Chapter 41: Registering for the Immortal Alliance Conference part 1
Speaking of this Zihuan Zhenren, she could be considered a legendary figure.
Originally, the Xuanji Sect did not have a Zihuan Peak, only a nameless small hill for refining spirit medicine.
It wasn’t until five hundred years ago that Zihuan Zhenren emerged out of nowhere. Her skill in refining pills was miraculously superb, and she even cured several intractable diseases that Yaowang Valley couldn’t treat. Only then did this nameless hill gain a name, eventually developing into one of the current Seven Great Spirit Mountains.
Xiao Jianming brought Su Huan to the foot of Zihuan Peak and dismounted from his sword.
Zihuan Zhenren had brilliant medical skills but had one eccentricity: anyone coming to seek medicine could only walk up the mountain.
She said that if one didn’t even have this bit of sincerity, they didn’t deserve her treatment.
Zihuan Peak was the only spirit mountain that didn’t require a disciple token to access.
Zihuan Zhenren loved flowers and plants. Looking around, the mountain was covered with all kinds of flora. Butterflies fluttered among the flowers, the path was full of the scent of vegetation, and the spiritual energy emitted by the spirit medicines rushed to one’s face.
Although priceless spirit medicines grew right by the roadside, not a single disciple going up the mountain dared to pick them. Because faster than a disciple’s hand was Zihuan Zhenren’s poison.
The disciples on Zihuan Peak mostly wore simple white clothes. It was said that this made them look like transcendent immortals with healing hands. Walking in twos and threes through the green fields, carrying medicine baskets on their backs, one could encounter them all the way up the mountain.
Seeing Su Huan, they stopped and observed for a while before starting to make small gestures. Occasionally, a few whispers could be heard:
“He is Senior Brother Su from Lichen Mountain!”
“Is the person beside him his sweetheart? So he’s actually this good-looking…”
“No wonder Senior Brother Su is still willing to be with him even after he shattered his Golden Core…”
“Hmph, I actually think Senior Brother Su is pitiful to have encountered such a thing!”
“Accident or not, destroying someone’s cultivation deserves being thrown into the Cold Pool Prison for punishment…”
These discussions only stopped when they arrived near Zihuan Zhenren’s residence.
Su Huan wore a smile but slowly mentally projected a question mark.
What’s the situation? Is there some new rumor spreading in the sect?
Zihuan Zhenren’s voice came from the flower hut woven from bamboo strips: “You’re back? I can’t spare a hand here, just come straight in.”
Su Huan pushed open the fence gate, upon which grew unknown small purple flowers. A ripple appeared in the air, and the quiet, pleasant small courtyard changed scenery. There were many spirit beast cubs frolicking and making noise in the courtyard; it was quite lively.
Zihuan Zhenren stood in the courtyard, holding a box of colorful spirit pills. Countless little cubs fought to get close to her, opening their mouths and babbling, wanting to eat the spirit pills in her hand.
There were little white-furred monkeys climbing trees, small spirit turtles slowly climbing ashore from the water, and spirit rabbits wearing small flowers on their heads. Zihuan Zhenren was even holding a nine-tailed fox cub in her arms. Her face overflowed with a happy smile as she coaxed gently, “Don’t snatch, don’t snatch, there’s enough for everyone. You only get to eat if let me pet you…”
She looked completely different from her aloof and charming appearance outside.
“Sit wherever you like.”
Su Huan and Xiao Jianming bowed and sat by the stone table in the courtyard to wait.
Only after distributing the variously colored spirit pills and petting the small beasts in the courtyard one by one did she come to the stone table.
Zihuan Zhenren, still holding the nine-tailed fox cub, cast a spell to pour tea for them. She sighed lightly, sounding quite troubled, “They are all spirit beasts with no one to raise them. Seeing them pitiable, I brought them back to raise, but who knew they would be so troublesome…”
Su Huan sweated, thinking: Others are fine, but even this Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox in your arms, comparable to a Golden Core cultivator, was also ‘picked up’?
He needed to redefine the word “picked up.”
Noticing his gaze, Zihuan Zhenren coughed dryly. Her graceful neck and waistline became languid, and intentionally or not, an extra hint of charm appeared.
She propped one hand on the stone table and stroked the little fox with the other, chuckling lightly, “This one doesn’t count; it stayed here shamelessly on its own.”
The little fox narrowed its eyes comfortably. Hearing this, it let out two tender cries, seemingly dissatisfied.
Su Huan looked curious, but Xiao Jianming had no intention of probing. He asked Su Huan to take out the medicinal herbs packed in the storage bag and handed them to her, saying, “Martial Aunt Zihuan, this is the Spirit Nourishing Grass.”
Zihuan Zhenren watched the whole process, somewhat incredulous. “You just put the spirit grass in a crude storage bag like this?!”
Xiao Jianming was stunned. “Is there something inappropriate?”
Zihuan Zhenren covered her forehead, looking quite heartbroken. “You are too casual!”
“Look, the leaves are damaged, and this root is actually broken by a whole half!”
Xiao Jianming’s heart tightened. “Will the medicinal properties be affected?”
Su Huan also looked at her eagerly.
Zihuan Zhenren paused. “Of course not.”
Then she said indignantly, “But one should cherish spirit grass. You should find a jade box, carefully dig out the spirit grass intact, then gently place it in the box to seal it. If possible, it’s best to wear gloves as thin as cicada wings when picking…”
Su Huan smiled awkwardly on the side. He hadn’t known that besides being a furry fanatic, Zihuan Zhenren was also so strict about herbs.
Zihuan Zhenren spoke non-stop for a while before stopping to sip her tea, sighing lightly. “Let it pass this time, but remember to prepare a jade box next time.”
