Han Yu and Ye Lingling came to their senses, awakening from the scene in that memory.
Ye Lingling's face was deathly pale. She had never seen a Soul Beast as terrifying as the golden Thunder Dragon in that vision. It had withstood Myriad Thunders head-on, and even the black-haired young man had been far more powerful than she could have imagined.
Han Yu's mouth hung slightly open, disbelief written across his face, his eyes full of curiosity.
If he wasn't mistaken, the person they had just seen was Xiao Huohuo.
This Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine had crossed over just like him.
No wonder it looked different from other Thunder-Roaring Hell Vines and bore golden patterns on its body. It turned out to have high-level bloodline from the Great Thousand World.
Rumble—
The Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine's true form writhed wildly amid the lightning. Bumps resembling joints began to emerge from its plantlike trunk, while countless vines gathered together, gradually forming the outlines of limbs. Terrifying waves of Soul Power spread outward.
Han Yu fixed his eyes on the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine and said gravely, "It's about to awaken."
Feeling the strength of those Soul Power fluctuations, another bold guess took shape in his mind.
The Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine was actually imitating the Nine Profound Golden Thunder. Faced with the choice between increasing its age and undergoing Soul Beast Transformation, it had instinctively chosen to become human.
Perhaps because it had spent so long with a damaged soul, it was obsessed with restoring its consciousness. Even at the cost of losing all its strength, it wanted to create a living being with self-awareness, rather than remain a mindless, lifeless thing.
"Are we going to die?" Ye Lingling lowered her eyes, leaned gently against Han Yu's shoulder, and spoke in a dejected voice.
She tilted her head slightly to look at Han Yu's profile. The corners of her mouth lifted just a little as she burrowed closer against his shoulder.
Over the past year, she had broken down countless times and wept beneath the night sky.
Her family had split apart, she had been separated from her loved ones, and the burden of restoring her clan had fallen on her shoulders.
Now she had ended up in this desolate space, with no hope of ever leaving.
If Han Yu hadn't been there to accompany and encourage her, she might not have lasted even a month. She couldn't understand how he could be so steadfast. In all the time they had spent together, she had never once seen him look defeated. He kept searching for an exit, every moment of every day.
Han Yu seemed incapable of tiring. Even with wounds covering his body, he pressed onward with all his strength, heading toward hope.
Someone like Han Yu was perhaps the kind of rare genius her grandmother was always talking about—the sort of leader who could guide a clan to prosperity.
Han Yu smiled faintly, his voice brimming with confidence. "How could we? I think we're about to get out."
Rumble—
Countless bolts of lightning came crashing down, and the darkness in the sky gradually faded.
The enormous vines of the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine, now beginning to take the shape of limbs, shattered piece by piece, only to grow back at astonishing speed amid the lightning. The cycle repeated again and again.
With each reconstruction, its form came a little closer to that of a human.
But it was always just a little short. The thunderclouds dispersed, the lightning energy throughout the space dropped by several levels, and the last trace of lightning faded from its body.
It let out a shrill cry, as if railing against the injustice of heaven.
"It sounds like it's crying." Ye Lingling gently closed her eyes, pressed a hand to her chest, and felt her eyelids tremble.
Han Yu raised his head, sensing something. A flicker of delight appeared in his eyes. "The spatial seal has been lifted."
He looked at the weakened Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine and shook his head softly, his heart full of emotion.
He was certain that the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine had succeeded in its transformation. But what good was a completed body without a complete soul?
Humans were the foremost of all living things, with the most fully developed intelligence.
Without a soul of sufficient quality, successful transformation was absolutely impossible.
Han Yu gave it one last, lingering look, saying farewell to the old friend he had known for a year. A golden opening appeared behind him, one he had not seen in a long time, and he turned to leave.
Whoosh—
A soft, clear sound came to Han Yu's ears.
The Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine's young, almost dim-witted consciousness regarded Han Yu and Ye Lingling as friends who had kept it company for many years. While gathering energy in preparation for its transformation, it had loved watching what they were doing.
They were only the second humans it had ever seen. Because of the scenes in its memories, it felt an instinctive closeness to humans. Every day, it watched until Han Yu and Ye Lingling had fallen safely asleep before it could rest easy. It had even fallen behind in its cultivation because of this.
It had failed, and now its friends were leaving too.
It didn't understand sadness. It only knew to call out to their departing backs.
Han Yu clenched his fist, then relaxed it, letting out a quiet sigh.
He turned his head. A trace of pity flashed in his eyes as several bolts of Evil-Warding Divine Thunder shot from his fingertips straight toward the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine.
That newborn, innocent voice—how was it any different from a child left alone at home without family to keep them company?
Han Yu's single-minded pursuit of the Dao and his diligent cultivation had much to do with how he had grown up in this life and his previous one. It made him strong, but it was also cruel. If he could help it, he didn't want another child in the world to be left behind.
Ye Lingling lifted her head to look up at Han Yu's profile. She gazed at him for a long moment, the corners of her mouth curving into a faint smile.
As the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder descended,
A flash of golden light passed over the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine. It let out a joyful cry, and the vines above its head swayed wildly.
In the next moment, an unexpected change occurred.
White light shone from the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine. A streak of rainbow light shot out, pulling Han Yu and Ye Lingling over from afar.
Han Yu frowned, looking at the gentle sphere of light around him. It was so soft that he could break through it at any moment, but he made no move to resist.
Inside the Thunder Pool,
It was nearly dry now, with only a few arcs of lightning drifting about. The terrifying scene from before was gone.
The Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine drew back all its vines, leaving out only one with the fewest thorns. It extended it toward Han Yu and Ye Lingling, gently brushed it against their cheeks, then waved it wildly in the air.
Satisfied, it drew back its last vine. White light flared around its body, and its enormous form gradually shrank. Its abundant Soul Power compressed to the limit, then flowed toward Han Yu.
Han Yu thoughtfully raised his right hand. His Martial Soul, the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, appeared, golden arcs of lightning rippling along the blades.
As soon as the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder appeared, the few remaining arcs of lightning in the Thunder Pool scattered instantly and vanished.
The Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine let out another joyful cry. It shrank faster, carefully guiding its abundant Soul Power through Han Yu's body. It even thoughtfully helped send the power to every part of him, sparing Han Yu most of the effort.
Its spirit body trembled violently as it struggled out of its main body. Using two vines to drag itself along the ground, it crawled toward the long sword wreathed in golden lightning. Deep within its soul, instinctive longing urged it again and again to merge with the sword.
Han Yu looked down at the little thing by his feet with interest, then gently scooped it up.
The spirit body of the Thunder-Roaring Hell Vine wriggled. Its two little vines brushed back and forth against Han Yu's nose, while its whole body pressed against his chin.