Chapter 10 :Blue Moonlight Herb

Chapter 10 : The Blue Moonlight Herb

Ling Huai sat cross-legged on the damp forest ground, her qi gently swirling around her. The presence of the massive silver-furred wolf beside her was no longer unfamiliar, but a quiet sense of curiosity gnawed at her.

"You never told me your name," she finally spoke, tilting her head toward him. "What should I call you?"

The wolf flicked his tail, his silver eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, there was silence. Then he huffed, a deep, almost amused sound.

"I was once called Bai Zhen," he said. "But that name belongs to a beast of the past."

Ling Huai hummed thoughtfully. "Then I'll call you Bai Zhen," she declared, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You're still here, aren't you?"

The wolf stiffened at that, his gaze flickering with something unreadable before he exhaled.

"As you wish," Bai Zhen said.

Ling Huai's smile widened slightly before her expression turned serious. "Bai Zhen, do you know the Omen?"

At her words, the wolf's entire body went rigid. His ears flattened, and his silver fur bristled slightly. Ling Huai had never seen him react like this before.

"You speak of dangerous things, little one," Bai Zhen rumbled, his deep voice laced with caution.

"Tell me," she insisted.

The wolf's tail swayed once before he sighed. "The Omen is not a creature one should cross paths with carelessly. It is neither friend nor foe. A shadow of fate itself, it lingers in the world, bringing fortune or ruin depending on its whims." His silver eyes darkened. "And it despises beast tamers."

Ling Huai frowned. "Why?"

"No one knows," Bai Zhen admitted. "Some say it was betrayed by a tamer long ago. Others claim it is simply a force of chaos. But mark my words, if you ever see it, do not engage with it. Walk away, no matter what it offers."

Ling Huai absorbed his words, feeling an unexplainable weight settle in her chest. A creature that was both fortune and calamity... What role would it play in her path?

"Enough of that," Bai Zhen said, shaking his fur. "You have a mission to complete."

Ling Huai nodded, standing up. The herb her father had sent her to retrieve was still deep within the forest. "Can you disappear or enter my body?" she asked curiously.

Bai Zhen let out a small snort. "Of course. A contracted beast can rest within its tamer's spiritual space. But," his tone grew teasing, "you'll have to be strong enough to sustain me for long periods. I am no ordinary beast, after all."

Ling Huai smirked. "Then I'll get stronger."

Bai Zhen chuckled, his form disappearing slowly before vanishing into a mist of silver light.

With renewed determination, Ling Huai tightened the straps of her satchel and ventured deeper into the forest. The flower awaited, but so did the unknown.

And somewhere in the shadows, unseen eyes watched her every move carefully .

Ling Huai moved deeper into the forest, the air growing thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming flora. The moonlight barely penetrated the dense canopy above, casting eerie shadows across the moss-covered ground. But she remained unmoved.

Bai Zhen had gone silent within her spiritual space, giving her no further warnings or reassurances. She was on her own now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking, she arrived at a small clearing. At the center, bathed in soft silver light, was the BLUE MOONLIGHT HERB she sought.

It was unlike any she had ever seen.

Its blue petals shimmered like woven silk, shifting between deep violet and iridescent blue as though reflecting the cosmos itself. A faint tinge of blue glow pulsed from its center, illuminating the veins that ran through its delicate petals. Around it, the grass grew in a perfect circle, untouched by the decay that spread through the rest of the forest.

Ling Huai approached cautiously, her breath steady. Something about the flower felt oddly... alive.

She knelt beside it, reaching out to it, gently caressing it petals. As her fingers grazed the stem, a strange warmth spread up her arm, wrapping around her like a stream of energy. The petals quivered—not as if disturbed by the wind, but as though responding to her touch.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Slowly, she wrapped her fingers around the base of the stem, ensuring not to harm the roots. With a delicate but firm pull, she plucked the flower from the earth.

The moment it left the ground, a soft hum echoed through the air.

Ling Huai's eyes widened as the blue glow intensified for a brief moment before fading. The flower's warmth seeped into her skin, spreading through her meridians like gentle ripples in a pond. It was as if the flower had recognized her, acknowledged her presence.

A rare treasure indeed.

She carefully placed it inside a silk pouch within her satchel, ensuring it remained undamaged.

Just as she secured it, a rustling noise came from the trees behind her.

Ling Huai tensed.

She was not alone.