When Xiao Wu placed her hand on the silkworm molt with six golden lines, her expression shifted through doubt, shock, disbelief—countless emotions flickered through her mind.
"Yu Yan, one golden line means a hundred thousand years, right?"
As she asked, Xiao Wu looked at Yu Yan expectantly, hoping for an answer.
She was certain he knew. When he'd first seen the molts, he'd been startled for only five breaths, then suddenly looked as though everything made sense.
Those tiny details proved he had the answer.
"When an Ice-Silkworm Spirit Beast reaches a hundred thousand years, a golden ring appears on its body. It evolves from an ordinary Ice Silkworm into the rare Golden-Ringed Ice Silkworm—one golden line equals a hundred thousand years."
Yu Yan pointed to the golden lines on Heavenly Dream Ice Worm's molt, explaining this obscure fact—something recorded nowhere.
"So that's how it is. I never imagined such powerful Spirit Beasts existed."
Xiao Wu moved to the molt bearing eight golden lines and traced them, her voice full of emotion. If not for her mother, if not for the pursuit of greater strength, she would never have chosen to become human.
If she were still a Spirit Beast, what these golden lines represented would have been beyond her wildest dreams.
A nine-hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast—how terrifyingly powerful.
Watching her, Yu Yan swallowed the words that Heavenly Dream Ice Worm had actually been pathetically weak. It would be like telling someone admiring a sunrise that it's nothing special—spoiling the moment.
Not wanting to ruin her reverie, Yu Yan crouched to collect the scattered shards of ten-thousand-year Ice Essence. Tiny they might be, they were still priceless ice-attribute treasures.
Standing before the eight-lined molt, Xiao Yu turned and saw Yu Yan gathering the fragments.
"Yu Yan, can I take a few of these molts? There's residual Origin Qi inside; I want Da Ming and Er Ming to absorb it."
Using pliable Moonlight Energy, she gathered every shard and brought them to him, explaining her plan.
Da Ming was Sky Azure Bull Python, Er Ming was Titan Giant Ape—her mother's adopted Spirit Beasts, her sworn younger brothers. After revealing her own identity, she'd slowly told Yu Yan everything.
"Of course. Your family is my family; take as much as they need."
Da Ming and Er Ming were formidable fighters and potential allies. If the molts helped, he'd happily give them all.
"Let's keep the seven- and eight-lined ones and send the rest to them."
After checking the residual energy in each, Xiao Wu looked them over and asked his opinion.
"Take them all for now. Once we're out we'll find out what they're worth; if they're nothing special, give the whole lot to Da Ming and Er Ming."
Compared with Xiao Wu's treasures, Yu Yan preferred to hand the molts over. With Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well at his disposal, he lacked for nothing.
"You're really generous."
"Naturally."
"When I went back to Star Dou Great Forest, Da Ming and Er Ming kept saying I talk about you all the time. Once they get these molts, they'll probably shut up."
"That's what they call 'short mouth after eating, soft hand after taking.'"
"Who'd have thought an ordinary treasure map would lead to something like this."
"I think the person who drew it only found the entrance and never reached the end. Without enough strength, you can't survive six hours in that oxygen-poor tunnel."
"Maybe they found something good and drew the map before leaving."
"Makes sense."
After sweeping the ice cavern clean, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu retraced their steps.
Following the tunnel Heavenly Dream Ice Worm had burrowed, they emerged on a cliff. Watching the distant sunset, they grinned at each other.
Having already stood up Xue Qinghe, Yu Yan didn't rush back to Dragon City. He dove into the sea, catching two lobster Spirit Beasts for dinner.
Seated on a seaside boulder, Xiao Wu sighed again—meeting Yu Yan in the human world was the best luck.
Rewind to noon: in Dragon City's Northern Inn, Qian Renxue in the guise of Xue Qinghe waited on the top-floor private room, smiling as she awaited the two Geniuses.
After reading Spirit Hall's dossier on Yu Yan's past two years, Qian Renxue's admiration for the just and grateful Genius soared.
Win him over and she'd gain Xiao Wu, Dugu Bo, and the Speed Clan in one stroke—an absolute bargain.
She'd already drafted two or three excellent plans to recruit him.
Three hours later, still alone, the smile had vanished. Standing by the window, "Xue Qinghe" stared down at the busy street, face unreadable.
No one enjoys being stood up; the eager Qian Renxue was no exception.
"Your Highness, a letter from Heaven Dou City urges our swift return—shall we…?"
At dusk an official entered and asked deferentially.
He couldn't afford to offend either Heaven Dou City or the Crown Prince; he could only gauge the Prince's will and relay it.
"Reply: I return tomorrow."
Suppressing her irritation, "Xue Qinghe" answered calmly.
The official exhaled, bowed, and withdrew.
Qian Renxue gazed out again. The once-beautiful sunset now seemed tedious.
When the waiter asked yet again when to serve, "Xue Qinghe" said, "Don't," and left with a dark expression.
Next time I run into that little trickster who broke his promise, I'll make sure he regrets it.