Chapter 178 A Short Stay at the Star Moon Palace
Without a doubt, Fan Jiming was the one who was ultimately selected.
·
The Ice Spirit Fairy retrieved the Ice Soul Exquisite Pearl.
Fan Jiming also retrieved the Blazing Sun Pearl.
After a pause, the Ice Fairy extended her slender hand.
Fan Jiming was also taken aback for a moment, then grasped the hand.
The two have now decided that they will be husband and wife in the future.
Perhaps they don't have feelings for each other yet, but given their compatible constitutions, they both know that in the future, they will at least be a pair of responsible, fellow practitioners.
Then, naturally, we should get closer.
In the days to come, they will work hard to cultivate their relationship.
After all, the efficiency of many dual cultivation techniques is completely different depending on whether the two states are in sync or without feelings.
·
All of this was witnessed by the many cultivators in the Moon Appreciation Pavilion.
Everyone had different emotions at that moment, especially when the couple held hands. Even some of the original recruits who had already adjusted their mindset chuckled softly.
Sun Tianxun arrived soon after and witnessed the same scene.
Judging from all the current circumstances... it seems like a match made in heaven!
There's nothing that would make anyone resentful.
·
The members of the Fan family naturally showed expressions of delight.
Although they had high expectations when Fan Jiming successfully sculpted a lifelike ice sculpture, they were still incredulous and overjoyed when Fan Jiming was confirmed as the winner!
Very good!
It really is Fan Jiming!
Of course, the group was quite envious.
After his wedding, Fan Jiming will live and cultivate in the Star Moon Palace with Fairy Bingling for a long time.
The cultivation environment in the Fan family is far inferior to that of the Star Moon Palace. Being able to enter the Star Moon Palace to cultivate is simply lucky!
This cousin's strength will definitely break through at an even faster pace in the future—he might even be able to transform into a spirit or even undergo Nirvana!
However, the Fan family members all understood that without this series of extraordinary encounters, they would not have had this opportunity.
...It's good that my cousins are successful.
Several members of the Fan family are among the most outstanding talents in the family. Once the Fan family leverages the power of the Star Moon Palace to develop more channels for acquiring resources, these resources will be prioritized for them.
That's just taking advantage of someone else's fame!
Putting everything else aside, they don't expect to gain any great benefits immediately. At the very least... when they reach the peak of their fusion, the top-tier level 5 resources that they originally had to compete with other members of their race for can now be purchased from the Star Moon Palace through Fan Jiming.
You should know that the rare medicinal herbs that the Fan family rarely obtains, or can hardly obtain at all, may already fill an entire garden in the Star Moon Palace!
Other resources—such as rare and precious herbs and high-quality elixirs—are in similar situations.
Moreover, they don't even want the same top-tier resources as the top geniuses of the Star Moon Palace. The second-best or even the second-best resources are already things that were previously unattainable and unattainable for them.
Almost instinctively, the group wanted to relay the news back to the Fan family.
But that's not possible right now.
Although the cousin successfully accepted the invitation, the subsequent arrangements would naturally depend on the Star Moon Palace.
Let them wait a bit.
As Fan Jiming's companions, they would certainly receive "special treatment".
·
Zhong Cai breathed a sigh of relief, beaming with joy.
[It's really not easy, Brother Ji Ming has a wife now!]
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly.
I wonder when the wedding will be held.
Zhong Cai thought for a moment.
[The location is definitely Xingyue Palace. I guess we need to bring over the Fan family's patriarch and Fan Jiming's parents first.]
Wu Shaogan smiled.
That will probably take a few more days.
Zhong Cai pondered.
I wonder what will happen to us guests?
Wu Shaogan grasped Zhong Cai's hand.
We'll find out soon.
The two remained silent for a while.
Wu Shaogan suddenly smiled, his eyes crinkling.
Zhong Cai didn't know what he was laughing at.
Wu Shaogan's eyes brightened, and he suddenly transmitted his voice.
[The Villain's Wife.]
Zhong Cai: "..."
Suddenly, I remembered that before they started dating, when he talked to Lao Wu about the plot, he would often mention the "villain's wife," and he didn't care at all.
