The newly born Blood Silver Forest was a world of silent, profound reverence. The crimson light filtering through the canopy painted everything in a soft, regal glow. Zhang Tian stood in the central clearing, the very air humming with the power that now resided within him, a power that was both his and an extension of the millions of loyal subjects that surrounded him.
Ah Yin approached him, her movements a liquid, hypnotic grace. She came to a stop before him, her crimson eyes shining with a mixture of pride, curiosity, and a deep, possessive love that made his own heart stir.
"Well, my Emperor," she began, her voice a low, teasing purr that vibrated in the quiet air. "The transformation was… magnificent. More than I could have ever hoped for. Tell me, how strong are you now? What has my clan's sacrifice granted you?"
Zhang Tian looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists, feeling the immense, consolidated power thrumming just beneath his skin. A slow, confident smile spread across his impossibly handsome face.
"The spirit ring, the blood essence, the faith of an entire clan…" he murmured, his voice a low rumble of satisfaction. "The gains were… substantial." He met her gaze, his own blue eyes, now tinged with a faint, mesmerizing red, holding a light of pure, unadulterated power.
"I am a Level 46 Spirit Ancestor now."
The words hung in the air, simple yet staggering. Ah Yin's breath hitched, and a brilliant, happy laugh escaped her lips. Six full levels in a single step. It was a miracle, a testament to the path they had chosen.
The next day was dedicated to understanding this new, profound power. It was a day of discovery, with Ah Yin as his patient, knowledgeable guide.
"The Blood Silver Domain is now truly yours," she explained as they stood in the clearing, a thousand crimson vines rising from the ground around them, swaying in a silent, coordinated dance at his command. "Before, you were borrowing my authority. Now, it is an innate part of your spirit. You do not need to think to use it; you simply need to be."
He tested the limits of his new domain. He focused his will, and the world shifted. He was no longer just seeing the clearing through his own eyes. He was seeing it from a thousand different perspectives at once. He could see the intricate patterns on a beetle's back from a blade of grass a kilometer away. He could hear the faint, distant call of a bird from a vine that had climbed the highest peak of the surrounding mountains.
He practiced the camouflage, a simple thought causing the crimson grass around him to weave a perfect, seamless cloak that rendered him completely invisible, his aura melting into the background hum of the forest. He drew upon the collective energy of his subjects, feeling a warm, vital stream of life force and spirit power flow into him, a near-limitless reservoir that could replenish him in the heat of battle.
This was true power. Absolute control.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the crimson forest in shades of bruised purple and orange, Ah Yin moved.
He was in the middle of practicing his newly acquired Blood Silver Overlord Spear, a massive, twenty-meter-long weapon of consolidated crimson grass hovering menacingly in the air before him. He was so focused, so lost in the feeling of this new, devastating power, that he didn't sense her approach until she was right behind him.
Her arms snaked around his waist from behind, her magnificent, soft body pressing against his back. He felt the full, heavy weight of her magnificent breasts against his shoulder blades, a sensation so intoxicating it almost broke his concentration.
She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her warm breath ghosting across his skin, her lips brushing against his ear.
"Mmm… so strong," she purred, her voice a low, husky whisper filled with a raw, undeniable desire. "I have fulfilled my promise, my love. I have made you the Emperor of my clan. I have given you my people, my home, my loyalty."
She tightened her embrace, her hips giving a subtle, sinuous grind against his ass. "Now… isn't it time you rewarded your Empress?"
Her voice dropped even lower, a breathy, desperate plea that sent a jolt of pure, white-hot lust straight to his groin. "Take me, Zhang Tian. Please. I can't wait any longer. I want you. I want your hard dick deep inside my drenched, waiting pussy. Reward me. Make me your woman. Now."
The Overlord Spear wavered, its form flickering as his concentration shattered. He was a man, not a saint. The temptation was a physical thing, a raging fire that threatened to consume his last vestiges of rational thought. The feel of her body, the raw hunger in her voice… it was almost too much to bear.
But then, an image flashed in his mind. The image of a different girl, with bright, sparkling eyes and a pouty, adorable smile. Ning Rongrong.
With a groan that was a mixture of agony and desire, he forced himself to move. He gently disentangled her arms from around him and stepped away, putting a few precious inches of space between their bodies. He turned to face her, his own expression a mask of strained control.
Her face fell, a look of profound, heartbreaking disappointment in her crimson eyes. "You… you don't want me?"
He reached out and gently cupped her beautiful face, his thumbs stroking her soft cheeks. "Ah Yin," he said, his voice soft, but firm. "You know I want you. More than you can possibly imagine. But… you also know why I am saving my first time."
