Chapter 90

"Speaking of this mountain, it is called the Ten Thousand Longevity Mountain. In the mountain, there is an observatory called the Five Acre Observatory... It is called the Grass Returning Pill, also known as the Ginseng Fruit. It blooms once every three thousand years and bears fruit once every three thousand years... Smelling the fruit once can extend one's life by three hundred and sixty years; eating one can extend one's life by forty-seven thousand years." Zhong Wen sat on the stone steps at the front of the courtyard, shaking his head and nodding, with the air of a storyteller.

In the courtyard, a row of benches was neatly arranged, and they were densely filled with listeners.

After Shangguan Mingyue and Shen Dachui returned to the capital, Zhong Wen had a rare few days of leisure.

Every morning, everyone in the Floating Flower Palace, except for Lin Zhiyun and Ye Qinglian, would obediently gather in the center of the courtyard, munching on fruit while listening to Zhong Wen tell the story of *Journey to the West*.

As for the shadow faintly visible behind the corridor pillars, whether it was the Palace Master, Zhong Wen did not delve into it.

After lunch, Zhong Wen would shamelessly run to Lin Zhiyun's boudoir and "practice" cultivation techniques and spirit skills with her. Initially, Lin Zhiyun was somewhat resistant, but the cultivation techniques and spirit skills that Zhong Wen brought out were all precious manuals surpassing the Gold grade, making it impossible for her to say "no."

*The Barbarian King's Divine Strength Technique*, *The Muscle and Bone Strengthening Technique*, *The Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique*...

One after another, high-grade cultivation techniques and spirit skills were translated and stored in the Floating Flower Palace's library. Gradually, Lin Zhiyun began to get used to spending the afternoons alone with Zhong Wen, and she even felt a sense of pride as the library's collection grew.

As her exposure to high-grade cultivation techniques and spirit skills increased, she gradually became assimilated by Zhong Wen, starting to feel that Gold-grade manuals were indeed somewhat "trashy."

After dinner, Zhong Wen would sometimes go to guide Yin Ning'er in alchemy and pill refinement, and other times he would hide in his room to refine pills, forge, draw spirit patterns, and complete tasks.

As he had expected, after completing the task of "refining the Heaven-Defying Sword," Task 2 creatively turned into "refining the Dragon-Slaying Saber."

Fortunately, the core materials for both the sword and the saber were ten-thousand-year-old black iron, which required almost no effort for Zhong Wen, who had absorbed the forging knowledge of the Thunder Sound Valley.

For the rewards from these two tasks, he did not rely on the good luck of Leng Wushuang and the little girl. Instead, he personally took action, resulting in a Diamond-grade *Mixed Yuan Dao Sword* and a *Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales*...

Task 2 of the "New Huazang Pavilion" also changed:

"Task 2: Repair the Floating Flower Palace's 'Sword Puppet Pavilion' to gain one lottery chance;"

By the hour of Hai, he would sneak into Leng Wushuang's room, avoiding everyone's gaze, and embrace her, rolling on the bed to "practice" cultivation.

The spiritual energy in the Floating Flower Palace was so abundant that it surpassed even the Seven Holy Lands. Being in such an environment, one could feel their internal spiritual energy growing stronger with each breath. With their high-grade cultivation techniques and the added power of yin-yang cultivation, their practice felt like a rocket launch, incredibly fast.

Not long after advancing to the third level of the Earth Wheel, Zhong Wen could vaguely sense the threshold of the fourth level of the Earth Wheel beckoning him.

Whether it was resignation or numbness, after hearing Zhong Wen and Leng Wushuang's "bedroom drama" so many times, Lin Zhiyun no longer reacted as strongly as before. During the day, she could calmly interact with Zhong Wen, maintaining a normal expression.

Shangguan Junyi, also at the Heaven Wheel realm, not only showed no signs of shyness but often joked about it, often making Leng Wushuang blush and hide in her room for a long time.

"At this time, the Bodhisattva and the three elders each ate one, and Tang僧 realized it was a treasure of the immortals, so he also ate one, and the three disciples of Wukong each ate one... That's it for today. To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode." Zhong Wen put away the jade bone fan in his hand, ending the day's *Journey to the West*.

Since that day when he played the role of a young noble to tease Nangong Lin, he had become obsessed with the fan, always carrying it with him and occasionally fanning himself. If one looked closely, they would notice that his fan-waving movements were somewhat similar to Nangong Lin's.

The story of the Ginseng Fruit was a classic and well-known plot from his previous life. As soon as Zhong Wen finished speaking, a group of young maids began excitedly chattering. The little girl even took out tools and started carving eyes, nose, and mouth on the melon in her hand, simulating the invaluable human-shaped fruit. Shen Xiaowan, Baoqin, Sichi, and other young maids surrounding her occasionally burst into silver laughter, filling the entire courtyard with joy and laughter.

