226 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

# Chapter 226: Materials (1) Everyone's attention was on Qian Wanyu, so they didn't notice when Toothless touched the flames at the top and fell heavily from above. Mid-fall, she suddenly transformed from a young girl into a majestic black beast. Her wings, under the golden light, exuded an aura of noble reverence. "Roar—" Toothless roared angrily towards the sky, a golden flame bursting from her mouth. With a world-shattering momentum, it collided fiercely with the flame flickering at the top. Though both fireballs came from Toothless, the one at the top seemed to have developed its own consciousness. Distinct and separate, the two balls of fire collided with a brightness more blinding than the sun. Everyone instinctively raised their hands to shield themselves and even closed their eyes to ease the intense glare. Boom— With a loud crash, Dongfang Minghui could feel a tremendous wave of spiritual energy. When she opened her eyes again, a black shadow was quickly descending, "Toothless." Toothless landed on all fours with a thud, her large head hitting the ground, wings folding at her sides, barely alive. Dongfang Minghui anxiously touched her head, only to have her palm charred again, leaving her entire arm numb and without feeling. She winced in pain, realizing that Toothless was enveloped in flames, making any attempt to touch her impossible. It was akin to being an ant on a hot pan, "Toothless, let me see if you're hurt?" Toothless rolled her eyes in a very human-like fashion, yet in her beast form, she couldn't speak at all. Qian Wanyu glanced over, only to be driven towards the wall by the old man. "Yuer." Qian Yiling's heart was in turmoil when she saw her being led to the dark red wall by the elder, fearing she might meet the same fate as the others. Qian Wanyu understood, especially after Qian Ziyan's subtle warnings. The Longevity Cauldron could burn all dark things. She didn’t know if her dark spiritual energy would be affected. She released five strands of spiritual energy that combined into a powerful impact, dizzying the old man. "A Five Element Body, you are a Five Element Body." "Don't yell. Look back and see how many of your people are left?" Qian Wanyu pointedly remarked, her whip of water and lightning ready. While he was distracted, she lashed out at the ring he was manipulating, but the old man dodged just in time, causing her whip to miss. Most of those the elder brought were killed in Xiao Miao's avalanche. The remaining few were pinned to the wall by Li En and were quickly consumed by the now dark red wall. The old man turned to find nothing but emptiness, feeling the scorching heat emanating from the walls and floor, leaving him cornered. Then, almost manically, he laughed, "So you truly came for my True Eye." "Indeed." Qian Wanyu admitted candidly. At this point, there was no need to pretend anymore. "The True Eye was ours from an auction. We didn't fight, but you, wishing for both the mantis hunting the cicada and the oriole behind, tried to seize the Dragon Pill and more. Your scheme was quite elaborate." "Unfortunately, things have gone awry." The old man suddenly took out the True Eye from the space, a tiny item glowing under the fiery light, opening an azure pupil that looked forward compassionately before closing again. Qian Yiling, noticing the old man's strange demeanor, quickly moved closer to whisper to Qian Wanyu, "Yuer, the True Eye in his hand—" Qian Wanyu frowned, always ready to seize the True Eye. "You might have calculated well, but I won't give in to your plans. Even in death, I won't let you succeed." With that, the old man abruptly turned and charged swiftly towards the dark red wall, as if it held an escape. "Not good, he's trying to end it." Qian Wanyu's whip flew out with a swoosh. Yet, a figure moved even faster, intercepting the old man at the wall, allowing him to crash violently into her, pinning her to the wall. Sizzle— It sounded as if meat was being roasted. Dongfang Minghui, still in panic over Toothless, raised her head at Seventh Sister's sound, seeing Little Fatty pinned to the wall, her skin turning fiery red. In