He let out a soft sigh. "I have been so intimate with you, with Zhuqing. We have shared so much. But Rongrong… I have neglected her in that way. I have held her hand, I have kissed her cheek, but I have not given her the same passion, the same intimacy. It isn't fair to her."
He looked her directly in the eye, his own gaze filled with a sincere, unwavering conviction. "I want to make it up to her. I want to share that special 'first' with her. It is the least I can do for the girl who has given me so much, who has trusted me so completely."
Ah Yin stared at him for a long, silent moment. The hurt in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by a deep, profound understanding, and a love that was so intense it was almost painful. He wasn't rejecting her. He was being… honorable. It was a quality she had once thought she'd found in another man, only to be bitterly disappointed. But in Zhang Tian, it was real.
A dramatic, theatrical pout formed on her plump lips. "Hmph. So I have to wait? For who knows how long?" she complained, though there was no real heat in her voice. She crossed her arms under her magnificent breasts, a gesture that only served to push them up, making them look even larger, even more tempting.
A mischievous, predatory glint then entered her crimson eyes. She took a step closer, her hips swaying with a natural, hypnotic rhythm. "Very well, my honorable Emperor. I understand your reasoning. But you should know…" she reached out and trailed a single, slender finger down his chest, her touch a line of fire on his skin, "…I will not stop trying to tempt you."
She looked up at him through her long, dark eyelashes, a picture of pure, unadulterated seduction. "If you fall to my temptations before you get to your little princess… well, you will only have your own lack of self-control to blame. You cannot blame me."
Zhang Tian just chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. He caught her hand, bringing it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "Try your best, my Empress," he said calmly. "It won't happen."
With the playful challenge set, he shifted the topic to more strategic matters. "Ah Yin, what of the twelve we created in the Sunset Forest? The sentient ones. Can you sense their condition? How are they doing?"
Ah Yin's expression turned more serious as she focused inward, trying to extend her senses. After a moment, she shook her head. "No. From this distance, I cannot feel them. The world is too vast, the spiritual energy too chaotic. We would need to be at least within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire, perhaps even closer to the Sunset Forest itself, for me to re-establish a clear connection."
Zhang Tian nodded. 'That's natural. The distance is too great.'
He looked out over their new, crimson kingdom, a thoughtful, calculating light in his eyes. "We need to move this forest, Ah Yin. All of it. We are not safe here."
The mention of safety brought a cold, hard look to Ah Yin's face. "What do you mean?"
"Your husband," Zhang Tian said, the words sharp and direct. "Tang Hao. He knows the approximate location of this valley. And that imposter in your son's body… he carries half of your imperial bloodline. It is possible that he may be able to sense the location of his 'ancestral home' if Tang Hao brings him close to this location. We cannot risk them finding this place."
At the mention of her hateful ex-husband and the creature that wore her son's face, Ah Yin's beautiful features twisted into a mask of pure, cold disgust. "You are right," she said, her voice a low, venomous hiss. "They will not defile this place with their presence. We will move. But where? Where could we possibly hide an entire forest?"
Zhang Tian smiled, a slow, confident expression. "I know the perfect place," he said. "A place protected by a natural poison array so potent that even a Titled Douluo would not dare to enter without an invitation. A place where the energies of the world are so rich that our clan will thrive and grow at an unimaginable rate."
He met her curious gaze. "We will take our new home to the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. We will plant our roots in the garden of our new ally, Dugu Bo."
~~
The journey back to Heaven Dou City began in a slow, luxurious crawl. The carriage, a masterpiece of comfort and stability, glided along the uneven country roads, its interior a quiet sanctuary of velvet and polished wood.
Inside, Zhang Tian sat with a relaxed posture, his eyes closed in light meditation. Ah Yin, however, was a picture of restless energy. She shifted on the plush seat opposite him, then peeked through the silk curtains.
"Are you sure this is working?" she asked, her voice a low, excited whisper.
"Patience, my Empress," Zhang Tian murmured without opening his eyes. "The King knows what he is doing."
As if on cue, Ah Yin felt a faint, deep tremor through the floor of the carriage. It wasn't an earthquake, but a slow, rhythmic, and impossibly powerful movement that seemed to emanate from the very bedrock of the continent.
She pressed her face against the window again, her crimson eyes wide with awe. Behind them, a bizarre and magnificent spectacle was unfolding. The landscape itself was moving.
A silent, crimson tide, a vast, rolling sea of Blood Silver Grass, was following them. The forest was not being left behind; it was migrating.
