"Reputation precedes a man, just as shade follows a tree.
Ye Lingyuan had a notorious reputation, so how could Xue Ying not be afraid?
For her to answer Ye Lingyuan's question despite her fear was already a great act of courage.
Ye Lingyuan nodded and said, "It's good that she's fine! Where is she?"
Xue Ying didn't know how to answer. The voice had only said her lady was fine and to wait patiently, but it hadn't mentioned where she was.
She fidgeted with her thumbs, lowering her head and not daring to look up.
Seeing her silence, Ye Lingyuan's brows immediately furrowed, and he said with displeasure, "I'm asking you a question!"
Startled by his imposing aura, Xue Ying trembled. Tears welled up, and she stammered, "I... I... I don't know."
"You don't know? Then why did you tell me she was fine?"
Ye Lingyuan's face turned cold, and an icy aura emanated from him.
Xue Ying trembled all over, her teeth chattering, her voice growing more shaky.
"It was that voice that said my lady was fine!"
That voice?
Ye Lingyuan was taken aback. His aura faltered, and he said, "What voice? Speak clearly!"
Xue Ying took a deep breath, tears welling in her eyes. She recounted what had happened earlier and then said, "That voice said my lady was fine and told me to wait here patiently. It said we would meet in three days."
Ye Lingyuan listened, his brow furrowed. Putting aside the fact that he never knew the Dark Night City concealed such a place, everything before him exuded a strange aura.
From Xue Ying's description, Ye Lingyuan was certain that this statue was problematic.
He looked at the statue, attempting to find a clue.
But as his gaze fell upon the statue, he was greatly shocked.
The statue before him bore a nine-tenths resemblance to Zi Linling. The book in its left hand and the fruit in its right hand also gave Ye Lingyuan a sense of inexplicable familiarity.
Strange!
He was sure he had never seen these before, yet where did that familiarity come from?
Ye Lingyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he was already on the altar. His hand involuntarily reached out towards the statue.
...
In a daze, Zi Linling smelled a peculiar fragrance. Her spirits lifted, and she slowly awoke.
She rubbed her slightly aching forehead and muttered, "What happened to me? Why does my head hurt so much?"
Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, and with a jolt, she jumped up from the ground, looking around warily.
This was a place completely unfamiliar to her, but she had to admit, it was beautiful.
A verdant mountain soaring into the clouds, a few bamboo houses, a massive Bodhi tree, and various spirit herbs divided into plots, greedily absorbing the spiritual energy from their surroundings.
A babbling brook flowed from afar, filling the air with a sense of peace. Everything before her could be described as a paradise.
What place was this?
Zi Linling remembered being enveloped by a white light in the Temple of the Goddess. Just as she tried to break free, she had fainted. But how had she ended up here?
She frowned and cautiously walked through the spirit herb patch to the front of the bamboo houses.
In front of the bamboo houses was an open space, completely shaded by the branches of the giant Bodhi tree.
Looking at the dense Bodhi tree, Zi Linling inwardly marveled, "The owner of this place truly has a grand gesture!"
The Bodhi tree had three treasures: Bodhi leaves, Bodhi seeds, and enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
Bodhi leaves could be used to refine Bodhi Barrier-Breaking Pills, aiding cultivation. One Bodhi Barrier-Breaking Pill could allow one to break through a major realm without hindrance, regardless of their current cultivation level.
This meant that if one was in the Body Tempering realm, taking a Bodhi Barrier-Breaking Pill would allow them to directly advance to the Qi Condensation realm. Similarly, if one was in the Yuan Transformation realm, they could directly break through to the Saint King realm.
This effect was something ordinary barrier-breaking pills could not achieve.
There were also Bodhi seeds, which could be used to refine Bodhi Soul-Purifying Pills. These could not only purify the soul like ordinary purification pills but also prevent the purified soul from being plagued by inner demons ever again.
As for the Bodhi tree itself, it was even more miraculous. Sitting under the Bodhi tree to comprehend techniques could yield twice the results with half the effort, allowing both the body and soul to transcend realm barriers simultaneously. This meant that as long as one gained enlightenment, they could break through naturally.
Yet, such a large Bodhi tree, brimming with treasures, was simply planted in the courtyard, indicating how little the owner valued it.
Under the Bodhi tree was a stone table and several stone stools. Although Zi Linling didn't recognize the material of the stone table and stools, she could tell they were extraordinary.
Not far from the stone table, a swing made of flowering vines swayed gently in the wind. Sudanshu.com
Looking at the swing, Zi Linling's eyes widened.
Nine-Twisted Lovesickness Vine! The flowering vine used to make the swing was actually Nine-Twisted Lovesickness Vine!
The Nine-Twisted Lovesickness Vine was a top-tier Heavenly-grade spirit herb and one of the main ingredients for refining the Nine-Revolutions Great Return Pill.
Looking at the Bodhi tree and the swing made of Nine-Twisted Lovesickness Vine before her, Zi Linling secretly pondered: Who is so extravagant? Who is the owner of this place?
Just as she was racking her brain for answers, a petite woman in red emerged from the bamboo house.
The red-clad woman held a tray with a teapot and two teacups. A delicate fragrance wafted from the teapot.
The moment the red-clad woman saw Zi Linling, she froze.
The tray in her hands trembled slightly, causing the teapot and teacups to make faint clinking sounds.
The red-clad woman's eyes slowly turned red, and soon, her clear eyes were obscured by tears.
A tear traced a path down the red-clad woman's cheek, then hung on her chin before falling to the ground with a "snap," scattering into pieces.
The red-clad woman's lips moved for a long time before she finally choked out four words, her voice tinged with sorrow: "You... you..."
Her voice was crisp and sweet, yet carried a hint of bitterness.
Upon seeing the red-clad woman, Zi Linling's first reaction was not to be on guard or wary, but her heart clenched tightly.
She clearly didn't know this woman in red, so why did she feel such a strong sense of familiarity?
Moreover, seeing the red-clad woman's tear-streaked face, Zi Linling couldn't help but want to reach out and wipe her tears away.
Zi Linling suppressed the urge to reach out and, frowning, asked, "Who are you?"
The red-clad woman burst into tears, and the tray, along with the teapot and teacups, fell to the ground with a clatter.
Fortunately, these teacups were not ordinary porcelain, so they did not break when they hit the ground.
The red-clad woman ignored the fallen items. With a thought, she appeared before Zi Linling.
She looked at Zi Linling excitedly, reaching out to grasp Zi Linling's hand and exclaiming, "Master, you've returned, haven't you?""