Dream Orchid Blooms

Upon hearing this, Guang Chengzi looked at the familiar scenes appearing one after another, light flickering in his eyes. After a long while, he smiled and said:

"Junior Brother, you are too modest. In my opinion, this thing is an excellent tool for guarding against danger before it arises. A few flaws are unavoidable.

But Junior Brother, when did you set up so many?"

Guang Chengzi looked at the dozens of images that had surfaced. Some showed outside Cloud Dream Marsh, some showed after they had entered Cloud Dream Marsh, but most showed scenes within the Black Forest.

He could not help giving Bai Ze an odd look.

"Well, I got carried away and accidentally placed a few too many."

Guang Chengzi understood. This was hardly a case of placing too many.

Clearly, Bai Ze had simply been too cautious and had done it deliberately.

However, he did not expose him. Instead, he smiled. "Junior Brother Bai Ze, do you have any extras of this?"

Bai Ze was somewhat surprised. Naturally, he understood what Guang Chengzi meant, but he did not mind. After all, Guang Chengzi was still his creditor.

"Of course. I still have one spare set here, though we left in a hurry this time, so I did not refine many Observation Stones.

However, these stones are extremely easy to refine. I can give you the method, Dao Brother, and you can refine them yourself."

With that, Bai Ze took out a large bundle of Observation Stones, a formation plate, and an introductory guide he had compiled himself from his storage space.

Guang Chengzi stared at that huge bundle of Observation Stones, somewhat dumbfounded.

He had thought Bai Ze's "not many" meant only a few. He had never expected there to be so many?!

But seeing Bai Ze being so generous, he hurriedly waved his hands.

"Junior Brother, you misunderstand. I am not asking for your refining method. I merely wished to exchange for a set of Observation Formation Plates."

"What are you saying, Dao Brother? You have always taken great care of me. It is merely a minor method, not worth mentioning."

Without giving him any chance to refuse, Bai Ze bundled the Observation Stones and their matching refining method together and stuffed them into Guang Chengzi's arms.

There were many things in the bundle, yet Bai Ze felt a weight lift from his heart.

Debt -1!

Guang Chengzi looked at the items in his arms, then at Bai Ze. He looked delighted, without the slightest reluctance—if anything, he even seemed somewhat happy?

How could Guang Chengzi not understand? Bai Ze had deliberately taken them out, hoping to repay their karmic debt.

He could not help shaking his head with a laugh.

"Junior Brother, since you have given me these things, I cannot take advantage of you for nothing. Once we obtain the Dream Orchid and refine the pill, I will give you one."

With that, he put away the large bundle of Observation Stones.

Bai Ze wanted to refuse, but upon seeing Guang Chengzi's expression that brooked no refusal, he could only nod silently.

Yet he was somewhat puzzled. What was so extraordinary about a pill refined from the Dream Orchid that Guang Chengzi treated it with such gravity?

"Dao Brother, could the pill refined from this Dream Orchid have some miraculous effect on the physical body?"

Seeing Bai Ze's bewildered expression, Guang Chengzi narrowed his eyes.

"Junior Brother, you have been rather neglectful lately. Once we return, I will organize some knowledge related to spiritual herbs and give you a proper lesson!"

Bai Ze's face fell.

A lesson? An exam?

Damn it, I should never have asked!

"Actually, Dao Brother, I am not all that curious."

Guang Chengzi glanced at Bai Ze, somewhat helplessly.

"You, honestly. Stop learning those bad habits from Duobao. Learn more instead—it can only benefit your future cultivation, never harm it."

As he spoke, he raised his head to look at the Dream Orchid in the pool, which had already been entirely dyed red.

"This Dream Orchid is a branch of the Flower of the Other Shore, an innate spiritual root from the Netherworld Blood Sea.

Though it is not itself an innate spiritual root, it is no worse than one.

It is simply not especially useful for the physical body.

However, the Dao resonance it contains can help True Form Realm cultivators like us, who are about to break through into the Tracing Origin Realm, condense the embryonic form of a Great Dao law that best suits ourselves."

If True Form Realm cultivators wished to break through into the Tracing Origin Realm, they needed to achieve Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, Five Qi Returning to Origin, Dragon Bone Reaching Heaven, and Four Symbols Divine Guidance.

