A surge of pure, vibrant wood essence mixed with a faint trace of sharp, metallic wolf qi leaked faintly from the spirit beast pouch.
Xie Zhaolin's eyes snapped open.
It was Hun Yu.
Had it... finished absorbing?
And this aura...
She willed her mind, and in an instant, Hun Yu and the dried-up Golden-Backed Wolf corpse beneath it appeared before her.
The once-massive wolf body had withered completely, its skin clinging to its bones like old parchment. Every drop of blood essence and demon energy had been sucked dry.
As for the tiny green sprout that once had only two leaves, it had now grown several times larger. Its stem had thickened, gleaming faintly with a metallic sheen that shimmered as it moved.
The two original leaves had become three, each about the size of her palm, deep green with fine serrated edges and veins so clear they looked carved. They pulsed faintly with vibrant life force, tinged by a razor-sharp aura.
But what drew the most attention was its roots.
The once-slender tendrils had become thick and dense, burrowing deep into the wolf's shriveled corpse. Some even pierced through the skin, twining around the bones. A faint dark-gold tint gleamed along the roots, as if it had absorbed some of the beast's traits.
You You floated out of the jade slip, circling curiously around the now-sturdy sprout. "Master, it looks... a lot stronger?"
Xie Zhaolin didn't answer immediately. Her divine sense swept across Hun Yu, focusing not just on its physical change but on the spiritual fluctuation coming from it.
That wave of energy...
It had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage!
Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief. "Late Foundation Establishment... already?"
This thing had nearly been annihilated under the heavenly tribulation, its core scattered and only the faintest spark of life left. It was barely clinging to existence. And yet, how long had it been?
Barely a month.
Just by devouring a mid-stage Golden Core beast corpse, it had jumped from near-death all the way to late Foundation Establishment?
That speed was absurd!
Completely unnatural—unless...
A thought flickered through her mind.
Unless Hun Yu's core essence was far stronger and more unique than she'd ever guessed. Its vitality and recovery ability were downright monstrous.
"If it hadn't been for the master-servant contract..." she thought quietly, "then with this kind of recovery, even without my help, it could've absorbed the world's essence on its own and healed completely... maybe even faster."
The thought sent a faint chill down her spine—but that chill quickly gave way to delight.
What did this mean?
It meant that the thing she'd thought was a burden might actually be a treasure beyond measure. A demonic plant with this kind of resilience and growth potential... its value was immeasurable. If it was given enough resources, its future achievements could be unimaginable.
"Looks like I lucked out." A faint smirk curved her lips. Her eyes softened a little as she looked at the Hun Yu—not as a subject of scrutiny, but genuine appreciation.
Without hesitation, she set up several layers of barrier formations around the cave to mask its aura and noise, just in case anyone sensed the anomaly.
Once the formations settled, silence returned.
The little sprout continued to glow faintly, as if still digesting its feast.
Xie Zhaolin and You You simply waited.
Three whole hours passed before the light finally began to fade, drawing inward until only its emerald leaves swayed gently.
And just as the glow disappeared—
"Burp~"
A tiny, satisfied belch echoed through the cave.
Xie Zhaolin: "..."
You You: "..."
Both froze for a second, blank expressions and wide eyes.
Wait, did that... plant just burp?
You You reacted first, drifting closer and poking one of its plumpest leaves. "Hey, you full or something? Aside from burping, you don't seem any different. I was half expecting you to start talking."
The words had barely left her mouth—
Hun Yu's leaves curled up tightly, trembling in irritation, and then snapped outward, flicking You You's hand away.
A clear, childish voice burst out, halting and clumsy but loud enough to stun them both.
"D-Don't... poke me!"
The pronunciation was shaky, but the meaning was clear!
Xie Zhaolin's gaze sharpened slightly. You You, however, let out a shriek and shot straight back to her master's side. "M-Master! It—it talked!"
Hun Yu seemed just as shocked and thrilled by its own voice. Its leaves wiggled rapidly, and that soft, childish tone continued, each word careful and deliberate.
"I... refined... that stupid wolf's... essence... my spirit... awakened...
Master... I'm... very useful now!"
It spoke with visible effort, the emotions behind its words a mix of pride and eager flattery.
Xie Zhaolin looked down at the chattering plant and nodded slightly. So that Golden-Backed Wolf did have some hidden fortune after all. The spiritual essence within its core must've been absorbed by the Hun Yu, allowing it to awaken intelligence far ahead of time.
That was... quite the pleasant surprise.
Eager to prove itself, Hun Yu's three leaves began to tremble, and its stem swayed back and forth with faint popping sounds, like it was holding something in.
You You found the sight hilarious. Remembering how it had snapped at her earlier, she teased it with wicked amusement. "Hey, little sprout, you're not... you know, farting, are you? That'd be fast digestion."
Her voice had barely fallen before Hun Yu's leaves turned visibly red at the edges.
Whether from anger or embarrassment, no one could tell.
"You... you're the one farting!" it yelled in its childish voice, puffing with indignation. The popping sounds only grew more rapid.
Xie Zhaolin couldn't help watching curiously, wondering what it was trying so hard to do.
Then, after several louder pops, a gentle glow spread from its tip.
A small, milky-white bead bloomed from the top of its leaves, radiating a soft, soothing light.