Chapter 153: The Tear of Nature!

As dusk approached, Jing Xiaoyu drove away from Leng Yaozhu's villa, heading first to the Eastern Sea Mecha Association to retrieve his bicycle, which he had left there earlier.

Once he had it secured, he drove directly to Eastern Sea Park.

With his imminent departure from Donghai City, Jing Xiaoyu knew he had to properly address the plants-turned-spirit beasts residing in the park. If left unattended, these creatures might cause trouble in the city, and the City Lord's mansion might see no choice but to eliminate them—something he would deeply regret.

Thinking about this, Jing Xiaoyu soon arrived at the area where the plant spirit beasts resided. As he approached, the plants sensed his aura, their branches, flowers, and leaves swaying joyously like children eagerly welcoming their guardian.

"Alright, alright, settle down now!" Jing Xiaoyu, accustomed to their exuberant enthusiasm, smiled warmly and said gently, "I know you're excited, but don't rush."

Under his soothing words, the plants quickly calmed down, their leaves and flowers swaying softly in the breeze.

"Good, that's better!" Jing Xiaoyu nodded approvingly, his gaze sweeping over every plant. Whenever his eyes lingered on one of them, that plant would instinctively showcase its most vibrant leaves and flowers, as though they were soldiers standing tall for inspection.

There were currently thirteen plant spirit beasts in this area. Over the past two to three years, four new ones had emerged, adding to the original nine.

The strongest among them remained the central camphor tree, whose cultivation had now reached 890 years. With Jing Xiaoyu's upcoming blessings, it would likely soon break through the 900-year threshold.

The plant with the greatest potential, however, was a newly awakened Tree King Sacred Mushroom. This mushroom-like plant was, in essence, a rare medicinal herb. Its potential far surpassed that of ordinary plants. When it first transformed into a spirit beast, it had a cultivation of 300 years, and now, two years later, it had already reached 400 years—an impressive growth rate.

In just two years, it had gained a full 100 years of cultivation, easily outpacing the others.

This was the fundamental difference between spirit herbs and ordinary plants. Spirit herbs could naturally awaken sentience and become spirit beasts after reaching a certain age, even without Jing Xiaoyu's intervention.

Ordinary plants, such as the camphor tree or sea bell orchids, were different. Without external assistance—such as Jing Xiaoyu's nurturing—their chances of evolving into spirit beasts, even after a millennium, were slim to none.

"Come, my children." Jing Xiaoyu sat atop a throne of plants, holding his Starfall Staff. His face radiated warmth as he spoke gently.

With his words, soft, nourishing golden rain began to fall. Each droplet carried the blessing and favor of Nature's Will. The plant spirit beasts eagerly absorbed the life-giving rain, their leaves, flowers, and roots working tirelessly to gather as much of it as possible, knowing this monthly blessing was an invaluable gift.

Time passed quietly as Jing Xiaoyu completed the spell. One by one, the plants stirred back to life, their vitality noticeably stronger than before.

Jing Xiaoyu remained seated on the throne, a smile gracing his lips as he carefully considered who among them would receive his special blessing—a blessing that could grant them unimaginable benefits.

His gaze alternated between the camphor tree and the Tree King Sacred Mushroom. The camphor tree was his first spirit beast and currently the strongest, while the Sacred Mushroom had unparalleled potential. Choosing between them required careful deliberation.

He stared at the camphor tree's sturdy trunk, then at the mushroom's glowing, spirit-like form. After a moment of deep contemplation, his eyes flashed with determination.

Rising from his throne, Jing Xiaoyu dismissed his Starfall Staff. In its place, his Origin Spirit Elf Martial Soul emerged, filling the air with a boundless aura of life and hope.

The plants immediately responded to the martial soul's presence, their branches and leaves growing uncontrollably. Within seconds, they spread across the ground and filled the air, brimming with vitality.

Jing Xiaoyu paid this no mind. With his cultivation now at the Soul Ancestor level, his martial soul's Natural Power had begun to awaken, making such phenomena inevitable whenever he activated it.

He raised his right hand, palm upward, and lifted his left index finger toward the sky. His eyes glowed with a rich, verdant light as he chanted ancient, mystical words. His expression was solemn and focused, his posture exuding reverence and majesty. Behind him, four radiant wings spread wide, glowing with hues of red and yellow.

As the incantation concluded, golden energy began to swirl in his right palm. Simultaneously, a radiant rainbow light gathered at the tip of his raised left finger. This rainbow light drifted gently downward, merging with the golden energy in his right hand.

Jing Xiaoyu's aura grew increasingly divine yet warm, like a beacon of hope on a cold winter's day—harsh yet comforting.

The plants, overwhelmed by this sacred presence, instinctively bowed low, their branches drooping in the purest display of reverence. They knew that the one before them was the sovereign of nature.

As the light and energy settled, Jing Xiaoyu's martial soul faded, leaving behind a single, miraculous object in his right hand: a golden droplet glowing with resplendent radiance.

This small, tear-shaped object shimmered like a polished gemstone, emitting rainbow-hued light that reflected its immense value.

Jing Xiaoyu examined the droplet with satisfaction. Just as he was about to speak, a flash of light heralded the arrival of Anya, the Holy Unicorn. She appeared before him, her ethereal gaze locking onto the golden tear.

"This is… the Tear of Nature? How extraordinary!" Anya's voice carried a tone of awe and delight.

The Tear of Nature—a divine creation of Jing Xiaoyu's awakened Natural Power—was the ultimate blessing for any plant spirit beast. It was formed by gathering the essence of heaven and earth, the energy of the sun and moon, and combining them with the forces of creation and life. Its appearance mirrored that of a golden tear, hence the name.

For plant spirit beasts, the Tear of Nature was akin to the value of ten-thousand-year soul rings or soul bones for soul masters.

The Tear of Nature possessed three incredible effects:

1. Rapid Growth: It could significantly increase a plant spirit beast's cultivation. For instance, the Tear Jing Xiaoyu had just formed could grant a minimum of 1,000 years of cultivation and, at its best, up to 10,000 years—a miraculous leap.

2. Ancestral Awakening: It could awaken latent ancestral bloodlines within plants, greatly enhancing their evolution. For example, it could transform an ordinary Blue Silver Grass into a legendary Blue Silver Emperor or allow a Scarlet Demon Tree to evolve into a Demon Eye Tree.

3. Tribulation Aid: This was its most remarkable effect. By absorbing the Tear of Nature, plant spirit beasts could greatly improve their chances of surviving heavenly tribulations—a trial reserved for spirit beasts attempting to surpass 100,000 years of cultivation.

Many soul masters had forgotten that spirit beasts needed to face heavenly tribulations to advance past certain milestones. Failing a tribulation meant certain death, which was why even formidable beasts like the Snow Empress, with 690,000 years of cultivation, chose to take human form rather than face the ordeal.

For a plant spirit beast, the Tear of Nature was a priceless lifeline.

Holding the Tear of Nature in his hand, Jing Xiaoyu smiled gently, his gaze shifting between the camphor tree and the Tree King Sacred Mushroom.

"It's time to decide," he whispered softly.