Later, I started dating, and that was it... Now that my memories are returning, I think about it again, and it's kind of awkwardly sweet?
Zhong Cai hummed softly.
That was more than ten years ago.
·
At that moment, the Cold Moon Glazed Fire suddenly turned into a wisp of smoke and dissipated.
The images that appeared within them naturally disappeared as well.
The unmarried couple in the Marriage Cave did not come to the Moon Appreciation Pavilion.
The charming young girl—Xue Jiaojiao, a junior elder of the Star Moon Palace and a cultivator at the Palace Building Realm—is now standing gracefully before them.
She said politely, "Today, the young master of Hanyue Palace is blessed with a husband. After some preparations, the wedding ceremony will be held in a few days. Since you have come from afar, please stay for a few days and have a drink of celebratory wine."
Many cultivators were mentally prepared for this and readily agreed.
"You're too kind, senior."
"We'll definitely stay for the wedding banquet."
"Congratulations, fairy, your wish has come true!"
With a smile on her face, Xue Jiaojiao waved her hand and summoned a string of beautiful men and women, who were the disciples who were guiding her.
"It is getting late, please go to the banquet first."
Everyone agreed and was then led out by the disciples.
Outside the Moon Appreciation Pavilion, there were still many precious carriages, and just like when they came, the disciples who guided them drove them to another place.
·
The journey was filled with ice and snow, and everywhere was covered in a white hue, a unique landscape belonging to the Cold Moon Palace.
The husband-recruiting event has ended, but Hanyue Palace should still show hospitality, so a banquet must be prepared to entertain the guests.
Before long, the group entered a snow garden.
It contains various exotic flowers and herbs with icy attributes, a large number of trees with icy attributes, and a rather wide ice lake.
The lake surface shimmered with a cold light, and wisps of a cool fragrance floated in the air.
Many tables and chairs of various shapes, all crafted using the secret techniques of ice, are arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner, each with an extremely exquisite and elegant appearance.
All kinds of fine wines and delicacies are arranged on various tables of different sizes and grades.
Undoubtedly, everything was arranged.
The numerous disciples, who were guiding everyone, still led them to the correct positions. Even though they were all quite busy and their movements were graceful, there was no sign of them making any mistakes in their haste.
·
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan took their seats.
It's still a relatively quiet place, similar to the couples' reserved seating area, but this time Fan Jiazi arranged it near them.
This should make it easier for them to speak.
Fan Jiming did not appear at the banquet.
·
The dishes on the table in front of Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were all very distinctive, with a cool and refreshing taste and a sweet and savory flavor.
Wu Shaogan would pick out some of the better-tasting food for Zhong Cai.
The same applies to Zhong Cai.
Fan Jiazi, who was standing nearby, had originally intended to say a few words to the two, but now that Fan Jiming was no longer there to smooth things over, and seeing how intimate the two were, he hesitated to speak. Besides, they were still in the midst of excitement and were afraid of saying something inappropriate or impolite.
After finishing their meal, everyone left one by one and was led by the disciples to the garden, which was used for entertaining guests, where they checked into their respective rooms.
They are small palaces, one after another.
They all have different appearances, but the overall color is uniform. They are surrounded by trees that look like ice sculptures and jade carvings—also of different varieties, all containing ice and snow.
·
Zhong Cai stood in front of the small palace and saw the snow-white jade plaque above it.
"Cai Xue Ju".
It's quite romantic and poetic.
The disciple who was leading the way smiled without saying a word, handed the residence tokens to the two of them, gave them a few more instructions on how to summon servants on a daily basis, and then quickly left.
Zhong Cai looked at the small hall bathed in the glow of snow, then pulled her husband, Old Wu, inside with great excitement.
"Let me see what's different about living here!"
Wu Shaogan smiled as he followed Zhong Cai's lead.
·
Because they were Daoist partners, the two lived alone in a small temple.
Several members of the Fan family lived next door—it was unclear whether Fan Jiming would be returning with them tonight or if he had been reassigned.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan entered the palace, sealed the entrance with their tokens, took out several array plates of various sizes and arranged them properly, and found a level seven puppet to secretly keep an eye on the surrounding area.
