"Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower, do you have anything else to say?" Xian Lin'er asked the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower.
"Hmph!" The wilted Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower was still stubborn, saying, "I'd rather be shattered jade than intact tile! You want me to become your spirit ring and Spirit Bone? Impossible!"
"I say, why be so resolute?" Zhu Ziyang said with a smile, "Are you so sure we'll just kill you?"
"Otherwise?" the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower said, "You want my spirit ring and Spirit Bone, so aren't you trying to kill me? I will never submit to you!"
"Hehe, actually, we have another method. We can obtain your spirit ring and Spirit Bone, and you can retain your complete wisdom and consciousness, and leave this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. How about it, interested in seeing it?" Zhu Ziyang said, his voice filled with a strong sense of allure.
"What? What did you say?" The Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower felt Zhu Ziyang was lying to her, her tone full of doubt.
"Is what you said true?" Zhu Ziyang's words also caught the attention of the Moon Laurel Fairy Tea and Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse. They all asked Zhu Ziyang with a hint of shock in their voices.
"True or false, won't we know if we try it?" Zhu Ziyang didn't explain, but said with a smile.
"Kui Kui, agree to him!" Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse immediately ordered the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower upon hearing this, "As long as you agree to him, I won't hold your previous betrayal against you. How about it?"
"R-really?" The Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower instantly perked up, her voice trembling, filled with surprise and apprehension.
"Of course it's true!" Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse replied very seriously. She truly wasn't deceiving the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower. Compared to being able to leave the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and gain freedom, what was the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower to her?
From this human's words, they might really possess some special ability that allows a Spirit Beast to offer its spirit ring and Spirit Bone while still alive. Besides, even if they didn't have such an ability, the only loss would be the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower itself. For them, there wouldn't be much harm.
At most, after this Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower was taken, they would use the power of the Blazing Yang Spring to cultivate another one. Anyway, as long as the Immortal Herb's rhizome was still there, it could theoretically reproduce indefinitely, even if they were essentially two different flowers.
"Alright, then I agree!" The Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower was still quite naive and didn't realize that whether she agreed or not, her fate already had only one outcome; it was simply a matter of active or passive participation. Her flower turned to Zhu Ziyang and Ma Xiaotao, and she said, "Hey, you two humans, come on, I'm ready!"
"You'll be glad!" Zhu Ziyang and Ma Xiaotao exchanged glances, then said with a smile, "Next, you just need to relax your mind and not have any thoughts of resistance or rejection. The rest, you can leave to me!"
Zhu Ziyang and Ma Xiaotao walked to the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower. Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er followed closely, protecting the two of them along with the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower. Several Immortal Herbs emerged from the spring's edge, all staring intently at Zhu Ziyang, Ma Xiaotao, and the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower.
"Sister Xiaotao, do as I say!" Zhu Ziyang ignored the outside commotion and spoke to Ma Xiaotao, "Offer your essence blood, drip it onto the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower's pistil, and then sit cross-legged."
"Mhm!" Ma Xiaotao nodded, then gently patted her chest with her jade hand, and with slightly parted lips, a drop of crimson blood flew out, accurately landing on the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower's pistil. Immediately after, she sat cross-legged, facing the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower.
"Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower, do not have any resistance, understand?" Zhu Ziyang said to the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower again.
"Mhm, mhm!" The Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower felt an inexplicable fear, but still obediently nodded.
Zhu Ziyang began to chant the Soul Spirit contract. A special light, like countless runes pieced together, appeared, then split into two, falling onto Ma Xiaotao and the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower respectively. After the contract's runic light descended, Ma Xiaotao and the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower simultaneously emitted a crimson glow. This glow, after a few short seconds of diffusion, perfectly merged together.
Finally, Ma Xiaotao and the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower formed a large red cocoon. The cocoon emitted a peaceful but Fiery aura.
Zhu Ziyang's face showed a smile, and he said, "Very good, very smooth! Now we just wait for Sister Xiaotao to fuse with the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower's Spirit Bone and spirit ring!"
