The Zhui Ling Wood, usually unmatched in its ability to absorb spiritual energy, found itself in a panic as its internal spiritual power rapidly dwindled.
It tried to separate from the Qing Meng Vine, but the vine only tightened its grip.
"Master, don't worry, Little Teng Ye will save you, *wu wu wu*..."
The Qing Meng Vine cried out to Bai Shengyi while mercilessly occupying the interior of the tree vine, quickly digesting a large section of it.
The stump of the Zhui Ling Wood couldn't help but tremble.
Too brutal!
Although the Zhui Ling Wood was a spiritual entity, its intelligence was not high. Lacking spiritual power, it instinctively secreted a dark green viscous fluid from its interior, attempting to absorb Bai Shengyi's life force.
Initially, it was extremely smooth, and it excitedly sprouted new green leaves.
However, before long, the entire stump jolted as if struck by lightning. The moisture from its lustrous bark rapidly evaporated, causing it to crack and wither...
Bai Shengyi felt pain all over her body.
She could hear the sobbing voice of the Qing Meng Vine in her mind, but she couldn't communicate with it. She found herself as if trapped inside a container, her limbs growing weak, and her head becoming even more groggy...
"Do... not..."
Bai Shengyi's will to survive reached its peak. Her fingers dug into the interior of the stump, her dantian whirring rapidly as she began to contend with the Zhui Ling Wood for its wood spiritual energy.
The Zhui Ling Wood regretted it deeply, struggling violently!
It just wanted a snack, why were these two coveting its spiritual energy!
Innumerable slender sharp thorns suddenly emerged from the interior of the Zhui Ling Wood's stump and pierced Bai Shengyi's body. Bai Shengyi was jolted by the pain, her mind clearing considerably, and she absorbed the surrounding wood spiritual energy with even greater force.
As time ticked by, no one noticed that the green leaves in that area were quietly diminishing.
...
"Boom!"
"It's open! Let's go!"
After Chu Tianle placed the box, he and Feng Wuya finally opened the exit after struggling for a long time.
As they climbed up, they couldn't help but widen their eyes.
"Feng Wuya, did you find the wrong exit? This doesn't look like the place we were just in," Chu Tianle said, frowning at the sparse green leaves and the wide, bright view before him.
Feng Wuya hopped up, "You can doubt my strength, but you can't doubt my eyesight! It's definitely right, this is the place!"
"I'm going to find Shengyi," Chu Tianle, worried about Bai Shengyi, didn't bother arguing with him.
He quickly scanned the area, "No one. Are these leaves still decreasing? What's going on?"
"This isn't right. If the Zhui Ling Wood devoured someone, its leaves should have become more... " Under Chu Tianle's reddened glare, Feng Wuya's voice gradually diminished, then he said in astonishment, "Ah! I get it, Chu Tianle, could it be Shengyi who did this?"
"Crack!" The sound of heavy objects collapsing.
As Feng Wuya spoke, the ground not far ahead suddenly caved in. The tree vines retracted and thrashed frantically, attacking the two without restraint. They quickly dodged.
Just as they were caught off guard, they saw a lush green vine "hugging" Bai Shengyi and emerging from the collapsed area.
It was truly a hug, a princess carry, in fact.
The vine placed Bai Shengyi in front of Feng Wuya before pouncing on the Zhui Ling Wood, twisting into a tangled mass.
"My goodness, this spiritual plant is almost a spirit now," Feng Wuya suppressed his sourness and hurried to check on Bai Shengyi's condition.
Upon seeing her, his expression became extremely strange.
"What's wrong, are you okay?" Chu Tianle's heart skipped a beat, "Could it be that Shengyi..."
"It's fine, it's fine, she's just too full of spiritual energy. She might be breaking through again," Feng Wuya waved his hands, signaling Chu Tianle not to overthink.
"That's good then." Chu Tianle came to his senses and frowned, "Can you speak clearly next time and control your body? As a alchemist, don't you think this is scary?"
"You're blaming me for this? Who could have predicted she'd break through again, and so soon. Chu Tianle, Bai Shengyi's talent and luck are far superior to ours."
"So what? She's still our teammate."
Chu Tianle said, "You take care of her, I'll go help."
He said this and charged forward with his saber. With his help, the Qing Meng Vine quickly suppressed the Zhui Ling Wood, devouring it bit by bit until it was completely gone.
"Burp... Master, don't be afraid, Little Teng Ye is still very useful..."
The Qing Meng Vine let out a satisfied burp and transformed into a jade bangle, coiling around Bai Shengyi's wrist.
Dewdrops still clung to the jade stem.
...
When Bai Shengyi woke up, the sky was bright, and the surroundings were open.
