I have stayed in this summer flower for the longest time in my entire history!
That day, after the summer flowers filled the forest, Xie Zhuo took me back to his tent. He placed me in a vase, seemingly wanting to keep that day’s good fortune by his side.
Every day when Xie Zhuo went out, he began carrying the vase with him as he wandered around.
Perhaps he liked the summer flower, liked the luck from that day, or perhaps he wanted others around him to see him through this flower.
Look at him, he too is now a fortunate child.
Unfortunately, no one told him that flowers need water in the vase.
It was somewhat amusing, somewhat tragic…
I exerted all my strength to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, trying to prolong “my life” and help Xie Zhuo hold onto this good fortune, but I still withered at a visible rate.
Little Xie Zhuo seemed to understand that I was withering. Having been here for so long and accompanying little Xie Zhuo for many days, I saw anxiety on his face for the first time.
When he carried the vase with me outside, he saw the flowers that other tribe members had picked that day, all still vibrant and energetic.
He wanted to go ask them, but no one was willing to speak with him. Usually, before he could even approach, everyone around would have already left.
I thought Xie Zhuo had no solution.
That night, little Xie Zhuo kept staring at me. He didn’t sleep, staying awake until the next day when tribe members came to offer their soul power to him. As soon as they arrived, he immediately asked, “The flower is withering, what should I do?”
Everyone who entered the tent was stunned. But they all seemed accustomed to silence and avoidance, no one answered Xie Zhuo. They just silently came forward to offer their soul power, then turned and left.
Seeing this, little Xie Zhuo held back, then tried again, “The flower is withering, what should I do?”
Silence, still silence.
But little Xie Zhuo seemed determined. He asked the same question to each person who approached him.
“The flower is withering, what should I do?”
One after another, everyone remained silent before him.
The Snow Wolf Tribe offered him soul power because they feared the Evil God, and the Evil God only needed his vessel, not his happiness. At this moment, the Snow Wolf Tribe people expressed their accumulated malice through their actions, silent and cold.
This malice, I felt it, and Xie Zhuo surely did too.
Thus, his voice grew softer and softer. In his disappointment, he gradually despaired. Each question had changed in meaning, as if “What should I do when the flower withers?” had become “Do you all hate me?”
Each silence was a firm slap.
“Yes…”
“We all hate you.”
I heard these voices, and Xie Zhuo… probably did too…
“Put water…”
Two words broke the silence.
Little Xie Zhuo suddenly raised his head.
Before him, Xie Ling was offering her soul power. She didn’t look at Xie Zhuo, as if those two words weren’t spoken by her.
The soul power floated into little Xie Zhuo’s body, emitting a faint glow. The light reflected in his black pupils, as if painting them with lacquer.
Just two words, without any excess tone, expression, or movement. Xie Ling offered her soul power and left immediately.
Little Xie Zhuo’s gaze followed her silhouette for a long time.
After today’s offerings ended, little Xie Zhuo put water in my vase.
With water, I seemed to be able to hold on a bit longer.
Seeing that I appeared somewhat revived, little Xie Zhuo was very happy, but I think his happiness wasn’t just about this.
After that day, Xie Zhuo started growing a tail.
The ears on his head also transformed into two fluffy ones on top of his head.
Having stayed in the Northern Wilderness for so long, I knew this meant the Snow Wolf Tribe bloodline was beginning to manifest, and he had entered his true growth period.
Many Snow Wolf Tribe children might not reach this stage even after tens or hundreds of years. After achieving cultivation, the wolf’s ears and tail would disappear again, returning to simplicity.
The daily soul power offerings from the Snow Wolf Tribe to Xie Zhuo made his body always different from ordinary people, which is why he could enter the growth period in just a few years.
But I think what made him want to grow overnight was probably that his mind had started to awaken.
The single response from Xie Ling seemed to give him true expectation, curiosity, and yearning for this world.
That one person who “could” see him answered his question, without emotion or hatred.
For little Xie Zhuo, this was already very precious.
Because of this, he wanted to get closer to Xie Ling.
His “desire” grew stronger.
So Xie Zhuo still carried me out every day, and would “coincidentally” meet Xie Ling earlier and more cleverly as she returned from collecting soul power.
He silently followed behind Xie Ling, but he had learned to stop at the final boundary without making her speak.
One day, as he watched Xie Ling before she entered her tent, his lips moved, and he finally called out, “Mother…”