Peach Blossom Divine Power, Aura of Golden Fortune

His doubts were swiftly answered.

Su Ya pointed at a nearby tree. "This peach branch bears the divine blessing of the Peach Blossom Mountain God. It can swiftly ripen plants, and its effect is even greater on peach trees."

"As it happens, these peach trees can only bear delicious peaches under this divine power. Otherwise, once the season of spring blossoms has passed, the flowers will never fall and give way to fruit."

"Though this divine power clings to the peach branch, if you diligently learn to sense it, it is not impossible to master it. In the future, it will become a divine art that you yourself know."

As he spoke, he seemingly casually swept his gaze around the area.

"This item was bestowed by the mountain god of our Four Seasons Sect. Since it was a gift from the mountain god, it naturally belongs only to those favored by her venerable self.

"If anyone else takes it, not only will they be unable to learn the divine art within, they may even invite calamity upon themselves."

Cultivator Xiao, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator dressed in fitted martial attire who had remained silent until now, also spoke up. "Naturally. Within Returning Shore Market, no one is permitted to casually seize another's opportunity."

The others also voiced their agreement.

Fellow Daoist Zhou even urged, "Fellow Daoist Li, hurry and cast the spell. We've never tasted peaches ripened by the mountain god's divine power before!"

"Since all you fellow Daoists and seniors are waiting."

"Then I shall make a fool of myself."

With that, the faint tension from earlier naturally vanished without a trace. Everyone watched expectantly as Li Ye held the peach branch and walked over to a peach tree that was not particularly tall.

Jade-colored light swept gently through the flowing rosy haze of peach blossoms.

The peach blossoms blooming brilliantly across the tree fluttered down one after another, while large fruits, white flushed with red, swiftly grew into being.

The fragrance of peaches immediately rushed to greet them.

Compared to the scent of peach blossoms, it was a fragrance that smelled even more delicious and substantial. Merely breathing it in made their mouths water, eager to taste these delectable peaches.

And, as it happened, there were seventeen cultivators present, and exactly seventeen peaches.

Once the peaches had fully ripened, they were wrapped in a breeze that came from nowhere and fell into the hands of each cultivator.

Unsurprisingly, the one in Li Ye's hand was the largest and reddest.

There was naturally no need for further words.

The cultivators all enjoyed the delicious peaches. Their juice was sweet and their flesh fragrant. Though they did not provide much Spiritual Energy, being able to savor such rare and peerless food was already more than wonderful.

After they had finished the peaches, Su Ya was the first to speak.

"Next, fellow Daoists, please draw lots."

"Let us see who will be fortunate enough to invoke a spirit."

With a casual gesture, he took out a lot tube and let the cultivators draw lots one after another. In the end, it was unexpectedly the other four Qi Refining Cultivators who drew the winning slips.

They looked utterly overjoyed, clearly never expecting that they would be the ones to draw them.

To be honest, Li Ye had also thought that the Foundation Establishment Cultivators would surely draw the lots next. He knew very well that he had been able to invoke a spirit first only because he possessed enough value for Su Ya to regard him highly.

At this moment, Fellow Daoist Zhou, seated beside Li Ye, leaned closer and said, "These fellow Daoists were all invited by us. They are Rogue Cultivators among the Returning Shore cultivators."

"You needn't feel that you took someone else's place either. Senior Su Ya should originally have occupied one of the slots himself. This time, he gave it to you."

"So that's how it is." Li Ye nodded, sighing faintly inwardly.

Fellow Daoist Su Ya valued him so highly merely because of the Moon Nectar Pearls produced by the Silver Moon Grass. It seemed that Silver Moon Grass was also something very important within the Four Seasons Sect.

It seemed he would need to be more careful in the future.

Even if nothing would happen within Returning Shore Market, who knew whether he might encounter cultivators outside who wanted to kill him and seize his treasures?