'The sensation is… strange, my Emperor, my Empress,' a deep, resonant voice echoed in their minds. It was the Blood Silver King, his consciousness a calm, powerful presence. 'To move my entire body, to carry all of our subjects through the earth… it is a power I never dreamed I would possess.'
The eighty-five-thousand-year-old spirit beast, now a King in truth, was a marvel of nature. His colossal body, a mountain of interwoven crimson vines, was moving deep beneath the earth's surface, his vast root system dragging the soil and the millions of Blood Silver Grass subjects along with it.
'I am eternally grateful for this evolution,' the King's voice continued, filled with a profound, unwavering loyalty. 'The power of devouring, of corruption, the faint echo of your domain that you have gifted me… I will use it all to serve you both, for all eternity.'
Ah Yin smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest. "You are a good and loyal subject," she projected back.
The two-week journey passed in a blur of this strange, silent migration and the quiet, simmering intimacy between the two lovers. They arrived at the gates of Heaven Dou City in the late afternoon. The Blood Silver King halted its advance miles from the city walls, concealing the entire forest in a deep, unremarkable basin, cloaking it with a powerful illusion.
"It is time for my disguise," Ah Yin said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
She stood up in the carriage, and with a thought, her magnificent crimson dress flowed and reshaped itself. It became a simple, yet elegant, maid's uniform of black and white, the fabric hugging her breathtaking curves in a way that was far more demure, yet somehow, almost more provocative.
She performed a perfect, graceful curtsy. "How may I serve you today, Master?" she asked, her voice a perfect imitation of a subservient maid, though the teasing sparkle in her eyes betrayed her true intent.
Zhang Tian just chuckled, shaking his head. "You are going to be insufferable, aren't you?"
"Oh, I do hope so, Master," she purred, batting her eyelashes. "It would be inappropriate for others to know of my true identity as your lover, wouldn't it? A simple maid is the perfect cover."
They proceeded directly to the affluent district that housed the city's great powers, their destination the imposing, yet strangely quiet, mansion of the Poison Douluo.
Zhang Tian stepped up to the heavy, carved wooden door and knocked.
After a moment, the door swung open. A young woman stood there, her beauty as sharp and dangerous as a drawn blade. She had long, dark green hair and piercing eyes. She looked at Zhang Tian, and for a moment, she was simply a young woman, confused by the impossibly handsome stranger at her door. A faint, involuntary blush rose to her cheeks.
"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice cool but not unkind.
"Good day, miss," Zhang Tian said, his voice a polite, respectful baritone. He gave a slight bow. "My name is Zhang Tian. I am here to see Senior Dugu Bo on an important matter. Would you be so kind as to inform him of my arrival?"
The moment he said his name, Dugu Yan's expression shifted. The initial confusion and faint attraction vanished, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated shock, which quickly morphed into a deep, profound reverence.
"Zhang… Tian?" she breathed, her eyes wide. "You're him? The one my grandfather…"
She stopped herself, realizing her breach of etiquette. She immediately performed a deep, formal bow, her earlier coolness completely gone. "Forgive my rudeness, Mister Zhang Tian! Of course! Please, come in! My grandfather has told me that you are the most honored guest of our family!"
She stepped aside, holding the door open. Her grandfather had spoken of this boy endlessly for the past month. The genius alchemist who had not only cured him of his lifelong poison but had gifted them both with a path to ultimate power. The Earth Dragon Golden Melon she had consumed had transformed her, evolving her Jade Phosphorus Serpent into a true, powerful Jade Phosphorus Dragon, elevating her potential beyond anything she had ever dreamed of.
"Please, come in, come in," she said, her voice now filled with a warm, genuine welcome.
Zhang Tian nodded graciously and stepped inside, Ah Yin following a step behind him, her head bowed in the perfect posture of a dutiful maid.
Dugu Yan led them through a spacious, sparsely decorated hall into a comfortable living area. "Please, sit, Mister Zhang Tian," she said, gesturing to a large, plush sofa. She then glanced at Ah Yin. "And you as well, miss."
"Thank you for your kindness, miss," Ah Yin said, her voice soft and demure. "But my place is to simply stand by my Master's side." She remained standing, her hands clasped before her.
Dugu Yan looked from the beautiful, subservient maid to the calm young man on the sofa and wisely chose not to press the issue. "I will inform my grandfather of your arrival immediately. Please, make yourself comfortable."
She hurried off, her footsteps echoing in the quiet mansion.
