A fine flower, arrivals in quick succession
It handed the token back to Gu Mingyuan, shaking the flower plate. "Hmm... considering the token and the Cultivation Technique, I believe you are his descendant. However, the rules left behind cannot be broken; you still need to pass the test."
"How do we take the test?" Gu Mingyuan put away the Tang Sect token and looked at the large pink flower in front of him.
"Let's eat one of the herbs we chose first." Youyou shook the flowerpot.
"I won't tell you its name or what it's for beforehand. You'll only pass the first hurdle if you eat it and survive."
Gu Mingyuan nodded. "Give it to me."
Youyou paused for a moment, her petals slightly parted. "Don't you want to think about it? What if the medicine is too strong and causes you to burst, or the Extreme Poison attacks your heart? There will be no one to save you then."
"You said you're going to take the exam, so you should at least show me your materials first," Gu Mingyuan said calmly.
Youyou his decisiveness, Youyou didn't say anything more.
A soft purple light shone from the center of the flower's stamen, sweeping over Gu Mingyuan, pausing briefly on his brow and eyes.
A moment later, the purple light receded, and a Youyou stretched out, coiling around a strange, entirely emerald-green plant from the side of the herb garden.
Three snow-white leaves grew in the center of the plant, and in the very center of each leaf, three crystal-clear dewdrops, like rhinestones, were held.
Gu Mingyuan recognized its origin at a glance— the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
He had already integrated the complete Tang Sect inheritance into his mind; the "Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record" clearly described the medicinal effects and methods of taking this immortal herb.
He had originally wanted to see what kind of unorthodox poison this ancient Immortal Herb would use to harass him, but now, looking at the three drops of dew offered to him, he couldn't help but chuckle.
These are truly beautiful flowers.
Gu Mingyuan reached out and held the three snow-white leaves, tilted his head slightly, and put the three drops of dew into his Entrance. Then he sat down cross-legged and circulated his Soul Power to guide the medicinal effects.
The dew entered my stomach and instantly transformed into two extremely cool streams of air, flowing along my meridians straight to my eyes and between my eyebrows.
A slight soreness first appeared in his eye sockets, followed by ripples in his Sea of Spirit. Under the influence of the medicine, the [All-Seeing Heavenly Eye] between his eyebrows became more and more aware of the subtle energy in the surrounding air, and he could even see the trembling of the veins on a leaf a hundred meters away.
After an incense stick's time, Gu Mingyuan had fully digested the effects of the medicine and reopened his eyes.
Youyou was holding the large flowerpot close to his nose when she saw him wake up. She shrank back in disbelief. "You just swallowed it like that? Aren't you afraid I gave you some kind of poisonous herb?"
Gu Mingyuan stood up and dusted off his clothes. "You gave me this to eat, so why are you asking me about it now?"
Youyou choked a little and shook the flowerpot:
"Alright, you've got guts, this one's passed."
"Next is the second test, to see your true strength. When you came down from up there, you carried a strong aura of coldness. Since you're skilled with ice, let A Jiao practice with you."
Having said that, it turned its flowerpot towards the direction of the Scorching Yang Spring, and raised its voice at the top of its lungs:
"A Jiao, someone's here! It's your turn to make a move!"
On the other side of Sunset Forest, outside the Poison Miasma.
Huo Yuhao stopped behind a dead tree, picked up a twig about the thickness of his wrist, and tentatively threw it into the colorful mist in front of him.
The moment the withered branch touched the surface of the thick fog, it made a soft "sizzling" sound. In just two breaths, the entire piece of wood quickly turned black and rotted, turning into a pool of black liquid that seeped into the soil.
Seeing this scene, Huo Yuhao felt a tightness in his chest and swallowed hard.
"Brother Sky Dream, with this poison, can we really break in?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm spread its immense Spiritual Power outwards, avoiding the corrosive effects of the Poison Miasma, carefully identifying the weak points in the flow of the mist:
"Don't panic, these poisons are inanimate. Listen to my command, first go around to the right for three zhang (approximately 10 meters), release your Ultimate Ice close to the ground to freeze the poisonous insects and miasma under your feet, don't rush to dive deeper."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath as instructed, his Soul Ring lighting up as he carefully activated the Ultimate Ice within his body.
A layer of white frost spread along the sole of his shoe, gradually freezing the surrounding moisture and mist into ice crystals. He held his breath and slowly moved forward along the gap that Tian Meng had pointed out.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, Yu Xiaogang, seeing him walking so timidly, frowned and couldn't help but offer some guidance:
"Yuhao, try going down that mountain pass to the left. I came here with Flender years ago, so I still remember the terrain. The left side is higher, so the poisonous fog should be thinner."
Huo Yuhao paused, about to turn left as instructed, when Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately shouted to stop him:
"Don't listen to him! There's a dead valley on the left, filled with years of stagnant, foul water! Old man, do you want to kill Yuhao, to make him turn into a puddle of pus inside?!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression froze. Following Huo Yuhao's gaze, he saw the churning, dark purple mist on the left. Feeling embarrassed, he coughed twice to salvage his composure.
"I only told him to observe the terrain to the left first, not to rush in directly. Why are you in such a hurry? Besides, ten thousand years have passed; the forest landscape has changed, and the poisonous gas has shifted. Isn't that normal?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm rolled her eyes, too lazy to pay attention to this old guy who was so obsessed with saving face. She only urged Huo Yuhao to calm down and continue to grind along the weak spot on the right side.
Shrek Academy, Inner Court.
Tang San sat at the table, pen in hand, preparing to complete the list of remaining auxiliary medicinal materials that needed to be purchased. Halfway through writing, he suddenly stopped, leaving a long Mo Hen on the paper.
For the past few days, he had felt inexplicably uneasy, and today, that anxiety, which seemed to originate from nowhere, not only did not subside, but became even heavier.
Tang San put down his pen, his brows furrowed.
The location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is hidden, and it is impossible for ordinary people to pass through the outer seven-colored poison array.
Unless... it's Huo Yuhao, that lucky escapee with immense fortune, who has already sneaked into Sunset Forest and begun to obtain the opportunities that should have been his?
Once this thought crossed his mind, Tang San could no longer sit still.
He immediately got up, pushed open the door, and went straight to the Sea God Pavilion, where he found Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe.
"No need to wait any longer, let's set off today and head to Sunset Forest immediately," Tang San said urgently.
Yan Shaozhe was stunned for a moment:
"Master, the last batch of life-sustaining sealing medicine containers from the trading company hasn't arrived yet. The delivery is scheduled for tomorrow at noon..."
"Take the containers already prepared in the warehouse first. Once the rest arrive, send them over by fast horse." Tang San interrupted him, his eyes cold.
"Delay could lead to unforeseen changes; we can't wait any longer."
Xuan Zi, who was standing up, was straightening his clothes. The movement was a little too big, and he accidentally aggravated the wound on his left arm that had not yet healed.
His brow twitched, and he gasped, but seeing Tang San's unpleasant expression, he ultimately untied the wine gourd from his waist and tossed it onto the table.
"Yan Shaozhe, listen to our ancestor, pack your things, and leave now."