The Ancient Medicinal Garden

The two conversed as they walked, discussing not only their own circumstances but also analyzing the situation among the three domains. Now that the plot of the Sin Abyss had been thwarted, the advantage actually lay with the Lesser Cold Domain and the Heaven-Traversing Alliance. With the two domains allied, they had nothing to fear from the Sin Abyss and no cause for panic. Having earned merit by exposing the Wuji Sect Master, even the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Heaven-Traversing Alliance owed them a debt of gratitude. Their prospects were bright. The ancient medicinal garden was not far from the immortal city. Scaling mountains and crossing ridges, the two soon arrived at their destination. It was no wonder this place was called a wondrous realm. The scenery before them was completely out of keeping with its surroundings; describing it as an immortal paradise was by no means an exaggeration. Immortal clouds drifted about like glowing rosy dawn, speckled here and there with brilliant five-colored light, while rainbows hung across the distant horizon. Every magnificent celestial phenomenon in heaven and earth seemed gathered in this single place. The landscape was even more breathtaking. Fantastic peaks rose steeply, cloaked in lush greenery. Lakes large and small were scattered like chess pieces across the terrain, so pure and limpid they resembled the earth's clearest eyes. Countless precious glows gleamed amidst the mountains and waters, some rising as pillars of light and others spreading like royal canopies. A single glance was enough to tell that natural treasures and miraculous immortal flora must grow here, their spiritual essence birthing these phenomena. There were so many phenomena, densely packed together, that it was impossible to say who had turned this place into a garden and gathered countless spirit herbs from across the world. The sight was simply dazzling. Beneath some of the phenomena, the forms of the spirit herbs themselves could be faintly discerned, though Qin Sang recognized almost none of them. Even more astonishing were the myriad immortal birds and divine beasts dwelling here. There were immortal cranes, phoenixes, qilin, and azure dragons, alongside ancient great demons that existed only in legends. So many ferocious demons—each capable of dominating an entire region—showed no sign of conflict. Some slept soundly, some drank by the lakes, and others soared above the immortal clouds in an idyllic, peaceful scene. They appeared to be the garden's guardian spirit beasts! Natural treasures lay everywhere for the taking, dragons, phoenixes, and qilin guarded the gates, and ancient great demons served as steeds. Everything perfectly matched a cultivator's grandest fantasies of immortals. The ancient medicinal garden spanned a vast expanse, yet its outer edges were broken off abruptly, making it evident that this was merely a surviving fragment. Qin Sang was stunned by the sight. What manner of mighty figure could have owned this ancient medicinal garden, gathering so many rare spirit herbs and even binding great demons to guard it? "These are merely illusions conjured by the ancient medicinal garden's restrictions," Yunyouzi said, pointing ahead. "Inside, just like the immortal city, most places have been reduced to ruins. It takes immense luck to find a single spirit herb in there. "Any spirit herb obtained from this garden is at least on the level of a natural treasure, exceedingly rare in the mortal world. Among the great sects of the Lesser Cold Domain, those with treasures cherished in their vaults mostly obtained their rarest spirit herbs from this ancient medicinal garden. "As time has passed, nearly all the areas where the restrictions are weak have been thoroughly explored, and even some very well-hidden herbs have been discovered. Certain herbs wither the moment they are transplanted outside—much like the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit—so they can only be left here, kept by their discoverers as prized, untouchable treasures." Yunyouzi cautioned Qin Sang not to lose himself in the false paradise, lest it disturb his Dao heart. Qin Sang nodded instinctively. He understood full well that these were illusions; since entering Ziwei Palace, he had not seen a single living creature, and this place would be no exception. Even so, the illusions were so lifelike that they seemed like an exact recreation of a scene from ancient times. Even knowing it was false, one could easily become immersed, unable to look away, filled with boundless reverie. Standing at the edge of the ancient medicinal garden, they could already sense perilous fluctuations and dared not touch the paradise, lest they be consumed by the ancient restrictions. The garden covered an enormous area. They circled its perimeter, proceeding with caution while keeping watch in all directions so they could evade any other cultivators they might encounter. After a short while, Yunyouzi finally confirmed the location of the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit and found the entrance. Standing before the restriction with his eyes half-closed, Yunyouzi extended a hand, the Flawless Pearl concealed in his palm. The precious pearl shone, pulsing with white light as it seemed to test and unravel the restriction. A moment later, Yunyouzi opened his eyes, took a few steps back, and said to Qin Sang, "Brother Qin, summon your Flying Yaksha. With it clearing the path, this old Daoist can focus entirely on breaking the restriction, which will make things quite a bit faster." Qin Sang readily complied. He tapped his corpse puppet pouch, and a black silhouette flew out from within. *Whoosh!* The Flying Yaksha saw the light of day once more. Its injuries had completely healed. With a blue face and protruding fangs, it was shrouded in corpse qi, looking every bit like an evil ghost. Its pitch-black pupils seemed slightly more animated than before it was wounded, making it appear all the more eerie. At Qin Sang's command, the Flying Yaksha flickered and appeared directly before the ancient restriction, its speed still astonishing. Yunyouzi peered closely at the Flying Yaksha, speaking with open admiration. "This corpse's power is not at all inferior to the one in the ice cavern. Brother Qin, you must have poured immense effort into it." Qin Sang nodded with deep feeling. Looking back, refining this Flying Yaksha had truly been no easy feat; several times along the way he had nearly failed, and later it had almost been ruined entirely. With the Flying Yaksha in front and Qin Sang and Yunyouzi side by side behind it, they formed a triangular formation. Qin Sang controlled the Flying Yaksha while Yunyouzi unraveled the ancient restriction. Having settled on their strategy, they proceeded according to plan. A sharp cone of spiritual power coalesced in Yunyouzi's palm, and he thrust his hand sharply toward the ancient medicinal garden. *Crash!* Where the cone struck, the illusion shattered like a mirror. The real world concealed beneath was laid bare. In truth, it was a dark and gloomy wasteland—withered vegetation, dried riverbeds, fractured peaks, and utterly devoid of life. Having been forewarned by Yunyouzi, the moment the illusion shattered, Qin Sang immediately commanded the Flying Yaksha to charge inside, while he and Yunyouzi followed close behind. The instant they stepped into the ancient medicinal garden, a tiger's roar suddenly echoed from ahead. Looking closely, they saw a winged, ferocious tiger pouncing down from midair. A pungent, bloody stench washed over them. Shreds of bloody flesh seemed to cling to its sharp fangs. The demon tiger radiated a savage aura, its eyes blazing with ferocity and murderous intent. Just moments ago, Qin Sang had seen this exact same ferocious tiger in the illusion outside. Back then, it had been remarkably docile, sleeping soundly in the grass while several nine-colored deer played nearby. Now, the beast appeared before them in the flesh, showing no flaws in either its oppressive aura or its scent. Without knowing in advance that the tiger was merely a manifestation of the ancient restriction's power, one could easily mistake it for a true great demon and be frightened out of their wits. The roar shook the heavens. With a flap of its wings, the tiger stirred up a hurricane, its form suddenly vanishing. *Boom!* Following a deafening blast, two figures—one large, one small—abruptly materialized in midair, each knocked backward. Swift as the ferocious tiger was, the Flying Yaksha was no slower, successfully intercepting it. The Flying Yaksha swayed once before planting its feet firmly, while the ferocious tiger tumbled several times across the ground, letting out a roar of futile rage. Evidently, the gap in strength between an illusion and a true great demon was vast. This fierce tiger was all bark and no bite, a hollow shell that was simply no match for the Flying Yaksha.