Chapter 12: Scouring the Gu Eagle's Nest

Yu Yan took out bandages and Yunnan Baiyao from her portable space and helped Yun Duo’er dress her wounds. Throughout the entire process, Yun Duo’er remained silent.

“Duo’er, what’s wrong?” Yu Yan worriedly touched Yun Duo’er’s head, regretting not holding back and causing such a big explosion. If her daughter was frightened into something serious, no amount of gains from the Gu Carver nests could make up for it!

“It’s nothing.” Yun Duo’er answered gloomily. She had thought herself quite capable, but in the end, she was still her mother’s little burden.

Her mother was so strong. If not for her, she wouldn’t have crashed into the rocks at all. Later, during the big explosion, she wouldn’t have needed to protect her and get hit by a pile of rubble and sand. Yun Duo’er stared at the blood Yu Yan had spat onto the ground in a daze—if this continued, would her mother die?

“Duo’er, Mommy hurts so much. Can you use ‘Healing Light Pattern’ again?”

Healing Light Pattern was the second bloodline skill brought to Yun Duo’er by the Water-Light Butterfly of Earth-tier, eighth rank.

As the name implied, it was used for healing injuries.

In truth, Yu Yan didn’t feel the pain was all that hard to bear. She’d endured far worse in her previous life and was long used to it. But Yun Duo’er’s state was clearly off, so as her mother, Yu Yan could only feign weakness, hoping to draw Yun Duo’er’s attention.

Rippling water-like patterns swept across, and Yun Duo’er’s fair, tender cheeks flushed red from exertion.

She used all her strength, but the wound on Yu Yan’s arm only healed halfway. Yun Duo’er, feeling defeated, said, “Mommy, I’m sorry. I’m really useless.”

So that was the reason for her low mood.

Yu Yan immediately understood. Duo’er had already made great progress these days. From a child who only knew how to cry when faced with trouble, she’d grown into someone who could independently kill a sixth-rank Gu Carver—even if the Gu Carver could only display ten percent of its power.

Even so, it was still comparable to a fully-powered third-rank Yellow-tier monster.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Yu Yan had entered only high-level or even top-tier instances these past two days, where the lowest monsters were fourth-rank Profound-tier. Most instances in the world were merely B~F grade, low to mid-tier.

Yu Yan was only harvesting as many high-level instances as possible during the adaptation period to maximize her rebirth advantage.

“How could Duo’er underestimate herself?”

“If it weren’t for your powerful Holy Light Spheres, Mommy could never have killed so many Gu Carvers just now. She’d have run out of strength and died at their hands long ago. Duo’er, to Mommy, you’re the strongest boost!”

During the fight with the Gu Carvers, Yun Duo’er, though hidden in the glowing shrubbery, still managed to toss several Holy Light Spheres to Yu Yan.

Yu Yan’s words weren’t an exaggeration. Without Duo’er, she might not have held out until the end.

Despite her solid combat skills and her Spatial Phantom Lotus Spirit reaching Heaven-tier, twelfth rank, Yu Yan had only been a Spirit Strengthener for two days, and her physical improvement was very limited.

Several times, she felt her strength and spirit flagging, but pressed on through sheer grit and determination.

“Really?” Yun Duo’er felt her mother was merely comforting her, doubting she was as helpful as Yu Yan claimed.

Yu Yan nodded vigorously. “Of course it’s true! And your Healing Light Pattern helped Mommy so much. Without it, Mommy wouldn’t have healed so quickly after leaving the S-tier instance, or been able to enter the Gu Carver nest again.”

“All the gains from today’s Gu Carver nest are thanks to you, Duo’er!”

Finally, Yun Duo’er broke into a smile through her tears. “Mommy, I’m not a little burden anymore. I’m so happy!”

Yu Yan’s heart ached. No wonder Duo’er’s mood had worsened these past days—it was all from fear of dragging her mother down. Even with all her words and comfort, the shadow in Duo’er’s heart would still remain.

To truly restore Duo’er’s confidence and bring back her lively, cheerful self, perhaps only… Yu Yan quickly made up her mind.

But for now—

“Duo’er, let’s hurry and see what treasures the Gu Carver nest holds!”

“Alright!”

Duo’er happily grabbed Yu Yan’s hand.

The Gu Carver nest, more accurately, referred to an entire area of Gu Carver nests. Gu Carvers liked to build nests in rocky holes at the tops of caves; a vast stretch of densely packed holes, enough to make anyone with trypophobia shudder!

But the mother and daughter’s eyes shone with excitement.

The thick stench couldn’t deter their treasure hunt.

Yu Yan took out nails, a hammer, and other tools from her portable space, and then brought out several Purple Star Bamboos.

These Purple Star Bamboos came from the A-tier instance “Waves in the Bamboo Sea,” ranging from third to sixth rank—truly high-grade spirit materials. If not for the family ladder being only as tall as a person, they could never reach the high nests. Yu Yan would never have used such precious materials for a ladder.

But now, she couldn’t afford to be picky.

With a series of clanging sounds, a ten-meter-tall bamboo ladder was finished! Yu Yan casually placed it beneath one of the Gu Carver nests and climbed up with Yun Duo’er. It was a nest of a sixth-rank Gu Carver, spacious inside.

As for the smell… well, it was hard to describe.

“Here, put on a mask.”

Fortunately, the family always kept a box of masks. Yu Yan handed one to Yun Duo’er and quickly put one on herself.

Gu Carver flight feathers, plumes, unknown ore, more unknown ore… after searching the whole nest, aside from fifth- and sixth-rank flight feathers and plumes, Yu Yan only found three fist-sized chunks of unknown ore.

These ores looked no different from ordinary rocks.

If Yu Yan weren’t a Strengthener and could clearly sense the rich, mysterious energy inside, she might not have noticed them at all.

“Mommy, why are you always picking up rocks?” Yun Duo’er watched curiously as Yu Yan collected each piece.

“They’re not just rocks—they’re treasures.”

Yun Duo’er had only recently become a Spirit Strengthener and didn’t know how to distinguish the energy within materials. Yu Yan took Yun Duo’er’s hand and placed it on the ore, patiently explaining, “Feel it carefully—isn’t there a lot of energy inside?”

“I think so!” Yun Duo’er’s eyes sparkled, then she frowned. “It feels very similar to the energy Butterfly gave me, but somehow different?”

Once blood crystals are absorbed and refined, a bloodline mark forms on the Strengthener’s forehead, similar to a Spirit Strengthener’s mark. After Yun Duo’er refined the Water-Light Butterfly’s blood crystal, a Water-Light Butterfly bloodline mark appeared on her forehead.

It works like a Spirit Mark, helping its owner absorb and refine a specific type of spiritual energy for personal use.

Of course, there are differences.

The bloodline mark focuses more on nourishing the owner’s body, while the Spirit Mark is just the opposite—it prefers to nourish the owner’s soul.

Ever since Yun Duo’er had the Water-Light Butterfly’s bloodline mark on her forehead, she affectionately called it “Butterfly.”

Yu Yan lovingly kissed her adorable daughter. “Of course they’re different. Your Butterfly is light-type, so it sends you only light-type energy. This ore, however, contains dark-type energy. Does it feel rather uncomfortable?”

Yun Duo’er nodded, looking at Yu Yan with admiration.

Mommy was amazing—she even knew that!