Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

Before the echoes of Cen Jin's remnant soul had faded, the heavy coffin door suddenly slammed shut in front of the two.

A ghostly green flame rose from the rings of the coffin wall.

The flames did not scorch the flesh and blood, but instead chased after the foreign energy emanating from the two of them like a greedy, hungry wolf.

Lou Xiaotian's shoulder armor shattered instantly, and his tattered greenwood robe turned to ashes.

His clothes were burned down to half, leaving his bare shoulders and back completely exposed to the eerie green flames.

Jiang Yining's two layers of dark robes were also pulled at the same time.

The outer layer of Fan Chenxin's robe temporarily blocked the blue flames, but the inner layer of tattered fabric completely tore open from the waist.

Large areas of her snow-white right shoulder and lower back were exposed to the dim light.

Lou Xiaotian ripped off the last half of his outer robe and quickly turned around.

He held her firmly between the coffin wall and his burning chest.

"Use this piece of fabric to cover your shoulders and back first."

His voice was tense, and when his gaze fell on her alabaster skin, his Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably. "Turn around, your back has already been slashed by a thorn."

Jiang Yining clutched the fabric and looked up at him.

Inside the dim coffin, the blue flames flickered, illuminating the alluring red mole between her brows.

Dozens of thin thorns protruded from the coffin wall, densely and viciously piercing Lou Xiaotian's broad shoulder blades.

He could have moved forward to avoid it, but he stubbornly remained rooted to the spot, refusing to retreat even a step.

"These superficial wounds are better than having a thorn scratch your side."

Lou Xiaotian unfolded the fabric and carefully handed it to her shoulder from a distance of half a foot. "If I put it on you, it will touch your shoulder. If you don't want to, I will close my eyes and stand there."

Jiang Yining simply slipped the fabric over her shoulder and waist, casually covering them.

"You can open your eyes and check the array patterns. Don't try to act like a gentleman in this life-or-death array."

Her tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

Lou Xiaotian then raised his eyes, his gaze lingering with extreme restraint on her beautiful face.

A ring of ancient blue characters floated above the coffin lid, and thick roots wrapped around their arms one after another.

The two were forcibly restrained, and the distance between them was forced to be less than half a foot.

The chilling echoes of Cen Jin's remnant soul reverberated once more through the wooden coffin.

"The host's wood breath enters the protective root of the green marrow, and the green marrow returns to the host's body, completing a full cycle."

Lou Xiaotian raised his arm, attempting to shake the root lock.

As soon as the Azure Wood Qi gathered, the three Spirit Devouring Vine vines in the chest tightened simultaneously.

His muscular chest was deeply marked by the purple-gold vine pattern, but he forcefully suppressed the urge to break through the blockade.

"This wooden coffin completely locks the arms, making the usual method of transferring marrow to the body impossible."

Jiang Yining analyzed the situation calmly.

She used the sacred wood to probe his heart meridian, examining each of the three lacerations. "How many more complete cycles can your green wood marrow withstand? Don't try to fool me."

"A normal cycle of three times will not damage the foundation, but forced compression can only complete one cycle."

Lou Xiaotian met her scrutinizing gaze, a dark glint of green light surging in his eyes. "If I break the root lock, although I will lose 20% of the green wood's essence, I can deliver the wood marrow to your palm."

"I just locked your heart meridian, not to watch you ruin your essence in another way."

Jiang Yining's expression darkened slightly.

She tilted her head back, gauging the cramped distance between them.

The root lock restricted the arms, leaving only an ambiguous gap for the lips, teeth, shoulders, and neck to approach.

Her eyes darted around, and she made a decision in an instant.

"Don't shake the root lock, press the Guiyuan wood marrow under your tongue."

Lou Xiaotian's breath hitched suddenly, and the aura of the green wood caused a slight tremor in his chest.

Are you sure you want to use this method?

His voice was hoarse, his gaze fixed on her lips, "I can try to pry open another crack."

