Chapter 658

Chapter 658: Ice Spirit Herb

"Ice Heart Grass?"

The appearance of the three-leaved Ice Grass disrupted Ye Yun’s prepared teleportation. Golden Ling’er stared curiously at Ye Yun’s abrupt halt. Noticing his grave expression, she hastily released her grip and nudged Jin An, who kept his eyes tightly shut. "Hurry up and get off Elder!" she snapped.

"What a coward."

"Ling’er, is it over?" Jin An asked sheepishly under the girl’s glare. "Everyone has weaknesses. I’m just starting to grasp spatial laws—don’t blame me."

"Get down now! Elder has matters to handle." She yanked Jin An’s ear, dragging him away from Ye Yun.

Ye Yun glanced at them. "No matter what happens, stay hidden. Leave the rest to me."

"Please be careful, Elder," they chorused.

"Ancestor, how many similar auras surround this Ice Heart Grass?" Ye Yun asked calmly, strolling forward while unsheathing the Purple Shadow Divine Sword.

"Nine concentrated Ice Spirit auras distinct from the surroundings. Likely the Ice Spirits mentioned in the spatial dragon egg," Ancestor of the Sword Path replied, amused. "Interesting—the Extreme Southern Fire Domain has Fire Spirits, the Extreme Northern Frost Land has Ice Spirits, the Extreme East Thunder Realm holds Thunder Spirits. Only the Time and Space Hall in the west differs, guarded by a reverse time array."

"That’s why I targeted the Time and Space Hall first. Starting with the Extreme Southern Fire Domain would’ve worsened my condition," Ye Yun said with a faint smile.

"Stay cautious. Though the threat is minimal, if those young fellows close in, even your Born as a Sword might falter."

Ye Yun channeled soul power into the Ice Spirit. Though blind to it in the snowscape, the Ancestor discerned its essence. "Similar to Fire Spirits, just Ice Spirit Qi variation. No need to waste true qi on these."

Nodding, Ye Yun sheathed his sword. Lightning sparked at his fingertips, glowing eerily under snowy hues. A Thundering Lightning bolt coalesced, dense with Thunder Spirit energy.

"My luck in the Xumi Treasure holds." Thunder crackled in his palms as Ye Yun pointed toward locations marked by the Ancestor. Nine lightning tigers materialized, charging the Ice Heart Grass from all sides.

"Guardians must embrace death—though you lack the wit to comprehend." White light shimmered as nine Ice Spirit Crystals appeared in Ye Yun’s grasp. He yanked the three-leaved herb from the snow.

*Gulp!*

Without hesitation, Ye Yun chewed the Ice Heart Grass and crushed the crystals. Icy and fiery forces clashed within him, hammering his chest. He clung to his Golden Core, fighting to keep it intact.

The backlash stunned him. Though prepared for the clash between ice and fire poison, he hadn’t anticipated his Golden Core’s fragility. Its collapse would erase his cultivation.

*Damn!*

He compressed Thunder, Ice, and Fire Spirit energies into a seething mass, isolating them from his Golden Core. Contact risked instant destruction.

Ancestor of the Sword Path frowned. The two forces should’ve neutralized the fire poison, yet something else mediated them. A flicker of black-white energy vanished before he could pinpoint it.

"Boy, you harbor a hidden treasure," the Ancestor murmured.

Ye Yun’s focus wavered, nearly merging the volatile energies.

"We share fate. A treasure aiding you benefits us both. Congenital treasures choose masters—none can steal them."

After a long pause, Ye Yun confessed, "It’s called the Heart of Immortals and Demons."

The Ancestor gaped. "Such a name! A heart merging immortal and demon? Its power must be unparalleled."

Ye Yun suppressed the icy essence and fire poison, explaining the Heart’s role in his growth.

The Ancestor’s spectral form nodded in relief. "Show yourself!" Ye Yun commanded, though the Heart obeyed no one.

A black-white whirlpool pulsed like a heart within Ye Yun. The Ancestor shuddered—its aura threatened annihilation.

"This explains your survival and breakthroughs! As you grow stronger, so will its protection."

Observing the Heart’s neutral activity, the Ancestor sighed. "Trust it won’t harm him."

Cracks spiderwebbed Ye Yun’s Golden Core, murky energy leaking. Suddenly, he smiled. "So it was helping after all." Relief washed over him as the fire poison dwindled.

The Heart ceased its rotation, withdrawing its aura.

"False alarm," the Ancestor chuckled. "The Heart’s aid is subtle but vital."

"Initially terrified, I realized it was purging the poison," Ye Yun agreed.

"Thought some hidden foe attacked. Instead, fortune favors you!"

Checking Ye Yun’s body, the Ancestor grinned. "Fire poison reduced by 30%. The northern cold suppresses it. Gather more ice element treasures, and you’ll survive this."

"Finally," Ye Yun exhaled.

"Heaven sides with life, not death. Without the Heart, your meridians might’ve shattered."

"Consuming them separately would’ve nourished my Ice Spirit Qi. Instead, poison countered poison." Ye Yun brushed herb remnants from his hand.

"Efficiency over thrift. Total suppression required drastic measures."

"Waste still irks me." Ye Yun turned to the watching duo. "Why linger? Come here."

"Elder succeeded!" Golden Ling’er bounded over. "Your aura turned chaotic earlier—what happened?"

"A minor setback, resolved." Ye Yun nodded to Jin An. "Five miles ahead lies your destination. Prepare."

"Yes, Elder," Jin An acknowledged.