Peering through the carved coral windows, the view of the vibrant garden filled with rare and exotic flowers and immortal herbs was breathtaking, their spiritual radiance dazzling and their fragrance overwhelming.
Among them were species that even Qing Muling, with his extensive knowledge, had to recall carefully to identify. These were ancient varieties typically only recorded in the vast and profound archives of sects, now virtually extinct in the Great Void.
The most eye-catching was the Nine Brilliance Dawn Star Lotus in the center of the garden. Rumored to be a forbidden delicacy of a powerful Phoenix being from ancient times, it was an extremely precious Heavenly Medicine, especially for enhancing the foundation of a cultivator's Divine Soul. It was also a key ingredient in crafting some of the highest grade spiritual and immortal pills.
After the fall of that Phoenix being in a calamitous immortal tribulation, her self-created Hidden Cave Mystical Realm collapsed, and all her treasures, including the Nine Brilliance Dawn Star Lotus, vanished without a trace. It was unexpected for Qing Muling to find one in Qinghuan Emperor's Dao Court, and it seemed to be nearing the level of Heavenly Medicine in its growth.
"If only I could take it with me, or at least get a few seeds," Qing Muling pondered. As a Harmony Spirit Seed in human form, he felt an innate affinity for all flora, confident that under his care, the Nine Brilliance Dawn Star Lotus could soon be nurtured into a genuine Heavenly Medicine.
"…This was discovered by Mother during her travels in the Great Void, found by chance in a perilous and forbidden area, and then transplanted here. She has been carefully cultivating it for years, hoping it would transform into Heavenly Medicine for use in pill concoction."
A clear and pure voice came from behind, and as Qing Muling turned, he saw a young girl in a deep purple palace dress approaching gracefully.
With her pure and lovely appearance, she exuded a mysterious and sacred aura, her beauty and demeanor on par with Qi Yalan, yet she radiated the imposing presence of a True Immortal.
Qing Muling understood immediately; this must be the Dragon Ritual Princess, the cherished pearl of Qinghuan Emperor, the ideal Dao Companion sought after by countless prodigies in the Great Void, her innate talent recognized as the foremost among the new generation of the Dao Court.
Observing her face to face, her destiny, fortune, and innate gifts were indeed exceptional, among the finest women Qing Muling had encountered. Considering her upbringing under Qinghuan Emperor's personal tutelage and access to high-end cultivation resources, her achievements were understandable.
Yet, after a closer look, Qing Muling felt something amiss. After a few moments, his Harmony Spirit Seed's unique intuition made him realize that this was merely a special incarnation, with her true self's whereabouts unknown.
This elevated his estimation of her; an incarnation with the strength of a True Immortal suggested her true self was at least at the Xuan Immortal realm, if not higher. And it was unclear how many incarnations she possessed, indicating the profundity of her cultivation technique.
"Princess, I've long admired your reputation."
Qing Muling bowed slightly, aware of her esteemed status and extraordinary cultivation, representing Qinghuan Emperor to a significant extent. Even the heads of Supreme Dao Lineages and immortal dynasties would have to be respectful and dare not be impolite.
The Dragon Ritual Princess sized him up, a subtle smile gracing her face: "I've also heard much about you. For Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace to accept you without hesitation and invest heavily in your cultivation speaks volumes of your exceptional nature. Perhaps in a few years, they might gain another Quasi Holy Emperor."
"You flatter me, Princess," Qing Muling replied with a smile, though inwardly he felt his future achievements would not be limited to the Quasi Holy Emperor Realm.
Of course, this was understandable, as the highest attainable cultivation in the Great Void was that of the Quasi Holy Emperor, varying only in the depth of their foundational endowments.
These Quasi Holy Emperors had all sought to advance further, but despite exhaustive efforts and millions of years, no success stories had been heard. The supreme Dao fruit of the primordial holy person might just be a legend, with even the oldest records of the Supreme Dao Lineages scarcely mentioning it.
The Dragon Ritual Princess found the youth before her different from any prodigy she had encountered, his mysterious and elusive aura creating a sense of ease and comfort within her.
