204: Yunlan Realm, Grandmaster's Birthday

Su Ling did not know exactly how far it was from Void Gazer Pass to the Yunlan Realm where his Grandmaster resided.

However, the number of Star Gates and starry sky teleportation arrays he had passed through with his Revered Master, Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple, alone amounted to more than a dozen.

Every large teleportation array essentially required Immortal Jade as a fee.

Through his Revered Master, Su Ling learned that each piece of this Immortal Jade was worth a hundred Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

A rough calculation showed that they had spent over thirty thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

This left Su Ling clicking his tongue in amazement.

They didn't spend the entire journey on teleportation arrays; Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple would occasionally take him to experience the culture and scenery of various cultivation planes and planets.

And to taste the local delicacies.

The places they visited included famous local restaurants.

Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple even went as far as to deliberately restrain her Aura to take him to small shops in the mortal world to eat some unique local snacks.

Only then did Su Ling realize that his Golden Immortal Revered Master, who seemed to be beyond worldly matters...

Was actually a foodie in a sense.

However, he did not dare show any sign of amusement.

He just kept his head down and ate, which allowed Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple's slightly flushed cheeks to gradually relax.

When the final teleportation ended, Su Ling habitually looked around; the distant scenery was a rolling, endless sea of clouds.

As far as the eye could see, the number of Cultivators coming and going was much denser than on the other planes and planets they had passed through.

"This is..."

"The Yunlan Realm, famous for its thousands of Floating Mountains."

Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple took light steps out of the array. "Cultivators in this realm mostly practice wind and cloud attribute Cultivation Techniques... but the most famous things here are the trade of Medicinal Pills and Magic Treasures."

"To perform Alchemy and Artifact Refining, shouldn't one look for spiritual lands with rich fire veins?"

Su Ling asked, somewhat puzzled.

Having spent over twenty years together on the journey, the relationship between him and his Revered Master had clearly grown much closer.

He was now used to asking directly whenever he had a question.

"That is the practice of low-level Alchemists or Artifact Refiners."

Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple shook her head and chuckled. "Ordinary Earth-vein Spiritual Fires simply cannot meet the needs of high-level Cultivators for Alchemy and Artifact Refining. Only one's own Immortal Fire or higher-level Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fires can suffice... Your Grandmaster is the strongest Alchemy and Artifact Refining Great Master in the Yunlan Realm."

"Ah, that powerful?!"

Su Ling said in surprise.

Having an Alchemy and Artifact Refining Great Master as a Grandmaster... wouldn't he receive a huge greeting gift for coming here?

At this thought, the corners of Su Ling's mouth curled up slightly.

"Let's go. Now that we're here, we aren't far from your Grandmaster's Sect."

Seeing Su Ling's look of anticipation, Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple shook her head in amusement, flicked her finger to release the illusory sea boat, and led Su Ling aboard... In the center of the largest Floating Mountain, or rather, floating continent, of the Yunlan Realm.

A majestic mountain peak rose abruptly from the sea of clouds.

However, the mountain top, which was a hundred miles in diameter, had been flattened by someone using vast magical power.

Countless buildings and halls were situated on the mountain plain.

In one corner of the plain stood an immortal gate over ten miles high. A couplet composed of dozens of large characters overflowed with immortal light, illuminating the surroundings.

[First line: The tripod holds the universe, a single furnace of true fire refines the nine revolutions]

[Second line: The hammer startles the sun and moon, a thousand years of fine gold casts the Taihe]

[Horizontal scroll: Dao and Artifacts Shine Together]

Another Immortal Stone of indistinguishable quality stood on one side of the immortal gate.

On it were written four powerful characters:

[Star Refining Dao Sect]!

There were four such immortal gates, standing at the four corners of the Sect plain.

Beside a main hall at the very center of the Star Refining Dao Sect, a lively scene was currently unfolding.

