Chapter 227

Chapter 227

Blood mist surged forth, spreading outward without restraint, and the powerful and evil aura that swept out from it crushed all living beings outside the Hellish Water Marsh.

The cultivators within the great formation were almost immobilized by that aura, their eyes revealing deep despair and unwillingness.

Just as everyone was in despair, the terrifying and evil aura suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

Roar—

An angry and resentful roar echoed from behind the blood mist.

The cultivators inside the formation looked over in surprise and found that the surging blood mist had been forced back. It seemed to have its own consciousness, retreating in fear, actually moving dozens of feet backward, huddling at the entrance of the Hellish Water Marsh, not daring to spread any further.

At this moment, they also saw a jade bottle appear at the entrance of the Hellish Water Marsh. The bottle emitted the fragrance of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus and a heart-palpitating aura.

"What is this?"

Everyone was both amazed and terrified, realizing that something in the bottle must have stopped the monster from the Blood Miasma Swamp from emerging.

"This is the scent of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus!"

"Didn't the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus wither and die?"

"Only the pure essence of a Fifth-Rank Holy Lotus like the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus can force back the monster from the Blood Miasma Swamp."

...

Perhaps due to surviving the ordeal, the group's emotions were heightened, and they couldn't help but chatter excitedly.

Ning Yuzhou stepped forward, righted the fallen jade bottle, and said, "This is a seed of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus."

Everyone looked at him, silent.

When they had fought over the seeds of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus in the Hellish Water Marsh, Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao had obtained three seeds, a fact known to everyone present. Therefore, no one doubted his words, though their feelings about Ning Yuzhou using one of the seeds to repel the monster were mixed.

They were grateful for his timely intervention but also felt that since he had three seeds, using one to save them was only right.

Ning Yuzhou ignored their thoughts. He did not touch the jade bottle but quickly set up an array around it, clearly intending to isolate it.

Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan approached.

Ning Yuzhou glanced at them without hiding anything.

So when the two saw the contents of the jade bottle, they couldn't help but show surprise.

The jade bottle was uncorked, revealing a clear liquid inside, black and white in color, along with the seed of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus, which had already sprouted roots and shoots, no longer just a simple seed.

Both looked at Ning Yuzhou in astonishment.

Ning Yuzhou did not explain, and as he moved, the jade bottle was hidden by the array, blocking everyone's probing gaze. Thus, they did not know that it wasn't the seed itself but the sprouted seed that had repelled the monster.

A single seed alone could not have such an effect.

But once the seed sprouted, it was different. The holy essence it released, while unable to suppress the monster, could temporarily repel it.

Although Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan were well-versed in many things, upon seeing the black and white liquid in the jade bottle, they did not immediately associate it with the Yin and Yang Spring. They only felt a vague sense of familiarity with the heart-palpitating aura.

It wasn't until Ning Yuzhou completely concealed the contents of the jade bottle that they suddenly realized what it was, and their faces turned solemn.

"Master Ning, this is..."

"As you suspect," Ning Yuzhou replied openly, making no attempt to hide anything.

His honesty left them speechless.

The Yin and Yang Spring was a world treasure, often referred to as legendary among many cultivators. Many believed that only in the ancient era, when spiritual energy was abundant and the three realms were interconnected, could such a spring be born.

In the current cultivation world, it was impossible to create another Yin and Yang Spring.

Such a heavenly treasure would tempt anyone. If these two were not so resolute, they might have succumbed to its allure.

They both took a deep breath, looked at the surging sea of blood outside the formation, and then sighed inwardly.

The heavenly treasure was indeed tempting, but compared to it, they preferred to solve the immediate crisis and help the Flying Star Continent survive.

Thus, they decided instantly to pretend they hadn't seen anything.

Ning Yuzhou stood guard before the jade bottle containing the Yin and Yang Spring water and the sprouting seed of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus.

Whenever the Yin and Yang Spring water in the bottle was nearly depleted by the slowly growing sprout, he refilled it.

Without Wen Qiao's ability to nurture spirit plants, Ning Yuzhou used this method to maintain the growth of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus.

Before Wen Qiao left, she had tried to nurture the seed of the Purifying Spirit Water Lotus. Due to the excessive amount of primordial spirit energy required, the seed remained dormant. Wen Qiao never gave up, continuously supplying it with energy whenever she had a chance.

Seeing her efforts, Ning Yuzhou thought of the Yin and Yang Spring's properties and tried soaking the seed in it.

Not long after Wen Qiao entered the sea of blood, Ning Yuzhou discovered that the seed soaked in the Yin and Yang Spring water had sprouted.

