After the recent chaotic situation, Mu Yunjin and Hua Ying were both somewhat dazed. After catching their breath for a moment, Hua Ying spoke first to Mu Yunjin, “My lady, what is that green light? It seems to be emerging from the bottom of the hot spring.”

Mu Yunjin shook her head, unable to explain the suddenly appearing green light. “Let’s take a closer look.”

With those words, Mu Yunjin and Hua Ying stepped forward, moving closer to the edge of the hot spring.

After the hot spring returned to calm, the surroundings were still shrouded in mist as before. Now, as they approached, they could see Huang Yan surrounded by a ball of green light in the center.

What surprised them was that after enveloping Huang Yan, this green light also kept the hot spring water outside the green glow.

It seemed…

Like it was protecting Huang Yan.

Thinking of this possibility, Mu Yunjin found it increasingly astonishing. She crouched down to look closer, then glanced at the Five-Colored Divine Phoenix nearby, which was now squatting on the ground, also staring at the green light in the pool water.

Mu Yunjin bit her lip. Considering the roar from the bottom of the pool earlier and looking at the scene before her, could this green light be a manifestation of the Dark Spirit beast?

…

…

But why would the Dark Spirit beast protect Huang Yan?

No, she seemed to be missing something…

Dark Spirit, Dark Spirit…

It seemed somewhat familiar…

Mu Yunjin frowned, thinking for quite a while until suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck, and she finally remembered something.

She recalled that Shen Wanning and Black Robe had once mentioned that Huang Yan had Dark Spirit energy within him. It was using this Dark Spirit energy that they had once controlled Huang Yan’s mind.

Could there be a connection between the Dark Spirit beast at the bottom of the hot spring and the Dark Spirit energy within Huang Yan?

“My lady, have you thought of something?” Seeing Mu Yunjin’s strange expression, Hua Ying bit her lip and asked.

Hearing Hua Ying’s voice, Mu Yunjin turned to look at her. “Sit down first, and I’ll explain slowly.”

Hua Ying nodded and sat down beside Mu Yunjin.

After Hua Ying sat down, Mu Yunjin briefly told her about the Dark Spirit beast.

“So, my lady, you suspect that this Dark Spirit beast at the bottom of the pool might know Huang Yan?” Hua Ying asked with surprise in her eyes after hearing the explanation.

“Yes. Legend says that the Dark Spirit beast is extremely fierce with a violent temperament and has been sleeping at the bottom of this pool for a long time. Its sudden awakening tonight might be because it sensed Huang Yan’s Dark Spirit energy,” Mu Yunjin speculated.

For some reason, upon hearing this theory, Hua Ying felt relieved. “If that’s the case, it seems to be a good thing. Look, the green light is protecting Huang Yan. After all the cold and damp energy is eliminated from his body, he won’t have to endure the scalding pool water.”

Mu Yunjin curled her lips slightly. “Yes, perhaps a turning point has truly appeared.”

Hearing this, Hua Ying finally showed a relaxed smile. Her heart had been tense for so long, and now she could finally relax a bit.

“You must be hungry. I brought some food over earlier,” Mu Yunjin remembered the food box she had left nearby, got up to retrieve it, and brought it back.

After all the commotion, the food in the box was only slightly warm.

Mu Yunjin took out the food and handed a pair of chopsticks to Hua Ying. “Eat more. Don’t collapse when Huang Yan comes out of the hot spring.”

Hua Ying nodded. “You should eat more, too, my lady. If something happens to you, I wouldn’t be able to face Prince Ning.”

“It seems your mood has indeed improved, now you’re even teasing me,” Mu Yunjin raised an eyebrow and joked.

Hua Ying pressed her lips together and smiled lightly.

After Mu Yunjin had taken a bite of food, the Five-Colored Divine Phoenix approached from the side, rubbing its head against Mu Yunjin’s arm, acting coquettishly.

“You want to eat too?” Mu Yunjin picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and waved it in front of the Five-Colored Divine Phoenix.

The Five-Colored Divine Phoenix raised its head, snapped at the meat held by Mu Yunjin’s chopsticks, and slowly swallowed it. “Clang, clang…”

“This is the first time I’ve seen a phoenix eat meat!” Mu Yunjin muttered.

……

In the latter half of the night, Chu Li appeared in the Celestial Mountain Villa carrying a lantern.

For him, with Mu Yunjin not by his side, he couldn’t sleep peacefully. After tossing and turning, he finally couldn’t bear it anymore, got up, and came to the Celestial Mountain Villa.

Mu Yunjin was sitting on the ground, yawning. Hua Ying, having been highly strung earlier, was now relaxed and drowsy, leaning against a nearby tree trunk for a short rest.

When Mu Yunjin glimpsed the candlelight approaching from the side and turned to look, an outer garment was already being draped over her shoulders.

“The night is deep, and the dew is heavy. Be careful not to catch a cold from the chill,” Chu Li said in a low voice, bending down to fasten the front ties of the garment.

After speaking, he handed another outer garment to Mu Yunjin.

Understanding, Mu Yunjin took the garment and tiptoed toward Hua Ying, wrapping it around her as well.

Afterward, Mu Yunjin sat a bit further away, afraid that talking with Chu Li might wake Hua Ying.

Sitting on the ground, Mu Yunjin nestled in Chu Li’s embrace, feeling warmth throughout her body. “Why did you come? Weren’t you supposed to be looking after little Mu’er?”