that instant, she was so scared her heart almost stopped. The old man was also momentarily stunned, perhaps not expecting someone to come to 'save' him at the moment of his intended death. Little Fatty bared her teeth at him and swiftly broke his fingers, snatching away both the space ring and the True Eye before kicking him away. The unfortunate elder was kicked right next to Li En, who stepped aside slightly, letting him collide with another wall. Ah— A chorus of screams erupted as thick black mist enveloped him. They could still see a struggling, twisted black silhouette, the harrowing screams echoing intermittently, chilling everyone to the bone. The elder lasted only two or three breaths before melting into an indistinguishable puddle, quickly evaporating. Within the span of about half an incense stick, several people vanished without a trace. For a moment, everyone looked at each other in unexpected silence. No one anticipated that after falling into the Longevity Cauldron, the old man would turn against them. However, everything seemed to make sense. The partnership was never stable, always on the brink of turning. "Ah." Little Fatty, at some point, left the wall and obediently presented the ring and the True Eye snatched from the old man to Qian Wanyu, looking at her with an eager expression, hoping to please. Qian Wanyu was momentarily stunned, retracting her whip from the wall and taking the items from Little Fatty's hands as she spoke crisply, "Little Fatty, do you have a favor to ask me?" Little Fatty nodded, turning to point at the little beansprout in Dongfang Minghui's hand, "Ah ah." Dongfang Minghui noticed the fiery red skin on her back where the wall's patterns now seemed tattooed on her, blending with her skin. Despite how it looked, the little one seemed unfazed by pain, though seeing it broke her heart. Qian Wanyu watched Little Fatty's earnest eyes and suddenly laughed. In this forge-like environment, protecting a spiritual plant from being burned was extremely difficult. Yet, seeing the little one's determined visage, she found it hard to refuse. Besides, that beansprout was also dear to Little Nine's heart. "Little Fatty, I can only say I'll do my best to protect it." Qian Wanyu explained, seeing Little Fatty’s confusion, "If I don't die, it won't come to harm." "Ah ah." Understanding dawned on Little Fatty, who then grinned. Her teeth, however, were unlike those of ordinary people, and clashed with her appearance, looking quite intimidating. "Little Fatty, let me see your back." "Ah." Dongfang Minghui's face was uncertain. After examining her, she was dumbfounded; Little Fatty's injury seemed severe, but the truth was less harsh. Her fiery skin bore the vine patterns of the Wannian Rattan, like a tattoo embedded into her skin. Despite cleaning with alcohol for half a day, she couldn’t remove it. "Does it hurt?" "Ah." No, it doesn’t hurt. Dongfang Minghui gently pinched her small cheek, "You've made the little beansprout your responsibility." Little Fatty lightly flicked the Tianyin Helmet with two fingers and then gently caressed the beansprout, her smile pure and serene. Qian Wanyu raised her head, eyeing the flame above, before moving to Toothless's side, "Toothless, your fire has ignited the Longevity Cauldron. Once it starts, it burns for some time. Even if it's released by you, it can't be retracted for now." "Awuu." Toothless grumbled discontentedly, her growls echoing intermittently in the space. Qian Wanyu listened carefully before noting, "You see, even the echoes have ceased." Earlier, when her whip struck the wall, there wasn’t a sound, indicating that the entire space had become enclosed. With Toothless's true fire burning, it was as if they were ingredients thrown into a cauldron, waiting to be refined by the flames. Toothless struggled to rise, but Qian Wanyu gently held her in place, "The more you exert yourself, the more intense the backlash. It’s unpleasant. Use the cauldron’s flames to cultivate for a bit. We might need you to get us out eventually." The last sentence was spoken so softly that Toothless twitched her ears, thinking she misheard. "Seventh Sister, Toothless doesn't look