Golden Lotus Seed

Zhang Family Ancestral Shrine

Zhang Jian led a group of people into this solemn ancestral ground once more.

Zhang Yi had long been waiting before the shrine, and he felt somewhat helpless.

Still, he had already tried to persuade him. Since persuasion did not work, there was nothing to be done.

"Uncle Yi!" Zhang Jian wore a beaming smile.

"In serving our ancestors, we ought to be diligent and conscientious. We must not slack off!"

"Come in!"

Zhang Yi could not be bothered to waste more words. He directly waved the whisk in his hand, while Zhang Jian solemnly called for the sturdy men behind him to carry in load after load of cinnabar spirit notes and calming lotus flowers.

Within the solemn ancestral shrine, rows of ancestral spirit tablets had been tended until they were spotless. Incense smoke curled through the air year-round, and the candles burned eternally, all displaying the Zhang family's flourishing prosperity.

Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon the female golden statue at the center. Crimson lightning-fire faintly flowed within his eyes, and he seemed able to see dense golden radiance streaming across the statue.

Sacred and solemn.

That ancient stone mirror seemed exceptionally heavy, like a colossal mirror blotting out the heavens and shrouding the entire ancestral shrine.

He did not dare continue channeling his eyesight into it.

There was something unusual in his eyes. He had not possessed such insight before.

He could not help recalling the Fire Apricot's effects: strengthening one's foundation and replenishing one's vitality, nourishing spiritual wisdom, and enhancing the spirit soul.

His spiritual strength must have grown, allowing such wondrous abilities to reveal themselves.

I hope I can gain something new this time!

Zhang Jian thought to himself.

This time should be different from the last. Although his rank had not been elevated, he had offered up the Large-Tube Waterwheel Diagram and rendered merit to the state and the people. Though he had done so through the Zhang family's hands, it should still increase his influence to some extent.

Zhang Jian himself did not know whether he would gain anything.

But there was no harm in trying.

What if he managed to shear some wool?

As load after load of cinnabar spirit notes burned before his eyes, Zhang Jian noticed that some of them began extinguishing on their own.

His gaze shifted slightly. He had encountered this situation before.

For instance, when he first discovered the anomaly, he found that he could only offer a portion of the cinnabar underworld notes to this "ancestor." If he forcibly lit more, he would immediately fall seriously ill.

The first time, he had been bedridden for over half a month because of it. After that, he no longer forced the matter.

Zhang Jian knew this might have something to do with his "influence."

As he earned the titles of licentiate and scholar through the county, prefectural, and academy examinations, the amount of cinnabar spirit notes he could burn each time had visibly increased.

After passing the provincial examination, it rose to another level.

This time, he burned even more cinnabar spirit notes than last time, indicating that the benefits he could receive should increase accordingly.

Zhang Jian was in a good mood. Zhang Yi's expression turned somewhat strange as he watched Zhang Jian's mood suddenly brighten.

Zhang Jian was becoming more and more abnormal.

Zhang Yi shook his head. Looking at Zhang Jian, he suddenly spoke.

"Jian, I've noticed that you've been searching through the ancient golden-script texts in the library lately. Have you made a new discovery?"

His eyes brimmed with hope.

Zhang Jian had not hidden from Zhang Yi the fact that he was studying the dozen or so scrolls of rune diagrams in that secret chamber.

Of course, Zhang Yi had tacitly permitted it as well.

"Uncle Yi, you noticed? Do you happen to have any other texts that can decipher ancient golden script?"

Zhang Yi's eyes lit up slightly.

Zhang Yi nodded faintly, but his gaze still waited for Zhang Jian's answer.

Zhang Jian smiled faintly.

"Uncle Yi, I have indeed made considerable progress. The dozen or so paintings contain an article beyond anything you and I could imagine. It is the gateway to an entirely new Great Dao. But my knowledge of ancient golden script is still limited, and I cannot fully comprehend the entire text!"

