Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass

Lin Yaoyang put away the pills, then turned his gaze back to the Aromatic Silk Beauty.

"I see they all regard you as their leader. Are you the boss? You should know their medicinal properties, right?" He raised his chin. "Tell me, which ones are suitable for us?"

The Aromatic Silk Beauty wanted to cry but had no tears.

What kind of situation was this? It had been robbed of its pills, yet it still had to help identify Immortal Herbs. Wasn't this the very definition of being sold off and then helping count the money?

And once it spoke up, how many plants would it offend?

It looked at the Snow Empress, who was still wiping her sword.

Then it looked at the Ice Empress. The Ice Empress was staring at it with those bright yellow eyes, and the meaning in her gaze was crystal clear.

Just try saying no.

The Aromatic Silk Beauty resigned itself to its fate.

"Wait."

It spoke, then spat out a book from deep within its flower core.

The book was snow-white all over. No one knew what material it was made from. It felt soft, somewhat like silk, yet far tougher, with a warm, smooth texture. There were no words or signature on the cover.

"That was left behind by that great lord." There was a trace of resentment in the Aromatic Silk Beauty's voice. "It was originally meant for someone fated to receive it."

Lin Yaoyang took the book and opened it.

He flipped to the Medicine Chapter at the end and began reading at a glance.

The valley fell silent. Only the wind passing through the gorge and the faint sound of the waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well churning could be heard.

A moment later, Lin Yaoyang closed the book and looked up.

"Sister Xue'er, Sister Bing'er," he said, pointing at the ice-blue plant growing at the heart of the Extreme Cold Ice Spring, "that Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass is suitable for you two. Which of you should take it?"

Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.

An ultimate ice-attribute Immortal Herb containing incomparably pure ice-attribute energy. To an ice-attribute Soul Master or soul beast, it was nothing less than a priceless treasure.

The Ice Empress and Snow Empress looked at the Immortal Herb at the same time.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass seemed to sense something. Its leaves curled slightly inward, while a defensive chill shimmered across its crystalline leaf surfaces.

But it did not run. Rooted here as it was, it could not run.

The Ice Empress spoke first.

"Xue'er, you are the strongest among us and have the greatest talent. You should take it."

She said it naturally, without hesitation or reluctance. Her bright yellow eyes held nothing but pure happiness for the other woman.

The Snow Empress glanced at her and did not refuse.

"Fine, then I won't stand on ceremony." She paused. "Later, I'll give you a few more strands of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow."

The Ice Empress nodded and smiled.

"Then it's settled."

The Snow Empress walked toward the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, with Lin Yaoyang and the Ice Empress following behind her.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's leaves trembled violently. A pale blue glow appeared over its crystalline surfaces as it gathered its defenses.

A hundred-thousand-year plant-type soul beast might not be able to move, but that did not mean it was completely incapable of resistance.

Yet the Snow Empress did not even draw her sword.

She approached the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, crouched down, and extended her hand.

Her slender white fingers landed on an ice-blue leaf and tapped it lightly.

A wave of ultimate cold surged from her fingertips, instantly enveloping the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass itself possessed ultimate ice, but before the Snow Empress, such cold was not worth mentioning.

Its defensive aura was like paper before the Snow Empress's chill, shattering in an instant.

The Snow Empress's Soul Power seeped into every inch of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's leaves, forcing its essence out from its roots and stem.

A ball of pale blue light slowly rose from the flower core of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, condensing into an ice-blue bead the size of a pigeon egg.

That was the essence of the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, containing tens of thousands of years of cultivation.

The Snow Empress opened her mouth and swallowed the bead.

A cool aura spread from within her body, and the surrounding temperature dropped by several more degrees.

A faint ice-blue sheen appeared on her skin, and her sky-blue eyes became even deeper.

Then she drew the Ice Sword.

One slash.

Clean and decisive.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was split down the middle. Its body slowly fell to either side, revealing a palm-sized bone at its roots that emitted a pale blue glow.

A hundred-thousand-year Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass Soul Bone.

The Snow Empress put away the Soul Bone, then collected the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's body as well. Though split in half, the plant still radiated dense ice-attribute energy, and the ice crystals on its leaves glittered beneath the sunlight.

She stored away the body too.

The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was completely dead.