But then again, what Spirit Vine had said the other day was also right. Caution was good, but opportunities would be few—if he truly only ever cowered and hid his edge, could he really obtain so many resources and opportunities?

Thinking this, he shook his head.

He had to strive, but he had to strive in a suitable and reasonable manner.

At the very least, he could not let himself fall into danger he had no means to resist.

He reached for the wine that had been set on the table and drank it in one gulp.

The wine was clear and sweet, entirely lacking the fiery burn that scorched the throat and stomach. Instead, it dispersed the vexation in his mind.

He looked into the distance, where the few cultivators fortunate enough to receive the chance to invoke spirits were doing so one after another.

But evidently, their luck was not as good as Li Ye's.

The best among them had only received a bronze reward, while the rest had received wooden rewards.

Even so, they were extraordinarily happy. It had been an unexpected gain to begin with; greed for more would only be harmful.

After the spirit invocations concluded, everyone began speaking of the strange tales and amusing happenings they had encountered recently. As expected, the conversation turned to the demonic sect invasion that the Four Seasons Sect was trying to resolve.

"That demonic sect is truly hateful."

A young cultivator said bitterly, "They actually used mortals to study those hellish arts. This time, they even used the most horrifying Art of Hungry Ghosts to refine countless cities!"

"You must know that Spirit Herbalists like us can casually cultivate enough grain to feed ordinary people for years. In such a flourishing age, the demonic sect actually found a crack to slip through!"

Cultivator Jiang sighed softly. "Alas, that demonic sect truly is vile. I heard that the Four Seasons High Sect is already trying every possible way to eradicate those Demon Flowers growing all over the land?

"If the resentment within those Demon Flowers is dispelled, do they truly possess Aura of Golden Fortune?"

She looked toward Su Ya.

His expression did not change in the slightest. He nodded.

"You should all trust in the capabilities of our Four Seasons Sect, and you have likely heard some rumors as well. If the resentment within that Demon Flower is resolved using the proper method, it truly yields Aura of Golden Fortune.

"That strange spiritual material was obtained when our Four Seasons Sect, with the power of a Transformation God Ancestor, entered into a contract with the Heavenly Dao of that land. No matter what you Fellow Daoists may think, so long as you can resolve the resentment, take the Aura of Golden Fortune as you please!

"Of course, if you are willing to trade with our Four Seasons Sect, there will naturally be many benefits. The nominal top-grade Spirit Artifact is merely one of them."

At this point, he paused, and his tone grew heavier.

"But you should also know that even if we can erase the effects brought about by the demon sect, we cannot undo these sins."

"More importantly, where do these hardships truly come from?"

"Mortals suffer all manner of hardships from the moment they are born, and can only rest when their lifespan comes to an end. The demonic sect is indeed hateful, but why hardship exists is the root of the matter."

"Several Fellow Daoists present have families that are prominent clans near Returning Shore Market. Do not let our Four Seasons Sect's inspection envoys discover any acts of exploiting mortals."

His gaze swept over the cultivators.

Quite a few of them visibly stiffened.

Among them was Fellow Daoist Zhou, seated beside Li Ye.

Immediately afterward, Cultivator Jiang smiled. "Fellow Daoist Su, those words make it sound as though you do not trust the Fellow Daoists here. We all come from renowned clans and great families—how could we possibly exploit mortals?"

"Of course." Su Ya smiled as well. "When the Start of Spring Wheat is harvested in the coming days, I will have to trouble your families to distribute this batch of Start of Spring Wheat to the mortals under your respective jurisdictions."

The cultivators naturally nodded in agreement.

Mingling among the crowd, Li Ye could not help feeling somewhat moved. Fellow Daoist Su had seemed so unreliable before, yet when it was time to be formidable, he truly was formidable. As expected of a disciple from a great sect.

But... so that thing was called "Aura of Golden Fortune"?

Could it be something that improved one's fortune?

Shouldn't something related to fortune be exceedingly precious? Why was it being released so easily?