Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The demonic rabbit, perched on the table gnawing on a spirit pill, suddenly noticed that Ning Yuzhou and Little Miao Miao were nowhere to be seen. Its entire body tensed up, and the pill in its paws tumbled away, rolling off into the distance.

It hurriedly pounced to retrieve the pill, darting around the room in search of its little Miao Miao.

But after a long while, not only had it failed to find Little Miao Miao, but the human who offered it spirit pills was also missing!

The demonic rabbit's fur bristled even more, and it growled threateningly from its throat.

***

Wen Qiao felt a blur before her eyes, and her surroundings transformed, shifting from indoors to an unknown space.

This was a roughly half-acre expanse surrounded by a grayish-hued void that separated it from the outside world. In the center stood a field of spirit herbs, while the rest of the area was barren.

She stared blankly at the lush and vibrant spirit plants before her, her entire being in a daze.

Ning Yuzhou carried the spirit jade basin forward and approached the spirit herb field, speaking softly, "Ah Chu, what do you think of this field of spirit herbs?"

Miao Miao stood there, stunned, not even stirring a leaf.

Ning Yuzhou felt a hint of concern. Could it be that she was frightened?

He gently pinched a small leaf and explained, "This is my mustard seed space, which emerged along with the awakening of my bloodline. These spirit herbs are what I've collected and cultivated over the years. The quantity isn't substantial, but when we leave Dongling in the future and travel around, we can gather more..."

Aware of Wen Qiao's cultivation method that required absorbing the essence of spirit plants, Ning Yuzhou had already planned their path ahead.

Dongling was too remote, with scarce resources. Eventually, they would have to leave for a broader and more exciting world, a place all cultivators yearned for.

Wen Qiao finally regained her senses. Hearing his words, she was momentarily speechless.

In her perception, this field of spirit herbs was abundant with fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade plants, even including an eighth-grade Earth Dragon Entwining Orchid exuding pure and delightful plant essence.

It was likely that the spirit herb gardens of all the families in Dongling combined couldn't match the variety here.

She suddenly understood Emperor Haowu's perspective. Ning Yuzhou indeed had exceptionally high standards.

Not only did she possess exceptional discernment, but her inherited divine bloodline was also remarkable. Not only had she received a complete lineage, but she was also gifted with a mustard seed space. In contrast, her own inheritance was fragmented, making her seem like a good-for-nothing.

In reality, it was she who should be called a good-for-nothing.

Wen Qiao felt somewhat disheartened.

Ning Yuzhou, unaware of why Little Miao Miao had suddenly become gloomy, spoke softly, "Continue cultivating here without worry. Try to see if you can undergo transformation."

Wen Qiao quickly regained her spirits.

Her husband had even shared such a precious mustard seed space that could house living beings with her, indicating his sincerity towards her. She needed to strive in her cultivation as well, so that she could confront any challenge head-on and protect him, who held secrets, with all her might.

Wen Qiao brushed against his hand with her leaf, signaling for him to put her down.

Ning Yuzhou placed the Spirit Jade Basin beside the Eighth Rank Earth Dragon Entwining Orchid - the highest ranked spirit herb within the space - then stepped outside. He gazed at the lone sprout growing in a Spirit Jade Basin amidst the Lingcao Garden. Compared to the other spirit herbs, she appeared insignificant, easily overlooked as a weed. Her divine nature was indiscernible.

Ning Yuzhou fell into deep thought.

Perhaps this was one of Ah Chu's demon body's forms of disguise. Many innate treasures with spiritual essence would choose to conceal their brilliance when not yet strong enough to face all threats, allowing themselves room to grow.

Ning Yuzhou spent the better part of the day within the space, witnessing the spirit herbs in the spirit herb field growing at an observable rate, albeit not as swiftly as ordinary spirit plants. Nevertheless, such a growth speed would undoubtedly provoke frenzy among other cultivators if they were to witness it.

An existence capable of accelerating the growth of spirit herbs—allowing one to harvest the desired aged herbs without waiting for centuries—was an unimaginable concept. No one could remain indifferent and not succumb to greed.

He let out a soft sigh inwardly.

This foolish girl was indeed naive. If he had any malicious intentions, trapping her in the space to cultivate herbs for him, what could she have done?

Such a simple-minded girl warranted his closer attention, lest someone take advantage of her.

Seeing that Wen Qiao was deeply engrossed in cultivation, Ning Yuzhou didn't linger and exited the space.

Upon returning to the room, a sudden gust of wind knocked him off balance, causing him to fall back onto the couch with a slight ache in his chest.

"Gu gu!"

Lowering his head, Ning Yuzhou found the demonic rabbit that had collided into his embrace hopping furiously, waving its paws threateningly at him while anxiously inquiring about Miao Miao's whereabouts.

