With a lift of his hand, Taiwei Daoist summoned a streak of sky-blue treasure light into his palm.
It was a sky-blue innate spirit banner, its surface alive and fluid like gently flowing water, adorned with peculiar Heavenly River treasure patterns.
The Queen Mother of the West glanced at it, and something stirred faintly in the depths of her phoenix eyes, a trace of surprise flashing through them.
Taiwei Daoist stroked the surface of the divine banner, faint ripples flickering in the depths of his eyes.
Several of his alternate selves had gathered in their timelines, yet only he had gathered the alternate-self timelines of Jin Chong, Qingli, Green Vine, Jia Chen, and the others. The other alternate selves had merely drawn in the alternate selves upon their own timelines.
He handed the Heavenly River Spirit Banner to Plain Maiden.
Plain Maiden glanced at the Queen Mother of the West, her gaze asking for the latter's thoughts. Yet Taiwei Daoist gave her no chance to refuse, merely saying softly,
"Accept it. This treasure was meant to be yours."
Plain Maiden could only take the Heavenly River Spirit Banner. Yet the instant she accepted it, the banner naturally transformed into a stream of light and entered her body.
At the same time, it was as though she had once more merged with the majestic source of the Heavenly River of the Thirty-Six Heavens. Vast divine power spilled from within her, and a faint bloom of divine might made the expressions of the dozen or so female immortals nearby change slightly.
They perceived Plain Maiden's transformation most clearly.
Through the Heavenly River Spirit Banner acknowledging her as its master, Plain Maiden also understood that this treasure was clearly a powerful innate treasure nurtured by the Heavenly River.
It might even have been