At first glance, this spirit plant appeared identical to the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, but a closer look revealed that it was not the Profound Yin Fruit Tree—this was an entirely different type of spirit herb.
The booklet Bai Yi had given Yang Kai contained a comparison of the two fruit trees, so he had recognized the difference at a glance.
Though this fruit was not the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, it was still exceedingly rare. Yang Kai carefully harvested the few fruits and transplanted the entire tree into the herb garden within his Small Universe.
He had transplanted numerous rare medicinal plants into his Small Universe's herb garden over the years, and with Mu Zhu and Mu Lu—both born of the Wood Spirit Clan—tending and managing it, every herb in the garden flourished remarkably well.
Moreover, the flow of time inside his Small Universe differed from the outside world, running at more than four times the speed. As a result, the medicinal age of every herb in the garden was already quite considerable.
With this fruit tree transplanted into the garden and two little Wood Spirits looking after it, survival should not be an issue. As for when it would bloom and bear fruit again, that was beyond Yang Kai's control.
He continued his search and exploration, finding more and more spirit flowers and exotic herbs along the way. Those that could be transplanted, he transferred into his Small Universe; those that could not, he harvested with care.
After several days of this, his haul was impressive.
He was certain Bai Yi's side must be yielding similar results. The environment within this Secret Realm was simply too ideal for medicinal herbs to grow—a rare opportunity that might never present itself again. Other Secret Realms might never offer conditions like these.
On this particular day, while Yang Kai was searching, he suddenly felt the power of heaven and earth fluctuating violently several dozen li away, followed by an earth-shattering boom.
Yang Kai's expression shifted immediately. Activating the Space Laws, his figure vanished from the spot in an instant.
When he reappeared, he was already at Bai Yi's side.
His divine sense spread outward at once, scanning the surroundings in all directions. Detecting no immediate danger, he quickly turned to Bai Yi. "What happened?"
Bai Yi's brow was tightly furrowed as she pointed toward a dense stretch of jungle ahead. "When I was exploring this area, I think I triggered some kind of restriction."
The earlier fluctuation of heaven and earth had been the result of the restriction activating—and Bai Yi's response to protect herself.
"A restriction?" Yang Kai was genuinely surprised.
Several days had passed since the two of them had entered this Secret Realm, and everything had been smooth sailing. They had already gathered a great many spirit flowers and exotic herbs. Yang Kai had encountered nothing untoward on his end, yet here Bai Yi was, having stumbled upon a restriction.
Restrictions could be either man-made or naturally formed by heaven and earth. If it was the latter, that would be one thing—but if it was the former, it would further corroborate Zha Hu's earlier speculation about the origins of the Secret Realms within the Ink Battlefield.
Yang Kai focused his gaze in the direction Bai Yi had indicated. Before him lay a dense jungle, yet the scene somehow seemed unreal—there were faint, almost imperceptible ripples drifting through the thick foliage.
There was indeed a restriction. It was just that it seemed far too ancient, its operation sluggish and faulty, and after being struck by Bai Yi's attack, it had finally revealed a flaw.
Yang Kai closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, a golden vertical pupil had manifested in his left eye. The radiance it exuded was solemn and supreme, possessing the power to see through all illusions.
The Myriad Demon Heaven's World-Destroying Demon Eye was perfectly suited for this purpose.
Under the gaze of the World-Destroying Demon Eye, the scene before him transformed at once, and Yang Kai perked up with a start, unable to suppress a sound of surprise.
Bai Yi quickly asked, "Senior Brother, what did you find?"
Yang Kai nodded slightly. "Remnants of an illusion array and a killing array—there are traces of human craftsmanship."
As he spoke, he slowly reached his hand forward. Power of heaven and earth surged from his palm, undulating and releasing according to some hidden pattern.
The person who had set these arrays must have been extraordinarily skilled. Had the illusion and killing arrays before him been intact, even with the World-Destroying Demon Eye, Yang Kai might not have been able to find their flaws—let alone dismantle them.
However, the restrictions left here were far too ancient. Though they still retained some efficacy, only a fraction of their original power remained.
Under the World-Destroying Demon Eye, flaws were visible everywhere. Once those flaws were identified, even someone with no particular expertise in arrays and restrictions could take them apart with ease.
In less than half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the dense jungle before them suddenly distorted and collapsed—like a reflection of the moon on water or a flower in a mirror—vanishing without a trace.
In its place lay a medicine garden!
A medicine garden overflowing with countless exotic flowers and rare herbs!
Even the Profound Yin Fruit Trees—he could spot more than a dozen of them at a glance, each one bearing bright red Profound Yin Spirit Fruits in varying numbers.
The sight left both Yang Kai and Bai Yi struck with equal parts astonishment and delight.
They exchanged a glance, scarcely able to believe what they were seeing was real.