The Bai He led a portion of its people on a two-day journey, and on the morning of the third day, they finally arrived and stood at the entrance to the forest.
The mornings in the Blue Silver Forest arrive later than outside. The dense canopy blocks out most of the daylight, with only a few scattered rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled patterns on the forest floor.
The Bai He stood at the entrance of the forest, glanced down at the Wind Yu Feng Token in its palm, and poured its Soul Power into it, Sub-Token a faint blue light to emanate from the surface of the token.
A moment later, a faint thought traveled back along the Yu Feng Token — the Blue Silver King had sensed their arrival and was waiting deep inside.
"Let's go," said the Bai He.
His people followed behind him, a line of twelve, each carrying a specially made wooden frame on their back, with thick layers of animal hides tied to the frame and iron rings around the edges to secure the ropes.
This was prepared in advance by the Bai He clan—a tool specifically for transporting the Blue Silver King's true form.
They walked along the forest path for about half an hour, and the further they went, the denser the vegetation became.
The soil beneath our feet gradually became soft and damp, the tree trunks on both sides were covered with moss, and the air was filled with the smell of decaying vegetation and soil.
Bai He didn't walk very fast, but every step was steady. Every now and then, he would use the Yu Feng Token Sub-Token sense his surroundings and make sure he wasn't veering off course.
"Chief, how much further?" a tribesman following behind asked in a low voice.
"Almost there," said the Bai He. "It's just ahead."
After walking for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the forest suddenly opened up. A clearing appeared ahead, the ground flat, as if it had been specially cleared by something.
In the very center of the open space, a giant Blue Silver Grass stood silently—taller than all the surrounding trees, its blades outstretched, covering the entire open space.
Sunlight filtering through its leaves is transformed into a soft blue-green, enveloping the entire area in a serene halo.
The Bai He stopped, put away the Yu Feng Token, raised its hand to signal its clansmen to stop, and continued walking forward.
The Bai He stopped about ten paces away from the giant grass.
The topmost blade of grass drooped slightly, as if looking down at him.
Then, a voice rang in the Bai He's mind, gentle and slow, like a stream flowing deep in the mountains.
"You've come... You're the person Feng Lingtian was talking about, right?"
Bai He nodded. "Yes, my name is Bai He, the patriarch of the Speed Clan. Feng Lingtian sent me to pick you up, Yu Feng Token in my hand is the best proof."
The Blue Silver King's consciousness remained silent for a moment, as if processing his words.
Then the roots of the giant grass began to slowly wriggle, and the surrounding ground rose and fell slightly, as if something was moving underground.
"He told me... that a Shadow Clan would arrange for people to protect my people... and would also find a herbivorous Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to guard this land."
"Yes," said the Bai He. " The Shadow Clan has arrived. After you leave, they will take over the patrols while searching for the ' Guardian.'"
The Blue Silver King's blades swayed slightly, as if nodding. Then its roots began to contract.
The root system, which originally covered the entire open space, was pulled out one by one from the ground.
The thick roots curled and gathered, gradually converging near the main stem, lifting the trunk little by little from the soil.
This process lasted a long time. The Bai He and its twelve clansmen were not in a hurry; they simply stood at a distance, watching the giant grass that covered the entire open space shrink at a visible rate.
The roots coiled and tightened, the blades of grass curled inward, and the originally enormous body gradually condensed into a "tree-shaped" form, approximately three zhang tall and as thick as two people could hug.
The roots curled up to form a base, and the grass leaves curled up to wrap around the main stem, like a miniature version of the Blue Silver King that had been compressed countless times.
Only after the Bai He had completely calmed down did it signal its clansmen to come forward.
The twelve clansmen skillfully surrounded the wooden frame, placing it on either side of the Blue Silver King's body and securing it with ropes.
Animal hide padding was placed where the roots and wooden frame met to prevent wear and tear.
Throughout the entire process, the Blue Silver King offered no resistance, quietly allowing them to wrap, secure, and lift him.
"Let's go," said the Bai He.
His twelve clansmen lifted the wooden frame together and steadily walked back along the way they had come.
Members of the Shadow Clan followed from the shadows. They did not reveal themselves, but the Bai He could occasionally sense figures flashing by deep within the shadows of the trees—that was the Shadow Clan confirming their safety.
By the time the group emerged from the Blue Silver Forest, the sun was already high in the sky. The Bai He glanced back at the woodland he had just left, then looked away and continued onward.
They didn't move too fast. Although the Blue Silver King had shrunk its physical form, its Soul Power was still being consumed.
Every so often, the Bai He would stop to allow the Blue Silver King to briefly settle down and recover.
Find a patch of damp soil, gently insert the roots into the ground, let them absorb moisture and earth energy for a short time, and then pull them out to continue their journey.
The journey traversed plains and bypassed towns, following secluded wilderness paths. The members of the Speed Clan possessed exceptional speed; even carrying heavy wooden frames, they moved much faster than ordinary Soul Master.
Members of the Shadow Clan scouted ahead, detouring when they encountered pedestrians or Soul Master, and did not attract any attention throughout the entire journey.
On the evening of the third day, the team arrived at Sunset Forest.
The location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is deep in the Sunset Forest, surrounded by poison arrays set up by Dugu Bo. Ordinary Soul Master who stray even half a step in will be corroded by the poisonous gas.
With prior guidance from Dugu Bo, Bai He followed a safe route through the poisonous array and arrived at the mist-shrouded valley.
The Blue Silver King's true form trembled slightly.
He had already sensed it—two completely opposite auras, extreme heat and extreme cold, were converging in front of him; that was the primordial power emanating from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
This valley is a natural sanctuary for him; the extreme forces of the two poles nourish his roots and awaken his life force that has been dormant for thousands of years.
The Bai He stopped at the edge of the valley and directed its people to lower the wooden frame and untie the ropes.
The roots of the Blue Silver King slowly unfolded, extending outwards from their contracted state, reaching towards the land that radiated both heat and cold.
The giant plant trembled slightly the moment its roots touched the ground.
Then he settled down.
The Bai He stood aside, watching the Blue Silver King's true form rapidly stretch its roots in the new soil, and the grass leaves unfurled again, more vibrant and lush than before.
The nutrients from this valley are continuously flowing into his body, and he won't have to wait long to recover to his peak condition.
"Settle down and take good care of yourself," the Bai He said. "This will be your home from now on."
Blue Silver King's blades of grass swayed slightly, as if in response.
The Bai He did not linger, leading its people out of the valley and back along the path they had come from. As they emerged from the Sunset Forest, the evening glow was ablaze on the horizon.
He glanced back towards the depths of the forest and saw a pale blue halo appearing and disappearing in the twilight—the first wisp of aura released by the Blue Silver King in his new home.
He looked away. "Let's go."
Twelve members of his tribe followed him on their Homeward Journey.