Minutes later, a booming, joyous laugh preceded the man himself. Dugu Bo strode into the room, his entire demeanor a world away from the cold, withered figure Zhang Tian had first met. He was vibrant, his black hair lustrous, his golden eyes shining with a powerful, happy light.
"Hahaha! Zhang Tian, my boy! I was wondering when you'd show yourself again!" he declared, clapping Zhang Tian on the shoulder with a force that would have sent a normal man flying.
Zhang Tian took the blow without flinching. "It is good to see you looking so well, Senior Dugu."
"Well? I feel magnificent!" Dugu Bo boomed. "That book you gave me… it's a treasure beyond measure! I've spent the last month devouring its knowledge. The wisdom of the Breaking Clan… it's truly profound! I finally understand the true nature of the herbs in my garden!"
He grinned, a wide, almost feral expression of pure joy. "I am eternally in your debt, boy. Choosing that Earth Dragon Golden Melon for me and my Yan Yan… it was a stroke of genius. You have given us a new life."
He sat opposite Zhang Tian, his golden eyes gleaming with a fierce, protective loyalty. "Now, tell me. Why have you come? Do you need something? Is there someone you need me to kill? Just say the word. Or do you require more of those immortal herbs? You can take any herb you want from there."
Zhang Tian smiled, a calm, placid expression that was a stark contrast to the Poison Douluo's manic energy. He slowly shook his head.
"My request is much simpler than that, Senior Dugu," he said, his voice even. "I do not need you to kill anyone, nor do I require more herbs at this time."
He leaned forward slightly, his blue eyes meeting the Douluo's golden gaze.
"I have come today simply because I wish to plant a few plants in your medicinal garden."
He paused, letting the simple, bizarre request hang in the air.
"This is all because the unique environment of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well causes plants to grow at a vastly accelerated rate. At least ten times faster than normal, perhaps even more. It is… the perfect nursery."
Chapter 62: Ah Yin Reaches Level 80Dugu Bo's golden eyes, now free from the venomous green that had defined him for decades, widened in bewilderment. He stared at Zhang Tian, his mind struggling to process the sheer, anticlimactic simplicity of the request.
"Plant… a few plants?" he repeated, his voice a low rumble of confusion. "That's it? That's the 'important matter' you came to discuss?"
Zhang Tian simply smiled, a calm, placid expression that gave nothing away. "It is, Senior Dugu. A new experiment of mine. I wish to see how certain… unique specimens will react to the potent energies of your garden."
A slow, dawning understanding spread across the Poison Douluo's face. 'Ah, I see. An experiment. He's a genius of alchemy, after all. He probably wants to cultivate some rare, powerful herb for a new pill, and needs the accelerated growth of the well to bring it to maturity quickly.' The logic was sound.
A booming, hearty laugh erupted from him, a sound filled with genuine warmth and gratitude. "Hahaha! My boy, you are too modest! After what you have done for me, for my Yan Yan, this garden is no longer just mine. It is also yours! Plant a few herbs? You can plant an entire forest in there if you wish!"
He clapped Zhang Tian on the shoulder, his earlier formality completely gone. "Should I accompany you? That place is still treacherous. The ambient poison from the ice and fire is no joke. I can protect this lovely maid of yours, ensure she comes to no harm as she just seems to be an ordinary human."
Zhang Tian politely shook his head. "Thank you for the generous offer, Senior, but your presence won't be required. As I said, this is a delicate experiment. I must handle it personally." He gave a slight, respectful bow. "And it is a matter of some urgency. With your permission, we will take our leave now."
"Of course, of course! Go, go!" Dugu Bo waved them off, his mood buoyant. "Take all the time you need! Consider my home your own!"
As they walked out of the grand mansion and back into the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City, Ah Yin let out a soft, musical giggle.
"He is quite taken with you," she murmured, her crimson eyes sparkling with amusement.
"He is a man who understands the value of a good investment," Zhang Tian replied simply.
Once they were clear of the city and had entered the vast, verdant expanse of the Sunset Forest, Ah Yin stopped. With a thought, the simple black and white maid's uniform she wore flowed and reshaped itself, becoming her magnificent, form-fitting crimson dress once more.
She stretched her arms above her head, her breathtaking curves outlined against the afternoon sun. "Mmm… it feels good to be myself again. Though," she added, turning to him with a slow, seductive smile, "I must admit, being your maid was quite… interesting. It has given me a few ideas for the future, my dear Master."
He just chuckled and shook his head. "Come on, you troublemaker. We have a forest to move."
They traveled at a speed that was a blur of motion, their Spirit Ancestor and Spirit Saint physiques allowing them to cover the vast distance to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in a matter of hours.
