C302 The Human Heart Is Not Enough to Swallow the Elephant

There were unmistakable signs that someone had been covertly aiding the growth of the Phaseblossom. The spiritual grass was encircled by intricate golden patterns, and at the finest points of these patterns, a deep red hue was visible—the result of absorbed vitality.

Yu Zhu, concealed at the bottom of Dragon Lake, failed to detect any underhanded actions. This was due to the Ancient Echoes of the Void and the Phaseblossom sharing a mysterious and special connection within a certain range.

Shen Feiqing, who wielded the Ancient Echoes of the Void, manipulated space and time, effectively deceiving everyone's perception.

During her battle with the seventh-level Silverfrost Dragon in Dragon Lake, the vitality essence that inadvertently spilled from her was lost in a fleeting rift in the void, and by some miracle, it infused the nearby Phaseblossom.

The Phaseblossom, planted by Yu Yuan on the mid-lake island, would typically require at least half a year to mature. However, with Shen Feiqing's intervention, the dozens of Phaseblossom that Yu Yuan had cultivated were on the verge of maturation, unbeknownst to all.

Yu Yuan couldn't help but admire Shen Feiqing's strategy. "She utilized her own dissipating vitality to accelerate the maturation of the Phaseblossom. In her battles with the Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite experts, she was not only bracing for the backlash to erupt but also awaiting the Phaseblossom's readiness. Both timings had to be impeccable; a single slip could lead to complete failure."

Under the watchful eyes of the High Oracle and Xu Zixi, Yu Yuan approached the Phaseblossom and gently crouched down. Observing the vibrant green stems and the exquisitely patterned golden stripes, he wore a somber expression. "The planning was meticulous, and the chances of success are substantial. However, did our esteemed commander forget to extend a courtesy to me? To think that the Phaseblossom we've painstakingly cultivated could be swept away without a word—it seems somewhat unethical, doesn't it?"

Zhou Cangmin remained silent.

Xu Zixi carefully chose her words before speaking, "Yu Yuan, might this be a figment of your own imagination?"

With a radiant smile, Yu Yuan subtly signaled Yu Zhu with a flicker of his remnant soul.

The tranquil waters of the lake transformed into shimmering streams, rising from the surface in a spectacular display.

Like an inverted waterfall, the streams hovered above the Phaseblossom, and as flood dragons danced among them, a curtain of water formed, shielding the Phaseblossom from the external world.

Deep within the veil of the water curtain, one could barely make out the glimmer of multicolored specks of light.

Each speck was imbued with a potent essence of poison.

"Alright then."

Yu Yuan clapped his hands with a joyful expression, "Whether my speculation is correct or not, we'll simply observe and see what unfolds. From this point forward, the forced ripening of the Phaseblossom must come to an end."

He gestured towards Yu Zhu, "Her connection with the Forgotten Ruins is strong. While she was unaware, the commander could easily meddle undetected. Now that she's onto him, preventing his subtle interferences shouldn't be too difficult."

The High Oracle furrowed his brow as he observed the Phaseblossom obscured by the peculiar water curtain, looking as though it was encased by a colossal umbrella.

He refrained from making any immediate judgments, curious to see if Yu Yuan's conjecture was mere speculation.

Xu Zixi also remained silent, waiting patiently.

The lake's surface rippled gently, and a new tableau gradually emerged.

The Lakeheart Mirror revealed itself once more. Shen Feiqing was still suspended in the void, valiantly contending with the transformed Silverfrost Dragon, and persistently fending off the surprise attacks from the Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite adepts.

Clad in pitch-black heavy armor, adorned with an enigmatic magic diagram that would intermittently burst with brilliance or suddenly dim.

The commander in the midst of battle was a sight to behold, commanding the skies with a gesture, as time itself seemed to decelerate.

Yu Yuan gazed intently at the Lakeheart Mirror, astonished to witness a sequence of images that sometimes advanced and sometimes reversed.

The commander grappled closely with the Silverfrost Dragon, its body sheathed in silver scales. A moment ago, a large, gleaming scale had been stripped away.

Then the scene shifted, and that radiant scale was once again affixed to the breast of the Silverfrost Dragon.

Time appeared to rewind in an instant.

Yu Yuan, lacking the requisite strength, could not witness the battle firsthand and was left disoriented by Shen Feiqing's "Ancient Echoes of the Void" as he watched through the Lakeheart Mirror, nearly to the point of nausea.

If it was this overwhelming for him, the Silverfrost Dragon and the Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite combatants were undoubtedly suffering even more.

Yet, he remained fixated on the Lakeheart Mirror, on the awe-inspiring Shen Feiqing, who resembled a warrior goddess, eager to confirm the truth of his inner suspicions.

