The "Source" in the Valley

"Wait for me to come back."

Lu Yuan whispered something to the unconscious Lin Xiao, then turned and waded into the stream.

The water was bone-chillingly cold. He gritted his teeth and shuffled step by step across the rocky beach toward the deep purple vines on the opposite bank. His Soul Power was almost depleted, and he relied on his willpower to support each step.

The vines were dense, their thick leaves glistening with oil. He released the Blue Silver Grass, which, like a probe, carefully parted the outer layers.

The gap is showing.

Behind it was a narrow, dark crack. The instant the crack opened, the fluctuation became clear—stable, continuous, like breathing. Lu Yuan's depleted senses, like a dried-up riverbed touching moisture, spontaneously began to absorb the imperceptible dissipated energy in the air.

He paused for a moment, stunned.

I squeezed into the crevice. The rock wall was slippery, rubbing against my shoulders. After walking a dozen or so steps, the space suddenly opened up.

It was a small cave. Sunlight streamed down from a crack high above, cutting into beams of light through the light mist. In the center of the cave, a small patch of dark brown earth was barren, except for a single plant.

It resembles an orchid, but it is by no means ordinary.

It is about half a foot tall, with a slender and straight stem. The three leaves are as smooth as jade, with a soft white light flowing through their veins. In the center of the leaves, a pearl-sized fruit is held, radiating a milky white, moon-like halo.

That pure and gentle Soul Power fluctuation emanated from it.

Lu Yuan didn't move.

His gaze swept over the cave walls and the ground. There were no Soul Beast nests, no signs of human intervention. There was a very faint, sweet fragrance in the air, which invigorated him and even made his injuries seem to lessen.

The Blue Silver Grass vines reached out again, touching the dark brown soil.

Feedback has arrived.

Warm and comforting energy flowed back along the vines, slowly nourishing his withered meridians. The almost stagnant vortex of Soul Power in his dantian began to slowly rotate and absorb energy.

A natural source of Soul Power nourishment.

Lu Yuan's heart skipped a beat. In his previous life, he had only seen similar descriptions in the oldest and most tattered ancient books, which were considered legends. He never expected to encounter them in this desolate valley.

His gaze fell on the fruit.

Lin Xiao needs it. He needs it even more. The people from the Hundred Refinements Pavilion could come looking for him at any moment; this is his only way out.

But what will happen if we pick them?

He let the vines probe along the cave wall again. There were indeed no restrictions. Time was running out.

The vines gently twine around the plant's slender stems, reaching towards the fruit and forming a very thin ring at the fruit's stem.

pause.

Yi Le.

The fruit falls and lands in the small net woven by the vines. The moment it leaves the plant, the whole plant trembles violently, the white light in the leaves visibly dims, quickly turns gray, and droops.

really.

Lu Yuan retracted the vine, and the fruit landed in his palm. It was the size of a pearl, heavy, and slightly warm to the touch.

Without hesitation, he scratched a small opening on the surface with his fingernail, brought it to his mouth, and sucked hard.

Half of the warm, almost liquid fruit juice flowed into my throat.

The flavor is pure, with only a refreshing and comfortable sensation throughout the body. The moment it enters the stomach, it transforms into a gentle yet powerful warm current that explodes forth!

Like spring water overflowing a dried-up riverbed, it quickly seeped into every part of my body. A pleasant tingling and warmth spread through my meridians. The almost stagnant vortex in my dantian began to spin wildly, absorbing everything!

His Soul Power was rapidly recovering. The internal injuries in his chest, the abrasions on his shoulders and back, and the deep fatigue were all beginning to heal and ease under the nourishment of this energy.

The results were amazing.

Lu Yuan's spirits lifted. He crushed the remaining half of the somewhat wilted fruit, squeezed out the juice and pulp, held it up with a leaf, and turned to rush out of the crack.

Back at the stream, Lin Xiao was still unconscious. He pried open the boy's mouth and carefully poured the contents of the leaf into it.

It works very quickly.

A sliver of color returned to Lin Xiao's pale face almost instantly. His brows relaxed, and his breathing became strong and even. The faint, chaotic fluctuations of Soul Power within his body also began to stabilize and strengthen.

Lu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and sat down cross-legged, guiding the gentle Soul Power within his body to absorb it more quickly.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

He opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. His Soul Power had recovered to about 30%, and his injuries were mostly healed. He could move freely again.

A miraculous escape from a desperate situation.

He got up, preparing to untie the vines binding Lin Xiao and find a more secluded spot.

The moment my fingers touched the knot of the rattan...

"Roar..."

A deep, resonant roar, seemingly emanating from the depths of the earth, exploded without warning in the valley!

From deeper within the valley, to that unexplored, fog-shrouded, dark region.

The roar was full of warning and anger.

Lu Yuan's hair stood on end, and he abruptly turned his head. The thick fog swirled, obscuring everything. But a heavy dragging sound was coming from that direction, growing ever closer. It crushed gravel and snapped bushes.

A guardian beast? Or a predator drawn by the scent of the fruit?

Damn it!

Without further hesitation, he quickly untied the vines, bent down, and carried Lin Xiao on his back. It was heavy, but his restored Soul Power provided support.

He turned around and wanted to run downstream along the stream.

The moment I took a step, an even thicker, whiter fog suddenly rose from the bottom of the valley! It rose from the cracks in the rock walls, the ground, and the surface of the stream, and within a few breaths it filled the entire valley!

My vision was instantly taken away. Three steps away, all I could see was a chaotic white blur. Even the sound of the stream became indistinct and distorted.

The road we came from, the road on the slope, the road downstream... all of it has been swallowed up.

The heavy dragging sounds and deep roars of beasts approached steadily from the depths of the thick fog.

Lu Yuan stood still, his unconscious companion on his back, a thick fog blocking his way, and the approaching unknown threat in his ears.

Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.