The golden light filtered gently through the canopy of Star Dou Forest, caressing the newborn world hidden beneath the ancient trees. Tang Yan yawned lazily, snuggling comfortably in the warmth of Ah Yin's arms. If he had his way, he would stay like this forever. Deep inside, Tang Yan made a tiny but firm decision: "In the future... once the chaos is over... no more running or flying to the God Realm. Just napping in the sunlight, eating good food, and living the good life!" Of course, he kept these selfish dreams buried deep in his heart. But reality had other plans.
✨ The Medical Herb Regimen Begins ✨
True to her promise, the Snow Emperor delivered the bounty she had carefully collected: ginseng roots that glowed faintly with silver light, ancient herbs that pulsed with life force, and delicate blue flowers that danced in the breeze. Some herbs were juiced directly into tiny jade bottles as a thick, vibrant liquid. Others were combined with auxiliary medicinal plants and brewed slowly into bittersweet potions that steamed with potent energy.
Ah Yin cooed softly, "Yan'er, San'er, you must drink these daily to grow up strong and healthy!" Tang Yan stared at the suspicious liquid with the deep distrust of a seasoned survivor. The System cackled gleefully: [First Medicine: "Bitter Baby Tears Juice" detected! Flavor Rating: -10/10! Host, prepare your taste buds for annihilation!]
Tang Yan grimaced internally. With Ah Yin's gentle urging, he reluctantly opened his tiny mouth. The first drop hit his tongue. Instant regret. His baby face scrunched up so hard it resembled a wrinkled steamed bun. [Host's Facial Expression: Cabbage of Doom unlocked! Bonus Effect: +5 Cuteness!] The System laughed heartlessly.
Next came the second herb juice. [Warning! "Ancient Garlic Weed Extract" approaching! Smell level: Nuclear Disaster!] Tang Yan gagged instinctively. Then came a sweet-smelling golden liquid. Tang Yan cheered inside, only to discover it tasted like bitter death disguised as honey. [Surprise! Host fell for the Sweet Betrayal Potion! Achievement unlocked: "Trust Issues LV1!"]
And so, one by one, each precious, priceless herb turned Tang Yan's drinking time into a meme-worthy tragedy. Tang Yan wept spiritual tears at the universe's cruelty.
✨ Small, Invisible Growth ✨
Despite the suffering, the results were undeniable. His bloodline became slightly denser, and his spiritual threads thickened faintly. His body's innate resilience strengthened by tiny increments. Encouraged by this, Tang Yan refocused on his earlier dream: "If my spiritual strength grows, my synchronization will rise faster. I'll get stronger quicker... and then... lazy life, here I come!"
✨ Creating His First Spiritual Technique ✨
Tang Yan settled into meditation, gathering his soul threads carefully and aligning them with his breathing. He mimicked the flow of soul power, visualizing tiny streams looping endlessly, willing his mind to create a pattern. It was hard; his control was sloppy, and the loops wasted enormous amounts of energy, causing his spiritual force to flicker and leak like a broken faucet. But it held. A crude, fragile, energy-wasting cycle was born in his spiritual space.
The System, usually merciless, grew uncharacteristically solemn for a moment: [Host... congratulations! Even if it's crude and clumsy, creating a spiritual technique independently is a feat most adults can't achieve without years of training.] Tang Yan's soul trembled slightly. He had really... done it.
[Because this is such a high-risk achievement at your current fragile stage, multiple rewards are available!]
[Reward 1: Spiritual Core Strengthening Serum (Baby Grade)!]
[Reward 2: Spiritual Breathing Enhancement Manual (Unlocked at 30% synchronization)!]
[Reward 3: Hidden Potential Awakening +3%! (Passive)]
Tang Yan blinked, stunned. Slowly, a small smile bloomed in his heart.
✨ Outside World: Calm and Progress ✨
Ah Yin and Bi Ji lovingly fed him juice, unaware of the storm raging inside his spiritual space. Tang San, beside him, blinked innocently, sipping his own medicine with less drama but equal reluctance. Di Tian and Gu Yuena observed silently, their stoic gazes softened with hope. Inside his mind, the System added smugly: [Host's path to becoming Star Dou's greatest meme and laziest emperor is proceeding smoothly!]
Tang Yan chuckled quietly. The road was long, and the struggles were endless. But so were the possibilities. 🌑 To be continued...