Chapter 75: Exploiting the Bug (Part 2)
It wasn't that Ye Wen doubted Ah Yin's love for him; rather, he doubted his own ability to pass the test set by the Lovesick Heartbroken Red. Men often admire beauty, and while Ye Wen treasured his beautiful wife Ah Yin, even he couldn't say he was utterly unaffected by the sight of other beautiful women. Such impulses were natural, and it was nearly impossible for him to achieve the kind of purity required by the flower.
Interestingly, Tang San had never tested himself with the flower in the original story. Instead, he'd had a companion take the test, which perhaps was fortunate. Only someone like Xiao Wu, entirely absorbed by romantic devotion, could likely meet the Heartbroken Red's exacting standards. By contrast, most people's thoughts were far too tangled.
Ah Yin, however, was different. Her love was unwavering, pure, untouched by any human inclination for novelty or superficial attraction. Despite that, Ye Wen felt it would be wrong to subject his own life partner to a test that he himself would fail. So, he resolved not to ask Ah Yin to take it; testing her while he himself couldn't meet the standard would feel hypocritical. Instead, he attempted to use his Insight ability to analyze the flower. As expected, he found himself unable to decipher it. An invisible barrier shielded its essence from his soul skill.
Reluctantly, he set the Heartbroken Red aside and turned his focus to analyzing the other spirit herbs. He found that each herb possessed a unique core energy, which he suspected was a form of primordial energy. Using simulated bodies of spirit masters with common martial spirits, he observed how consuming these herbs triggered significant enhancements, echoing the effects described in the original story. Ye Wen was captivated by his progress; as he gradually unlocked each herb's properties, he felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough that could revolutionize his spirit research.
Though the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well offered limited direct benefits to human spirit masters, Ah Yin was deeply comforted by the place's environment. Watching Ye Wen immerse himself in his research, Ah Yin sighed. "A good man," she thought, "but sometimes a bit of a blockhead."
As her eyes wandered, they fell on the Heartbroken Red. Drawn in by its allure, she moved closer to the flower, entranced by its infant like appearance. She couldn't resist testing herself against its famed challenge.
"Ugh…!" A muffled groan cut through Ye Wen's concentration a sound he knew all too well, a sound that struck him deeply.
"Ah Yin! What did you do?!" he exclaimed, alarmed.
With a faint smile and a bit of blood at her lips, Ah Yin held out the Heartbroken Red, her eyes tender. "Brother, I picked it."
Ye Wen hurried to heal her, distressed as he looked at his beloved wife of more than a decade. "Why did you do this? I've never doubted you!"
"I know that," Ah Yin replied softly, "but I wanted to test myself, to see if my love for you was as true as you believe. Now I know it really is, Brother."
Holding her close, Ye Wen's heart ached and soared simultaneously. "Of course it is. I've always known." For over a decade, he had come to understand her deeply, knowing her character through and through.
From the moment they met, she'd been a kind and gentle soul, pure hearted even after he had tried to teach her about the world's darker sides. Despite everything, she remained unwaveringly compassionate, as shown when she intervened to help the struggling Liu Erlong. This was a quality so rare, so untainted, and he cherished her for it.
"Brother, let's have a child," she whispered.
For Ye Wen, it felt like an arrow to the heart; so this was what she had held back all this time.
"Alright, we'll have children ten or more if you want!" Ye Wen replied with a laugh.
A faint blush colored her cheeks as she playfully swatted him. "I'm not a rabbit, you know!"
After more than a decade together, they finally let go of their last misgivings, and Ye Wen felt as if he were the happiest man alive. He had a loving wife and a fulfilling career. Yet, he couldn't completely relax. Knowing that Tang San would emerge in just over a decade, he felt a renewed sense of urgency. While he could intercept some of Tang San's opportunities, there was no telling what kind of new support the Asura God, that unseen benefactor, might grant him. Ye Wen resolved to reach the peak of power as quickly as possible.
He set his mind on a plan: once his first spirit reached the nine ring level, he would embark on a mission to acquire nine one hundred thousand year rings for his second spirit. With such a foundation, he calculated he'd reach the power equivalent of a 98 level super spirit master upon entering the realm of Title Douluo. And then he could march onto Seagod Island to take the trials, with nothing, not even the formidable Bo Saixi, able to stop him.
The days passed as Ye Wen continued decoding the primordial energies of the herbs. After two months of intense work, he finally completed his research, developing a system for sustainably harvesting the spirit herbs' energy. Rather than consuming the entire plant to benefit just one individual, he devised a process that would produce steady yields, allowing him to cultivate an army of top tier spirit masters over time.
Forget twenty years for the Shrek Seven Devils Ye Wen would raise the Skyfaring Three Hundred!
Only the Heartbroken Red eluded his analysis. Its energies were simply too profound, defying all efforts to decode it. Still, he was satisfied with his progress and finally gave the Heartbroken Red to Ah Yin.
True to its legendary status, this divine herb surpassed all the others in potency. The moment she consumed it, Ah Yin's spirit power leaped from 63 to 70, pushing her into the Spirit Sage realm and, temporarily, ahead of Ye Wen's current level of 68.
With their extensive search having revealed every high level spirit beast in Sunset Forest, Ah Yin and Ye Wen had already identified their targets. Ah Yin, however, chose to wait until Ye Wen reached level 70 so they could hunt for their seventh rings together.
Though the Evil Fragrance Devil Taro had died, it left numerous seeds behind. Ye Wen planted these around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, knowing they held the power to refine a spirit master's bloodline and essence. And until these new plants reached the ten thousand year mark, he wouldn't have to worry about them blooming and inciting a beast riot again.
Once these tasks were complete, the two packed up, ready to move forward with their grand plans. For them, a future of limitless possibilities awaited.
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