Nature's Child

Crimson flames swept in, blotting out the sky. It was the ultimate fire of origin that Inferno Apricot had drawn forth from the blazing Yang Spring. The air warped into layer upon layer of ripples under the extreme heat, and rocks blackened the instant they touched the firelight.

Tang Wulin planted his feet firmly on the ground without retreating an inch. Pale golden light slowly rose from beneath his skin, and fine Golden Dragon scale patterns emerged along his arms and neck. The Golden Dragon King's bloodline circulated at full force, forming a barrier of draconic might around him.

The flames slammed viciously against the golden barrier, making it shudder violently as piercing hissing sounds filled the air. This ultimate fire was no ordinary flame. It carried the fire poison of an immortal herb's origin, piercing the dragon-scale barrier and continuously corroding its way inward. A searing pain spread across his skin, as though countless red-hot needles were stabbing into his flesh, drilling through his meridians, while scorching heat rampaged through the soul power flowing within him.

Tang Wulin clenched his teeth tightly. The sweat that seeped from his temples evaporated the instant it appeared, turning into wisps of white vapor. His chest rose and fell slightly as he suppressed the groan threatening to escape his throat. His hands hung at his sides, his knuckles white from clenching them. The Golden Dragon King's body was incredibly tough and naturally unafraid of ordinary heat, but Inferno Apricot's flames were immortal fire born of heaven and earth. Under the unrelenting roasting, his flesh still throbbed with unbearable pain.

Wave after wave of crimson fire washed over him. The edges of his clothes quickly scorched and carbonized, and scraps of cloth drifted away on the wind. His Bloodline Soul Ring trembled faintly within him as its immense power of blood and vitality continuously repaired his fire-scorched body, battling the scorching force that had invaded him. A low dragon's roar echoed from deep within his chest as his golden eyes stared at the red-clad woman amid the flames.

The agony piled up in layers, the burning sensation sinking into his bones. Even his soul seemed restless from the scorching waves of heat. Yet Tang Wulin still refused to yield a single step. He merely silently mobilized his bloodline power to hold the line, allowing the endless flames to temper him.

"I mean no harm. I only seek to pick the Lovesick Heartbroken Red to save someone. Please, Senior, allow me to try."

His voice was steady. Even within flames that could burn the heavens, it carried not the slightest hint of fear. Golden dragonlight continued to bloom as he struggled against the ravages of the ultimate fire, quietly enduring Inferno Apricot's harsh trial.

The crimson flames filling the sky continued to surge without end, and waves of blistering heat repeatedly washed over Tang Wulin's golden dragon scales.

Inferno Apricot floated in midair, her fiery red gown fluttering gently in the surging hot wind. The anger that had filled her almond-shaped eyes gradually faded, losing much of its former ferocity.

She had thought that this young man would be unable to withstand the burning of the ultimate immortal fire for more than a moment and would retreat in disgrace. Even a Title Douluo would suffer terribly if exposed to the Icefire Yin Yang Well's origin fire for too long. This boy's cultivation was only a little over level fifty; by all reason, he should not have lasted long.

Yet reality exceeded her expectations.

She watched the sweat constantly evaporating from his forehead, his cheeks flushed by the heat, and his back held rigidly straight despite the pain. Even though the force of the flames had faintly damaged his meridians, he neither dodged nor fled. He simply relied on his bloodline to endure in silence. His eyes were open and forthright, without cunning or resentment.

She could clearly sense the vast, heavy power of blood and vitality within Tang Wulin, as well as the ancient, domineering aura of the Golden Dragon King hidden deep inside him. Though he was suffering pain that seeped into his bones, he remained polite throughout, all so he could help Huo Yuhao pick the Lovesick Heartbroken Red and fulfill the love between him and Wang Dong'er.

Inferno Apricot lowered her long lashes. The flames churning around her unknowingly subsided by more than half, and their formerly violent fire energy became much gentler.

She had lived in the Icefire Yin Yang Well for hundreds of thousands of years and had seen too many soul masters go mad over immortal herbs. Some were greedy and cunning, while others harbored evil intentions. But young people like Tang Wulin, willing to endure the torment of flames for a friend, were truly rare.

A trace of emotion stirred in her heart.

"That's quite rare," she murmured softly, her voice shedding its earlier cold authority. "You know the fire poison could injure you as well, yet you are willing to go this far for someone else."

She raised her eyes to look at Tang Wulin again, and there was now a hint of appreciation in them.

Then she waved a hand. The raging flames slowly withdrew and no longer deliberately tormented Tang Wulin. "Fine. I have seen your character. Whether Huo Yuhao can obtain the Lovesick Heartbroken Red will ultimately depend on himself. You may accompany him, but whether he succeeds can only rely on the sincerity of his own heart."

The violent flames were still tearing at his battered body when, just as Inferno Apricot was about to deliver the final blow, a gleaming green point of light suddenly flared at Tang Wulin's forehead without warning.

It was the Life Seed bestowed upon him by the Golden Ancient Tree. It had long lain dormant deep within the bloodline at his brow, silent in ordinary times. The continual burning of the ultimate immortal fire, the sustained damage to his body, and the strain that had pushed him close to his limit unexpectedly awakened this long-slumbering seed.

