Tian Xing stared blankly at Nuo Ying, who stood protectively behind him, his mind a complete blank.
With just one punch?
Tian Xing had fought those thunder puppets before. Even with the combined might of himself and the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, they could at most contend with five thunder puppets simultaneously.
And the thunder puppets that had been chasing them just now numbered ten!
Yet, Nuo Ying appeared and dispatched ten thunder puppets with a single punch...
Tian Xing looked at Nuo Ying's back, pursed his lips, and then glanced at Ye Ling, as if seeking an explanation for Nuo Ying's origin.
Where did this monstrous woman come from?
The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, however, was less reserved. Upon witnessing Nuo Ying's display of power, it couldn't help but exclaim to Ye Ling, "Damn it, kid, where did you find such a powerful ally this time?"
Ye Ling chuckled, "Nuo Ying's origins are a bit complicated. Let's deal with our current predicament first, and then I'll explain. Tell me, what's your current situation?"
Hearing Ye Ling's words, the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire ceased its inquiries about Nuo Ying's background and immediately recounted everything it and Tian Xing had experienced to Ye Ling.
After listening to the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire's account, Ye Ling's brow furrowed. He looked at the boundless world power surging within the Heart of the Heavens and said gravely, "So, Xiao Mao Mao and the Ten Thousand Poison Beast are both trapped inside?"
The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire confirmed, "Yes... Tian Xing and I had no strength to resist that world power. If you hadn't arrived in time, I would have likely perished here."
A Yun then explained to Ye Ling, "Ye Ling, this place is known as the Heart of the Heavens, the center of the Origin Continent. The Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm is located within the Heart of the Heavens."
"The Medicine Spirit Beast is an Origin Immortal Beast, sharing the same origin as the Seed Source. If she is trapped within the Heart of the Heavens, she will be assimilated by the Seed Source into Origin Power, and then a new Medicine Spirit Beast will be reborn somewhere in the world."
Ye Ling frowned, "So, if we don't rescue Xiao Mao Mao, she's doomed?"
A Yun nodded, "Yes... Since its inception, the Upper Origin Realm has had only five fixed Origin Immortal Beasts, and the Medicine Spirit Beast is one of them. If Xiao Mao Mao is assimilated, a new Origin Immortal Beast will take her place in the world."
"Is there any way to rescue Xiao Mao Mao?" Ye Ling asked A Yun again.
A Yun, a former elder of Sky Cloud Island, which had existed since the birth of the Upper Origin Realm, was essentially a living encyclopedia of the Upper Origin Realm. If even A Yun had no solution, then perhaps only Good and Evil could save Xiao Mao Mao.
A Yun replied, "The process by which the Seed Source assimilates Origin Immortal Beasts is irreversible. If you wish to save Xiao Mao Mao, your only option is to conquer the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm."
"Conquer the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm..." Upon hearing A Yun's words, Ye Ling fell into silence.
A Yun continued, "However, I must warn you, as the most ancient Seed Source, the power of the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm is unimaginable. With your current strength, attempting to devour the Upper Origin Realm's Seed Source would be a near-certain death."
"Furthermore, once you devour the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm, the spiritual energy of the Upper Origin Realm will continuously decline, eventually dissipating entirely, leaving the Upper Origin Realm a world devoid of spiritual power."
"The Upper Origin Realm is home to numerous supreme powerhouses. If you succeed in devouring the Seed Source, all these supreme powerhouses will regard you as their mortal enemy and relentlessly hunt you."
The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, after hearing A Yun's explanation, turned to Ye Ling and said, "Kid... the price of saving Xiao Mao Mao is too great. You're not seriously considering risking your life, are you?"
Ye Ling snapped back to reality and smiled at the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, "Actually, I don't think it's that difficult. It's not as hard as you imagine."
"Not that difficult? Are you kidding me?" The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire twitched its mouth, staring at Ye Ling in disbelief. "Kid, what exactly did you go through in the Sword Tomb?"
A Yun addressed the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, "Ye Ling killed a watcher. In a sense... Ye Ling has already achieved something more difficult than conquering the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm."
"Holy cow... Kid, you actually dealt with that eye?" The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire looked at Ye Ling with utter shock. "You're that powerful now?"
Ye Ling replied humbly, "It's just average, really. Not as mystical as you think."
A Yun added, "However, Ye Ling, although you dealt with the watcher, you gained no benefit from it. The danger of conquering the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm remains extremely high, so I do not recommend you attempt to devour the Seed Source."
Ye Ling smiled at A Yun, "Thank you for your advice, but since Xiao Mao Mao is inside the Heart of the Heavens, I must take this risk."
"In fact, it's not just Xiao Mao Mao. If any of you were to fall into the Heart of the Heavens, I would rescue you without hesitation... no matter how dangerous it is, or what the cost."
The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire sighed, "I knew you'd say that, kid. I can't dissuade you. If you want to go, then go."
"As always, leave a portion of your life origin and soul with us, just in case."
A Yun then stated, "I do not recommend Ye Ling separating his soul and life origin."
"Why?" The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire was taken aback and quickly asked A Yun.
A Yun explained, "Devouring the Seed Source requires a perfect state. If Ye Ling's soul and life origin are incomplete, he will be unable to conquer the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm."
"There's such a thing?" The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire became agitated. If he left behind a remnant soul and life origin, even if he failed, Ye Ling could still revive... But if both his remnant soul and life origin were gone, and he died within the Heart of the Heavens, there would be no way to save him!
Ye Ling, however, was unconcerned. "It's precisely about burning all bridges. Moreover, I have a premonition... no matter how difficult it is this time, I will definitely succeed in the end!"
The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire questioned, "Kid, what makes you so confident? That's the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm! Did you see the world power outside the Heart of the Heavens? The periphery is already so strong; the inside is more than a hundred times stronger!"
Ye Ling smiled slightly and replied to the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, "Have you forgotten who created this Upper Origin Realm?"
The World Extinguishing Spirit Fire froze.
Ye Ling turned to face the Heart of the Heavens and said to the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, "World Extinguishing Spirit Fire, my decision to enter the Heart of the Heavens this time is not a rash one. I am not acting impulsively."
"If they want the horse to run, they must feed it. They can't expect it to run without sustenance."
"We have already come into contact with the watchers, and even dealt with one. This entire grand scheme has been fully laid out. At this juncture, it's highly unlikely they would replace their pieces with new ones in the Upper Origin Realm to attract the watchers' attention. No one can turn back now."
"And I have become the core piece of this grand scheme..."
"Since I am the core piece, no matter how I act, as long as I am not confronting the watchers externally, they will not allow me to be eliminated in such a place!"
"Kid..."
After hearing Ye Ling's words, the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire stared blankly at Ye Ling's retreating back, lost in thought. Indeed, after hearing Ye Ling's words, it also recalled that in the past, when they were at their wit's end, Good and Evil would always bail them out at the last moment. If Ye Ling was certain that Good and Evil would help... then this attempt to devour the Seed Source of the Upper Origin Realm could not possibly fail!
With this realization, the World Extinguishing Spirit Fire had a thousand words to say, but ultimately, it condensed them into a single sentence for Ye Ling:
"You're a sly one! I'm going with you too!"