Born with immortal seed

Chapter 611 The Mysterious Immortal Peach
A jade bridge spans the Milky Way, its clear waters reflecting the moonlight.

The three walked onto the bridge, and their footsteps echoed as they landed.

The three Nascent Soul True Monarchs couldn't control the force of their feet, and nothing could have been more ridiculous.

No matter how you walk, even if you step in mid-air, the echo cannot be erased.

Bai Zichen looked down from the bridge and was horrified to see a blue-faced, fanged face reflected in the water—his own likeness.

"There's something strange about this river!"

It was neither an illusion nor a physical entity; its facial features shifted as his expression changed.

Upon being alerted, Xiao Ji felt a chill run down his spine when he saw the banner in his hand, which was now covered with white lotuses, exuding a holy and radiant aura.

"Even with my Netherworld Eyes, I cannot see the bottom. This small river not only resembles the Milky Way, but its interior is also extraordinary!"

Qiu He reacted extremely quickly, turning his three divine eyes to one point, their eerie light converging as they absorbed the azure water, revealing a terrifying result.

"The scene in the water depicts our post-zombification state. I don't know if it was originally set up this way by Master Dongyang, or if it was changed by the passage of time and the seepage of demonic power!"

Two deathly large hands scooped into the clear water, causing the water to ripple and the moonlight to shatter. The three blue-faced, fanged faces were also smashed.

When the True Essence Palm returned, it was empty and had not been attacked.

Bai Zichen remained silent, but a voice came from the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword in his sleeve, which calmed him down considerably.

"Continue onward, beyond the jade bridge lies the herb garden, and after passing the alchemy room and the meditation chamber, you will arrive at the Nine-Flower Spirit Pool..."

Qiu He simply didn't put away the Nine Netherworld Eye, but activated it with all his might. A blood-red seal appeared in his hand at some point, with a jade chain hanging from one end, suspended on his wrist.

The atmosphere was eerie, but Bai Zichen crossed the jade bridge without any disturbance. He seemed to hear some movement in the river behind him, but when he turned around, the river was calm and still, and his divine sense did not detect any unusual activity.

After passing through two empty halls, a bright light appeared before my eyes, and finally a large expanse of spiritual plants came into view.

However, they all withered and hardened, and many fell directly to the ground, becoming dead wood.

Only in the center of the herb garden, a single peach tree is covered in a rosy glow, accompanied by a scene of celestial beings, such as the sun setting in the west and the moon rising in the east. It is truly a rare and precious plant.

"A fifth-tier immortal peach!"

Xiao Ji suppressed his excitement, his voice barely concealed.

The incident on the Jade Bridge had cast a shadow over the three of them, greatly diminishing their expectations for the trip.

There are living spiritual plants here, and they are even bearing spiritual fruits. How could anyone not be happy?

There are nine peaches under the branches and leaves, which can be counted clearly.

"In the Immortal Realm, immortal peaches are a symbol of longevity, representing the beautiful wish of immortality and often having the effect of prolonging life... Fifth-grade immortal peaches have not appeared in the cultivation world for at least several thousand years. Our sect has a fourth-grade top-quality immortal peach tree that takes three hundred years to flower, three hundred years to bear fruit, and another three hundred years to ripen."

Qiu He's tired and listless eyes suddenly lifted, shining brightly, and his breathing became much smoother.

"Even if it is moved into the secret realm of the medicinal garden later, due to the special nature of the longevity-enhancing spiritual fruit, its growth time can only be shortened to six hundred years. Each pill can increase one's lifespan by sixty years, the effect of the second pill is halved, and the effect of the third pill is halved again."

"And a fifth-tier immortal peach is estimated to add a hundred years to one's lifespan! This tree has nine peaches, which can be divided into three groups of three to save trouble."

Qiu He was able to live longer than many of his predecessors, whose strength was no less than Wu Bufeng's, largely because he was born in the year when the fourth-grade top-quality immortal peaches were ripe.

