"Are they… fainted?"
Su Xiaobai's sharp gaze swept over the scene, lingering on the beasts before shifting to the golden trunk of the colossal tree. His tone was calm but wary as he murmured, "Drugged, maybe. Or just overwheld by the spiritual energy."
Xiao Hei tugged at his wrist again, eyes gleaming like burning coals. There was sothing playful in her expression, but it carried a knowing edge—mischievous, as if to say, 'Returning the spiritual water I took to hatch, with interest, no less. Let's see if this helps you form your Core.'
[A/N: Yes, this is the baby that hatched from the Immortal Fetus. You guys were paying attention, right...?]
Su Xiaobai's lips curled into a faint smirk as his thoughts began to spiral into a fictional story of his own. The scene before him—the glowing tree, Xiao Hei's insistent tugging, the spiritual energy thick enough to choke a demonic beast—was just too perfect.
"What's this? You guys think I'm that desperate?" he muttered, his voice filled with sarcasm. "I dream about a treasure to break through, and suddenly, they drop one right in front of ? How generous."
He glanced at Xiao Hei, who was practically dragging him closer to the tree, her expression only fueling his suspicions.
'This little brat… is she working with them?' he thought bitterly, his gaze narrowing. Xiao Hei's earlier smirk had been too smug, as if she were so ssenger of fate, gleefully carrying out the whims of those bastards above.
The Higher-ups… always watching, always ddling. Like so bored deity flipping through my life like it's a cheap drama.
He tilted his head toward the heavens, his grin twisting into sothing sharper. "What's the angle this ti? You toss a golden carrot so I'll trip over myself chasing it? Or maybe…" His eyes glead. "You're trying to bribe for sothing...?"
The thought infuriated him. His voice rose, breaking the eerie silence of the clearing.
"INSTANT IMMORTALITY PILL!"
"Huh?"
Ling Er flinched at his sudden outburst, staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What… what are you talking about? Who are you yelling at?"
Su Xiaobai ignored her, his smile deepening as he continued his one-man performance.
"C'mon, don't stop there! At least throw in an immortal wife while you're at it! One that cooks, cleans, and sweeps away all the damn trouble in my life!"
Ling Er's jaw dropped, her cheeks reddening with both embarrassnt and frustration. "Brother Su, have you lost your mind?! Stop spouting such shaless nonsense!"
She glanced nervously at the tree, as if expecting it to co alive and strike him down for his blasphemy.
As if listening to her thoughts, above them, the massive branches swayed ominously, their golden leaves shimring in the faint light.
CRACK!
The sound was deafening, a sudden fracture splitting, as a colossal branch broke free.
Su Xiaobai's smirk vanished in an instant.
"Fuck!"
Without hesitation, he grabbed Ling Er by the waist and leapt back, his instincts sharper than any blade.
"Ah!?"
Her startled cry barely escaped her lips before the branch slamd into the ground where they'd just been standing.
CRASH!
The earth trembled, a plu of dust and debris erupting around the impact site. Su Xiaobai landed gracefully a few feet away, Ling Er still clutched against him, her wide eyes staring at the shattered remains of the branch.
A long silence stretched between them, broken only by Ling Er's trembling voice. "What… just happened?"
Su Xiaobai exhaled sharply, setting Ling Er down with a faint scowl. "Looks like the Higher-ups didn't appreciate my request for a wife...."
Ling Er groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Y-You're… an idiot!"
She couldn't fathom how he could swing from being deadly serious to utterly ridiculous in a matter of monts. Yet, despite herself, a wry smile tugged at her lips. It was absurd—he was absurd.
anwhile, Su Xiaobai dusted himself off like a proud rooster after a scuffle, completely unfazed. Standing tall, he took a deep breath, his sharp gaze locking onto the endless stars above.
"Tonight is 'The Night of Eternal Stars,'" he declared, his tone almost reverent. "The perfect ti to drain the heavens and lay claim to the celestial bounty."
He sighed, flinging an arm skyward as though mourning a lost opportunity. "If soone hadn't interrupted , I'd already have my 'Celestial Ripple Array' in place, summoning teors and bathing in their radiance."
"Celestial Ripple… what?" Ling Er tilted her head, curiosity betraying the faint furrow of her brows.
Su Xiaobai's lips curled into a smirk as he began pacing, his tone turning instructive. "An array that channels the energy of a teor shower into starlight-infused water. I'd have soaked in it, let the starlight seep into my bones, and leveled up my 'Star Slayer God Arts.'"
