"Let's return. We're still new here, so we should stay away for longer than we have to." Han Yu announced.
"Yes." Everyone was in agreement and began preparing.
With the beast defeated, the group harvested whatever materials they could from it, before deciding to head back to the camp.
The return to camp was quiet at first. The six disciples moved through the dim forest, each one alert despite the battle's end. The faint glow of the illusionary sunlight filtered through the leaves, giving the ground a strange bluish tint as though twilight had arrived earlier than it should have.
Even the forest's usual noise; the chirp of spirit insects, the rustle of distant beasts seemed subdued. Perhaps it was only their imagination, but to Han Yu, the silence carried weight. The kind that often lingered after something had shifted in the unseen depths of the world.
By the time they reached the outer perimeter of their temporary base, the sky above had begun to fade to a soft, dull gray. The illusion of day turning to night.
Wu Shuan was the first to speak. "Let's report our return to the Elders, get the item recorded and deposited. Elder Qing's division will want to know we've secured another find."
Han Yu nodded. "You go ahead. I'll take care of the herb itself once we've cleaned up."
The camp had grown considerably since they had first entered the inner realm.
Tents lined the clearing in neat rows, each marked with the insignia of their sect. Disciples hurried about carrying supplies, recording spiritual fluctuations, or sorting herbs and ores they had gathered from other areas. Small formations surrounded the perimeter, flickering faintly with protective runes.
Their group drew some attention as they entered, dirt-stained and weary but clearly successful.
A few disciples greeted them, curious about their find, while others whispered quietly about the increasing number of beasts in the surrounding region. Han Yu could sense unease spreading through the camp; the inner realm was becoming more active, and not all of it was natural.
He brushed off the questions for now.
Once the report was made and the injured disciple treated, Han Yu made his way toward the logistics division—a long, tented structure filled with stacks of jade slips, spirit stones, and crates of preserved herbs. For a rapidly set up division, it was rather well organized.
A faint aroma of old parchment and medicinal powder hung in the air as he reached the place.
The disciple at the counter recognized him immediately. "Senior Brother Han, back already? Another find?"
Han Yu gave a small nod and showed the sealed jade box. "A spirit herb. I want to confirm its identification and value before we decide what to do with it."
The young disciple's eyes brightened. "Understood. You can use the reference jade slips at table six. Elder Qing sent word earlier to make sure any unusual finds are properly documented."
Han Yu thanked him and found an empty seat near the back of the tent. He laid the jade box on the table, removed the sealing talisman, and opened it.
At once, the gentle fragrance of the flower spread out. Twelve soft, white petals shimmered faintly, and ripples of calm spiritual energy radiated outward like waves on a tranquil lake. Even sitting near it eased the tension in his shoulders.
He took a moment to admire it. "Beautiful," he muttered quietly.
Then he set to work. He took out a few jade slips from his own collection, the ones he had copied before entering the inner realm. The repository's records had proven invaluable before, and he was confident that the answer lay within them somewhere. Content orıginally comes from 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝙣𝙚𝙩
One by one, he examined each slip, his Spirit Qi extending into them like a gentle tide as he read the imprinted information. The slips detailed countless herbs, their properties, and even their historical uses in alchemy.
Minutes stretched into hours as Han Yu compared patterns of Qi, descriptions of petal shapes, and the elemental resonance each herb gave off. Several disciples came and went, but he barely noticed them.
Finally, after checking one particular set of slips that mentioned stabilizing herbs, his eyes lit up.
"There it is…" he murmured, focusing on a faint script engraved on the slip.
Ripple Calming Twelve Petaled Flower.
The name appeared elegant and unassuming, but the more he read, the more intrigued he became.
It was not an herb that directly enhanced cultivation, nor did it create breakthroughs.
Instead, it served a far more subtle purpose. The Ripple Calming Flower was known for soothing chaotic Qi flows, allowing cultivators to stabilize their meridians and prevent inner deviation during high-speed cultivation or after intense battle injuries.
Even without that, it still served to help improve the flow of one's qi.
More impressively, the jade slip stated that it had particular benefits for those who cultivated extreme yang-type techniques, especially those aligned with fire and lightning elements.
Han Yu leaned back slightly, a thoughtful expression settling over his face.
"So that explains it," he whispered.
He remembered the Scaled Blue Flame Wolf's breath—deep blue flames that carried immense destructive power. It was not ordinary fire but one that burned both body and spirit. The wolf must have instinctively guarded the herb, sensing its usefulness in tempering and harmonizing its own violent energy.
In truth, such instincts were not rare among beasts. Many spirit beasts sought out herbs that resonated with their element or bloodline to strengthen themselves. But finding one here, within the sealed inner realm, raised deeper questions.
After all, if the herb and the beast both came from beyond their continent as Yuan Ping had suggested then what exactly was this place?
Han Yu closed the jade box again, sealing it with another talisman to preserve its Qi. The faint calm that had filled the tent receded slightly as the herb's power was contained.
Now that the herb's identity was confirmed, he turned his attention to the second mystery—the beast itself.