Another fall followed , far rougher than the first. The veins dragged them downward violently, and Tianlei's body slammed against several stones.
He felt the wound on his abdomen tearing wider as sharp rocks struck him again and again, pain exploding through every point of his body.
The Feather Lady's bow caught on a rock, halting her descent for a brief instant, but Tianlei's uncontrolled body collided into her, breaking her balance and resuming their fall.
They finally came to a brutal halt, crashing hard against the ground.
Above them, the Hell Minotaur stood at the edge, glancing down. In such a narrow tunnel, sneak attacks would be useless ,this terrain offered them little chance of survival.
The Feather Lady stood up immediately and rushed toward Tianlei, pulling him up with force.
Now that the fall had ended, the pain fully surfaced. Tianlei clenched his teeth and glanced at the deep wound on her abdomen where the sickle had struck earlier.
"Oh fuck… that's huge. Can we heal it?"
Tianlei sat down cross-legged, pressing his hands against his own wound, blood seeping through his fingers.
"Destiny Star, come out," he said through clenched teeth.
A silver light burst from his storage ring, revealing a tiny furry beast. It growled softly, releasing a cold chill that rushed toward Tianlei's wound, slowing the bleeding.
"I guess we can," she muttered.
The Feather Lady immediately nocked an arrow and aimed toward the opposite direction.
A strange moon-like light illuminated the tunnel. At its source stood what looked like a small tree, faintly glowing.
The same veins that had dragged them down recoiled and slithered back toward it.
"What the hell is this thing?" she asked.
"Bodhi vein grass," Tianlei said softly.
"So it wants to kill us," she replied, tightening her bowstring and aiming at the tree.
"Please don't shoot," a voice echoed from within it. "I mean no harm."
"A talking tree?" she scoffed. "What kind of illusion is this?"
"I am no illusion," another voice echoed calmly. "I am simply a mature bodhi vein grass. Naturally, I possess speech."
"Miss Feather Lady," Tianlei called from behind, his wound still slowly healing. "It really is a bodhi vein grass. It means no harm."
The bodhi vein grass shook its small branches.
"I knew it. As a wieler of vein grass, you naturally understand us."
Ever since his aunt had told him he was a wielder of the Blood Devil–Eating Vein Grass, Tianlei had researched vein grasses extensively. Though limited, his knowledge was enough.
"I'm not an actual vein grass," Tianlei corrected. "Just a wieler of vein grass monster genes. Miss Feather Lady, it's terrible at fighting. There's no real danger."
"Terrible?" the tree snapped. "I am five hundred years old, stronger and more intelligent than any bodhi vein grass alive!"
"Then why pull us down here?" the Feather Lady asked, her bow still drawn.
"When I sensed someone with Blood Devil–Eating Vein Grass, I knew it was my only chance to survive. I had no choice."
"As a five-hundred-year-old vein grass, my senses span kilometers. Most vein grasses in the Great Di Forest are being harvested by those wicked Hell Minotaurs."
"Why would Hell Minotaurs need vein grasses?" Tianlei asked.
"Their master—the Mad Bull King—is definitely the one searching for us."
"You mean the Mad Bull King," the Feather Lady said sharply, "one of the overlords of the Great Di Forest?"
The bodhi vein grass trembled.
"Yes. That freak has been slaughtering my clansmen for days. His cruelty has forced many creatures to flee the forest."
That explained the silence. The absence of beasts suddenly made sense.
Still, what could push an overlord into such madness? The Mad Bull King was rumored to be at peak Level Eight or Nine—already terrifying. Worse, he commanded an army capable of sweeping the forest clean, even daring to launch attacks on Golden Earth Academy itself.
Bodhi vein grasses were soul-essence plants, possessing terrifying soul power capable of advancing soul masters, yet they were fragile and defenseless.
"He seeks a breakthrough," the bodhi vein grass continued. "We carry pure essence of Heaven and Earth. This is not the first time our kind has been hunted. That is why I have lived in hiding all my life."
