Chapter 91: White Grass

With a narrowed gaze, Junior Brother Bai Ming mobilized his spiritual energy with all his might, attempting to construct a spiritual energy circulation within his body.

"It cannot be formed." His expression was grim, though his brow relaxed slightly.

He could not use his spiritual energy, but at the very least, he could still perceive its existence.

His spiritual energy had not vanished; it was simply unusable.

The connection between him and his spiritual energy had been severed, and some force was preventing him from utilizing it.

To use his spiritual energy, he had to first break through this force, but if he could not mobilize his spiritual energy, how could he possibly break it?

This place was truly bizarre.

Stretching his limbs, Junior Brother Bai Ming realized that the physical enhancements to his body were still present; he had not weakened to the level of an ordinary person.

He drew his spiritual sword and continued forward.

"The restriction on spiritual energy shouldn't just be targeting me; it's likely targeting every living being that enters this place without discrimination."

"No wonder there are no spirit beasts or spirit plants here." Junior Brother Bai Ming revealed a hint of interest. "I wonder what kind of heaven-sent treasure this place could actually nurture."

Junior Brother Bai Ming walked upon the pitch-black ink-stone, like the final speck of white in this pitch-black territory.

He did not know how far he had walked, only that his legs felt numb and he was somewhat fatigued.

Along the way, other than the pitch-black ink-stone, there was nothing else; not even another color could be seen.

After bypassing a five-meter-tall ink-stone, the view before Junior Brother Bai Ming suddenly opened up; the terrain ahead was completely flat, with no more giant stones blocking his path.

He crouched down and touched the gaps between the ink-stone floorboards with his hand.

The area in front of him was level, but the surface of the floor had circular gullies, resembling the growth rings of an old tree.

"It seems that thing is at the very center of the circle." Junior Brother Bai Ming stood up and quickened his pace.

Stepping on the gullies, Junior Brother Bai Ming felt some resistance against the soles of his feet. Without spiritual energy, he could only walk across bit by bit.

With his soles aching painfully, he finally saw the central area.

Without the obstruction of the ink-stones, Junior Brother Bai Ming easily saw the scene at the center—a touch of white.

Against this black curtain, this touch of white was so conspicuous that he did not even need to squint to see it.

Having found his target, Junior Brother Bai Ming quickened his pace and dashed toward that patch of white.

As the distance closed, he stopped and his expression became guarded.

That touch of white was not composed of just one thing.

A spirit beast, entirely white, was crouched at the very center, its eyes alert, wary of the newcomer.

Beneath its belly was a spirit plant that was also white.

"To think there is actually a spirit beast in a place like this." Junior Brother Bai Ming held his sword in a standard grip, maintaining his guard.

In this desolate land, aside from the bizarrely shaped ink-stones, there was not a shred of vitality; even the spiritual energy was incredibly thin.

How could a spirit beast still survive here?

Could it be that it had wandered here by mistake and was trapped?

After analyzing for a moment, Junior Brother Bai Ming noticed a point he had overlooked.

This place was not entirely devoid of vitality; that pure white spirit plant at the very center of the circle was also a form of life.

It had survived until now by relying on that White Grass.

Carrying his spiritual sword, Junior Brother Bai Ming approached the center bit by bit; he did not want to return empty-handed.

This place treated all living beings equally, sealing off spiritual energy, but that did not mean he would necessarily lose.

Seeing Junior Brother Bai Ming approach, the white spirit beast let out a low growl, attempting to force him back.

Realizing it was useless, it reluctantly left the White Grass, its claws stepping onto the ink-stone.

The moment the white spirit beast left the White Grass, its aura surged, and its eyes became fierce.

Junior Brother Bai Ming did not retreat; he could sense that this white spirit beast was bluffing.

In reality, it should be just like him, unable to utilize any spiritual energy.

A flash of white streaked past, and a pair of sharp claws raked across Junior Brother Bai Ming's right shoulder.

So fast! What is going on?

His right sleeve was torn to shreds, and Junior Brother Bai Ming swung his sword, only to strike empty air.

Was he being affected by the ink-stones, clouding his judgment, or had it consumed the White Grass, causing a change in its constitution?

Paying no heed to the wound on his right shoulder, Junior Brother Bai Ming dared not be careless; with grave eyes, he stood in a standoff against the white spirit beast.