"Continuing to pick the lock will only make you more injured."

Jiang Yining's eyes were clear and unwavering. "I have no interest in trading your foundation for so-called avoiding suspicion. I will control the rhythm of the marrow transfer; you are only responsible for condensing the Green Wood Marrow."

Lou Xiaotian gave her a deep look; his fingers, which were usually as steady as a rock when holding a gun, were now white from being squeezed by the lock.

"If you feel unwell along the way, use the sacred tree to push me away."

He obediently bit the tip of his tongue, slowly and painfully compressing the primordial green wood essence.

The warm pith gradually condensed into a glistening blue droplet between the lips and teeth.

A faint, refreshing woody scent quickly filled the narrow ancient coffin.

He did not approach her directly, but left the choice entirely to her.

Jiang Yining raised her arm, which was being pulled back by Gen Suo, and her fingertips just touched the back of his neck, then she grabbed that hot skin.

"If I don't let go, you are not allowed to back away and interrupt the loop."

She issued the command domineeringly, then slightly clenched her fingers and pulled the tall figure toward herself.

Their breaths mingled first, followed by the warm scent of wood.

Without hesitation, Jiang Yining tilted her head back slightly and opened her lips to take the Guiyuan Wood Marrow into her mouth.

Lou Xiaotian's broad shoulders and back suddenly tensed, and his muscles hardened like iron.

The moment their soft lips touched, a tidal wave surged in his eyes.

His long-suppressed desire almost broke free of the cage of reason, and he instinctively wanted to intensify it.

Noticing her fingertips pause slightly, he restrained himself and remained where he was with astonishing willpower.

Jiang Yining pressed her lips against his, her breathing remaining steady.

"Don't stop until it's completely cleaned up."

Lou Xiaotian closed his eyes and fed the remaining green wood marrow to her lips.

He didn't take advantage of the root lock to demand more. As soon as the aura of returning to the origin left, he turned his head first, trying his best to leave her a distance where she could catch her breath.

"The bone marrow has been fully infused; you can now loosen your grip on the back of my neck."

He was breathing heavily.

Jiang Yining did not give up immediately.

She focused intently to confirm that the wood marrow flowed steadily along the old wound on her collarbone to the silver leaf at her waist.

After confirming that everything was correct, she slowly released her grip on his hand.

The azure wood breath meandered down from her collarbone, precisely avoiding the dark gold lotus and the dark silver leaf heart.

The wood energy flowed smoothly into the third ancestral root of the Myriad Spirits Divine Tree.

The wooden coffin then shook violently.

The thick roots suddenly tightened, pressing Jiang Yining's snow-white back hard against Lou Xiaotian.

The waists and chests of both of them were tightly bound by green vines at the same time.

Their breaths, which had been spaced out, were forced to come together again.

Lou Xiaotian looked down at the person in his arms, his arms still firmly secured by the root lock.

Unable to embrace her, he could only use his strong body to bear the violent impact of the coffin walls for her.

"The wooden coffin is forcibly synchronizing your heartbeat with the rhythm. If you feel discomfort in your Qi Sea, immediately sever the wooden marrow."

He said urgently.

"Don't get distracted protecting me, fully open your heart meridian."

Jiang Yining's words left no room for argument.

She manipulated the Myriad Spirits Divine Tree to probe into his body along the green vines.

The blue veins grew wildly from her waist, spreading to Lou Xiaotian's heart and plunging deep into the origin of the blue wood.

Jiang Yining's face instantly turned cold.

Beneath the surface of Lou Xiaotian's vigorous green wood energy, there was a large area of ​​terrifying black cracks.

The original essence of the ancient greenwood has long been withered and nearly half destroyed, and it is only the earth veins and medicinal marrow that are supporting its outer shell.

"Is this what you call three normal cycles?"

She let out a cold laugh.