He used all the sect contributions he had accumulated in his lifetime to exchange for three top-grade fourth-tier immortal peaches, which instantly added nearly a hundred years to his lifespan.

The Dao of Longevity contained in the fifth-order Immortal Peach is fundamentally different from that of the fourth-order one, and repeated consumption can allow it to exert its effects again.

If the pattern remains the same, it would mean that Qiu He could live for another two hundred years.

This is nothing short of a miracle in the history of Wubufeng, and only a handful of people have been able to achieve it.

For Qiu He, it was as if he had seen the dawn of becoming a fifth-tier wizard again.

"A fifth-tier immortal peach... Such a spiritual fruit, if there are demons or monsters around, they will surely guard it. Do not lose your composure."

Bai Zichen's shock and loss of composure upon seeing the fifth-tier immortal peach were far less than those of the two beside him, who managed to maintain a clear mind and not be overwhelmed by joy.

He's not even three hundred years old yet, and he's never taken any longevity elixirs, so he's not in a particularly urgent position regarding this.

Furthermore, he was inherently frugal, and the complete version of the Azure Emperor's Longevity Sword required burning a hundred years of his own lifespan, so he never activated it once after completing it.

In times like these, one can remain clear-headed and not be confused.

"Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist. I almost lost my composure and made a terrible mistake in the heat of the moment!"

Qiu He took several deep breaths, and her red eyes calmed down.

For a True Lord whose remaining lifespan is counted down in years, it's understandable that encountering a celestial fruit that can extend one's life by two hundred years would elicit even the most exaggerated reactions.

Moreover, the same two hundred years is not the same concept for a normal Nascent Soul True Monarch and a True Monarch Wubufeng.

"Is there a trick to picking the immortal peaches? If you two are willing to believe me, I will use my sword light to pick the immortal peaches, avoiding direct contact."

Bai Zichen looked directly at the two of them with a calm and open gaze.

It wasn't that I was really worried about the two of them getting caught, but rather that I didn't know enough about the Dongyang Villa, and I still needed them to lead the way to the whereabouts of that fifth-tier sword pellet.

"We, your fellow disciples, trust your character; we would never deceive the Moral Sect..."

Qiu He and Xiao Ji exchanged a silent glance before slowly speaking.

"Immortal peaches aren't that delicate; the only thing to be careful about is that they turn into dust when they come into contact with soil. Just be careful to avoid flying swords forged by earth spirits."

"got it!"

Bai Zichen chuckled lightly, and a streak of dark light shot out from his sleeve, clearly distinguishing black and white wherever it passed.

The strange phenomenon of the golden crow setting in the west and the silver toad rising in the east was captured by the black and white sword light, frozen in place, and about to wrap up and completely cover all nine immortal peaches.

"Wow! Wow! Wow!"

One mournful cry followed another as the nine immortal peaches awoke, leaping forcefully from their branches in an attempt to escape the range of the sword light.

The bright red peach had an eerie, blood-red hue, and its top opened and closed like a small mouth, revealing not juicy flesh, but a row of sharp teeth.

"Spiritual plants turning into demons?"

Bai Zichen immediately thought of the ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus on the summit of Qishan Mountain. After failing to break through to the innate spiritual root, it became a demon and attached itself to the body of a cultivator, constantly devouring all kinds of blood and food, just like a demon.

These nine fifth-tier immortal peaches gave him a sense of déjà vu.

The change in the Immortal Peach might catch other Nascent Soul cultivators off guard, causing some to flee.

But it was all in vain in front of Bai Zichen.

No matter how fast the immortal peach jumps, or how strange the blood light is, it can't compare to the hundreds of black and white sword lights that split into one, without any change or flashiness, only the purest sword light, in harmony with the will.

The sword light, like a dragon, formed a net that swept all nine immortal peaches back.