He paused for effect, lowering his voice. "And then… I'd form my 'Stary Veins.' Veins that repair themselves with the power of the stars. No more ruptures when I'm pushing too hard in battle—or elsewhere."
Ling Er's mouth opened, then closed. She wasn't sure whether to be impressed or appalled.
"But noooo," Su Xiaobai groaned, throwing her a glare. "Soone had to interrupt. Now all I've got is this tree and a broken dream."
Ling Er scowled, her cheeks tinged with a blush as she crossed her arms tightly "I-I didn't ruin anything!"
How was I supposed to know it was so important? she thought bitterly, biting her lip. If she'd realized, she wouldn't have dared interrupt him—probably. But his ridiculous words didn't make it easy to take him seriously.
Still, a faint pang of guilt pricked at her.
Ignoring her entirely, Su Xiaobai turned his attention to the glowing tree before them. His smirk faded, replaced by sothing sharper, hungrier. "But this…" he muttered. "This changes everything."
The tree stood like a golden titan, its trunk shimring faintly as its rustling leaves scattered the starlight into delicate, dancing patterns.
"This isn't just any tree," Su Xiaobai said, his voice lowering, "It's a 'Heavenly Spiritual Tree.' Its leaves act as a natural array, filtering starlight and stuffing its trunk with pure, refined spiritual energy."
He gestured toward the wild beasts sprawled across the clearing. "That's why those fools passed out. They took one bite too many and overdosed on spiritual sap. They're drunk on starlight."
Ling Er stifled a smile, biting her lip.
"And it's called 'Heavenly,'" Su Xiaobai continued, his voice taking on a poetic lilt, "because it's too damn perfect. The way the starlight filters through its leaves, condenses in its trunk, and refines into spiritual energy—it's as if the heavens themselves blessed it. Coincidences like this don't happen. Not without soone—or sothing—pulling strings."
He paused, tilting his head toward the glowing bark. "But it won't last. Trees like this burn too brightly. It's been devouring the heavens' energy... Now, it's at its limit. Soon, it'll collapse."
Ling Er's lips quirked up. "So… how do we extract the energy before it's too late?"
Su Xiaobai gave her a crooked grin, reaching into his spatial ring. "Simple. You poke a hole in the trunk, shove this in—" he held up a small tallic funnel like it was the crown jewel of his collection, "—and let it gush out."
Ling Er blinked. "Gush out?"
"Exactly," he said, his grin widening. "The purest essence you'll ever touch. Just don't waste it, or I'll have your head."
Before he could elaborate, Ling Er snatched the funnel from his hands, her eyes sparkling with excitent. "Let try!" she exclaid, darting toward the tree like a child chasing treasure.
Su Xiaobai stared after her, shaking his head. "Hah... Don't bla if it splashes on your face."
Pulling out a second funnel, he moved to another part of the trunk. Nearby, Xiao Hei crouched, her eyes gleaming with faint curiosity as she watched the pair.
"You too," Su Xiaobai said, tossing her a spare spatial ring. "Fill it up. No slacking off."
Xiao Hei caught the ring effortlessly, tilting her head like she was debating whether or not to bother. After a beat, she strolled to another section of the tree and began poking at it with calculated indifference.
With everyone on task, Su Xiaobai jabbed his funnel into the golden bark.
Whoosh!
A thick stream of spiritual energy, glowing faintly with a golden hue, began to flow. The air grew warm, buzzing with vitality, and the clearing filled with a faint, heady scent—like sweet nectar mixed with the tang of starlight.
Su Xiaobai watched the liquid flow into his container, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. "Now this," he murmured, "this is the good stuff."
For the first ti in ages, sothing in his life felt right. No sches, no backstabbing, just pure, unadulterated power dripping into his hands.
With this, breaking into the Core Formation realm was no longer a pipe dream. He'd enter the Xiantian Sect with his head held high—no debts, no favors owed, and most importantly, no need to rely on that unpredictable little nace, Xiao Hei.
His gaze flicked toward her, crouched cutely on the other side of the tree, casually poking at the bark with a funnel like she had all the ti in the world.
Su Xiaobai snorted.
She looked innocent now, but he knew better.
This girl was like a ticking ti bomb—useful when aid at others, dangerous when left to her own devices.
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