C264 All Kinds of Strange Flowers and Plants Are Everywhere!

Bai Shenshen, deeply shaken by what she had witnessed, made a swift beeline for the mid-lake island.

The previously still surface of the lake began to ripple unexpectedly!

The once-clear waters turned murky, and a faint green glow emerged, illuminating the lake's surface.

Bai Shenshen's face took on a look of alarm.

Her flight toward the mid-lake island abruptly halted, and she gazed at the water with a grave expression.

After a brief moment of contemplation, she retrieved a handful of Silver Sands from a pocket close to her waist and tossed it into the lake.

The Silver Sands dispersed, cascading down onto the lake's surface like a silver fog.

"Sss!"

The moment the sands touched the water, thick smoke billowed forth.

Bai Shenshen's expression shifted once more. Standing by the lake, she lowered her head to watch the gentle waves, then silently stepped back.

She dared not make another move.

After a period of stillness, she observed the ripples on the lake subside, and the water returned to its pristine state.

She channeled her spiritual energy, her eyes shining as she peered into the depths of the lake. She noticed the absence of any fish or shrimp in the clear waters, not even a single aquatic plant.

On the periphery, dense shrubs towered, seemingly there to deliberately obscure the lake and prevent discovery.

"It appears this wasn't naturally formed; there are too many signs of human interference."

Bai Shenshen pondered with a furrowed brow, "Within a hundred miles, only those from the Yu family in Asvetaesi City are knowledgeable in herb cultivation. Thylethlume is also nearby. But how could the Yu family cultivate Phaseblossom?"

She was filled with doubt.

Even the Sacred Hands, who had scoured various exotic locales across the Aetherius Continent and experimented, had not been able to transplant and successfully cultivate Phaseblossom.

How could the Yu family possibly manage it?

"Never mind, if the situation is unclear, I'll just leave a mark for now."

Shortly thereafter, Bai Shenshen resolved not to linger and set off to explore other areas.

Half an hour later.

On an exceptionally dry patch of land, amidst what seemed like cracked soil, a cluster of vibrant red flora sprang forth as if by magic.

The flowers and plants had yet to bloom, their branches like sharp swords, radiating a bright red glow.

"Bloodbloom!"

Bai Shenshen could no longer contain herself and cried out in shock, instinctively wanting to dash towards them.

But as she took a step forward, she was hit by a pungent smell emanating from the cracked soil.

Her expression turned grave as she halted in her tracks, gazing deeply at the dozen or so immature Bloodblooms and murmured, "Bloodblooms only grow in toxic environments. While the Bloodbloom itself isn't poisonous, the land nurturing them is typically bone-dry on the surface, yet exceedingly damp underneath, and it emits a remarkably corrosive toxin."

Bloodblooms, classified as seventh-level earthly medicinal herbs, were precisely what she had been searching for.

Yet, according to her sect's records, Bloodblooms should thrive further north, in far more perilous regions.

Her current location was alarmingly close to Thylethlume. From her experience and previous understanding, it seemed highly unlikely for Bloodblooms to grow here.

What was even more astonishing was that each Bloodbloom was at the same stage of growth, with not a single one in bloom.

In contrast, Bloodblooms she had encountered elsewhere varied wildly, with some just sprouting, others in full bloom, and some nearing the end of their life cycle.

To see every Bloodbloom uniformly in the initial growth phase, with none flowering, was exceedingly rare.

Unless...

A startling thought took root in Bai Shenshen's mind, leaving her astounded.

Unless the Bloodblooms before her weren't naturally occurring, but had been deliberately cultivated!

Only Bloodblooms planted simultaneously by human hands could exhibit such uniform growth stages.

"In Aetherius, there are many unorthodox herbalists, but I've yet to hear of anyone capable of cultivating Bloodblooms independently."

With her mind brimming with doubts, Bai Shenshen sensed that her journey to the Northern Lands had taken an unexpected turn.

She continued to explore the vicinity.

Then, to her amazement, she discovered three other exotic flowers and herbs, freshly planted in the nearby peculiar terrain.

Moreover, they were all thriving!

The three peculiar flowers and herbs were as rare as Phaseblossom and Bloodbloom in Aetherius, nearly impossible to cultivate.

Upon seeing these exotic botanicals, she finally confirmed a fact.

Someone was intentionally cultivating them here!

Meaning, the surrounding flora was not naturally occurring.

This revelation was even more astonishing than the sight of the exotic plants themselves.

Who could have managed to cultivate such rare species in Aetherius?

...

In a hidden chamber of the Yu family's ancestral home in Thylethlume, Ning Ji circled restlessly, occasionally pausing to gaze at the stone door with hopeful anticipation.

The patriarch, Yu Cen, lay reclined on a wooden chair in the courtyard, staring into the star-studded night sky.

Though his gaze was skyward, the spiritual energy seeping from his being could sense the fluctuating temperature of the chamber—now surging, now plummeting.

Yu Yuan had been inside for the better part of the day.

"Creak!"

The heavy stone door swung open from within.

Yu Cen and Ning Ji's faces lit up with excitement as they turned toward the door.

