Chapter 1110: Maturation Acceleration

Afterward, the four of them left Cui Ming Mountain, sped along the Wuling River for a while, and arrived at Li Yufu's cave dwelling.

Hidden deep within the mountains, the cave dwelling fully embraced the spiritual beauty of the landscape.

Reuniting with old friends and receiving news that Yun Youzi and Mu Yifeng were safe and sound greatly uplifted Qin Sang's mood. He thought, "This barren land actually conceals such an excellent spiritual vein, suitable for Golden Core cultivators. After retrieving the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid, I could cultivate here while waiting for Yun Youzi."

With this thought in mind, Qin Sang gave some instructions to Li Yufu and the others, then departed alone, continuing south.

He was headed for the Cloudmist Great Marsh. Qin Sang would never forget the location where he had hidden the spiritual herb years ago, and his mind was far from calm. The good news was that the Sinful Abyss's advance had been contained by the Heavenly Alliance, and the Cloudmist Great Marsh had not been affected by the war. He had hidden the spiritual herb very deeply, so barring any unforeseen circumstances, it was certainly still there.

Without a moment's delay, he reached the edge of the Cloudmist Great Marsh and flew alone into the vast expanse of water. The spiritual herb he had longed for day and night was now within reach.

Qin Sang submerged himself into the mud and sand, diving straight down. Plunging deep underground, he finally sensed resistance. The Profound Nether Tortoise Shell Formation was perfectly intact!

Qin Sang's heart suddenly lightened, a flicker of joy appearing in his eyes. He waved his hand, opening the spiritual formation. A rich spiritual energy rushed towards him, and Qin Sang hurried into the cave dwelling, instinctively holding his breath.

The spiritual spring was still there, and the cave dwelling was exceptionally rich in spiritual energy. In the center of the spiritual spring, an orchid stood gracefully, firmly captivating Qin Sang's gaze.

The Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid had long since completed its eighth transformation. All colors had faded from its petals, turning it a pure, elegant, and serene white, yet it was captivating.

Qin Sang stared blankly at the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid, speechless for a long time. This orchid had witnessed his escape from Yuanzhao Sect, his apprenticeship in Shaohua Mountain, and his journey through Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and Core Formation stages. After years of separation and countless miles apart, they were finally reunited.

Qin Sang slowly walked to the spiritual spring, lost in thought as he recalled the experiences of the past years. Coming back to his senses, he took out the Three Lights Jade Liquid.

Now, for him, the most important matter was forming his Nascent Soul. After handling all other miscellaneous affairs, Qin Sang planned to find a place for secluded cultivation and train until he reached the peak of the Core Formation stage. With ten years of experience in the Demonic Sea and several battles in the Seven Kills Hall, his accumulation was almost complete, and he estimated there was no longer a need to seek out opponents for combat. The True Kill Talisman could continue to enhance his talent, and he had also purchased a batch of supplementary cultivation pills at Yinshan Pass, meaning his cultivation speed would be even faster than before. It wouldn't be long before he could prepare for Nascent Soul formation.

To avoid any further complications, Qin Sang decided to directly ripen the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid and take the spiritual herb. "I hope the Three Lights Jade Liquid's effect is real; please don't let any accidents happen..." As he was about to ripen the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid, Qin Sang felt an inexplicable surge of worry. He had tried before, and the spiritual fruits ripened by the Three Lights Jade Liquid had been merely superficial, lacking the proper medicinal efficacy. The Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid had previously grown in the Xuanpu Palace, nourished by immortal restrictions, but having been moved out of the Ziwei Palace for so long, he wondered if any unforeseen changes had occurred.

With a soft pop, Qin Sang removed the spiritual spring's restriction and opened the jade bottle. Sensing the aura of the Three Lights Jade Liquid, the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid slowly leaned towards the bottle's opening, faintly emitting an eager desire, almost as if it couldn't wait.

Seeing this, Qin Sang immediately drew forth a drop of the Three Lights Jade Liquid and sent it floating towards the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid. Drip! The Three Lights Jade Liquid dropped into the flower's pistil and was instantly absorbed.

