Gift of the Immortal Orchid, A Banquet for the Martial Soul Hall's Holy Son Three Days Later

The paperwork was finished by evening.

Dugu Yan took Ye Lingling and left Heaven Dou City, heading straight toward the Sunset Forest.

The two walked along the forest path for over an hour until the sky turned completely black.

Dugu Yan knew this path by heart; she pulled Ye Lingling past the sparse trees of the outer perimeter and through the dense shrubs of the middle zone, finally stopping before a hill roughly five hundred meters high.

"We're here."

Ye Lingling looked up at the hill shrouded in thick fog, vaguely sensing an incredibly dense surge of heaven and earth energy emanating from deep within the mountain.

"This is..."

"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

Dugu Yan lowered her voice, a hint of showing off in her tone, "This is where His Highness the Holy Son cultivates. Once you go in, you'll understand—the concentration of soul power there is incomparable to anything outside."

Following a hidden path along the side of the mountain, the two descended, passing several poison formations set up by Dugu Bo along the way.

Dugu Yan had long since mastered the methods to bypass these traps; she led Ye Lingling around every trigger point, arriving steadily at the bottom of the valley.

The valley floor was a world of its own.

One side was freezing cold, the other scorching hot; two diametrically opposed auras converged in the center, forming a strange hot spring.

The area around the spring was covered in various medicinal herbs, shimmering with faint spiritual light and emitting a delicate fragrance.

Ye Lingling instinctively took a breath, and every pore on her body seemed to open.

"This..."

"Shocked, aren't you?"

Dugu Yan proudly draped an arm over her shoulder, "Let's go, His Highness is just ahead."

On a flat rock not far from the spring, Qin Yao was sitting cross-legged.

Dark purple soul power circulated around him, with amethyst patterns spreading along his arms to the backs of his hands, leaving a faint, scorching heat in the air.

Hearing footsteps, he retracted his soul power and opened his eyes.

"Your Highness, we have arrived." Dugu Yan released Ye Lingling and bowed respectfully.

Ye Lingling followed suit, bowing as well: "Ye Lingling, greetings to His Highness the Holy Son."

Qin Yao stood up and brushed the stone dust from his robes.

"Did the withdrawal go smoothly?"

"It did," Dugu Yan replied.

Qin Yao gave a soft "Mn" and looked at Ye Lingling. Without wasting words, he took a jade box from his Soul Tool.

The moment the jade box opened, a fragrance of orchids so thick it felt almost tangible permeated the entire valley floor.

Ye Lingling instinctively took half a step back, dazed by the intensity of the scent.

Dugu Yan took a few breaths as well, her spirit instantly lifted: "So fragrant!"

Inside the jade box, an eight-petaled orchid lay quietly, its petals snow-white and lustrous, trembling slightly.

"This item is called the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid."

Qin Yao held the jade box out to Ye Lingling, "Its nature is gentle and its medicinal properties are rich; it can consolidate your foundation and expel impurities from your body. It is of the greatest benefit to an auxiliary-system soul master like you."

Ye Lingling was stunned.

She hadn't expected that, just as Dugu Yan had said, His Highness the Holy Son would truly give her an immortal herb.

"Your Highness, this is too precious," Ye Lingling's voice trembled.

"Take it."

Qin Yao's tone remained unchanged, "Since you have joined my Martial Soul Hall, I naturally will not treat you poorly. The Nine Heart Begonia martial soul is perfectly suited for this type of nourishing immortal herb. Don't waste time with formalities."

Ye Lingling reached out and took the jade box; the moment her fingertips touched the jade, the icy sensation brought her back from her daze.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Her voice grew softer, and her blue eyes turned red.

Dugu Yan watched from the side, her own nose stinging.

She understood Ye Lingling too well.

This girl, who had carried the burden of a family curse since childhood, had been the subject of rumors regarding the "short-lived" nature of the single-lineage Nine Heart Begonia, coveted by Xue Beng, and treated as a bargaining chip by the royal family.

No one had ever given her something like this before.

It was not charity, and it was not a transaction.

The certainty of being one of their own.

"His Highness is right, Lingling, don't be so formal."

Dugu Yan patted her back and said with a smile, "His Highness is like this; he may be cold-mouthed, but he truly spares no expense for his own people."

