Devour

Observing the subtle fluctuations in the power of all things, Cheng Bai asked in surprise, "Why did he come here? And why did he bring An Yiren with him?"

A moment later, Bei Tingjun's clear voice came from outside the door: "Your Excellency, we have guests requesting an audience: Seventh Master An Yiren and Guo Xieke, the leader of the Zhenyu Sword Sect."

Cheng Bai was quite surprised: "Master Guo just arrived at the academy, and first he was busy contacting An Yiren, and then he came to see me without stopping. There must be a reason. Could it be that he wants to..."

Thinking of this, Cheng Bai replied, "Yes, let's invite them in to talk first."

Shortly after, Mr. Bettin led the two guests into the house.

She carefully called the waiter outside the door to bring over the academy's specialty, "Plum Blossom Spring-Preserving Tea," and then silently stood by with her hands at her sides, looking obedient and submissive, just like a well-behaved maidservant waiting for orders.

Cheng Bai observed Guo Xieke's eagerness and said politely, "Please sit down and chat. Since we parted at the Burial Sword Tomb, Lord Guo's demeanor remains as dignified as ever, and he has become even more majestic."

Guo Xieke pretended to be calm and sat down, flattering him with a smile: "I have heard Mr. An mention that the White Emperor Saint Lord is not only skilled in the art of weapon crafting, but also proficient in the properties of various spiritual herbs. He can be described as learned, talented and promising at a young age!"

Cheng Bai's heart stirred slightly: "He really did come with a request." He then said cheerfully, "I dare not claim to be an expert, but I happen to have a deep interest in certain fields. As long as it is within my power, I will do my best to help."

Guo Xieke appreciated this straightforward attitude. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled, "It's clear that the White Emperor Saint Lord is a decisive and efficient person. So I won't beat around the bush."

An Yiren echoed, "Although Senior Guo came specifically to see me, he was still worried and insisted on bringing Brother Bai along. He praised you highly the whole way! He even specifically mentioned that last time at the Wangchen River, Brother Bai overpowered Dharma King Miaoyin, who is the second-ranked expert on the Sage Ranking!"

Faced with flattery, Cheng Bai brushed it off lightly: "It was just a verbal discussion. May I ask what brings you here?"

"To be honest, I rushed here because I have something important to discuss with you!"

Guo Xieke took a big gulp of tea, composed himself, and got straight to the point: "Tomorrow is the opening day of the grand event. Based on past experience, the Master usually brings out his treasured items for public display, allowing guests to choose one at their leisure. Once you acquire one, you will have no chance to get anything else."

He paused briefly to observe the reactions of others, then added, "The treasures on display this year far surpass those of previous years, many of which are extremely rare and priceless gems. This opportunity is a severe test of everyone's vision, talent, and decisiveness! However, there are differences in quality among natural treasures, and the difference between them is like heaven and earth."

Cheng Bai pondered to himself, "Just as I expected, Lord Guo is cunning and shrewd. He wants to use my eyesight to assess the quality. He actually thinks that relying solely on a weapon-refining master like An Yiren is far from enough to be safe!"

Guo Xieke, who was quite fond of the aroma of tea, gulped it down in a few mouthfuls and then said, "The situation on the spot is ever-changing, the competition is fierce, and the pressure is immense. If one is not confident, it is extremely difficult to achieve one's goals. I believe that if one can find out the details of the treasure in advance, it will greatly increase the chances of success."

A brief silence fell over the room as Cheng Bai poured more tea and pondered, "It turns out that none of the invitees knew what would be displayed at the Immortal's Fate Gathering. It all depends on improvisation on the spot. No wonder it's called 'Immortal's Fate,' which is fair and reasonable."

Seeing Guo Xieke's eager eyes, Cheng Bai thought to himself, "For a sect leader to be so excited, it must be a great treasure prepared by Taowu Academy, probably far exceeding expectations."

An Yiren, fearing an awkward silence, chimed in with a smile, "Senior Guo specially invited us to act as strategists, just to scout out the treasures for the grand event beforehand. While there's still plenty of time today, let's consider all the possible solutions so we can show our skills tomorrow!"

Cheng Bai said thoughtfully, "Being prepared is indeed a good idea, but will the academy allow us to do so?"

"Don't worry, Big White!"

An Yiren grinned slyly and lowered his voice, feigning mystery, "This year's Immortal Gathering will be held in the Treasure Hall of Yilan Terrace. Senior Sister Lan, who is in charge of setting up the venue, dotes on me the most, so going to take a look first is no problem. Therefore, Senior Guo and I hit it off immediately!"

Cheng Bai was skeptical and pressed further, "Doesn't Master Li care either?"

