Zi Linling's face turned red and then black.
Red because Bai Ze's remark made one's imagination run wild.
Black! Because anyone who heard those words would think Bai Ze was a vulgar scoundrel.
"Is that so?"
Zi Linling, with a forced smile, stared at a certain spot on Bai Ze.
Bai Ze shook its head and defended itself, "This beast is only speaking the truth!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Ye Lingyuan's eyes glinted with a dangerous light.
Bai Ze's words had far too many ambiguities.
Therefore, in Ye Lingyuan's view, Bai Ze was clearly teasing Zi Linling.
Ye Lingyuan was now seriously considering Zi Linling's previous suggestion.
He fixed his unkind gaze on Bai Ze, which was nestled in Zi Linling's embrace, contemplating: Boil it? Roast it? Or deep-fry it?
Bai Ze nodded frantically.
Ye Lingyuan's gaze sent shivers down its spine, a primal fear rising from the depths of its being.
Zi Linling's face darkened further.
She grinned sinisterly, "Hmph! How about I deep-fry you into dog meat skewers?"
Bai Ze shrunk its head, thinking to itself: What did I do now? In this day and age, is it wrong to speak the truth?
But under Zi Linling's chilling smile, how could it dare to ask?
Naturally, it didn't dare!
So, it stammered, "You're joking, right?"
Zi Linling said gloomily, "Who's joking with you? However..."
Bai Ze shivered and asked, "However, what?"
Zi Linling grabbed its two ears and said maliciously, "However, if you can prove your usefulness, then I'll consider letting you go for now!"
Bai Ze's ears were hurting from being pulled, and it gritted its teeth, "How do you want me to prove it?"
"Uh... then first tell me, what is this place? And what is this lake?"
Zi Linling said, and then scooped up the terrified Bai Ze again.
Ye Lingyuan's lips curved into a faint smile.
Lin'er is quite playful!
The noble mythical beast Bai Ze was being tormented by her.
However, this method of wielding both carrot and stick was well-executed.
Bai Ze covered its red ears, which were sore from being pulled, and complained resentfully, "This place is called Taoyuan Realm, the birthplace of the God of Life."
"Taoyuan Realm?"
"God of Life?"
Zi Linling and Ye Lingyuan exclaimed in unison.
Zi Linling was astonished because, in her past life, the word "Taoyuan" represented a paradise.
Ye Lingyuan was surprised because this matched his previous guess.
Bai Ze nodded and continued, "This is what my inherited memories say."
Zi Linling looked at it with great interest and said, "Continue!"
Bai Ze cast a timid glance at Ye Lingyuan, then at Zi Linling, and then continued, "This lake is called the Lake of Life, said to be something that the God of Life once guarded."
"Are you sure?"
This time, before Zi Linling could speak, Ye Lingyuan asked first.
"Mhm!"
Bai Ze nodded and said, "This beast has lived here for a thousand years; I'm tired of hearing it."
Ye Lingyuan lowered his head in thought.
Could this truly be the Spring of Life?
Zi Linling glanced at him and continued to ask, "Have you been to the bottom of the lake?"
Bai Ze nodded, then shook its head.
Zi Linling frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"
Bai Ze said with a wry face, "I went down, but not to the very bottom."
Zi Linling: "Why?"
Bai Ze: "This lake is about seventy zhang deep. The deeper you go, the thicker the green becomes, making it opaque and blocking divine sense."
Zi Linling was speechless.
Why was divine sense so easily blocked?
The voice that had summoned her earlier must have come from there, right?
No! Not "must have," but "absolutely."
Because that voice had told her to go to the bottom and wait for her there.
Zi Linling looked at Ye Lingyuan and said, "I need to go to the bottom to check. You take Bai Ze and go up first."
As she spoke, she prepared to hand Bai Ze over to Ye Lingyuan.
Ye Lingyuan shook his head and said, "Wherever you go, this king will go!"
Zi Linling was about to persuade him further when she felt the summoning voice echo in her mind again.
Her expression changed, and she quickly charged downwards.
"Lin'er!"
Ye Lingyuan called out with concern, then quickly followed.
At the bottom of the lake, just as Bai Ze had said, the view was filled with an intensely thick, unyielding green, through which no light could penetrate.
A thick layer of green also adhered to their spiritual energy shields, obstructing their vision.
Fortunately, Ye Lingyuan had grabbed Zi Linling's hand early on, preventing them from getting separated.
At this moment, unable to see or use their divine sense, Zi Linling simply followed her instincts.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they felt solid ground beneath their feet, but due to the strong buoyancy of the water, the sensation wasn't very substantial.
However, Zi Linling no longer cared, as the voice was becoming clearer.
"This way!"
She discerned the direction and pulled Ye Lingyuan along as they swam.
Soon, they vaguely saw a faint light.
They exchanged a look and swam towards the light.
Only then did they discover that the light was emanating from a green barrier.
Zi Linling touched the barrier, only to find her hand pass directly through it.
Huh!
It was penetrable!
Ye Lingyuan also curiously touched the barrier, but his hand was blocked on the outside.
What was going on?
Suddenly, two words popped into Ye Lingyuan's mind—a barrier.
That's right, this was a barrier.
Only those who met the conditions could enter.
And Zi Linling was precisely one of those who met the conditions.
"Ye Lingyuan, wait for me here, or you can go up first. I'll go in and take a look."
Ye Lingyuan said worriedly, "Are you sure that voice came from here?"
Zi Linling nodded and said, "Mhm! Don't worry. Nothing will happen. I can feel that it has no malice."
"That's good. This king will wait for you here!"
Zi Linling nodded, withdrew her hand, and then plunged into the barrier.
Inside the barrier, there was only a giant tree.
The tree was over three zhang thick.
Its leaves were lush green, emanating a strong aura of life.
"Greetings, destined one! I have been waiting for you for a long time!"
Upon seeing Zi Linling enter, the tree rustled its leaves and said kindly.
Zi Linling was startled, "Are you the one speaking to me?"
"Yes! You can call me the Tree of Life!"
The tree swayed its branches, its leaves rustling.
Zi Linling was surprised, "The Tree of Life?"
"Mhm, I was once an artifact of the God of Life."
The leaves of the Tree of Life swayed even more vigorously.
"Then the one who summoned me was also you?"
Zi Linling pondered and asked.
"Yes, I was ordered by my master to wait here for the destined one and to hand over the Spring of Life to her."
The voice of the Tree of Life sounded somewhat ancient.
Zi Linling was surprised again and asked, "The Spring of Life, what is that?"
"The Spring of Life is the source of life for all things."
"The source of life for all things?"