Qin Yao shot Dugu Yan a glance: "Why do you have so much to say?"

Dugu Yan stuck out her tongue and wisely shut her mouth.

Qin Yao turned to Ye Lingling:

"The method of consumption is simple; just chew it and swallow. I will stand guard for you, so have no worries.

Absorb the immortal herb tonight, and starting tomorrow, cultivate beside the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. The concentration of heaven and earth energy here is dozens of times higher than outside, which will be of great benefit to the growth of your soul power."

Ye Lingling wiped the corner of her eye and nodded vigorously.

"Okay."

She sat cross-legged on the open ground beside the spring, opened the jade box, and carefully held the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid in her palm.

The snow-white orchid trembled gently, the patterns on its petals clearly visible, each vein glowing with a lustrous light.

Ye Lingling took a bite of the petal.

It melted the moment it touched her tongue.

There was no bitterness, no irritation; it felt like a warm stream sliding down her throat into her chest, then slowly spreading to her limbs and bones.

She closed her eyes.

Qin Yao sat cross-legged three steps away, expanding his soul power perception to stand guard for her.

Dugu Yan sat a little further away, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Ye Lingling cultivating quietly by the spring, a smile hanging on her lips.

The valley floor was very quiet, with only the faint sound of the spring water churning.

At the same moment, the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

The atmosphere inside the Imperial Study was cold enough to freeze.

Great Emperor Xueye sat behind the Dragon Desk, his graying beard trembling slightly.

He was over sixty, but the majesty cultivated over years as an emperor made everyone in the room afraid to breathe too loudly.

Xue Beng knelt on the golden bricks in the center of the Imperial Study, his head buried so low it was almost touching the floor.

Prince Xue Xing stood half a step behind Xue Beng, his expression complex.

It held anger, grievance, and a hint of a guilty conscience.

Xue Qinghe stood to the right of the Dragon Desk, hands behind his back, dressed in a blue cloth robe with a calm expression.

Great Emperor Xueye had been silent for nearly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Xue Beng's legs were numb from kneeling, and the cold sweat on his forehead dripped onto the golden bricks, seeping into a small patch of moisture.

"Speak."

With that one word, Great Emperor Xueye finally opened his mouth.

Xue Beng shivered: "Fa... Father, this son only wanted to..."

"I am not asking you." Great Emperor Xueye interrupted him, lifting his chin to signal Prince Xue Xing.

Prince Xue Xing cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Imperial Brother, when all is said and done, this matter is about the people of Martial Soul Hall bullying others. Xue Beng was merely going to the Ye Family Medical Clinic to see a doctor..."

"See a doctor?"

Xue Qinghe interjected from the side, his tone very gentle, "Imperial Uncle, whether Fourth Brother went to see a doctor or to force a marriage, everyone on the street saw it. It is one thing to use these words to fool me, but to use them to fool Father?"

Prince Xue Xing's face darkened.

Xue Beng buried his head even lower into the floor.

Xue Qinghe continued:

"Father, I saw it clearly at the scene.

Fourth Brother brought guards from the Prince's mansion to block Ye Lingling at the Ye Family Medical Clinic, giving her three days to agree to become his concubine.

Ye Lingling's mother, Ye Shutang, was just appointed as a Red-Clad Archbishop by Martial Soul Hall three days ago.

By going there, Fourth Brother was effectively trying to snatch someone from the hands of Martial Soul Hall in front of everyone in Heaven Dou City."

Great Emperor Xueye tapped his fingers lightly on the Dragon Desk.

Prince Xue Xing was all too familiar with this gesture; it was a sign that his Imperial Brother was suppressing his rage.

"Xue Xing."

Great Emperor Xueye called him by his name rather than "Imperial Brother" or "Prince," which meant he was already highly displeased.

"Was the matter regarding that girl from the Ye Clan your idea?"

"No!" Prince Xue Xing hurriedly denied. "Imperial Brother, this was entirely Xue Beng's own doing."

"You know full well what kind of character Xue Beng has, yet you let him run wild in Heaven Dou City." Great Emperor Xueye's voice was icy. "You are his own imperial uncle; can you not control him?"