In an instant, a gentle yet boundless green radiance erupted. An immense, limitless tide of life spread outward from Tang Wulin at its center, sweeping across the entire fire region of the Icefire Yin Yang Well.

This power came from the Golden Ancient Tree, the origin life force of the sovereign of all trees. It was the natural supreme source of every plant spirit, standing above all vegetation and plant monsters in the world.

The crimson firewaves surging around Inferno Apricot abruptly froze in midair.

She herself was an immortal herb transformed into human form, born from the Icefire Yin Yang Well, and her origin belonged to a plant spirit. When the life-origin aura unique to the Golden Ancient Tree rushed over her, an irresistible awe from the depths of her bloodline instantly struck her soul.

Her body trembled violently. The flames dancing across the sky rapidly dimmed, and all her previous anger, pride, and testing vanished in an instant. An inborn urge to submit grew wildly from the deepest layer of her soul, utterly beyond the resistance of her own will.

The scorching lava beneath her feet still steamed with heat, but Inferno Apricot could no longer maintain her proud stance in the air. Her body slowly descended toward the ground against her control. Her haughty head lowered unconsciously, and the flames in her eyes lost their sharpness. She no longer dared to stare for long at the emerald radiance blooming from Tang Wulin's brow.

A monstrous wave rose in her heart.

The Golden Ancient Tree... the ancestor revered by all plants, existing only in ancient legends! How could this boy contain the life mark of the ancient tree's origin within him?

A faint green glow wrapped around her body, gentle yet carrying an order that could not be defied. It did not deliberately release any pressure to force her down, yet it was the hierarchy of superiority and inferiority carved into the very origin of all plant life.

Inferno Apricot's delicate hands slowly unclenched. She bent forward, and her voice lost its former sharpness, becoming full of obedience from the depths of her soul:

"This junior, Inferno Apricot, greets Your Excellency! I failed to recognize Your Excellency's identity and rashly acted against you. I have greatly offended you and beg for forgiveness."

Tang Wulin froze slightly and instinctively raised a hand to touch his burning forehead. The gleaming green light slowly drew back, and the Life Seed sank into his brow once more, returning to silence. His limbs still ached with the prickling pain left by the flames, but the attitude of the woman before him had already undergone a heaven-shaking change.

The blazing flames gradually calmed, and the heatwaves slowly dispersed. Tang Wulin looked at the bowing Inferno Apricot with complete bewilderment. He gently rubbed his brow. At this moment, the Life Seed from the Golden Ancient Tree had already withdrawn its radiance, as though the overwhelming vitality from moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.

"Senior, you needn't be so respectful toward me." Tang Wulin frowned, utterly confused. "I'm only an ordinary soul master. Just now, I merely relied on my bloodline to withstand your flames. I truly cannot bear the title of Your Excellency."

Inferno Apricot slowly straightened, but the reverence in her gaze remained. She looked toward Tang Wulin's forehead with an incomparably solemn expression.

"Young man, you do not understand what the thing in your brow represents." Her voice was no longer as sharp as before. "What erupted just now was the Nature Seed bestowed upon you by the Golden Ancient Tree. The Golden Ancient Tree is the ancestor of all vegetation in heaven and earth, governing countless plant spirits across the world. When the ancient tree planted the Life Seed within you, it meant that nature had chosen you. From this day onward, you are Nature's Child, acknowledged by heaven and earth."

Tang Wulin's pupils contracted slightly, his face filled with astonishment. "Nature's Child?"

"That's right." Inferno Apricot nodded gently, her fiery red hair spilling over her shoulders. "The origin of us plant monsters all traces back to the Golden Ancient Tree. Whoever is chosen by the ancient tree is, in name, the master of all plant spirits. When I sensed the ancient tree's origin aura just now, the submission that arose from the depths of my soul was not something I deliberately chose. It is instinct engraved in my bloodline, something I cannot resist."

She looked around the Icefire Yin Yang Well. The countless immortal herbs and spirit herbs there gently swayed their branches and leaves, all faintly bowing in Tang Wulin's direction. This was the heartfelt salute of the plants.

"Throughout all previous generations, no one has ever received the ancient tree's blessing. Countless Title Douluos and fierce beasts could only dream of earning the ancient tree's favor. Since you have obtained the Nature Seed, all vegetation in the world will instinctively draw close to you in the future. It also explains why Qiluo Tulip was willing to become your soul spirit."

Tang Wulin stood rooted to the spot, enormous waves churning within his heart. He had always believed that this seed merely nourished his body and helped him recover from injuries. He never imagined it carried such profound significance.

"I'm merely a passerby who crossed over from another world. I truly dare not bear such a weighty identity." Tang Wulin sighed.

Inferno Apricot shook her head. "The choice has already been made. No one can change it. Whether you are willing or not, your identity as Nature's Child has been confirmed. For your sake, I will not make things difficult for Huo Yuhao today. But whether he can obtain the Lovesick Heartbroken Red will ultimately depend on himself."