C887 The Abnormality of the Grass and Trees
In another compartment, the elderly woman who had previously chastised Wu Dong watched over a young girl in her sleep, her brows tightly knit in distress. The girl, adorned in a flowing green dress, was strikingly beautiful. As she slumbered, bizarre visions materialized around her.
A green giant dragon, its maw dripping with saliva, pursued her with eyes alight with a mix of thrill and ferocity. The scene shifted; while preparing a meal, she accidentally sliced her finger, and dark green blood oozed out. She stared at the blood and let out a terrified scream. In another vision, she walked through a forest where the flora burgeoned rapidly in her wake.
These scenes seemed to be corporeal reflections of her current dreams. Before long, beads of sweat glistened on her forehead and slender neck. She shivered in her sleep, looking utterly forlorn.
The old woman sighed without a sound and deftly dabbed away the perspiration with a handkerchief, her touch so tender as though she feared disturbing the girl's rest.
"Poor child," she murmured, her face now devoid of the harshness shown to Wu Dong, replaced instead by an indescribable mix of concern and sorrow.
...
Deep into the night, a group of travelers made camp in the woods to rest and recuperate.
Qi Yunhong was fast asleep, his snoring resonating through the air, a dribble of saliva at the corner of his mouth. Qin Yun sat in meditation, deeply engrossed in understanding the intricacies of the "Cyan Sun Arts."
Yu Yuan was reflecting on recent events, pondering the emotions he might experience upon meeting his mother in the Serpent Spine Mountains. Under the influence of the Shadowfruit, he refrained from cultivating or harnessing his Soul Power to further refine the Seven Star Aegis.
After several days in hiding, the news of his slaying Qu Jing had permeated the Everlands. He was confident that Yan Qiling, and the power backing him, would soon react. By then, the Ethereal Void Sect's attempts to assassinate him within the bounds of the Crimson Sun Empire would likely come to naught.
"Hmm?" While organizing his thoughts, he noticed a subtle disturbance at the Altar of Rebirth within his little world of vitality.
"Could it be that Sages Chong Xiao and Tianjing from the Ethereal Void Sect have discovered a way to penetrate the Shadowfruit's concealment and detect my vitality?" he wondered, momentarily alarmed.
After a brief moment of intense concentration, he realized it was nothing more than a false alarm.
The Altar of Rebirth within him had stirred ever so slightly, not due to any external probing, but because of a nearby carriage.
He drew back the curtain and stepped outside, his gaze falling upon a dark carriage.
Near this somber carriage, the grass and trees on the ground seemed to be under the spell of a mysterious force, radiating an intense vitality.
The vegetation was growing at a rate visible to the naked eye.
"This is a different kind of breath of life, not that of flesh and blood beings, but of the flora." Yu Yuan stroked his chin, observing for a moment longer. He was certain that the cause of the unusual growth was either the person inside the carriage or some extraordinary artifact.
Concerned that any careless use of his Soul Power might negate the effects of the Shadowfruit, he refrained from taking any action.
Instead, he simply watched from a distance, in silence.
After a short time, he noticed an elderly woman with a Dragon Head Staff emerging from another black carriage, casting a wary and frosty glance in his direction.
Yu Yuan responded with an unconcerned smile and a nod to the old woman.
Her expression chilled, and with a huff, she called out, "Wu Dong!"
Wu Dong, reluctant to reveal himself from the shadows, reluctantly dismounted the carriage upon hearing her summons. "Elder sister, what do you need?" he asked, bowing subserviently.
"Bring that young man over to my carriage," the old woman commanded, lifting her Dragon Head Staff and pointing it towards Yu Yuan through the air.
Wu Dong, taken aback, hastily replied, "He's not involved in this matter!"
"Do as I say and spare me the excuses!" she snapped.
With those cold words, the old woman retreated into her carriage, gesturing impatiently for Wu Dong to carry out her orders.
Yu Yuan, overhearing their exchange, sensed that something was off.
"Young Master?"
At that moment, Qin Yun, inside the carriage, caught wind of the disturbance and called out quietly.