Suddenly, the figure of the commander engaged in battle trembled violently in the void. With a hand clenched into a fist, he struck the empty air without so much as a glance. A surge of dark red light, powerful and swift, shattered massive pillars and dispersed the thunderous orbs, crashing into the dragon covered in scales, now taking on a humanoid form. The Silverfrost Dragon howled, transforming from human to dragon, its serpentine body splattered with blood.

Beneath the blazing sun, the massive Silverfrost Dragon continued to wail, yet there was a sense of exhilaration in its cries. Its eyes, like two strange silver moons, shone under the sun. The dragon's lament was woven from the ancient dragon language, a series of archaic symbols crafted from the blood that sprayed from its scales.

In midair, a miniature Silverfrost Dragon materialized, a hundredfold smaller, created from the blood she had shed, forming a string of ancient dragon language imbued with a unique blood magic ability of the Silverfrost Dragon. Shen Feiqing paid it no mind.

On the shore of the mid-lake island, High Oracle Zhou Cangmin and Xu Zixi, known as the Python Queen, stood with Yu Yuan, gazing at the lake's reflective surface. Shen Feiqing, within the Lakeheart Mirror, appeared to be looking through the mirror from another realm. She glanced at Yu Yuan, then at Xu Zixi, and finally fixed her gaze on Zhou Cangmin. She and Zhou Cangmin locked eyes across the distance.

"Crack, crack, crack!" The Lakeheart Mirror, formed by the natural energy of the Forgotten Ruins and drawn together by Yu Zhu's power, could not withstand the clash of their remnant souls and shattered like glass. With a loud pop, the Lakeheart Mirror completely fell apart. The fragments dissolved into puddles and seamlessly rejoined the waters of the mid-lake island.

The High Oracle wore a bittersweet smile, silently chiding, "You actually kept secrets from me." When he looked up again, the bitterness had vanished from his face, replaced by a radiant smile. "Yu Yuan, you were correct. As for the Phaseblossom, name your price."

"Cangmin!" Xu Zixi gasped, "Was Feiqing really as he predicted?"

"Without a doubt," the High Oracle affirmed with a nod. "I certainly wasn't wrong about Yu Yuan; he's an oddity. Well, he's right about everything. Feiqing and the Blackfang Legion came here because of the Phaseblossom. According to Feiqing, such a rare plant shouldn't naturally grow in Aetherius."

"If the Phaseblossom can grow on the Aetherius Continent, then the Phaseblossom from Aetherius will be even more extraordinary than those from Euwrea or the Land of Quiescence."

"The exact mystery is beyond me. But one thing is clear: only the Phaseblossom from Aetherius can aid her practice of the Ancient Echoes of the Void mantra!"

"The Phaseblossom from Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence doesn't possess such miraculous effects."

Zhou Cangmin's eyes widened in amazement, his gaze fixed on Yu Yuan as he spoke.

He was clueless about the medicinal properties of the Phaseblossom and the distinctions between those from Aetherius and the other continents.

According to Yu Yuan, he and Yu Zhu had successfully cultivated the Phaseblossom in the Forgotten Ruins of Aetherius.

"Medicinal herbs that are not native to Aetherius will naturally possess unique qualities once they appear," Yu Yuan said with a smile. "You don't understand the intricacies of medicine, so explaining further would be pointless."

"Just remember this..."

Yu Yuan's tone was haughty. "Your friend from the Forgeroses has taken a fancy to my possessions, attempting to claim them without so much as a word. She's in the wrong."

"She assumed the Phaseblossom grew naturally, unaware it belonged to someone." Zhou Cangmin quickly interjected, "According to her, no one in Aetherius should be capable of cultivating the Phaseblossom. She believed it was a product of the Forgotten Ruins' peculiarities and the Mysterious Realm's influence."

"Now that you're aware," Yu Yuan said with a soft chuckle, "Senior, do you intend to purchase this Phaseblossom on his behalf?"

"Damn it!"

Xu Zixi suddenly erupted in anger, pointing at the Dragonfire Gem in her hand. "How can she be so insatiable! Are you unaware of the value of this Dragonfire Gem? Isn't it enough to trade it for this Phaseblossom?"

Yu Yuan shook his head. "It's not enough."

Zhou Cangmin was at a loss for words. "Quite the appetite."

"Don't be overly greedy!" Xu Zixi said with a frown.

"Let me introduce a friend to you," Yu Yuan said with a smile.

No sooner had he spoken than another figure materialized, ghost-like.

Xu Zixi glanced over and muttered dejectedly, "I should have known."

"Pleased to meet you both."

The newcomer was Yan Qiling.

​