At that thought, the tiny green sprout began swaying even harder, as if putting on an exaggerated performance just to be noticed. It seemed to be… preparing something.
Xie Zhaolin watched with clear amusement and made no move to stop it. She wanted to see what else this cunning spirit plant could pull off.
The tender tip of the sprout trembled slightly, a faint, unusual glow beginning to shimmer at its top.
Puff—
A soft sound echoed.
At the tip of that tiny green sprout, something began to bloom. Slowly, painfully, a rice-grain-sized flower emerged, nearly transparent, its delicate petals glimmering like carved ice crystals.
A little flower bud.
It looked so fragile that even a breath of wind might shatter it, yet the aura it released was incredibly pure, carrying a strange, soul-soothing and mind-cleansing energy.
The power was weak but refined, of extraordinary quality.
This was one of the innate gifts of the Bewitching Beast Yam—the Condensed Soul-Nurturing Flower.
It was an item of immense value for cultivators, able to stabilize one's realm and nourish the Primordial Soul.
For someone like Xie Zhaolin, who'd just endured a thunder tribulation and was in the midst of rebuilding and adapting her body and soul, it was a blessing straight from heaven.
But in its current fragile state, producing even this single, minuscule bud had drained nearly all the spiritual energy the sprout had just recovered. Its entire body looked visibly withered, the leaves drooping like wilted silk.
Even so, it stubbornly lifted the little flower bud, directing it toward her, sending out a clear and trembling intent.
"Master… this… useful… for you…"
The thought carried flattery, humility, and a desperate longing to live.
Xie Zhaolin stared at the tiny sprout on her fingertip, exhausted yet struggling to prove its loyalty, and at the delicate flower shimmering faintly with nourishing power. Her eyes flickered in surprise, then softened in understanding.
It really knew how to play its cards.
She could sense the flower's pure energy and the way it nourished her soul, and she knew exactly how much this little thing had sacrificed to create it.
That was sincere loyalty, through and through.
She also understood its motive.
It was afraid she'd think it wasn't valuable enough and decide to dispose of it, so it rushed to prove its worth.
But she had to admit, that little performance did raise her opinion of it.
It knew how to read the situation, bend when needed, and show value to survive. This spirit plant was smarter than she'd expected.
"Heh…" Xie Zhaolin let out a soft laugh, her tone unreadable. "You really know how to sell on the spot, huh?"
She reached out her other hand and gently touched the tiny bud.
Instantly, the little flower dissolved into a streak of pure green light and merged into her fingertip. A warm, comfortable energy spread through her body, soothing her meridians and her slightly weary Primordial Soul, even faintly stabilizing her newly-formed Golden Core.
The effect was… remarkable.
She looked down at the small green sprout in her palm, now even more wilted from exhaustion yet still trying its best to show obedience. The last bit of killing intent in her heart quietly faded away.
Forget it.
A servant who knew the situation, understood limits, and held genuine value was far more useful alive than dead. More importantly, this showed something about the Bewitching Beast Yam's nature—and its potential.
For the sake of survival, this little thing had pushed the very idea of value to its extreme.
"Recover well. Once your energy's back, you'll have your uses." Her calm tone carried a faint promise of life.
Hearing that, the little sprout trembled with relief, sending a wave of gratitude before finally relaxing completely. It curled softly in her palm and began quietly absorbing the faint spiritual energy around it to heal.
Xie Zhaolin didn't linger.
She took out a jade box designed for storing spirit seeds, carefully moved the tiny plant along with a bit of soil into it, then laid down nurturing and restraining seals before handing it over to You You for safekeeping.
Right now, it was too fragile. Carrying it around was inconvenient and risky. It'd be better to let it recover slowly in a stable environment.
After that, her gaze swept toward the area where the Geng Metal vein had once been.
But now? There was nothing left.
The seventh strike of the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder, carrying the will of ultimate annihilation, had targeted her and the Bewitching Beast Yam directly. Yet even the residual destructive energy that leaked outward had been enough to obliterate what little structure remained of the vein, already drained of essence by the wolf beast's devouring.
All that was left was a sunken crater, darker and deeper than the surrounding scorched earth.
Not even the faintest trace of spiritual essence remained.
Completely gone.
"Clean, at least," she murmured, eyes calm, without the slightest regret.
Even if the vein had remained intact, it wasn't something she'd have cared for anymore. Her current cultivation and needs had far surpassed what such resources could offer. And now that the heavenly tribulation had erased it, she'd avoided the future hassle of greedy cultivators fighting over scraps.
Besides, the majority of the vein's energy had long been devoured by that wolf over the centuries.
"Forget it." She shook her head. "No reason to stay."
This place was far too dangerous now.
The commotion she'd caused had been enormous. The ninefold Purple Heaven Divine Thunder would've drawn the attention of countless powerhouses for miles around.
Before, no one dared approach because the heavenly might was still lingering.
Now that it had faded, those who'd sensed it would soon come rushing like sharks scenting blood.
And among them, there would definitely be mid or late-stage Golden Core cultivators, and maybe even beasts of equal strength. Although her strength had surged after forming her core, her realm hadn't yet stabilized, and she couldn't fight off so many enemies alone. If she got surrounded, the outcome would be disastrous.
Having made up her mind, she didn't hesitate any longer.
Her aura vanished completely, her body fading into a translucent shadow that blended seamlessly with the surroundings as she slipped away through a more hidden route than before.
Silent, swift, gone.
And indeed, about the time it takes to burn an incense stick after she left—
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Several streaks of light of different colors descended from all directions, stopping cautiously at the valley's edge.
Their clothes varied—some were sect disciples, some loose cultivators, and even a few exuded the dark, cold aura of demon cultivators. The weakest among them was at late Foundation Establishment, while two or three radiated the pressure of late-stage Golden Core cultivators.
Across the valley, several enormous beasts also appeared, their monstrous qi surging as they growled lowly. Their crimson eyes glared warily at the humans while showing clear fear toward the charred crater at the center.
Everyone's gaze locked on that place where the terrain had been utterly reshaped, especially the pitch-black hole in the middle that seemed bottomless.
Shock, greed, and deep apprehension filled every face.
===
Next I will call Bewitching Beast Yam as HunYu.
Originally it was 迷魂妖芋 (Mí Hún Yāo Yù), with:
迷魂 (Mí Hún): To bewitch, to confuse the soul.
妖 (Yāo): Demon ('beast'), bewitching, enchanting.
芋 (Yù): Yam, taro.
I choose 魂芋 (Hún Yù) from it's name.