They stood once more at the precipice of the hidden valley, looking down at the swirling, multi-colored mist.
"My Emperor. My Empress," a deep, reverent voice echoed in their minds. "I am ready."
Zhang Tian and Ah Yin sent their mental command in unison. "Begin."
The ground at their feet began to tremble. It was not a violent quake, but a deep, powerful, and impossibly slow shifting of the earth itself. From the ground, a single, colossal crimson vine, as thick as the trunk of an ancient tree, emerged. It was the tip of the Blood Silver King.
Then came another, and another. The King began to surface, and with it, it brought its children. Millions upon millions of blades of Blood Silver Grass, carried for two weeks in the vast, subterranean network of the King's roots, began to push through the soil, a silent, crimson tide that started to fill the valley floor.
"Maintain the illusion," Zhang Tian commanded. "To any outside observer, you are all nothing more than harmless Blue Silver Grass."
A faint, shimmering aura spread out from the King, a simplified version of the Blood Silver Domain that washed over the entire clan. The vibrant crimson of their bodies faded, replaced by a mundane, familiar blue. The entire forest had donned a perfect disguise.
Once the last of the clan had settled, planting their roots in the rich, super-charged soil of the valley, Zhang Tian gave his King its long-term mission.
"Your task now is to grow," he projected, his voice carrying the weight of an Emperor's command. "Use your devouring ability. Subtly, slowly, absorb the rich ambient energy of this well. Do not be greedy. Do not draw attention to yourself. Grow until you have broken the hundred-thousand-year threshold."
He continued, "After that, your focus will shift. You will nurture our subjects. Guide them. Help them reach the ten-thousand-year mark. Await my next orders. It may be months, or even years, before I return."
"I will obey, my Emperor," the King's voice was filled with a profound, unwavering gratitude. "I will not fail you."
With the clan safely relocated and their future secured, Ah Yin turned her attention to her own advancement. A playful, greedy light entered her crimson eyes.
"Now then," she purred, looking out over the garden of immortal herbs. "It's my turn to absorb a bit and reach the next stage."
She didn't move from her spot. She simply extended a single, slender crimson vine. It snaked through the air, a silent, sentient thing. It bypassed the most extreme herbs, the ones she knew her body could not handle, and instead sought out a half-dozen of the milder, yet still incredibly potent, ten-thousand-year-old plants.
A wisp of origin essence from a couple of Grade Nine Herbs that were just a bit away from becoming Immortal Herbs. Her Devour ability was a delicate, precise instrument, siphoning just a minuscule, irreplaceable sliver of their power.
The combined energy was a gentle but immense river that flowed into her. She felt her cultivation bottleneck, the barrier to the eightieth rank that had loomed before her, simply… dissolve. A powerful, radiant aura exploded from her, and the air around her shimmered as she officially broke through, becoming a quasi-Spirit Douluo.
Zhang Tian watched her, a speechless, amused expression on his face.
"Really, Ah Yin?" he teased. "That's just cheating."
She turned to him, a smug, triumphant snort escaping her lips. "Hmph. I simply learned from the best," she retorted, poking him in the chest. "Who was it that absorbed the essence of twelve herbs at once, hmm? You can't blame me for following my Emperor's brilliant example."
He was left speechless, unable to form a coherent rebuttal. He just laughed and shook his head.
They left the well, the air now filled with the comfortable, easy banter of lovers.
"So," he began, his tone turning more serious as they walked through the now-disguised Blood Silver Forest. "Your eighth spirit ring. What is your plan?"
Ah Yin's expression became one of confident determination. "It must be a hundred-thousand-year-old spirit beast," she declared, her voice leaving no room for argument. "My physical body has been restored to its peak. My mental force is that of a hundred-thousand-year-old beast. I can handle it."
Zhang Tian was more pragmatic. He thought for a moment, running through his vast mental encyclopedia of powerful spirit beasts. 'A hundred-thousand-year-old beast… the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Blue Bull Python are out of the question. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King is too powerful and impossible to hunt for now and she might not be able to absorb that Million Year Old Spirit Ring. The Evil Orca King is a possibility, but too far away and its abilities don't synergize well with her. Hunting any of them would be an incredible risk, even with my help.'
"Raw age is not always the most important factor, my Empress," he said gently. "A specific, useful ability is far more valuable. Especially since you have a way to increase the age of your spirit rings over time. The life force our clan will gather here… it will be a near-infinite resource for you."
He looked at her, his expression thoughtful. "Your current arsenal is already formidable. You have healing, devouring, constructs, illusions, and the Overlord Spear for a powerful single-target attack. What you lack is a definitive defensive ability."
