Chapter 910 - 704: Holy Land (Part 2)
The vines continued their frenzied attack, almost overwhelming the barrier.
In the midst of the struggle, Shen Tang accidentally got her arm cut, and the wound quickly rotted, turning bluish-black.
Xue Yinzhou’s gaze instantly became icily cold, and black energy began to surge uncontrollably around him, forming countless venomous snakes from the Black Fog, which spread in all directions, wrapping around the thick roots and devouring them entirely.
Furthermore, those black snakes burrowed underground, gnawing at the roots of the vines.
The air seemed to carry multiple silent wails.
The strange vines nearby were cleared away in the blink of an eye by the Devouring Power.
Shen Tang was taken aback, quickly grabbing his hand, "Don’t recklessly use too much power; it will accelerate the Tumor Gu’s consumption of your Life Force."
Xue Yinzhou turned to her, his black aura now subdued, his gaze transitioning from icy to tender, tinged with heartache.
He gently stroked the wound on her arm, and with his power softly wiped away the toxin seeping into her flesh, "I’m fine, you should heal your wound first."
Only then did Shen Tang notice the wound on her arm, but she possessed Healing Ability capable of reviving even the dead, so this little poison wound was nothing, and she quickly healed it.
"Don’t worry, don’t forget, I have Healing Ability; this minor injury is nothing."
Even in such a dangerous situation, her smile remained bright and radiant, her tone gentle yet firm, "Let’s keep moving, I promise to lead you to the Mother Tree."
In Xue Yinzhou’s eyes was her radiant feminine smile, making his heart soften unbearably and unable to suppress the tenderness within, he gently drew her into his arms.
His long fingers softly brushed her cheek, his voice hoarse, "Thank you, Tangtang, for doing so much for me."
She didn’t have to do so much, nor take such risks, putting herself in danger.
He didn’t know how to thank her, nor how to express the surging emotions in his heart.
Shen Tang chuckled softly, "Silly, I’m your companion, it’s only natural to do these things! As long as you get better, I’m happy, it’s all worth it."
Xue Yinzhou’s throat moved, unable to speak.
He only felt an aching heart, reluctant to let her take so many risks for him, yet he had no choice.
In truth, he didn’t care so much about life and death, and finding the Mother Tree wasn’t that important to him.
Ultimately, whether he obtained the thing or not, it was no longer important.
Receiving such devotion from a loved one, he had no regrets in life.
Xue Yinzhou could hardly imagine, if one day he truly reached that point, and became the cold-blooded and merciless "Xue Yansi" once more, whether he would lose feelings for her, or even harm her?
He dared not contemplate it himself.
Xue Yinzhou was often taciturn, used to keeping things to himself.
Shen Tang noticed he seemed preoccupied these days, only assuming he was worried about the Tumor Gu within, thus she didn’t press him.
She merely comforted him, "Don’t worry, everything will be fine."
"Mm."
After resting for a moment, the two resumed their journey.
The vines seemed aware that the pair was formidable, as they stealthily retreated into the shadows upon approach, no longer launching reckless attacks.
At an unknown time, thick white mist suddenly spread from the depths of the forest without warning, engulfing the surrounding scenery.
Shen Tang could not discern the way ahead, even her spiritual power was affected, and the System appeared to be briefly blocked.
Silhouetted twisted shadows seemed to be closing in on them.
Xue Yinzhou’s expression also grew solemn.
"Tangtang, hold onto me." His deep voice stood out clearly in the dense mist, his large hand tightly gripping Shen Tang’s wrist, the touch icy but reassuring.
Shen Tang tightly held back, and the two proceeded side by side in the mist.
As they walked, Shen Tang suddenly smelled a sweet, cloying fragrance, making her dizzy, as if her sensory perceptions dulled.
Xue Yinzhou quickly covered her mouth and nose, whispering a warning, "Don’t breathe, this floral scent contains hallucinogenic toxins."
He waved away a section of the white mist, allowing Shen Tang to see brightly colored flowers growing along both sides of the forest path, emitting pale pollen which tinted even the mist.
Shen Tang immediately held her breath, her mind quickly becoming much clearer.
This place is indeed fraught with danger, a single lapse in concentration could catch one off guard.
Suddenly, whether by illusion or not, she felt the ground shaking, making it hard for her to remain steady.
Before she could investigate with spiritual power, the ground beneath her feet suddenly collapsed, exerting a strong pull intending to drag them underground.
Simultaneously, countless faint whistling noises echoed from above, dense poison-coated wooden spikes fired like torrential rain from the mist!
"Ice Barrier!" Shen Tang commanded in a low voice, and a thick, curved ice wall instantly materialized above their heads, clanging as it blocked the wooden spikes.