Chapter 26: The Root That Withers
The swamp was silent.
Not the natural quiet of night, but a silence that felt wrong—as if the entire land was holding its breath. The soil squelched beneath Li Yuan's boots, black water reflecting the dim glow of lantern fireflies that flickered and died too quickly, as though life itself could not linger here.
The Rootsplit Hoe rested against his back, but for the first time, it felt… heavier. His fingers brushed the swamp's soil, and he winced slightly.
It was cold—not just in temperature, but in essence. The earth felt drained, brittle beneath the surface, as though something had stolen its spirit.
The System flickered softly in his vision:
[Target Detected: Tear of Withered Roots]
[Warning: Extreme Life-Drain Energy Present]
[Emotional Stability Check Required: Farmer's Will vs ???]
Li Yuan exhaled, standing as mist curled around his legs. His golden eyes reflected faint light in the darkness.
"This soil… it's suffering. Something's choking it."
The Heart of the Swamp
The deeper he went, the more lifeless everything became. Trees stood like withered skeletons, their roots cracking the surface like veins. Even the insects were silent.
At the center of the swamp, a single massive tree stump jutted from the earth, its bark gray and dead. Embedded in its heart was a black crystalline root, pulsating faintly with red veins—the Tear of Withered Roots.
Li Yuan approached slowly, each step deliberate.
The closer he got, the heavier the air felt. His breathing slowed unconsciously, his heartbeat syncing with the pulsating relic.
The System chimed again:
[Caution: Synchronization with Relic Will Begin Upon Contact]
[Side Effect: Suppressed Soul Fragments May Resurface]
Li Yuan crouched slightly, brushing his fingers against the corrupted soil. He whispered softly, as if to the land itself:
"I won't hurt you. I'll just… take back what's choking you."
But when his hand reached for the relic, everything changed.
The Moment of Contact
The instant his fingers touched the Tear of Withered Roots, a sharp crack echoed through his mind—not in the swamp, but inside him.
Golden light flickered in his eyes… and then turned a faint crimson for the first time.
One Body, Two Souls
Darkness filled his vision, swallowing the swamp.
Li Yuan stood now in a void of shifting soil and broken roots. Opposite him stood another version of himself—taller, sharper, his white hair flowing unnaturally, and his golden eyes glowing with blood-red streaks.
The figure smiled faintly, tilting his head.
"So… you finally touched something worthy of me."
Li Yuan narrowed his eyes.
"You shouldn't be here."
The other chuckled—a low, dangerous sound.
"I'm always here, farmer. You just buried me under too much dirt."
The void pulsed, the soil cracking beneath them.
Li Yuan's jaw tightened.
"You're not me."
The figure—Xiao Tianmie—smirked.
"No, I'm the part of you that works. The part that doesn't waste time planting hope in dying soil. Seeds only grow when you kill the weeds."
Li Yuan didn't answer, but his Hoe materialized in his hands instinctively. Xiao Tianmie mirrored him, but his Hoe dripped with dark energy, its roots withered and sharp.
The Swamp Battle Begins
Outside, Li Yuan's body stiffened, golden and crimson light flashing in his eyes as the swamp stirred.
Corrupted beasts rose from the mud—half-rotted boars, wolves with vines piercing their flesh, twisted by the Tear's energy.
The System flickered:
[Warning: Physical Body Engaged in Combat While Soul Synchronization Unstable]
[Control: 67% Li Yuan – 33% ???]
Li Yuan's body moved on instinct—but faster, sharper than usual. His Hoe swung with lethal precision, splitting the first beast in half, vines withering instantly where the blade passed.
But it wasn't his technique.
His mind screamed, No—don't kill them! They're just corrupted soil!
Xiao Tianmie's voice laughed in his head.
"You're welcome. Efficient, isn't it? Stop pretending you can heal everything."
Internal Struggle, External Chaos
Inside the void, Li Yuan and Xiao Tianmie clashed—Hoe against Hoe. Roots burst from the soil around them, golden against blackened vines.
Xiao Tianmie struck relentlessly, forcing Li Yuan back.
"You're weak because you care too much. Stop planting and start cutting."
Li Yuan gritted his teeth, blocking another strike.
"Even weeds have seeds that can grow again. That's what you don't understand."
Outside, Li Yuan's body hesitated for a fraction of a second, and in that instant, a corrupted beast lunged, claws tearing at his coat.
Xiao Tianmie snarled inside his mind.
"Hesitation will kill you. Let me take over!"
Li Yuan's grip tightened, his golden eyes flashing.
The Farmer's Pushback
Inside the void, Li Yuan planted his Hoe into the soil firmly, golden roots erupting outward, wrapping around Xiao Tianmie's blackened vines.
"No. This soil listens to me, not to you."
For a brief moment, golden sprouts burst through the dark void, and Xiao Tianmie's form flickered.
But Xiao Tianmie only smirked, leaning closer.
"Fine. Keep fighting me. But every time you hold that relic, I'll be here… and one day, you'll need me."
His figure dissolved into crimson mist, retreating back into the dark corners of Li Yuan's soul.
The Battle Ends
Li Yuan opened his eyes, breathing heavily. The crimson glow faded, leaving only his calm golden gaze. The corrupted beasts lay unconscious—not dead, wrapped in golden roots instead of cut down.
The Tear of Withered Roots pulsed softly in his hand, now bound to him.
The System chimed:
[Relic Acquired: Tear of Withered Roots]
[Ability Unlocked: Withering Pulse – Drain corruption from enemies at the cost of soil vitality.]
[Warning: Soul Resonance Unstable — Xiao Tianmie Fragments Partially Awake]
Li Yuan stared at the relic in silence, his fingers tightening slightly.
"I'll use you… but on my terms."
The swamp around him sighed softly, fresh sprouts breaking through the blackened mud for the first time in years.
End of Chapter 26