Elder Yue Guan, This Is...?

After the initial surprise, a great deal of doubt arose in my mind.

Did divine power transform the flower bud, granting it the ability to store space?

Are there any limitations to this ability?

Will it deplete Ivysaur's Soul Power or life force?

Is that space unstable?

These are all unknowns.

However, regardless, this is still a pleasantly surprising and good thing!

This means that Ivysaur has a portable storage space!

Although it's small now, who knows if it might expand in the future as its strength grows or its divine power is further explored?

This undoubtedly greatly increases convenience and some tactical possibilities.

"Good Ivysaur!"

Lin Xia suppressed the turmoil and doubts in his heart, and a genuine smile appeared on his face. He reached out and patted Ivysaur's shoulder, which was covered with tough scales, heavily.

"This is a pleasant surprise! But how are you feeling? Is the extra space inside the flower bud uncomfortable? Does maintaining it require extra energy?"

"Dana?"

Ivysaur carefully sensed the inside of the flower bud. The presence of that space was very clear, but it didn't seem to bring it any extra burden.

It shook its head, indicating that it felt no discomfort, maintaining that space as naturally as breathing, seemingly without any additional strain.

Lin Xia breathed a sigh of relief, but his cautious nature prompted him to immediately give a word of caution:

"It's good that you're not feeling unwell! However, Ivysaur, regarding the divine power injected by Rakshasa God, and this newly appeared ability..."

Lin Xia's expression turned serious.

"We must be cautious! Divine power is no small matter; we've only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of the changes it brings. That divine power enhanced your Poison-type abilities and has now granted you spatial storage..."

"But its essence is chaos and devouring! We don't know if it will have potential negative consequences, or if there are deeper, Frisk forces at play."

Lin Xia stared Ivysaur.

"So, Ivysaur, what you need to do next is to explore, sense, and experiment as much as possible during your training and recovery process!"

"Just like when you accidentally discovered the spatial storage, carefully feel the flow of that divine power within your body. How it interacts and functions with your Life Energy and your Poison-type essence. Try to understand it, control it, instead of passively being changed by it."

Lin Xia paused, then emphasized:

"But remember! Always proceed within your limits! Take it one step at a time! If you feel any pain, anything wrong, or any incomprehensible signs of danger, stop immediately! Tell me right away! Understand?"

"Da na!"

Ivysaur responded earnestly, understanding its master's concerns and the potential risks hidden behind this power.

It nodded vigorously, indicating that it would explore carefully and would not act rashly.

"Good!"

Seeing Ivysaur's serious expression, Lin Xia felt relieved. Their greatest strength lay in their ability to communicate and understand each other.

"Our most important task now is to recover! Let's seize the time and continue our cultivation! Teacher Bibi Dong may summon us at any time to discuss the matter of the Holy Son, and we must be in the best possible condition to face her."

"Da na!"

Ivysaur let out a low growl, then lowered its body again in the golden sunset by the window, its tenacious roots once more digging deep into the earth.

The soft green light of the Grassy Terrain spread out, and the golden light of Synthesis gathered again around its huge flower bud.

Lin Xia lay back on the Limber bed, closed her eyes, and felt the life-giving energy from the Grassy Terrain, as well as the Soul Power slowly but steadily recovering within her body.

The side hall of the palace returned to tranquility, with only the silent golden glow of the setting sun flowing through it.

Both the human and the beast were seizing this rare moment of peace to recover their depleted Soul Power and spirit.

But Lin Xia's mind was not completely at peace.

It seems I've been drawn into a conflict between the gods!

Two days passed quietly inside the room.

The light outside the window shifted from bright to dim, and then from dim to bright again.

Lin Xia and Ivysaur were immersed in Deep Meditation and digesting their combat experience.

The pure Soul Power gained from the fierce battle in Death Canyon, under the continuous nourishment of Ivysaur's "Ingrain" and "Grassy Terrain," flowed like a gentle stream, constantly washing over and expanding Lin Xia's meridians.

During this continuous accumulation and sedimentation, an invisible soft sound seemed to emanate from within Lin Xia's body.

The barrier that had been preventing his Soul Power from breaking through was shattered by the overwhelming force, and an even stronger and more solid wave of Soul Power emanated from his body.

Lin Xia slowly opened her eyes, a flash of brilliance in them disappearing in an instant before turning into a calm and profound gaze.

"Level 25."

Lin Xia felt the surge of Soul Power within her body and murmured.

This breakthrough was a natural progression, built on an incredibly solid foundation, entirely thanks to the massive amount of pure Soul Power in Death Canyon and the potential unleashed by the life-or-death struggle.

Lin Xia turned her head to look at the Ivysaur by the window. The aura of its companion had become more concentrated, and the dark purple halo around the edge of the flower bud seemed to flow more smoothly.

"Da na!"

Ivysaur sensed Lin Xia's gaze, opened its scarlet eyes, and let out a deep, powerful croak, filled with the joy of a breakthrough.

Lin Xia stood up, stretched her limbs, and made a slight crackling sound.

Lin Xia planned to first meet with Grand Pontiff Qian Daoliu to fulfill their previous agreement and begin studying the Martial Soul Origin and the Angel Holy Light.

Just as Lin Xia was straightening his robes, intending to summon Ivysaur back into his body, a familiar surge of Soul Power, carrying a faint chrysanthemum fragrance, appeared at the doorway of the room.

Almost simultaneously, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in."

Lin Xia responded, a slight thought flickering in her mind: why is Yue Guan here at this time?

The door opened silently, but no Gui Mei figure appeared; only Yue Guan walked in.

He was still wearing a magnificent chrysanthemum-patterned robe, but the expression on his face was unusually complex. He had lost some of his usual allure and playfulness, and gained a sense of heaviness and indescribable emotion.

Yue Guan's gaze lingered on Lin Xia for a moment, and after confirming that he was in good condition, she sighed softly.

Without any further pleasantries, Yue Guan took out a heavy, square object wrapped in special animal hide from his wide sleeves.

Carefully unwrapping the package, a thick stack of neatly bound papers was revealed inside.

Manuscript.

It's very thick, I'd estimate it has over a hundred pages.

The surface was covered with dense writing, sometimes neat and sometimes unrestrained, interspersed with many hand-drawn plant patterns, mineral structure diagrams, and complex Soul Power flow diagrams of various shapes.

A slightly astringent smell, a mixture of stale ink and some indescribable, almost toxic odor, wafted through the air.

Lin Xia's gaze fell on the manuscript, her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes.

The scent of this thing... is somewhat familiar, yet somewhat unsettling.

Lin Xia looked at Yue Guan.

"Elder Yue Guan, what is this...?"