"Sometimes, watching the maids play makes me feel like I'm already old." Shangguan Junyi smoothed her hair and sighed, "If there were really Ginseng Fruits in the world, how wonderful it would be. Just a whiff, and you live for three hundred and sixty years; eat one, and you live for forty-seven thousand years. The age difference of a dozen years could be ignored."

"Shangguan Elder is a Heaven Wheel expert with a lifespan of two hundred years. You are still in the maiden stage." Nangong Ling covered her mouth and laughed, "If you stand next to Xiaodie, others would only think you are sisters."

"Miss Ling, your words are truly delightful." Shangguan Junyi giggled, "I know you are flattering me, but I am still very happy."

"Two sisters, the Ginseng Fruit is not a fictional thing. Without going into the distant past, I have one right here." Zhong Wen grinned and pulled out a melon-sized fruit from somewhere, which was shaped like a three-year-old infant, complete with limbs and facial features.

The infant's expression was vivid and lifelike. If not for its size and color, it could almost pass for a real baby.

"This, this!" Not only Shangguan Junyi, but even Nangong Ling was surprised and found it very cute, unable to look away.

Of course, this was not the real "Ginseng Fruit," but a toy that Zhong Wen had created by making a mold, placing the fruit inside, and watering it with water soaked in the Tai Sui Pearl.

"Wow, Ginseng Fruit!" The little girl, seeing the "Ginseng Fruit" in Zhong Wen's hand, was extremely excited. She discarded the half-carved melon and, along with several other maids, gathered around Zhong Wen, shouting, "Let me see, let me see!"

"Don't rush, the Ginseng Fruit is only one." Zhong Wen held the fruit high above his head, "It can only be given to the one who listens to the Palace Master the most and practices the hardest. Come, come, report your cultivation levels. The one who has made the most progress will get the 'Ginseng Fruit' and achieve immortality."

Considering that Qiao Erniang and the four young maids would be operating a spirit medicine shop in Fufeng City, Zhong Wen and Lin Zhiyun decided to take them as "outer disciples" of the Floating Flower Palace, teaching them some cultivation techniques and spirit skills.

In the end, under Zhong Wen's insistence, Lin Zhiyun taught the four young maids the *Barbarian King's Divine Strength Technique* and taught Qiao Erniang the *Muscle and Bone Strengthening Technique*.

As outer disciples, they naturally did not receive the "enlightenment" treatment.

Thinking about the four young maids, who looked gentle and weak, each possessing the strength of a Barbarian King, Zhong Wen's face would show a mischievous smile, secretly delighted.

Hearing the words "immortality," the young maids immediately went wild, competing to report their cultivation levels.

Shen Xiaowan: "First level of the Earth Wheel."

Baoqin: "First level of the Earth Wheel."

Sichi: "First level of the Earth Wheel."

Shushi: "First level of the Earth Wheel."

Ruhua: "First level of the Earth Wheel."

Lin Xiaodie: "Fifth level of the Earth Wheel."

Everyone: "......"

"These young maids are all under fifteen years old, right?" Shangguan Junyi widened her eyes, almost unable to believe her ears, "Such young Earth Wheel experts, if this news spreads, the elders of the Holy Lands would surely come to snatch them as disciples."

"The other young maids reached the Earth Wheel with the help of Zhong Wen's pills, but Xiaodie..." Nangong Ling put her right hand to her forehead, calming herself, "She is not yet ten years old and has never taken any pills. At this cultivation speed, she will likely reach the Heaven Wheel next year. A ten-year-old Heaven Wheel, just thinking about it is exciting."

The little girl, basking in the envious gazes of the others, proudly took the "Ginseng Fruit" from Zhong Wen's hand and showed it off, with the other young maids closely following, their eyes red with envy.

"Qiao Sister." While the young maids were playing, Zhong Wen slowly walked to Qiao Erniang's side, "How is the preparation for the Qingfeng Pavilion going?"

"I have already bought the original spirit medicine shop in Fufeng City and am having it renovated. It should be completed in a couple of days." Qiao Erniang was radiant, never having imagined that she would become an Earth Wheel cultivator one day, "The medicinal fields around Green Cloud Mountain have also been acquired, ensuring a sufficient supply of spirit medicines."

All the able-bodied men of Green Cloud Fort had perished in the Thunder Sound Valley, leaving only the elderly, weak, and women, who were in dire straits. Hearing that someone wanted to buy the land, they were more than willing.

"Thank you, Sister." Zhong Wen's eyes sparkled, "The Silver Ring Merchant Guild will never expect that our small 'Qingfeng Pavilion' will bring such a huge impact to the spirit medicine market."