Su Huan didn’t dare refute and agreed obediently.
Zihuan Zhenren threw the medicine into her sleeve, which seemed to contain a universe of its own. Turning her hand, she took out a box of minced spirit beast meat of unknown origin, placed it on the stone table, and fed it to the little spirit fox.
The little spirit fox howled happily, jumped up to kiss Zihuan Zhenren on the face, put its two front legs on the stone table, and began to feast.
“Little rogue.” Zihuan Zhenren chuckled.
After speaking, she asked them leisurely, “There is still one ingredient, the Ethereal Spirit Flower (Xuling Hua), and one ingredient, the Red Heart Root (Chixin Gen). Which medicine do you plan to find first?”
One ingredient was in Ting Meng Zhou, and the other was in Liujin Zhou.
The Ji family was also in Liujin Zhou.
Xiao Jianming didn’t want Su Huan to set foot in Liujin Zhou, so he couldn’t help frowning. “Can this Red Heart Root be replaced with other medicinal materials?”
Hearing this, Zihuan Zhenren glanced at him. “If it were someone from Yaowang Valley, naturally not. But if it’s me, then yes.”
Su Huan: “…” The disparagement is so skillful.
Zihuan Zhenren pointed the small spoon used to stir the minced meat at Su Huan and said, “Although the Red Heart Root is the main medicine, its function is to solidify the primordial spirit. If you find a medicinal ingredient with the same solidifying attribute as him, the effect will be the same.”
“However, I don’t recommend you go, because this medicine is in the legendary Penglai Immortal Continent. Leaving aside its elusive nature, it is much farther than Liujin Zhou,” Zihuan Zhenren said with a light chuckle, her eyes seeming to hold deep meaning.
Xiao Jianming ignored the inquiry in her eyes and insisted, “We will go to Penglai Continent.”
Zihuan Zhenren raised her eyebrows and turned to look at Su Huan. “You don’t want to go to Liujin Zhou either?”
Su Huan blinked and nodded.
Zihuan Zhenren pondered and said, “Fine. Although Liujin Zhou is close, it is occupied by many aristocratic families with severe power struggles. It is indeed not a good place to go.”
After speaking, she flipped her palm up, revealing a page of paper with a drawing of a medicinal herb, and handed it to the two.
Xiao Jianming lowered his head to examine it carefully. The moment he saw the appearance of the herb clearly, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. Immediately recalling the lie he had once told, his Adam’s apple rolled unconsciously.
The next second, he heard Zihuan Zhenren utter an extremely familiar name. She said, “This medicine is called the Glazed Immortal Grass (Liuli Xiancao). It is a spirit grass unique to the Penglai Immortal Continent. This is a genuine immortal grass, not one of those unrated ones.”
Sure enough, after hearing this, a light burst from Su Huan’s eyes. “Glazed Immortal Grass? What a coincidence, isn’t this the reward for the champion of this Immortal Alliance Conference?”
“Hm? Who did you hear that from?” Zihuan Zhenren expressed doubt, saying, “The reward for the first place in this Immortal Alliance Conference is a Heaven-rank spirit sword with no attribute, there is no Glazed Immortal Grass.”
Su Huan was dumbfounded.
He turned his head to look at Xiao Jianming, staring at him resentfully.
Xiao Jianming avoided his gaze.
Feeling instantly stifled, Su Huan couldn’t help stomping on someone’s foot.
Xiao Jianming felt the pain but dared not show it.
Zihuan Zhenren seemed to notice the petty actions of the two and covered her lips to chuckle lightly. “But speaking of the Immortal Alliance Conference, it seems it will start in a short while.”
She took a spirit fruit from her sleeve and fed it to the little spirit fox, smiling. “I suggest you participate.”
Xiao Jianming frowned. “We don’t have time…”
Before his voice fell, he met Zihuan Zhenren’s smiling eyes, which were cold yet naturally carried a hint of charm.
She said, “I heard that for this Immortal Alliance Conference, the Penglai Immortal Continent will also send people.”
“If you can establish good relations with them, perhaps you can visit the Penglai Immortal Continent.”
Su Huan’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. “Thank you, Martial Aunt, for the information. We will go register right now!”
Watching the youths leave, Zihuan Zhenren picked up the little fox. As if remembering something, a trace of nostalgia appeared in her eyes, and she murmured, “Immortal Continent, Immortal Continent… that is truly a fine place.”
On Yuxiao Peak.
Mist swirled around. A young attendant led the guests to the front of the main hall, knocked on the door, and said respectfully, “Sect Master, Young Master Nangong has arrived.”
The guests were Nangong Yi and Yue Jiusi.
The hall door opened silently, and a voice came from within: “Young Master Nangong is here, please come in quickly.”
Arriving simultaneously was a spiritual breath that was vigorous but not at all oppressive.
Yue Jiusi, following behind Nangong Yi, forcibly suppressed the surprise in his heart, trying his best not to let his thoughts show on his face.
Nangong Yi also sighed secretly in his heart. With pressure that was outwardly projected yet restrained internally, it seemed the Xuanji Sect Master’s cultivation had improved again.
“Greetings, Sect Master.”
Upon entering the hall, they saw the Old Sect Master stroking his beard while reading a letter. Spirit tea for the guests had already been served on the table.
The Old Sect Master said cheerfully, “Young Master, taste the spirit tea here; the flavor is not bad.”
Nangong Yi cupped his hands, sat down as invited to taste the tea, and praised, “This tea is moist and clear, leaving a lingering fragrance on the teeth. One sip can replenish half one’s spiritual power; it is indeed good tea.”
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