Lou Xiaotian avoided her overly lucid gaze, his burning chest pressed against her back.

"Although the source has been somewhat depleted, at least it hasn't damaged lifespan."

He tried to downplay the situation.

"You burned the Thunder Pool, you burned the secret passage, and you burned the earth veins that were just sealed."

Jiang Yining was furious.

The Soul-Devouring Vine forcefully pierced the black crack, firmly pinning down the green vine pattern that was about to drain its lifespan.

"You really think that as long as you can still stand, I can't tell how badly you're injured?"

"If I tell you the truth, you will never let me step into the path of the Embracing Tree."

Lou Xiaotian retorted in a low voice.

"Do you think hiding your injuries will change my decision not to let you die?"

Jiang Yining turned half her face, her cool nose almost brushing against his chin. "Lou Xiaotian, if you want to stay by my side, you have to learn to value your own life first."

Lou Xiaotian gazed at her silently, all the arrogance in his eyes vanishing.

Only a gentle, lingering affection remained, gleaming in the firelight.

"I will no longer hide the depletion of my essence, nor will I actively break free from your vine lock."

He made a solemn promise.

"Not later, but now let the sacred tree seal all the black cracks."

The purple-gold roots forcefully penetrated his heart, severing his withered essence inch by inch.

The wooden coffin attempted to continue extracting the protective marrow, but Jiang Yining forcefully cut it off.

At this moment, their long hair was playfully curled up by the roots.

Her jet-black hair, as black as a waterfall, was tightly woven together with Lou Xiaotian's long hair by a strand of green vine.

Even the tassel of his gun at his waist was pulled over and tightly wrapped around Jiang Yining's waistband.

Lou Xiaotian tried to turn to the side to untangle himself, but the roots only tightened their grip on the spear tassel.

"Don't move, it's about to break the belt."

He gave a helpless, wry smile. "I just wanted to remove the tassel from your gun; I had no intention of touching your waist."

"The more you explain, the more the roots seem to be tied up as if it were done intentionally."

Jiang Yining glanced at him.

Lou Xiaotian looked helpless, his arms were bound, and he couldn't reach the entangled area at all.

"This spear tassel isn't usually this in the way; I'll burn it when I go out."

"The spear tassel didn't offend you; the one who's been foolish is this wooden coffin."

Jiang Yining scoffed.

She activated the Soul-Devouring Vine, and the purple-gold vine tip flicked away the green roots one by one.

But the last strand stubbornly tangled around the ends of their hair, bouncing off only to quickly curl back up.

Lou Xiaotian looked at the almost intertwined hair and a indulgent smile finally appeared on his lips.

"It probably felt we weren't close enough, so it insisted on tying its hair together too."

"If you like being tied up, I can have the magic vines hang you alone on the coffin lid."

Jiang Yining snorted coldly.

"Then I'd better stay put, so you don't have to look up and see me looking embarrassed."

The wood breath finally completed a full cycle, and a hidden compartment slowly cracked open in the heart of the coffin.

A bottle of turquoise-green Guiyuan wood marrow rose up simultaneously with an exquisite root-protecting bell.

Jiang Yining used vines to create two objects. First, she put the pith into her storage bag, and then she held the root-protecting bell.

The vines that were connected by the same vein did not fade away; instead, they became completely imprinted on the hearts of the two people.

Jiang Yining immediately used the divine wood to firmly seal the lines on Lou Xiaotian's chest.

"The root-protecting bell can only delay the contract, it cannot erase this green vine."

He said softly, "Since I can't erase it, at least I can protect you once when you're in danger."

"You'd better put an end to this dangerous idea immediately; I've sealed off all the acupoints that could activate it."

Jiang Yining said coldly.

Cen Jin's remnant soul solidified into a blurry human figure inside the coffin, the bluish-white soul fire illuminating his mutilated face.

"When the Root Protection Pact is formed, if the Root Killing is imminent, the Root Protector can die in place of the host."