A wave of heat rolled out from the open doorway, and peering through the gap, they could see a furnace glowing red, cooling down after the fire had been removed.

The furnace's surface, etched with intricate fiery patterns, slowly faded.

Yu Yuan emerged, his forehead and neck flushed from the heat, his clothes damp with sweat, yet he wore a smile of profound relief. He said to Ning Ji, "Mission accomplished."

Ning Ji was ecstatic, "Is it done?"

Yu Yuan handed him a pill, resembling a red date, "Sunfire Elixir, merely a third-level Spirit pill. It doesn't possess healing properties; it's a standard pill for strengthening one's foundation. For cultivators of the Sunlit Order and Ruby Hand, earning such a pill is a reward for their service to the sect."

"Cultivators from both the Sunlit Order and Ruby Hand use the Sunfire Elixir to harness its intense fiery energy, either to purify their flesh and bones or to infuse it into their middle elixir field's vitality, aiding in the practice of unique spells."

"This pill will serve as a healing remedy for you," Yu Yuan stated earnestly.

Without hesitation, Ning Ji swallowed the Sunfire Elixir right in front of Yu Yuan. Shortly after the pill settled in his stomach, tendrils of intense, fiery energy began to surge toward his lower elixir field, the Golden Sanctum, guided by his spell and intent. As this potent flame power streamed into his lower elixir field, it seamlessly integrated into his meridians, flesh, blood, and the vitality that was uniquely his. The Golden Sanctum's acupoint fully embraced the scorching energy.

Once the pill's fiery essence was directed to the Golden Sanctum acupoint, Ning Ji's face lit up with delight. He distinctly felt the strands of ice energy, which had been lurking in his little world and which his own power couldn't fully eradicate, now being targeted by the flame energy. A sharp pain erupted in his lower abdomen, but instead of alarm, he felt exhilaration. Wide-eyed, he turned to Yu Yuan and exclaimed, "It's effective!"

Yu Yuan responded with a carefree smile, "Naturally, it is."

Beside them, the elder Yu Cen beamed with joy, "Knowing that we've found a way to expel the ice energy from your lower elixir field puts my mind at ease."

Yu Yuan gestured toward the open stone chamber, "Ning Ji, go inside and assimilate the pill's power. That chamber will be advantageous for you."

Ning Ji didn't object and promptly entered, sealing the stone door behind him.

"Could it truly be Liu Wei from Winter's Bite?" Yu Cen's expression turned grave once Ning Ji had left. "Winter's Bite is one of the seven lower sects in Euwrea. How could they stoop to such vile and shameless tactics?"

"Let's not dwell on the seven lower sects. Even the Sunlit Order, Sword Sect, and Ebon Star Sect, with their numerous disciples and elders, have all kinds of people," Yu Yuan replied with a slight smile. "The way I see it, the Chief Elder who brought Lin Zhuyun into Winter's Bite is the type who will stop at nothing to achieve his ends."

"And the Celestial Ice Crystal?" Yu Cen sighed.

"For the time being, we'll keep it. The Chief Elder of Winter's Bite won't likely focus too much attention on the Yu family," Yu Yuan said with a nonchalant air. "Regarding Liu Wei, his appearance in Thylethume soon isn't just about the Celestial Ice Crystal. Our Yu family's affairs are probably just one of the many issues he intends to resolve along the way."

Yu Cen inquired, "Is this just a minor issue for us?"

"Indeed, that cultivator named Liu Wei from Winter's Bite is no ordinary individual," Yu Yuan replied, his expression growing serious. "The spell he practices isn't something any regular disciple or elder could master. It transforms a cold stream into a venomous serpent, concealing the toxin within. This spell is far from ordinary. Regardless of Liu Wei's level of cultivation, his standing within Winter's Bite must be significant."

"Why would he target our Yu family, though?" Yu Cen asked, astonished.

"Around Asvetaesi, there's an air of mystery, with many oddities in various places and things," Yu Yuan explained with a smile, gesturing northward. "Take that area, for instance—it conceals numerous secrets."

"The north?" Yu Cen responded, taken aback.

"Yes, the vast central region stretching from Thylethlume to the Sunblessed Empire. Don't be fooled by the sparse divine force—it's inhospitable to both mortals and cultivators," Yu Yuan mused. "Places that harbor filth often give rise to other unusual entities. They should not be underestimated."

While they conversed, the sound of a Spirit Bird's wings beating echoed from above.

Yu Yuan looked up to see a golden eagle emerge suddenly from the clouds, diving straight toward them.

"Who goes there?" Yu Cen bellowed.

He sensed the golden eagle's robust vitality, indicating it was a fourth-level Spirit Bird.

A fourth-level Spirit Bird matched his own Veil Breaking stage of cultivation. Even after recovering from a knee injury and regaining his lost ground, he had only managed to reach the middle period of the Veil Breaking stage with considerable effort.

In a true confrontation, he might not be a match for the golden eagle.

He also noticed someone riding atop the golden eagle.

With a thunderous "Boom!"

The golden eagle, rather than landing gracefully, crashed into the ground.

A person tumbled from the back of the eagle, bleeding profusely from both chest and back.

"Zhan Tianxiang!"

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