311: Chapter 311: Searching for the November Moon

Ye Tianhao only nodded slightly, his tone indifferent: "Sect Master Gui is too polite. Yue Xi is a woman of my Ye family; I naturally won't let her suffer any grievances."

After saying that, he also stepped half a step to the side, revealing Yue Xi behind him.

Yue Xi took a step forward and curtsied to Gui Suer; her cold face rarely showed a touch of gentleness.

"Master, your Disciple is unfilial for not having returned to visit you for so long."

Her spiritual energy fluctuations were stable; she was already close to entering the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Compared to when she left the Shuangyue Sect, she had indeed made significant progress. The cold spiritual energy of the Ice Soul Art swirled around her, appearing more refined than before, clearly nurtured by ample resources.

Gui Suer looked at Yue Xi, the scrutiny in her eyes fading a bit, replaced by some relief. She raised her hand in a gesture of helping her up: "Rise. Being able to concentrate on your cultivation is the best reward for me."

"The Ye family indeed has some foundation; they haven't let down my original entrustment."

The female Cultivators nearby, seeing this, also stepped forward to pay their respects, calling out "Senior Sister."

Yet, they still couldn't help but steal glances at Ye Tianhao.

They had long heard that this eldest Young Master of the Ye family was one of the grandchildren most valued by the Ye Family Old Ancestor. Not only was his cultivation not weak, but he also possessed the legacy Cultivation Techniques of the Qingyun Sect, and even the Cultivators of the Xuanyou Sect had once fallen by his hand.

Yue Xi stood up, took hold of Ye Tianhao's wrist, and said softly, "Master, this is Tian Hao's first time at the Shuangyue Sect. I'll take him for a stroll to let him get familiar with the environment here."

Her fingers were cool. When they touched Ye Tianhao's warm wrist, he stiffened slightly but didn't pull away; the discomfort around him just lessened a bit.

In this year of living together, though there was no passionate love between the two, they had developed a mutual respect and understanding.

A flash of approval crossed Gui Suer's eyes, and she nodded: "Very well. Let Lanhua accompany you. The terrain of the Cold Peak of the Shuangyue Sect is special, lest you get lost."

After saying that, she looked at a female Cultivator beside her wearing a light blue Daoist robe with lively eyes.

"Lanhua, entertain Little Friend Ye well."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

Lanhua quickly responded, stepped forward to bow to Ye Tianhao and Yue Xi, her smile bright.

"Young Master Ye, this way please. I'll take you to see our Shuangyue Sect's Cold Spring and spiritual fields. Our Cold Spring is a supreme treasure for practicing the Ice Soul Art."

A supreme treasure for practicing the Ice Soul Art?

Hearing this, Ye Tianhao couldn't help but look at his wife, his eyes filled with a bit more curiosity.

Ye Tianhao had no objection and followed Yue Xi and Lanhua along the small path of the Shuangyue Sect.

On both sides of the path were emerald bamboos covered in thin frost. As the cold wind swept past, the white frost on the bamboo leaves fell rustling. The air was filled with a bone-chilling cold, but it didn't affect the Cultivators' movements at all.

Yue Xi walked by his side, occasionally turning her head to remind him: "The stone steps here are frozen; watch your step."

Ye Tianhao gave an "En" and scanned the surroundings with a scrutinizing gaze.

The Shuangyue Sect indeed lived up to its reputation. The Sect was built against the mountain, with halls made of Ice Jade. Dense, cold spiritual energy swirled around, and the mountain peaks were covered in snow year-round. An ice palace could be faintly seen at the summit, which was likely the main hall of the Shuangyue Sect.

In the mountain hollow, spiritual fields were neatly arranged, planted with cold-resistant Spiritual Plants. Among them, several special Spirit Medicines were growing very well, their leaves a translucent blue, emitting a faint cold air, looking as if they were about to bloom.

"Young Master Ye, look at that spiritual field. The Spirit Medicines planted there are unique to our Shuangyue Sect and are most suitable for refining ice-attribute Medicinal Pills."

Lanhua followed Ye Tianhao's gaze and introduced them with a smile.

Ye Tianhao listened patiently without saying much, which led the talkative Lanhua to keep chattering to him incessantly.

Seeing this, Yue Xi felt a bit strange and spoke up: "Husband, Lanhua has a lively personality; please don't take offense. Ahead is the Cold Spring, which was also my former place of cultivation. If you are curious, you can go and take a look."

