Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

"Trying to escape?" Bai Jin sneered. These earth dragons were part of the resources, so of course he wouldn't let them go after victory. The Pure World Lotus Platform, formed from one of the arms of the Flame God's true form, suddenly pressed down, and towering flames erupted from the bottom of the platform, enveloping the entire plain like a seal.

"Sealing off the Flame Domain!"

The ground was temporarily solidified by the laws of fire, hindering the earth dragons' ability to burrow underground.

Gu You also joined in, with spiritual threads rising from the ground like a large net to further bind them.

The two worked together and spent some more time slaying the remaining earth dragons one by one. When the last earth dragon died, the entire plain was in ruins, with burning flames and shattered crimson crystal fragments everywhere.

Bai Jin retracted his Flame God form, reverting to his gray-robed, masked appearance. His aura fluctuated slightly, indicating that his recent outburst had taken a toll. Gu You also revealed himself, his expression unchanged.

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously flew towards the towering crystal pillar.

Bai Jin raised his hand and carefully removed the head-sized ball of molten source essence, using the power of flames to divide it evenly in two. He carefully put one half away, while the other half floated in his palm.

“Fellow Daoist Gu You,” Bai Jin looked at Gu You, his voice filled with fervor, “this Molten Fire Source Essence is of extraordinary significance to cultivators who practice the Great Dao of Fire Origin. It can not only temper the divine body, but also help people to more clearly comprehend the various forms and mysteries of the Fire Origin, making it far more valuable than ordinary treasures of the same level.”

He paused, then continued, "I am willing to exchange a treasure of equal value, worth thirty million merits, for half of the Molten Fire Source Essence in your possession, fellow Daoist."

Gu You understood.

The other party was clearly extremely eager for the complete Molten Essence, and the conditions they offered were quite sincere.

The value of this half-bundle of Molten Essence is only slightly over 20 million, but now the other party is willing to give it a treasure worth 30 million merits, which is almost half the original price.

He thought for a moment.

While the Molten Essence was useful to him, capable of tempering his divine body and aiding in comprehension, it was ultimately not as crucial as it was to Bai Jin. Exchanging it for a treasure more suitable for the path of life, or one that could directly enhance comprehension and aid in breakthroughs, might be a more worthwhile investment.

“Alright.” Gu You nodded. “However, I need to see the list of treasures you’re offering for exchange first. Or, do you know where I can find information on treasures that can greatly enhance comprehension or have miraculous effects on the path of life? If you can provide concrete clues, their value can be calculated.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Jin's eyes behind the mask brightened slightly: "Fellow Daoist has indeed pointed out a good direction. I do know of a World Bubble that may contain clues about the 'Ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree.' The tea leaves that the ancient tea tree condenses every trillion epochs have a miraculous effect on improving enlightenment. However, the place is extremely dangerous and is guarded by a powerful group of dream realm creatures. If you are interested, I can share the clues and offer a partial valuation."

Enlightened Ancient Tea Tree!
Gu You's heart stirred; this was far more attractive to him than the Molten Fire Source Marrow.

"I would like to hear the details," Gu You said. "If the clues are indeed valuable, the exchange can be made."

Bai Jin flipped his hand, and several items floated up.

First, there was a jade tree core, about the size of a baby's fist, entirely emerald green, with an inner core that seemed to exude the vitality of spring breezes. Just by hovering there, the surrounding scorching air seemed to be purified, and a faint fragrance of grass and trees permeated the air.

"This is the core ingredient of the 'Spring Breeze Elixir'—the 'Heart of the Spring Breeze Tree Spirit'," Bai Jin explained. "The Spring Breeze Tree Spirit is a rare and special life form found in the depths of the Dream Realm. Its core contains the purest and gentlest life force. The Spring Breeze Elixir, made from this as its main ingredient, has effects similar to the Five-Colored Elixir—it allows the user to achieve perfect harmony with the Great Dao of Life's origin, making them like a darling of the life source. Its value is no less than that of the Five-Colored Elixir, approximately ten million merits."

Gu You's eyes narrowed.

Spring Breeze Precious Medicine!

This is one of the treasures he needs most right now. If he can consume it, he will be able to comprehend the origin of life with twice the result and may even be able to touch the opportunity for a breakthrough!

Its value is indeed equivalent to that of the "Five-Colored Elixir" that allows people to get closer to the source of destruction.

Bai Jin then pointed to several materials emitting different lights beside him: "These are 'Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade Soul', 'Empty Crystal Stone', 'Dream Sand', etc., all of which are top-grade materials produced in the depths of the Dream Domain. They are suitable for refining secret treasures, setting up formations, or assisting in cultivation. Their total value is about 15 million merits."

"The above totals twenty-five million merits," Bai Jin said, looking at Gu You. "Plus, the clue to the 'Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree' will be worth five million, bringing the total to thirty million. In exchange, we can exchange that for half of the Molten Fire Source Essence in your possession, fellow Daoist. How about it?"

