Yaoguang Palace.
Consort Ning's bedchamber.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
The maids and guards of Yaoguang Palace repeatedly bowed upon seeing Fang Heng arrive.
The bolder maids even cast flirtatious glances at him, their seductive eyes like silken threads.
"Where is Mother Consort?"
Ignoring the maids' coquettish looks, Fang Heng asked.
"Her Highness has invited Consort Shu, Consort Lan, and Consort Min. They are holding a tea gathering in the rear garden," the maid reported.
"Take me to the rear garden."
Led by the maid, Fang Heng quickly arrived at the rear garden of Yaoguang Palace.
In the rear garden.
Spring water murmured as it wound around ornamental rocks and artificial hills.
Pavilions and waterside terraces stood amid four graceful, beautiful women seated elegantly together.
More than a dozen maids waited nearby, their laughter ringing out like silver bells from time to time.
Fang Heng walked into the pavilion and clasped his hands in salute.
"Your son greets Mother Consort."
"Greetings, Your Highnesses."
"Heng'er, why have you come today?"
Consort Ning's brows and eyes softened. She hurriedly took Fang Heng's hand and had him sit beside her.
Consort Shu, Consort Lan, and Consort Min sized up Fang Heng, the palace's famously sickly medicine jar.
Their gazes held pity, curiosity, or faint mockery—every sort of expression.
"Your son missed Mother Consort, so I came into the palace to see you. I simply happened to run into your tea gathering."
"There is nothing coincidental about it."
"For this tea gathering, the three consorts brought quite a few exquisite pastries. Heng'er, you are in for a treat."
Consort Ning smiled lightly as she teased him, her every gesture brimming with charm.
Though she dearly wished to ask Fang Heng after his well-being in private, as the host of the tea gathering, she could not simply end it on her own initiative.
Fang Heng openly looked over Consort Shu, Consort Lan, and Consort Min.
Like orchids in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn, each possessed her own distinctive splendor. All were beauties no less stunning than his mother consort.
"Ninth Prince, your arrival is most timely. Some time ago, my family sent over Eastern Pearl Cakes. You may as well try them."
"These Eastern Pearl Cakes use premium jade glutinous rice as their base, mixed with the finest Eastern Pearl powder, and are made through eighty-one separate processes..."
Consort Min had a maid bring out the Eastern Pearl Cakes and introduced them with great enthusiasm.
Fang Heng listened with interest.
This Eastern Pearl was not that Eastern Pearl.
It did not refer to pearls produced inside shellfish, but a kind of treasure formed from condensed Water Essence.
It was abundantly produced in the Eastern Sea and counted as a rare item within Yujing City.
"Ninth Prince, have a taste of the Eastern Pearl Cake."
"Thank you, Consort Min."
Fang Heng took a bite of the Eastern Pearl Cake. It was soft and flaky, carrying the crisp freshness of seawater. Its flavor was excellent.
Beyond its taste, the Eastern Pearl Cake contained dense Water Essence.
The Water Essence transformed into a cool current that surged through his limbs and bones.
It felt so comfortable that Fang Heng nearly moaned.
These Eastern Pearl Cakes were not merely delicious. They were also top-grade spiritual treasures that could aid cultivation.
One Eastern Pearl Cake was equivalent to three days of his own cultivation.
Fang Heng did not stand on ceremony and ate several in quick succession.
Secretly circulating the Everlasting Evergreen Scripture, he digested the Water Essence within the Eastern Pearl Cakes.
Water gave rise to wood.
As the Water Essence from the Eastern Pearl Cakes merged into his body, it was like hot oil meeting raging fire—one spark, and it ignited.
The Everlasting Evergreen Scripture within him began circulating madly.
It seemed as though he would break through at any moment.
Watching Fang Heng feast heartily, Consort Min gave a derisive smile.
"Elder Sister Consort Ning, have the Ninth Prince eat more slowly. He must not be greedy."
"The Water Essence in these Eastern Pearl Cakes is exceedingly concentrated and not easy to digest."
"For cultivators of the Daoist School, it is a great tonic."
"But the Ninth Prince has such a delicate and weak body. I fear he may be too frail to benefit from such nourishment."
"If something should happen to him, this younger sister could not bear the responsibility."
