"Let's go. We'll pick seven more immortal herbs," Chen Junting said as Huo Yuhao carefully tucked the Lovesick Heartbreak Red into his chest.
But just then—
"Wait! Don't leave yet!"
"Hmm?" Chen Junting turned his head slightly, saying nothing—only raising an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
Youyou seemed to steel itself before speaking: "After you've memorized the manual's contents… could you leave the physical book here? It's… the only thing we have left of him."
"Oh?" Chen Junting slowly turned back, the Tang Sect manual materializing in his hand. "And what price are you willing to pay for it?"
"I—uh…" Youyou's petals trembled in agitation, clearly weighing options. Only when Chen Junting's impatience became palpable did it blurt out: "How about… one extra immortal herb?"
The moment it spoke, a hushed rustling swept through the valley—as if every other immortal herb was outraged.
Youyou's petals shuddered—but it stood firm.
Fine. I've already offended nearly all the herbs here anyway. Might as well go all the way. Let these humans take the powerful, valuable ones—the ones threatening my status—and leave the rest. After all, the weak ones are worthless. This way, I'll finally be the undisputed boss of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
Chen Junting didn't know Youyou's exact thoughts—but he guessed close enough.
This flower wasn't kind-hearted; it was shrewd. It would never sacrifice its own interests.
"An extra herb? Hah. Unnecessary."
He tossed the manual back to Youyou. He'd never intended to keep it. Tang San's obsession with this book was obvious—he'd even withheld its contents from his own sect!
Since Chen Junting had already committed every word to memory, the physical copy was irrelevant. He'd only held onto it to pressure Youyou—nothing more.
"You're just… giving it back like that?" Youyou reabsorbed the book into its core, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Since when did this greedy human grow a conscience?
(Of course, it only dared think this—not say it.)
"Of course not."
Chen Junting stated his true condition:
In the future, Youyou must cooperate with his research. After all, to make Dugu Xin's poison resistant to Youyou's anti-toxin properties, he'd need the flower's direct assistance.
As the trio turned to leave—
"Wait!"
"Hmm?"
"You want me to cooperate? But what if—" Youyou panicked. Will research kill me?!
But Chen Junting's icy glare cut it off mid-sentence, forcing the unspoken fear down its nonexistent throat.
Great. I've dug my own grave.
Just as they moved to depart a third time—
"WAIT!"
Swish—!
Chen Junting's sword flashed out, its tip pressing against Youyou's stem. The killing intent made the flower feel it had brushed against death itself.
"This is the third time! What else?!" Chen Junting snapped.
"Well… um…" Youyou's gaze flickered—then locked onto Huo Yuhao's chest, specifically the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
"Could you… not take the entire flower? Maybe just plant its seed back in the Yin Yang Well?"
"Oh?" Chen Junting's interest piqued.
He knew most immortal herbs here were either sown by Tang San or regrown from roots. But the Lovesick Heartbreak Red—requiring a "true love" to harvest—reproduced via seeds?
Given its innermost petals were always sealed, seeds would only be accessible after plucking…
Ah. So when Xiao Wu picked the original flower ten thousand years ago, Tang San must have retrieved its seed.
Chen Junting extracted the single seed from Huo Yuhao's flower and handed it to Youyou. "How long until it matures?"
Youyou embedded the seed into a newly summoned Wu Jue stone, then estimated:
"As a pinnacle immortal herb, the Lovesick Heartbreak Red can't grow just anywhere. Even in a place rich with spiritual energy and life force, it takes a thousand years to sprout, a thousand to root, and a thousand to mature."
"Here in the Yin Yang Well? Three hundred years to reach consumable quality."
Three hundred years?
Too long.
Chen Junting frowned. He'd hoped to use the Yin Yang Well's power to accelerate growth, then give a new bloom to Xiao Tian—boosting her talent further.
By the time three centuries passed, even cold dishes would be ice-cold.
He fixed Youyou with a sharp look. "Can the Yin Yang Well speed this up? Make it mature within three years?"
"Impossible!" Youyou recoiled, shaking violently. "Not even here can do that!"
"Is that so?" Chen Junting's tone turned frosty.
No matter how he pressed, Youyou refused, insisting it was hopeless.
"Then it's a shame," Chen Junting sighed—
"Actually… there is a way."
A cold, crisp voice cut in. All eyes turned toward the Frost Extreme Ice Spring—where Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass stood.
"OCTAGONAL?!" Youyou shrieked, trying to interrupt—but Chen Junting grabbed its stem, his gaze sharper than any blade.
When Youyou fell silent, Chen Junting addressed the newcomer: "Speak. What's your method? And your terms?"
"All immortal herbs need only two things: abundant spiritual energy and dense life force. Meet those, and the Lovesick Heartbreak Red can grow early. In short—we'd need to channel our essence into it. But that would severely drain us."
"Ah. Now it makes sense."
Chen Junting released Youyou, ignoring its wilted form. His voice was calm, cutting:
"No wonder it claimed there was no solution."
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