"Ah! Shengyi, you're finally awake!" Feng Wuya exclaimed dramatically, "If you didn't wake up, Chu Tianle would have killed me!"
Chu Tianle frowned, "Don't talk nonsense. I just doubted your abilities."
The two nearly started arguing again.
Bai Shengyi took the opportunity to check her condition. Her injuries had likely been treated by Feng Wuya, and there were no major issues.
She wiped away the dewdrops from the stem and leaves of the Little Teng Ye and sighed lightly. If it weren't for the Qing Meng Vine this time, she might not have made it out alive. It had truly been difficult for it.
She still couldn't contact the Samsara Brush, so Bai Shengyi asked Feng Wuya and Chu Tianle about their current situation.
"Should we dig spirit stones or put them back in the box? What do you two think?"
"Of course, we should dig spirit stones. The Zhui Ling Wood is gone, so why not dig them if they're there?" Feng Wuya waved his handkerchief, "While you were unconscious, Chu Tianle and I scouted ahead."
Chu Tianle nodded.
"Then let's go."
Bai Shengyi thought the same way. If she missed such a good opportunity, she would be heartbroken.
The three of them headed towards the spirit stone mine together, with Chu Tianle leading the way. Ahead of the mineral vein, there was still an unstable chaotic flow of spiritual energy, but Chu Tianle found a route with the least impact, and the three of them passed through it without much danger.
As they neared the spirit stone mine, Bai Shengyi suddenly turned back, "This feeling..."
"What's wrong?" Chu Tianle asked.
Bai Shengyi: "Don't you feel like we just passed through some kind of barrier?"
Chu Tianle shook his head.
Feng Wuya reached out to feel the air, "No."
"Then it might be my imagination." Bai Shengyi turned around and continued walking with the two of them.
Neither of the three noticed the transparent sheen rippling with faint waves next to the spiritual energy flow, like a drop of water falling onto a lake.
"It really is a high-grade spirit stone mine!"
"We're rich!"
Feng Wuya excitedly lunged forward, and Bai Shengyi and Chu Tianle couldn't hold him back.
Fortunately, there was no danger inside the spirit stone mine.
"Let's dig quickly, as much as we can," Feng Wuya said, "Shengyi, don't just stand there."
Bai Shengyi waited for the two of them to dig first. Although the three of them discovered the mineral vein together, it was Feng Wuya and Chu Tianle who explored the way in. Bai Shengyi felt they should get the larger share.
"But if you hadn't saved me, we might not have even found the way," Chu Tianle disagreed.
Feng Wuya also said, "Exactly! Divide it equally! Everyone gets a share!"
Chu Tianle said sternly, "Shengyi, aren't we friends? There's no need to be so formal."
Seeing that Chu Tianle looked hurt, Bai Shengyi said helplessly, "Alright, let's do it together, but if there's anything good later, you two can choose first."
She was indeed poor and didn't continue to be polite with them, squatting down beside the spirit stone mineral vein.
The spirit stone mineral vein, as the purest spiritual entity nurtured by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, lay coiled on the ground like a shimmering white dragon.
Bai Shengyi carefully took the specialized tools from Chu Tianle and cut the spirit stones from the mineral vein.
"You even have these quarrying tools?"
"Just in case," Feng Wuya said.
Chu Tianle didn't hesitate to expose his secret, "Don't believe him, this kid has been crazy about mining spirit stones. At ten years old, he was already taking quarrying tools to the Eastern Mountain jungle to survey spirit stone mines..."
"Chu Tianle!" Feng Wuya angrily threw down the quarrying tool and punched Chu Tianle.
Chu Tianle, who was prepared, quickly dodged.
Bai Shengyi, long accustomed to the two of them fighting at the slightest provocation, was not flustered at all. She squatted on the ground and efficiently dug for spirit stones.
These were cultivation resources!
The feeling of instant wealth!
The three of them, bickering and laughing, dug up most of the spirit stones, deliberately leaving about one-tenth, and then continued to explore other parts of the secret realm.
Feng Wuya: "Maybe it can even generate Zhui Ling Wood."
"Speaking of which, the Liu Guang Secret Realm is actually quite famous, but it has always been privately owned by the academy, and ordinary people never have a chance to enter. It's unknown what secret technique was used on this jade slip that makes it glow in places where the box can be placed..."
Feng Wuya spoke for a long time, his mouth dry, "Aren't you two curious?"
"I'm more curious about what's in the box," Bai Shengyi said.
Just as Feng Wuya was about to launch into a lengthy speculation, he saw Chu Tianle holding his saber hilt, warily saying, "There's someone ahead."