Consort Min appeared to be offering a kind reminder, but her sarcastic tone caused Consort Ning's expression to change abruptly.
Forcibly suppressing the displeasure in her heart, Consort Ning hurriedly looked at Fang Heng and asked with concern, a trace of anxiety in her voice.
"Heng'er, how do you feel?"
"Your son thinks the Eastern Pearl Cakes taste quite good."
Fang Heng pretended not to notice Consort Min's barbed words, which were covertly mocking his poor health.
Instead, he secretly observed the expressions of those present.
His mother consort was concerned.
Consort Min was gloating, hoping to see him make a fool of himself.
Consort Lan was like a flower atop a cold mountain, wearing an air of hanging high whatever had nothing to do with her.
As for Consort Shu, concern showed in her eyes. Clearly, she had a good relationship with his mother consort.
The four women present were divided into three factions.
His mother consort and Consort Shu were allied.
Consort Min was subtly targeting his mother consort.
Consort Lan remained neutral, helping neither side.
This imperial harem truly deserved its reputation as an Asura Field of female rivalry.
Even an ordinary tea gathering contained all manner of open and hidden strife.
As he observed them, Fang Heng ate nearly all of Consort Min's Eastern Pearl Cakes.
After finishing them, he suddenly stopped. His eyes closed slightly, and his face appeared somewhat pained.
Consort Min secretly rejoiced, putting on a concerned expression.
"Elder Sister Consort Ning, honestly."
"The Ninth Prince is greedy, yet as his mother, you did not even think to dissuade him."
"Someone, quickly summon the imperial physician to examine the Ninth Prince properly."
Consort Min's affected concern made Consort Ning lose her composure somewhat.
Her red lips parted as she was just about to ask Fang Heng whether he felt unwell.
Suddenly.
A powerful aura erupted violently from Fang Heng's body.
The four consorts all turned their gazes toward Fang Heng.
Above Fang Heng's head, clear qi rose, clouds and mist curling around it.
He had actually...
Broken through!
Judging by that aura, he had reached the middle stage of Feasting on Rosy Clouds.
The four consorts' expressions ranged from joy to shock, astonishment to frustration.
Every kind of emotion was present, displaying the myriad states of human life.
Upon their four exquisite faces, it seemed as though every expression in the world had been revealed.
Ten breaths later.
Fang Heng finished circulating his cultivation. Smiling, he clasped his hands toward Consort Min.
"Thank you, Consort Min, for lending me a hand."
Consort Min felt utterly stifled.
Today, she had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to bait it.
She had intended to thoroughly embarrass Consort Ning and Fang Heng, only to end up helping Fang Heng and allowing his cultivation to rise another level.
At that moment, countless emotions churned in her heart, and she wished she could smash the food box on the spot.
Yet before everyone, she still had to pretend to be exceptionally magnanimous.
"If I am not mistaken, Ninth Prince, the technique you cultivate belongs to the Daoist School."
"Since when have you been able to cultivate, Ninth Prince?"
"Thank you for your concern, Consort Min."
"Your son diligently cultivated the Life-Nourishing Art for ten years. Not long ago, I was fortunate enough to bring it to completion and condense a Post-natal Immortal Root. Only then did I have the chance to enter the Dao and break through."
Fang Heng said with a smile, taking the initiative to reveal how he had entered the Dao and broken through.
As for where the Immortal Root came from?
Do not ask!
If you asked, it was the Life-Nourishing Art.
Her son had condensed a Post-natal Immortal Root and could cultivate.
Good!
Good!
Good!
This was truly wonderful!
Ignoring all decorum, Consort Ning was so excited that she nearly cried out.
Overwhelmed by emotion, tears shimmered in her eyes, and thick mist welled up within her autumn eyes, clear as cut water.
Consort Shu smiled warmly as she comforted and congratulated her from the side, her sincerity plain to see.
"Congratulations, Elder Sister. The knot in your heart of more than ten years has finally scattered in a single day."
"This is a tremendously happy occasion!"
"You are right, Younger Sister Consort Shu. This is a tremendously happy occasion!"
"Rewards!"
"Everyone shall be rewarded."
"Everyone in Yaoguang Palace shall receive fifty taels."
The servants of Yaoguang Palace all dropped to their knees and cried out in unison.
"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Ninth Prince!"
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