The instant he stepped into the courtyard, the surrounding space and time abruptly shifted. Before Liu Changxu lay a grotto-heaven paradise spanning a hundred miles, its spiritual energy so dense it almost took tangible form.
Medicine gardens, orchards, spirit fields, and ponds dotted this realm like stars, arranged in harmonious order across the land.
The spirit fruits and spirit medicinal herbs growing in the gardens were all treasures rarely seen in the outside world. Some bore fruits wreathed in flowing rosy light, while others spread lush, glistening green leaves, presenting a scene brimming with life.
Countless puppets, nearly indistinguishable from real people, worked methodically in the fields and gardens, casting spells to irrigate the spirit fields or pruning branches with precise, orderly movements.
At the center of this grotto-heaven stood an exquisite, elegant palace. Lifelike immortal birds and beasts were carved into its sweeping eaves, while glazed tiles shimmering with five-colored spiritual light covered its roof, making it particularly striking within this realm.
Murong Xue stood quietly in midair. Raising a hand to point at the palace ahead, she said to Liu Changxu and Murong Yue:
"Ninth Sister, Fellow Daoist Liu, please follow me."
As her words fell, her graceful, breathtaking figure drifted toward the palace like an immortal maiden treading upon clouds.
Murong Xue and Liu Changxu followed closely behind, flying through the air together.
The three soon landed before the palace, where two stunning maidservants dressed in azure immortal robes were already waiting on either side of the entrance.
Though these two maidservants looked young and beautiful, both possessed nascent soul early stage cultivation, their auras steady and restrained.
When the three landed, the maidservants hurried forward and bowed gracefully, their voices clear and sweet:
"Greetings, Mistress! Greetings, honored guests!"
"Ru Shi, Ru Hua, fetch my finest Phoenix-Blood