56: Cloud Mist Spirit Sprout

[The third month,]

[You are lazing about in a private booth on the top floor of the Drunken Immortal Tower, pondering how to obtain the jade pendant of identity from the Liu Clan Immortal Family.]

["With my credentials of being eighteen and handsome, pursuing Liu Caiping would be a breeze," you mutter to yourself.]

["However, doing this in reality is too risky; I still need to find a safer method."]

[After all, Liu Caiping is a Core Disciple of the Liu Clan, and you always feel that acting this way is too high-profile.]

[If you were to accidentally mess up in reality, everything would be exposed.]

[Besides, the more methods you have, the wider your path. It never hurts to prepare an extra route.]

[You also think about the messy affairs of the Yan Dynasty—there are some people you cannot bring yourself to leave unsaved, even in the simulation, or your conscience would not be clear. But if you go to save them, you will inevitably be drawn into the Dynasty's power struggles.]

[Furthermore, you want to test the waters through the simulation to see if there are any unknown dangers after stirring up trouble. This way, you can at least figure out what can be done and what cannot be touched.]

[Just as you are lost in thought, a streak of light suddenly flies straight toward you from the horizon.]

[You recognize at a glance that the person arriving is Commander Cold Dustless.]

[Your thoughts stir, and you quietly activate the Illusionary Form Technique, making your face appear twenty years older.]

[He lands directly opposite you, plops down, and gets straight to the point: "Are you the Pavilion Master of the Fengyun Pavilion?"]

[Judging by his demeanor, he must have investigated you thoroughly before coming.]

[However, you do not intend to hide anything—mainly because you are idle after finishing your Cultivate session every day, so you might as well solve these troublesome matters of the Yan Dynasty while you are at it.]

[You glance at him indifferently: "I will give you two choices: one is to submit, and the other is to die."]

[You have long known that Cold Dustless is a fence-sitter who is particularly afraid of death.]

[For such a person, as long as you have absolute strength, it is not difficult to subdue him, and he would not dare to betray you.]

[To put it bluntly, he follows whoever is stronger—though this is not surprising, as ninety percent of people in the world are like this.]

[Cold Dustless is stunned for a moment, then laughs loudly: "Hahaha, Your Excellency, what big words! Did you eat too much garlic?"]

["Heh," you laugh, "you are quite humorous!"]

[After speaking, you wave your hand, and the surrounding Origin Qi of heaven and earth rapidly gathers, forming a rippling energy wall that encloses you both.]

[When Cold Dustless sees this, his back instantly turns cold. No matter how foolish he is, he understands that this is a technique of the Heavenly Human Realm—only a powerhouse of the Heavenly Human Realm can mobilize the Origin Qi of heaven and earth.]

[Someone like you who can casually condense a wall is definitely not an ordinary Heavenly Human Realm expert.]

[Ten of him combined could not defeat you—he is well aware of this point.]

[In fact, you also feel that there should be a Realm above the Heavenly Human Realm, but you do not yet know what it is called.]

[Usually, besides Cultivate, you ponder this matter: what exactly is above the Heavenly Human Realm?]

[Because after reaching this level, you always have a vague intuition—some power seems to be within reach, yet you have not fully grasped it.]

[If one could fully control the power of heaven and earth, would they be able to, like that woman, condense a giant palm that covers the sky and the sun, and flatten an entire city into ruins with a single strike?]

[You only hear Cold Dustless say without hesitation, immediately agreeing: "I choose one."]

["You choose death?" you ask in surprise.]

["Isn't one submission?!" Cold Dustless is startled and hurriedly shouts out.]

["Oh, sorry, I forgot." You wave your hand casually, and the surrounding energy wall instantly dissipates.]

[Cold Dustless had long guessed that you were not simple, but he did not expect you to be this extraordinary.]

[He honestly confesses his purpose—indeed, he was ordered to probe your background and strength.]

[What surprises you a little is that the person who gave this order is Xiao Tianci.]

[You know clearly in your heart that the true power holder of the Yan Dynasty is precisely this Dean of the Martial Arts Academy who has been cultivating Genius Martial Artist in the shadows—Xiao Tianci.]

