Saving Ah Yin, tehe!

Verdalor had spent the past few days settling the new fox tribe that Yasaka had brought into his kingdom. Just as he had done with previous colonies of plant spirit beasts, he ensured that they had suitable lairs and addressed any challenges they faced.

His responsible demeanor proved reassuring to the new arrivals, and they quickly found themselves welcomed into the Great Star Dou Forest.

As the day of his departure to retrieve Ah Yin drew near, Yasaka bid farewell to her brothers and tribe members. She assured them that she would return soon and left them in the capable hands of Verdalor and his Treant Generals.

Verdalor, in his customary cunning manner, reminded his trusted Treants of their delegated responsibilities, ensuring that the kingdom would continue to run smoothly during his absence.

On the day of their departure, all the Elders and leaders of the various tribes within Verdalor's kingdom gathered to bid him farewell. They stood in a show of unity, expressing their well-wishes and hopes for a successful journey.

Verdalor and Yasaka set off toward the direction indicated by the whispers of the ancient trees.

Their journey was a relatively peaceful one, as both Verdalor and Yasaka concealed their presence and auras from any potential threats. As they ventured deeper into the heart of the Great Star Dou Forest, Yasaka took the opportunity to assist Verdalor in realizing his different forms.

While it wasn't a total success, given the immense challenge of even achieving his treant form, they made significant progress.

In the second week of their journey, Verdalor achieved a breakthrough, successfully creating a new form. His excitement was palpable, and his spirits soared. The days of being an immobile tree had often been monotonous, and the prospect of new forms had filled his thoughts with daydreams and imaginings.

This newfound achievement brought a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment to Verdalor, as it allowed him to realize past desires. His new form was focused in spreading fear just by looking at him, it was his eldritch form.

Verdalor's successful creation of a new form filled the air with an electric sense of excitement. He had managed to spread his World Tree body into an eldritch form, and the result was astonishingly eerie.

In this monstrous manifestation, he appeared hideous and terrifying, a sight that could induce nightmares even in the bravest soldiers of the realm and leave them haunted by the memory.

"Verdalor, you look positively dreadful! No one will dare to approach you like this."

"Exactly, Yasaka. It's a form meant to strike fear into the hearts of those who would harm our kingdom."

Both Verdalor and Yasaka couldn't contain their laughter as they imagined the bewildered and horrified expressions on the faces of spirit masters who might encounter him in this form. The thought of the traumatic tales they would carry with them was enough to set them off into fits of mirth.

"I can just see it now—a spirit master encountering you, Verdalor, and running away in terror."

"Or perhaps they'll be so frightened that they'll just stop entering our forest altogether!"

In this new form, Verdalor had a colossal head with a gaping maw, infested with what appeared to be abyss-like vines. His body matched his head in size, standing shorter in height but broader in width compared to his colossal World Tree form.

After spending a couple more days trying his new form, Verdalor and Yasaka's journey continued, and they began to focus more on Verdalor's quest to unlock new forms. The days were filled with training and experimentation, often leading to moments of frustration and laughter.

One sunny morning, as they ventured deeper into the forest, Yasaka spoke up. "Verdalor, have you ever thought about what form you'd like to create next?"

Verdalor chuckled, his deep voice resonating through the tranquil woods. "I've had some ideas, Yasaka, but it's not as easy as it sounds.

Creating a new form is a complex process, and I have to consider how it aligns with my essence and abilities."

Yasaka smirked playfully. "Oh, come on, you old tree. Don't tell me you're worried about your image. Maybe you should try something flashy like a giant flower with rainbow petals!"

Verdalor burst into laughter, his leaves rustling in mirth. "A giant flower? Now, that would be a sight to behold! But I'm afraid I'd lose my regal aura."

They continued to banter and exchange ideas, lightening the mood of their arduous training. Verdalor experimented with different shapes and sizes, while Yasaka provided insights from her own observations of plant spirit beasts.

One evening, as they sat by a serene stream, Verdalor looked at Yasaka with a twinkle in his eye. "Yasaka, you know, I was thinking. If I manage to create a humanoid form, I might be able to dance like those humans do. What do you think?"

Yasaka grinned mischievously. "Dancing? You? I'd love to see that! Can you imagine, a giant tree dancing under the moonlight?"

Verdalor joined in on the joke, swaying his massive branches as if trying out some dance moves. "Well, I'd have quite the advantage when it comes to 'flexibility', wouldn't I?"

Their laughter echoed through the forest, a moment of carelessness but there was no powerful spirit beasts resided in this part of the forest, so dropping their guards a little was a given.

"Then, Yasaka, do you wanted to grace me with a dance when I get my humanoid form?"

Yasaka blushed a little and turned her face away from him, "S-sure...old tree."

With that being said, despite the challenges of unlocking new forms, Verdalor was relishing these moments of companionship and the opportunity to explore the lighter side of life.

...

After a few more days, finally, they arrived at Ah Yin's location. Upon reaching Ah Yin's location, the landscape that greeted Verdalor and Yasaka was worse than to what they had expected.

