The news that Lu Chenyuan's calculated deception had drawn the attention of both the Li Clan and the Prefecture's constables to the unstable canyon felt like a lifeline tossed into stormy waters. For the first time in weeks, the air within the Azurewood Lin Clan courtyard held a trace of ease—fragile, uncertain, but real.
"This reprieve is invaluable," Lu Chenyuan said quietly, his voice low but resolute as he stood in the dim main hall with Shen Yue and Uncle Liu. The table before them bore only a few wilted Sunpetal Weeds, the false spoils of his staged foraging trip. "But it won't last. Xue isn't a fool. Sooner or later, he'll see through the illusion—or dismiss it as irrelevant. We need to act while we still can."
Their focus returned to the Moonpetal Leaf sprout. With five radiant, silvery-green leaves, it glowed faintly in its secluded sanctuary. Yet the signs were undeniable: it was hungering. The Heartwood Nodule, the rare treasure that had sustained its growth, had been reduced to a few thin shards.
"Chenyuan," Shen Yue murmured, her brow furrowed, "it's almost gone. The little one needs more pure Wood essence, and soon. My Qi keeps it alive, but it's not enough. It's ready to grow again—I can feel it." Her cultivation had recently advanced, solidifying her presence in the Third Layer. The Clan Prosperity Meter now read 51/100.
He nodded grimly. The risk of searching for another nodule was too high. Buying refined essence in the market? Suicidal. And their remaining thirty-five spirit stones were untouchable—the last line against catastrophe.
"Then we make it ourselves," he said, eyes narrowing. "A distillation. Crude, risky, desperate—but it might work."
Uncle Liu stared. "Make essence? With what? We barely have scraps."
"We have some Heartwood slivers left. Green Dew Grass—fresh and high-grade, thanks to Shen Yue. And six Qi Nourishing Pills."
Shen Yue inhaled sharply. "You'd use one? For a plant?"
"One," Lu Chenyuan confirmed. "Not directly. As a catalyst. The Azurewood Art and the system's insights suggest it can work—if guided properly. It won't produce crystals, but perhaps a potent nurturing dew."
The gamble was severe. Sacrificing one of their few pills, consuming rare herbs, and risking what remained of the nodule—all on a technique half-formed from intuition and ancient scraps. But doing nothing was worse.
They prepared in silence, reverence clinging to every motion. Lu Chenyuan chose the most vital Green Dew Grass leaves. Shen Yue carefully scraped the last thin fragments of the Heartwood Nodule. One pill was withdrawn from its secure place, its weight now immense.
The distillation would be done not in the woodshed, but in their small room. Shen Yue's constant cultivation had subtly enriched the space with Wood Qi. The battered bronze pill furnace was cleaned, set with reverent care.
Lu Chenyuan began by simmering the Green Dew Grass in purified well water, using gentle pulses of Azurewood Qi to coax its essence free. The liquid turned a soft jade hue. Then came the Heartwood slivers, releasing a deeper green.
The final step: the Qi Nourishing Pill, ground to a fine powder. As it entered the infusion, he poured in his spiritual energy, not just maintaining temperature but weaving the forces together. It demanded absolute focus.
Shen Yue knelt beside him, her hands extended, eyes closed. She didn't touch the furnace, but her presence shaped the flow. Her pure Wood Spirit Qi harmonized the volatile energies, like a silent orchestra conductor.
Hours passed. The aroma that filled the room was thick and sweet, like sap and rain-drenched earth. The liquid reduced, turning dense, glowing faintly.
By dawn, it was done. At the furnace's bottom lay a thimbleful of thick, emerald-green dew. It pulsed gently, radiating refined Wood Qi.
[System Notification: Host, with Wife Shen Yue's assistance, has successfully concocted a unique 'Verdant Soul Dew' (Grade One - High Purity) using innovative alchemical principles. Alchemy Skill Experience +50. Understanding of Elemental Distillation +30%. Clan Resources (Potential) +30.] [Item Created: Verdant Soul Dew (3 doses)] [Effect: Potent nurturing essence for Wood-attribute spiritual plants, especially celestial herbs. Can significantly accelerate growth and enhance vitality during critical phases. Minor restorative effect if consumed by Wood-attribute cultivators.]
Three doses. Only three. But the system confirmed their value.
Lu Chenyuan gently transferred the viscous dew into a small, stoppered jade vial, a relic from the old patriarch's belongings. The liquid felt like concentrated life.
Though they were weary beyond measure, they wasted no time. Together, they went to the Moonpetal sprout. It looked strained, its leaves ever so slightly dimmed.
Shen Yue took the vial. Her hands trembled. With a slow, careful motion, she let a single drop fall to the soil at the plant's base.
The response was immediate. The sprout trembled, its leaves flaring with dazzling light. A wave of pure, serene Wood Qi spilled outward. Then, slowly, a sixth crescent-shaped leaf began to emerge.
[System Notification: Moonpetal Leaf has successfully absorbed Verdant Soul Dew. Critical growth threshold passed. Advanced Sprout stage achieved. Current health: Optimal. Innate abilities beginning to awaken. Overall potential significantly increased.]
They stared, stunned. The plant gleamed like moonlight on emerald silk. Its vitality was overwhelming.
Their gamble had worked. The Verdant Soul Dew had delivered what raw effort and anxious hope could not.
The serpent's deception had bought them time. But as Lu Chenyuan looked at Shen Yue, her face alight with wonder and relief, he knew the road ahead would only grow more dangerous. The bloom had been fed, but the forest was still full of predators—and their boldest moves were yet to come.