In response to Tianmeng's suggestion, Zhou Sichen replied within his spiritual sea:
"No need to go through all that trouble. This treasure land has already been claimed by someone in the past. As long as I pass the trial, I can freely take away seven immortal herbs."
With the memories of his previous life, passing the Fragrant Silk Beauty Immortal Herb's trial would be a simple task.
And if things really went wrong, he could always retreat—there was no rush.
Though he couldn't yet contend with all the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts here, if he wanted to escape, stopping him wouldn't be easy either.
The Icefire Yin Yang Well was a place Zhou Sichen had dreamed of. With the immortal herbs it contained, not only would his cultivation soar, but the second awakening of his primary martial soul might even become possible!
Moreover, now that he was here, he had a bold plan for his fourth soul ring.
If this plan succeeded, it would give him great leverage in the future when scheming for the Golden Tree!
So—sneaking away? Out of the question.
Elder Yi remained calm as always, peacefully absorbing the abundant life energy in the air. Though the effect was small, it was better than nothing.
Tianmeng, in contrast, was much more excitable:
"A trial? Whose trial do you have to pass? Don't tell me it's those hundred-thousand-year-old plant-type soul beasts?"
"Exactly," Zhou Sichen replied with a faint smile, walking directly toward the Fragrant Silk Beauty Immortal Herb.
His left hand transformed into the Ice Jade Scorpion Pincer, infused with Ultimate Ice, and he slowly extended it toward the herb.
At the moment Ultimate Ice appeared, many of the surrounding hundred-thousand-year-old plant-type soul beasts trembled ever so slightly.
One immortal herb, situated at the center of the icy-blue spring, even shook violently.
As Zhou Sichen's icy pincer drew near, the Fragrant Silk Beauty's pink petals quivered slightly, and its violet stamen pulsed. A soft pink halo rippled out from its core.
This radiance was denser than the protective barrier it had formed earlier, carrying a clear sense of authority.
A stern female voice rang out:
"Human, being able to enter this place is your fortune. But if you attempt to provoke me again, don't blame me for being merciless."
Zhou Sichen's mind stirred slightly, a trace of amusement flickering in the depths of his eyes.
He replied calmly, eyes steady as he looked at the massive blossom before him:
"You are the Fragrant Silk Beauty Immortal Herb, aren't you? I didn't expect you to have already reached the level of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast."
The herb trembled violently.
"You… how could you possibly know about me?!"
Then, almost bashfully, she added,
"I'm not a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, okay? I'm only ten thousand years old!"
She wasn't lying—her actual cultivation age was only ten thousand years. But due to the life force amplification of the Icefire Yin Yang Well, one day here was equivalent to ten days outside.
So while she had only cultivated for ten thousand years, she was effectively equivalent to a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in terms of strength.
Her large pink petals opened and closed slightly. After her awkward explanation, she suddenly grew excited:
"Wait… are you someone he sent? After all this time, he finally remembered us!"
As she spoke, another immortal herb swayed gently from the center of the Blazing Yang Spring. It resembled a fiery red Chinese cabbage and spoke with a voice of its own:
"Did he really send you?!"
Zhou Sichen replied calmly:
"Entrusted by another, fulfilling the task. Passing one trial allows me to take away seven immortal herbs, correct?"
He didn't answer their questions directly and instead maintained a serious demeanor—one that only made his presence feel more credible.
Both herbs were somewhat naive and already halfway convinced.
Though Zhou Sichen looked young, the aura of pressure he exuded made them uneasy. As plant-type soul beasts, they weren't particularly aggressive by nature. Yet this human radiated an oppressive force comparable to a terrifying beast.
His face remained composed, but he subtly wore an expression of weariness, with just a hint of urgency in his eyes—emotions these two immortal herbs were capable of perceiving.
When it came to acting, Zhou Sichen was an Oscar-level performer.
In his spiritual sea, Tianmeng and Elder Yi remained silent, quietly watching the show. After all, they truly didn't know the details.
To avoid damaging their bond, even though Elder Yi's soul fragment had stabilized, he had never attempted to pry into Zhou Sichen's memories.
He could tell that Zhou Sichen had deliberately sealed those memories, even Tianmeng couldn't access them—but Elder Yi could, if he wanted to.
However, he chose not to—because there was no need.
Since he had chosen to trust Zhou Sichen, he would cooperate wholeheartedly. Underhanded methods weren't his style and would only create distance between them.
Thanks to Zhou Sichen's direct approach, the Fragrant Silk Beauty Immortal Herb didn't act like a chatty gossip this time, as she had in the original timeline.
Still, she wouldn't trust Zhou Sichen too easily—the trial would not be skipped.
Suddenly, the pink blossom shook violently again.
"Ahh! So you really were sent by him! Him! Is he doing well? It's been so long since we've seen him. Why hasn't he visited? Really, just like him…"
Even the Blazing Apricot Delicate Stem next to her began to sway.
"Did he leave any message for us?"
Zhou Sichen slightly shook his head.
He knew exactly who "that person" was—who else but the one who had claimed the Icefire Yin Yang Well for himself?
The "pure and flawless" Sea God…
Well—now it should be the dual God positions of Sea God and Asura God.
Zhou Sichen replied calmly:
"The one you speak of is no longer on this continent. I'm here to undergo the trial and take away seven immortal herbs."
Upon hearing his direct response, the Fragrant Silk Beauty Immortal Herb stilled her swaying, seemingly studying Zhou Sichen intently.
"He too once took several herbs to help his companions improve their talent and strength… You seem a lot like him."
"But… do you really only want the seven herbs? Don't you want the book?"
At that, Zhou Sichen immediately understood—this was a trap.
She was testing him to see if he was truly "that man's descendant."
The book she referred to was none other than the one Tang San had left behind: the Xuantian Record, specifically the chapters on herbal lore and poison techniques—the immortal herb manual and the Tang Sect's poison doctrine.
As for that book, Zhou Sichen could take it or leave it.
He had his own plans. Right now, his strength wasn't enough to control all the immortal herbs here. It was better to take the seven he was allowed to—for now. Once he was stronger, would he even need to bother with trials?
Zhou Sichen smiled:
"Strictly speaking, I'm not his descendant. I'm merely a junior. I came because I was entrusted to do so, and I have no intention of taking that book."
Still, he left some ambiguity in his words. After all, as the original story said—fate decides the worthy.
And who's to say he wasn't one of them?
****
If you want to support me or read advanced chapters (21+), consider checking out my pat.
patr*on.com/Salsita2k