“I was worried about you,” Chu Li said in a calm tone, yet unable to hide his concern for Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin smiled gently.

“That green light…” After comforting Mu Yunjin, Chu Li finally noticed the anomaly emanating from the hot spring. When he saw the green light, his brow furrowed.

“Could it be the Dark Spirit beast?” Chu Li’s eyes were clear and cool, and as he considered this possibility, his gaze deepened.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin emerged from Chu Li’s embrace and looked at him. “You know about the Dark Spirit beast too?”

“Yes,” Chu Li replied, his lips curving upward. “You know about it as well?”

“I’ve only heard rumors about it, and today is the first time I’ve been able to verify it,” Mu Yunjin pouted, leaning back into Chu Li’s arms and telling him about the strange phenomena that had occurred earlier at the hot spring.

Upon hearing this, Chu Li’s arms around Mu Yunjin tightened. “Fortunately, you’ve learned to be cautious and didn’t recklessly take risks yourself.”

“You still haven’t told me how you know about the Dark Spirit beast,” Mu Yunjin looked up, staring at Chu Li.

“The Dark Spirit beast is recorded in the underworld’s books. Legend has it that it was originally a gentle divine beast, but after its master suffered inexplicable persecution, it became crazed and fierce, with a volatile temperament. Later, it was confined at the bottom of this hot spring, never to see daylight again,” Chu Li said leisurely.

Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together, digesting what Chu Li had said. “It seems you know more than I do.”

“Naturally,” Chu Li agreed with Mu Yunjin’s statement.

Mu Yunjin hummed twice, then made a bold guess. “Since you say the Dark Spirit beast once had a master, do you think its master might be Huang Yan?”

“Perhaps,” Chu Li didn’t dare to make a definitive judgment.

“It seems we’ll have to wait until Huang Yan emerges from the hot spring tomorrow to know the answer,” Mu Yunjin sighed.

Chu Li tucked her outer garment more securely around her. “Alright, while there’s still time, get some sleep. I’ll keep watch over you.”

“Mm,” Mu Yunjin nodded, already feeling drowsy. Now that Chu Li had mentioned it, she relaxed, leaning against him and gradually drifting off to sleep.

Chu Li quietly gazed at Mu Yunjin’s sleeping face, bending down to place a kiss on her pink lips.

……

At noon the next day, Yun Guangyao and State Preceptor An came to the Celestial Mountain Villa. Ding Xian, who had arrived in the Southern Ting Kingdom, also accompanied them. When the group reached the edge of the hot spring and saw the green light, they were all bewildered.

Among them, Yun Guangyao and Ding Xian weren’t informed about the source of the green light, but State Preceptor An knew something about it. After observing the green light for a while, he pulled Mu Yunjin’s sleeve and led her a little to the side.

“The beast at the bottom of the pool has awakened?” State Preceptor An asked.

“You know about it too?” Mu Yunjin was surprised; logically, this should have been a secret.

State Preceptor An reached out and poked Mu Yunjin’s forehead. “When have I ever known less than you?”

“…” Hearing this familiar response, Mu Yunjin pursed her lips and remained silent.

“By the looks of it, this beast and Huang Yan seem to have some connection. It appears that this time, Huang Yan has turned misfortune into a blessing.” State Preceptor An raised his eyebrows, his lips revealing a teasing smile.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin also raised her eyebrows, her face bearing an inquisitive look. “Tell me, were you a physicist in your past life? Logically, since you’ve been here for over fifty years after transmigrating, it makes sense that you know many things, but you seem to know too much. Are you hiding some other identity from me?”

“No, I’m just a pure and innocent abbot of the Water Cloud Temple and State Preceptor of the Southern Ting Kingdom. Don’t overthink it,” State Preceptor An glanced at Mu Yunjin, then gazed into the distance.

Mu Yunjin didn’t believe this at all. They were of similar age and experience, yet her Master Feng Xuan didn’t know as much as State Preceptor An.

“If you won’t tell me, then don’t. Anyway, some things can’t be hidden forever,” Mu Yunjin said, turning back to walk toward Chu Li.

State Preceptor An stood in place, smiling helplessly.

……

After the group waited by the hot spring for more than an hour, changes finally began to appear at the bottom of the hot spring.

The green light suddenly shot out from the water surface, ascending to the sky. Along with this light, Huang Yan, who had been at the bottom of the hot spring for a day and a night, also flew up, leaving the hot spring and hovering in midair.

Around his body, apart from the green light emanating from the bottom of the pool, his own body was also suffused with that green light.

Gradually, the two streams of green light slowly merged into one.

At the same time, the calm surface of the hot spring below began to spin and churn rapidly. Soon, a massive vortex appeared.

On the side of the pool, the water light formation suddenly manifested.

Mu Yunjin and Hua Ying, looking at this familiar vortex, tightly pressed their lips together, inexplicably tense.

“ROAR…”

From the bottom of the vortex came a roaring sound.

“What is making that sound?” Ding Xian frowned, startled at the roar.

Yun Guangyao was also confused, but seeing that several others seemed extremely calm, he also set his mind at ease, not overthinking it.

“RUMBLE…”

Along with the roar, the ground shook violently. Some nearby guards lost their footing and fell to the ground.

“BOOM…”

“ROAR…”

When an explosive sound and a roaring sound rang out simultaneously, a sharp green light slashed through the center of the vortex in the pool. Then with a “BOOM,” a beast with a dark green body burst forth from the water…