Chapter 117: Immortal Maiden Yuzhi

Qinghong did not linger long in the Emerald Cloud Forest. As the immortals began to discuss the fruits of the Earth Immortal Path, he quietly slipped out of the woods to wander the island.

Changguang Island was filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers, a place of peace and tranquility. Numerous immortal birds and spirit beasts made their home here, showing no fear of the immortals on the island. White deer and blue oxen grazed casually within Qinghong’s view, and some spirit apes even scampered up to him, begging for immortal pills.

"I don't know how to refine alchemy, so where would I get pills to give you?" Qinghong smiled and refused the monkeys. The apes scratched their heads and scampered off toward the nearby woods. Before long, they returned, carrying a basin of mountain fruits to offer him.

"..." Qinghong looked at the fruits—bright red and golden-orange, each one plump and succulent, clearly carefully selected and still adorned with the morning dew.

"You have hearts of gold, truly." Seeing the lengths the monkeys had gone to, Qinghong rummaged through his belongings and finally produced a few medicinal pills. "These pills cannot be taken directly. Later, gather some morning dew to dissolve them, and share them among yourselves."

The lead ape took the pills, sniffed them, and let out a joyful cry to his companions. The monkeys danced and leaped about, but before leaving, they did not forget to show their respect, kowtowing to Qinghong before vanishing into the forest.

"These apes are quite spirited; perhaps one day, a few immortals will emerge from among them," Qinghong remarked with a smile, continuing his stroll.

An hour later, he arrived at the Cloud Market where the Dragon Princess was staying. The market gathered many immortal families from overseas, all sitting among auspicious clouds, displaying their wares at various stalls.

The overseas Cloud Market was no different from those in the Central Plains, save for the source of their goods, which leaned heavily toward treasures from the sea—corals and giant clams were everywhere.

Surveying the dazzling array of pills and magical artifacts, Qinghong remained unmoved. "Magical treasures should be valued for their quality, not their quantity. The few I have are sufficient. And as for these pills, they are of little use to me—though, these are crafted by Qi practitioners, rooted in the primordial energy of heaven and earth, free from the forces of clarity, turbidity, immortals, or demons."

Compared to what he had seen in the cultivation circles of the Central Plains, these pills were more suitable for him.

He browsed a few stalls until his eyes landed on some "Spirit-Storing and Covenant Pills." These were designed to stimulate the potential of an immortal body, allowing for breakthroughs in the heat of battle and a burst of greater combat power.

The stall owner, an immortal whose cultivation level seemed similar to Qinghong's, looked at him and said, "These pills are potent, but the backlash is significant. If you use them to unleash power at the Profound Realm, you must find a place for deep meditation afterward to avoid damaging your foundation."

The immortal was an honest man. "These are essentially waste pills left over from my refining of true immortal medicine. The price is not high—ten drops of Moon Dew for one."

The dew of sun, moon, and stars, being a treasure formed by the heavens, was a "currency" used by practitioners to measure the value of treasures. Of course, there was another system of currency overseas, but seeing Qinghong’s attire, the immortal assumed he was not from these parts and did not mention it.

"How can these things be worth ten drops of Moon Dew? With that much, one might as well just use the Moon Dew to cultivate!" A voice suddenly sounded from behind Qinghong.

The Dragon Princess stood behind him, hands behind her back, looking at the pills with disdain.

"Who would use such pills to stimulate their own potential unless it were a life-or-death crisis? Besides, one must go into seclusion afterward, or their cultivation will be damaged. It leaves too many openings. Instead of taking these, it would be far more convenient to use our Dragon Clan’s 'Furious Dragon Wind-Chanting Spell' or 'Blood-Burning Grass.' At least those have no side effects."

"This..." The immortal was at a loss for words. After a moment, he replied, "Young lady, your Dragon Clan's Wind-Chanting Spell—is that something an ordinary person could use? As for the Blood-Burning Grass that stimulates bloodline potential, that is even rarer. Tell me, besides those two, which restricted techniques for stimulating potential have no side effects?"

"That is true, I suppose." The Dragon Princess conceded, finding some logic in his words. "But... is the price not a bit too high? How about this: I will give you three Large Jade Beads in exchange for three Spirit-Storing and Covenant Pills. I believe that is sufficient value, isn't it?"

The Dragon Clan dominated the seas, and their currency, reflecting their love for pearls, consisted of beads fashioned from rare sea treasures, graded into five levels: White, Profound, Jade, Silver, and Gold. The Jade Beads were round and crystalline, the size of a fist, and one was worth eight drops of Moon Dew.

