An unknown amount of time had passed.
Lin Kong opened his eyes to a sea of blue. Having absorbed the vitality and Soul Power that had leaked from the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor right leg Soul Bone, Blue Silver Grass had grown all over the secret chamber. The plant with golden patterns on its leaves was especially conspicuous.
Ah Yin was in much better condition. Her leaves were no longer withered and yellow, having regained a luminous blue color, like sapphires.
"What should I do with you?" Lin Kong muttered to himself, finding this a little troublesome.
"Leave you alone?"
If he left her alone, the damaged secret chamber could no longer protect Ah Yin. Whether other animals discovered her or other people found her, nothing good would come of it.
Even if she was lucky and nothing happened, what would Tang Hao do when he returned?
Most likely, he would find somewhere even more enclosed, with even less sunlight. For safety's sake, there might not even be any sunlight at all. Then Ah Yin would die, dead as a doornail.
Lin Kong had already confirmed that Ah Yin had only been able to sprout and grow this large mainly by drawing vitality from the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor right leg Soul Bone. That tiny bit of sunlight from before was nowhere near enough.
"Take you with me?"
How would he take her?
Such a large plant, and such an unusual Blue Silver Grass at that-just look at the texture of her leaves and the golden patterns on them. Anyone could tell she was anything but ordinary. How could Lin Kong protect her by himself? It would only bring trouble upon him and put Ah Yin in an even worse situation.
So...
"Pfft-"
Lin Kong shook his head with a laugh and mocked himself. "Why am I worrying about a blade of grass?"
He withdrew his gaze and his attention, summoning his Dark Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Leaves grew beneath his feet, lifting his body toward the opening. In another second, he could leave the secret chamber.
"W-wait!"
Lin Kong's expression changed, and his movements immediately went awry. He fell from above and landed on the dark blue silver grass, which cushioned his fall, leaving him largely unharmed.
He sprang up from the ground, staring at Ah Yin with wide eyes, his voice hurried and astonished. "You can talk?"
"Y-yes."
Her voice was soft and sweet, sounding very weak and unsure of herself, like a child's, yet with a touch of a mature woman's charm. It gently teased his eardrums, easily stirring the imagination.
All he could say was that she truly lived up to being a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor famed for her vitality. First, she had sacrificed herself and become a grass seed, then sprouted and come back to life. Now, though she was at most a Ten-Year Soul Beast, she already possessed full consciousness and could speak.
Amazing!
"H-how are you going to deal with me?"
"Heh!" Lin Kong gave a dry laugh. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Kong. I have no way to take you with me. I was going to leave right away, but now, I have two words for you..."
"What words?"
"Good bye!"
Ignoring Ah Yin, Lin Kong continued growing his dark blue silver grass, letting it lift him toward the opening.
"W-wait!" Ah Yin grew anxious. One leaf reached out as though to grab the corner of his clothes, wanting to keep him here to spend a little more time with her.
Without even looking, Lin Kong merely flicked a hand behind him, brushing aside the leaf just before it touched his clothes. He remained completely unaffected and only wanted to leave.
The problem was still the same: he lacked the means!
He didn't even have an ordinary Storage Soul Tool, let alone one that could hold living things. He couldn't possibly carry a flowerpot everywhere he went, with a wondrous ten-year Blue Silver Grass Soul Beast inside.
Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
Lin Kong wasn't stupid!
"W-wait, I... I'll make a deal with you."
Lin Kong remained unmoved.
"A deal. Take me with you, and I'll give you something in return."
Lin Kong remained unmoved, his figure disappearing beyond the opening.
"Hey, you... don't go! Lin Kong, don't go!"
There was no one at the opening, nothing at all, only the sunlight Ah Yin had once yearned for so desperately. The warm sunlight fell on her, yet brought a bone-deep chill instead.
"Waaah..."
Ah Yin sobbed, her leaves curling into a ball as her choked cries echoed endlessly through the secret chamber.
"Ah! Waaah..."
"Why? Why?"
"Lin Kong, can't you come back?"
Was all of this the price I had to pay for leaving the Blue Silver Forest and my people without permission?
Tang Hao deceived me, and I ended up dying. For my child's sake, I had no choice but to sacrifice myself to that murderer!
After regaining consciousness, I found myself in such a terrible environment. There was only a tiny bit of sunlight at noon every day. Being too close to the waterfall made it so damp that it was as unbearable as being trapped underwater. In this empty, cold place, I was all alone, unable even to tell the time.
Endure!
Keep enduring!
After who knew how long of this torment, I finally found hope today. I met him-oh, his name was Lin Kong.
And then?
Lin Kong forcibly tore my roots apart. It hurt so much!
Then he absorbed my Soul Bone. How hateful.
Finally, he actually wanted to dust off his backside and leave, abandoning me here. That was too much!
I couldn't keep pretending, so I spoke, trying to communicate with Lin Kong to see if he could take me away.
At first, when I realized I'd frightened him, I was a tiny bit pleased. It was like getting back at him for tearing my roots apart and absorbing my Soul Bone. Hmph, take a little scare, you bad guy.
I thought I could persuade Lin Kong to take me away, but this man was actually so cold and heartless. He didn't even talk to me before choosing to abandon me and leave.
Ah! He made me so angry!
If I were at my peak, Lin Kong, you-you! I'd have tied you up and taught you a harsh lesson long ago!
But...
I'm begging you!
I've been begging you all along!
I've begged you so weakly, so humbly, so desperately!
You left!
You abandoned me!
"Waaah..."
Ah Yin cried even harder.
It would be one thing if you wouldn't take me, but why, why...
Why wouldn't you even talk to me?
Even a few more words would have been enough!
Come back and talk to me!
"Lin Kong, where are you?"
"Lin Kong, come back!"
"Lin Kong..."
Just then, someone suddenly leaned halfway through the opening. Naturally, it was Lin Kong, who curled his lips into a smile. "Since you've called me so many times, I'm back!"
Thump!
Lin Kong jumped back into the secret chamber and landed on the ground. He had only just approached Ah Yin when he saw leaves reaching toward him, winding around his neck, arms, and body as though giving him a great big hug, accompanied by sobs of joy:
"Waaah, Lin Kong!"
"Y-you came back... waaah!"
"You scared me, you bad guy..."
"You made me cry!"
After Ah Yin's emotions had settled somewhat, she finally stopped crying.
Lin Kong looked left and right, his tone a little puzzled. "Where's your face? It's pretty strange talking without looking at a face or into someone's eyes."
The leaves wove together, forming a grass figure a foot tall with only an upper body. Its features were roughly defined, with golden patterns adorning its eyes, making it look quite lively.
Lin Kong gave her a thumbs-up. "Impressive, impressive."
She truly lived up to being a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor.
"Let's talk! How can I get you out of here safely?"