Stepping closer, her voice softened: "It seems you're quite interested in the Nine Brilliance Dawn Star Lotus? My mother's secret vault holds some seeds; I could give you a few if you wish. However, cultivating it is quite demanding, and it's uncertain how long it would take to reach a usable stage."
"Then I thank you, Princess," Qing Muling quickly expressed his gratitude. Such a gift was not easily obtained, and he was already deeply indebted to her, so a little more made no difference.
Receiving benefits now and repaying favors later was the way of the world.
As for whether he could repay the favor, Qing Muling wasn't worried. Not yet an Elemental Immortal, he didn't need to concern himself with such distant matters.
If he truly couldn't repay, he'd simply spread his hands and say, "Sister, what would you have me do?"
Could she possibly devour him?
After a pause, Qing Muling inquired, "With the Emperor's abilities, turning this Nine Brilliance Dawn Star Lotus into Heavenly Medicine shouldn't be difficult, right?"
The Dragon Ritual Princess nodded slightly: "It's not difficult. Mother's Dao Court isn't lacking in Heavenly Medicine resources, but to concoct truly supreme pills, these alone are insufficient."
Pills in this world were classified into seven grades: mortal, human, earth, spiritual, true, heavenly, and immortal, each with three tiers of quality.
Above immortal-grade pills were the so-called supreme pills, also known as Harmony Dao Golden Elixirs, implying the use of Innate Spirit Treasure-level pill furnaces and Innate spiritual herbs, infused with corresponding Dao principles to create treasures with miraculous effects even for Quasi Holy Emperors.
According to the Dragon Ritual Princess, Qinghuan Emperor had been attempting to concoct a Harmony Dao Golden Elixir to advance her cultivation, but had yet to succeed.
Qing Muling asked, puzzled, "Besides Heavenly Medicine, what other resources are needed to concoct a Harmony Dao Golden Elixir?"
"We lack a crucial catalyst," the Dragon Ritual Princess revealed without concealment, "which is the sap, tubers, or leaves from an Innate Harmony Spirit Root. Alas, where in the Great Void can one find a living Innate Harmony Spirit Root nowadays?"
Qing Muling replied calmly, "That does sound difficult."
The Dragon Ritual Princess sighed, "Indeed, years ago, an Innate Harmony Spirit Seed appeared deep within the Origin Star Palace, but Mother wasn't present. Later, it was said to have vanished into thin air, eluding the grasp of many powerful beings. Its current whereabouts are unknown."
Unable to concoct a true Harmony Dao Golden Elixir, her mother's Dao journey was destined to halt at the Quasi Holy Emperor Realm, with no further progress in her lifetime, becoming her greatest regret.
The Dragon Ritual Princess was acutely aware of this but helpless, facing a dilemma that might confront her in many years.
Qing Muling pondered, "Is there no other option?"
The Dao is vast, with theoretically 3,000 paths to sanctity and eternal transcendence, not confined to a single route.
"Perhaps, but the conditions would be even more stringent. Moreover, in the current Great Void, the secret manuals for enlightenment passed down from ancient sages and powerful beings have long been lost, with their very existence unverifiable."
The Dragon Ritual Princess smiled wistfully, changing the subject, "This topic is too distant for us. Let's talk about something more cheerful. What are your thoughts on the upcoming assembly of immortals?"
Qing Muling inquired, "I'm not yet aware of the details of this assembly. Could you enlighten me, Princess?"
The Dragon Ritual Princess replied with a smile, "The Dao Court will announce it to all Dao Lineage powers tomorrow, so it's no longer a secret. There's no harm in telling you."
With that, she produced a jade talisman radiating with clear light from her sleeve and handed it to Qing Muling.
As he reached out to take it, a fair and slender hand intercepted it halfway.
"I'm quite curious about this as well. May I take a look first? You wouldn't mind, would you, Princess?"
Ice Falcon, who had approached unnoticed, took the jade talisman with a charming smile.
This imperial daughter had many hidden methods; if Qing Muling had physical contact with her, she might discern his secrets, and the outcome would be unpredictable. Hence, Ice Falcon intervened decisively.
The Dragon Ritual Princess: "…"
—End of Side Note—
Backend error has been fixed.
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan