[Oh? Who might this person be?] Yue Lan’s curiosity was evident.
“An old acquaintance of mine. I suppose the work I left back then should have been finished by now. It’s time I go and start the first part of my plan,” Shen Yuan smiled mysteriously and said.
[Hmm? Who are yo—ah, I see. So you are after them now.]
“Yes, old debts should be repaid, even if the debtor is wrong.” His lips curled into an evil smile.
[That’s thoughtful of you. But going to Sacred Lotus City might become problematic now, especially after your tribulation and recent ascension to Core Disciple status.]
Shen Yuan smirked, taking another sip of wine. “Attention is unavoidable, but I’ll keep a low profile. Besides, leaving the sect has been my plan for quite a while now. And I can use the change of scenery.”
[True. A trip outside could help clear your mind. But do you think your work would have really been completed?]
“I wasn’t disappointed last time by the work I commissioned,” Shen Yuan replied, his tone confident. “But even if it’s not satisfactory, I can do it on my own.”
He glanced at the gourd in his hand, then back at the cherry tree. “Lan’er, do you think the tree could develop sentience?”
[It’s possible, especially with the Tribulation Qi and your Radiant Qi nourishing it. Trees that survive such ordeals often evolve into spiritual entities. But it will take time—perhaps years or even decades.]
Shen Yuan nodded thoughtfully, his gaze softening. “If it does, it will be like family. Just like you are to me.”
[Yuan’er, you’re surprisingly sentimental today.]
Yue Lan’s voice carried a hint of amusement.
He laughed, taking another sip of wine. “Looks like I need to give it some encouragement to develop faster.”
Shen Yuan’s expression turned contemplative as he looked up at the charred cherry tree, its azure sprout glowing faintly in the serene garden.
Setting the gourd aside, he stood and stretched, a faint smile playing on his lips. “You’ve endured so much, little one. Let me give you something more to help you grow,” he murmured.
[What are you planning, Yuan’er?]
Yue Lan’s voice carried a hint of curiosity.
Shen Yuan extended his hand to summon a gleaming dagger from his Spatial Ring. The blade shimmered faintly, its sharp edge catching the light as he held it to his palm.
“I’m going to infuse it with my bloodline,” he said calmly. “If my bloodline was the reason this tree survived the tribulation, it should also help it flourish.”
[That’s bold, but it makes sense. However, infusing your bloodline directly will require precision. Too much could overwhelm the tree, and too little may not be effective.]
Shen Yuan nodded, his focus sharpening. “I know. I’ll control it carefully.”
He pressed the dagger to his palm, a faint line of crimson appearing as the blade made a shallow cut.
A droplet of blood welled up, devouring everything around it—Qi, light, air, particles—a testament to his unique bloodline.
With a steady hand, Shen Yuan guided the dark droplet to the base of the tree. The moment his blood touched the charred bark, the tree trembled subtly, its azure sprout pulsing brighter in response.
[The tree’s absorbing it. Its connection to your bloodline must still be intact, even after the tribulation.]
The tree seemed to come alive, the faint azure glow spreading through its bark as the scarred wood began to mend itself.
Shen Yuan could feel the faint tug of energy as his bloodline resonated with the tree, the bond deepening with each passing moment.
Feeling motivated, Shen Yuan placed his hand against the trunk, allowing more of his blood to flow.
He concentrated, channeling his bloodline energy into the droplets to ensure they contained the perfect balance of his Qi without devouring the tree itself.
The azure glow intensified, spreading along the branches and infusing the single sprout with a vibrant vitality.
The charred scars softened, replaced by streaks of shimmering gold and silver veins that seemed to breathe life into the tree.
[This is remarkable, Yuan’er. The tree is evolving faster than I expected. Your bloodline is really crazy beyond compare.]
Shen Yuan smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on the glowing tree. “If the tree can adapt even a single percent of my bloodline’s ability, it will be enough for it to dominate an entire mortal world.”
The azure sprout began to grow, its leaves unfurling like delicate petals kissed by sunlight.
The once charred bark transformed, gaining a smooth, lustrous texture with streaks of radiant gold and azure lightning coursing through it.
The transformation nearly finished, and the tree settled into its new state. Shen Yuan stepped back, a mixture of pride and satisfaction in his expression.
“You’ll be even stronger than before,” he said softly, brushing his fingers against the vibrant trunk.
[You’ve given it an incredible foundation, Yuan’er. If it continues to grow like this, it might truly develop sentience in a much shorter time than expected.]
Shen Yuan nodded, his mind already turning to the future. “Let’s see how it progresses. For now, I should head to Sacred Lotus City.”
[How do you plan to leave?]
“By talking with my mom about it.” He smiled and opened his system screen.
His eyes widened as he saw his status window. “Woah, this shit has really filled up, huh. Well, I’ll save it for another day. There shouldn’t be any major changes.”
[Mom? I need to talk with you about something.]
He sent a message to Shen Yuxin through his Harem Connect.
[Hmm? What happened, Yuan’er?]
[I needed to leave the sect, but it would be hard to leave by myself after what had recently happened. I was thinking you might be able to talk with the Sect Leader and convince her to let me go out.]
[Ah, so it’s about this. No need to inform her; I will take you right outside the sect gates.]
But before anything could happen, Yue Lan’s voice echoed out.
[It will be a while before he can leave now. Wan Ling and Han Qingyu are coming out of seclusion.]
[Oh? Those two girls are finally exiting their seclusion?]
Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow at Yue Lan’s revelation. “Wan Ling and Han Qingyu are coming out of seclusion now? About time, I was beginning to think they started to like that place.”
[Haha, they might really start to enjoy living in that place; it’s not so bad after all. But I sense a change in Wan Ling’s bloodline. Her energy fluctuations have been steadily growing stronger. It seems her bloodline has further awakened.]
Yue Lan replied, her tone tinged with intrigue.
Shen Yuan leaned back against the glowing cherry tree, crossing his arms. “I got her that Supreme Tier Radiant Flame Bloodline. I think it has progressed its integration with her body during this time.”
[True, but due to her weak cultivation, I guess she can only show the might of a Heaven Grade Bloodline. Let’s see what surprise awaits us.]
As they spoke, Yue Lan manifested a faint portal near the center of the courtyard connected with Shen Yuan’s Dual Cultivation Chamber. The portal stabilized, revealing the silhouettes of two figures stepping through.