The Feather Lady finally lowered her bow.
"So let me guess—you want us to kill the Mad Bull King? A Level Two Hell Minotaur almost killed us. We're not guardians of the galaxy if you didn't know ."
The veins of the tree began slithering toward Tianlei.
"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped
"Calm down. I'm trying to heal him or you want him to die ."
The feather lady glanced over Tianlei ,even with the help of the destiny star healing beast ,the wound wasn't showing any sign of healing . So she stepped aside .
The veins wrapped around Tianlei's abdomen, and a soft green light flowed from the tree through them and into his body. The healing accelerated, flesh knitting together before their eyes.
"I don't expect you to save my kind," the bodhi vein grass said as the veins withdrew. "Even I cannot save them now. Soon, I will be found and stripped of my powers"
"I pulled you here so you could take me away. I would rather fall into human hands than be devoured by that greedy beast."
Tianlei stood up slowly.
"You're bound to this land. For us to take you, one of us would have to absorb you."
"Not exactly," the bodhi vein grass replied. "I am a conscious soul plant. I can merge with your body and make you my master—like a contract beast, but as one entity."
"So who do you choose?" Tianlei asked.
"You," it replied immediately. "You are a wielder of vein grass monster genes .So naturally I am compatible with you "
"Hey," the Feather Lady snapped, stepping forward. "What about me? I'm not leaving empty-handed."
The bodhi vein grass shook its veins. "How greedy.".
Above it, twelve crystals materialized. The instant they appeared, Tianlei felt his soul core react violently.
"Soul crystals…"
Their eyes widened.
"Who cares about soul cores ?" the Feather Lady said, stepping closer. "Soul crystals are ten times better. My strength will skyrocket with their help and I won't necessarily need to tame more beasts."
"These are remnants of my fallen clansmen," the bodhi vein grass said quietly. "I could not bring myself to absorb their blood. Take them."
The crystals floated toward her, and she practically leaped forward, grabbing them.
"Promise me you won't misuse them."
"Yeah, whatever." She waved her hand as her storage ring ignited, devouring them whole.
"If I weren't so desperate," the bodhi vein grass muttered, "I would kill you myself."
But even with that kind of threat ,she didn't seem to care.
"Now," the bodhi vein grass said, "I will burn my body and transform into three different treasures ."
"Give me two soul crystals," Tianlei said, outstretching his hand toward the Feather Lady.
She stomped her foot playfully.
"Why? You're already about to receive such precious soul treasures"
Tianlei's hand remained outstretched.
"Stop being greedy."
"Tch. Fine."
She waved her hand, and two soul crystals flew out of her storage ring and landed in Tianlei's palm.
Tianlei turned toward the Bodhi Vein Grass. Its branches and veins were surrounded by white flames, clearly in the process of burning away its own body.
"Mr. Bodhi, I will try to make sure this massacre of your clansmen stops."
The Bodhi Vein Grass shook its veins lightly.
"Huh. Don't stress yourself. At least I know you aren't greedy like that pile of meat."
The Feather Lady's anger flared.
"I am not greedy! Why is everyone calling me that?"
A milky substance emerged from the Bodhi Vein Grass and flew toward Tianlei's forehead.
"That is my first treasure—Bodhi Essence. It is my blood, and it will surely help you in your cultivation."
The veins and branches of the Bodhi Vein Grass withered, leaving only its main body standing.
A small crystalline orb suddenly shot out and floated into the air. Its surface was as reflective as glass, and its light seemed to burn through the body straight to the soul.
The Feather Lady stepped forward, eyes widening.
"Oh God… an Essence Heart."
"Essence Heart?" Tianlei echoed.
"An Essence Heart is like a soul core, but unlike one, it is a seed of creation—a mother that can give birth to countless generations of a species while preserving the purity of its bloodline."
Tianlei's breath caught.