An Yiren hurriedly said, "After the battle early yesterday morning, our teacher went out on official business. He is good at handling important matters, so there is no need to bother him with such trivial matters."

Although he spoke lightly, Cheng Bai felt something was amiss, but on the surface he seemed very interested: "In that case, why don't we take a trip and broaden our horizons?"

He gave Bei Tingjun a meaningful look and added, "Elder Bei will come with me." In name, he was a companion, but in reality, he was both a protector and a witness.

Guo Xieke, who had been impatient for a long time, picked up his full teacup and drank it all in one gulp. He stood up and said, "There's no time to lose, let's set off immediately. We mustn't wait until other forces come up with this idea too!"

Cheng Bai called the waiter to check out of the room, and the group left together.

The Yilan Terrace is surrounded by a profusion of flowers, their delicate fragrance wafting through the air. Even in the coldest time of the year, winter plum blossoms and early-blooming spring orchids still bloom here, adding vibrant color and vitality to the desolate land.

An Yiren introduced along the way: "Ms. Lan's real name is Lan Xinqi, and she has a very strong and capable demeanor. She usually prefers to wear men's clothing, which is a personal preference, but she is not a special race like the Feathered People who have both male and female characteristics."

He seemed to be thinking of something taboo, and added, "Senior Sister Lan is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. She especially hates it when people look down on her because she is a woman. It's best not to bring up topics related to gender."

Guo Xieke continued, "Master Lan possesses the 'Flower and Wood Spirit Body,' one of the Five Elements Spirit Bodies. She is fond of rare flowers and exotic herbs. For over a thousand years, only Jiang Jie, the leader of the Pill Refining Society, has been said to have the same aptitude. Currently, Lan Xinqi is ranked seventeenth on the Sage List. Because she rarely ventures into the martial world, she rarely takes action and never makes enemies."

Cheng Bai exclaimed in admiration: "Looking across the five continents, the place that gathers the most geniuses is none other than Taotie Academy!"

An Yiren shook his head and said, "Da Bai's words are not accurate. Usually, when geniuses gather in the Holy Land, Shan Hui City is the first choice. It not only gathers talents from the five continents, but also cultivators from all the heavens often gather here. The Academy usually ranks second, and only on this grand occasion can it compete with it!"

"Shanhui City is hailed as the 'Holy City,' and its lofty position in the Five Continents is irreplaceable." Cheng Bai agreed, but then suddenly remembered the matter of the Heavenly Mandate Soul-Chasing Pill and asked curiously, "Master Li is a saint who transcends the world and has defeated countless enemies. Has he ever been seriously injured and suffered any lingering illness?"

The question came abruptly, and An Yiren's expression stiffened slightly before he quickly regained his composure and laughed, "Who has such great ability to harm the Master? It's simply unimaginable!"

Then, he quickened his pace: "When Master severed his three corpses to become a saint, the circumstances were extremely dangerous, and he took an unusual path. Although he ultimately succeeded, some flaws remained, which require the Heavenly Mandate Soul-Chasing Pill to remedy..."

At this point, An Yiren suddenly realized his slip of the tongue and hurriedly whispered a warning: "I've said too much that I shouldn't have! Those are just anecdotes from my early years. You three should just listen and leave it at that, but don't spread them around."

“That’s natural.” Cheng Bai remained outwardly calm, but inwardly his thoughts were churning: “An Yiren’s skill has improved so much in a single day, he must have had some extraordinary opportunity. Even if his cultivation is still behind mine, he can probably sense the effects of the communication technique. It’s not advisable to question him about this matter further.”

Upon further thought, Cheng Bai considered the long-term implications: "The Five Extremes Treasure Tree has now been planted and is being cared for by Jiu Yuan, and it is growing well. However, it will take quite some time for the fruit tree to mature and successfully flower and bear fruit, at least one hundred and eighty years. And the Heavenly Mandate Soul-Chasing Pill requires the Rejuvenating Fruit from the Five Extremes Treasure Tree... Could it be that I have to have the artifact spirit alter the flow of time within the Holy Temple to speed up the process? Although this may have the potential to cultivate spiritual roots and then refine the pill, it would be like pulling up seedlings to help them grow!"

It should be understood that while certain magical treasures or secret techniques can alter the flow of time, they cannot guarantee that the spiritual root will absorb the same amount of primordial spirit essence as normal, making them a last resort.

Amidst contemplation and laughter, the group unknowingly arrived at Yilan Terrace.

The materials and workmanship of this hall are more exquisite than those of Xiaoxiang Pavilion. The bas-reliefs on the doors are exquisite, depicting a scene of a hundred flowers in full bloom.

With a clang, An Yiren pushed open the heavy, imposing hall door. Inside the quiet hall, apart from Mr. Lan, there seemed to be no one else.