well." "You're overthinking. She's just exhausted and needs rest." Qian Wanyu squinted toward Toothless, her voice calm, "Right, Toothless?" Toothless let out a low hum, voluntarily folding her wings and getting to her feet. As she approached Dongfang Minghui, she paused, then seemed to restrain her fiery aura. She nudged her head against Minghui's hand, trying to reassure her, though unpracticed, she ended up nudging Minghui's leg instead, sending her stumbling backwards. Qian Wanyu quickly caught her, preventing her from falling and saving some face. Toothless paused, her fur bristling slightly, then emotionlessly found a secluded spot to begin cultivating. Dongfang Minghui stood there, dazed. Seeing Toothless’s true form, she felt a sense of familiarity, as if Toothless had finally returned to her, despite their constant togetherness. It felt like a long absence. It finally dawned on her that Toothless had been trying to endear herself to her earlier. “Toothless.” Toothless looked at her with innocent eyes, as if to ask, what? Squatting in front of her, Dongfang Minghui gently petted her big head. The familiar touch made everything feel unchanged, “I’ve never told you this, but having you back with me, it’s so good.” Toothless's face flushed red, uncertain how to face her sentimental caretaker. She stood up with a serious demeanor, deliberately turning her back to Dongfang Minghui. Minghui: "..." Elsewhere, Qian Yiling’s mood was slightly agitated as she reached out with trembling hands, “Yuer, may I see the True Eye?” Qian Wanyu’s eyes darkened as she glanced at the eye embedded in the stone, which opened to reveal a cerulean blue color, similar to the eyes of the Night Fox clan. “Mother, you should keep this for now.” Qian Yiling accepted it with both hands as if handling something precious, her body shivering uncontrollably, eyes inexplicably moist while gazing at the True Eye. Seeing her mother's expression, Qian Wanyu understood. There were questions she wished to ask, but such questions would have to wait until they could escape. She noticed the rising temperature around them, furrowing her brow as she focused on the flames burning above. “Wanyu, do you have any strategies in mind?” Qian Ziyan had unknowingly pulled out an iron box from behind him. “The interior of the Longevity Cauldron is as fortified as walls of bronze and iron, unbreachable by ordinary means. There are only two ways to escape.” Qian Wanyu spoke with an unperturbed calm, though her face betrayed a heavier resolve. Seeing her demeanor, Qian Ziyan realized that these methods were likely fraught with difficulty, placing them in the dire straits of life or death. Dongfang Minghui, however, clung to a glimmer of hope, urgently inquiring, “Seventh Sister, what methods?” Qian Wanyu pointed to the walls etched with the patterns of the Wannian Rattan, “Break through the walls.” Break through—she glanced at the reddened walls, the patterns glowing as if alive, bleeding red light like heated iron. Given the grim fate of those before, she doubted anyone could shatter the bronze walls. Dongfang Minghui thought the first method almost impossible, “What else?” “If one could reclaim and take the cauldron from outside.” “Take it?” It sounded like nonsense. Silence ensued, the mood somber, tinged with despair. Even Mu Sheng and Zhi Lan felt the oppressive heat, struggling to breathe, bodies on the verge of roasting. “Wanyu, will we die here?” Mu Sheng and Zhi Lan, exhausted, leaned against each other, their voices weak, especially after hearing her explanation, drowning in despair. Nearby, Li En clung to his bow, barely standing, his gaze constantly on Dongfang Minghui. Qian Wanyu ignored it and squatted beside Mu Sheng and Zhi Lan, lightly patting their shoulders. To others, her action meant nothing, but Dongfang Minghui saw her absorbing a small amount of fiery energy from them. She frowned, trailing behind Qian Wanyu. “Don’t give up until the last moment.” “Mu Sheng, are you okay?” Mu Sheng shook his head. Although completely drained earlier, he now felt slightly better, “Wanyu is right, until it’s over, we cannot give up so easily.” Zhi Lan gingerly moved her wrist, recalling