The two thought that since they were inside the Star Moon Palace, level seven should be enough to block out almost all external spying.
·
The small palace is actually quite warm and a suitable place to live.
The furnishings were all very appropriate, with everything that needed to be there, and they all had a style that was very harmonious with the palace itself.
Zhong Cai stretched her arms, pulled Wu Shaogan along, and they walked into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed.
It's quite comfortable.
The two were guests after all, and had no interest in doing anything there.
So they looked at each other...
Zhong Cai snuggled directly into Wu Shaogan's arms, and Wu Shaogan's arm draped over Zhong Cai's waist.
They closed their eyes in perfect unison.
Go to sleep.
·
The next morning, several members of the Fan family came to their door.
There's nothing else to it; Hanyue Palace is sending people to the Fan family to pick them up, and these few Fan family members are going along as well.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were purely outside helpers, and their relationship was only with Fan Jiming himself, so there was no need for them to come along—but when Fan's sons and the others came together, they would definitely have to be informed when they returned to their family to handle some business.
At the same time, they also brought news of Fan Jiming.
Because of preparations for his wedding, Fan Jiming is still getting used to the Star Moon Palace and also needs to accompany Fairy Bingling to meet some people, so it's inconvenient for him to appear in public. Fan Jiming brought two letters, one for his family and the other for two close friends.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the men from the Fan family happily took their leave.
Zhong Cai politely watched them leave before clutching the envelope and closing the palace door.
Wu Shaogan stood quietly to the side, and when he turned around, he activated the formation again.
Zhong Cai waved the envelope at him and her first words were: "Brother Ji Ming, are you preparing for your wedding?"
The second sentence was: "Did you see that Fan Zhongyang? He's really good at pretending."
Wu Shaogan couldn't help but chuckle and nodded in agreement.
Zhong Cai mentioned it casually and didn't take Fan Zhongyang to heart. She pulled Wu Shaogan to sit on the edge of the bed and opened the envelope to read it.
·
Fan Jiming went on and on, talking for quite a while.
He expressed his joy at successfully marrying into the family, but felt ashamed that he was too busy to come and meet his two friends in person. He hoped his friends would understand and promised to treat them to a meal as an apology later.
Then he formally invited the two to his wedding banquet, which, barring any unforeseen circumstances, would take place in seven or eight days at the earliest, and eleven or twelve days at the latest.
He has already asked the disciples of the Cold Moon Palace to take care of his two friends. If they need anything, they can just ask, and he will take care of everything without them having to spend a penny.
·
After reading it, Zhong Cai couldn't help but laugh.
"Old Wu, this guy's got a lot of nerve these days. He's really something else to have managed to get this gigolo."
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly: "A-Cai, you should understand Brother Fan. He has been in such dire straits for many years, and he has given all the Xuanzhu he has earned to A-Cai. Now that he can finally catch his breath, he is naturally very happy." At this point, he changed the subject, "However, if A-Cai thinks he is too happy, she can also suppress his arrogance."
Zhong Cai chuckled, turned to look at Wu Shaogan, and gave him a thumbs up.
"Old Wu, you really understand me! This guy's getting a bit arrogant. Just wait and see if he wants a few Ice and Fire Harmony Pills when I make them."
Wu Shaogan said, “The Ice and Fire Harmony Pill can improve the efficiency of a pair of ice and fire attribute Daoist couples when cultivating together. It is most suitable for Brother Fan and Fairy Bingling now. Brother Fan is a wise man, how could he not want it?” He then deliberately flattered, “This is also because A Cai’s alchemy skills are extraordinary. If it were an ordinary person, Brother Fan would inevitably be proud of it.”
Zhong Cai immediately became smug.
But after his initial smugness, he composed himself, cleared his throat, and said, "Let's let it go for now. This guy went through a lot of trouble to finally get a wife, so it's understandable that he's a little arrogant. As his friends, we should be tolerant."
Wu Shaogan said tolerantly, "A-Cai has the final say."
At this point, the two looked at each other and burst out laughing.
