112: Head to the Tagor Desert

Mo Yuhan's heart sank, and a premonition of ill omen instantly enveloped him.

“Great Master, what do you mean by that? … Revival Purple Pill?”

Fire Elder rubbed his fiery red short hair, his face full of regret: “Alas! It's all my fault. When I set a two-year deadline for you, I thought two years would be enough for me to find the last main ingredient for refining the Revival Purple Pill—the Reincarnation Grass.”

“This Reincarnation Grass has extremely harsh growing conditions. It is only sparsely distributed in some special Green Oases on the edge of the Snake-People Tribe forbidden land deep within the Tagor Desert, and it only matures once every ten years. The timing for harvesting is fleeting!”

He paused, his expression becoming extremely solemn: “But for some reason, in the past six months, the Snake-People Tribe in the Tagor Desert has gone mad, becoming extremely vigilant! Any outsider approaching their territory, especially humans, is killed without mercy!”

“Several harvesting teams sent out by our Pharmacist Department, two of them were even completely wiped out. The surviving teams brought back news of the Snake-People Tribe's abnormal unrest. It can be said that trying to get Reincarnation Grass from under the Snake-People Tribe's nose now is indeed a bit difficult!”

Mo Yuhan's heart felt as if it had instantly plunged into an abyss of ice.

Aunt Bibi Dong's pale face with a forced smile, Little Fairy Doctor sister's deeply hidden worries, his own frantic cultivation and alchemy day and night for over a year...

All the efforts and expectations seemed to be cruelly shattered at this moment.

“Great Master, is there no other way? Or, can other medicinal materials be substituted?”

Mo Yuhan's voice carried a tremor he hadn't even noticed.

Fire Elder shook his head painfully, his eyes also showing heartache for his disciple: “The Revival Purple Pill's formula is an ancient傳承. Its main ingredient combinations are intricately linked and incredibly ingenious. The Reincarnation Grass contains a trace of the strange vitality of life and death reincarnation, which is the key initiator for awakening and reshaping the origin of damaged meridians. Its medicinal properties are irreplaceable.”

“I have already used almost all my connections to search in the Black-Corner Region and surrounding Empires, but found nothing. Now, the only hope lies deep within the Tagor Desert.”

He looked up at the anxiety and determination almost burning in Mo Yuhan's eyes, and said in a deep voice: “But I estimate that with the Snake-People Tribe's current frantic vigilance, it will take at least another year or so to plan and wait for an opportunity to obtain the Reincarnation Grass. Little Yuhan, how about you… wait a bit longer?”

“Wait? A year?!”

Mo Yuhan clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.

Every day his aunt's broken meridians were delayed, the hope of recovery became dimmer.

How could he wait another year when Little Fairy Doctor sister was supporting herself alone in Wutan City?

The tormenting longing and worry, day and night, had long turned into a sharp blade in his heart.

He looked up, meeting Fire Elder's eyes directly. In those clear black eyes, a flame burned that even Fire Elder found heart-stopping—a resolute, unyielding determination to forge ahead.

“Great Master, I can't wait!”

Mo Yuhan's voice was decisive, carrying an unquestionable firmness, “Aunt can't wait. If the Reincarnation Grass is in the Tagor Desert, then I will go to the Tagor Desert. If the Snake-People Tribe is heavily guarded, I will find a way to break through it. Your disciple will go get it himself!”

“Nonsense!”

Fire Elder instantly bristled, his previous apology and heartache replaced by immense shock and anger. His voice was like thunder, “Do you know what kind of place the Tagor Desert is? It's a sea of death! Even a Dou Wang wouldn't dare say they could come out unscathed, let alone now that the Snake-People Tribe has gone mad.”

“You're just a ten-year-old child, a five-star Dou Master. What can that cultivation do? Going in is just suicide. I absolutely will not agree!”

“Great Master!”

Mo Yuhan did not back down, his small body standing ramrod straight. A vast Soul Power uncontrollably surged out of him. Over a year of soul tempering had actually caused the hot air in the quiet room to pause.

“Your disciple knows the danger, but there are some things that, even if you know they are impossible, you must do them. For Aunt, your disciple will not hesitate to die ten thousand times. If Great Master does not permit it, your disciple will leave Canaan Academy and go alone!”

His tone was decisive, and his gaze was as resolute as quenched steel.

“You! You little rascal!”

