"The Ugly Sovereign: Ascending Beyond Mortal Scorn"

The Ruined Harvest

The Luo Clan's fields, once golden with ripe wheat and barley, now stretched like a charred wasteland. Ash swirled in the air, sticking to villagers' tear-streaked faces as they sifted through the debris. Children clutched empty baskets, their stomachs growling, while elders knelt in the dirt, praying to ancestors who seemed to have abandoned them.

Luo Feng's Helplessness:

He stood at the edge of the devastation, his cursed arm wrapped in a frayed cloth. The black veins had spread to his elbow, pulsing like worms under his skin. Every heartbeat sent a dull ache through his chest. "They did this because of me," he whispered. "To break the village… to break me."

Xiao Mei's Quiet Strength:

She joined him, her hands smudged with ash. "Granny Wen says the soil isn't dead. Just sleeping. We can wake it." She pointed to a single green shoot pushing through the blackened earth. "See? Life finds a way."

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Granny Wen's Secret Scroll

In the dim light of the shack, Granny Wen unrolled an ancient scroll made of yellowed bamboo strips. The ink had faded, but the symbols were clear: a tree with roots diving into a glowing heart, and a flower blooming under moonlight.

The Ritual of Earth's Pulse:

"Long ago, our ancestors healed poisoned land using the Silverwood Tree's roots and a rare herb called Starbloom," she explained. "The Starbloom grows on the Veiled Peaks, where moonlight never fades. But the ritual needs blood… your blood, child."

The Danger:

She gripped Luo Feng's wrist, her voice trembling. "With the curse in your veins, the ritual could kill you. The earth might reject your blood… or worse, absorb the poison."

Luo Feng's Resolve:

"If my blood can save them, I'll give it," he said, staring at the sapling outside. Its single golden leaf glimmered faintly, a small beacon in the gloom.

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Xiao Mei's Journey to the Veiled Peaks

At dawn, Xiao Mei set out for the Veiled Peaks, a jagged mountain range hidden behind curtains of mist. She carried a knapsack of dried meat, a rope made of braided vines, and Granny Wen's rusty dagger.

The Climb:

Sheer Cliffs: The rocks were slick with dew. Xiao Mei's fingers bled as she gripped narrow ledges, her breath fogging in the icy air.

Mist Wraiths: Ghostly figures swirled in the fog, their voices echoing. "Why bother? Luo Feng is already dead!" They mimicked Yan Mo's laughter, trying to trick her into letting go.

The Guardian: Near the summit, a snow leopard with fur like freshly fallen snow blocked her path. Its eyes glowed ice-blue, and frost clung to its whiskers. Xiao Mei offered her last piece of dried meat. "I'm not your enemy," she whispered. The leopard sniffed the offering, then stepped aside with a low growl.

The Starbloom:

At the peak, under a full moon, the Starbloom bloomed. Its petals shimmered like starlight, and its scent was crisp and clean, cutting through the mountain's chill. Xiao Mei carefully plucked it, her numb fingers brushing the fragile stem.

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The Ritual Under the Moon

The villagers gathered at midnight, their faces gaunt but hopeful. Granny Wen drew symbols in the ash: circles within circles, connected by lines like roots. The Silverwood sapling stood at the center, its lone leaf glowing brighter as Luo Feng approached.

Steps of the Ritual:

1.Blood Offering: Luo Feng sliced his palm, letting his blood—swirling with streaks of black—drip onto the sapling's roots.

2.Starbloom's Light: Xiao Mei placed the flower at the base. Its petals emitted a silvery glow, merging with the sapling's gold.

3.Chant of Renewal: Granny Wen's voice rose, ancient and haunting, as she called to the earth spirits in a forgotten tongue.

The Miracle:

The ground trembled. Ash dissolved into rich, dark soil, and green shoots erupted everywhere the sapling's roots touched. Villagers cried out as barley and wheat sprouted before their eyes, growing inches in moments. A child laughed, clutching a handful of fresh stalks.

The Cost:

Luo Feng collapsed, his veins receding to thin black lines. But his lips turned blue, and his breath came in shallow gasps. Xiao Mei caught him, cradling his head. "You did it… you saved them."

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Yan Clan's Fire Ants

As the villagers celebrated, Yan Mo watched from the forest's edge, his face twisted with rage. He opened a clay jar, releasing Fire Ants—spirit insects the size of mice, their bodies glowing like embers.

Destruction:

The ants swarmed the fields, devouring crops and biting villagers. Their fiery venom left blisters on skin.

A granary, freshly rebuilt, went up in flames as Yan Mo tossed a torch. "Burn, you rats!" he screamed.

Luo Feng's Last Stand:

Weak and trembling, Luo Feng stumbled into the chaos. He pressed his palms to the soil, channeling his last shreds of Qi into the sapling.

The Sapling's Wrath:

Roots burst from the ground, spearing Fire Ants and smothering flames. The sapling blazed with light—then dimmed, its golden leaf withering to brown.

Yan Mo's Retreat:

"This isn't over!" he spat, vanishing into the trees as villagers hurled stones.

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A Fragile Victory

At dawn, the fields were saved, but the sapling stood leafless and scarred. Luo Feng's curse had stabilized, but his Qi was drained, leaving him weaker than ever.

Villagers' Gratitude:

A farmer approached, offering a warm loaf of bread. "We'll replant. Thanks to you… we have hope."

Xiao Mei's Discovery:

She knelt by the sapling, noticing black veins creeping up its trunk where Luo Feng's cursed blood had touched it. "Granny… the sapling. It's changing."

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The Corruption Beneath

That night, the healed fields stirred. Where the sapling's roots had spread, new crops sprouted—but their stalks bore jagged thorns, and their leaves shimmered with an oily black sheen.

Granny Wen's Dread:

She plucked a thorny wheat stalk, her hands shaking. "The curse… it's in the soil now. The Yan Clan's poison has merged with the land���s magic."