Qian Wanyu’s gentle pat. Without understanding what method made her feel lighter, she still expressed, “Thank you, Young Mistress.” Mu Sheng was equally appreciative, “Thank you, Sister Wanyu.” Dongfang Minghui felt stifled, grabbing Qian Wanyu’s hand to release a sliver of spiritual energy into her body. Seeing it hadn't affected Qian Wanyu after absorbing the fiery energy, she released her grip, albeit with a long face. “Wizard.” “Li En, are you feeling unwell?” Li En shook his head, reattaching his bow behind him and following closely behind Dongfang Minghui, step for step. Suddenly, Qian Ziyan strummed the strings of a zither, “Let me first test the solidity of this Longevity Cauldron.” The zither’s sound was intermittent, carrying a somber note. Then, the tempo quickened, the melody rising and falling like flowing water, faster and faster. Dongfang Minghui could faintly see waves of pale blue spiritual energy spreading outward, but inside the Longevity Cauldron, there was no response or echo. Ultimately, Qian Ziyan had to withdraw his playing, “Incomprehensible.” “Let me try.” Qian Wanyu suspected the ignition of the entire Longevity Cauldron stemmed from the initial unexpected act, which inadvertently activated it. She drew her whip of water and lightning, stepping up the wall towards the top. The wind element wrapped around her feet was being gradually consumed by the copper wall, showing its adverseness to her. Without delay, she quickened her pace, striking at the flame above with her whip. A translucent membrane appeared before her. “What is this?” “It should be the barrier of the Longevity Cauldron.” Qing Mo’s soul drifted out from within Qian Wanyu’s soul sea, reaching out experimentally. As soon as his ethereal form made contact, it was drawn into the flame, mingling gold and red with pale blue. “Qing Mo, come back!” “I—” Qing Mo wished to return, but something pulled at his spirit, a scorching sensation rising within him, unbearable. Qian Wanyu unleashed all her powers, releasing her five elements. Her mind was like being pierced with needles, yet she bore the pain, trying to retrieve Qing Mo’s spirit from the flames. She found it futile; Qing Mo was even more fragile, almost invisible. “Too rampant.” Her devouring power surged, indiscriminately absorbing everything before her, causing Qing Mo’s form to vanish entirely. Dongfang Minghui saw the whip fall, followed by Seventh Sister cradling her own head as she plummeted. She quickly rushed forward, catching her to stabilize. She felt at ease as if her heart had returned to her chest. “Seventh Sister.” When Qian Wanyu was supported, her vision was blurred, ears ringing. Apart from Minghui’s call, other sounds faded. She squinted to recognize the figure of her ninth sister, “I—” Barely had she spoken before blood sprayed from her mouth, covering Dongfang Minghui’s face. “Yuer.” “I’m fine, I need to meditate for a while, Ninth Sister, keep watch for me.” Shock momentarily paralyzed Dongfang Minghui, but she quickly recovered to see Seventh Sister already meditating. She paused for three breaths before slapping her face sharply, forcing herself to calm down. With both Toothless and Seventh Sister injured, panic wasn't an option. She retrieved the whip fallen to the ground, entwining it with her own affinity. “Wizard, Master will be alright.” “Ah, right.” Dongfang Minghui tried communicating with Little Color in her soul sea, but the plant had since been entangled, seeming lifeless. Even in the high heat, Little Color struggled. She clung to the Tianyin Helmet, lowering her gaze to Little Beansprout. The sprout seemed spiritless, and the helmet had begun to heat. She murmured, “Seventh Sister said to protect you, Little Beansprout, I want to protect you too.” However, in the end, she didn’t know if she could. “Little Beansprout, had I known, I wouldn’t have indulged you.” It was the first time Dongfang Minghui disliked her own leniency, regretting the harm it had caused. “Ah—” Xiao Miao suddenly cried out, having kept a low profile since entering the Longevity Cauldron. Suddenly engulfed in flames, his eyes turned fiery red, like twin blazes. With each step, flames fell