Three Days

At the summit of the giant tree, on the platform, the five pillars of energy that had shot up into the sky slowly faded. Yu Yi and the others' auras had stabilized at the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast level. The pain had been replaced by the boundless vitality and exhilarating ease of evolution.

Xiao Yu hovered at the edge of the platform, his sharp gaze sweeping over his companions, who were immersed in their transformations. He felt much more at ease.

But in the end, his gaze returned to the two Immortal Herbs in the System Space, which radiated intensely opposing energies—the Infernal Delicate Apricot, red as molten lava, and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, blue as mysterious ice.

"Ice and fire oppose each other, yet they also give rise to each other..." Xiao Yu recalled the danger Tang San had faced when absorbing these two Immortal Herbs in the original story, as well as the powerful effects of the ice-and-fire immunity golden body.

Though he had the system's protection, taking them directly still posed a great risk, and the effects might not fully suit his Wing-Type Elf King physique.

Just then, the new feature the system had unlocked flashed through his mind—the Synthesis System.

"System, synthesize the Infernal Delicate Apricot and the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass!" Xiao Yu issued the command with firm resolve.

[Immortal-grade herbs detected: Infernal Delicate Apricot, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass. Synthesis requirements met.]

[Confirm synthesis?]

"Confirm!" Xiao Yu answered without hesitation.

In the blink of an eye, the two Immortal Herbs in the System Space exploded, transforming into the purest energy and merging together.

Finally, amid a low hum that seemed to come from ancient times, the dazzling light suddenly faded!

A strange fruit hovered quietly in the center of the System Space.

It was about the size of a fist, its surface covered in crimson patterns like flowing magma and deep-blue veins like crystallized ice.

[Synthesis successful! Obtained: Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Fruit]

"Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Fruit..." Xiao Yu was stunned.

He carefully took the fruit out.

When it touched his hand, it felt neither scorching hot nor bitterly cold. Instead, it had a strange sensation, smooth and warm as jade, yet heavy as a mountain. The tremendous power surging within it made the surrounding air ripple.

Without another moment's hesitation, Xiao Yu opened his mouth and swallowed it whole!

The instant the fruit passed his throat, it transformed into a stream of energy that rushed through his meridians.

[Successfully absorbed Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Fruit! Experience +1000!]

[Level up! Current level: lv33 (70/330)]

Xiao Yu had just closed his eyes to feel the power when the system's voice caught him completely off guard.

Xiao Yu was speechless. "So all you did was synthesize a high-grade Cocoa Fruit? I thought it might have some other special effects."

[Congratulations, host! You have gained the physique: Immunity to All Poisons.]

[Congratulations, host! You have unlocked the attribute: Fire]

[Congratulations, host! You have unlocked the attribute: Ice]

[Congratulations, host! You have unlocked the attribute: Water]

"..." Xiao Yu suspected the system could have announced all that earlier. It had just been waiting to make him eat his words.

With these two additional attributes, Xiao Yu would have an easier time using skills of the corresponding elements.

The boost from matching attributes was no empty claim.

Looking at his level, Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. Come to think of it, he seemed to have some Cocoa Fruits in his backpack.

He still hadn't done today's daily task, either. Xiao Yu glanced at Yu Yi and the others, whose levels had now stabilized, and put his mind at ease before starting on the day's task.

"System, open the panel." A panel visible only to Xiao Yu appeared before him.

[Xiao Yu]

[Race: Holy Wing King (Prismatic)]

[Attributes: Wing, Wing, King (Locked), Fire, Ice, Water]

[Level: lv39 (40/390)]

[Skills: Wind Force, Vacuum Slash, Air Cutter, Tornado, Flash Strike, Wind Chain, Gale Stab, Whirlwind Storm, Storm Eye, Light Spear, Heavenly Light, Water Blade, Water Cannon, Flame Charge]

[Daily task: flap wings 1,000 times (Completed)]

[Weekly task: defeat three Hundred-Year Soul Beasts (Completed)]

[Monthly task: defeat one Thousand-Year Soul Beast (Completed)]

[Yearly task: defeat one Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast (Completed)]

[Backpack: Wing-Type Elf King Throne (usage requirements unmet) *1, Primary Leader Bloodline Secret Medicine *1, Leo's Memory *9]

Looking at the panel, Xiao Yu calculated the time. There were only three days left until next week. In three days, he would be able to evolve. He could use the next few days to help Yu Yi and the others get used to their current strength.

Prince Xue Xing's residence.

In his study, Prince Xue Xing sat in a broad rosewood chair, his knuckles unconsciously tapping the armrest with a dull "thud, thud."

The daylight streaming through the window fell across his shifting expression.

The incident in the Royal Soul Beast Forest last night had already come to Emperor Xue Ye's attention.

At dawn, Emperor Xue Ye had flown into a rage and ordered a thorough investigation into last night's invasion of the Royal Forest by an unidentified party, which had caused the Soul Beasts to go wild!

"Damn beast! Damn Xue Beng!" Xue Xing cursed inwardly.

That was the source of his headache.

Aoris was gravely injured and near death. He remained unconscious, reduced to a cripple and unable to speak.

The three Soul Kings had been wiped out so completely that not even a scrap of their remains was left.

In theory, it seemed the trail had gone cold.

But... had every trace really been erased?

What made him even more uneasy was the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe!

According to reports from the spies he had stationed around the edge of the forest, Xue Qinghe had barely left the Royal Forest's perimeter since the attack that night!

He had personally stationed himself with his guards on the main road into the forest, checking everyone day and night and keeping a tight watch.

Any attempt to approach or erase traces would be no different from walking straight into a trap and right into the Crown Prince's line of fire.

With the Crown Prince personally overseeing things, Xue Xing couldn't send anyone to erase any clues that might have been left behind. The longer this dragged on, the greater the risk that the Crown Prince or the Emperor's people would uncover something suspicious.

At the same time, he thought there might not be any clues at all. After all, Heaven Dou City had so many Soul Masters, and Aoris had been secretly trained by him. No investigation would lead back to him.

Xue Xing picked up the tea on his desk, long since gone cold, and gulped it down, trying to quell his agitation.

He went over the whole plan again and again. Aoris had been sent out secretly, with a trusted subordinate whose loyalty was beyond question. No written orders had been left behind before the operation.

Xue Beng knew what had happened, but he was such an idiot that as long as Xue Xing denied everything, he wouldn't be able to produce any solid evidence against his uncle.

Aoris was unconscious, leaving no one to testify.

And the three Soul Kings had vanished without a trace.

"Investigate? What can they possibly find?" A sly, triumphant look flashed across Xue Xing's eyes. "The trail leads straight to those dead men. At most, they'll find out they were my subordinates."

"But it's perfectly common for subordinates to act on their own to 'solve problems' for their master, isn't it? At worst, I'll be charged with failing to keep my subordinates in line."

He believed that as long as he denied being behind it to the bitter end, even if Emperor Xue Ye suspected him, he wouldn't act against his powerful younger brother without conclusive evidence. The Emperor would have to consider the royal family's reputation and the stability of the empire.

After all, severely punishing one's own younger brother over a Soul Beast would seem utterly absurd to the empire's nobles and court officials.