He laid out his proposal. "I believe your eighth ability should be one of crystallization. The power to transform your Blood Silver Grass, and by extension your constructs, into a material as hard and unbreakable as diamond. It would grant you an unparalleled defense, and a new, terrifying form of offense. Imagine a storm of razor-sharp, crimson crystal needles, or a cage of unbreakable crystal vines."
Ah Yin's crimson eyes widened as she considered his words. The idea was brilliant. It was the one piece that was missing from her puzzle.
"You are right," she admitted, a note of admiration in her voice. "That would be… perfect. Mmm… you truly do think of everything, don't you?"
She closed her eyes, her immense spiritual sense spreading out, merging with the Blue Silver Grass network that covered the entire Sunset Forest. She was a queen, reaching out to the furthest corners of her old domain.
"I will search for a suitable beast," she said, her voice a distant murmur. "And at the same time… I will check on our twelve sentient grass that had crossed the ten thousand year old mark. See how they have fared during this period."
Ah Yin's crimson eyes closed, and the world transformed. Her consciousness, a vast and ancient river of thought, flowed outwards from her body, merging seamlessly with the endless, interconnected network of Blue Silver Grass that carpeted the entire Sunset Forest.
She was no longer just a woman standing in a hidden valley; she was the forest itself.
She felt the slow, deep slumber of a seventy-thousand-year-old Earth Bear in its subterranean den. She felt the frantic, panicked heartbeat of a small rabbit being stalked by a shadowlynx. She felt the gentle, sun-drenched photosynthesis of a million leaves, a silent, harmonious symphony of life.
Her mind, a net of impossible size and fineness, began its search. She was looking for two things: a specific signature of power, and the familiar, comforting presence of her children.
She found the first almost immediately.
In a desolate, rocky region at the northern edge of the forest, a place where the life force was thin and the very air felt ancient and still, she sensed it. A powerful, yet flickering aura. It was a power that was immense, tinged with the faint, noble pressure of a dragon's bloodline, but it was also weak, wounded, like a dying star.
'There,' she projected to Zhang Tian, who stood silently beside her, his own senses connected to hers through their shared domain. 'In a deep cave. It is an ancient creature, its power immense. A ninety-thousand-year-old Prismatic Crystal Python King. A sub-dragon. And it is grievously injured. It has not moved from that spot in millennia.'
A flicker of triumph shot through her. It was perfect. More than perfect.
But her triumph was immediately overshadowed by a growing, gnawing unease. She expanded her search, her consciousness sweeping through every corner of the vast forest, seeking the twelve distinct, familiar presences of the sentient Blood Silver Grass she had created.
She found one, hiding in a deep, thorny thicket, its aura small and frightened.
She found a second, coiled at the bottom of a murky swamp, its energy signature weak and fluctuating.
She found the third near the western border, its form disguised as a common, withered vine.
And that was all.
The other nine… they were gone. Not just hidden. Their life signatures, the unique spark of origin essence she had gifted them, had been completely extinguished from the world.
A cold, hollow feeling, a mother's grief, settled in her heart.
"They're gone," she whispered, her voice a low, pained sound. She opened her eyes, and they were filled with a profound, ancient sadness. "Nine of my children… are dead."
Zhang Tian placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"
She closed her eyes again, her mind reaching out, connecting with the three survivors, and with the silent, grassy witnesses to the tragedies. The memories flowed into her, a torrent of fear, pain, and loss.
"Two of them…" she began, her voice trembling slightly, "died in a territorial battle. They were growing, devouring, becoming stronger. Their presence attracted a rival."
The scene played out in their shared consciousness, a silent, ghostly memory replayed by the grass itself. A ferocious, fifty-thousand-year-old Molten Fury Ape, its fur a raging inferno, had descended upon their territory. Its fire attribute was a natural counter to their plant-based forms.
The twelve of them had fought together, a swirling tempest of crimson vines and hardened needles. But the ape's flames were a shield and a sword. It incinerated their constructs, and its roars sent waves of debilitating heat that withered their very essence. Two of the sentient grass creatures, the bravest of the clutch, had sacrificed themselves, forming a massive, dense wall to block a river of molten lava the ape had spewed, buying just enough time for the others to scatter and escape into the dense undergrowth.
Ah Yin let out a soft, pained sigh. It was a noble death, a warrior's death. Sad, but a part of the cruel, natural cycle of their world.
"But the other seven…" her voice turned cold, the sadness replaced by a chilling, quiet fury. "They were murdered. By humans."