Prince Xue Xing opened his mouth, but no words came out.

To say he couldn't control him was shirking responsibility. To say he could meant that today's incident was even more his fault.

Any answer would be wrong.

Xue Qinghe stepped forward at the right moment to support Great Emperor Xueye's arm: "Father, please calm your anger. Fourth Brother is young and ignorant, and Imperial Uncle was only backing him out of a sense of face. Since the matter has already occurred, the most pressing issue now is how to provide an explanation to Martial Soul Hall."

Great Emperor Xueye let out a long sigh.

He glanced at Xue Beng, who was shivering on the ground, and then at Prince Xue Xing, whose face was livid.

"Xue Beng."

"This son is here!"

"From today on, you are grounded for three months. Without my decree, you are not permitted to step a single foot outside your manor."

Xue Beng felt as if he had been granted a pardon: "Thank you, Father!"

It was only confinement; the punishment was much lighter than he had imagined.

"And another thing." Great Emperor Xueye added, "All those lackeys in your manor are to be exiled to the frontier."

Xue Beng's expression stiffened for a moment, but he dared not say more and obediently kowtowed.

"Xue Xing."

"This younger brother is here."

"You were not the mastermind behind this, so I will not pursue you. However, you will be the one to handle the explanation to Martial Soul Hall."

Prince Xue Xing groaned inwardly, but dared not show it on his face, bowing as he replied: "Yes, Imperial Brother."

Seeing this, Xue Qinghe spoke in a measured tone: "Father, when I was speaking with Qin Yao at the scene today, he mentioned an item."

Great Emperor Xueye looked over. "What item?"

"Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud."

A look of perfectly measured hesitation appeared at the corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth. "Qin Yao said that if the Heaven Dou Empire could offer the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud as compensation, they would no longer pursue this matter. I feel that although this item is a royal heirloom, no one has known its true purpose for years, and it has simply been gathering dust in the storehouse. If we could use it to resolve the conflict between our two sides..."

"Absolutely not!" Prince Xue Xing reflexively retorted. "That is an item passed down by the founding emperor—"

"Enough." Great Emperor Xueye raised a hand to stop him.

The Imperial Study fell into silence once more.

Great Emperor Xueye closed his eyes to ponder for a moment, his fingers tapping slowly against the Dragon Desk.

Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.

That item had indeed been sitting in the royal storehouse for hundreds of years. Successive emperors had studied it, but no one had figured out how to use it. It was less a treasure of the state and more of a useless ornament that no one could utilize.

But the problem was, if they gave it to Martial Soul Hall, where would their face go?

If they didn't give it, standing behind that Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall were two Title Douluo.

"Qinghe," Great Emperor Xueye opened his eyes, "what is your opinion?"

Xue Qinghe pondered for a moment before bowing to reply: "This son believes that the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud can be given. However, it cannot be given for nothing; we must make Martial Soul Hall owe the Heaven Dou Empire a favor."

Great Emperor Xueye nodded slightly, signaling for him to continue.

"Father Emperor can invite Qin Yao to the palace for a banquet in a private capacity.

Presenting the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud as a national gift during the banquet will preserve the dignity of the Imperial Family while doing Martial Soul Hall a great favor, making it easier to ask for things in the future."

Great Emperor Xueye pondered for a few moments.

"Granted."

He stood up, the hem of his dragon robe brushing against the edge of the Dragon Desk.

"Xue Qinghe, draft the decree. Set the banquet for three days from now and invite the Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall to the palace in my name."

"This son accepts the decree."

Xue Qinghe bowed in response, the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth perfectly restrained.

Walking along the corridor outside the Imperial Study, the night wind blew through the gaps in the palace walls, stirring the black hair hanging down behind Xue Qinghe.

Once the attendants nearby had walked away, Xue Qinghe let out a soft hum.

The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.

Although she did not know why Qin Yao was coveting this item, as long as Qin Yao wanted it, she would naturally give him a push.

Xue Qinghe's footsteps quickened slightly as he turned into the Crown Prince's Residence.

He had to let Qin Yao know about the palace banquet three days later in advance.

She spread out a sheet of letter paper and picked up a brush to write the first line:

"To be opened by Xiao Yao."