Five Qi Returning to Origin referred to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—the Five Elements.

Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown referred to the three treasures: essence, qi, and spirit.

Four Symbols Divine Guidance referred to the four limbs—the four extremities.

Dragon Bone Reaching Heaven referred to the spine: below, it connected to the four extremities; in the middle, it connected to the Dao Palace; above, it connected to the Dao Flowers, integrating the strength of the entire body!

It laid a deep foundation for gathering the Five Qi and condensing the Three Flowers.

Once everything reached perfection, one could sense the Great Dao laws hidden in the unseen.

Then one could condense the embryonic form of one's own law and break through into the Tracing Origin Realm.

He was currently at the Early True Form Stage, which meant he needed to cultivate his four extremities to perfection.

The Middle True Form Stage required Five Qi Returning to Origin; the later stage required Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown; the Grand Perfection Realm required comprehending a Great Dao law suited to oneself.

Once the embryonic form of the law had condensed, one could break through into the Tracing Origin Realm!

So... Guang Chengzi was about to break through?

Bai Ze could not help glancing sideways. No wonder Guang Chengzi attached such importance to this thing. It seemed he truly was about to break through.

He just wondered what Great Dao Guang Chengzi had comprehended!

While the two were talking, the Dream Orchid's petals ahead had already been fully saturated with red.

The plump flower bud began to bloom, its golden-red petals unfurling one after another.

As the petals spread, waves of strange fragrance instantly filled the surroundings.

Immediately afterward, strands of dreamlike mist intertwined like ribbons, wrapping around the vivid Dream Orchid.

They added a thread of life to the pitch-black, deathly still Bone-Eroding Pool.

But Bai Ze, who had tested the dangers of the Bone-Eroding Pool's water himself, knew that beneath this dreamlike immortal paradise lay a danger that devoured people whole!

"Dao Brother." Bai Ze turned his head toward Guang Chengzi.

"Go. I'll stand guard here!" Guang Chengzi nodded at Bai Ze, then turned to look at Duobao, who was fiercely battling the Six-Winged Golden Cicada.

Bai Ze knew this was no time to delay. The Dream Orchid only bloomed for a quarter of an hour.

Once that quarter-hour passed, the Dream Orchid would wither on its own, turn into seeds, and begin growing again.

So he directly took out his leaf-shaped treasure and began crossing the pool!

Just as Bai Ze drew close to the Dream Orchid, the Six-Winged Golden Cicada on Duobao's side grew anxious!

"Fellow Daoist, are you truly unwilling to let me pass?!

Are you not afraid of becoming mortal enemies with me?"

While engaging the Six-Winged Golden Cicada in close combat, Duobao sneered.

"Why should I let you pass? What the hell are you that you think you deserve to become my mortal enemy?!"

The Six-Winged Golden Cicada defended against Duobao's attacks while watching Bai Ze draw ever closer.

Flames continued to blaze in its eyes as it roared, "You forced my hand!"

Duobao raised his brows. "Oh? You're going to self-destruct?

Come on, come on, hurry up and explode. I've lived this long and never seen someone self-destruct before!"

The Six-Winged Golden Cicada shot Duobao a vicious glare, then began burning its lifespan. In an instant, streams of golden-red blood flames appeared around its body.

The moment Duobao saw this, he immediately stepped back and shouted, "Senior Brother, come help! This bastard is going all out!"

Guang Chengzi, who had been watching the situation all along, rushed over at once and instantly appeared behind the Six-Winged Golden Cicada.

"Golden Cicada, today is the day you die!"

With that, he and Duobao attacked together!

At that moment, the Six-Winged Golden Cicada laughed instead of growing angry. "If I cannot deal with you two, can I not deal with that brat?!"

The next instant, the blood flames around the Six-Winged Golden Cicada abruptly surged, and a powerful force exploded from within its body.

Duobao and Guang Chengzi retreated again and again. At that very moment, a palm-sized insect shot out from the terrifying explosion, flying toward Bai Ze at incredible speed.

It moved so fast that even the Bone-Eroding Pool's force that forbade flight could not stop it, and it flew straight toward Bai Ze.