Chapter 533 - 530: Pollen

Chapter 533: Chapter 530: Pollen

Healer Xi had been consumed by regret ever since his companion left the Hua Sheng Islands.

’If only I hadn’t said those words, he wouldn’t have left the Hua Sheng Islands.’

Healer Xi was deeply conflicted. Part of him hoped the patient’s race would be saved, but another part worried for his companion’s safety.

A Healer’s curative abilities were coveted by many races, so they rarely left the Hua Sheng Islands. His companion’s decision had a profound impact on him.

So, he began to study the pollen his companion had left behind.

Though he had read about this parasitic plant in the archives, Healer Xi had never actually seen it before.

He sprinkled the pollen into a catalyst solution, where it quickly sprouted into vibrant blossoms. Then, Healer Xi picked up one of the flowers and placed it on his own body.

Because of their powerful abilities, members of the Healer race often experimented on themselves.

’Only by becoming the patient can one truly understand the disease.’

Healer Xi quietly felt the flower’s root system spreading through his body, wantonly drawing nutrients from him. The blossom’s color grew ever more vibrant, ever more unnerving.

Just as his consciousness began to fade, Healer Xi used his healing ability on himself. The flower withered in an instant, and his exhausted body was immediately re-energized.

’What a potent parasitic plant.’

Having personally experienced the dangers of the parasitic plant, Healer Xi grew even more worried about his companion.

The parasite numbed its host’s mind, using something akin to an "emotional link" to make the host treat it as part of its own body. If one wasn’t careful, even a Healer could be devoured by these plants.

’Is there some way to make this parasite harmless?’

Healer Xi pondered the problem. Soon, an idea came to him, and he began a new experiment.

Once again, he picked up a flower and placed it on his body.

When its roots had spread deep inside him, he activated his healing ability again.

This time, however, the target of his healing wasn’t himself, but the parasitic flower...

’Parasitism is a disease. By excessively drawing nutrients, it kills its host too quickly. Out of desperation, the parasite must mature as fast as possible to spread its offspring. This self-destructive method of propagation is fundamentally flawed.’

By defining "parasitism" as a disease, Healer Xi was able to "cure" the parasitic flower. Its roots no longer drew nutrients excessively from the host.

With the host’s health assured, the flower’s relationship shifted to a symbiotic one. It now only absorbed the host’s metabolic waste and excess moisture from the air.

Not only that, but the new flower even began actively finding ways to help its host live longer.

Feeling his own vitality surging, Healer Xi knew he had succeeded.

He had "cured" the parasitic plant.

Without him realizing it, the flower on his body had turned a deep red. Healer Xi could feel it helping to reorder his system, even emitting a substance that made his mind more alert.

’It takes a parasite to beat a parasite.’

Healer Xi took another flower from the catalyst solution and placed it on his body.

As soon as the "uncured" parasitic flower touched his body, it immediately drove its roots into his flesh, seeking to draw his nutrients.

However, the cured red flower instantly sensed an invader and began to block the parasitic flower’s roots from spreading.

The parasitic flower was quickly overpowered. The red flower’s root system had already taken hold throughout Healer Xi’s body, forming an impenetrable defense. Like soldiers on a fortress wall, these roots dutifully guarded every part of him, allowing no invader to pass.

Unable to sink its roots, the parasitic flower couldn’t draw any nutrients. It soon wilted, was expelled from his body by the red flower’s roots, and fell limply to the ground.

Healer Xi had used his own body as a battlefield to complete his experiment. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

After defeating the invader, he felt a wave of excitement from the red flower.

It was a pure, innocent joy.

’Father... I protected Father...’

Healer Xi heard the red flower’s faint voice and was taken aback. The newborn plant was actually calling him "Father."

This gave pause to Healer Xi, who had been about to pluck the red flower off.

He could feel the flower’s innocent thoughts.

’Don’t want to be separated...’

’Protect you always...’

’Stay with Father forever...’

These feelings resonated deep within Healer Xi’s heart, and his own loneliness gave way to compassion.

’Oh, forget it. I’ll just leave it as is.’

In the end, Healer Xi left the red flower on his body. He then destroyed the remaining pollen his companion had left, along with the other parasitic flowers.

This one red flower was the sole fruit of his labor.

’It’s so red, and it has a simple intelligence... I’ll call you Red Spirit Flower.’

Healer Xi quickly summarized the properties of the Red Spirit Flower:

It was a symbiote capable of resisting parasitic plants while also strengthening the host’s body. It possessed an incredibly vigorous life force and could grow prolifically with just a little water.

If this new flower could be spread, it could eradicate the rampant parasitic plant.

’When my companion returns, I’ll give this flower to him. He can use it to fight that parasite.’

For the Healer race, inventing an "antidote" brought more joy than saving a single patient, as it meant countless more could be saved and the disease itself could be contained.

And so, Healer Xi remained on Hundred Flowers Island in the Hua Sheng Islands, healing patients and cultivating the Red Spirit Flower.

The environment of Hundred Flowers Island was perfect for plants, and the Red Spirit Flowers were exceptionally hardy. They didn’t need a host to be symbiotic with; they could survive on their own. With just a little water, they blossomed in dazzling displays.

Healer Xi was no longer so lonely. There weren’t many Healers in the Hua Sheng Islands, and even fewer patients with whom he could converse. The company of these affectionate Red Spirit Flowers brought a new joy to his life.

Before he knew it, the valley where Healer Xi lived was covered in Red Spirit Flowers.

Because of the Red Spirit Flower on his own body, he could hear the other flowers’ conversations. They were like innocent children, chattering all day about the most peculiar things.

"Father, look! When the wind blows, the flowers move... Does that mean if the flower moves, the wind will come?"

"Yes," Healer Xi replied.

"Then why isn’t the wind coming now?"

the flower asked in confusion, twisting its stem with all its might.

Its red petals swayed back and forth, but no wind came.

"You all have to sway together," Healer Xi said earnestly, looking at the field of flowers.

And so, all the Red Spirit Flowers began to sway. Even the one on Healer Xi’s body started to tremble. They moved like a crimson tide lapping at a shore, and their collective motion stirred a breeze in the once-still valley.

Healer Xi spread his arms, standing in the sea of Red Spirit Flowers, feeling the wind stirred up by innumerable petals.

"See? The wind came, didn’t it? I wasn’t lying, was I?"

Clouds of red pollen scattered on the breeze, drifting past Healer Xi’s shoulders and sweeping out of the valley. A crimson storm engulfed every inch of Hundred Flowers Island...

On that day, every Healer noticed the scarlet wind...