"Yes!"
The system's light swirled. The twenty-five bottles of basic secret medicine instantly fused, becoming five bottles of [Intermediate Leader Bloodline Secret Medicine] with deeper colors and more powerful energy fluctuations.
"Caw! (Yu Yi, Yu Er, Yu San, Yu Si, Yu Wu, come here!)" Xiao Yu called.
The five giant birds immediately gathered around.
Xiao Yu carefully nudged the five bottles of intermediate secret medicine toward them with his beak. "Caw! (Drink them!)"
Without hesitation, the five Soul Beasts swallowed the enticingly fragrant medicine.
Almost the instant it went down, an energy far gentler than that of the basic medicine, yet far more substantial and powerful, erupted inside them!
"Caw—!" Yu Yi let out a cry that mingled pain and relief, its body trembling violently.
The powerful energy of the intermediate medicine began not only to wash over and strengthen their bones, muscles, and bloodlines, but also to rapidly heal their internal injuries!
The wound on Yu Er's abdomen wriggled and closed before their eyes, while the weakened aura of Yu San, whose internal organs had been injured by the shock, quickly grew solid again.
Yu Si and Yu Wu felt their depleted strength instantly restored—and then surging beyond its former limits.
The Intermediate Leader Bloodline Secret Medicine was far more effective than the basic version! It not only raised their potential ceiling, but also healed their injuries and fortified their foundations far more effectively!
Watching his companions absorb the medicine's power through pain but with hope, Xiao Yu's eyes flashed with relief.
But this wasn't enough! He needed to transform them completely, giving them the strength to protect themselves!
Light flashed again, and a dazzling array of Immortal Herbs appeared on the platform!
An overwhelming vitality and pure energy flooded the area, making the entire platform seem to float in a sea of spiritual energy.
The five Soul Beasts, who had just absorbed the secret medicine, perked up again. The pain in their wounds seemed to vanish completely, leaving only awe and longing for the immense energy.
"Caw! (These are Immortal Herbs. They're even more effective than the secret medicine! Use your instincts to sense them and choose the ones that suit you best!)" Xiao Yu sent them the information telepathically.
Yu Yi and the others were instantly drawn to the Immortal Herbs.
They instinctively sensed the unique aura emanating from each plant.
Yu Yi's gaze was immediately captured by the [Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass], its entire body icy blue and its leaves as translucent as crystal!
Its extreme cold and powerful vitality made even Yu Yi's injured wings feel comfortable. Something within it seemed to resonate with the herb.
It unconsciously started to move forward.
"Caw! (Wait!)" Xiao Yu stopped it at once, gently pressing down on Yu Yi's outstretched head with his wing. "Caw! (Not this one. These two need a special environment to be absorbed. You can't use them.)"
Xiao Yu hurriedly put away the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot. He had almost forgotten that both Immortal Herbs were poisonous. He couldn't let them use either one on its own.
Soon, the five Soul Beasts had made their choices.
Yu Yi, who had suffered severe injuries, chose the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, which could quickly restore its condition.
Yu Er had the strongest physique among the five, so it chose the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, which could increase its strength.
Yu San favored speed, so it chose the Narcissus Jade Skin, which could improve its speed and agility.
Although Yu Si was an ice-attributed Soul Beast, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower seemed capable of bringing about a transformation in him, so he chose it.
As for Yu Wu, it had the keenest senses of the five, so it chose the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, which could improve its spiritual power and perception.
Seeing that they had all chosen, Xiao Yu put away the remaining Immortal Herbs and watched as they consumed theirs.
"Boom!" "Hum!" "Whoosh!" "Sizzle!" "Shing!"
Five pillars of energy, each different from the others yet all immensely powerful, erupted from their bodies and shot into the night sky above Giant Tree Peak, illuminating the entire platform as brightly as day!
Yu Yi and the others were immersed in an immense transformation, reborn from the inside out. They cried out, some low and others clear, their calls brimming with strength and the joy of new life.
Their auras were now several times stronger than before, beyond the level of ordinary thousand-year Soul Beasts and firmly in the realm of ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts.
"Excellent..." Xiao Yu murmured inwardly, turning his gaze to the two Ice-Fire Immortal Herbs radiating a terrifying aura in his System Space. "Once you've stabilized... it'll be my turn."
Just then, a familiar presence approached rapidly, filled with unmistakable urgency and worry—Qian Renxue had arrived.
After learning that Xiao Yu had disappeared, Qian Renxue hadn't gone too near the giant tree, to avoid causing Yu Yi and the others further harm, but she had stayed close by.
The reason she was coming now was clearly that she had sensed the powerful energy fluctuations on the platform, strong enough to startle even the heart of the forest!
Xiao Yu looked toward the forest path, his expression calm and profound.
When Qian Renxue and several guards arrived, they froze at the sight before them.
The auras coming from the five beams of light made even Qian Renxue feel a hint of dread. But soon her gaze fell on Xiao Yu, who stood guard nearby.
"Yu!" Seeing Xiao Yu, Qian Renxue was overjoyed. She had thought he'd already left.
"Mm."
Xiao Yu landed in front of Qian Renxue and gave her a slight nod to thank her for her help during this time. Without her, he would have worried that Xue Beng might send people after him again.
Nothing had gone wrong, but he still needed to show his gratitude.
"There's no need to thank me." Qian Renxue seemed to understand what he meant and shook her head. After a pause, she asked, "Where did you go? And what about them?"
Xiao Yu didn't answer, only shaking his head to show that he wouldn't explain. Instead, he raised a hand and pointed toward Heaven Dou City behind Qian Renxue.
At the gesture, Qian Renxue's pupils contracted slightly. She guessed what Xiao Yu was thinking.
"You're going to Heaven Dou City?!" Qian Renxue had been overjoyed at the thought of Xiao Yu going to Heaven Dou City, but if he went now, things would be different.
"Do you know who attacked you?" Qian Renxue asked hurriedly. Although she hoped Xiao Yu would go to Heaven Dou City, she absolutely didn't want him going there for revenge.
A Soul Beast killing people in Heaven Dou City would be a direct affront to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. Even with her backing him, Xiao Yu would be in serious trouble—and might even be in mortal danger.
How could she let him go?
Xiao Yu didn't answer. Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to go at a time like this. He knew his own strength: at most, he could contend with a Soul Saint. That would never be enough in Heaven Dou City. He would need to reach his next form first.
But after completing his annual missions, he wouldn't have long to wait before reaching the next stage. He was only telling Qian Renxue in advance.
With no desire to continue the conversation, Xiao Yu flew back to the treetop, while Qian Renxue left with a heavy heart.
Before you continue