Warm Water Resin Pine, Medicine for Healing

The path leading to the pool where Old Tortoise lived was an exceptionally secluded trail. Lush pine trees grew on either side, every trunk bearing enormous patches of Pine Resin.

Blue-green flames burned atop that resin, seemingly affecting the surrounding temperature and making the air pleasantly warm.

The scent and heat of the resin washed over him, strangely giving him the wonderful sensation of soaking in warm water.

It seems to be a second-rank spirit plant.

Warm Water Resin Pine.

The spiritual energy in a place like this can actually sustain a second-rank spirit plant?

He grew increasingly curious about this place.

Clearly, the spiritual energy here was not particularly abundant. More wondrous still, the fragrance of these spirit plants had a pronounced calming effect. Just breathing it in made Li Ye's mind settle, truly as though he were soaking in a hot spring.

Li Ye followed behind the youth. The youth ahead seemed to hesitate before gathering his courage and introducing the place.

"Immortal, this is the sacred ground of Tianhe City's Earth God Temple. Further down is the deep pool where Grandpa Tortoise lives."

"It is indeed my first time here. If there are any taboos or interesting tales I don't know about, just tell me."

To be honest, even now, he still did not understand why Su Ya had insisted on sending him here.

Could it simply be to let him experience the scenery of the mortal world, or to explain the might of the Four Seasons Sect to him?

Surely he did not really want him to take on a servant.

Perhaps he would understand once he saw this so-called Old Tortoise, or perhaps from this youth's words.

"Alright!"

Only then did the youth grow bolder. He moved nimbly through the woods, speaking clearly.

"Every year, immortals like you come here to pay respects to Grandpa Tortoise.

"Our entire Tianhe City relies on the protection of Grandpa Tortoise, Land Duke, and the Land Duchesses for favorable winds and rains."

"Land Duke and Land Duchesses?"

"Yes."

"The crops we plant every year are all passed down from the temples by the Mountain and Earth Gods. I heard... they used to be immortals like you!"

Immortals like me—no, that could not be right. He must have meant immortals like that Senior Sister Liu he had met earlier.

"I see."

"Tell me more about the Earth Gods. I'm very interested."

Li Ye nodded, a few thoughts taking shape in his mind.

Hearing Li Ye's words, the youth hurriedly poured out everything he knew.

Through his descriptions, Li Ye finally came to understand what Tianhe City was really like.

Though called a city, Tianhe City actually covered an extraordinarily vast area and was home to tens of millions. Beyond Tianhe City lay many other cities, with every kind of terrain and natural landscape imaginable.

Just as Su Ya had said, a mortal could exhaust an entire lifetime and still fail to traverse it all.

Yet the special resources of every city—things like Start of Spring Wheat—had to be obtained by Mountain and Earth Gods from cultivators in the immortal realm like Li Ye.

Likewise, cultivators could obtain certain special things from the Mountain and Earth Gods.

Through this exchange, the Mountain and Earth Gods could develop the cities under their charge, while cultivators could obtain certain special items that this world had spawned through incense offerings and merit.

After this conversation, Li Ye finally had a complete picture.

At the same time, he secretly marveled at the Four Seasons Sect's influence. Within such a blessed realm, utterly free of interference from outside forces, they had cultivated generation after generation. These mortals' loyalty to the Four Seasons Sect had long since reached its peak.

No matter how loyal a death warrior might be, they likely could not compare to people raised in this manner.

But the Four Seasons Sect truly did devote great care to these mortal worlds.

No cultivators brought calamity upon them, and they were protected with Four Seasons Harmony. In the Cultivation World, they were living quite well indeed.

As the two chatted, the fragrance of the distant flames had already formed a luminous mist of swirling clouds in midair. The farther down they went, the thicker the mist became.

Even Li Ye, with his Spiritual Energy refined again and again, found it somewhat strenuous, yet the youth beside him remained relaxed and at ease, seemingly unaffected at all.