In an elegant garden where plants were spiritual and clouds were misty, dozens of young men and women of various strengths formed several small groups and chatted.

Inside the hall, four male and female Cultivators were gathered around a woman with purple hair and a youthful face, drinking tea and chatting.

"Revered Master, has Junior Sister not arrived yet?"

A middle-aged male Cultivator dressed in a fiery red daoist robe asked tentatively.

He had been here for over three months, and the other senior and junior brothers and sisters had arrived one after another within a month.

They sat and discussed the Dao, and time passed quickly.

But seeing that their Revered Master's thousandth birthday was approaching, their Junior Sister, who usually would have arrived long ago, had yet to show up, which couldn't help but make him suspicious.

"Don't worry, she should be here soon."

The purple-haired woman with a youthful face took a sip of spiritual tea and chuckled. "Some time ago, I heard that her Sect was opening up a Demon Territory, so a delay is inevitable."

"It's a pity Junior Sister insisted on going to the Yi Xian Star Domain."

A female Cultivator dressed in a cloud-mist skirt said helplessly. "If she were in the Chenxi Star Domain, we could have helped her out."

"Alright, opening up a territory on her own isn't necessarily a bad thing."

The purple-haired woman waved her hand slightly and said calmly. "If not for that, how could she have advanced to the Golden Immortal realm so quickly?"

"That's true. Junior Sister Clear Ripple attained the Golden Immortal Dao in only a few thousand years, which is much better than us."

Another female Cultivator in butterfly-patterned clothing nodded. "I just wonder when she will be able to advance to the Taiyi realm?"

"How could the Great Dao of Space be so easy to comprehend..."

A man with bulging muscles shook his head and sighed. "Although the Great Dao of Space remains masterless to this day, several Daluo have already been born. This path... is difficult!"

Upon hearing this, everyone sighed.

The purple-haired woman's brow twitched slightly, and she said softly, "Clear Ripple is here. Don't mention it again later."

"Yes, Revered Master."

The four looked at each other and responded in unison.

A moment later, a beautiful figure appeared at the entrance of the hall.

The men and women in the corners immediately stopped their conversations, stood up, and said respectfully, "Disciples pay respects to Junior Martial Aunt (Grandmaster) Clear Ripple!"

"No need for formalities."

Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple raised her hand slightly and smiled.

Having said that, she tidied her clothes a bit and led the somewhat bewildered Su Ling quickly toward the center of the hall.

Coming before the purple-haired woman, Immortal Venerable Clear Ripple looked up slightly, her eyes flashing with a look of deep admiration.

Then she bowed and performed a salute: "Disciple Clear Ripple pays respects to Revered Master!"

"Good, good, it's good that you've come."

A flash of gratification appeared in the purple-haired woman's eyes as she nodded and smiled.

After looking Clear Ripple over carefully, she turned her gaze to Su Ling.

"Disciple Su Ling kowtows to Grandmaster!"

Feeling that scrutinizing gaze, Su Ling immediately prostrated himself.

"Oh, what a nice child. It seems our Clear Ripple has found a good Disciple!"

The purple-haired woman's eyes flickered, and she smiled. "Rise."

"Thank you, Grandmaster."

Su Ling kowtowed three times before slowly standing up.

But his back was already soaked in cold sweat.

That gaze just now felt as if it could see through everything, exposing his entire being.

Even the spiritual power in his body had stopped circulating.

"Revered Master, this is something I happened to obtain some time ago..."

A crystal-clear jade appeared in Clear Ripple's hand, and she presented it to the purple-haired woman. "I specifically brought it as a birthday gift. I wonder if Revered Master likes it?"

Hearing this, Su Ling finally realized.

So it was his Grandmaster's birthday. No wonder Revered Master Clear Ripple didn't hesitate to spend over twenty years to rush here.

But looking closely, that jade actually resembled a fetus curled up in its mother's womb!

For a moment, even the Immortal Eye of Treasure Appraisal could not identify it.