"Junior Brother, are you sure your Ultimate Ice Spirit can counteract the miasma?" Cai Meier asked during their descent.
"I'm sure, Junior Sister." Zhu Ziyang nodded, answering affirmatively.
He had once read in a book that both ice and fire had a very strong suppressive effect on poison. When he first entered Sunset Forest, he didn't pay attention until he saw Yan Shaozhe's strenuous attacks fail to effectively deal with the miasma. A thought then flashed through his mind: he wanted to try if his Ultimate Ice could counteract the miasma. So, taking advantage of Yan Shaozhe's Spirit Ability release, he released Ultimate Ice from his fingertips. The result was pleasing; the surrounding miasma was immediately frozen by his Ultimate Ice, turning into fine ice shards, which then dissipated into the air.
This effect made Zhu Ziyang very happy, and he immediately told Cai Meier. Thus, the previous events unfolded.
The four landed on the ground, and Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier instantly released spirit power shields to protect them, isolating them from the miasma on the ground. The miasma below was unusually thin, completely unlike the upper region. However, this thin miasma was a vibrant seven-color, and the ground ahead was a crystalline color that sent shivers down all four of their spines.
Eerie! It was truly too eerie!
A strong sense of vigilance rose in all four of their hearts simultaneously as their gazes fixed on the green expanse covering the earth. The lush green vegetation, full of vibrant life, appeared to grow wildly and haphazardly, but in reality, it concealed a hidden mystery. In this area filled with poisonous miasma, such a dense patch of plants was growing; even a fool would realize there was something wrong with these plants!
"What kind of plants are these?" Jiang Nannan exclaimed, her crimson eyes filled with shock.
Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier also dared not advance rashly. Although they didn't recognize these plants, it didn't prevent them from feeling wary.
Zhu Ziyang stared intently at the plants. The emerald green plants extended outwards on both sides. Their height was only about half a meter, and each plant had nine oddly shaped leaves. These leaves somewhat resembled human hands but had seven fingers, and some larger ones even had nine fingers. At their tips, large emerald green flowers bloomed. Green mist emanated from the stamens of these large flowers, slowly spreading outwards and then merging into the seven-colored poisonous miasma above!
They all understood that the poisonous miasma of Sunset Forest had a great connection with these green plants.
"Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flower!" Zhu Ziyang finally remembered the origin of these plants and couldn't help but gasp, saying.
"What? Ziyang, what did you say? These plants are Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flowers?" Cai Meier exclaimed in surprise upon hearing this, her eyes filled with terror.
"It can't be wrong. This whole area is Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flowers, and there are even Jade Scale Nine Absolute Flowers!" Zhu Ziyang said with a solemn expression, nodding.
"Meier, Junior Brother, do you recognize these plants?" Yan Shaozhe asked, his expression somewhat grim.
"The Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flower is one of the most poisonous plants on Douluo Continent. Its potent venom not only possesses strong corrosiveness, earning it the title 'Corrosion First,' but it is also an extremely strong mental poison. Once contaminated, not only will the physique be corroded, but even the mental force will be affected," Zhu Ziyang explained. "This isn't the most important part. Senior Brother, do you see those Bi Lin Flowers with nine fingers? They are Jade Scale Nine Absolute Flowers, sentient plant-type Spirit Beasts. Judging by their state, they are at least ten-thousand-year-old cultivations! They are the most deadly. This patch of Bi Lin Flowers will, under their control, continuously release Bi Lin poisonous clouds, merging with the miasma in the forest. Given enough time, I'm afraid the entire Sunset Forest will be filled with Bi Lin Flower poison!"
"This..." Yan Shaozhe was too stunned to speak, his eyes filled with anger and fear. He could imagine the scene when such a massive amount of Bi Lin Flower poison permeated the entire Sunset Forest—it would surely be a living hell!
"Logically, the Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flower is an extremely rare plant. Not only is its reproductive capacity very poor, but its growth conditions are also extremely harsh," Cai Meier said, deep in thought. "But these Bi Lin Flowers before us, their range exceeds one or two kilometers, and their number probably exceeds ten thousand!"
"Indeed!" Zhu Ziyang nodded and said, "This is also where I'm puzzled. Such a large group of Bi Lin Flowers gathered here can only mean one thing: there is a very large energy source nearby!"
"Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!" The four simultaneously shouted the name. They all thoroughly understood now; these Bi Lin Flowers must have been artificially cultivated, their purpose being to conceal the existence of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
Who could it be? Zhu Ziyang fell into deep thought. He couldn't help but think of the people associated with the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Historically, only two individuals were connected to it: Sea God Tang San and Bi Lin Douluo Dugu Bo. Dugu Bo was the first Titled Douluo with the Bi Lin Snake Spirit on Douluo Continent, and also the first to discover the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. These poisonous flowers before them were the continent's peculiar Bi Lin Flowers. Could there be some unknown connection between the Bi Lin Snake and the Bi Lin Flower?
"Meier, Junior Brother, do you know how to deal with these Bi Lin Flowers?" Yan Shaozhe's eyes were full of hope as he looked at Cai Meier and Zhu Ziyang. He truly hoped to find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"No!" Cai Meier shook her head helplessly.
Yan Shaozhe's gaze could only turn to Zhu Ziyang, who, seeing Yan Shaozhe's look, also said helplessly, "Senior Brother, you think too highly of me, don't you? I don't have any solutions either!"
"Brother, these Bi Lin Flowers are cold-fearing poisonous herbs. Why don't you try your Ultimate Ice Spirit on them?" Just as everyone was at a loss, Jiang Nannan suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention.
"Nannan, what did you say? Bi Lin Flowers are cold-fearing poisonous herbs?" Yan Shaozhe asked with an excited expression.
"Yes, I only just identified them," Jiang Nannan nodded, her eyes filled with certainty, and said, "The aura of spiritual herbs in this area is too complex. I only managed to identify the information about these Bi Lin Flowers with great difficulty."
"That's great!" Zhu Ziyang also showed joy. Fortunately, he brought Jiang Nannan along; otherwise, they really would have returned empty-handed. He said, "Then I'll give it a try."
"Good!" Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier both looked on with anticipation.
Zhu Ziyang immediately released his Heavenly Frost Sacred White Dragon Spirit, and an extremely cold aura instantly emanated from him. Jiang Nannan's eyes lit up when she saw Zhu Ziyang's transformation; this was her first time seeing his second Spirit.
As soon as the Heavenly Frost Sacred White Dragon Spirit appeared, the poisonous miasma lingering around the four was immediately swept away. This change filled Yan Shaozhe and the other two with joy, and it also gave Zhu Ziyang more confidence. He tentatively walked forward, while Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier held his shoulders, ready to pull him back at any moment.
As Zhu Ziyang slowly approached, the outermost Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flower, closest to the four, immediately felt the extreme cold. Its leaves began to tremble violently, then instantly closed up, forming a huge flower bud. This change delighted Zhu Ziyang, and he continued to walk forward, simultaneously continuing to release spirit power, spreading the cold air of the Ultimate Ice.
They continued like this, walking over ten meters, but could go no further. They found that the outermost Bi Lin Flowers bloomed again, continuing to emit Bi Lin Flower poison. Meanwhile, Zhu Ziyang's spirit power was rapidly depleting, making it impossible for the four of them to traverse this Bi Lin Flower cluster, which was more than two kilometers long.
"It's no good. Junior Brother's Ultimate Ice can suppress these Bi Lin Flowers, but it can't eradicate them." Everyone had to retreat to their original position. Yan Shaozhe said helplessly, "Once we go deeper, the Bi Lin Flowers that closed up due to fear of the extreme cold will open again, blocking our path. Junior Brother's current spirit power simply cannot sustain us going deeper."
"Exactly!" Zhu Ziyang strongly agreed, saying, "Although these Bi Lin Flowers fear the cold, if I were to completely kill them, with my current spirit power, I could probably only kill the outer Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flowers. Facing the Spirit Beast-ified Jade Scale Nine Absolute Flowers deeper within, I would be somewhat powerless."
"In that case, we can only give up for now," Cai Meier said. "Let's try again when Junior Brother's strength is greater and he begins cultivating his second Spirit!"
"Alright." Yan Shaozhe's face showed conflict, and after a long struggle, he slowly agreed.
Despite his immense reluctance, he couldn't joke with Junior Brother's safety. Xiao Tao was important to him, but she couldn't compare to Junior Brother's standing in their teacher's heart. If he were to truly act stubbornly and cause Junior Brother any harm, their teacher would surely beat him to death.
Hearing that his two senior siblings were preparing to give up, Zhu Ziyang was somewhat disappointed, but he had no choice. It was his own lack of strength that prevented him from solving these poisonous flowers.
"Sigh! You brat, you really disgrace me, your teacher!" Just as Zhu Ziyang felt helpless, Electrolux's voice, full of the sentiment of 'hating iron for not becoming steel,' suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Teacher!" Zhu Ziyang's face instantly lit up with surprise. He hadn't expected Electrolux, who had been dormant for half a year, to awaken at this moment.