"Don't worry, continue resting," Yu Yuan replied nonchalantly.
"Alright." Qin Yun acknowledged from within, without any intention of stepping out for a look.
His perspective wasn't much different from Qi Yunhong's; he believed that even if the Wen family of Emberhold exhausted all their resources, they wouldn't pose a threat to Yu Yuan, much less an elderly lady in the late stages of Subtlety.
A few seconds later, Wu Dong approached with a troubled expression, his face etched with discomfort.
Before he could speak, Yu Yuan waved his hand and smiled, "I'll come with you."
"You heard everything?" Wu Dong asked, surprised.
"Yes."
"Listen, little brother, her last name is Wen, from the Emberhold Wen family!" Wu Dong whispered, his tone serious, "She's got a bit of a temper, but deep down, she's not a bad person. Just answer her questions honestly later, don't argue, and don't cross her, and you'll be fine."
"Understood."
Shortly after, Wu Dong ushered Yu Yuan into the elderly lady's carriage.
"Leave us," Wen Xin commanded Wu Dong coldly, then gestured for Yu Yuan to take a seat across from her. Once Wu Dong had stepped out, she scrutinized Yu Yuan with an imperious gaze and asked, "What did you see just now?"
The carriage's interior was marked with simple runes that served to muffle sound.
However, they couldn't prevent the penetration and detection of a remnant soul.
With a quick glance, Yu Yuan understood the general purpose of the runes. Considering Wu Dong was still outside and, with his Subtlety-level cultivation and spiritual sense, he likely could overhear the conversation between him and the old woman.
"I observed the plants growing unnaturally quickly, and I detected an unusual scent," Yu Yuan replied, opting not to lie. "I believe there's something inside that carriage affecting the vegetation."
Wen Xin's face shifted subtly as she called out sharply, "Wu Dong, go further away! If you dare eavesdrop, forget our past friendship!"
"Big sister, I'll keep my distance, but please, don't harm him," Wu Dong called out.
Then, Yu Yuan heard the diminishing shuffle of footsteps outside.
"Now, no one outside can hear our conversation," the old woman said, straightening up and exuding a sense of danger. "I am Wen Xin, from the Wen family of Emberhold! Who are you, and how were you able to detect those anomalies?"
"My name is Lee Qi, from the Silvermoon Empire. I'm currently with the Sacred Hands in the Serpent Spine Mountains, studying the way of herbs under Bai Shenshen," Yu Yuan fabricated smoothly. "As a student at Sacred Hands, I'm naturally more attentive and familiar with the subtle shifts in plant life."
"From the Silvermoon Empire, Sacred Hands!" Wen Xin's eyes sparkled.
"Hmm."
It was then that Wen Xin heard a low moan coming from the adjacent carriage—a sign that someone was on the verge of waking up.
She paused, a rush of excitement filling her. "After such a long slumber, why am I suddenly about to awaken?" She found it odd, so she concentrated a strand of her spiritual sense and sent it to the next carriage.
She then heard, "Nana, is there someone with you? When he's near me, my nightmares stop. There's something about him that brings me peace and comfort..."
Wen Xin was taken aback. Her gaze towards Yu Yuan grew complex.
"You don't appear to have embarked on the path of a cultivator?" she ventured after a moment.
Yu Yuan, with a plan in mind, huffed in mock annoyance, "One doesn't need to be a cultivator to study the medicinal properties of flora! In the Order of Healing, there are those who never practiced cultivation and yet became revered as Gods of Medicine!"
She's just a child...
Wen Xin silently agreed. Since he wasn't a cultivator, she hadn't detected any unusual remnant soul or vitality, so she let her guard down. "Follow me. I'll show you what's causing the anomalies with the plants and herbs."
"Fine, let's go. I'm not scared you'll devour me!" Yu Yuan retorted with feigned bravado.
"Hehe." Wen Xin's smile was forced, her mouth twisting as wrinkles creased her face, giving her a sinister and fierce appearance. "I appreciate bold youngsters like you!"