[He has almost gathered all the talents of the world, which allows him to win hearts and minds while also eliminating hidden dangers at any time.]

[After he finishes speaking, you say indifferently: "From now on, you are a Protector of the Fengyun Pavilion."]

["Yes, Pavilion Master." Cold Dustless finally lets out a sigh of relief.]

[He carefully adds: "Pavilion Master, that Xiao Tianci is very strong. I am not his match. What do you think..."]

["I have a few major matters to attend to recently. Once I am done, I will go to the Imperial Capital."]

["Yes!"]

["In addition, take a message back: say that I am a Great Grandmaster in terms of strength."]

["Understood!"]

[Immediately, Cold Dustless bids farewell and leaves.]

[Watching Cold Dustless leave, you pick up your teacup and take a sip, suddenly remembering that Golden Phoenix Tea Shop.]

["Tea leaves that cost ten taels of silver per box? I must taste them to see just how good they are!"]

[After saying this, you get up and go to the Golden Phoenix Tea Shop.]

[As soon as you enter the shop, you directly take out one hundred taels of silver: "Give me ten boxes!"]

[The cold-faced Golden Phoenix sweeps the silver into a drawer and then hands you ten boxes of tea leaves.]

[You open one box to look: "Just this much? How many days will this last?"]

[Golden Phoenix says indifferently: "This is the cloud mist spirit sprout. It is best brewed with spiritual spring water. Use five grams each time; one box is just enough for a month."]

["Ten taels of silver for a month's supply? This must be the most expensive tea in the Tianhuang Continent," you click your tongue in secret.]

["You have an eye for quality," Golden Phoenix says, remaining expressionless.]

[You leave the tea shop with a smile and impatiently return to the pavilion.]

[You sit down on the balcony, watching the deep blue flame boil the water in the purple clay teapot, and then pick up the "cloud mist spirit sprout" and drop it into the pot.]

[Only to see—the moment the tea leaves meet the hot water, they float and dance in the air, transforming into a phantom of a Green Phoenix that cries out loudly. In an instant, the tea table vibrates, and a beam of light shoots into the sky!]

[Immediately after, the room is filled with tea mist, which condenses into the shape of a swimming Dragon and drills into your nostrils, surging straight to your Spirit Platform.]

[The tea fragrance overflows, refreshing the spirit and sharpening the senses. Your whole body feels as if it has been washed by a spring breeze, and even your Divine Soul feels so light that it is about to float away.]

["Holy crap, that's awesome!"]

[Alas, you are uncultured; one "holy crap" covers everything.]

[You tremble as you lift the rabbit-hair teacup; the moment the tea enters your mouth—]

[The first sip is like a thunderclap splitting open Chaos, and it feels as if thousands of spring sprouts are breaking through the soil on the tip of your tongue.]

[The second sip is like a surging sea of clouds, with the tea's honeyed fragrance penetrating your internal organs.]

[The third sip even tastes like the emptiness of moonlight shining on a snowy plain, with springs gurgling under the tongue, and the lingering sound of bells and chimes resonating through your Divine Soul.]

[The moment the cup is empty, you suddenly hear your heartbeat resonating in sync with the star orbits.]

["Forgetting form, I trample the High Heaven Palace; in selflessness, I split open Mount Buzhou!" you cannot help but exclaim in admiration.]

[You have a strong intuition: if you Cultivate now, you will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort.]

[Without overthinking, you quickly sit cross-legged and begin to Cultivate.]

[Sure enough, you find that when you operate the "Azure Spirit Art" to Cultivate, the efficiency of absorbing Spiritual Qi is ten percent higher.]

[The fourth month,]

[You do not forget Chu Chu, who sold herself to bury her mother, so you specifically make a trip to Longyang Town, take her in, and arrange for her to begin learning martial arts.]

[However, your attitude toward her is particularly poor, almost treating her like a beast of burden, and, as expected, she slowly lowers her guard and works diligently without complaint.]

[You are secretly speechless in your heart—this Chu Chu really is a natural-born beast of burden!]