"Come any closer and you will be killed without mercy!" A commanding voice boomed between heaven and earth like rolling thunder, deafening all who heard it. Those who had just steadied themselves felt their expressions change drastically. Recognizing that this voice belonged to the so-called "World Lord," none dared remain where they stood and fled in all directions.
Two delicate little figures noticed what was happening and flew out from the medicine garden like dancing butterflies. Upon seeing Yang Kai, they both bowed and greeted him: "My Lord."
They were none other than Mu Zhu and Mu Lu, whom Yang Kai had brought out from the Primordial Wilderness.
Mu Zhu looked Yang Kai up and down, then raised a hand to cover her crimson lips. "My Lord, you're injured?" Yang Kai looked utterly wretched — it would have been impossible not to notice.
Yang Kai waved a feeble hand at them and continued regulating his breathing.
The two Wood Spirits exchanged a glance, nodded in unison, and suddenly shifted positions — one hovering in front of Yang Kai, the other flying behind him. They began forming hand seals simultaneously, their fingers shifting through one gesture after another. In an instant, a verdant curtain of light materialized, enveloping Yang Kai.
From within that barrier, specks of light like fireflies drifted out, swirling around Yang Kai's body before being drawn into his belly with each breath he took.
Yang Kai recognized what they were doing but made no move to stop them. He had long heard that the Wood Spirits were exceptionally skilled in healing — how could he not understand their intentions? As the verdant light ebbed and flowed, the pain throughout his body gradually faded, replaced by a tingling, itching sensation. His strength was slowly returning, and even his divine soul, which had been impossible to consolidate, was rapidly showing improvement.
Looking inward, Yang Kai marveled at what he found. His entire body was suffused with a luminous green glow brimming with vitality, mending his damaged flesh and meridians.
That verdant radiance was clearly the work of the two Wood Spirits.
He squinted at the small figure hovering before him, whose face wore a solemn expression. Beads of sweat were slowly forming at the tip of her nose — it seemed this treatment was taking a toll on them as well. To be honest, Yang Kai had some trouble telling the two Wood Spirits apart, but judging from the demeanor of the one before him, this should be Mu Zhu. Mu Lu was the one who tended to be more bashful.
Sensing that Yang Kai was sneaking a look, Mu Zhu gave him a coy smile.
Yang Kai calmly closed his eyes. With the two Wood Spirits aiding his recovery, his entire being relaxed.
In less than half an hour, when Yang Kai opened his eyes again, he had fully recovered.
Mu Zhu and Mu Lu seemed to notice as well and simultaneously ceased their work. The verdant barrier that had been enveloping Yang Kai suddenly dissipated, and the green luminescence vanished along with it.
"My thanks," Yang Kai said gratefully.
Mu Zhu pursed her lips and replied, "There is no need for thanks, My Lord."
Yang Kai stood and swept his spiritual sense over the medicine garden, his eyebrows rising in surprise. Although the garden contained many spiritual flowers and rare herbs, he had never bothered to tend it carefully. The Tree of Immortality was here, after all — its vitality was limitless. Combined with the heavy soil and numerous Earth Vein Pearls scattered throughout, anything planted here would never wither.
But looking at it now, the vast medicine garden had been meticulously organized. Each spiritual herb and medicinal plant was arranged in neat rows despite varying spacing between them. Some of the shorter plants had already borne fruit — fruits of blue, green, and red that looked immensely appealing.
Yang Kai was certain this was the work of the two Wood Spirits. The way he had planted herbs before was nothing more than tossing them in at random — nothing like the meticulous planning before him now.
He even spotted many plants he had never seen before, though they seemed to have only just sprouted, appearing incredibly tender and delicate.
The person-tall Tree of Immortality and the Elder Tree were particularly eye-catching, each situated on opposite sides of the garden. When Yang Kai looked over, he noticed that one of the Tree of Immortality's leaves had curled up like a small bed. Glancing at the Elder Tree, he saw that it had something similar.
Yang Kai chuckled. "Do you usually sleep on those leaves?"
Mu Zhu and Mu Lu exchanged a glance. The former said, "Is it not alright? If it isn't, then we..."
Yang Kai waved dismissively. "You're the experts in this regard. Do as you see fit."
"Thank you, My Lord."
Yang Kai smiled. "There's no need to thank me — if anything, I should be thanking you."
The Wood Spirits had been tending medicine gardens since time immemorial. Having even a single Wood Spirit in a garden could boost yields by at least thirty percent. Yang Kai hadn't expected Mu Lu to force two of her clansmen upon him. This went to show just how powerful an attraction those rare plants held for the Wood Spirit race.
Mu Zhu and Mu Lu had initially been reluctant to separate from their clansmen, but after arriving at this medicine garden, they finally understood why their clan leader had insisted on it.
The legendary and unparalleled Tree of Immortality, and the mystical Elder Tree — these were existences that could only be found in ancient texts. To think they had all gathered in this tiny medicine garden.
The moment they entered the garden that day, both Wood Spirits had been stunned, only then understanding their clan leader's intentions.
These two treasures could only be properly tended by the Wood Spirits. And through the act of caring for them, Mu Zhu and Mu Lu would in turn receive tremendous rewards — a matter tied to the Wood Spirits' unique way of Cultivation, not something easily explained to outsiders.