Another flash, and the white beast-shadow arrived before him, swiping its sharp claws.

Clang!

Junior Brother Bai Ming held his sword to parry and took the opportunity to strike down, but he struck empty air again, as the white spirit beast before him dodged it.

After several exchanges, there were many fine wounds on his body.

Having been nourished by who knows how many White Grasses, the body of the white spirit beast before him had already undergone a qualitative change.

What was even stranger was that every time the white spirit beast charged, it caused a sense of dizziness in Junior Brother Bai Ming's brain.

This caused his body to always be half a beat slower, leaving him unable to react in time.

After several exchanges, Junior Brother Bai Ming felt that it must be the ink-stone beneath his feet playing tricks; although it could not use spiritual energy, it could influence the ink-stone.

His head grew increasingly dizzy, and Junior Brother Bai Ming's vision even became somewhat blurred; the silhouette of the white spirit beast actually became somewhat illusory.

To eliminate this state, he had to resolve the white spirit beast as soon as possible.

He swung his sword, but he could not catch up to the white spirit beast at all.

Its speed was too fast; without the propulsion of spiritual energy, Junior Brother Bai Ming simply could not keep up.

The white spirit beast did not seem to be in a hurry to attack; it lingered in the distance, waiting for the dizziness in Junior Brother Bai Ming's brain to worsen.

Junior Brother Bai Ming's body was tottering, and he could barely even hold onto his spiritual sword.

The white spirit beast had its paws on the ground, circling Junior Brother Bai Ming in the distance, waiting for the optimal moment.

Barely steadying his body, Junior Brother Bai Ming glanced sideways, following the movements of the white spirit beast as it circled.

It seemed a wave of weakness washed over him, and his grip on the spiritual sword loosened for an instant.

He forced himself to stay alert and hurriedly tightened his grip on the hilt.

However, the white spirit beast had already arrived before him and lunged, biting toward his neck.

"I have been waiting for you for a long time." Junior Brother Bai Ming's expression was calm.

In the instant before the white spirit beast bit down, a cyan scale emitted an aura; under the aura of a Golden Core, its eyes froze, and its body stalled for a moment.

A cyan-green ball of light shot out from Junior Brother Bai Ming's collar, transforming into a sharp sword that pierced into the white spirit beast's mouth.

Gripping his spiritual sword, Junior Brother Bai Ming slashed fiercely, severing the white spirit beast's head with a single stroke.

Red blood sprayed across the ground, the white spirit beast's eyes lost their luster, and it collapsed powerlessly to the ground.

A sense of exhaustion washed over him, and Junior Brother Bai Ming knelt on one knee.

He had been affected by the dizziness, but it had not reached the point where he could not hold his sword; it was just that if the standoff had continued, he feared he really would not have been able to hold it.

From the moment he stepped into this place, he had noticed that while he himself could not use spiritual energy, the Qingming Storm Soul was not significantly affected.

Furthermore, the Qingming Storm Soul had already been refined by him, and he could control it with just his thoughts.

With this safeguard, he had dared to venture deeper and deeper.

After collecting his spoils, Junior Brother Bai Ming arrived at the very center of the circle.

A spirit grass, entirely white, stood within the gap of the ink-stones, its surface emitting a soft luster.

Merely by approaching the White Grass, the dizziness lingering in Junior Brother Bai Ming's mind vanished.

He carefully and meticulously harvested the White Grass, fearing he might damage it.

The moment Junior Brother Bai Ming held it in his palm, a towering wave of spiritual energy swept through his entire body.

"This surging spiritual energy—could it be that it has gathered all the spiritual energy of this place?" Junior Brother Bai Ming's eyes widened slightly, a bit surprised.

He stood up to observe and realized that this place was more like a treasure ground nurtured by human hands.

Using the ink-stones as a boundary, all the spiritual energy of this place was gathered together, solely to nurture this White Grass.

Without a doubt, this was definitely the main ingredient for that medicinal pill.

"It is a pity there is only one." Looking at the hole that was only the size of a fist, Junior Brother Bai Ming sighed slightly.

Compared to a treasure ground created by nature, Junior Brother Bai Ming felt in his heart that this place was more like a petri dish for the White Grass.

Yet who could possess such great power to construct a place like this?

"There really are quite a few interesting areas here; the White Grass should continue to grow." After analyzing for a moment, Junior Brother Bai Ming turned and left.