"Mr. Bodhi, this…"
"Kid, there are only a few Bodhi Vein Grass left in the Great Di Forest. I am one of them, and I am an emperor among my species, holding the purest bloodline. Soon, I will be hunted down like the rest of my clansmen, so I burned my consciousness, blood, and soul to create the Bodhisattva."
Tianlei lowered his eyes. To destroy one's body and soul solely to preserve a lineage was no small resolve.
"Take the Bodhisattva."
The crystalline orb floated toward Tianlei and stopped before him. It felt like looking at an egg, knowing that one day it would hatch countless new lives.
He placed his hands on it, and it vanished into his storage ring.
The Feather Lady did not protest.
Suddenly, the cave began to rumble, and distant growls echoed through the darkness.
"Those ugly creatures are coming down here."
"They may have sensed your presence, Mr. Bodhi," Tianlei said.
A laugh echoed from within the Bodhi Vein Grass.
"What will they find? Nothing."
"Nothing but us," Tianlei replied. "And we can't activate teleportation unless we're within its light."
"Kid, here is my third treasure. Cherish it."
"Wait—another one?" Tianlei hesitated. "Mr. Bodhi, these treasures come at the cost of your life. Won't you vanish entirely?"
"Come and hold onto me."
Tianlei walked forward. The Bodhi Vein Grass no longer had veins or branches; it looked like a plant that hadn't been watered in years. The rumbling intensified as stones rolled from the ceiling.
"Hey, hurry up with your bromance," the Feather Lady muttered.
Tianlei wrapped his hand around the Bodhi Vein Grass. The remaining branch twisted and elongated, transforming into a one-and-a-half-meter staff. At its top sat a small orb resembling the Bodhisattva, veins faintly pulsing around it.
"This is my third treasure—the Lotus Staff of Returning Mind."
Even without a body, the Bodhi's voice echoed throughout the hall.
Rocks and debris fell as four Hell Minotaurs came into view. The ringleader—the one who had pierced Tianlei earlier—let out a growl.
"Oh, fuck this…"
The Feather Lady immediately nocked an arrow, then, noticing their numbers, nocked three more.
"Kid, kill them for me."
"Mr. Bodhi, these are at least level two Hell Minotaurs. How can I—"
"Trust the power I have given you."
Tianlei swallowed hard and stepped forward, steadying the staff in front of him.
The Minotaur leader pointed its sickle-shaped axe-hands at Tianlei.
"Youman. Give."
Tianlei assumed it meant human and dismissed it.
He pointed the staff forward, expecting something like a fireball to erupt. Nothing happened.
The leader growled again, antennae on its head shaking violently. The other Hell Minotaurs stretched their hands in anticipation of slaughter, even the one the Feather Lady had injured stepping forward without hesitation.
The Feather Lady retreated a few steps, eyes narrowing.
She released her arrows. Two flew toward the head of the injured Minotaur, while the other two scraped across the leader's neck. There was no way the other one survived but the leader even though injured by the feather lady ,It roared and launched itself at her.
Tianlei cursed his incapability , there was no way he expected to depend on a girl one again . He pointed his lotus staff at the hell Minotaur .
The feather lady had just finished nocking another arrrow when a vein suddenly tore through its hell Minotaur's body , sending it crashing into the rocks.
Tianlei's breath caught as the vein retracted back into the staff.
" Damn ..... It actually worked ."
Two Hell Minotaurs were already dead, leaving only two standing. Terror replaced their rage as they slowly began backing away.
"You kill my clansmen," the Bodhi's voice echoed, "and now you wish to run?"
Two more veins erupted from the staff, striking the remaining Hell Minotaurs in the back and killing them instantly.
"Amazing," the Feather Lady muttered. "You killed two level two Hell Minotaurs with a single move."
"We need to leave and alert the academy," Tianlei said. "The other students may be in trouble as well."
He clenched his hand around the staff, and it vanished into his storage ring.
They hurried out of the cave. With the stillness illusion broken, the wind rushed freely through the branches outside, carrying the echoes of what had just ended.