Currently, Ning Yuzhou was only a low-level cultivator freshly embarked on his journey, with merely the Foundation Building realm cultivation. In front of the sixth-level mutated demonic rabbit, his strength was insignificant. Had it not been for his recent habit of feeding the rabbit spirit pills, the rabbit might have attacked him instead of merely rushing over.

Despite his composure, as calm as if a mountain were collapsing before him, it couldn't be denied that Ning Yuzhou was currently a weakling.

The weakling Ning Yuzhou's lips curled up slightly, revealing a terrifyingly gentle smile. He picked up the monster rabbit gently and said warmly, "Are you looking for Ah Chuo?"

Feeling a sense of danger, the monster rabbit hung limply in his hand, whimpering softly like a helpless little rabbit.

"She's cultivating somewhere else, so you won't be able to find her for now," Ning Yuzhou said, casually feeding it a spirit pill. "I hope you'll be more careful next time, or I'll confiscate all your spirit pills."

The monster rabbit looked at him innocently, pretending not to understand his words.

Ning Yuzhou chuckled, pinching its pouch where it hid its spirit pills. "You keep them here, right? Once they're eaten, they're gone, yes?"

Under the threat, the monster rabbit rubbed against his hand in an attempt to please him.

Miao Miao was indeed important, but so were the alchemists who could provide spirit pills.

After scolding the monster rabbit, Ning Yuzhou tossed it aside and handed it a pill bottle. He then called for Qianshoushi to come over.

When Qianshoushi arrived, he saw Ning Yuzhou sitting on a window-side couch, examining a jade slip. The monster rabbit, which had been brought from the Scale Platform Hunting Valley, was extravagantly cradling a pill bottle and happily munching on spirit pills.

A magical beast with such a ravenous appetite for spirit pills could only be nurtured by someone like Ning Yuzhou. No wonder this monster rabbit was so reluctant to leave.

"Your Highness," Qianshu bowed and asked with concern, "Are you planning to go into seclusion for cultivation?"

Ning Yuzhou replied, "Not yet. I have something to entrust to you."

Qianshu acknowledged and listened attentively to his instructions. After hearing his plans, he was surprised and asked, "Your Highness, are you…?"

"Yes, might as well make preparations early since we'll be leaving sooner or later," Ning Yuzhou confirmed without denying it.

But when exactly did he plan on leaving?

Although Qianshu was puzzled, he knew that Ning Yuzhou's decision wouldn't change. Without further comment, he quickly went to carry out the arrangements.

Next, Ning Yuzhou entered the space again and planted the spirit herbs he had brought from the Scale Platform Hunting Valley.

The spirit herbs in the space were lush and thriving, looking even more vibrant than before. They had grown significantly, seemingly adding not just ten to twenty years to their age. Almost all of them had surpassed the white jade basin in the spiritual field.

Compared to these spirit herbs that had benefited from Wen Qiao's nurturing, the small sprout in the white basin remained short and weak, showing no signs of improvement.

Ning Yuzhou planted all the spirit herbs and, after observing them for a while, left the spatial dimension.

Next, Ning Yuzhou tended to other miscellaneous affairs and began his own seclusion for cultivation.

***

A month later, Emperor Chenghao visited the Seventh Prince's residence.

"Has Little Seven been in seclusion all this time?" Emperor Chenghao asked in surprise.

The steward who greeted him replied, "Yes, Your Highness initially had meals delivered three times a day, but that stopped later on."

Emperor Chenghao was surprised, but more than that, he was delighted. It seemed that his son, now able to cultivate, was dedicating himself wholeheartedly to intensive practice. Eventually, he would make up for the lost nineteen years of cultivation and surely wouldn't lag behind others in terms of cultivation level.

Upon learning that Ning Yuzhou was in seclusion, Emperor Chenghao decided not to disturb him. He instructed the steward to inform him once Ning Yuzhou emerged from seclusion.

The steward acknowledged the request.

Thus, another half a month passed before Emperor Chenghao received word that Ning Yuzhou had come out of seclusion.

Emperor Cheng Hao rushed from the palace to Prince Qi's residence.

Upon first sight of Ning Yuzhou, he immediately probed the young man's cultivation. Discovering that after a month and a half of seclusion, Ning Yuzhou had only advanced to the late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm, the emperor felt somewhat disheartened.

"Little Seven, how could you...?"

Ning Yuzhou had been born with an extraordinary divine bloodline, so extraordinary that its potent power had necessitated its suppression for him to grow up safely. This illustrated the exceptional talent Ning Yuzhou possessed, a rarity in the world.

Yet, despite a month and a half of secluded cultivation, he had only progressed from the early-stage Foundation Establishment Realm to the late-stage. Such a pace was disappointingly slow.

For an ordinary cultivator, such speed would naturally be fine and even considered swift. However, the Foundation Building Realm was the initial stage of cultivation, and for someone with Ning Yuzhou's talent, it should have been a facile step to overcome.

