The dim, flickering light of the cavern bonfire cast long shadows over the sprawling pile of the assassin's hoard. Amidst the glinting gold coins, scattered pill bottles, and stolen silver weaponry, a single object commanded the absolute attention of both siblings.
It was roughly the size of a human fist, shaped somewhat like a gnarled, twisting root, but it radiated a deep, mesmerizing azure light.
Both of them stared at it, a confuse expression crossing Yoriichi's usually stoic features. He reached out, his calloused fingers carefully picking up the glowing blue item.
Given its crystalline, almost glass-like appearance, Yoriichi expected it to be heavy and rigid, like a piece of high-grade jade or a magical beast core. Instead, the moment his skin made contact with its surface, he was entirely surprised. It felt incredibly soft and pliable, possessing the spongy, yielding texture of fresh moss despite its hardened visual exterior.
Instantly, a deeply refreshing and gentle, soothing aura began releasing from the root. The dense, cloying scent of blood, medicinal paste, and damp cave rock was immediately washed away, replaced by the crisp, invigorating scent of a vast, open ocean. Yoriichi felt the throbbing pain in his overtaxed meridians lessen by a fraction just from holding it.
"What is that?" Xiao Yu whispered, leaning closer, her pink-red eyes reflecting the azure glow. "The worldly energy inside it is so pure... it feels like it's breathing."
"The material is incredibly resilient," Yoriichi noted calmly, applying a fraction of his physical strength to the root. It simply absorbed the kinetic force without a single micro-fracture.
For a few minutes, silence reigned in the cave as Yoriichi turned the glowing root over in his hands, intensely researching its properties. His crimson eyes narrowed as he dove deep into the vast, ancient archives of his eidetic memory, cross-referencing the texts he had devoured in the Xiao Clan's library regarding the continent's most obscure Heavenly Treasures.
He analyzed the size, the unique malleable shape, and above all, the distinct, oceanic aura.
Suddenly, Yoriichi's eyes widened slightly.
"This thing..." Yoriichi began, his deep voice echoing softly against the cavern walls, "does not belong to the land. It comes from the deepest, most crushing abysses of the outer oceans."
He held it up so the firelight caught its translucent edges. "This is none other than a Mystic Aqua Spirit Ginseng. A truly unique, powerful natural treasure."
Xiao Yu looked at it in awe, completely captivated by its background. The oceans of the Dou Qi Continent were terrifying domains, vastly more dangerous than the Black-Corner Region, ruled by leviathans that could swallow entire cities.
"How did a mere Da Dou Shi get his hands on something from the deep ocean?" Xiao Yu asked in disbelief.
"Most likely, he murdered a wealthy merchant convoy passing through the Black-Corner Region, or he looted it from a auction house, or maybe somewhere from his luck," Yoriichi deduced pragmatically. "These ginsengs are found clustered near the tectonic vents under the ocean. Frequently, due to violent underwater currents, spatial storms, and the territorial clashes of massive sea beasts, these treasures are uprooted and washed toward the coastlines. Due to this extreme rarity, experts from the land continents very rarely encounter them."
Yoriichi turned his gaze to his sister.
"It may look like an ordinary, glowing root," he continued, explaining its true value, "but this is a holy item used mostly by oceanic beast tribes. They consume it for the sole purpose of mastering their native water element, or to stabilize their foundations during their violent awakening stages."
He gently extended his hand, offering the glowing treasure to her.
"This is exceptionally good for you, Sister," Yoriichi told her. "The soothing aura it passively emits is legendary for stabilizing the mind. If you absorb its essence, you can master your new frost attribute's raw power, rapidly accelerating your control while permanently calming the chaotic, maddening frenzy within. Take it."
Xiao Yu hesitated for a second before slowly reaching out.
The moment her fingertips brushed the soft, azure surface of the Mystic Aqua Spirit Ginseng, a profound reaction occurred. Her pale blue and frosty-silver Dou Qi flared instinctively, reaching out to the ginseng like a child recognizing its mother. A deep, undeniable familiarity resonated within her very bones. The chill in the cave felt less aggressive, more harmonious.
She held the treasure gently in her lap, marveling at the way it pulsed in sync with her heartbeat.
But as she looked up to thank him, she noticed Yoriichi quietly turning away, already rummaging through the rest of the pile for basic healing pills and useful survival items, completely dismissing his own needs.
Xiao Yu frowned, her grip on the ginseng tightening.
"Ning'er, wait," she said firmly. She looked at the treasure, then back at him. "You just told me it is primarily used to help awaken and master elemental properties, right?"
Yoriichi paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Correct."