Ch. 21Jade Bamboo
Chapter Summary: “Jade Bamboo”
Key Plot Points and Events
- Tang Yin asks Lin Yue what kind of Spirit Ring would suit her. He recommends a powerful life-type bamboo Soul Beast, believing one over six hundred years old could complement her Blue Silver Emperor.
- Lin Yue recalls that all known bamboo Soul Beasts supposedly have a maximum age of only ten years. Even Yu Xiaogang insists that no bamboo-type Soul Beasts older than a century exist.
- While examining bamboo in the forest, Lin Yue discovers that a Jade Bamboo produces a unique system reading: it is described as an alchemy resource rather than a normal plant or recognized Soul Beast.
- Yu Xiaogang dismisses the Jade Bamboo as ordinary and challenges Lin Yue’s suspicions by chopping one down. After Su Yan helps sever it, nothing immediately happens, apparently proving Yu Xiaogang correct.
- Lin Yue notices that the Jade Bamboo stalks form a roughly circular grove. He asks Tang Yin to count them and determines that twenty-three stalks occupy an area about thirty meters across.
- Lin Yue explains that bamboo stalks may not be independent organisms. The visible stalks are merely extensions or “organs,” while the true body is the interconnected root system beneath the earth.
- He digs into the center of the grove, awakening the hidden entity. The ground erupts with mounds, immense pressure, and killing intent.
- Su Yan reacts quickly, lifting Yu Xiaogang and Tang Yin into the air just as countless sharp emerald bamboo blades burst from the ground and impale the area where they had been standing.
Character Developments
- Lin Yue demonstrates growing confidence in his unconventional theories and his ability to perceive truths beyond established Soul Master knowledge. He remains calm despite Yu Xiaogang’s mockery and investigates the Jade Bamboo scientifically.
- Tang Yin shows strong trust and affection toward Lin Yue, immediately following his instructions and using her enhanced vision to survey the grove. Her hostility toward the name “Tang San” also reveals her continued rejection of her painful past.
- Yu Xiaogang becomes increasingly defensive and insecure when Lin Yue challenges his theories. His attempt to prove himself by chopping down the bamboo only exposes his limited understanding.
- Su Yan acts as the responsible protector. Though initially helping Yu Xiaogang with the bamboo, he quickly recognizes the danger and rescues the group when the grove attacks.
Significant Themes
- Challenging conventional knowledge: The chapter questions the reliability of accepted theories, particularly Yu Xiaogang’s belief that bamboo cannot become a powerful Soul Beast.
- Hidden nature beneath appearances: The ordinary-looking Jade Bamboo conceals a massive, unified life form beneath the soil.
- Scientific observation and deduction: Lin Yue solves the mystery by studying the bamboo’s arrangement and biological structure rather than relying solely on established classifications.
- Trust and emotional support: Tang Yin’s reliance on Lin Yue contrasts with Yu Xiaogang’s arrogance and strengthens the bond between the two protagonists.
- Rejection of the past: Tang Yin’s insistence on being called Tang Yin rather than Tang San symbolizes her determination to sever herself from former suffering and identity.
Character Interactions
- Tang Yin openly admires Lin Yue and is comforted when he takes her hand after Yu Xiaogang repeatedly calls her “Xiao San.”
- Yu Xiaogang and Lin Yue engage in a tense intellectual rivalry, with Yu Xiaogang attempting to humiliate Lin Yue while Lin Yue quietly undermines his theories.
- Lin Yue gives Tang Yin a direct task, and she obeys immediately, demonstrating their mutual trust.
- Su Yan assists Yu Xiaogang in cutting the bamboo but ultimately protects both him and Tang Yin when the hidden Jade Bamboo entity launches its attack.