The second memory was colder, crueler. It was a memory of greed.
A team of three humans had entered their territory. Two were powerful, their auras radiating the immense pressure of high-level Spirit Masters. One was a Spirit Saint, the other a Spirit Douluo. The third was a young woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties. She was beautiful, her long hair the color of a summer sky, her spirit a magnificent, twisting vine of pure azure. She was Mu Qingzhu of the Plant Academy.
She was on the cusp of a breakthrough, needing a single, ten-thousand-year-old spirit ring to become a Spirit King. They had been drawn by the potent, unusual energy of the sentient Blood Silver Grass.
The hunt had been swift and brutally efficient. The two powerful teachers had easily suppressed one of the grass creatures, a magnificent specimen of over twelve thousand years. Mu Qingzhu had delivered the final blow, and had sat down to absorb its spirit ring.
The remaining eleven had watched from the shadows, their rudimentary minds filled with a mixture of fear and a strange, cold curiosity.
But then, the human's greed had taken over.
"Master," Mu Qingzhu had said, her voice filled with an excited awe as she felt the new, strange power flowing into her. "This spirit beast… its energy is so pure. And its abilities… I feel… I feel like I can devour the life force of the plants around me!"
The two teachers had exchanged a look, a single, avaricious thought passing between them.
"A nest," the Spirit Douluo had whispered, his eyes gleaming. "We've stumbled upon a nest of a new, incredibly rare species. If one can grant such a powerful ability… imagine what the others could do. And the spirit bones… a ten-thousand-year-old spirit bone from such a creature would be a priceless treasure!"
The decision was made. The hunt turned into a massacre.
The remaining eleven scattered, fleeing in a blind panic. But they were no match for the overwhelming power of a Spirit Saint and a Spirit Douluo. The teachers moved with a cold, merciless efficiency, their powerful spirit abilities turning the forest into a death trap.
One by one, the sentient grass creatures were hunted down, their life forces extinguished. The memory, seen through the eyes of one of the terrified survivors, was a blur of chaotic energy, of desperate, futile struggles.
They had managed to kill six more before the last three had finally, miraculously, managed to escape the slaughter.
The final image was of the two teachers standing over the six lifeless bodies of her children. A faint, shimmering light rose from one of them. A spirit bone. A left leg bone.
They had presented it to their student, Mu Qingzhu, who had accepted it with wide, greedy eyes, absorbing it on the spot.
The memory faded, leaving a cold, bitter aftertaste in Ah Yin's soul.
"I see," she said, her voice quiet but filled with a new, hard edge. She was not enraged. She was a hundred-thousand-year-old being. She understood the nature of humans, their greed, their cruelty. This was not a surprise. It was simply… a confirmation.
Zhang Tian let out a long, slow sigh. "The Plant Academy," he murmured, his mind racing. "So, Mu Qingzhu is now a Spirit King. She possesses a ten-thousand-year-old spirit ring from one of our own, and a spirit bone to match. And her new ability is… devouring."
He looked at Ah Yin, his expression grim. "She has become a very dangerous wildcard, my Empress. A plant-type Spirit Master with a devouring ability, backed by a powerful academy… she could become a major threat to our plans in the future."
He fell silent for a moment, his mind a cold chessboard of possibilities. The initial plan, of having his sentient grass creatures grow aggressively, was now clearly too risky. They were powerful, yes, but they were still too young, too vulnerable.
"We must change our strategy," he declared, his voice firm. He turned his focus inward, connecting his consciousness with Ah Yin's, and through her, with the three traumatized survivors who were hiding in the far corners of the forest.
"Listen to me, my children," his voice was a calm, authoritative presence in their frightened minds. "The time for aggressive growth is over. Your new mission is one of stealth, of subtlety. You will cease your open hunting."
He laid out his new, more cunning plan. "Your primary task now is to spread. Not your own bodies, but your influence. Covertly, silently, you will convert the common Blue Silver Grass in your territories. You will build a vast, silent information network that spans this entire forest. You will become my eyes and ears."
He continued, his voice a low, strategic murmur. "Your new method of cultivation will be one of scavenging and opportunistic hunting. You will use your new network to locate the corpses of spirit beasts that have died in battle or of old age. You will use it to find creatures that are already grievously injured, easy prey. You will grow your strength in the shadows, feeding on the scraps of this forest's constant, brutal cycle of life and death."
He let the final, ambitious part of his plan settle in their minds. "Your ultimate goal is to build an army. A massive, controllable army of Blood Silver Grass. An army that can be used to defend our clan, or to facilitate a swift, silent escape from any future threats. You will become the secret, hidden power of this forest. Do you understand?"