Fire Elder trembled with anger, his finger pointing at Mo Yuhan shaking. His crimson hair stood on end, and the surrounding temperature sharply increased. The ground fire seemed to sense his fury, roaring even more intensely.

He looked at this stubborn little disciple before him, whom he both loved and hated, at the rock-like will and reckless determination in the young boy's eyes.

The anger and worry churning in Fire Elder's chest were like a blocked volcano, unable to erupt for a moment.

He knew his disciple's temperament too well. Once he set his mind on something, nine oxen couldn't pull him back. Forcibly stopping him would only be counterproductive.

Finally, Fire Elder let out a long sigh, full of helplessness and frustration.

“Fine! Fine!”

Fire Elder waved his hand dejectedly, as if he had aged several years in an instant, his face filled with a sense of powerlessness, “I know I can't stop you… Your temperament is too much like mine when I was young.”

He suddenly looked up, his eyes rekindling with fire, the majesty and unquestionable authority of a sixth-grade Pharmacist Great Master:

“You can go, but you absolutely cannot go to your death alone. I will find you a protective charm. That girl Ruo Lin, a three-star Water Element Dou Ling, is steady and experienced enough. If she is willing to accompany you, I… will grit my teeth and accept it! If she shakes her head, you stay obediently in the Academy and wait for news, do you hear me?”

A warm current surged in Mo Yuhan's heart, knowing that his Great Master had agreed to his request.

He bowed deeply: “Your disciple understands. Thank you, Great Master.”

Before long, a faint, elegant fragrance like orchids accompanied by light footsteps arrived.

Instructor Ruo Lin pushed the door open. Her aqua-blue instructor's robe made her skin appear as white as snow, and her mature, gentle face carried a hint of confusion: “Fire Elder, did you call for me?”

Fire Elder pointed at Mo Yuhan irritably: “Here! Ask this little ancestor what he wants to do. He wants to venture alone into the Tagor Desert to find Reincarnation Grass! I, this old man, can't stop him.”

“You, Ruo Lin girl, I ask you, are you willing to accompany him on this trip? Be a nanny for me and keep an eye on him, lest he doesn't know his limits and loses his life!”

Upon hearing this, Instructor Ruo Lin's gentle eyes instantly widened. She looked at Mo Yuhan in disbelief.

The young boy's eyes were calm and firm, carrying a weight and determination not belonging to his age.

She instantly understood the reason and also understood Fire Elder's furious outburst and his current helplessness.

Without much hesitation, she looked at Fire Elder, her red lips parting slightly, her voice gentle yet with the firmness of a bedrock: “Fire Elder, rest assured. Mo Yuhan is my student. This journey is perilous, and I am duty-bound. I will do my utmost to protect him and retrieve the Reincarnation Grass.”

“Good! Good girl!”

Fire Elder breathed a sigh of relief, then glared fiercely at Mo Yuhan again, “Kid! Did you hear that? You better obediently listen to Instructor Ruo Lin. If you dare to act recklessly and show off, I'll break your legs!”

He grumbled as he pulled out a pile of items from his storage ring and shoved them all to Ruo Lin, “This is a detailed map of Tagor, marking several major strongholds of the Snake-People Tribe and dangerous areas where Reincarnation Grass might be found. These are high-grade detoxifying pills, miasma-repelling pills, and qi-restoring pills!”

“And this Blazing Heart Protection Pendant, which can withstand three fatal attacks below the Dou Huang level. Take them all with you. Consider them your reward and guarantee for this trip.”

“Ruo Lin girl.”

Fire Elder's voice was unquestionable, “You keep a close eye on him for me. From now on, you are his personal bodyguard, not to leave his side for a single step. You must ensure his safety. With your three-star Dou Ling strength, plus the water-attribute Dou Qi which can be remarkably effective in the desert, as long as you don't encounter Queen Medusa and those leaders, you should be fine.”

“Yes, Fire Elder!”

Ruo Lin did not hesitate, immediately bowing to accept the order.

She looked at Mo Yuhan, her eyes gentle and firm: “Little Yuhan, this journey is perilous. Your instructor will accompany you.”

Mo Yuhan looked at Instructor Ruo Lin's caring and firm gaze, and a warm current and deep gratitude surged in his heart.

He knew this was the greatest concession and most profound protection Fire Elder could offer.

“Thank you, Instructor Ruo Lin, thank you, Great Master!”