So in all senses, this method was really only suitable for plants, and Hua Jian just happened to be part plant, so it worked perfectly.
By the way, after the Venerable’s body is rebuilt, we’ll have to purge the Miasma from her Soulforce. She’ll need to cooperate, but I’m not sure if she can control herself.
Helping her rebuild the body is only the first step. That’s the easy part—since the Venerable will cooperate.
But in the next steps, the friendly Venerable could suddenly become hostile… at least half of her will.
They needed to seize the chance to eliminate the Miasma in the bad half of her mind during the battle between her two selves—then the main quest would be done.
‘Shishu is on her way. Once the Venerable withdraws the power blocking Shishu after waking up, Shishu can come help us soon.’
Linglong gave Hua Jian some truly good news.
They wouldn’t have to shoulder all the fighting—Fenghua Venerable would handle that.
‘Do you have a way to clear the Miasma from the Venerable’s Soulforce? She’s a Venerable, after all.’
Linglong was more worried about whether Hua Jian could purge the Miasma.
Even the powerful Illusory Dream Flower was barely enough for true experts—Fenghua Venerable could walk through the mist with no problem.
Even Linglong and Shiqi could resist the mist with Avoid Miasma Pills.
‘I have to try. And I’m in great condition right now—I didn’t absorb all that Miasma for nothing.’
The purified Miasma had become Hua Jian’s backup energy. If necessary, she’d burn through it all for power.
Plus, the Venerable’s other soul fragment would help. All in all, the odds weren’t bad.
Since Hua Jian was so confident, Linglong had to trust her.
There was no choice but to believe—what else could she do? Drag Hua Jian away by the hand?
Not possible. Hua Jian didn’t even have hands now, let alone mobility.
After finishing with Linglong, Hua Jian used a similar method to explain things to Shiqi. Shiqi was initially uneasy with the strange communication, but adapted in the end.
She asked about the Venerable and her father. Hua Jian answered as best she could, though she only knew the general events—Shiqi would have to ask the Venerable for details.
If there’s anything I can help with, just say so! Fired up by the hope of understanding her parents, Shiqi was ready to go.
It’s just a bit of Miasma—she’d chop it with her sword!
Just wait—her body was only just forming, and it’d be two or three days before she emerged from the bud.
Inside the bud, blood and the white flower were being transformed by secret methods into a tiny baby.
Most of the work was done; all that was left was to steadily infuse more blood energy to accelerate growth.
After all, the Venerable couldn’t appear with the body of a baby.
By Hua Jian’s estimate, using all the Blood Pool’s energy would give the Venerable a body of about twenty or thirty—just the best age.
At this point, the Venerable’s two minds were both dormant. The Treasure Pearl was slowly melting into the baby’s skull, fusing with the new body.
Once she could fully control the new body, the Venerable’s consciousness would awaken.
That would be sooner than the body reached maturity—she’d likely awaken when she looked around seven or eight.
For now, all Hua Jian could do was wait for this step to finish, then start the next task.
Time passed. Fenghua Venerable was still blocked by ever more barriers outside.
Linglong and Shiqi rested a while in the mist-free circle Hua Jian created, while the baby in the bud gradually grew into a little girl.
The Venerable’s consciousness returned more slowly than Hua Jian expected—she’d thought it would happen at seven or eight, but it wasn’t until nearly twelve that the Venerable finally adapted.
White lashes fluttered. Red-and-white heterochromatic eyes slowly opened.
The girl, immersed in viscous, blood-colored fluid, first struggled to control her body. After much effort, she finally managed to use her hands and feet.
“Venerable, can you drop your defenses so Senior Fenghua can come help?” Seeing the Venerable regain awareness, Hua Jian spoke up quickly.
But what happened next completely surprised her.
The girl grabbed all the tubes connected to her, yanked them out, then released a surge of spiritual power that instantly shattered the nurturing bud.
“You’re useless—go die…” Malice flashed across the girl’s face, but before she could move, a fiery red maple leaf spanned space and slammed into her, blasting her away.
Thump! Crash, crash, crash.
The girl tumbled through the flowers, rising filthy and disheveled.
She pressed a hand to her forehead, looking strangely conflicted, as if wrestling with herself.
“Bastard! How could you trust her? These people all deserve to die!”
“Shut up, you weakling!”
“I’m not crazy—it’s you who’s cowardly!”
While the Venerable’s left brain elbowed the right, the irate Fenghua Venerable showed no mercy.
After saving Hua Jian with a flurry of leaves, the Venerable leapt into battle without bothering to assess the situation, launching herself at the girl in the flowers.
No matter the situation, beating up this unfamiliar person was definitely safe.
After she attacked, Hua Jian’s Soulforce fluctuation finally came.
Venerable, control that girl!
By then, Fenghua Venerable’s fist had already smashed into the girl’s face.
A white shield appeared, saving her from being disfigured right after birth.
But a Venerable’s enraged punch wasn’t something the half-crippled, internally warring Venerable could withstand. With another forceful blow, Fenghua Venerable sent her flying again.
After that, it was all Fenghua Venerable’s show. She may have been helpless against Wanhuagu’s Saint and annoyed by the flower sea’s defenses, but she was still a Jade Pool Venerable—famed as a martial artist among the Saint Sect’s Venerables!
Even if Bai Hua Zun Zhe was at her peak, Fenghua Venerable would not hesitate to fight her head-on.