A blood-red Soul Ring slowly rose from its remains, radiating a heart-palpitating glow beneath the sun.

A Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring.

Unfortunately, no one could absorb it.

Lin Yaoyang looked at the blood-red Soul Ring.

A Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring... it was something even Titled Douluo dreamed of obtaining.

No rush.

He withdrew his gaze.

The Snow Empress stood beside the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's remains for a while, seemingly sensing the changes within her body. Then she raised her head and looked toward the valley entrance.

"Yao Yang, Bing'er, I'm going outside the valley to absorb it," she said. "The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's energy will take time to refine. I can use this opportunity to repair my origin, and absorb the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow while attempting to break through to seven hundred thousand years."

Lin Yaoyang nodded.

"Sister Xue'er, be careful!"

The Snow Empress glanced at Lin Yaoyang, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment.

"You too. Be careful."

"Sister Bing'er is here," Lin Yaoyang said with a smile.

The Snow Empress looked at the Ice Empress again. The Ice Empress waved to her.

The Snow Empress said nothing more. Her figure flashed, transforming into a streak of white light that flew toward the valley entrance.

The valley fell quiet.

The Ice Empress stood beside Lin Yaoyang, her bright yellow eyes fixed on the direction where the Snow Empress had vanished. She was silent for a while.

"Xue'er will definitely break through this time," she said, her voice carrying unwavering trust.

"Mm." Lin Yaoyang nodded.

He turned and walked toward the other side of the valley. The Ice Empress followed behind him.

Near the fiery-red half of the lake, they found a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

That Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was somewhat smaller than the Aromatic Silk Beauty. It was pale gold all over, with layers upon layers of petals, like a blooming golden chrysanthemum.

It emitted a gentle treasure-like radiance. It was not the most eye-catching among the colorful Immortal Herbs around it, yet it possessed an indescribable air of nobility.

Seventy to eighty thousand years of cultivation.

It was not a hundred thousand years old, so it had no Soul Ring or Soul Bone, but its medicinal effect was already astonishing enough.

Lin Yaoyang crouched down and followed the method recorded in the book, first plucking the flower core of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

The flower core was pale gold, fine as silk threads, and melted the moment it entered his mouth. A gentle energy flowed down his throat and into his body like a warm stream, slowly passing through his limbs and bones.

Then came the petals.

He plucked them one by one and placed them in his mouth. Every petal contained dense life energy and Soul Power, melting within his body and seeping into his meridians, bones, and flesh.

After finishing them, he sat cross-legged and circulated his Soul Power to absorb them.

The Ice Empress stood beside him, her bright yellow eyes vigilantly sweeping the surroundings.

Though it was unlikely anyone would come here, she was Lin Yaoyang's protector. She could not overlook the slightest disturbance.

More than two hours later, Lin Yaoyang opened his eyes.

A golden glint flashed through his eyes before sinking deep into his pupils.

He rose to his feet and stretched his body. His bones gave off a faint series of crackling sounds.

"How is it?" the Ice Empress asked.

"Very good." Lin Yaoyang clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him. "The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's effect is even better than I imagined. It strengthens the limbs and unblocks the eight meridians. I feel like every meridian in my body has been cleared, and my Soul Power circulates faster than before."

He paused, then added, "My Soul Power has improved greatly as well. My level forty-five cultivation was already nearly complete, and with the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's medicinal effect..."

He closed his eyes and examined his Soul Power internally.

"I'm at level forty-nine now."

The Ice Empress's eyes lit up.

"Level forty-nine? You're only one level away from fifty!"

"Mm." Lin Yaoyang nodded. "Just one final push."

He turned his head, his gaze falling on the Infernal Delicate Apricot.

The fiery-red plant was huddled in a corner, its petals trembling slightly like a chicken that knew it was about to be slaughtered.

Lin Yaoyang walked over and stopped in front of it.

The Infernal Delicate Apricot raised its head. The ball of golden light in its flower core flickered uncertainly.

It looked at Lin Yaoyang, its gaze filled with fear, resentment, and a trace of helpless resignation.

"Are you ready?" Lin Yaoyang asked.

The Infernal Delicate Apricot remained silent for a long time.

"Can I say no?" Its voice was so quiet it was nearly inaudible.

"No."

"Then why did you ask?"