"That's great!" Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier also showed joyful expressions upon hearing this.
Meanwhile, inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the awakened Immortal Herbs, such as Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse, Moon Laurel Fairy Tea, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, and others, all stared intently at the large red cocoon. They had a premonition that the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower seemed to have hit the jackpot. Perhaps she would truly be the first among them to leave the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
Time passed bit by bit. About an hour later, the red cocoon disappeared, and a crisp yet majestic phoenix cry echoed through the valley. A crimson phoenix, shimmering with golden light, soared into the sky, circling once in the gorge with flapping wings, then descended with an elegant and magnificent posture beside the Blazing Yang Spring. The crimson-gold phoenix gradually dissipated, revealing a slender, red-haired beauty. Who else could it be but Ma Xiaotao?
At this moment, two yellow, two purple, two black, and one red spirit rings swirled behind Ma Xiaotao. On her shoulder sat a miniature figure, dressed in a red one-piece gown, with equally red hair styled into a flower. Although she had tiny arms and legs, her face was exquisitely delicate, bearing some resemblance to Ma Xiaotao. Two pairs of transparent, thin wings grew from her back, just like the legendary flower fairies.
Undoubtedly, that red flower fairy was the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower in its Soul Spirit state!
Zhu Ziyang was surprised, not expecting a plant Spirit Beast to appear as a flower fairy after becoming a Soul Spirit. Was this a generality for plant Spirit Beasts, or a peculiarity for Immortal Herb Spirit Beasts? This was a question worth studying carefully, but for now, the most important thing was Ma Xiaotao.
"Sister Xiaotao, how do you feel?" Zhu Ziyang walked towards Ma Xiaotao with a smile and asked.
"I feel great, better than ever before!" Ma Xiaotao's pretty face was beaming with excitement and joy. Her gaze shifted from the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower on her shoulder to Zhu Ziyang, and she replied.
"It looks like you two have fused very well!" Zhu Ziyang nodded towards the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower in its flower fairy state, then said to Ma Xiaotao, "What part of the Spirit Bone did she provide you with?"
"Torso Bone!" Ma Xiaotao had no intention of hiding anything from Zhu Ziyang and said directly, her eyes turning into stars, "And she also provided two very powerful Spirit Abilities!"
"A Torso Bone!" Zhu Ziyang was a little surprised, but didn't pay too much attention. Instead, he looked at the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower and asked, "How is it? I didn't lie to you, did I? How do you feel?"
"I… I feel wonderful!" The Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower was still immersed in the joy of having hands and feet. Upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's question, she immediately rushed in front of him and said, "Thank you, thank you so much!"
As she spoke, she actually hugged Zhu Ziyang's face directly, and then fiercely kissed his cheek. This action instantly stunned Zhu Ziyang and made Ma Xiaotao very unhappy.
"Get back here!" Ma Xiaotao shouted with a stern face. She was extremely displeased; she hadn't even gotten a kiss yet, so how did this little thing get to go first?
After becoming a Soul Spirit, the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower seemed to have grown much bolder. She didn't listen to Ma Xiaotao and instead flew directly towards Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse, while not forgetting to show off: "Jiao Jiao, Jiao Jiao, look how happy I am now!"
At this moment, the Immortal Herbs witnessing all of this were dumbfounded. Upon hearing the Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower's shout, they all instantly became frantic. Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse shouted, "You're Kui Kui? You really are Kui Kui! W-what exactly is going on?"
"Yes, yes, why did Kui Kui turn out like this? She lost her spirit ring and Spirit Bone, but didn't die, and even gained hands and feet!" This was the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
"Do humans possess such a powerful ability again?"
"I'm so envious!"
"..."
"Ah, ah, ah, that boy, can I also use this method with that silver-haired girl?" While the other Immortal Herbs were still immersed in shock, the Moon Laurel Fairy Tea sharply perceived the source of all this. She directly shouted at Zhu Ziyang.
"Of course you can!" Zhu Ziyang nodded with a smile. To the Moon Laurel Fairy Tea, his smile was absolutely the most beautiful smile in the world!