Chapter 1449: Jade Tree Fragrant Snow

## Chapter 1434: Jade Tree, Fragrant Snow

Under the trees, gardeners were moving earth, seemingly preparing to plant something else in the corner of the garden. Each person was bundled up tightly, as if it were the dead of winter.

The palace attendant leading the way said, "It is His Majesty's wish to plant another begonia there, to accompany the pear blossoms."

"Can it survive?" The cold spring water was chilling; anyone with slightly weaker cultivation would feel their feet grow numb after standing for a few breaths. If they stood for an hour, they would likely turn into an ice sculpture from the inside out.

The attendant, being quite astute, replied, "As fate would have it."

"What else could happen?" He Lingchuan smiled faintly. From the attendant's words, it seemed King Jiao had planted many trees here before, only for each one to die.

Truly self-willed.

He Lingchuan walked beneath the profusion of flowers when suddenly, from above, he heard a sound like waves crashing in a bamboo forest.

He looked up, and the pear tree was swaying without any wind.

Fragrant blossoms fluttered down from above, like snow falling in June, exuding an extreme sense of poignant loneliness.

Pear blossoms landed on his face and clothes, a chilling cold permeating him.

He Lingchuan even heard a faint, rustling sound in his ears, like swaying branches and leaves, yet also like someone whispering.

The pear tree seemed to be confiding in him.

This feeling was hard to describe, but He Lingchuan felt as if he had "heard" its yearning and helplessness.

This tree possessed great spiritual energy.

The attendant also gasped softly, "Jade Tree, Fragrant Snow! What great fortune, Island Master He!"

Amidst the swirling white, He Lingchuan suddenly felt the divine bone necklace hidden in his collar grow slightly warm.

Immediately after, he saw a glimmer of golden light amidst the falling white blossoms, soft yet bright.

It flew towards him.

He Lingchuan instinctively reached out and caught it in his palm. On closer inspection, it was a dark pink pear blossom with gold-edged petals.

In terms of delicate beauty, it resembled a spring begonia, yet its touch was soft and icy, like catching a snowflake.

The divine bone necklace was still warm.

It wanted to consume this? The divine bone necklace had been with him for several years, having even devoured a god's avatar; its appetite was long since refined. How could ordinary items catch its eye? This meant this pear blossom was extraordinary. He asked the attendant, "Is this color normal?" The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his embrace whispered, "I've checked. There isn't a second flower on this tree or in the water that's this deep in color with gold edges."

The attendant leaned in to glance at his palm and smiled, "It's perfectly normal."

"Aren't they all this color?" Fan Shuang said, casually picking up a few pear blossoms from the ground. They were either light pink or pure white.

He Lingchuan's heart stirred. He asked them both, "What color is this?"

Fan Shuang replied without hesitation, "Light pink, almost white."

The attendant nodded beside him.

Neither of them mentioned the gold-edged petals.

He Lingchuan murmured, "Oh." It was clearly the same pear blossom, yet what he saw differed from what they saw.

"What's going on?" The attendant smiled, "The pear tree occasionally sheds countless blossoms like this, especially on His Majesty's birthday, when they are sure to fall."

"Therefore, His Majesty highly praises this scene as 'Jade Tree, Fragrant Snow.' Those who witness it are said to possess great fortune."

"This flower is probably its gift to you."

With an audience with the king imminent, He Lingchuan had no time to linger. He put away the flower and, to be safe, picked up a small pear blossom branch from the ground as well.

Further ahead was the imperial study.

Just by seeing that the king placed his study beside the cold spring, one could tell he truly favored the old pear tree.

King Jiao only wished to see He Lingchuan, so Fan Shuang had to stop there. The attendant continued to lead the way.

King Jiao sat alone deep within the palace.

He had gained some weight and wasn't as wrinkled as most old people, but his eyelids were slack, drooping down to form triangular eyes.

