Chapter 344 - Solving One Trouble

Soon enough, Jing Yi and Leng Jin Yu reached the lake they had seen a while ago. They hadn't talked anymore since the Beguiling Night Tree's fruit was brought up. Jing Yi wasn't in the mood to ask anything else anymore and Leng Jin Yu was pondering over what he had seen before.

Upon reaching the lake, Leng Jin Yu just shook his head and surfaced from his thoughts while Jing Yi still had trouble to shake that memory off. Well, after living not even twenty years in this mortal life it probably couldn't be expected of him to have the same mental fortitude as Leng Jin Yu who had already lived many years before his ascension.

Leng Jin Yu took one look at Jing Yi and noticed that he was a little out of it. He wasn't sure what exactly had caused this but this wasn't the moment to worry about that either. "I'll go and look for the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower. You can wait here." He didn't wait for an answer and started to walk around the edge of the lake.

The temperature at the lake was a lot lower than that in the grove. Come to think of it, it seemed like it had lowered further the closer they got to the mountain chain. Could it be that there was something special about these mountains?

He didn't have any more clues for now so he could only resolve to pay attention to that later on. For now, the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower was the most important.

Leng Jin Yu didn't have to look for it for long. The environment was suitable and a small patch of them was actually growing by the side of the lake. He crouched down with a smile on his lips and carefully harvested a few of them. Maybe one would be enough and Jing Yi would stay calm after he managed to discard the initial fears that weighed him down. If not … then he at least wanted to be prepared.

He put all of the flowers except for one into his spatial ring and brought the last one back to Jing Yi. "Here. You should sit down and meditate with this right now. After that, take some time to take in some spiritual energy. Then we can continue toward the mountain."

"Mn. Thank you for your trouble, Senior Martial Brother Yu." Jing Yi hurriedly clasped his hands and wanted to bow but Leng Jin Yu just smiled at him.

"No need to thank me. You're my junior from the same sect. It's what I should do."

"Still …"

"Alright. You sit down and start meditating. The sooner you calm down and take in some energy, the sooner we can go to the mountains and find a way out of here. Don't you want to see your fiance again?"

Jing Yi smiled and nodded. "Of course. Then, I'll start meditating right now, Senior Martial Brother."

"Mn." Leng Jin Yu turned away and went back to the lakeside where the Heart-Calming Buddha Flowers grew.

He stepped past them and looked at the other herbs growing there. Unfortunately, herbs really weren't his strong suit. He only recognized a few and those weren't any that could help him ascertain his assumption.

He searched a little longer but still couldn't find anything useful. In the end, he could only turn back. Well, Jing Yi had started to learn alchemy. There was at least a slim possibility that he would know some of the herbs he hadn't been able to identify yet.

When he finally reached the spot where he had left Jing Yi the boy had already finished meditating and was absorbing the spiritual energy of a herb. It seemed he had even eaten the spiritual fruits already.

Leng Jin Yu smiled and sat down a few steps away. The most urgent problem had been solved, they had a direction in mind and if he could verify his assumption, then they would find the dwelling of the secret realm's master even sooner. Not that he could let Jing Yi out of the secret realm even if they did.

It really was a pity that he was the Son of Heaven.

Just when he thought so there was a slight gasp from the boy. Leng Jin Yu looked over, dumbfounded. He had just come back a minute ago. What could have gone wrong in that short amount of time?

But something was obviously wrong. Jing Yi's skin had lost all color, sweat beaded his brow and his face was scrunched up in pain. Leng Jin Yu leaped to his feet and hurried over. He grabbed Jing Yi by the shoulder and grabbed one of his hands to take his pulse and have a closer look at his spiritual energy.

He didn't need to though. As soon as he lifted Jing Yi's hand the herb below it was revealed.

"You …"

Jing Yi clutched his arm and opened his eyes with effort. "Senior … Sen …" He gasped for breath, unable to utter even a single word.

Leng Jin Yu frowned and helped him lie down. "Why did you take that herb?"

Jing Yi still didn't answer. He rolled over to the side and clasped Leng Jin Yu's arm even tighter. He didn't know what was happening. How come … he had such an intense reaction after taking in the spiritual energy of the Crystal Grass? And this wasn't even the first one!

Could it be … the effect of the Heart-Calming Buddha Flower was limited to a certain time and he had passed this limit? He really wanted to ask but he couldn't even open his mouth. All his muscles had tensed. Breathing was hard enough already. He didn't … didn't have the energy …

Jing Yi's sight dimmed and his eyes slowly fluttered shut until he was enveloped by darkness. The pain didn't subside though. Instead, it only seemed to get worse.

Why wasn't there anybody there to stop it? Why wasn't at least Qiu Ling with him? Fate … really seemed to be toying with him.