Although, they knew she wasn't in a flourishing environment befitting a plant spirit beast, they didn't expect to found themselves in a desolate ruin bared with any life. The gloomy atmosphere and lack of sunlight within the structure deeply disturbed them.

Their thoughts quickly turned to the person who had callously abandoned Ah Yin in such a forsaken place.

Undeterred by the inhospitable surroundings, they pressed on, navigating through the winding corridors of the ancient ruin. With every step, their apprehension grew.

It was only after numerous twists and turns that they stumbled upon the pitiful sight of Ah Yin.

The Blue Silver Empress, who should have been a vision of beauty and vitality, lay before them in a pitiable state. Her once-lustrous silver-blue form was now drained of color, her tendrils and vines withered and frail.

Verdalor and Yasaka exchanged sorrowful glances, their hearts heavy with anger at the cruelty inflicted upon Ah Yin.

Verdalor made an attempt to establish a connection with the spirit beast, reaching out with his consciousness. However, it became painfully clear that Ah Yin was devoid of consciousness or awareness.

Verdalor, his deep voice tinged with sympathy, attempted to make contact with Ah Yin's withered form. "Ah Yin," he murmured softly, the words like a gentle breeze rustling through leaves, "I am Verdalor, an ally who has come to rescue you from the treacherous human. Can you hear me?"

Ah Yin's remained unresponsive, her being trapped in here didn't help her in strengthening her spiritual energy.

Verdalor's treant form leaned closer, his towering presence casting a protective shadow over her.

"You have suffered greatly, dear spirit. But you are not alone anymore. We are here to bring you back to the embrace of nature and heal your wounds."

Despite his heartfelt words, there was no sign that Ah Yin could comprehend his presence or his intentions. Verdalor sighed, a deep, echoing sound filled with sorrow.

Yasaka, standing by his side with the unconscious spirit beast held gently in her embrace, added softly, "We will not give up on you, Ah Yin. Although, you are dumb to trust and fell for human's sweet words, you're still a spirit beast. Even if you cannot hear us now, we will help you, okay?"

Her low cultivation and desiccated appearance spoke volumes for her misplaced love.

In silent agreement, Verdalor and Yasaka knew they couldn't leave Ah Yin in this wretched state. They needed to rescue her from her torment and restore her to the vibrant and majestic spirit beast she once was.

With a sense of urgency, Verdalor enveloped Ah Yin in his protective embrace, transporting her to the safety of his inner world.

As they prepared to depart with Ah Yin, a distant roar shattered the silence of the ruin. The source of the roar was a human presence, a stark reminder that their mission was far from over.

"AH YIN!"

They would need to confront the individual responsible for Ah Yin's suffering and ensure that justice was served.

Exiting the ruins, Verdalor and Yasaka concealed themselves among the surrounding trees and foliage. They watched with growing anger as a man approached the entrance of the ruin. 

The man, presumably the one who had cruelly abandoned Ah Yin in this forsaken place.

The man, clad in tattered robes and with a sinister glint in his eyes, appeared to be in great fury. His intention was unclear, but Verdalor and Yasaka were determined not to let Ah Yin fall back into his human hands.

Verdalor whispered to Yasaka, "We need to get out to safety and confront him from a position of advantage. I can create a diversion while you run and secure a safe location."

Yasaka nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with determination. "I'll make sure to be safe, Verdalor. Just be careful."

With a plan in mind, Verdalor assumed his towering Treant form, his massive body nearly blending in with the dense forest surrounding the ruin. He raised his colossal arms and brought them crashing down, creating a thunderous noise that reverberated through the area.

The human, taken aback by the sudden disturbance, turned his attention toward the source of the noise. His confusion and alarm provided Yasaka with the opportunity she needed.

Swiftly and silently, she spirited away, ensuring her safety. She knew she will only made it worse if she stayed here because she can sensed that the man, was very powerful Titled Douluo.

Meanwhile, Verdalor continued his diversion, drawing the attention of the human toward his imposing form. He knew that he needed to buy Yasaka enough time to get out from here.

The confrontation with the human was inevitable, but Verdalor was determined to protect Yasaka and ensure there will be no harm fall onto her. He quickly sensed if there was anybody else in the forest.

He sighed in relief as it seemed the Tang Hao came alone. He suspected that Tang Hao eluded from his senses when he focused on forming a connection with Ah Yin's consciousness. 

'Sigh, he shouldn't be here. What was with his speed? Or did he realize when we entered this area? But how?

The trees didn't whispered him anything so it seems he flies up in the sky. But I should've sense him! It seemed I overlooked Tang Hao's concealment technique.

I don't want Yasaka into my world, although she's a great friend b-but I don't want to deal with possible treachery by her or the ones who overheard her in the future!

Heh, let just take this as an exercise but I need to finish this battle quickly!'

As Verdalor and Yasaka each played their part in this dance, the fate of Tang Hao was suddenly in the whim of a World Tree.