Cannot Return Empty-Handed

Lin Feng shielded Tang Ya behind him, and the two slowly approached the Aromatic Silk Beauty.

The closer they drew, the more intense the elegant floral fragrance became. Lin Feng knew that the Aromatic Silk Beauty was the nemesis of all poisons and possessed no toxicity itself, so he did not keep his guard up.

The fragrance was refreshing to the heart and spleen; Tang Ya felt as if her nerves, taut for days, were being gently smoothed out. An ethereal, comfortable sensation flowed through her entire body, and even the dark power that had been faintly restless within her seemed temporarily suppressed by this delicate scent.

"Hurry up, you two," the Aromatic Silk Beauty urged. "Within the range of my fragrance, the baleful energy inherent to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well cannot harm you. There is no need to be so cautious."

"Understood, we are coming over now," Lin Feng replied, quickening his pace.

The two soon arrived before this strange immortal herb.

Seen up close, the crystal-like petals appeared even more translucent, with pale pink light flowing softly across them; it was so beautiful it did not seem like a thing of this world.

"Is this... an immortal herb? It's so beautiful..." Tang Ya could not help but whisper in awe, her eyes filled with shock. She knew even less about the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well than Lin Feng did.

When the Tang Sect was wiped out by the Iron Blood Sect, Tang Ya was still young. Before that, the Tang Sect had already been in decline for a century, struggling to survive and lacking the strength to guard this treasure land deep within the Sunset Forest, let alone send experts to seek medicine.

"The little girl has a sweet tongue," the Aromatic Silk Beauty's voice carried a smile, though her tone soon turned more solemn.

"However, we must first discuss the rules. According to the agreement made with the ancestors of the Tang Sect, every hundred years, you may use the Tang Sect Ice and Fire Token to allow one person to enter this place and obtain no more than two medicinal herbs. In return, we require the Tang Sect to guarantee that you will assist in guarding this valley from being disturbed or destroyed by outsiders."

"But your Tang Sect has not contacted us for a full thousand years, and we have seen no sign of human protection from the Sunset Forest. Not to mention, you two have entered together this time, which in itself violates the agreement. Therefore, strictly speaking, we can only treat you as outsiders now. According to the rules here, we cannot provide you with medicinal herbs for free."

Lin Feng was stunned upon hearing this; it was just as he had guessed, and his entry into the Tang Sect had not been entirely in vain.

Following the style of that old dog Tang San, he would indeed have marked the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well as the private property of the Tang Sect. It was just a pity that the later generations of the Tang Sect were so useless that they could not even hold onto this ready-made treasure land, let alone come here to seek medicine.

"Actually, our main purpose in coming here this time is not to seek medicinal herbs, but to find a soul beast," Lin Feng explained.

"Not seeking medicine... looking for a soul beast?" Youyou's voice suddenly became vigilant, and her petals curled up slightly. "Do you intend to hunt the soul beasts here? I warn you, do not harbor any crooked thoughts; none of the soul beasts here are things you can covet!"

"Sister Youyou, you jest," Lin Feng quickly waved his hands. "We are but a Soul King and a Soul Ancestor; how would we dare to have such thoughts? It is like this: a senior once told us that the final traces of the Blue Silver Emperor might be in this place. I wonder if Sister Youyou has ever heard of or seen her?"

Lin Feng knew that Tang San's mother, Ah Yin, had once recuperated here, but he was unsure if she had left behind any inheritance.

"So it was for the Blue Silver Emperor..." Youyou's voice softened, seemingly lost in memory. "The Blue Silver Emperor did indeed appear here, but that was ten thousand years ago. That Blue Silver Emperor was none other than Ah Yin, the mother of your Tang Sect ancestor, Tang San. She recuperated here for a period of time before ascending to the God Realm with Tang San; no inheritance was left behind. As for whether a new Blue Silver Emperor has been born in later generations, I do not know. Perhaps there is one, but it is certainly not here."

"There isn't one..." The light in Tang Ya's eyes dimmed, and she whispered, her last hope seemingly dashed.

"Xiao Ya, don't be discouraged; we will find her eventually," Lin Feng held her hand and comforted her in a low voice.

"I can see the dark power within this little girl, but I am afraid I am powerless to help," Youyou's voice sounded again, looking at Tang Ya. "Let me think; perhaps I can give you a clue."

"A clue?" Lin Feng's spirits lifted.

"Hmm. Although I have never left this place, based on my experience, the Blue Silver Grass is inherently extremely weak. For it to cultivate to a hundred-thousand-year level, the environment required for its growth must be extremely harsh; treasure lands of heaven and earth like the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well are essential. Since she is not here, then..." She paused and said slowly, "You can only look in other treasure lands. For example, the core circle of the Star Dou Great Forest. As far as I know, Ah Yin originated from there."

"That makes sense. That is the place where the soul beasts of the continent originated, and the heaven and earth energy there is the most ancient and abundant. If a Blue Silver Emperor still exists, that is the most likely place!" Lin Feng's eyes lit up, and he slapped his forehead.

"Many thanks for your guidance, Senior!" Tang Ya said excitedly.

"We didn't find the Blue Silver Emperor, but we can't leave empty-handed. Sister Youyou, what do you suggest we do?" Lin Feng looked at the Aromatic Silk Beauty and asked directly.

"Deal with it as it comes," the Aromatic Silk Beauty replied crisply, even with a hint of watching the fun. "I will give you three choices. Either go and attempt the trials left behind by your Tang Sect ancestor, Tang San; or, bring out something of equal value to exchange; or otherwise... go and challenge those fellows with hundred-thousand-year cultivation. If you win, you may choose your herbs as you please."

"I choose the third one." Lin Feng did not hesitate, his gaze fixed on the side of the red lake, his tone resolute. "I want to challenge the hundred-thousand-year Infernal Delicate Apricot."

He had long sensed that this Infernal Delicate Apricot had reached the hundred-thousand-year level and was a pure and powerful fire-attribute plant soul beast. Relying on the Earth-tier Flame Mantra, he was confident he had the strength to fight.

"Xiao Feng, wouldn't that be too risky?" Tang Ya pulled on him, full of worry.

"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing," Lin Feng patted the back of her hand, his gaze calm.

"What courage! Kid, you picked a tough nut to crack right from the start." Youyou's voice revealed a hint of excitement, and those huge pale pink petals flapped rapidly as if transmitting a signal. "A-Jiao, A-Jiao, wake up, someone is looking for a fight with you."

"Which blind fool is disturbing my sleep again?! Are you looking for death?!"

A clear, fiery female voice, obviously carrying the grumpiness of being woken up, exploded suddenly. It was completely different from Youyou's gentle beauty, full of sharpness and impatience.

Almost at the same time, a cluster of blazing red light suddenly lit up on the shore of the red lake!

Lin Feng and Tang Ya were immediately drawn to the light.

It was a strange plant that looked as if it had been carved from a ruby, nearly a zhang tall, shaped somewhat like a giant red cabbage, with a flower crown at the top only slightly smaller than Youyou's. Just by lighting up, the temperature by the lake rose sharply, and a heatwave rushed toward them.

She was none other than the hundred-thousand-year Infernal Delicate Apricot!