He was surprised but soon understood that the Yin and Yang Spring truly had the power to nurture life. Because it absorbed the water from the Yin and Yang Spring, it sprouted earlier than expected. Without Wen Qiao's nurturing abilities, it continued to grow as long as it was nourished by the Yin and Yang Spring water.

Once the sprout grew larger, Ning Yuzhou transferred it from the jade bottle to a jade bowl.

Throughout this process, he kept it hidden from everyone, setting up isolation arrays and illusion arrays, ensuring no one could see what was happening. They assumed he was merely protecting the seed from the blood mist of the Blood Miasma Swamp.

Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan, who knew the truth, remained silent.

Although the lotus seed of the Spirit Cleansing Water Lotus had finally taken root and sprouted, its growth remained exceedingly slow.

Every time it absorbed the Yin and Yang Spring water, Ning Yuzhou would pour a small amount into a jade bowl, just a shallow layer, to continue its growth.

The water from the Yin and Yang Spring was quite precious. Ning Yuzhou used it sparingly each time, naturally not giving too much to the Spirit Cleansing Water Lotus seed. As long as the sprouted seed could continue to suppress the monsters in the Blood Miasma Swamp and prevent them from escaping, that was enough.

After discovering that the monsters in the Blood Miasma Swamp would not break out of the Prison Water Marsh for the time being, the cultivators within the great array finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of survival after a narrow escape.

Even a bad life is better than a quick death. Even if one is destined to die, people instinctively struggle to live longer.

Especially for cultivators, their path is fraught with danger, and they have experienced many life-and-death situations. They all understand that even in dire straits, as long as they persevere, they might find a way out.

The cultivators ran over to ask Su Wangling, "Young Master Su, how long can this lotus seed hold out?"

Su Wangling thought to himself that a single lotus seed could only last one or two times before being eroded and devoured by the blood miasma. However, a sprouted lotus seed was different; it had been imbued with the aura of the Holy Lotus, enough to repel those evil spirits.

Though he understood this, he did not want to reveal too much and replied tactfully, "I don't know either; we'll have to see."

Everyone became worried again.

However, no matter how worried they were, they could only wait, continue fighting, and battle against the blood sea and the monsters within it trying to breach the defensive array, protecting the array.

Although the defensive array seemed stable, if it continued to be attacked by the blood sea and the monsters within, it would likely not hold for long.

Then, the cultivators saw that the monsters in the Blood Miasma Swamp tried several times to break out of the Prison Water Marsh but were forced back by the Spirit Cleansing Water Lotus at the entrance.

Every time they saw the surging blood mist at the entrance and heard the angry roars coming from it, these cultivators trembled with fear, worried that the lotus seed might not hold.

If it couldn't hold, others would have to offer up their lotus seeds.

Although those who obtained the lotus seeds were unwilling, in this situation, they had no choice but to prepare themselves mentally.

Su Wangling was also somewhat worried and couldn't help asking Ning Yuzhou, "Master Ning, how long can it hold?"

Ning Yuzhou looked at the Spirit Cleansing Water Lotus in the jade bowl and keenly noticed that its roots had turned a faint blood red. The color was very light, almost imperceptible if not observed closely.

Just like the Spirit Cleansing Water Lotus that once stood guard in the Prison Water Marsh, everyone only saw its graceful presence on the surface and its fragrant purity, unaware that its roots had already been polluted by the blood miasma in the Blood Miasma Swamp.

Indeed, a newly sprouted lotus seed could not suppress the powerful monsters in the Blood Miasma Swamp.

Ning Yuzhou said, "Judging by the situation, it should hold for another ten days to half a month."

Su Wangling immediately became worried, "If it fails, can we use a second lotus seed?"

Ning Yuzhou replied calmly, "No, Chui is not here."

Without Chui's cultivation, even with the Yin and Yang Spring water, waiting for it to take root and sprout would take a considerable amount of time—far too long to hold back the threat.

The Yin and Yang Spring could provide vitality and shorten the growth period, but it couldn't make it grow instantly.

Su Wangling fell silent, thinking of Chui, who had been gone for nearly a month, and sighed.

He didn't know how Chui was doing now or whether she had found the divine tree. If not for Ning Yuzhou's assurance that she was safe, he would have worried that something terrible had happened to her.

These two were betrothed, so there must be some treasure between them to determine each other's safety.

Despite his worries, Su Wangling could only suppress them and wait for the outcome.

Time passed slowly. After two months of fighting, the number of survivors dwindled to just over three thousand.