from him. Xiao Miao, like a child who had erred, mumbled apologetically, “I, I can’t control it.” Qian Ziyan glanced at the fire Xiao Miao emanated, feeding the conflagration above him. He tried to set a barrier around Xiao Miao, but each attempt was invisibly thwarted. “Trouble.” "Uncle, what's the trouble?" Qian Ziyan pointed to the fireball, now slightly larger, "Xiao Miao is the Child of Flames. His fire is inherently pure. While suppressed, it's fine. But once it breaks free, it can fuel the fire's growth." Everyone turned to Xiao Miao, who shrunk back, feeling as if they were accusing him of something, just like when they suspected him of leading the group of people there. Xiao Miao's words caught in his throat, retreating a couple of steps in fear, looking like a startled bird. Dongfang Minghui felt unable to voice her complaints. The current situation was dire, and Xiao Miao was adding fuel to the fire, making things more unfavorable for them. "Xiao Miao, don't be afraid. We won't blame you." Mu Sheng sighed, finding himself at a loss for words as well. Suddenly, Little Fatty came up from behind Xiao Miao and gently patted him on the back, absorbing the trembling flames into her own body. "Ah." Xiao Miao was startled but, seeing it was Little Fatty, he lowered his guard and looked at her with trust. "Ah ah." Little Fatty absorbed the flames from the ground into herself. Xiao Miao seemed to understand her intentions, attempting to restrain the flames within him once more, complementing each other well. Qian Ziyan, observing the fire above, noticed it had started to diminish slightly. "It seems what Little Fatty is doing is helpful." "Indeed." Dongfang Minghui wanted to hug this little one and shower her with kisses, but seeing her surprisingly tall height made her frown, "Little Fatty seems to have grown again." During this journey, she had shot up from a plump child of about five or six to looking around eight or nine, and she was noticeably taller than when they last faced backlash. Dongfang Minghui sighed with concern, "Little Beansprout, your sister is growing fast. When will you transform into human form?" Little Beansprout attempted to nudge her finger with its bud. "Zhi Lan, Zhi Lan," Mu Sheng called softly, but the person beside him gave no response. Qian Yiling, still holding the True Eye, heard Mu Sheng's voice and quickly stored it back in her space, rushing over to check. Zhi Lan was burning up and had fainted. "Zhi Lan, wake up." Dongfang Minghui felt reluctant to move but struggled to her feet, walking over to them to carefully examine Zhi Lan. Sitting back down, she found herself in a daze. "Little Nine," Qian Yiling asked in a panic, seeing her despairing face, "Is it a recurrence of Zhi Lan’s old ailment?" "Mother, no," Dongfang Minghui said calmly, "Her cultivation is ordinary. She can't withstand the flames' heat. Her internal organs have dried up, and she's been holding on." She was at her limit. Qian Yiling understood, muttering, "It's my fault for keeping her." She had kept Zhi Lan by her side out of loyalty. Mu Sheng, however, was unwilling to give up, grabbing Dongfang Minghui's hand urgently, "Minghui, do you have a way?" Dongfang Minghui saw that everyone's eyes were focused on her. She forced a bitter smile, "My space is sealed. Everything is with Seventh Sister. To save her—" She squinted slightly. Qian Ziyan stood up, completing her unfinished thought, "If we don't solve this blaze, none of us will survive. But this flame is the true fire of the dragon clan and hard to extinguish." It's nearly an unsolvable problem. Qian Yiling caressed Zhi Lan's burning face with a complex expression, reminded constantly of the truth. Without finding an exit, they would all perish here. "Zhi Lan." Suddenly, Dongfang Minghui stood up, as if making a big decision, and extended her hand, "Mother, let me take care of Zhi Lan." Qian Yiling looked at her in surprise, "Little Nine, can you save her?" "Yes." "How?" Mu Sheng recalled Minghui saying her space was sealed, with everything held by Wanyu. The thought widened his eyes, wanting to stop her, unsure of his footing. Dongfang Minghui moved Zhi Lan aside, away from the