Cavern Encounter, Good Deeds Repaid

When they first entered the passage, it was still very narrow, barely wide enough for people to pass through.

After walking a hundred or so steps, the space ahead suddenly opened up and became much larger.

The flames on Fire Fish burned even more fiercely under the urging of Soul Power, driving away the darkness and illuminating the space.

This was a natural underground cave. The sight within was exceptionally wondrous, and the bizarrely shaped stalactites left Yu Yan and Xiao Wu wide-eyed.

"It's so beautiful here!"

Coming back to her senses, Xiao Wu hurried over to a stalactite, reached out to touch it, and ran her hand across it twice.

While Xiao Wu examined the stalactite, Yu Yan searched the underground cave for the reason Human-Faced Cicadas had been born here.

After finding nothing through a visual inspection, Yu Yan had an idea. He closed his eyes and used the Meditation Method to sense the Soul Power around him.

In his cultivation state, the distribution of Soul Power throughout the underground cave became perfectly clear.

The Soul Power in the cave was much denser than outside. This was likely the prerequisite for the birth of Human-Faced Cicadas.

Soul Beasts would never be born in places without Soul Power.

Extending his spiritual power into the distance, Yu Yan sensed intense fluctuations of Soul Power near a hanging stalactite somewhere in the underground cave.

"Found it. It's over there."

"Xiao Wu, stop looking. Come with me."

Yu Yan opened his eyes and looked toward the depths of the underground cave.

Then he grabbed Xiao Wu, who was still studying the stalactite, and led her toward the source of the intense Soul Power fluctuations.

After continuing onward, Yu Yan saw a stalactite at their destination that resembled white jade. It emitted a soft glow like moonlight.

"Is this Stone Jade Milk?"

Just as Yu Yan was wondering what kind of treasure this was, Xiao Wu looked at the jade-like stalactite and uncertainly named it.

"Xiao Wu, you recognize this?"

Hearing her say its name, Yu Yan turned to look at Xiao Wu and waited for her answer.

"Mm. I read about it in that travel journal you found for me. While traveling across the continent, that senior once saw this naturally formed spiritual treasure in a small sect within the Star Luo Empire. Because it was so beautiful, he even made a special drawing of it."

"This treasure is called Stone Jade Milk. It looks like jade and emits a faint glow. It hangs upside down in strangely shaped underground caves, and the liquid that drips from it can cleanse the marrow and forge the bones."

As Xiao Wu spoke while recalling what she had read, she explained how she knew about Stone Jade Milk and described its effects.

To be honest, Yu Yan had not actually finished the travel journal he had recommended to Xiao Wu. After reading a third of it and realizing it would not help him much, he had moved on to books related to Soul Beasts.

His time had been limited then, and Yu Yan had needed to devote his precious time to more important matters.

Thankfully, Xiao Wu had finished the book. Otherwise, even with this treasure right before him, he would not have known how to use it.

"Stone Jade Milk can cleanse the marrow and forge the bones. Does that mean that strange cicada that suddenly became a Soul Beast grew stronger by drinking the liquid dripped by the Stone Jade Milk?"

Yu Yan did not see the liquid Xiao Wu had mentioned beneath the Stone Jade Milk. Combined with the Human-Faced Cicada's desperate attempt to return to this underground cave even as it died, it was not difficult to conclude that the liquid here had been consumed by the Human-Faced Cicada.

Not even a single drop remained. That Human-Faced Cicada had truly squandered a treasure!

"Yu Yan, don't be disappointed yet. The truly valuable part of Stone Jade Milk isn't the liquid it drips, but the Stone Jade Milk itself."

Seeing Yu Yan crouching beneath the Stone Jade Milk with some disappointment, staring at the empty ground, Xiao Wu crooked her lips into a smile and said something that instantly captured his attention.

"The truly valuable part is the Stone Jade Milk itself? What do you mean?"

Having not finished that travel journal, Yu Yan turned to Xiao Wu for help, hoping she could clear up his doubts.

Xiao Wu coughed lightly twice. She slowly walked up to the Stone Jade Milk and raised her hand to point at its lower end.

"Break off the portion four finger-widths above the tip of the Stone Jade Milk, grind it into powder, mix it with water, and drink it. Then refine it with Soul Power. It will also cleanse the marrow and forge the bones, and the effect will be even stronger than the liquid that drips from the Stone Jade Milk."

"The travel journal said it could probably raise Innate Soul Power by half a level."

"It's that effective?" After his surprise, Yu Yan gave Xiao Wu a thumbs-up and sincerely praised her. "This time, it's all thanks to you, Xiao Wu."

Yu Yan's Innate Soul Power was at level seven and a half. If it rose by another half level, he would have Innate Soul Power at level eight and truly enter the ranks of geniuses.

A task no one had been willing to accept at the Soul Master Guild, and a spontaneous act of kindness, had unexpectedly brought him such a precious treasure. Good deeds really were repaid!

Xiao Wu possessed Innate Full Soul Power, so this Stone Jade Milk was not particularly useful to her. Compared to the Stone Jade Milk itself, Yu Yan's heartfelt praise made Xiao Wu even happier.

Being able to help Yu Yan was wonderful!

Following Xiao Wu's description, Yu Yan gently broke off the section of Stone Jade Milk four finger-widths above its tip.

"Once Stone Jade Milk is removed from the column, it has to be consumed as soon as possible. Otherwise, its effects will be greatly reduced. This place is fairly hidden, so should we consume it right here?"

After Yu Yan removed the four finger-widths of Stone Jade Milk, Xiao Wu suggested taking it here.

Finding that reasonable, Yu Yan used the frost power emitted by Ice Fish to condense a block of ice out of thin air, then used Fire Fish's flames to melt it and create drinkable water.

After grinding the removed Stone Jade Milk into powder and stirring it into the water, Yu Yan eagerly drank the Stone Jade Milk water and sat down cross-legged.

Not long after Yu Yan drank the Stone Jade Milk water, Xiao Wu also drank her share.

It could not raise her Soul Power, but the marrow-cleansing and bone-forging effect would still help Xiao Wu to some extent.

After entering his cultivation state, Yu Yan saw inwardly that a gentle and peculiar energy had begun to spread out. It traveled through his entire body alongside the Meditation Method, bringing new changes to him.

As he digested that energy, Yu Yan clearly understood what Xiao Wu had meant by cleansing the marrow and forging the bones.

The process was wondrous, difficult to describe with words.

When Yu Yan opened his eyes, he caught a faint stink coming from his body. Raising his arm, he found black liquid around the pores of his skin. These were impurities forced out from within his body.

Xiao Wu, who had awakened long ago, looked at Yu Yan. "How do you feel? Did you gain anything?"

"I did. I feel refreshed, as if I've come back to life. I just tried cultivating my Soul Power, and the speed really is a little faster than before."

Yu Yan spoke of his genuine feelings and the benefits he had gained.

"That's good." Xiao Wu wanted to approach Yu Yan, but after taking two steps, she returned to where she had been. "Yu Yan, you stink right now. Hurry up and find somewhere to wash."

"Mm... then look away for a while. I'll use Ice and Fire Twin Fish to take a bath."

After Xiao Wu left, Yu Yan summoned the Ice and Fire Twin Fish. Ice Fish condensed a block of ice, Fire Fish released flames, and Yu Yan stood beneath the massive ice block, beginning a thoroughly satisfying fantasy bath.