“A very fair deal.” Gu You nodded and pushed half of the Molten Fire Source Essence over. “However, I would like to hear the details of the clues about the ‘Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree’ before we complete the final exchange.”

Bai Jin received the Molten Essence, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He then placed the crimson jade slip on his forehead, and a moment later, a divine message entered Gu You's consciousness.

It was a complex memory of spatial coordinates, and a blurry vision: somewhere in the endless bubble-like world deep within the dream realm, there existed a seemingly ordinary giant world bubble.

This world bubble is not naturally generated; rather, it is more like a "domain" that has been forcibly fixed and transformed by some great force.

Inside the bubble of the world, there is no distinction between sky and earth, only an endless, slowly rotating sea of ​​chaotic, colored clouds. At the center of this sea of ​​clouds, floats an ancient tree of indescribable size.

The ancient tree was a warm, dark gold color. Its trunk was as thick as a pillar of heaven, and the bark was covered with countless mysterious runes. Its branches stretched out in a winding manner, and each leaf was like a miniature universe, shimmering with different laws and radiance.

This is the Wudao Ancient Tea Tree.

But to get close to it and obtain its leaves, one must pass a test—walking along an ancient chain that spans the boundless sea of ​​clouds and leads directly to the ancient tea tree from the outer edge of the cloud sea.

That chain was extraordinary.

It is not a physical metal, but is formed by the condensation of mental will. It appears to be only a hundred feet wide, but gives people a heavy feeling of "the only passage".

Below the chains lies a bottomless abyss of the soul, capable of swallowing and annihilating everything. A single misstep could lead to the destruction of even one's true spirit. Bai Jin spoke up at the opportune moment: "If there's only one coordinate, it's certainly not worth 500 million merit points. I have some information that I've personally tested out that I can tell you."

"The only path to the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree is a chain. Once you enter that world, you'll be teleported to the platform at the chain's starting point. Those seas of clouds that seem traversable are actually illusions, posing a fatal threat. The chain trial has two aspects: First, the terrifying mental impact emanating from the chain itself. Walking on the chain, you'll constantly endure increasingly intense illusions, the growth of inner demons, and the torment of your consciousness. This impact isn't aimed at strength, but purely at the level and purity of your will. Even those with the ultimate willpower require an extremely high level of mental fortitude to safely complete the chain!"

"Secondly, 'Dao Souls' will emerge from the chains to attack. These are strange beings formed from the residual law imprints and obsessions of countless powerful individuals who failed and perished in the chain trials throughout history, transformed by the ancient tea tree domain. They will frantically attack the walker and prevent anyone from approaching the ancient tea tree. The strength and number of Dao Souls will continuously increase as the walker progresses."

“I have been to that world before,” Bai Jin’s divine sense was solemn, “but I felt palpitations after walking less than a tenth of the way out of the chains. Even with my current level of cultivation, and despite the countless trials my mental will has undergone, I am not confident that I can cross those chains. Not to mention the increasing number of ‘Dao Soul’ attacks… It is said that Dao Souls in the later stages of the chains even retain some of their memories from their previous lives, making them extremely difficult to deal with.”

"However," he changed the subject, "the existence of the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree can be basically confirmed. Its tea leaves do indeed have the miraculous effect of 'enlightenment with a single leaf, clarity of mind, and mastery of all methods.' For a God-King, a single tea leaf might save trillions of epochs of hard work, and even help break through bottlenecks. It's just that obtaining it is difficult..."

After listening, Gu You was filled with turbulent emotions.

This test, especially the "mind chain," is the ultimate tempering and interrogation of a cultivator's Dao heart.

“This clue is worth more than five million,” Gu You said frankly to Bai Jin.

"Haha, if we could obtain the tea leaves, the price would naturally be much higher. Right now, it's just a piece of information, but in my opinion, this price is already very high." Bai Jin chuckled. "After all, this clue is just a 'clue' to me right now, while the Molten Fire Source Essence is a real treasure that can help me break through my current bottleneck."

Gu You no longer hesitated and put away the treasures given to him by Bai Jin. He carefully sealed the Heart of the Spring Breeze Tree Demon and put it into a specially made jade box.

Transaction complete.

"Fellow Daoist Gu You, what are your plans next?" Bai Jin asked. "If we don't have a clear goal for the time being, perhaps we can cooperate to explore a few more world bubbles."

Gu You pondered briefly.

He did need to adapt to the deeper environment and accumulate resources, and he also wanted to verify the reliability of the "Enlightened Ancient Tea Tree" clue. Teaming up temporarily with a powerful figure like Bai Jin, whose strength was comparable and whose style was considered upright, was more beneficial than harmful.

