Did It Commit Suicide

Grace jumped down from the rooftop and came beside it.

This was a terrifying thing.

But Grace felt no fear in her heart.

She looked it over from top to bottom, then from bottom to top, secretly thinking: If only I had a Soulbane Vine like this to plant at my own doorstep, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

She reached out and touched it.

It didn’t move an inch.

She tried to pull it, but it still didn’t budge.

The upper part of the Soulbane Vine stretched into the void. Grace climbed onto the rooftop and touched the spot where it broke through the barrier.

The connection was especially firm.

This place must be a barrier supported by some mysterious power.

Otherwise, the entire Elderworld would be barren—there’s no way only this place could be so full of life.

Just as she was thinking this, the Soulbane Vine suddenly stirred.

A vine suddenly reached out toward her.

Grace turned and ran.

She hid behind the First Spirit Tree and peeked out.

What she saw startled her.

The vine chased after her, stopping right in front of her.

But it looked different from the other vines—its top was shaped like a lantern.

It didn’t attack her, just stayed there in front of her.

Grace couldn’t figure out what it wanted.

At that moment, the First Spirit Tree she was holding passed a message to her.

Through the roots of the Spirit Tree, she saw that the Soulbane Vine had sprouted a little grass.

The little grass had just sprouted—Grace hadn’t even noticed it earlier.

Apparently, the Soulbane Vine asked the First Spirit Tree to tell her that the Spirit Barrier here would eventually collapse, but since its body was embedded in the barrier and couldn’t leave, it wanted her to help take its child—the little grass—away.

So Grace wasn’t afraid anymore and returned to the base of the Soulbane Vine for a closer look.

On its backside, there really was a little grass growing—a tender little purple sprout…

Grace dug out the little purple sprout and planted it in her Sanctum.

After planting it, she watered it a little, then left the Sanctum.

The lantern-shaped Soulbane Vine that had chased her stood beside her. As she exited, the lantern at its top suddenly opened up, turning into a small purple jade bowl.

Inside the small purple jade bowl were three pearls.

One big fiery red pearl.

One small green pearl.

And one tiny black pearl, about the size of a grain of rice.

Grace blinked and asked it, "Are these for me?"

The vine couldn’t understand her words, but it simply held out the three pearls in front of her.

So Grace reached out and took the three pearls.

The Soulbane Vine then left, winding around its own trunk, motionless.

Grace suddenly felt it was rather pitiful, as if it were waiting to die.

So she went back to the First Spirit Tree and shared her thoughts, promising to take good care of its child and telling the Soulbane Vine not to worry.

Maybe the First Spirit Tree passed the message on, because it moved, seemed to nod at Grace, and then… withered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Grace stared at it for a moment, puzzled by how it withered so suddenly…

Could it have been suicide?

Grace shook her head and looked down at the pearls in her hand.

“What kind of pearls are these? One red one… Red stands for fire. One black—black stands for water. And one green—green stands for wood…” Grace muttered, her eyes suddenly lighting up as she took the pearls into her Sanctum.

She figured these three pearls must be the transformed divine powers of Grandpa Gene the High Saint, Ray, and Princess Luminia.

So if she gave them the pearls to eat, would they be restored?

Grace went to Grandpa Gene the High Saint and placed the green pearl beside him.