·
For the next few days, the two stayed in the small palace and did not go out.
Every day, a guide disciple would come to deliver their meals—the one hired by Fan Jiming. Compared to the guide disciples assigned by Xingyue Palace, this one was more attentive in every detail, and the dishes he brought were more to their liking. He was even more pleasant to talk about when discussing news, and would casually mention the two of them in his conversations, which was very much in line with Fan Jiming's style.
The disciple then suggested that the two could choose to stay here alone in peace and quiet, but there were daily gatherings by the lake, and they could go there to relax if they were interested.
Neither Zhong Cai nor Wu Shaogan had this interest.
Although he didn't really intend to "suppress Fan Jiming's arrogance," since he had thought of the Ice and Fire Harmony Pill, Zhong Cai decided to try refining it—after all, he had nothing better to do.
·
In fact, the Ice and Fire Harmony Pill can not only promote dual cultivation among ice and fire attribute cultivators, but also allow either of these two attribute cultivators to take it alone. This will not only enhance their own attribute power, but also alleviate their physical deficiencies or harmonize their internal energy through the power of the other attribute.
Its uses are very wide.
Even if there is a shortage of medicinal materials during the refining process, the Cold Moon Palace will definitely have all of them.
It can be replenished at any time.
·
Inside the small hall.
Zhong Cai sat cross-legged in front of the alchemy furnace and began refining elixirs.
Wu Shaogan stood by, meditating, making talismans, and processing medicinal herbs every day.
Even now, Wu Shaogan still helps Zhong Cai process medicinal herbs.
However, as Zhong Cai's alchemy level increases, the requirements for many types of medicinal materials become more stringent. Even cultivators like Wu Shaogan, who possess yin-yang attribute power, are unable to participate in processing certain types of herbs, even if their yin and yang are balanced... Zhong Cai has to handle these matters himself.
As an alchemist, Zhong Cai possessed inherent attributes, but these attributes were balanced across the five elements, so there were no inherent problems. Furthermore, alchemists have many more profound techniques that are not affected by these attributes, so things have always gone smoothly for him.
Fortunately, there were very few things Wu Shaogan couldn't handle.
In most cases, Wu Shaogan can still help Zhong Cai save a lot of time.
For a talented alchemist like Zhong Cai, having someone he could trust to help him with tedious and repetitive tasks was a great help, reducing a lot of unnecessary energy expenditure.
·
A few days later, Zhong Cai successfully produced the elixir.
The quality of the first batch of pills was naturally not very high, and they weren't even full-quality pills.
The elixir of ice and fire is quite difficult to make.
Therefore, he only produced one high-grade, one medium-grade, and two low-grade stones.
Zhong Cai was naturally not satisfied with such results, so he immediately calmed down and began refining the second batch.
Because he was careful enough, he successfully extracted the elixir again this time.
Fully upgraded directly!
However, the quality of the stones produced this time was similar to before: one high-grade stone, two medium-grade stones, and three low-grade stones.
Zhong Cai pursed her lips, but persevered.
They were busy like this for another two or three days.
Zhong Cai has finally mastered the art of refining!
Not only does it achieve a success rate of over 80%, but every batch also produces top-grade pills!
Every time he refined the product, Wu Shaogan would praise him repeatedly, showering him with compliments.
Zhong Cai was always in a great mood, her heart filled with joy.
Unlike many alchemists, Zhong Cai became complacent after being praised by his master Wu. Instead of declining his alchemy skills, he felt more proficient and made fewer mistakes because of his invigorated mood!
Even after multiple batches, it never fails!
·
On this day, Zhong Cai collected another batch of pills. Because her profound energy was almost used up, she was recuperating and restoring her energy.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
Zhong Cai was a little puzzled.
Wu Shaogan then got up and opened the palace door.
In an instant, more than a dozen people rushed in.
Zhong Cai: "..."
What are they doing, all baring their teeth and brandishing their claws? Are they trying to start a brawl?!
—That was my subconscious reaction.
But Zhong Cai soon realized that these people weren't actually being aggressive; they just walked with slightly large steps and looked a little agitated...
