When she mentioned the second matter, Hong Ling’s expression became even more difficult to describe, bordering on the absurd.
“The other matter is in your Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm, my Lord.”
Hong Ling lowered her voice and said, “Three babies have grown there.”
Chen Zhou’s footsteps faltered. He turned to look at Hong Ling with a strange expression. “Grown? As in... planted?”
“Yes...” Hong Ling’s face was equally odd.
“I don’t really know how to describe it, but you’ll understand once you see it for yourself, my Lord.”
“Those children... they are a bit strange.”
Chen Zhou felt a stir in his heart.
It seemed this was what the system had previously prompted—special souls being born within the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm.
“Let’s go take a look.”
With a flash of movement, Chen Zhou vanished from the spot.
Inside the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm, the vitality was so dense it had practically condensed into a mist.
As soon as Chen Zhou landed, he saw a group of plant spirits in the distance. They were bent over near a flowerbed, diligently loosening the soil and planting flowers.
Amidst the busy spirits, two small figures were particularly conspicuous.
One was a girl about four or five years old, wearing a fluffy wolf-skin cloak with her hair tied into two pigtails that pointed straight toward the sky.
She held a small sword woven from green vines in one hand while the other tugged at the hem of Yiyi’s skirt.
“Sister Yiyi, watch my sword!”
The girl shouted in a milky voice, and the limp vine sword in her hand slapped against Yiyi’s vine dress.
“I’ve cut you with my sword, so you can’t move anymore!”
“You’re a monster, and I’m a sword immortal! You’ve already been subdued by me, so Sister Yiyi, hurry up and beg for mercy!”
The little girl pouted, putting on a fierce expression.
Yiyi was holding a bright red flower and carefully planting it in the soil. She felt like her head was about to explode from the little ancestor’s constant pestering.
She sighed helplessly and gave a perfunctory reply. “Fine, fine, I’ve been subdued. Please spare my life, hero.”
“Bai, stop playing around. I’m planting flowers for the Lord. I’ll play the demon-slaying game with you later. Go play by yourself for a bit, okay?”
Delighted by being called a hero, Bai huffed. “Then hurry up, Sister Yiyi.”
With that, she let go of Yiyi’s skirt, hugged her little vine sword, and squatted down nearby on her short legs.
She then pulled a small boy out from the flowerbed.
The boy was about the same age as her and had delicate, handsome features, but at the moment, he sat in the mud with a woeful expression.
He was clutching a few green vines, clumsily trying to weave something.
“Xiaoye, Xiaoye!” Bai’s eyes lit up as she pounced toward him. “Hurry up and play with me! This time, let’s play the battle of the sword immortals!”
The little boy was pulled so hard he stumbled, and the half-finished vine sword in his hand fell to the ground. He wore a bitter face. “Sister Bai, can I finish casting my sword first?”
“My sword hasn’t taken shape yet...”
“What casting? When there is a sword in your heart, all things can be a sword! You’re too stupid.”
Bai patted his head, looking frustrated by his lack of progress. “This time, I’ll be the superhero who saves the world, and you’ll be the supervillain who commits every imaginable evil!”
“Hurry, villain, take this!”
Without giving the boy a chance to react, Bai swung her vine sword.
“Whoa, a sneak attack!”
The boy jumped in fright and frantically grabbed an unformatted vine from the ground to block her.
“Sister Bai, my sword isn't cast yet. This isn't fair.”
“Villains die because they talk too much! Behold this sword immortal's ultimate move, Frost Sky Flying Sword!”
“Aaaah—I can’t block it!”
The two of them began chasing each other through the flowers.
Chen Zhou stood not far away, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Although the two children’s moves were clumsy and filled with childish innocence—nothing more than playing house—Chen Zhou saw something different.
Bai’s casual strikes might have looked like random hacking, but they carried a chilling sword intent.
She controlled it well; the sword intent wouldn’t harm anyone, but there was an indomitable momentum carved into her very bones.
And while Xiaoye seemed to be retreating in a sorry state, his subconscious blocking positions and footwork were actually avoiding the sharpest edges of her attacks.
At one moment, the limp vine in his hand even faintly emitted the prototype of sword intent.
Clang—
A faint, invisible sword hum seemed to vibrate through the air.
Smack!
Bai’s sword slapped against the boy’s chest.
The boy took the cue and fell backward, lying spread-eagled in the mud as he let out a perfectly timed, tragic scream.
“Argh—I’m dead.”
“I’ve been eliminated by the righteous hero.”
Bai stood triumphantly, her sword lowered and her hands on her hips. “Hmph, pathetic!”
“I told you you were stupid. You can’t even cast a sword, so how can you fight me?”
Xiaoye stayed on the ground, not bothering to get up. He just stared at the sky and sighed. “Sister Bai, casting a sword is very hard. You have to use your heart... Ow.”
Bai walked over and sat down beside him, unbothered by the mud on her clothes.
She tossed her vine sword aside and grabbed the vines on the ground. “Stupid. Your sister will teach you how to cast a sword.”
“Watch carefully. You have to loop it here, and then tie a knot...”
The two children leaned their heads together, seriously weaving the vine sword.
Xiaoye watched intently, his gaze so focused it was as if he were contemplating some supreme dao.
“Lord! Lord!”
At that moment, Yiyi finally noticed Chen Zhou standing nearby.
Joy instantly flooded her face. She dropped her work and ran over noisily.
“Lord, you’re back!”
“Did you see it at the city gate? That’s the sea of flowers we promised you!”
“Rongrong, Luoluo, and I spent many days planting it. Is it pretty? Do you like it, Lord?”
Yiyi stared at him with wide eyes, filled with anticipation.
The other plant spirits were startled by Yiyi’s loud voice. They quickly put down their tools and ran over to bow to Chen Zhou.
The two children also reacted. Bai pulled Xiaoye up and dutifully patted the mud off his clothes. They then walked over with small, quick steps and bowed along with the spirits.
“Greetings, Lord Bone God,” two tender voices spoke in unison.
Chen Zhou’s gaze fell on the two children as he raised an eyebrow. “The babies Hong Ling mentioned are these two?”
“Yes!” Yiyi scratched her head and explained.
“I found them just a few days ago while I was planting flowers.”
“I thought someone had accidentally left their children here, so I was really worried. The White Jade Sword Sect’s patrol team helped me go door-to-door all night to ask around, but no one had lost any children.”
“And then... in just a few days, they grew like weeds. They suddenly became this big...” Yiyi gestured with her hands, her expression full of confusion.
Chen Zhou nodded slightly.
He had a pretty good idea of who these two were.
“Didn't you say there were three?” Chen Zhou looked around. “Where is the other one?”
At the mention of the third child, Yiyi’s expression instantly mirrored the one Hong Ling had earlier.
It became complicated, as if she didn't know where to start.
“That one...” Yiyi pointed toward the Gathering Fortune Pavilion. “The other one should be in the Gathering Fortune Pavilion right now.”
Chen Zhou understood. He looked at Yiyi and praised, “The flowers are well-planted. They are very beautiful.”
Yiyi’s heart instantly bloomed with joy. “Don't worry, Lord! We all remember our promise to you. One day, we will make this sea of flowers bloom across the entire Gloomlight Province so that all living beings can bathe in your divine grace.”
Chen Zhou smiled. “Good. I shall look forward to that day.”
“These two children have special identities. Help me take good care of Bai and Xiaoye. Don’t let them wander off.”
“Don’t worry, Lord! Leave it to me!” Yiyi patted her chest, guaranteeing their safety.
Rate on N.U.