Her voice was still cold, but it lacked some of her usual distance. Her fingertips pressed slightly harder, as if she feared Ye Tianhao would be impatient.

Ye Tianhao turned his head slightly and caught a glimpse of the barely perceptible blush on the tips of her ears. A faint smile flickered in his eyes, and he nodded gently: "It's fine. Since I'm here to familiarize myself with the environment, it's good to take a look."

Seeing this, Lanhua immediately leaned in and added with a smile: "Young Master Ye doesn't know, our Cold Spring isn't just ordinary spring water. It's formed from a natural cold Spiritual Vein. The spring water contains dense ice-attribute spiritual energy. When Senior Sister was practicing the Ice Soul Art, she relied on this Cold Spring to break through to Qi Refining Level 9 within half a year!"

While talking, the three of them had reached a mountain stream.

The Cold Spring was crystal clear, with a faint white mist swirling on the surface. The cold air was even more intense than on the path. A thin layer of ice crystals had actually formed at the edge of the water, and when the sunlight hit them, they refracted tiny glints of light.

On the rocks by the spring grew several snow-white Spiritual Plants. Their leaves were as thin as cicada wings, emitting a refreshing chill.

"This is Spirit Frost Grass," Yue Xi explained the Spiritual Plants at the edge of the spring. "It's a good item that can assist in cultivation and stabilize spiritual energy; its nourishment is very pure."

Seeing this, Ye Tianhao felt the ice-attribute spiritual energy. It was indeed pure, even more dense than the Spirit Stones in the Ye family's storehouse.

He suddenly remembered that when Yue Xi practiced the Ice Soul Art, she would often fall into a Bottleneck due to insufficient spiritual energy condensation. Although the Ye family had spiritual materials to help, they always lacked such a pure source of ice-attribute spiritual energy.

If part of the Cold Spring's spiritual energy could be brought back to the Ye family, it would not only help Yue Xi break through to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment but also Cultivate more ice-attribute Spiritual Plants, which would be of great benefit to the Ye family's Alchemy and cultivation.

Seeing Ye Tianhao's scrutinizing gaze, Lanhua said with a smile: "If Young Master Ye likes it, Senior Sister can ask the Sect Master to grant you some Cold Spring water to take back. However, once the Cold Spring water leaves the Frost Peak's Spiritual Vein, the spiritual energy will slowly dissipate. It must be kept in a specially made Ice Jade Bottle."

Hearing this, Yue Xi looked up at Ye Tianhao, her eyes filled with inquiry: "If my husband needs it, I will go and ask Master later."

Ye Tianhao shook his head and said calmly: "There's no need to trouble her. I just came to take a look today. Asking for it abruptly would be impolite."

Although he had the idea, he also knew his boundaries. The Shuangyue Sect's Cold Spring was a supreme treasure; how could he ask for it so easily?

Just as Ye Tianhao was following Yue Xi in admiring the scenery, a sudden rush of footsteps came from not far away.

A female Cultivator dressed in white rushed over, looking panicked.

"This is bad, Senior Sister Lanhua! Those bald donkey from the Buddha Realm are here again!"

A look of shock appeared in Lanhua's eyes, and she hastily bowed: "Excuse me!"

After saying that, she quickly turned and left.

Seeing this, Ye Tianhao looked at Gu Xi, whose expression was poor: "Xi'er, is everything alright?"

He had seen Yue Xi use a Magic Treasure for the first time before, and it was just like the golden light bowl in his grandfather's hand—both were Magic Treasures used by Buddhist Cultivator. He also knew about the Buddha Realm from his grandfather.

Gu Xi's eyes flickered, seemingly unwilling to speak: "Husband, this is a matter of my Shuangyue Sect. This concubine..."

"Xi'er! Don't forget that you have already entered the doors of my Ye family! We are husband and wife as one; if there is a problem, feel free to speak plainly!" Ye Tianhao said coldly.

Seeing this, Gu Xi had no choice but to bite her red lips and squeeze out a few words: "Husband... every hundred years, the Buddha Realm comes to the Luoxia Land to collect tributes from our four Sects. Among them, the Shuangyue Sect has to hand over more than just Spirit Stones."

"They also... demand twenty women to go to the... Buddha Realm to be at their beck and call, under the pretext of 'serving Buddhist Cultivator,' but in reality..."