You can clearly hear the creaking and screaming coming from Xiantao, like a babbling infant.

"Is this peach still edible?"

Bai Zichen was worried about unforeseen circumstances, so he deliberately used the Avici Heavenly Prison Demon Sword. Without the Heaven-Opening Spiritual Treasure, it would be difficult for even a fifth-order flying sword to be damaged.

The black and white sword light retracted, encircling the nine eerie immortal peaches in front of it, their small, sharp teeth clashing back and forth, sending chills down one's spine.

The skin of the peach reveals red veins, like engorged blood vessels bulging out from the flesh.

It had none of the refreshing and delicious aroma of the spiritual fruit; on the contrary, it had a bloody smell, like a bloody chunk of meat.

"How is this possible? How could a fifth-tier immortal peach have become like this! I don't believe it!"

Xiao Ji shouted loudly and reached out uncontrollably, accompanied by the sound of a dragon's roar.

His biggest goal was the breakthrough elixir, and with an opportunity to extend his lifespan right in front of him, how could he miss it?

In terms of age, he is no longer young.

"Junior Brother Xiao, calm your mind and spirit, break through the barriers and dispel delusions!"

Qiu He's voice was hoarse. With a flick of his five fingers, five black ropes bound Xiao Ji, controlling his movements.

"I don't believe it. This is a fifth-grade immortal peach, which can extend one's life by a hundred years... With this extra lifespan, even without breakthrough pills and by grinding away the time, one can easily advance to the late Nascent Soul stage!"

Xiao Ji's words were incoherent, completely lacking the composure of a Nascent Soul True Monarch. His gaze was fixed on Bai Zichen, seemingly implying that the changes in the immortal peaches were caused by the person who picked them.

"Shut up! This place is unusual; it's normal for evil spirits to be born here."

Even more eager for the immortal peaches, Qiu He, who was the first choice, recovered most of his strength and sternly rebuked Xiao Ji.

He experienced a lifespan that went from almost death to two hundred years longer, and then fell into the abyss. It's remarkable that he didn't break down.

“Fellow Daoist Bai, I know this matter has nothing to do with you, and I apologize on behalf of Junior Brother Xiao… Although we can’t eat them directly, they are still fifth-grade spiritual fruits. Perhaps we can find a way to extract the spiritual juice from the immortal peaches. Please release your sword light, Fellow Daoist Bai, so that we can each take three.”

"Okay, take them all."

Having just arrived at the Dongyang Villa and already experiencing such a series of misfortunes, Bai Zichen already had an ominous feeling in his heart.

I already had a premonition that this trip to the ruins wouldn't go smoothly from here on out.

All I ask for is a good outcome; I can accept some setbacks along the way.

Qiu He first cast a spirit-sealing spell on all three immortal peaches, then took three small boxes made of yin wood and carefully put them away.

Xiao Ji, with a gloomy expression, packed the peaches into separate jade boxes and then swept them away in his sleeve.

Bai Zichen dared not be as careless as they were. He directly drew a wisp of lightning from the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword, which was undergoing sword embryo transformation, and firmly locked the demonic immortal peach.

The blood lines burned in two with a sizzle when touched by the lightning, and the eerie peach cried out again.

However, in his eyes, this was no longer a longevity fruit, but a strange and evil thing, and no amount of means would be too much.

Each person received three immortal peaches, exactly as agreed beforehand, but their state of mind was completely different.

I was overjoyed, knowing that whether I used it myself or sold it, I would benefit greatly.

As a result, it suddenly became a burden, requiring people to live in constant fear.

She cautiously walked out of the herb garden, expecting something to happen to the peach tree, but it was perfectly quiet.

'It can bear fifth-tier immortal peaches. Although it's a mutated variety, it's probably similar to the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus, only one step away from innate spiritual roots... I'll cut it down when I leave the ruins; maybe I'll get some unexpected gains.'

Bai Zichen followed behind, and as they walked, he noticed that Xiao Ji had fallen to the very back.

He had a gloomy face, didn't talk to anyone, and always had a stern expression.

Before long, they arrived at the alchemy room. Unlike the alchemists in the human world, Master Dongyang used the famous Lu Shui alchemy technique in the cultivation world.

There was no smell of smoke or fire, no earth-shattering flames, only a swirling spring that washed and refined various spiritual herbs into pills.

Just like water-based weapon forging, its advantages and disadvantages are both very obvious.

The success rate of alchemy is high, and even if it fails, a large number of spiritual herbs can be preserved, so as not to lose everything.

The downside is that it is limited in use when encountering some pills with extreme properties that require strong tempering by earth fire, and the pill refining time is very long.

It is only suitable for personal alchemy of high-quality ingredients, and not suitable for sects to produce pills on a large scale.

A pill furnace floating on the spiritual spring tilted at an angle, with spring water gushing into it and flowing out from another opening.

The pills spread out on top had turned into a pile of dregs, and with the slightest vibration, they trembled and fell off.

Another alchemy furnace has speckles of gold on its top. It is said that the furnace has been used for a long time and has absorbed the properties of medicinal herbs, which is why these speckles are visible on the furnace.

Such alchemy furnaces often achieve twice the result with half the effort when used for alchemy.

Qiu He blew a light breath, and the lid of the cauldron flew away, revealing a semi-finished elixir inside, crystal clear throughout.

Because it is not made from the essence of plants, it does not become a dead pill over time.

"Let's leave this aside for now and head straight to the Nine Heavens Jade Pool. Only then will we have a chance to see the most important treasure in the villa."

Qiu He quickened his pace, his gaze not lingering on the alchemy furnace for even a moment.

One can only say that he is a cultivator with a firm mind and unwavering perseverance.

I said I wouldn't touch any of my belongings, and I really didn't touch a single one, even under such unforeseen circumstances.

Even though both alchemy furnaces were at least at the fourth level, Qiu He's eyes remained clear and unwavering, without a single ripple.

It is admirable that they could remain steadfast and continue exploring despite such extreme highs and lows.

The quiet room where Master Dongyang once lived was so small that you could tell it was completely empty without even searching it carefully.

Forget about useful treasures, there isn't even a single random item to cultivate or play with.

After walking several more miles, they finally arrived at the front of the Jiuhua Spirit Pool.

Looking from afar, it is a pond covering several acres, with rising steam and swirling mist.

The Nine-Flower Spirit Pool, constructed using countless high-grade spiritual materials, treasures brought down from the Upper Realm by Venerable Dongyang, and secret techniques, is indeed still functioning normally after tens of thousands of years.

The surface of the pool was still and undisturbed, with only a faint mist drifting by.

Looking closely into the pool, one could see many jade bottles floating half-up and half-down on the surface, as well as several different magical treasures, appearing and disappearing in the distance.

But what remained were mostly broken soldiers and damaged magical artifacts, which, like trash, occupied ninety percent of the Jiuhua Spirit Pool.

"How could this be? Even the Nine Hua Spirit Pool has become like this. Could it be that the secrets passed down by the patriarch are wrong, and that Master Dongyang didn't leave behind any treasures at all, but really just left behind a bunch of useless junk before ascending to heaven?"

Qiu He murmured to himself, as if he had been greatly shocked.

He had maintained a stable demeanor throughout the journey, but upon seeing that the final destination, the Nine Hua Spirit Pool, was vastly different from what he had imagined, he became somewhat bewildered.

If the Dongyang Villa were overrun by demons and filled with foul air, he could actually accept it.

Despite finding no trace of demons, he still failed to obtain the expected gains, proving that all his intelligence and decades of preparation had been in vain.

This is a fourth-tier wizard with a lifespan of only three hundred years or so, and these precious few decades of his life are gone!

(End of this chapter)