others. She bit into her wrist, watching as her blood dripped into Zhi Lan's parched mouth. She thought numbly that when Seventh Sister awoke and found out, she'd likely be furious, but not blame her. Boom— The flame erupted suddenly, larger and more intense, making everyone uncomfortable, especially Mu Sheng, who felt like a stranded fish drying in the sun. Qian Ziyan cast a curious glance at Little Fatty and Xiao Miao. Xiao Miao's flames were unstable but under control. "Enough." Little Color awoke, drawn by the faint stirs of life force, and seeing her pale face, unsure how much blood she had spilled. Angrily, it wanted to scold but couldn't muster the strength, "Do you know doing this is killing yourself?" "Why?" Little Color was angered into exhaustion, "Your blood contains vitality. But don't forget, this Longevity Cauldron is an alchemical furnace, treating you as ingredients, selecting suitable materials." It was the first time Dongfang Minghui had heard such words, that they had become ingredients for a cauldron. According to Little Color, it seemed she had been chosen. "Oh." "Oh?" If Little Color had the strength, it would surely shake some sense into her. It felt a hint of resignation in her, hesitated, and softened, "Even if not for yourself, think of me and your Seventh Sister. This cauldron sounds fearsome, but until the end, who knows what it really wants." Warmth filled Dongfang Minghui’s heart, understanding Little Color's sentiment. "Little Color, you're overthinking. I'm the last person to seek death." "Cough—" Zhi Lan coughed several times, slowly opening her eyes. She tasted a sweet blood-like scent in her mouth and licked it quietly, "Master." "Zhi Lan," Dongfang Minghui looked pale, but seeing Zhi Lan awake brought joy to her face. She felt a pang of shame; just an incense stick ago, she'd entertained darker thoughts, betraying her profession. In this cauldron, fear of the unknown almost had her giving up on a life. Recalling her first encounter with Zhi Lan, and the meal they shared, Dongfang Minghui breathed a sigh of relief and genuine gratitude, "Zhi Lan, I'm glad you're awake." Zhi Lan felt no longer tormented by flames, a cooling sensation spreading through her organs like ingesting something miraculous, "Master, I feel better. What did you give me?" Dongfang Minghui smiled slightly but didn’t have time to respond before the Tianyin Helmet abruptly flew into the air. "Little Beansprout." Standing, Dongfang Minghui felt dizzy, and in that moment, Little Fatty leaped up, gripping the Tianyin Helmet tightly, but couldn't stop them from rising. "It must be your heartfelt blood." "What!" Dongfang Minghui didn't have time to ponder, grabbing Little Fatty's ankle, determined to pull her and Little Beansprout back down. Qian Ziyan, too, grabbed Little Fatty's other ankle, pulling alongside, yet still unable to stop the upward pull of Little Beansprout and Little Fatty, steadily drawing them up. Everyone formed a human chain, one after another, momentarily slowing the ascent. Little Color, both angry and exasperated, roared in her soul sea, "You’ve been feeding Little Beansprout with your blood; it's soaked with your essence and was chosen by the cauldron!" Dongfang Minghui's expression cleared upon hearing this, murmuring, "If there were something better than Little Beansprout placed in front of it, maybe it would lose interest." "Naturally, the cauldron is picky," Little Color agreed, then suddenly asked, "What are you plotting, Dongfang Minghui? Don't think I'll go along with your death wish." Ignoring its protests, she merely instructed, "Little Fatty, separate the Tianyin Helmet from Little Beansprout." Usually inseparable, Little Beansprout had grudged over pot change. But in this life-or-death scenario, Dongfang Minghui saw the Tianyin Helmet, even as a supreme weapon, as less significant than Little Beansprout. Yet she overlooked one issue. Little Fatty clung tenaciously to the Tianyin Helmet, hands showing blue-veined tension, heedless of Dongfang Minghui’s plea. Despite Dongfang Minghui's repeated calls, they all proved futile. As her dizziness returned, she looked up and saw that the wound on her wrist