Chapter 35: The Sorrow of Silver Moon: Rotclaw

The hollow was shrouded in the acrid stench of scorched earth and melted metal. Elly knelt beside Lin Mo, her fingers trembling as she felt for his carotid pulse. The faint throb beneath her fingertips eased the coldness in her expression. Lin Mo’s body was charred like coal, his skin massively burned, his breath shallow—but he was still alive! It was the final protection of the [Seed of Life], combined with Liyana’s crucial spiritual comfort, that had saved him.

Wrench scrambled over, pulling a small iron box from the lining of his greasy “plate armor.” Inside was a black ointment. “Hurry! Apply it! Wrench the Great One’s [Black Jade Salvation Ointment]! Though… it might have some side effects…” He frantically smeared it over Lin Mo’s wounds.

Xiang Lingna crawled out of the cellar, saw Lin Mo’s condition, turned pale as paper, and tears fell steadily—but she immediately ran to fetch the cleanest water and carefully poured it into his mouth.

Under the combined effects of the ointment and clean water, Lin Mo’s breathing gradually steadied, but he remained unconscious. The [Seed of Life] on his chest glowed dimly, as if exhausted.

The remnants of the Black Scorpion forces had fled; the hollow was temporarily safe—but at a terrible cost. The shack was completely collapsed, half the water purifier ruins swallowed by lava-like fissures, most of the newly expanded potato field scorched by heat. Only a few sprigs of [Starlight Moss] that Lingna had moved earlier, and her carefully tended core potato seedlings, survived. Wrench’s “masterpiece” was also mostly destroyed.

Elly crudely bandaged her shoulder wound; her old back injury throbbed faintly. She silently cleared a relatively safe patch of ground, laid Lin Mo down, then began gathering scattered weapons and salvageable supplies. Her movements remained swift, but deep in her eyes, beyond the cold killing intent, lay a subtle, unspoken weight. Lin Mo’s fall had shattered the fragile core of this newly formed group.

And now, in the Withered Forest, Liyana faced a life-or-death crisis!

Forcibly diverting her attention to aid Lin Mo had drained her spiritual energy and created a flaw in the moon-god power sustaining the Silver Pureland! The [Rotclaw], long lurking in the mist’s depths, seized this once-in-a-millennium opportunity!

“Roar—!!!”

A roar, thick with greed and savagery, exploded through the Withered Forest! Thick purple mist churned like boiling water! A massive figure burst forth from the fog!

It stood nearly five meters tall, a horrific giant stitched together from ancient trees and rotting flesh! Its torso was a thick, cracked black ancient tree, riddled with purple fungal blotches; its limbs were twisted, covered in decaying bark and writhing mycelium; its enormous hands were massive claws formed of knotted dead branches, dripping corrosive purple slime! Its head was a massive “helmet” of thick tree tumors, split open at the center to reveal a pair of cloudy, greedy yellow eyes!

Rotclaw! The Mist’s Hunter! The Embodiment of Withering!

It ignored the surging Withered Mist, its massive rotting claw slashing through the air with a tearing wind, striking straight at the tiny Silver Pureland on the tree tumor—targeting the weakened Liyana and the remnants of the World Tree!

Liyana’s face turned as white as paper; her silver hair whipped wildly in the stinking wind from Rotclaw. She forced herself to raise her withered staff; the shattered moonlight gem at its tip erupted in a final, blinding silver glow!

“By the name of the Moon Goddess! Wall of Nature!” She chanted the ancient protective incantation with her last strength!

A barrier of countless wild-growing silver thorns erupted instantly before the tree tumor—thorns entwined with pure moonlight, forming the final defense!

“Ssssshhhh—!”

Rotclaw’s claw slammed into the thorn barrier! A screeching sound of corrosion rang out! The silver thorns darkened and withered before the eyes! Moonlight energy was violently corroded by the thick Withered aura!

The barrier shook violently, its glow rapidly dimming! Liyana’s body trembled like a candle in the wind; silver blood trickled again from her lips! The silver moss beneath her feet withered swiftly!

“No! Liyana!” Though Lin Mo’s consciousness was submerged in unconsciousness, through the [Seed of Life] and the lingering spiritual link, he “saw” this desperate scene! A fierce will erupted from his unconscious body!

