As Ji Yang’s roots pierced the underground Blood Spring, the once-tranquil waters suddenly surged with turbulence. Waves rose and fell, blood-colored bubbles gurgling violently to the surface. Underground, the springwater splashed in every direction—but strangely, not a single wisp of steam emerged.

Within moments, the spring’s temperature soared to resemble molten lava. When it reached a critical heat, thin streams of black smoke began to seep upward from the depths.

Ji Yang’s consciousness narrowed in sharply. The Blood Spring was inherently pure, and its waters filtered naturally through layers of earth. Even under high temperatures, there shouldn’t have been any foreign substances present.

Those faint wisps of black smoke—those were the toxins.

He had eradicated them for now, but that wasn’t enough. The tributaries of the Blood Spring still flowed outward, untouched. The poison might linger there, hidden in the veins of the land. Ji Yang knew he had to purify the entire system, not just the spring's heart.

Maintaining the extreme temperature, he watched as the springwater regained its vitality, bubbling fiercely. The heat surged through the channels, pushing the boiling currents outward, through each tributary, purging every stream of its lingering venom.

As Ji Yang continued the purification, even the vast burial mountain range began to change. Snow and ice melted in droves. In several places, the ground began to warm, radiating heat from the subterranean currents beneath. These were signs of the underground tributaries now flowing with scalding, purified bloodspring water.

Only after circulating the full system and confirming that no trace of poison remained did Ji Yang withdraw his divine ability.

Back at the Chen estate, the clan’s vitality gradually returned to normal. Chen Xingzhen emerged from prayer, his mind still uncertain. The Divine Tree had clearly intervened—but whether it had succeeded, he could not yet say.

Wasting no time, he rallied the clan and returned to the fields.

When they arrived, Chen Xingzhen’s expression darkened. The Blood Rice looked no better than before. He let out a heavy sigh. Even with the Divine Tree’s aid, the crops showed no sign of revival. Was this entire harvest truly doomed?

The surrounding clan members shared his dismay. These rice fields had been planted with their own hands. To lose everything now felt like a quiet, bitter defeat.

Just then, Chen Yihu stepped forward. “Clan Leader,” he said, “there may be some improvement. The red threads have stopped spreading.”

Chen Xingzhen’s eyes glinted with faint hope. If the Divine Tree’s intervention had restored the Blood Spring, and if the Blood Rice had retained even a fraction of its natural resistance, there might still be a chance.

The poison had spread fast and far, but it had also been diluted. And the Blood Spring itself had mild purification properties. With these factors in play, survival wasn’t impossible.

At the very least, the Blood Rice had not died. That alone was a sign of hope. Whether the entire crop could be saved remained uncertain—they would need to wait a few days to see—but it was, without doubt, good news.

Night fell.

One by one, the clan members who had been dispatched earlier returned. Chen Tianlu was the first to speak.

“Clan Leader, based on the examinations, it is indeed a type of poison. But the composition is complex. Our people can’t identify it, let alone resolve it. For now, we’re focusing on gathering detoxifying herbs and testing whether any might prove effective.”

Chen Xingzhen nodded slightly, then turned toward another figure. “Tianquan, what of your findings?”

Chen Tianquan shook his head. “Nothing unusual in the Chaotic Burial Mountain. Everything appears normal. I checked the adjacent fields too—no signs of trouble. There are a few herb experts in nearby villages, but their knowledge doesn’t surpass ours.”

“I see,” Chen Xingzhen replied calmly, and proceeded to update them on the Blood Rice’s current condition.

Upon hearing that the situation had improved, the others relaxed slightly. Chen Tianquan then offered, “Clan Leader, shall I take more warriors to guard the fields tonight? If the one who poisoned the rice returns, we may be able to catch them.”

After a moment’s thought, Chen Xingzhen nodded. “That’s a good idea. I’ll leave it to you—thank you.”

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Chen Tianquan came rushing back from the fields, a rare spark of joy lighting his expression.

“Patriarch! There’s a change in the Blood Rice—the red threads are fading!”

Without delay, Chen Xingzhen rushed to the fields.

After inspecting them thoroughly, he discovered that the Blood Rice had improved significantly. Just overnight, the signs of poison had begun to retreat. If this trend continued, the rice could make a full recovery within a few days.

Such rapid improvement could only be the work of the purified Blood Spring.

For the clan, this was nothing short of a miracle.

Beside him, Chen Tianlu spoke up again. “Clan Leader, now that the Blood Rice is stabilizing, should we recall the people we sent out? We can focus on guarding the fields instead.”

But Chen Xingzhen shook his head. “No. Not only will we keep them out—we’ll send even more. While they search for someone skilled in medicine, have them also investigate anyone suspicious in the vicinity of the Chaotic Burial Mountain.”

Chen Tianlu frowned slightly. “Why?”

Chen Xingzhen answered slowly, “Very few people harbor a grudge against our clan. But poisoning our Blood Rice without being detected? That’s not something just anyone can do. Only the Four Great Clans have that kind of power. The other three—well, they have access to our rice already. Why go to such lengths? That leaves the Shi Clan. They’ve long held a grudge against us.”

“If it was the Shi Clan, they would have stationed someone nearby to monitor us. If word spreads that the Blood Rice recovered without issue, they won’t let it rest. They’ll strike again.”

“It’s easy to dodge an open spear, but not a hidden arrow. The underground Blood Spring stretches far. Our people can’t monitor every inch. If the Shi Clan poisons it again, how would we respond?”

“What we must do now is feign helplessness. Let them believe we haven’t solved the problem. That way, we can deceive the spies they’ve surely planted among us.”

Chen Tianquan fell silent, thoughtful.

…

Not far from the Chaotic Burial Mountain, in a secluded grove, Shi Pojing sat calmly atop a boulder. Another member of the Shi Clan stood before him, hands clasped respectfully.

“Uncle,” the man reported, “the Chen Clan has discovered the poisoning. Yesterday, they dismissed the field servants and set up tight security around the rice paddies. Our people near the mountain can’t get close right now. They’ve also begun sending scouts in search of medicinal experts. Some even headed toward Yong’an City, likely to look for an antidote…”

As he listened, Shi Pojing’s lips curled into a faint smile.

The more frantic the Chen Clan became, the more satisfying it was to watch. That panic—that desperation—was exactly what he had hoped to see.

When he heard they were searching for pharmacological experts, he let out a soft chuckle.

The Red Lady’s Poison… how could it be cured so easily?

Everything in the world has its counter, that much was true. There was an antidote—but it was rare, exceedingly so. The Shi Clan had come across a little of it by chance, but it certainly wasn’t for the Chen Clan’s benefit.

It was being saved for the moment they took over the Blood Spring.

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