“Very well,” Gu You said. “I intend to first find a few treasures to strengthen my spiritual life and temper my mind, in preparation for the possible 'Chain Trial' in the future. If Fellow Daoist Bai Jin has any relevant clues, you may come along.”

“What a coincidence.” A hint of a smile seemed to appear beneath the white ashes mask. “I know of a world called ‘Ice Heart Lake,’ where the ‘Ice Soul Condensing Lotus’ is produced. It has miraculous effects on stabilizing the mind and resisting inner demons. It’s conveniently on my way. However, the environment there is extreme, and the guardians are a group of ‘Frost Spirits,’ who are skilled in freezing and soul attacks. We need to be careful.”

"It's alright." Gu You's eyes gleamed with eager anticipation. The adventures in the depths of the Dream Realm, alongside powerful figures, exploring ancient secrets and unparalleled treasures—that was exactly what he looked forward to.

After a brief rest, the two left the Crimson Crystal Plain. Bai Jin guided Gu You to a specific area at the edge of the dark red world bubble. Here, the chaotic world membrane was no longer smooth as a mirror, but instead exhibited subtle swirling distortions, with a faint icy blue light shining through it.

“This is the natural node passage to the ‘Ice Heart Lake’ world bubble,” Bai Jin explained. “The deep bubble-like worlds are not completely isolated from each other. Some world bubbles with conflicting or mutually reinforcing environmental and legal attributes will form relatively stable connection points on their membrane walls. Finding them is much safer and less strenuous than forcibly breaking through the walls.”

"It's really small. If it weren't for your guidance, I wouldn't have noticed this node at all." Gu You looked at the tiny vortex-shaped distortion, which was only the size of a palm and inconspicuous in the surrounding environment.

"Haha, this is a little trick, not many people like to use it like this. After all, forcibly breaking through the wall doesn't take much effort for us... When entering, you need to keep your mind steady, there may be 'Illusory Ice Shards' inside the passage, which are not fatal, but can freeze consciousness for a moment." Bai Jin reminded him, then transformed into a crimson stream of light and took the lead in entering the vortex.

Gu You followed closely behind.

The process of passing through the passage is like navigating between ice and fire, with a scorching torrent of dreams on one side and bone-chilling icy energy on the other.

Tiny, shimmering blue ice crystals appeared out of thin air from time to time, attacking the two as if they were alive. These "illusory ice fragments" did indeed have a strong mental freezing effect.

Crimson flames rose from Bai Jin's body, incinerating all the illusory ice fragments that approached. Gu You, on the other hand, radiated a blue spiritual light, his spiritual power forming a gentle barrier that melted away any fragments that touched it, like ice and snow meeting the spring sun.

About ten breaths later, the view suddenly opened up before me.

An extremely cold aura, seemingly capable of freezing the soul, swept over me.

They were already in another world—Ice Heart Lake.

This is a world entirely composed of ice. The sky is a translucent, ice-blue dome, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, only bathed in soft, cold light. The earth is smooth, mirror-like, ancient ice, with icebergs, ice pillars, and ice towers of various shapes standing in the distance. The entire world is utterly silent; even the movement of the air seems frozen.

At the heart of this ice field lies a circular lake, approximately one million miles in diameter. The lake water is not liquid, but rather a kind of "living ice" that exists between solid and liquid states, shimmering with a deep blue luster and flowing slowly.

A pale blue mist shrouded the surface of the lake, and occasionally, the ethereal image of a lotus flower formed from ice crystals would flash by.

This is "Bingxin Lake".

Every so often, a rare "Ice Soul Lotus" will emerge in the lake. This lotus takes root in the extremely cold ice marrow at the bottom of the lake, and its petals are made of pure spiritual ice. It has a miraculous effect on stabilizing the mind, cleansing inner demons, and enhancing spiritual will.

“Only in the depths of the lake does the mature Heart-Gathering Lotus grow.” Bai Jin pointed to the center of the lake. “But the guardian ‘Frost Spirit’ clan dwells in the lake and beneath the surrounding ice. They are formless and intangible, spiritual beings born from the combination of extreme cold dream energy and the pure ice law. They are numerous and extremely difficult to completely eradicate.”

As soon as the words were spoken, as if sensing the presence of an intruder, the calm lake surface suddenly changed!

Chi Chi Chi -!
Hundreds of translucent, pale blue, humanoid figures silently emerged from the lake and from beneath the surrounding ice. They had no facial features, their bodies like flowing icy mist, radiating a chilling aura—these were the Frost Spirits!
As soon as these Frost Spirits appeared, they all made the action of "opening their mouths"—without making a sound, but an invisible wave containing extreme cold and spiritual freezing surged towards Gu You and Bai Jin like a tide.

Wherever it passed, the air froze into solid ice crystals, and even space itself was cracked by the freezing! (End of Chapter)