Chapter 22: The Yaochi Holy Maiden
Mingyan looked up at the blinding sun in his Qi Sea, instinctively raising a hand to shield his eyes…
If he hadn’t seen the character “sun” ascend and transform into a miniature sun, he would have thought he was in the outside world…
What was going on?
He lowered his hand, sensing his surroundings, but found nothing unusual… The previously cool Qi Sea was now warm… because of the miniature sun…
Mingyan looked down at the Sun and Moon Scripture and slowly unfurled it.
The scroll was filled with tiny characters, different from the common script of the current era, but he could understand them… It seemed advanced scriptures automatically translated themselves for easier comprehension.
The first chapter discussed spiritual energy and the forces of Yin and Yang. Spiritual energy originated from nature and could be harnessed by cultivators, but natural energy was limited. Yin and Yang originated from the celestial bodies “sun” and “moon,” with the sun representing Yang and the moon representing Yin.
By harmonizing spiritual energy with the forces of Yin and Yang, one could make it endlessly regenerative… Mingyan frowned. Wasn’t this the principle behind the Yin Tomb and Yang Tomb realms of the Transcendence Realm? Upon completing these realms, a cultivator could continuously generate their own spiritual energy, similar to harmonizing energy with Yin and Yang.
He continued reading and found the scripture also mentioned the Yin Tomb and Yang Tomb realms.
It explained that since not all cultivators could harness the power of the sun and moon directly, an alternative method was devised: constructing the Yin Tomb and Yang Tomb within the Qi Sea to harmonize the internal energy, achieving a similar regenerative effect. However, this method was inferior to directly utilizing the power of the sun and moon.
The power of the sun and moon… Mingyan frowned, looking up at the sun in his Qi Sea, lost in thought.
If the Yin Tomb and Yang Tomb were substitutes, how could he utilize the power of the sun and moon directly?
The sun rose every day and set at night, giving way to the moon, which also rose and set, creating an endless cycle… Did sunlight itself provide power? Mingyan felt the warmth of the sun in his Qi Sea, but nothing else…
The Sun and Moon Scripture didn’t explain how to utilize the power of the sun and moon, only how to construct the Yin Tomb and Yang Tomb using spiritual energy.
He continued reading, finding explanations of the Qi Sea and Divine Gate Realms and various combat techniques, but nothing about harnessing the power of the sun and moon.
Mingyan closed the scroll and tossed it into the air. It floated there, emitting a faint golden glow. He noticed it no longer looked worn; half of it seemed to have been restored, its surface now smooth and polished.
He sat cross-legged in his Qi Sea, lost in thought. Now that he had a sun in his Qi Sea, would it set at night and be replaced by the moon? If so, his Qi Sea would contain both sun and moon, unlike anyone else’s…
Could he harness their power? He looked at the sun and slowly extended his hand, trying to summon it.
The sun remained motionless. Mingyan quickly gave up, shaking his head and standing up. He was only at the Great Brook Realm, yet he was already thinking about the Yin Tomb and Yang Tomb realms. He was getting ahead of himself.
Staring at the sun was tiring. He looked away, recalling a legend from the mortal world.
It was said that there were once ten suns in the sky, causing a severe drought. A hero named Hou Yi then shot down nine of them with his bow and arrows, leaving only one, ending the drought.
Mingyan remembered his days as a hunter. He raised his arm as if holding a bow, his other hand mimicking an arrow. He drew the imaginary bowstring, aimed at the sun in his Qi Sea…
“Piu!” He released his hand, but the sun remained. He chuckled. He had no bow, no arrows…
Then it struck him. Why not choose a bow as his weapon?
Killing an enemy from a thousand miles away with a single arrow… That sounded appealing. The thought, initially random, grew more appealing the more he considered it. A bow was a good weapon, and he liked bows. Hou Yi had shot down nine suns with his bow. He didn’t have any extra suns to shoot down, but shooting down enemies sounded just as good.
Mingyan left his Qi Sea and returned to reality, thinking about what he needed to create a life-bound bow.
He needed a strong, flexible wood for the bow stave and a durable string… He thought for a moment. Perhaps he should ask Huang Feiyan for advice on suitable materials. She would know more than him…
He looked at the sound transmission formation in the corner of the room, shaped like a horn. He hesitated. He wouldn’t bother Feiyan just yet. She had only left recently and likely had other things to do. She couldn’t spend all her time with him.
Mingyan left his room and explored the outer courtyard.
The outer courtyard was vast and housed many people. His presence didn’t attract much attention. Not many people had seen Huang Feiyan bring him back. His cultivation level wasn’t remarkable, and besides his handsome appearance, there was nothing noteworthy about him.