These three thousand were the elite disciples of various factions, while those lacking strength or courage had already died in battle, most dragged into the blood sea by monsters or accidentally killed by blood giants.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

When the thunderous sounds rang out, everyone numbly looked towards the entrance of the Prison Water Marsh, noticing that the blood mist was attacking again. With time, the blood mist spread outward, and the sprouted lotus seed was struggling to hold back the threat.

Su Wangling closed his eyes.

Time became unbearable.

Everyone was enduring, not wanting to die, wishing to leave the Heavenly Plains alive, continue pursuing their cultivation paths, and ascend to the higher realms...

Yet, despite all their reluctance, facing the endless blood sea and the advancing Blood Miasma Swamp, they could only helplessly await their fate.

Until the roots of the sprouted lotus seed in the jade bowl turned completely blood red, the cultivators fighting suddenly noticed something and froze.

"Look, is the blood sea receding?" someone murmured.

This finally caught the attention of all the cultivators. They stopped their mechanical fighting, gazing at the boundless blood sea, and upon closer inspection, they couldn't help but burst into joy.

"The blood sea is really receding!"

The blood sea was indeed retreating. The monsters within began to panic, no longer attacking the already shaky great array but chasing the receding blood sea, emitting panicked cries.

Those sharp cries echoed far, making the cultivators feel relieved for the first time.

Everyone stood before the great array, watching the receding blood sea.

The blood sea, like when it came, receded without warning. Its speed was not slow, but in the vast Heavenly Plains, the cultivators still felt it was too slow, wishing it would disappear instantly.

Upon noticing the blood sea's retreat, Qiao Leshan and others instinctively turned to look at the entrance of the Prison Water Marsh.

The blood mist at the entrance was also churning, with the monsters within emitting sounds of resentment, those sonic waves rippling out in waves yet seeming so powerless.

Su Wangling's pale face broke into a relieved smile as he whispered, "She succeeded."

Ning Yuzhou looked at the jade bowl where the lotus seed had turned completely blood red, flicked a thread of geocentric crimson flame, and burned both the seed and the bowl to ashes.

A Holy Lotus tainted by the blood miasma was no longer a Holy Lotus.

When Wen Qiao woke up from her coma, she saw the towering tree above her head.

The leaves were glowing with a soft white light, making the tree look as if it were shining, holy and beautiful. The air was filled with the refreshing scent of divine wood, which made her feel extremely comfortable.

She stared for a moment before realizing that she had transformed back into her beast form, which was why the tree seemed so tall.

In fact, it was just like those small trees that grow in a year.

Wen Qiao looked around and saw Wen Tutu and Wen Guangun by her side, not a single one missing.

Then she glanced around again and noticed that outside the absolute domain of the divine tree, there was no longer the omnipresent blood water. Although the surroundings were still dark, there was a calming tranquility that put her at ease.

Wen Qiao's gaze returned to the divine tree above her head.

At this moment, she had transformed into a little sapling rooted beneath the divine tree. One large and one small, they actually looked somewhat similar.

Wen Qiao couldn't help but wonder: Could her divine bloodline actually come from the divine tree? Since there are examples of spirit herbs cultivating into humans, it wouldn't be strange for a divine tree to do the same.

As she let her imagination run wild, several points of light fell from the divine tree and surged into her body.

Wen Qiao felt so good she almost moaned, but since she wasn't in human form, she couldn't make any sounds; only her green leaves trembled slightly to express her joy.

The leaves of the divine tree also rustled, as if responding to her.

The two beasts' attention was drawn to the interaction between the two trees. They curiously looked at the divine tree and then at the little sapling, hesitated for a moment, and decided that the little sapling was more interesting.

After a while, Wen Qiao transformed back into human form.

After transforming back, she stretched lazily and then happily hugged the small tree, which was only a bit taller than her, caressing its trunk. Suddenly, a flood of information rushed into her consciousness, nearly overwhelming her.

Wen Qiao rubbed her head and smiled bitterly. "Don't dump all the information at once; let me take it slowly."

The leaves of the divine tree trembled again, producing another rustling sound, as if speaking to her.

Wen Tutu and the other beast couldn't understand the communication between plants. They jumped onto Wen Qiao's shoulders, finally reaching the level of the divine tree's leaves. Looking at the glowing leaves, they couldn't resist extending their paws.

Their furry paws were immediately brushed away by the soft, tender branches.

The little divine tree indicated: No way!

Where did these messy beasts come from, daring to touch it? It didn't need a guardian beast!