Zhang Jian was deeply expectant as well.

He truly had been making smooth progress in deciphering the ancient golden script within those dozen or so paintings.

However, the golden-script passage contained within them was transmitted from heart to heart. It could be understood but not put into words. If Zhang Yi wished to comprehend it, Zhang Jian would first have to understand it himself before he could pass it on.

Zhang Jian did not actually mind teaching it to him. After all, he had received Zhang Yi's kindness. It was only right.

Upon hearing this, even with Zhang Yi's composure, he could not help but lose himself for a moment. Unprecedented brilliance shone in his eyes. "Jian, whatever you need next, just ask. I will do my utmost to provide it!"

His joy upon suddenly hearing this news was beyond imagination.

He had obtained these dozen or so paintings from a legendary martial world expert. It had been a fateful encounter in his youth, when he met an old master whose lifespan was nearly exhausted and received this gift from him.

According to that senior, these paintings contained an immortal opportunity.

For this reason, he had believed it without doubt.

Because he had tested them. Those dozen or so paintings truly concealed a power beyond his comprehension.

To unravel this mystery, he had spent decades.

Even now, he remained alone and unwed.

It had not been easy.

With his long-cherished wish finally within reach, how could he not be delighted?

Within the Zhang family ancestral shrine, as load after load of cinnabar spirit notes were ignited, green smoke rose straight into the clouds.

Within the vast immortal realm, nine-colored crimson waters roiled in the Two Realms Pool. Streaks of golden light flew out, manifesting in the immortal realm as plump, charming little gold ingots.

Golden light shimmered, and heavenly music drifted through the air.

In an instant, they all fell into a flawless jade hand.

"Five thousand portions of superior incense!"

As this flawless incense entered her body, the Azure Radiance Goddess finally felt her cultivation rise at a rate visible to the naked eye.

It was already beginning to take effect.

Then the Azure Radiance Goddess saw countless streams of golden light swirling within the Two Realms Pool again. Among the dozen or so rays of golden light, an exotic fragrance was rich, and golden light of merit flowed. Blossoms of golden merit lotuses drifted out, instantly descending before her.

This time, however, the golden merit lotuses did not condense into solid form. Instead, they existed somewhere between the tangible and intangible, emanating streak after streak of intense, sacred radiance.

"Merit treasure lotuses?"

At a single glance, strands of unusual brilliance immediately appeared in the Azure Radiance Goddess's eyes.

She had only seen such merit treasure lotuses on a few great divine ability wielders.

With such an auspicious sign upon one's body, external demons could not invade, and one would not easily fall into external tribulations.

Only mighty figures who had attained the Dao long ago and possessed wondrous methods would have the auspicious sign of golden merit lotuses accompanying them.

The other party had given her another considerable surprise!

A rare trace of radiant brightness appeared on the Azure Radiance Goddess's ethereal, exquisitely beautiful jade-like face.

She was very satisfied with this sacrifice.

It would also aid her future accumulation of cultivation and her breakthrough to Dao Lord. She slowly rose to her feet, her peerless figure moving with immortal grace amid the clouds and rosy mists. A contemplative look appeared in her phoenix eyes.

The last time the other party worshipped his ancestors, she had only bestowed a cup of golden fortune.

Clearly, she could not do the same this time, or it would dampen his enthusiasm.

In an instant, she had an idea. From her sleeve, she took out a lotus seed like a golden pearl. From afar, countless incomparably profound innate patterns could be seen flowing across it, its Dao charm naturally formed.

Jade Lake Golden Lotus Seed!

It was an immortal seed brought back by a female immortal of great divine might from Jade Lake. As a Jade Lake female immortal, she received quite a few every hundred years.

This item was not scarce in Jade Lake, but elsewhere, it was exceedingly valuable.

She could not currently send down anything too precious, and doing so would also violate regulations.

Even this item would likely count as a violation.

But after making a few arrangements and using private means, there should be no problem!