The Flower Blooms, Love Is Sealed, Lovesickness Breaks the Heart (II)
As expected, the spiritual energy of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well greatly benefited the fusion of the Chaos Pearl.
The two walked slowly along the valley path. The deeper they went, the stronger the aura of ice and fire became, and the rarer the herbs along the way became.
After walking about half a mile deeper into the valley, the terrain suddenly subsided.
The two stood on the edge of the crescent-shaped cliff, looking down, and couldn't help but hold their breath.
At the bottom of the valley are two springs.
On the left, the spring gurgled and churned with crimson water, steaming hot, and the rock walls were scorched red. Tiny fire-attribute spiritual flowers floated on the surface of the water, their light flickering.
The spring on the right, however, was covered with pale blue ice crystals, exuding a chilling aura. A thin layer of ice covered the surface of the water, and clusters of icy blue spiritual herbs grew in the crevices of the ice.
The two springs, one hot and one cold, converge in the center of the spring. The collision of the hot and cold waters transforms into milky white mist, which slowly rises and condenses into fine wisps of clouds above the valley.
Sunlight pierced through the fog, refracting into a rainbow of colors that fell upon the rock face, like a shimmering brocade spread out before it.
"So beautiful..." Xiao Wu clung to the rocks at the edge of the cliff, her eyes wide as she looked down, her cheeks flushed pink from the steam. "I've never seen such a beautiful place before."
Lin Chen was also slightly lost in thought.
In my previous life, I had only seen records of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in books. Seeing it with my own eyes, I realized the awe-inspiring power of nature. Ice and fire, yin and yang, endlessly regenerating, no wonder it can nurture so many rare and precious materials.
"This is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well." He withdrew his gaze, his tone somewhat solemn. "It's a spring where the underground fire vein and ice vein converge, where the purest ice and fire spiritual energy in the world gathers. Ordinary Soul Master find it difficult to approach; the spiritual energy is too intense and can easily damage their meridians."
As he spoke, he slightly activated his Soul Power, and the Chaos Shield solidified even more.
The closer you get to the spring, the more violent the aura of ice and fire becomes.
The scorching heat and icy cold clashed alternately against the light barrier, like countless fine needles pricking it. Even with the inclusiveness of his Chaos Soul Power, he had to continuously output energy to stabilize it.
Xiao Wu moved closer to him, her small hand clutching his sleeve, clearly feeling a little breathless from the intense aura emanating from him.
Lin Chen glanced down at her and sighed softly in his heart.
He came here with two main purposes.
First, use the spiritual energy of ice and fire to temper the Chaos Pearl, increasing its fusion level. Then, use spring water and Immortal Herb to forge your body, cultivating a constitution that is impervious to water and fire, and immune to all poisons.
Second, it's all for Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu, being Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form, could still have her aura concealed by the Chaos Pearl. However, even Titled Douluo- level expert could still detect her. Especially as the Spirit Hall's investigations became increasingly stringent, exposure would be catastrophic.
The Lovesick Heartbreak Red grows in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, when combined with the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng and refined using his attribute-less Chaos Soul Power, can completely cleanse her of her original Soul Beast aura, making her indistinguishable from a true human Soul Master.
The Acacia purpurea, also Lovesick Heartbreak Red, is not an ordinary medicinal herb.
This flower is extremely spiritual, growing in the extreme place where ice and fire meet. The conditions for picking it are extremely harsh—it can only be picked by someone who loves it deeply and is willing to use their own blood as a catalyst. If there is even the slightest reluctance or impure intention, the flower will wither instantly and lose all its medicinal effects.
That's why Lin Chen was constantly worried.
He knew Xiao Wu relied on him and was close to him, but how much of that reliance was romantic love, and how much was sibling affection? He wasn't sure.
If we fail, not only will we waste this rare and precious plant, but we also risk breaking the unspoken understanding between us, making it difficult to maintain our current relationship.
"Brother Lin Chen, what are you thinking about?" Xiao Wu tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve, looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the icy and fiery light of the valley floor, like a sea of stars.
"It's nothing." Lin Chen snapped out of his thoughts and smiled. "Looking for something. Let's walk along the cliff edge and see if there are any red herbs."
"Red?" Xiao Wu tilted her head. "Like fire?"
"Hmm, even more vibrant than fire."
The two slowly walked down the path along the cliff edge, and the closer they got to the spring, the stronger the aura of ice and fire became.
Ripples spread across the surface of the Chaos Shield. Xiao Wu's cheeks were flushed red by the heat one moment and turned pale by the cold the next, but she still bounced around, her eyes scanning the surroundings as she earnestly helped him search.
Lin Chen walked behind, his gaze sweeping over the cracks in the rock wall.
The Lovesick Heartbreak Red, grows mostly in the crevices of rocks where ice and fire meet, taking root on rock walls where temperatures alternate, making it extremely difficult to find.
After searching for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Xiao Wu suddenly pointed to a crevice in the rock wall and exclaimed excitedly, "Brother Lin Chen, look! There's a red flower there!"
Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he looked in the direction she pointed.
In a crevice in the rock wall, about ten feet above the ground, grew a solitary herbaceous plant.
Its stems are as slender as silk, its leaves as thin as cicada wings, and at the top blooms a bright red flower, its petals unfurling like a drop of congealed blood.
A gentle breeze blew, and the flowers swayed slightly, yet remained upright, showing no sign of withering.
It is the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
He walked quickly over, stood at the foot of the rock wall, looked up at the red flower, and even his breathing became lighter.
It's really found!
But I felt even more nervous.
Her fingertips tightened slightly, and even her breathing became a little erratic.
Just one more step.
As long as Xiao Wu is willing, the flower can bloom.
But what if...
"Brother Lin Chen, what's this flower called?" Xiao Wu stood beside him, looking up at it. "It's so pretty, but it looks a little fragile."
"It's called the Lovesick Heartbreak Red," Lin Chen said softly. "It's a very precious medicinal herb that can help you solidify your foundation, making your future cultivation much smoother."
"Wow, that's great!" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up, then she frowned. "How do we pick it? It grows so high up, in a crack in the rock."
Lin Chen remained silent for a moment.
He turned his head and looked at Xiao Wu.
The light from the valley floor shone on her face, half warm and half cool, her eyes bright and clear like mountain spring water.
Having known each other for so long, she always follows him around like this, skipping and jumping, her eyes crinkling with laughter, as if she'll never get tired of him.
Lin Chen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
The words caught in my throat, but they felt a little bitter.
He was never one to hesitate; whether it was hunting for Soul Ring, competing with Shrek Academy, or battling in the Great Soul Arena, he always acted decisively.
But when faced with Xiao Wu, and with this Lovesick Heartbreak Red, he hesitated.
I was afraid of being too forward with her, afraid of scaring her, and even more afraid of getting an answer that wasn't what I wanted.
"Brother Lin Chen?" Xiao Wu tilted her head when she saw that he hadn't spoken for a while. "What's wrong? Is it hard to pick? Should I Teleportation up and try?"
"It's not difficult to pick." Lin Chen took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.
He looked into her eyes, speaking slowly with a hint of unease he himself didn't realize, "There are rules for picking these flowers. The person picking them must be thinking of the one they love most, willingly using their own heart's blood to guide them, otherwise the flower will wither. If there's even the slightest reluctance, the flower is ruined."