He Lingchuan noticed that the whites of his eyes were yellowish and bloodshot, and his breathing was a little heavy.

These were signs of excessive liver fire and poor rest recently.

But King Jiao was still delighted to see He Lingchuan, his face beaming with a smile. "You are He Xiao?"

He Lingchuan naturally performed the full courtesies: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Without waiting for him to bow, the King waved his hand, "Dispense with the formalities! Come, be seated."

Someone swiftly brought a brocade stool, and He Lingchuan took his seat.

The attendant immediately informed King Jiao, "Island Master He encountered the Jade Tree, Fragrant Snow on his way here."

"Oh?" The King looked, and indeed, two pear blossoms had fallen onto He Lingchuan's shoulder.

He smiled so broadly that the wrinkles on his face deepened. "It seems the pear blossoms are very fond of you."

"This tree possesses great spiritual energy."

"Indeed." The King smiled. "It never sheds its blossoms for those I dislike."

Such as State Supervisor Qingyang.

He Lingchuan was curious, "Why was this pear tree planted beside the cold spring?"

"It was planted personally by the late King, who said it could ward off disasters for future generations." The King rested his arm on the armrest. "In these past fifty-nine years, I have barely fallen ill."

He Lingchuan looked amazed. "Such a treasure should be well protected."

"It has been tempered by the icy spring, impenetrable by blades and spears, unharmed by water, fire, or frost. Why would it need others' protection?" King Jiao's gaze was sharp, his words self-satisfied.

He Lingchuan couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't talking about the old pear tree, but about himself.

"I see." King Jiao changed the subject. "Has Fan Shuang accompanied you on a tour of Tianshui City these past few days?"

"It was truly eye-opening. Tianshui City is rich in resources, and its citizens are warm and welcoming. The local customs here are indeed different from other parts of Shanjin," He Lingchuan replied. "The splendor of the Miaozhan Heavenly Temple even surpasses the Heavenly Palace in Lingxu City."

The main deity worshipped in Jiaoguo is Miaozhan Heaven.

He Lingchuan had indeed visited the Miaozhan Heavenly Temple, which was the tallest building in the city, even more magnificent than the Miaozhan Heavenly Hall in the Heavenly Palace.

Jiaoguo originally worshipped Shali Heaven but later converted to Miaozhan Heaven, a change that occurred long ago.

He Lingchuan traveled from west to east, finding Miaozhan Heavenly Temples flourishing throughout Jiaoguo.

However, He Lingchuan knew that the All-Seeing Eye, or Dharma Eye, in Tianshui City's Miaozhan Heavenly Temple was merely an ornament; the true divine artifact was still in the Heavenly Palace.

He had even suffered at the hands of that thing.

"A discerning eye," King Jiao thought.

A faint smile appeared on King Jiao's face. However, He Lingchuan then continued, "Unfortunately, both the Gu and Bu families closed their doors to visitors. I went to call on them as arranged but was unable to meet them."

The Gu family's Weiyin Agent and the Bu family's Xiang Le Beans were both trade goods stipulated in the agreement.

According to the tasks King Jiao had previously assigned to several officially sanctioned businesses, they were to conduct trade with He Lingchuan.

This was the bait to draw He Lingchuan to Tianshui City.

Now that he had come, failing to provide the bait King Jiao had guaranteed was truly indefensible.

"The current situation is a bit special; it's not that they don't want to do business with you." Thinking of the Bu family being reported by State Supervisor Qingyang, the King's smile faded slightly. "Don't worry, all of this can be resolved."

"With Your Majesty's golden word, all my worries vanish." He Lingchuan beamed with delight. "Then, what about the next—" He quickly listed seven or eight more items, all goods from the agreement's manifest.

King Jiao patiently nodded. "Rest assured, you won't encounter any more closed doors."

"Merchants truly prioritize profit, always seizing an opportunity," King Jiao mused, a faint chuckle escaping him.