"Very well, I shall take a small loss." The immortal agreed. These were waste pills anyway, and few people bought them. Qinghong wanted them primarily to research the "Blood Oath" and see if using pills to break through a cultivation bottleneck could effectively neutralize it.

The Dragon Princess flipped her hand, revealing a small, delicate golden sandalwood box. Inside, treasures shimmered; beyond the Profound and Jade beads, there were several silver ones and three gold ones.

"Judging by your resources, you must be a noble daughter of the Dragon Clan," the immortal said, checking the Jade Beads before handing over a medicine vial. "No wonder you have access to the Wind-Chanting Spell."

Without looking, the Dragon Princess tossed the jade vial to Qinghong. "Consider this a thank-you for the gift you gave me earlier."

She then pulled Qinghong away. On the way, she said, "I’ve circled the Cloud Market, but I couldn't find a Millennium Pearl. It seems I will have to go to the Black Sea region to look."

"Have you found any companions, then? Let me be clear: I am absolutely not going." They stopped on a beach, and Qinghong refused firmly. "The Black Sea region is too dangerous. If I were you, I would first attain the Dragon Pearl fruit, then have family accompany me. If I go with you and something happens to you, your family will certainly not let me off the hook."

The Dragon Princess frowned. Although she frequented the immortal islands, she knew few people here and had no one else to ask. With Qinghong, the only one she felt comfortable with, refusing to take the risk, she found herself in a dilemma.

At that moment, Lady Chen emerged from the Emerald Cloud Forest looking for Qinghong. She happened to hear their argument and stepped forward. "Are you two planning to go to the Black Sea?"

Qinghong’s eyes lit up. "Exactly. Lady Chen, as an Earth Immortal, you know the dangers of the Black Sea; perhaps you could persuade her." He proceeded to explain the situation.

Hearing this, Lady Chen kept her hands in her sleeves and secretly cast a hex. She then told them, "The Black Sea is indeed a treacherous place. But jade must be carved to become a masterpiece. If you only seek comfort, how can you ever grasp the Great Dao? Go to the Black Sea; perhaps you will find something more."

"But that realm cannot be entered by anyone other than an Earth Immortal. How are we to go?"

Lady Chen smiled and went to find someone on the island. Shortly after, an immortal maiden arrived with her.

The maiden was graceful and wise, carrying the gentle air of a noblewoman, dressed in pale green immortal robes that were simple and clean. The moment she met Qinghong, the Yin and Yang Great Dao within them both resonated.

The Dragon-Whisker Fan rose from Qinghong’s crown, manifesting a heavenly dragon of Yin and Yang energy in the air. Behind the maiden’s head, Yin and Yang energies intertwined into a Taiji diagram, radiating the essence of the Primordial Taiji.

"Are you Junior Brother Qinghong?" Seeing the Dragon-Whisker Fan, the maiden’s expression stirred with emotion as she stepped forward to greet him.

"Senior Sister Yuzhi?" Recognizing her cultivation path, Qinghong knew who she was. He greeted her in return, and the two felt like old friends, quickly growing close.

Lady Chen clapped and laughed. "Perfect. This boy wants to go to the Black Sea. Yuzhi, I see your cultivation is deeper than his; why not accompany him?"

Although Lady Chen and Qinghong lacked the formal title of master and disciple, they had the relationship in all but name. She had come overseas specifically to find fellow Qi practitioners to support Qinghong.

Immortal Maiden Yuzhi had come to Changguang Island to find immortal medicine for Fu Yutang’s tribulation. Seeing her, Lady Chen had immediately sought to form an alliance.

Lady Chen had long planned this. She decided to use the Dragon Princess’s search for treasures as an excuse for Qinghong to build a relationship with Yuzhi, ensuring that Qinghong would rightfully inherit the orthodoxy of the Cloud Heaven Pavilion.

Qinghong, wanting to befriend Yuzhi, began to feel moved by the prospect of the journey. Helping the Dragon Princess find the pearl was secondary; the real opportunity lay in forging a connection with Yuzhi.

Lady Chen took Yuzhi’s hand and pointed to Qinghong. "I have divined that he will find another opportunity on this trip. However, one needs a means of transport to reach the Black Sea. The 'Jade-Falling Shuttle' in your possession would be just the thing. If you are not going yourself, you might lend it to them."

Though this was their first meeting, Yuzhi felt an irrepressible excitement upon seeing the Dragon-Whisker Fan and nodded readily. "Since Junior Brother wants to go to sea, I will accompany you!" She thought similarly to Qinghong: since he had inherited the Dragon-Whisker Fan, he would be the future master of the Cloud Heaven Pavilion. She certainly needed a chance to observe his character.

And so, the three reached an agreement and set sail together toward the Black Sea.