A wave of understanding, of renewed purpose, washed over the three survivors. Their fear was replaced by a cold, cunning resolve. They were no longer just hunters; they were spymasters, strategists, the hidden puppet masters of a growing, silent empire.
"We understand, my Emperor," their collective thought was a single, unified vow of loyalty. "We will not fail you."
With the new orders relayed and the future of their fledgling clan secured, Zhang Tian and Ah Yin turned their attention back to their own, immediate goal.
"It is time, my Empress," he said, his voice soft but filled with a new, fierce determination. "It is time for your hunt."
Ah Yin nodded, the sadness in her eyes replaced by a cold, predatory light. She had lost nine of her children today. She would honor their memory by becoming strong enough to protect the rest.
They sent a mental summons to the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Deep beneath the earth, a colossal, ancient being stirred. The Blood Silver King, its ruby-red form pulsing with a quiet, immense power, began to move.
It did not surface. It simply moved through the earth, its vast root system a silent, subterranean river, flowing with an impossible speed towards the northern edge of the forest.
Zhang Tian and Ah Yin traveled on the surface, their own speed a blur of motion. They moved as one, a silent, deadly pair, their destination the desolate, rocky cave that had been the prison of a dying king for ten thousand years.
They arrived to find the Blood Silver King already there, its colossal form hidden just beneath the surface of the barren, rocky ground, its presence a silent, oppressive weight that seemed to suck the very life from the air.
The cave was a dark, gaping maw in the side of a weathered cliff face. A faint, almost imperceptible pulsation of energy emanated from its depths, a weak, flickering heartbeat.
"Stay here," Zhang Tian said to Ah Yin. "Let me draw it out."
He walked to the mouth of the cave and, with a thought, he unleashed a single, potent blast of his spirit power. It was not an attack. It was an intrusion. A challenge.
A low, ancient hiss, like the sound of a thousand shards of glass grinding together, echoed from the darkness within. The weak, flickering heartbeat suddenly surged, a wave of cold, crystalline power washing out of the cave.
And then, it emerged.
It was a serpent of impossible size and beauty. It was over thirty meters long, its body as thick as a water barrel. Its scales were not scales at all, but a seamless, interlocking mosaic of a thousand different colored crystals that shimmered and refracted the light, creating a breathtaking, hypnotic display.
Its head was broad and draconic, its eyes two massive, flawless diamonds that glowed with an ancient, weary intelligence. This was the Prismatic Crystal Python King.
But it was a king in ruin. A massive, gaping wound marred its side, a wound that was not healing, its crystalline flesh jagged and broken. Its movements were slow, sluggish, its immense power clearly failing.
It fixed its diamond eyes on Zhang Tian, and a low, rumbling hiss escaped its throat. It was not a sound of aggression, but of profound, ancient weariness.
"You have come to end my suffering, little human?" its voice was not a sound, but a thought, a wave of pure, crystalline energy that resonated directly in their minds. "I have waited for this day that would be my death day for a long, long time."
Before Zhang Tian could respond, the ground around the crystalline python erupted.
The Blood Silver King, in a display of overwhelming, absolute power, burst from the earth. A thousand thick, ruby-red vines, each one as tough as steel, shot up, weaving together to form a massive, inescapable cage around the stunned serpent.
The python king, in its weakened state, had no chance to resist. It was pinned, its movements completely restricted.
Ah Yin stepped forward then, her crimson dress a stark, beautiful contrast to the shimmering, multi-colored scales of the python. She looked at the ancient, dying creature, and her eyes were filled not with the predatory glee of a hunter, but with a quiet, profound respect.
"You have lived a long and noble life, great king," she said, her voice a soft, respectful melody. "Your end will be swift, and your power will be used to forge a new future for my clan. It is an honorable end."
The python king looked at her, at the magnificent, crimson-clad woman who radiated an aura of ancient, imperial power. A flicker of understanding, of acceptance, shone in its diamond eyes.
"So be it," it projected, its voice a final, weary sigh.
Ah Yin moved in, her hands glowing with a soft, crimson light. With a single, swift, and merciful strike, she ended its long, lonely suffering.
A deep black ring with tint of blood red color, rose from its corpse. It was a spirit ring of ninety thousand years, pulsing with a power that was both ancient and pure.
And beside it, a second, smaller light began to glow. A spirit bone. A torso spirit bone, shimmering with the same prismatic, crystalline light as the python's scales.
The hunt was over. The prize was claimed