454: Chapter 454 The Eve of the Ceremony

After Yin Ruolan had put some distance between herself and Elephant Trunk Mountain, she waved her hand, and dozens of spiritual fruits floated before her.

The appearance of these spiritual fruits was unstable.

At first, they were entirely translucent white like snow, with a faint starlight flowing over the surface; after a while, they shifted to a crimson red like fire, with faint phoenix patterns swirling; later still, they turned a deep purple-gold, imprinted with ancient Dao patterns.

Each one emitted an extremely rich Spiritual Qi. Just holding them in her hand caused strands of Dao Rhyme to flow through her fingertips into her body, clearing her Divine Soul and pushing her Major Achievement of the Dao of Destruction one step closer to Perfection.

These were the Heavenly Evolution Dao Fruits given to her by Moon Shadow Sect Master under the guise of "compensation."

She could not refuse them.

In the Three Provinces Realm, Dao-enlightenment spiritual fruits were already rare, and such fruits that could help Mahayana Stage Cultivators comprehend Dao principles from Major Achievement to Perfection were even rarer, truly worthy of being called Immortal Fruits.

Those old monsters at the sixth level of Mahayana or higher might have one or two hidden away, and they might exist deep within the Forbidden Grounds of the Central Province, but it was absolutely impossible for someone to casually pull out dozens like he did—and then just give them to her?

Yin Ruolan had seen Mortal emperors throw away fortunes just to win a beauty's smile, and she had seen Young Lords of the cultivation world squander massive amounts of Spirit Stones and Spiritual Artifacts to please beautiful female Cultivators.

At those times, she had been indifferent to such things, her heart completely unmoved.

But now, after accepting these priceless spiritual fruits, her emotions were in such turmoil.

Is it because... the value is too great?

Did he pay such a heavy price just for a smile from her?

Yin Ruolan twitched the corners of her mouth, then let them fall.

She didn't like to smile.

Her Junior Sister had once jokingly said:

"Senior Sister, you look so scary when you smile. It's better if you don't smile anymore."

She turned her head to look back.

The clouds and mist were deep, just like the feeling Moon Shadow Sect Master gave her—hazy and impossible to see clearly.

"Moon Shadow Sect Master..."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Cuiyan was actually like her, staring in the direction of Elephant Trunk Mountain.

"Cuiyan, what's wrong?"

This Azure Firmament Spirit Parrot usually only stayed close to her and ignored outsiders, but today it was acting out of character.

Cuiyan turned around and chirped clearly at her:

"Opportunity! Opportunity!"

"Opportunity?"

Yin Ruolan murmured to herself, "Are you saying this is your Opportunity... or mine?"

...

Elephant Trunk Mountain Immortal Cave.

Ling Hao entered with the three little ones, and a thick wave of Spiritual Qi washed over them.

Deep within the cave, the resources and Legacies accumulated by the three tribes over ten thousand years were quietly displayed.

You Ruo jumped around excitedly, rummaging through everything. Whenever she found something good, she would hold it up to Ling Hao like an offering, her amber beast-like pupils shining brightly.

"Male brother! Look at this! This is the 'Nine Revolutions Nirvana Pill.' Eating it can cause a Bloodline regression! The Old Ancestor told me not to waste it!"

Ling Hao glanced at it and said nonchalantly:

"It's just a few Medicinal Pills. Once we return to the Moonshadow Sect, there is an Ancestral Blood Pool. You can soak in it for as long as you want; a Bloodline regression will be effortless."

"Really?"

You Ruo's eyes widened, and she grabbed Ling Hao's leg, her tiger ears twitching incessantly with excitement.

Hua Lian also ran over holding a yellowed Cultivation Technique, looking up with her small face and saying softly:

"Brother, I found it! This is the Cultivation Technique I practice. The Old Ancestor said my Realm was too low and refused to give me the complete version before."

It was an Immortal-grade Cultivation Technique, ancient and heavy, emitting a faint spiritual light.

Ling Hao looked down, reached out, and rubbed the soft crown of her head:

"It's just half of a fragmented Immortal-grade Cultivation Technique. When we get back to the Moonshadow Sect, I'll take you to the Scripture Pavilion. There are plenty of Immortal-grade techniques there for you to choose from."

Hua Lian squinted her eyes in enjoyment, a faint blush appearing on her pink cheeks as she obediently replied:

"Okay, thank you, Brother."

In contrast, Jin Linger was much quieter.