When Li Ye reached the end of the stairs, the fiery luminous mist before him had formed a deep pool amid the mountains. A colossal figure was slowly rising from within it.

Only its enormous outline could be seen amid the swirling clouds and mist, but the panel activated with remarkable precision—

Name: Flint Flame Divine Tortoise · Immortal Script Conferment

Status: Good

Mood: Pleased

Bindable: Sixth-rank spirit plants related to flint flame.

The Flint Flame Divine Tortoise fixed Li Ye with eyes like blazing torches and spoke in an exceedingly kind male voice.

"An interesting lad. You carry the spiritual power of one of the little ones I helped the sect cultivate."

How much Aura of Golden Fortune did you bring?

If you have plenty, bring it all.

I'll definitely give you some benefits!"

Li Ye had indeed brought some, but only a mere two taels.

One Hungry Bone plant, once fully purified, yielded only two taels. He had already handed in the one from last time, and he had saved up these two taels himself.

Left with no choice, he took out the bottle. "Old Tortoise! This junior only has this much!"

"Not bad, not bad!" The Flint Flame Divine Tortoise stirred the fiery clouds and mist around it. "Pour the Aura of Golden Fortune in."

Crack.

Hearing this, Li Ye directly crushed the bottle in his hand and swept his sleeve.

With a whoosh, the wind carried the glittering golden liquid into the pool where the Flint Flame Divine Tortoise dwelled.

Though it was only two taels of Aura of Golden Fortune, it dyed the deep pool in a brilliant golden sheen.

Flowing golden halos coiled around the enormous divine tortoise, and its pleasure turned into wild delight.

Clearly, this Aura of Golden Fortune was of great help to it.

Li Ye waited quietly for a while. After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a piece of fragrant pine resin dropped directly before him, with a pinecone wrapped inside it.

"This is pine resin and a pinecone nurtured by this Warm Water Resin Pine.

Soak in it after lighting it with flames, and it can help you break through bottlenecks. It can also heal the damage to the meridians within your body."

"Most importantly, if you refine this pinecone into a Magic Tool and carry it with you, it can perfectly conceal your cultivation.

It bears the blessing of my divine power. Even a Golden Core cultivator will be unable to see through your true foundations."

"If you have the chance in the future, come here and visit this old man. Perhaps when I awaken someday, I can teach you some divine abilities and spells related to flint fire."

The Flint Flame Divine Tortoise slowly returned to the depths of the pool.

Before disappearing, it did not forget to give several pinecones to the mortal youth beside Li Ye. The crystal-clear pine nuts within were naturally treasures as well.

Watching it vanish completely into the deep pool, Li Ye gave it a slight bow, then said to the youth, "Let's go."

On the way back, the youth wanted to offer those pinecones to Li Ye, but how could Li Ye accept them?

They were clearly gifts Old Tortoise had bestowed upon him. Naturally, Li Ye could not take them.

Besides, his own harvest this time had truly been considerable.

Two taels of Aura of Golden Fortune in exchange for pine resin that could heal injuries and help him break through bottlenecks, as well as a pinecone Magic Tool—he was already quite satisfied with all that.

Greed was never a good thing.

When he and the youth returned to the mountaintop from before, Senior Sister Liu had already been waiting there for a long time. She smiled at Li Ye. "It seems Junior Brother's fortune runs deep.

Senior Brother Su has matters to attend to, so Junior Brother should wait here for a while.

I also have something I wish to discuss with Junior Brother. What do you think... would you still be willing to let this boy serve at your side?

Even if Junior Brother enters the sect in the future, you will always need some junior to run errands for you."

Li Ye shook his head helplessly. "Senior Sister still hasn't forgotten about it. But this boy is indeed clever. While I'm in Mountain River City, I can indeed let him attend me."

He did not give a definite answer, but even so, a smile appeared on Senior Sister Liu's face, while the mortal youth beside them was beside himself with joy.

Even if he could not leave, being able to stay with an immortal for a few days was an exceptionally rare stroke of fortune!