"This… this is…"
Off to the side, Ye Lingling and Ye Tianxin were completely stunned by the scene before them. Their eyes widened, shock written plainly across their faces.
Wasn't this supposed to be a sacrifice?
Then where had this suit of spirit bone armor come from?
The aura radiating from the armor alone made it difficult for them to breathe. With Bai Mu standing there clad in it, the two of them felt as if they were gazing upon a true divine being.
"M-Master… a god…"
Xiao Yue, the cat-eared girl nearby, had already knelt to the ground, her eyes filled with fervent reverence.
"This power… it's overwhelming."
Bai Mu clenched his fists, carefully sensing the strength surging through his body and the divine equipment formed by Order. The exhilaration in his heart was impossible to suppress.
He could clearly feel it—while wearing this Order divine equipment, every aspect of his power had doubled, reaching an astonishing level.
The six spirit bones resonated in perfect harmony.
The Order divine equipment had been fully constructed.
Yet what truly made his heart race was something else entirely.
At the moment the divine equipment stabilized, a powerful resonance echoed once more within his spiritual world.
His consciousness sank inward, and familiar words appeared before him:
[Order divine equipment constructed. Life energy converged.
Third Pokémon Spirit resonance successful — Xerneas]
"Wait… there's more?!"
Bai Mu's eyes widened in disbelief, joy and shock surging together.
Xerneas.
The legendary Pokémon of life itself.
Legends said that when its antlers shone with seven-colored light, it could bestow vitality and longevity upon all living things. Even without ascending to godhood, such power alone was enough to defy mortality.
More importantly, its control over life energy meant that accelerating the growth of Immortal Herbs would be effortless.
"With Xerneas, Immortal Herbs are no longer a concern at all!"
Bai Mu's excitement peaked. He immediately activated the resonance within his spiritual world.
"Come forth—Xerneas!"
Whoosh!
A pillar of radiant light burst from his body, piercing the sky and enveloping the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Moments later, a majestic, deer-like Pokémon manifested within the valley.
Its body was blue and black, elegant and sacred. Eight branch-like antlers extended from its head, each adorned with luminous multicolored nodes—orange, crimson, violet, and aqua—radiating a mysterious brilliance.
The Pokémon of life, Xerneas, had descended.
As its antlers glowed, vast life energy poured outward. Everyone present immediately felt their vitality surge, their bodies lighter and stronger.
Across the valley, Immortal Herbs responded instantly. Under the nourishment of pure life energy, they grew at a visible rate. Those already near their limits broke through one after another, transforming into hundred-thousand-year Immortal Herbs, their pressure shaking the surroundings.
Bai Mu raised his hand calmly.
"Sacrifice."
At his command, nine hundred-thousand-year Immortal Herbs initiated their sacrifices simultaneously. Majestic life energy surged forward, pouring into Xerneas.
A clear cry echoed through the valley as Xerneas's aura expanded. Its body grew rapidly, and nine blood-red spirit rings appeared around it, radiating terrifying pressure.
"You arrived at the perfect time," Bai Mu said, unable to hide his delight.
Xerneas glanced at him briefly, then leapt lightly among the Immortal Herbs. Bathed in light, its form transformed—roots spreading, branches extending—until it became a towering, radiant tree at the center of the valley, silently releasing endless life energy.
"…So you're resting already?" Bai Mu paused, then chuckled.
"Fine. As long as the results are there."
With Xerneas present, his Immortal Herb cultivation plan had finally reached true completion. Even without pursuing godhood, he could already live freely in this world.
"Mu… what exactly is that?" Ye Lingling finally asked, stepping closer, awe still lingering in her voice.
"It's Xerneas," Bai Mu replied calmly. "The embodiment of life—and my third Spirit. You can think of it as a special kind of spirit companion."
Ye Lingling nodded slowly, her Nine-Heart Begonia resonating faintly in response to the surrounding life energy.
"Don't underestimate yourself," Bai Mu said reassuringly. "You'll grow just as strong."
Nearby, Xiao Yue asked timidly, "Master… have you become a god?"
"Not yet," Bai Mu replied with a light smile. "But it's only a matter of time."
As the valley gradually settled, Ye Tianxin watched from a distance, her emotions complicated—shock, admiration, and concern intertwining in silence.
The path ahead was clear now.
With Order divine equipment, a third Pokémon Spirit, and the foundation laid, Bai Mu's next goal was firmly set—
The Ninth Spirit Ring.