Yet, he had yet to reach the Foundation Feather Realm.

As if reading his thoughts, Ning Yuzhou said, "Father, have you forgotten which divine bloodline I awakened?"

Cheng Haodi hesitated before replying, "You mentioned before that it was the Di Xi bloodline, innate knowledge, carrying a mustard seed, commanding all artifacts, bestowing blessings to all corners..."

Ning Yuzhou smiled slightly. "Indeed, the Di Xi bloodline blesses all regions, but also carries a mustard seed, resulting in a slower pace of cultivation."

The Mustard Seed Space was a derivative of his bloodline power. Currently, it was only as large as half an acre, in its most basic form. When he cultivated, he needed to occasionally infuse some of his cultivation into the Mustard Seed Space to allow it to continue growing.

In other words, his spatial ability was growth-oriented, and what it required was his cultivation.

Due to this, his cultivation speed would be slower, and the journey would be much more challenging.

Emperor Chenghao let out a soft sigh. Then, he realized that the Di Xi bloodline was one of the legendary Five Divine Emperors' bloodlines. It was already a great fortune to have one person awaken it among countless worlds. Compared to other cultivators, his son was already blessed with exceptional advantages. If his cultivation speed was just a little slower, so be it. He could always send more people to protect him.

Emperor Chenghao quickly put aside his disappointment and proceeded to inquire about Ning Yuzhou's cultivation progress, ready to answer any questions or guide him on his journey.

To his surprise, Ning Yuzhou replied, "There's no need. I understand everything."

Emperor Chenghao felt deeply disheartened.

His son had finally been able to cultivate, and as a father, he was eager to experience the joy of guiding his son in cultivation. However, his son was too clever and had a high level of comprehension, making it unnecessary for anyone else's guidance.

Feeling disappointed, Emperor Chenghao changed the subject. "Now that you can cultivate, do you wish to make this news public, so that others know?"

Emperor Chenghao had his own strategies. Over the years, his son had been labeled as a good-for-nothing by many. They said if not for his indulgence, how could his son have acted arrogantly and willfully in the cultivation world? Whenever he heard such rumors, Emperor Chenghao maintained a calm demeanor in public but fumed in anger when back in his chambers.

"No need," Ning Yuzhou said, considering the situation. "Let's keep it under wraps for now. When my cultivation advances in the future, we can discuss it then."

Emperor Cheng Hao agreed after some thought. Dongling might be remote, but who knew if the mastermind behind the attack on Wen Boying and his wife still had their eyes on the region. If they discovered Ning Yuzhou's divine bloodline, it could invite disaster.

It was better to remain low-profile for now.

Emperor Cheng Hao was about to say more when Ning Yuzhou's expression shifted, interrupting him. "Father, I have something else to attend to. You go ahead with your duties."

Emperor Cheng Hao: "..."

He wasn't busy at all; he wanted to talk to his son about sending people to search for his missing daughter-in-law.

In the end, Emperor Cheng Hao left with a heavy heart. His son was too capable, leaving him, as a father, feeling unaccomplished.

After Emperor Cheng Hao's departure, Ning Yuzhou entered the spatial realm.

As soon as he stepped inside, a gust of wind swept past, nearly blowing away the still weak Ning Yuzhou. He stumbled back, crashing into a cluster of stony golden vines behind him.

Unbeknownst to him, the spirit herbs in his space had flourished to an extraordinary extent. The high-grade ones were manageable, but the low-grade herbs had already gone through several cycles of growth, leaving piles of seeds on the ground. The rest continued to spread, filling up the originally spacious area, leaving no room to stand.

Ning Yuzhou tugged on a vine behind him, discovering that it was a Fifth Rank StoneGold Python Vine. He had found the seed of this vine in the underground space of the Scale Platform Hunting Valley and planted it casually at the edge of his spatial domain because Wen Qiao had taken a liking to it. Little did he know that after more than a month's absence, the StoneGold Python Grass had grown into a vast expanse. The thick, serpentine vines were a stony golden hue and incredibly hard, making them excellent material for crafting weapons.

Ning Yuzhou quickly redirected his gaze to the spiritual herb field ahead.

The herbs grew too densely, and Ning Yuzhou spent quite some time searching for the Spirit Jade Basin before realizing it was already shattered into pieces.

Startled, he hurriedly searched for the small sprout named Miao Miao.

The airflow within the spatial domain was still swirling chaotically, but Ning Yuzhou soon noticed that it was spinning in a rhythmic pattern, converging towards the spiritual herb field. It seemed to be directing itself...

Ning Yuzhou was still in the midst of taking a closer look when a rustling sound echoed, and thousands of grass blades in the space swayed joyously, producing a gentle hiss as if they were celebrating something.

A fair maiden, with brows like painted landscapes and hair that reached the ground, appeared within the Lingcao Garden.