Being blocked earlier was just to avoid causing a scene, not for lack of power.
After venting her frustration on her “sandbag,” Fenghua Venerable finally calmed down. Hovering in the air, she seized the girl by the throat.
The girl still resisted, but compared to a true Venerable, her strength was minuscule.
“All done.” Like holding a chick, Fenghua Venerable landed before Hua Jian, curiously studying the giant plant. Was this really the Hua Jian she knew?
She soon realized it was, as the huge plant began to rapidly wither, nearby vines and roots withdrawing into its core.
As the plant turned to ash, Hua Jian leaped out of the gray smoke, clad in what looked like ragged cloth.
Her face and body were smudged with gray-black ash, making her look like a tiny charcoal ball, quite pitiful.
After jumping out, Hua Jian hurried toward Fenghua Venerable, but her right foot gave way and she nearly fell.
Fenghua Venerable caught her with a free hand, sparing her a close encounter with the ground.
“What, can’t even walk?” She drew Hua Jian close, tapping her head.
“Just not used to this new ‘operating system.’” Hua Jian chuckled sheepishly, blaming the huge adjustment from plant to human form for her stumble.
Nearly embarrassed herself in front of everyone!
“The Venerable is still struggling with herself. I need to help her purify the Miasma in her Soulforce.” Hua Jian explained her situation to Fenghua Venerable, then turned to Linglong and Shiqi. “Shiqi, come with me!”
Fenghua Venerable would suppress Bai Hua Zun Zhe’s body from outside, while she and Shiqi would clear the Miasma from the Venerable’s soul—a perfect division of labor.
“Alright!” Shiqi agreed instantly.
“Wait, what about me?” The ignored Dragon Girl quickly spoke up—how could she be the only one left out?
She wanted to help, too! If not outside, then inside!
But this time, Hua Jian didn’t indulge her.
“You’re not needed. Shiqi has a deep connection with the Venerable, which will help me face less resistance inside.” Hua Jian shook her head, making it clear this wasn’t a game. They were about to enter a Venerable’s Soulforce space to purify Miasma.
Linglong had nothing to do with Bai Hua Zun Zhe. What help could she be?
Besides, this was risky. If they failed, even the lightest outcome would be heavy injury to both her and Shiqi’s Soulforce.
Linglong didn’t need to go, and even if she did, she wouldn’t be useful.
The main fighter was Hua Jian, as the Illusory Dream Flower. Shiqi was a quest item, there to smooth the journey.
This was the safest plan.
Hua Jian signaled Fenghua Venerable to put her down, and after landing, she walked up to Linglong and said seriously, “Don’t be stubborn. You’re not a child anymore.”
The more Hua Jian said so, the less happy Linglong was, but she knew Hua Jian was right and suppressed her feelings.
She’d follow Hua Jian for now, and settle scores with her later.
Seeing Linglong’s disgruntled face, Hua Jian was helpless. She couldn’t really bring Linglong into such danger.
With that settled, she turned to Shiqi, needing to link their Soulforces before entering the Venerable’s mind.
But after only two steps, she was scooped up from behind.
“Eh?”
“Where are your shoes?” Linglong adjusted her hold, cradling Hua Jian princess-style.
She wasn’t doing it to take advantage, but because she noticed Hua Jian’s feet were bare—no shoes, no socks.
The ground was uneven, full of flowers, grass, sharp stones, and tough weeds. Even in the few steps Hua Jian had taken, her feet were marked with red welts.
And dirt, of course, clung everywhere—but since Hua Jian was already ashy all over, the dirt wasn’t as obvious.
“Can’t find them. When I changed back, I only found this ragged dress.” Hua Jian shook her head helplessly. She’d even lost her storage pouch.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be suffering like this.
“If I can’t go in, at least let me help out here, alright?”
You want to help me this much? Hua Jian shifted shyly in Linglong’s arms, tacitly accepting her help.
It was her first time being held like this, and she was rather embarrassed.
The two walked over to Shiqi. Hua Jian collected herself and carefully explained the action plan.
Shiqi just said, forget about danger, she wasn’t the type to fear it.
“Just tell me what to do!”
“We’ll go over there, I’ll link my Soulforce to yours, and together we’ll enter the Venerable’s Soulforce space.” Hua Jian opened her hand, and the thin vine she’d used to communicate before poked out.
“No problem.”
After the short talk, the three returned to Fenghua Venerable. She’d already tied up Bai Hua Zun Zhe with a rope, one hand still on her throat, controlling her movements.
Bai Hua Zun Zhe could only blink her eyes now—everything else was paralyzed.
Linglong put Hua Jian beside Bai Hua Zun Zhe’s head. Hua Jian knelt, placing her hands near the Venerable’s ears.
Fine vines grew from her hands, probing into the Venerable’s ears. As they went deeper, Hua Jian soon felt a link to a vast Soulforce space.
Just like bringing someone into her own Soulforce space, she had to knock and wait for permission to enter the Venerable’s as well.
But that was no problem; there was a turncoat inside to help open the door.
“All set. Shiqi, come over.” Hua Jian gestured for Shiqi.
Once she was in position, Hua Jian spat a mouthful of Magic Mist at her.
By now, the Avoid Miasma Pill’s effect had faded. Bathed in the mist, Shiqi’s Soulforce was drawn into Hua Jian’s grasp.
“Hoo, then, wish me luck!” Hua Jian took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
The final mission was about to begin!
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