Chapter 20

The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Martial Soul appeared behind him, flicking its forked tongue and hissing at the sky. Then it gradually shrank and merged into Dugu Bo's body. Fine snake scales grew over his skin, venomous fangs emerged in his mouth, and his pupils became vertical slits. His whole being exuded danger and power.

Dugu Bo felt as though he and the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor had truly become one. And he had not even activated his Martial Soul Avatar yet!

The powerful, vigorous vitality of a Titled Douluo returned to his body.

"Brother, words can't express my gratitude for such a great kindness. From now on, whenever you need me, just say the word!" Dugu Bo withdrew his Martial Soul and bowed deeply to Lan Changsheng.

Beneath his left ribs, where the "venom sac" was located, an emerald-green snake's head appeared on Dugu Bo's skin, still giving off a faint glow.

"What are you doing, brother?" Lan Changsheng stepped forward and helped Dugu Bo straighten up. "Please, stand up. It was only a small effort. You lent me this precious place so I could revive my younger sister."

"Brother, this place is yours," Dugu Bo said to Lan Changsheng, enunciating every word.

"That wouldn't be right!" Lan Changsheng refused without a second thought. Dugu Bo had tended this place for decades. It would not be right for him to arrive and snatch it away.

In truth, Dugu Bo's proposal was very tempting to Lan Changsheng. As Blue Silver Imperial Emperor Grass, if anything on the continent could still help him, aside from a few exceedingly rare treasures of nature, it was probably this place.

"Brother, just accept it without worrying. I don't recognize any of these immortal herbs. All I do is use them for haphazard experiments. I've only been ruining them."

Seeing that Lan Changsheng still firmly refused, Dugu Bo tried a different approach. "How about we manage this place together? I don't understand plants, either. I just transplanted these immortal herbs here and left them alone. It's such a waste of a wonderful place. Brother, would you help me look after it?"

"It looks like I won't get away without agreeing to something today. All right, brother." Lan Changsheng smiled.

"Good, then it's settled. Use any of these immortal herbs you like! You don't need to tell me. Rest here for now. I'll go fetch my granddaughter!" Afraid Lan Changsheng would refuse again, Dugu Bo was already walking away as he spoke. By the last few sentences, he was so far away that he had to shout.

Lan Changsheng shook his head in amusement, then returned to Ah Yin and sat cross-legged beside her, leaning against a rock.

He looked up at the sky, only to find it completely obscured by the poisonous miasma, without a single ray of sunlight getting through.

He looked around again. Poisonous mist swirled, and shadowy shapes loomed-a truly dark and terrifying setting. After some thought, since he would have a share in this place from now on, he decided to make a few simple changes. He wondered whether he could complete the trial at the same time.

Lan Changsheng waved his hand, scattering a swath of golden light. Life Divine Power spread from his fingertips like ripples on water, silently merging into the entire valley.

First, the surrounding poisonous mist began to compress, slowly turning into transparent crystals that covered the entire valley like an overturned glass bowl, revealing the azure sky outside. Sunlight spilled down, refracting into rainbow hues. Although the poison could no longer spread through the air as before and could only poison through contact, its compression had made it even more potent. Once crystallized, it could also serve as a barrier.

Blades of Blue Silver Grass sprouted among the Jade Phosphorus Seven-Absolute Flowers, intertwining with them and living together in symbiosis. The original dark purple became a dazzling mingling of blue and purple. The poisonous gas they produced was absorbed by Blue Silver Grass seeds, carried into the sky, and incorporated into the crystalline dome.

Next came the plants Dugu Bo had left half dead with his meddling. As Lan Changsheng walked among them, beginning with a single blade of grass poking its head up again, withered yellow leaves turned green and broken roots and stems put out new shoots. As though washed from head to toe, the plants unfurled their leaves and raised their branches to bask in the sun.

The surfaces of the rocks, stained grayish brown by the poisonous gas, began to lose their discoloration under the Divine Power, as though the entire ground had been scrubbed clean, revealing its original bluish gray beneath.

Lan Changsheng also smoothed over the pits Dugu Bo had pounded out during his bouts of pain. A mutated variety of Blue Silver Grass crept over the rock surfaces, filling every pit. They would also change color with the light: silvery green during the day, pale gold at dusk, and emitting an extremely faint fluorescence at night, making the entire valley resemble a tranquil river of stars beneath the moonlight.

Next came the immortal herbs. Lan Changsheng identified them one by one: Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma... He sorted and transplanted them anew, arranging them in different areas of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well according to their individual habits: sun-loving plants went in the south, where sunlight lasted longest; shade-loving plants beneath the northern cliff; water-loving plants beside the water; and drought-tolerant plants on higher ground.

After planting the last immortal herb, Lan Changsheng stood, dusted off his hands, and said to Ah Yin, "Ah Yin, look. Isn't it just as good as the Star Dou Great Forest now?"

The tender shoot swayed gently twice, as though nodding.

Only when the sun sank in the west did Lan Changsheng finally restore the valley to something resembling a proper valley.

Tidy, open, quiet.

He returned to Ah Yin and sat cross-legged beside her, resting his back against a moss-covered rock. Looking at the revived plants and the sky that had brightened overhead once more, he let out a long breath.

"That's much easier on the eyes."

Then he closed his eyes and resumed channeling Life Divine Power into Ah Yin.

The entire valley grew quiet, with only the sound of water from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and the occasional gust of wind passing through. The Blue Silver Grass sat neatly in a circle, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze, as though guarding this little world for him.

Amid this peace and tranquility.

[Ding. Thank you, host, for fulfilling the requirements of the Second Trial: transform an area using your own power. Progress has reached eighty percent. Once this place's ecosystem stabilizes, the task will be considered complete.

Withered Wood Meets Spring.]

"What's the price? What will dissolve this time?" Lan Changsheng asked.

[Sorrow. You will no longer feel sadness.]

Withered Wood Meets Spring: the withered wood rejoiced at the spring breeze's arrival and grieved over its own powerlessness, while the spring breeze knew neither joy nor sorrow.

Far away at Nuoding City's Soul Master Academy, Tang San was stopped by Grandmaster on his way to class.

"Xiao San, come here a moment. I need to speak with you."

Tang San scratched his head, unsure what was going on with Grandmaster this time. Since his uncle had left, Grandmaster had often summoned him. Sometimes it was to discuss serious questions; other times, it was simply to ask when his uncle would come.

Once the two arrived at Yu Xiaogang's office, Yu Xiaogang asked, "When is your uncle coming?"

"Teacher, you just asked me that yesterday. I don't know, either."

"Then do you have any way to contact your uncle?" Yu Xiaogang was extremely anxious, pacing back and forth.

Yu Xiaogang's solemn expression made Tang San instinctively touch the Blue Silver ring on his hand.