Wu Shaogan appeared in front of Zhong Cai in a flash, clearly intending to protect her.
The cultivators who rushed in noticed Wu Shaogan's wariness and immediately realized that they had been a bit impolite. They quickly composed themselves and bowed, apologizing, "Master Zhong, we apologize for our intrusion."
Zhong Cai blinked.
From this title... he suddenly understood something.
Wu Shaogan remained expressionless, but his aura softened slightly.
Then, one of the dozen or so male cultivators stepped forward and took the initiative to talk to Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan.
"These past few days, the fragrance of elixirs has filled your residences, which is truly... Therefore, we would like to inquire whether we may request elixirs from Master Zhong?"
Zhong Cai understood.
He glanced at the male cultivators and wasn't surprised.
·
These male cultivators were all of the Yang Fire attribute, or simply of the Fire attribute.
In other words, the many geniuses who haven't left yet, those who failed to marry into the family, and those waiting to attend their weddings.
They all either possess this special physique or have cultivated powerful secret techniques of this kind.
Therefore, the Ice and Fire Balancing Pill also has a wonderful effect on them.
Although they do not yet have a cultivation partner, the Ice and Fire Harmony Pill can still exert its medicinal power within their bodies, softening the strong reactions in their bodies and indeed alleviating some of the pain. It can even help to harmonize some aspects to a small extent.
This pill is definitely not as effective as cultivating both physical and mental strength, but it's convenient to keep a few on hand.
In cases like the original Ice Spirit Fairy's flaws flaring up, she needs to prepare more of these pills on hand. She should take one or a few pills before each cultivation session—the number depending on the duration and difficulty of the cultivation—so that her constitution won't easily flare up, and even if it does, it will be quickly resolved with the help of the medicine.
This provides an extra layer of protection.
·
Zhong Cai originally just did it on a whim, and that's how he started refining it.
Because the exact date of their wedding was uncertain and they had to wait for notification from the Star Moon Palace, it was inconvenient for them to completely seal off the small hall. So they simply set up some defensive formations.
However, further isolation formations are temporarily unusable.
In this way...
Although the fragrance of the elixir is very subtle, it spreads quickly and rapidly.
The speed at which they claim territory is incredibly aggressive.
As everyone knows, the cultivators who were summoned and their companions all lived nearby. Even if they were farther away, with their keen senses, they could detect the faint fragrance of the pills carried by the wind...
At first, it was fine. Most cultivators didn't think too much about it, assuming that someone had just consumed some fragrant and potent natural treasures.
However, as time went on, several well-informed geniuses realized that something was wrong.
Furthermore, they quickly realized that there was actually an alchemist refining pills here!
His alchemy skills were also extremely advanced!
Is this terrifyingly high success rate of pill production every day, with wafts of fragrant pill aroma?! Is this for real?!
That's incredible!
However, soon, others learned about Danxiang's origins.
They remembered that the couple who supposedly dominated the Azure Dragon Academy's Azure Dragon Ranking and Pill Ranking had come as friends of one of the recruited cultivators. After some further inquiry, they confirmed the news immediately and quickly found out that the son-in-law, Fan Jiming, was indeed their friend!
so……
There's nothing to hesitate about.
After some thought, these cultivators made a few casual visits and quickly arranged to meet with several familiar geniuses who were similar in various aspects.
They decided to visit Master Zhong Dan together.
It's not anything else, it's just that I simply can't sit still.
These pills are really useful to them; you can even tell from their fragrance that they are of extraordinary quality!
Perhaps, among them are top-grade elixirs?
Don't be fooled by the fact that they are mostly geniuses from level seven forces, not as good as those from Azure Dragon Academy. Their backgrounds are still very strong, and they have some understanding of the situation in higher-level forces.
Among them, the eighth-level alchemist, Senior Sang Danwang, was renowned for his superb alchemy skills and was very adept at refining top-grade pills.
Moreover, his disciple, Master Zhong Dan, seems to be the same, with talent that is definitely no less than that of King Sang Dan.
So……
We've finally managed to run into Master Zhong Dan here, are we really going to miss this opportunity?
Of course, we should hurry over and beg for the elixir!
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