The Yin-Yang Lock, embodying both extreme Yin and extreme Yang, was unified in a single entity. The transformation between the two forces existed within one heart, one thought. This strike activated the power of extreme Yin within the Yin-Yang Lock, instantly freezing the vine segment into a block of ice that crashed to the ground, immobilized.
"Big brother, what's going on? Why does the hall look like this? How did those potted plants grow so huge? Not even growth hormones could do this!" Zhao Ziyan stared, dumbfounded at the hall overrun with sprawling vines and enormous plants, overturning her understanding of reality.
"How did this happen?"Chen Xuerou also gasped in shock.
"It might be related to the Yuan Qi vortex," Tang Zitong said thoughtfully.
If there was a cause, it had to be the appearance of the vortex. Before that, there had been no signs. The timing was too precise to be a coincidence.
"Yes, it must be the vortex. The revival of Heaven and Earth's Yuan Qi, especially with it gushing out uncontrollably from the vortex, must have stimulated these plants. In an era of depleted energy, this sudden influx triggered extreme changes. I bet everything outside has also undergone dramatic transformations," Yi Tianxing said.
The return of Yuan Qi didn't just revive the world—it caused a total upheaval. Especially from a depleted state, such a sudden saturation was the most likely time for mutations to occur. Once stabilized, changes would be slower. This was the benefit—and the chaos—of a world in transition.
"Let's kill these mutated plants first."
Crack!!
Yi Tianxing drew his Tang saber. With a swing, the writhing vines—despite their enhanced toughness—were cleanly severed. He chopped them into segments that fell limply to the ground. Finally, he yanked out the root of the mutated devil's ivy, and without soil to nourish it, the plant quickly withered and lost its power.
"This peace lily… what's wrong with it?"
Zhao Ziyan cried out as the mutated peace lily suddenly launched its palm-shaped flowers forward like ghostly white hands. One struck her squarely in the chest, sending her staggering backward. It felt like being punched by a full-grown man with incredible strength—easily over a hundred kilograms of force. Had she not already broken through and nurtured her body with true qi, her ribs would have snapped.
Even so, she felt her blood surge and had to retreat several steps.
Crack!!
Just then, Tang Zitong acted. Without any clear motion, several finger-length flying needles appeared and struck the ceramic pot of the peace lily, shattering it. Soil scattered, and the once-ferocious plant instantly lost its vitality and collapsed.
Clink clink clink!!
Next, the pots containing cactus plants shattered under her swift strikes. Her accuracy and speed were lightning-fast—none of the others even had time to react. In mere moments, she had neutralized the most dangerous mutated plants in the room.
Separated from soil, these mutated plants instantly lost most of their power, falling to the ground limp and slow. Even if they could still attack, their strength was reduced to a fraction of what it had been—barely ten to twenty kilograms. Easily neutralized.
"What amazing skill with hidden weapons. Zitong, you really are from the Tang Clan," Yi Tianxing said, impressed. "Even I would struggle to dodge those needles."
"You're too modest, big brother Yi. I only reached this level after cultivating the "Sitting Oblivion Sutra". Once I opened up my Divine Sea and gained true qi, my physical strength increased, and my skills became much sharper."
Tang Zitong looked at him with gratitude. To share such a powerful Foundation Establishment technique so generously was something few would do. Deep down, she felt thankful—and instinctively knew that if they were to spar, she'd be no match for him. It was an odd but clear feeling.
"That cactus can shoot needles! Look, they're embedded in the dining table!"
The fallen cactus had fired a spray of green needles, each incredibly sharp and embedded deep in the wood. Zhao Ziyan's eyes widened in shock.
"These needles are poisoned. But how strong the toxin is… that I'm not sure yet," Tang Zitong observed. The Tang Clan was famous for poison and hidden weapons. Though weakened in modern times, their knowledge still survived.
She donned a strange pair of white silk gloves, crafted from silkworm thread using a secret method. These gloves were resistant to poison and could safely handle hidden weapons—an heirloom passed down from her grandmother. She never took them off.
Wearing the gloves, she pulled out one needle. Still sharp and rigid.
"They're poisoned, and the material is perfect for hidden weapons—lightweight and fast. Excellent quality."
Her eyes lit up as she began harvesting the needles. She affixed them one by one to a pair of special white bracers on her wrists. These weren't ordinary accessories but a hidden weapon launcher, cleverly designed with intricate mechanisms. Each bracer could hold a hundred needles in two rows. With a subtle motion, she could draw and fire them at any time.
After realizing these cactus needles were superior to her old ones, she replaced them all and named the new weapon: "Cactus Needles" .
Yi Tianxing said nothing. In this new world, doing whatever it takes to enhance one's strength was the smart way to live. She clearly had the right mindset for survival.
"Overnight, the world outside became… this? Is this still the same city?"
On the balcony, the three women stared in disbelief. Their mouths hung open, stunned by the view.
Despite only just stepping into the world of cultivation, they could already see well in the dark. And what they saw was…
The city had transformed.
Vines and creepers covered buildings like an invasion. Thick tendrils stretched between skyscrapers, forming a vast web. Grass spread everywhere—even through cracks in the asphalt. Willow trees rose sky-high, their branches swaying like ropes, eerie and menacing.
The steel jungle had been overtaken by green.
The air was pristine, almost sacred. Not a speck of dust. Breathing this air might add years to one's life.
But the contrast was too extreme. No one had been prepared for this. It felt like being transported into an alien world—and for the average person, that shock alone could be fatal.
Above, the Yuan Qi vortex had already disappeared.
But the energy it left behind still lingered—rising steadily, though slower now.
"The sudden return of Yuan Qi is reshaping the entire world. This isn't just happening here. Every city might be like this—steel jungles devoured by vegetation. Who knows what the future holds now," Yi Tianxing said solemnly.