actually destroying the Mother Tree and drawing out Star Source Liquid, just like those parasites in the Lower Realm. They're undermining the very foundations of humanity. Why is no one stopping them?"
"The Mother Tree's power keeps those monsters at bay," Qing Chen said gravely. "Some believe that if they could harness that power themselves, they could wipe out the monsters."
"How could that possibly work?" Cai Shu cried angrily.
Qing Chen shook his head. "No one knows whether it would work or not. It's one possible approach. Humanity has always been at a disadvantage. Even with the Mother Tree protecting us, who can say whether we'll be able to survive in the future?"
Cai Shu fell silent.
"How did you find out?" Qing Chen asked.
Cai Shu told him what had just happened, then asked, "Is this what you meant by darkness?"
Qing Chen sighed. "From what you've told me, that Star Source Liquid must belong to the Cold Immortal Sect. They're the ones who drew the short straw. No one will openly go after Long Qi over this, but there'll certainly be trouble behind the scenes, perhaps