In an instant, endless vitality emanated, filling the entire cave. The Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid stretched luxuriantly, its pistil, petals, and even the entire spiritual herb dancing with joy. The spiritual mist emanating from the orchid shifted and coalesced, forming various wondrous images that left Qin Sang mesmerized and marveling.

Qin Sang watched the spiritual herb intently, holding his breath. Finally, he keenly sensed that the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid's aura was rapidly changing. The spiritual liquid was effective! Seeing this scene, Qin Sang truly felt relieved.

He remembered that when he first returned from the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, around that time, the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid had begun its eighth transformation. Each transformation took five hundred years. By his calculations, it would still take over three hundred years for it to complete its ninth transformation and fully mature. A maximum of four drops of Three Lights Jade Liquid would be needed. In the Canglang Sea, Qin Sang had faced several dangers and used quite a bit of it, but there was still more than enough to ripen the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid.

A few days later, the spiritual mist finally stabilized. The medicinal properties had been completely absorbed. The Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid's appearance didn't change significantly; its form would only undergo major shifts during transformations. Qin Sang continued to draw forth the Three Lights Jade Liquid and pour it onto the spiritual herb.

It was not until the third drop was used that an unexpected scene unfolded. After absorbing the medicinal power, the petals suddenly drew tightly together, forming a bud. It didn't last long before slowly blooming in front of Qin Sang.

At this moment, the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid shed all its opulence, even its spiritual mist dispersed, transforming into the most unadorned and simple orchid. It had returned to its original simplicity! To the naked eye, it appeared no different from a common orchid.

"It only took three drops of Three Lights Jade Liquid to ripen the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid," Qin Sang mused to himself. "It seems the idea of each drop increasing its age by a hundred years isn't an absolute rule. It's good to save a drop, as I didn't have much left anyway..."

Watching the Nine Illusion Heavenly Orchid, which he had longed for day and night, finally mature, Qin Sang could not hide the joy on his face. He carefully took it from the spiritual spring, admiring it immensely. After a while, Qin Sang took out the jade box he had prepared beforehand, placed the spiritual herb inside, and sealed its medicinal power with a restriction.

Qin Sang's face showed a hint of emotion as he took one last look at his former cave dwelling. He then flew out of the water, carrying the essence of the spiritual spring.

The supreme treasure had returned, and a great weight lifted from his heart.

Qin Sang flew discreetly over the water, pondering if there was anything else he needed to do. Previously, he had intended to discreetly inquire about Mu Yifeng's whereabouts near Shaohua Mountain. However, since Mu Yifeng had not incurred the wrath of Lord Dongyang, there was no longer a need to take that risk. Although he greatly wished to visit his old friends from the sect, Lord Dongyang's threat loomed like a hanging sword, forcing him to act cautiously.

"I should bury Senior Qingzhu, then inquire about the current situation, and finally return to secluded cultivation," he decided. Qin Sang altered his flight path, turning west.

"Peach Blossom Valley," he mused. "That should be Senior Qingzhu's hometown! If there are red jade peaches in Peach Blossom Valley, they must be what Senior Qingzhu meant by a 'better taste.' I wonder how sweet they are?"

Peach Blossom Valley was located on the edge of the Cloudmist Great Marsh, situated between Shaohua Mountain and Yuan Shen Sect. According to Senior Qingzhu, it was neither a cultivator sect's stronghold nor a cultivation family's territory. The location wasn't hard to find. Qin Sang didn't expend much effort and quickly pinpointed the location of Peach Blossom Valley.

Not long after flying out of the Cloudmist Great Marsh, Qin Sang entered a mountain range. After speeding along one of its peaks for a while, he abruptly halted his flight. It was dawn, with the morning sun just rising. Morning mist drifted through the mountains, enveloping several surrounding peaks. Peach Blossom Valley lay below.

Qin Sang flashed down onto a mountaintop, channeled his true essence, and cast the talisman seal Senior Qingzhu had taught him. To his surprise, the mist rippled, but the spiritual formation did not open. Just then, a graceful red figure suddenly emerged from within the formation.

"Oh? You're not dead?"