The [Seed of Life], sensing its host’s intense will and his bond with Liyana, unleashed a final flicker of emerald light! This faint yet pure life energy crossed dimensions, instantly flooding into Liyana’s crumbling thorn barrier!

Fed by this alien life force, the nearly shattered thorn barrier flared brightly! The rate of withering slowed abruptly!

Rotclaw’s yellow eyes flashed with shock and fury! It intensified its force; purple slime poured from its claw like a waterfall, Fengkuang corroding the barrier!

The two forces locked in stalemate before the tree tumor: silver thorns versus purple claws, nature versus withering, in their final struggle! Liyana’s body swayed precariously, held upright only by willpower. Lin Mo’s unconscious body convulsed violently, blood seeping from his lips.

At this critical moment, deep within the scorched earth of Lin Mo’s territory, in the newly erupted geothermal fissure, a fist-sized stone, entirely crimson and like molten crystal, was slowly cooling and solidifying. Though most of its violent energy had been released, a core of refined, relatively stable fire-element energy had settled within.

【Detected ‘Small Geopulse Heart Fragment (Cooling Phase)’! Energy State: Stable (Medium Purity, Fire Attribute)!】

【This energy source can serve as a ‘Stable Anchor’! Absorb it to stabilize the ‘Spirit’s Lament’ channel node?】

【Warning: Absorption will temporarily disable use for territory construction or charging! May trigger unknown spatial disturbances!】

The system’s prompt exploded like thunder in Lin Mo’s chaotic consciousness! Stable Anchor! With it, he could stabilize the channel—perhaps… truly help Liyana! But the cost: abandoning this precious energy source, and risking new troubles!

Absorb? Or preserve?

Lin Mo struggled in unconsciousness; Liyana’s desperate image and the elf world’s lament echoed in his mind. The wasteland’s foundation needed energy—but another world’s ally was paying with her life for him!

“Abs…orb…” A faint but resolute thought emerged from the depths of Lin Mo’s will.

【Command confirmed! Absorbing ‘Small Geopulse Heart Fragment’! Energy guiding…】

【‘Spirit’s Lament’ secondary channel node energy supply increased to 30%! Stability greatly enhanced!】

【Warning: Spatial coordinates ripple due to high-purity energy infusion! May be detected by high-dimensional entities!】

【Channel reinforcement complete! Attempt to open temporary material transport channel (extremely small scale, high risk)!】

Crimson energy was drawn from the underground fissure, flowing as a beam of light into Lin Mo’s [Seed of Life]. The emerald glow surged violently! A powerful, stable energy surged along the spiritual link, crossing dimensions, flooding into Liyana’s crumbling thorn barrier!

Fed by this vast, stable, earth-infused energy, the silver thorn barrier erupted violently! It grew thicker, tougher; faint emerald flames now burned along its surface!

“Ssssshhhh—!!!”

Rotclaw’s claw struck the thorns ablaze with emerald fire—immediately, a sound like hot iron plunged into water erupted! Purple slime evaporated; rotting bark ignited! Agony sent Rotclaw roaring in agony, snatching its claw back! Its cloudy yellow eyes filled with disbelief and terror!

It glanced fearfully at the emerald-flaming thorn barrier and the pale but now hopeful Liyana behind it, then greedily at the silver glow on the World Tree’s remains. Finally, it let out a furious, unwilling roar, its massive form slowly retreating into the thick Withered Mist, vanishing.

The crisis was temporarily averted. Liyana collapsed onto the tree tumor, staring at the emerald-flaming thorn barrier, feeling the immense, warm power from her otherworldly friend—finally, a single crystal tear slid down her cheek, streaked with purple filth.

In the wasteland hollow, Lin Mo still lay unconscious, but his breathing was much steadier. The [Seed of Life] on his chest pulsed with shifting light, now containing a single crimson core. A faint, yet incredibly stable thorn symbol slowly rotated in the depths of his consciousness.

The Jingling ’s crisis was Zanhuan , but Rotclaw had not fled. And Lin Mo, to save his ally, had consumed a precious energy source, leaving behind the Yinhuan of “spatial ripples.” The wasteland’s future, the Jingling ’s hope—all rested on the unconscious lord. Elly guarded beside Lin Mo, her cold eyes fixed on the void, as if piercing dimensions to see the silver-haired Jingling ’s form.