The people in the outer courtyard gathered in small groups. Mingyan noticed there were not only cultivators but also ordinary people with no cultivation at all.
Many were discussing “Celestial Qingfei,” likely Huang Feiyan’s comatose aunt… These people were probably guests invited by the Huang family to try and cure her…
Perhaps those ordinary people were skilled physicians?
“I heard the Yaochi Sacred Land is holding its five-hundred-year Peach Banquet. They’ve apparently invited almost every prominent family and Sacred Land in the Eastern Continent.”
“Given the relationship between Yaochi and the Huang family, they’ll surely invite the Huang family, right?”
“Of course. I heard Family Head Huang and the Queen Mother of the West were close friends in their youth. The Yaochi Sacred Land even offered peaches from the Immortal Peach Tree to try and cure Celestial Qingfei… But unfortunately, it didn’t work…”
The Immortal Peach Tree? Mingyan’s interest was piqued. He wondered if its wood would be suitable for a bow stave… But the Immortal Peach Tree must be incredibly valuable to the Yaochi Sacred Land. He wouldn’t be able to obtain any…
“Does anyone know when the Peach Banquet will be held?” someone asked.
“In a year, I think. But the Yaochi Sacred Land has already started sending out invitations. Besides the Sacred Lands and prominent families, some renowned rogue cultivators have also been invited.”
“Your information is outdated. I heard the Yaochi Holy Maiden has already departed for the central region to personally deliver an invitation to the Huang family. She should be arriving soon.”
“The Yaochi Holy Maiden herself? I heard she’s quite close to Eldest Miss Huang.”
“The Yaochi Sacred Land and the Huang family have been allies for tens of thousands of years. Sending the Holy Maiden to deliver the invitation shows their friendship remains strong.”
Mingyan, having heard nothing useful, left.
He wandered around and unknowingly reached the back gate of the outer courtyard, which led to the inner courtyard. He was about to turn back when Huang Feiyan emerged, followed by a group of female cultivators in palace attire. They were all beautiful, of similar age, each with a pale red lotus mark on their forehead. A group of celestial beings. Mingyan glanced at them and was about to step aside when he saw a familiar face. His eyes widened, and he froze.
Among the group was a tall, elegant woman with a gentle smile. The lotus mark on her forehead was more vibrant and beautiful than the others. Her features were as stunning as Huang Feiyan’s, her beauty and aura captivating.
But that wasn’t why Mingyan was staring…
“Mingyan? What are you doing here?” Huang Feiyan, seeing him standing near the gate, looked surprised, then noticed his gaze fixed on someone behind her. She turned, but the crowd was too dense to see anything unusual. She walked over to him and waved her hand gently. “Mingyan.”
He snapped out of his trance, looked at her, then back at the woman behind her, and after a moment of silence, smiled faintly. “Feiyan.”
“Let me introduce you. Feixuan, this is my new friend, Mingyan. Mingyan, this is one of my closest friends, Ning Feixuan.” Huang Feiyan pulled the woman forward, smiling.
Ning Feixuan smiled politely and looked at Mingyan. Her initial glance was unremarkable, but then her eyes widened in surprise. “Have… have we met before?”
“A year ago, Celestial, you saved me in a small village west of Dragon Ridge. I wonder if you remember.” Mingyan looked at her, slightly nervous. This was the celestial being who had saved him! He hadn’t expected to meet her again, here at the Huang family estate!
Ning Feixuan thought for a moment, then nodded. “Now that you mention it, I do recall. I didn’t expect you to reach the Great Brook Realm in just a year. It seems I underestimated you. Very impressive.”
Huang Feiyan blinked, surprised. She hadn’t expected the person who saved Mingyan to be her close friend… What a coincidence…
Mingyan cupped his hands in respect. “If it weren’t for your help that day, Celestial, I would have become a wandering soul. I didn’t have a chance to thank you before you left… I’ll never forget your kindness.”
“There’s no need.” Ning Feixuan smiled faintly. “Seeing you healthy and well is enough.”
Mingyan was silent for a moment, then nodded and stepped aside. Huang Feiyan glanced at him with a strange expression, then greeted the others and led them to the guest rooms. Shortly after, she returned with Ning Feixuan.
“Feixuan, you go ahead. I’ll talk to Mingyan.” Huang Feiyan saw Mingyan still standing there.
Ning Feixuan nodded and entered the inner courtyard. The Huang family didn’t allow outsiders inside, which meant Ning Feixuan wasn’t considered an outsider.
Huang Feiyan turned to Mingyan, her voice filled with surprise. “Did Feixuan really save you?”
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