**San Dong Forest—**
Nangong Huan stood at the edge of a cliff, clutching a half-eaten candied hawthorn skewer that she had bought in town. Below her, a faint mist swirled, hiding the secrets of the forest.
“Be careful, child,” the Spirit Elder cautioned.
“Don’t worry, Spirit Elder. I can see the cave!” With a swift movement, she secured a rope to a nearby boulder and expertly descended.
After a few agile jumps, she landed deftly at the cave''s entrance. According to her sources, the elusive Iris Lapis was hidden within this cave, held by a frozen figure surrounded by mysterious symbols that looked ominous.
No matter how ominous it seemed, she was determined to obtain it!
Taking out a luminous stone, she stepped into the dark, cold cave, alert and cautious. The passage wasn’t deep; after walking about twenty meters, she reached a vast chamber.
The walls were adorned with ancient golden symbols, and at the center stood a massive ice pillar. Encased within it was a young man, eyes tightly shut, seemingly at peace.
As she approached, she was struck by his otherworldly beauty.
His features were sharply defined, his pale face devoid of color, with a high nose and slightly smiling lips. Strands of silver-white hair, streaked with icy blue, framed his face like silk, giving him an ethereal quality, as if he were a prince from a snowy kingdom.
Dressed in a white robe embroidered with a majestic golden qilin, he stood with his long fingers forming a seal, tightly gripping an Iris Lapis, looking more like a celestial being than a mere mortal.
Nangong Huan couldn’t help but steal a few more glances. This guy was stunningly handsome!
“To retrieve the herb, we must first break the formation,” the Spirit Elder’s voice trembled with excitement, anticipating the moment his disciple would build her Spirit Platform.
“Nine-step Ice Formation, no problem,” Nangong Huan replied, blinking.
With just a glance, she recognized the intricate ice-based array. Though she hadn’t been able to cultivate spiritual energy for the past three years, she had learned a lot under the Spirit Elder’s guidance.
“Excuse me,” she murmured, placing fire-type spirit stones at several key points in the array. Moments later, the ice pillar began to melt from top to bottom, droplets of water cascading to the ground, forming a small puddle.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As the ice melted, the young man gradually became exposed, though his posture remained rigid, only his hair gently falling.
Once the ice had melted enough to reach the herb, Nangong Huan carefully attempted to extract it. Forcibly pulling it could damage the root, so she had to gently pry open the young man''s frozen hand.
However, no matter how she tried, his grip was as unyielding as steel.
“Hey, can you loosen your grip? I’ll trade you for this candied hawthorn!” Nangong Huan wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling the chill radiating from him.
Just as she was about to lose hope, the young man’s fingers slowly relaxed, allowing her to retrieve the Iris Lapis.
“...”
Nangong Huan stared at the herb in her hand for a moment, then stuffed the half-eaten candied hawthorn into his palm.
“Fine, here you go.”
She tossed the herb into her space ring for the Spirit Elder to refine into a potion, then stood before the young man, observing him from different angles.
Truly a beautiful boy; just looking at him was a delight. Unfortunately, beauty often came with danger.
While Nangong Huan was lost in her thoughts, the Spirit Elder had already refined the potion, urging her to take it.
As she swallowed it, her body trembled slightly, and a glowing golden platform began to form in her dantian!
The earth’s spiritual energy surged into her body, cleansing her limbs and bones!
A shallow golden wave radiated from her, causing trees to sway and waters to ripple!
Unlike spiritual roots, the Spirit Platform was more substantial, converting the absorbed energy into natural power distinct from ordinary spiritual energy.
A sensation of oneness with the earth’s energy washed over her, as if she had become one with it!
It felt more comforting than soaking in a hot spring!
“This power is incredible! I feel like I can rival a two-spiritual root cultivator! Maybe even a three-spiritual root!” Nangong Huan marveled at her hands, her excitement evident.
“Hmph! That’s only natural,” the Spirit Elder boasted, pride swelling in him. “With each Spirit Platform you build, your strength will leap qualitatively. Those pathetic spiritual roots don’t even qualify to be your opponents!”
“I think I can sense all high-level creatures nearby!” As she activated her Spirit Platform, she looked around, feeling as if she had gained x-ray vision. She could detect spirit birds hidden among the leaves and centipedes buried in the soil... every detail was crystal clear!
More accurately, she sensed the flow of spiritual energy within them!
The Spirit Elder grunted. “According to the color spectrum—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet—purple represents low-level beasts, while red indicates divine beasts. Humans are similar; the stronger they are, the closer they are to red.”
“Red divine beast!” Nangong Huan’s gaze locked onto something, her voice rising in excitement.
“Exactly, a divine beast!” the Spirit Elder echoed.
“I see the divine beast!” Nangong Huan was sure she wasn’t mistaken. Joy flooded her face as she dashed toward the towering hundred-meter Giant Spirit King tree!
The divine beast was right beneath its roots!
“What? A divine beast!” The Spirit Elder’s tone shifted. “You’re so lucky! Hurry, go after it!”
Nangong Huan’s figure swiftly vanished into the cave.
Behind her, the young man, now fully unsealed, blinked his long eyelashes and slowly opened his deep blue eyes.
Those eyes sparkled like fireflies in a tranquil forest, mysterious and dangerous, drawing one in irresistibly.
Dong Yan stepped gracefully onto the ice, like a feather landing softly on the puddle, brushing off the droplets from his sleeve and glancing at the fleeting shadow at the cave''s entrance.
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