Before them lay a small valley, beautiful beyond anything the mortal world should have held.
At the center of the valley was a little pool, its waters split in two: one half icy blue, the other fiery red. The two halves met, yet remained sharply distinct, as if a blade had cut straight between them.
The icy-blue half breathed out a bone-chilling cold; even standing on the bank made his bones ache. The fiery-red half roiled with waves of heat, distorting the very air.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Exotic flowers and strange herbs grew thick all around the pool.
Some were fiery red all over, with tiny flames dancing on their leaves. Some were crystal clear, as if carved from a single block of ice. Others shimmered with golden light, radiating warmth.
Xu Yanli swept his gaze across them and recognized several at once.
Infernal Delicate Apricot, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma...
They were all immortal-grade herbs mentioned in the original story.
And standing among the herbs were several figures.
No—not people.
They were Soul Beasts in the shape of humans, immortal herbs given human form.
At the front stood a woman, fiery red from head to toe, her hair like blazing flames and pride written across her features.
Behind her stood a young man, icy blue all over, with white hair and brows and a faint chill swirling around him.
Farther back were several more figures. Some hid among the flowers, others stood on tree branches, and one or two crouched by the pool. Every one of them had their gaze fixed firmly on Xu Yanli.
As for why those two were leading the group, it was probably because they were the strongest.
He could feel that