The plant slid down Jin Huang's throat like a silk ribbon, every crunchy bite dissolving into warmth before it even reached his stomach. A wave of fragrance burst outward, in the air and inside his very bones- like a thousand spring mornings blooming in his marrow.
Jin Huang froze. Then his eyes widened.
Then his pores widened.
A gentle radiance erupted from him in soft pulses, like he had become a politely flashing lantern. His skin took on a translucent jade sheen, and his hair lifted as if applauding the decision. Deep within his dantian, spiritual energy surged in elegant spirals, smelling faintly like freshly steamed buns.
His knees buckled, his soul sang. His common sense died.
Inside his mind, ancient celestial chefs began discussing seasoning techniques before losing themselves in their own cacophony.
Then, a dignified, emotionless voice of some long-dead immortal echoed within him.
"This herb must never be consumed whole. One petal alone contains enough divinity to forge a perfect immortal body."
Jin Huang blinked. He had eaten the entire thing
He felt his meridians stretch like lazy cats basking in sunlight. Suddenly, the energy that had sprung from the plant was compressed, refined, and polished before rushing out of his dantian and reaching every corner of his body.
Then, his stomach made a small, ominous 'ding,' the sound of a bell announcing either enlightenment… or gastrointestinal catastrophe.
He swayed as his body glowed brighter, then started levitating two inches off the floor without permission.
"Huh," he whispered, voice echoing with accidental profundity- a byproduct of the divine energy currently surrounding him. "Crunchy."
Bit by bit, the divine energy was being assimilated into his body. Every bone, organ, and muscle was being assailed by an onslaught of that divine energy, undergoing constant change. His skin attained an otherworldly glow as his yellow hair seemed to become fuller and healthier, every blemish on both vanishing before the naked eye.
Hei Shisan and Shen Wuyou, who were excitedly looking over their gains, noticed Jin Huang's state and fell into a stupor.
"Such pure vital energy," Shen Wuyou said, looking a bit pale as Jin Huang's aura- which was truly the divine plant's aura- overwhelmed him slightly.
"His Mortal Foundation is rapidly advancing. His tendons and muscles, organs and skin. Every bit of him is moving steadily toward a kind of perfection that I've never seen. Just what kind of body does he have?" Hei Shisan put a hand on Shen Wuyou's upper back, his own energy aiding the weaker boy in withstanding the aura.
The Lunar Goddess looked on with narrowed eyes as Jin Huang was slowly transformed, saying nothing more.
Within a matter of minutes, Jin Huang's body was forged anew. As for the residual divine energy, it was assimilated into every fiber of his being before slowly reentering his stomach... and being digested.
Opening his eyes, Jin Huang was partially surprised to be back in the real world and not in his mind. "That was spooky. At least I don't feel as hungry as I did."
Glancing back at his companions, he saw them giving him puzzled looks.
"Hey, guys. What's up?"
Shen Wuyou opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. Eventually he settled on pointing at Jin Huang like an accusatory chicken.
"You- you- are you still Jin Huang?"
Jin Huang blinked. He took a moment to pat his own cheeks, poke his abdomen, and wiggle his fingers like he was checking to see if they still came with the correct number of joints.
"I feel… uh…" He paused, searching for a word. His eyebrows furrowed with heroic effort. Nothing came.
"Different?" he finished, triumphantly, as though unveiling a profound dao truth.
Hei Shisan massaged the bridge of his nose. "Yes. Thank you. That clears everything up."
"What kind of different?" Shen Wuyou insisted. "Stronger? Lighter? Heavier? Enlightened? Hollow? Peanuts?"
Jin Huang looked deeply inward. He could go for some peanuts right now.
His meridians hummed like tipsy dragonflies. His bones creaked happily like freshly oiled gates. His muscles were politely flexing at all times without asking his permission. His skin felt like it had seen intensive care.
He opened his mouth to explain.
"My… insides feel like…" he gestured vaguely in several directions at once, "…like someone… cleaned them?"
Silence.
Hei Shisan stared at him with every murderous intent and frustration he had ever felt.
"So," Hei Shisan said slowly, "you underwent an impossibly rare, heaven-defying transformation… and your best description is... clean?"
Jin Huang nodded, completely confident. "Very clean."
The Lunar Goddess' faint, translucent form flickered nearby, expression unreadable- possibly because it was caught somewhere between divine serenity and existential resignation.
At last, she sighed the kind of sigh that implied she had seen empires rise and fall and yet this was still the most tiring thing to ever happen to her.
"It is done," she said softly. "You have each acquired that which was destined for you; your paths have now diverted. However, before you leave this place… I must ask one thing of you."
The room grew still. Even Jin Huang's glow seemed to dim politely.
Her gaze turned distant, drifting far beyond numerous long-dead centuries.
"My tomb lies beneath the bottom floor of this pagoda. Within it rests a stone tablet, inscribed with my final will. It contains nothing of power- no inheritance- only words meant for any who yet carry my bloodline." Her lips curved into something like the memory of a smile.
"Please take it. If no descendants remain, then carry it with you regardless. Let the skies remember that my clan was here. That we once rose through the clouds and fought for a place in the Eternal Sky."
Shen Wuyou bowed instinctively. Hei Shisan inclined his head with uncharacteristic gravity.
Jin Huang raised his hand.
"Question," he said. "How big is the tablet? Because if it's like, giant… I don't think I can put that in my bag of holding."
The Lunar Goddess stared at him.
Then, very slowly, she said, "It is… portable. But, I can grant you this."
With a flick of her slender finger, a black-gold ring flew out swiftly, stopping in the air near Jin Huang's hand. He grabbed it up and inspected it, realizing that it was most likely one of those spatial rings that he couldn't afford.
"Oh. Great!" He said excitedly.
Her form began to fade, motes of silver light scattering like snow in moonlight.
"My thanks… and my blessing. Take the tablet and leave this pagoda. The Fallen Heaven realm will soon close so that more fated ones may face the trials. Perhaps, one day, the Fallen Heaven realm will be opened again. Hopefully, it happens before this scrap of remnant will fades from existence... and the realm with it."
Her presence dissolved completely as she spoke, leaving only the faint scent of cold moonlight and lingering melancholy.
The trio stood there a moment.
Then Hei Shisan clapped his hands once. "Alright. Emotional ancient farewell complete. Shall we go raid a goddess' tomb?"
Shen Wuyou smiled helplessly as he felt for the dice pendant on his necklace. "It is not raiding if we were invited."
"It becomes raiding," Hei Shisan said, "the moment I start enjoying myself."
Not too long after, they stepped out of the pagoda together, treasures stored, bodies transformed, stomachs varying in fullness.
Jin Huang paused before the threshold, looking at the vast, desolate skies of the Fallen Heaven realm before looking down at the ancient stone tablet in his hands.
He scratched his head.
"So..." he said as he tried to put the tablet into the ring, realizing that he had no idea how to do so. "Does anyone else feel like… I should probably… learn what cultivation actually is?"
Both of his companions turned toward him slowly.
"Or, you know, how to work one of these?" He raised the ring with a pleading expression.
"Yes," they said in perfect unison.