She wordlessly moved through her own designated area, her purple-gold vertical pupils seriously inspecting every item, methodically putting them into her storage space. Her movements were agile and composed.

Ling Hao nodded slightly.

If he had to choose one of the three little ones to lead the others, he would definitely choose Jin Linger—among the three, she was the most like a little adult.

Well, she was a bit of a tsundere sometimes.

Even when eating, she would mutter things to herself to cheer herself on.

Yes, quite the chatterbox.

Once everything was collected, Ling Hao led the three little ones out of the cave, preparing for the return journey.

"Let's go, it's time to head back. We've been out for quite a while."

You Ruo skipped along beside him and suddenly looked up to ask:

"Male brother, are you going to become Dao Companions with Sister Shi after we get back?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I heard Sister Ruan say that after becoming Dao Companions, you can do those 'un-un-ah-ah' things. Is that true?"

What "un-un-ah-ah"?

Ling Hao's eye twitched slightly as he corrected her: "That is the matter of Dual Cultivation."

"Anyway, it's the thing you do to have babies."

Ling Hao: "..."

Stated that way, it wasn't exactly wrong.

Moreover, ever since returning from the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest, every Elder and Disciple had begun to squeeze him dry, saying they wanted his children during their most blissful moments.

This included his few good Disciples, as well as Chi Shuying and Tushan Bailing.

Hua Lian suddenly tugged gently on Ling Hao's sleeve, looking up with watery eyes full of expectation:

"Brother, if we also hold a Dao Companion ceremony with you, does that mean we can have babies together?"

His train of thought interrupted, Ling Hao shook his head:

"Not for now."

"Why?" the three little ones asked in unison, their small faces filled with dissatisfaction and confusion.

"There is no why."

The three little ones were relentless, surrounding him and shaking him.

"Male brother, do you not like us!"

"Brother..."

"Bro... ther..."

Ling Hao, annoyed by the shaking, said offhandedly:

"Your chests are too small. You wouldn't be able to nurse a baby even if you had one."

The three little ones looked down simultaneously, touching the slight, tiny curves on their chests, looking dejected.

Was it really because of that?

Mother's are so big... maybe Mother has a way?

...

The return trip was smooth sailing.

When Ling Hao flew over the White Rock Holy Land with the three little ones, the scene before him made him pause slightly.

Looking down from high above, the entire White Rock Holy Land had taken on a new look.

Thousands of spiritual peaks rolled on, their summits shrouded in mist like gauze.

On the mountain bodies that were originally mostly blue-gray, red silks and black-and-white lanterns were now draped everywhere, their festive colors spreading across the peaks like flowing sunset clouds.

The main peak's hall area was the most grand. Red silk cascaded like waterfalls from the eaves of the palaces, and every coiled dragon jade pillar was wrapped with large red concentric knots. Eternal spiritual fires burned within the black lanterns hanging from the corners, their light swaying in the wind and bathing the entire palace complex in a warm glow.

In the square between the thirty-six coiled dragon jade pillars, the white jade floor was covered with spiritual flower petals—crimson, pink-white, and golden-yellow interwoven into a massive Dao Companion totem.

From above, the totem was intricate and beautiful, vaguely forming the pattern of a pair of immortal cranes holding Ganoderma, symbolizing a century of harmony and eternal companionship.

The dozens of side peaks radiating out from the main peak were all decorated with lanterns and colored banners.

Rainbow bridges condensed from spiritual light were erected between the peaks, covered with red carpets, with flower baskets floating in the air on both sides, petals drifting with the wind. The ancient pines and cypresses along the mountain paths were also tied with red silk knots, looking from afar like clusters of red flames burning in a sea of green.

Further away, the squares, martial arts arenas, and preaching platforms usually used for Sect gatherings had all been renovated.

Festive sheds made of spiritual bamboo stretched out in rows, filled with jade tables and brocade stools. Above the martial arts arena, a massive spiritual light projection of a concentric knot rotated slowly in the breeze. The archway at the mountain gate was draped in red and gold, with the four large characters for "A Match Made in Heaven" written with powerful strokes and flowing spiritual light.

The entire Holy Land was immersed in a solemn yet enthusiastic festive atmosphere. Amidst the hazy Spiritual Qi, red silks fluttered and lanterns shone brilliantly, as if even the mountain wind was stained with a sweet scent.

Ling Hao looked down at all of this, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly.

It seemed the White Rock Holy Land was taking this Dao Companion ceremony very seriously.