hadn’t healed and that her blood was being absorbed by the flames above. She almost thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. "Little Color, something doesn't feel right." "The healing of your wound has been delayed," Little Color could sense the slow drain of her vitality. In its weakened state, it felt her current frailty even more acutely, "Wake your Seventh Sister, or we’ll all die." Dongfang Minghui thought about Wanyu in her cultivation, shaking her head, "Seventh Sister just suffered a severe backlash. If I disturb her now, it would deeply affect her." "You're still putting her first, even now." "Mother, Li En, let go," Dongfang Minghui attempted to move her foot but Li En was stubborn. He even had an arrow in his mouth, trying to shoot with his other hand. She glanced at Qian Ziyan beside her, "Uncle, you too." Qian Ziyan, noticing her pale face, remarked, "Your blood—" Dongfang Minghui expected him to say more, but what she heard instead was, "Little Nine, why does your blood seem familiar?" She burst into laughter. Her lineage might be troublesome, but useful in saving those she wished to save. Finding someone she loved who also loved her made this fleeting life fulfilling. "Uncle, sorry." With all her strength, Dongfang Minghui kicked, sending both Qian Ziyan and Qian Yiling away. "Little Nine!" Qian Yiling cried, devastated. She tried to ascend again, but Qian Ziyan stopped her. Qian Ziyan quickly opened the iron box, plucking its strings rapidly, sending waves of spiritual energy crashing against the flames, creating ripples. This helped slow their ascent somewhat. "Minghui." Mu Sheng was desperate, sweat flowing down his forehead. He wanted to wake Wanyu but feared causing her to go awry, which would be catastrophic. "Little Green, please help." Despite its fear of fire, Little Green bravely stretched out its vines, gripping Little Fatty’s waist as everyone pulled downwards. With two less people, they were pulled down to half a meter from the top flames. Exhausted, Dongfang Minghui said, "Li En, let go of me." "Master, I won't." Li En gritted his teeth, doing everything he could to pull them down. But the opposing forces pulled and tugged at them unbearably. Little Fatty watched Little Beansprout quiver, her eyes turning red, flames flickering within. Dongfang Minghui, feeling herself drift into unconsciousness, thought she’d be consumed by the flames any second. Memories flitted by like clouds, "Little Color, I feel I've done you a disservice." Little Color snorted. Had it the energy, it wouldn’t waste time on such trivial talk; it would find a way to save their lives. Unfortunately, weakened by the black threads, even with the tinctures, recovery took time. "If I did, I’d waste no time discarding you and voiding the blood contract." "But of course." That certainly fit Little Color's character, harsh words but a kind heart. Dongfang Minghui wasn’t convinced by Little Color’s heartlessness, "Little Color, you claim to be the world’s greatest magical plant, but I think you're the world’s most useless magical plant." "Nonsense, I'm the greatest." Dongfang Minghui chuckled at its boastful cry, "You didn't choose wisely. I'm just a wretched soul among many. You picked me, unaware of my burdensome fate, destined to wander and be hunted." With that logic, her Seventh Sister's choice was quite poor too. Little Color scoffed; whether it was the greatest or the least mattered not. It was weakly resigned, "Who knows which of us is the unluckiest." The blood contract had tied them fatefully together. "Little Color, there's something I haven't told you," Dongfang Minghui said, her mind wandering due to blood loss. She hesitated, swallowing her words back, "It doesn't matter. I'm about to die anyway. Let me take this secret to the grave with the Wannian clan." "You've been hiding something from me?!" Little Color's curiosity was piqued, but her refusal sent it into a rage within her soul sea. Boom— Qian Ziyan’s endless waves of zither notes kept hitting the flames. Suddenly, the fire split into ten smaller flames, merged, separated, and then merged again, becoming a massive fireball, exploding like a miniature sun.