His square cap was no longer crooked. The little wooden staff planted against the ground with far more steadiness than before.
Even his left leg, soaked in Serpent Venom, still limped, but the limp was noticeably less pronounced.
"It's done." His voice was no longer hoarse and dry, but somewhat clearer, though still faint. "Seventy percent of the earth vein nodes have been repaired. The remaining thirty percent will need time to recover slowly—the earth veins were corroded for more than half a year, so they can't fully recover in a day. But the circulation has been reestablished. As long as there's no further interference, they should return to normal within three to five months."
"And after three to five months?" Chu Yang asked.
"After three to five months..." The Earth God raised his head and looked toward Zaohua Valley below the mountain, bathed in the dusk. "The Evil Qi in the soil will gradually be washed away by the spiritual energy of the earth veins. The fields will become fertile again, and the river water will turn clear and sweet again. This year's harvest can't be saved, but next year... next year, Zaohua Valley will be as good as it once was."
Chu Yang picked up the Wind Spirit Jade Token from the stone beside him, crouched down, and handed it to the Earth God.
"Here."
The Earth God accepted the jade token and turned it over in his hands twice.
"This is..."
"A Wind Spirit Jade Token. It seals a strand of Wind Spirit Qi inside. Crush it, and it'll unleash a powerful gust of wind. That Serpent Demon escaped, and I'm not sure whether it'll return. If it does, crush this token—the wind can blow it several miles away and buy you some time."
The Earth God's