Fang Bai, Qin Yaorao, and Xianyun Fairy flew tens of thousands of miles and landed in a small and very secretive valley.

Fang Bai swiftly formed a series of array pattern seals with his hands, sending them toward the surrounding mountain walls, then embedded several pieces of Immortal Stone into the walls, quickly setting up a Concealment Formation.

"Let me first give you some bad news... "

Fang Bai looked at Xianyun Fairy and said in a flat tone, "The five Golden Rainbow Sect disciples who were traveling with you have already perished!"

"Ah?"

Xianyun Fairy was stunned at first, then realized that Fang Bai was talking about Senior Brother Jin Jian and the others, and said discontentedly, "You... you’re speaking nonsense! Senior Brother Jin Jian and the others went to chase an immortal who had taken the Chaos Lotus..."

The great battle that took place on the Holy Mountain Summit was known to all immortals, including Xianyun Fairy. When all the immortals went to chase the one who had taken the Chaos Lotus, Xianyun Fairy and Qin Yaorao wisely decided not to join the pursuit.

"Whether they are dead or alive, you’ll know once you return to the Golden Rainbow Sect."

Fang Bai didn’t bother to explain further. With a flip of his left hand, three petals appeared in his palm.

Instantly, a familiar floral fragrance spread throughout the formation space.

"This... this is..."

Xianyun Fairy stared wide-eyed at the petals in Fang Bai’s hand, her face full of shock and disbelief. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

When Fang Bai and Qin Yaorao met earlier, he had informed her about picking the Chaos Lotus using the Thread Condensation Sound Transmission Technique. So when Qin Yaorao saw the petals in Fang Bai’s hands, she was not surprised. She merely smiled at Xianyun Fairy.

"Yes, these are the petals of the Chaos Lotus. Keep one for yourself, and take the other two back to the Golden Rainbow Sect to give to your Sect Master, the Golden Rainbow Immortal Emperor, as my thanks for taking care of Yaorao all these years!"

With a thought, Fang Bai sent the three petals of the Chaos Lotus floating in front of Xianyun Fairy.

Xianyun Fairy knew how difficult it was to obtain the petals of the Chaos Lotus. So, she never dared to hope, only meditating around the Holy Mountain and cultivating in the fragrance released by the Chaos Lotus.

When the three petals floated in front of her, ready for her to take with just a reach, it felt like a dream.

"I..."

Due to her excitement, Xianyun Fairy’s body trembled slightly, and her throat felt dry and hoarse, making it difficult for her to speak.

"Senior Sister Xianyun, take them!"

It wasn’t until Qin Yaorao’s voice reached her ears that Xianyun Fairy snapped back to reality.

Consuming a petal of the Chaos Lotus allows one to advance a minor realm in a short period, a truth proven by many immortals over the millennia.

For an Immortal King Realm expert like Xianyun Fairy, who doesn’t have exceptional talent, advancing a minor realm would typically require decades of painstaking cultivation. Now, with this shortcut that can save her decades of hard work, how could she resist this temptation?

She glanced at Fang Bai and then at Qin Yaorao, and under their smiling gazes, finally reached out, catching the three petals floating in front of her.

"If you don’t want the three petals to be taken away from you once you return, you should consume one now! Yaorao and I will protect you while you advance over the next few days!"

Fang Bai advised Xianyun Fairy.

Fang Bai could imagine that if Xianyun Fairy returned to the Golden Rainbow Sect with the three petals, the sect’s higher-ups would see it as a waste for a disciple of ordinary talent to consume one petal. They would then find various reasons to confiscate all three petals, and Xianyun Fairy, being weak in influence, would have no choice but to comply.

Xianyun Fairy was not a fool and understood this reasoning, so she heeded Fang Bai’s advice, consuming one petal on the spot. She then sat cross-legged, circulated the Immortal Law, and entered a Cultivation State.

Seven days later, a powerful shockwave spread through the valley as Xianyun Fairy successfully advanced.

While rejoicing for her closest senior sister’s success, Qin Yaorao couldn’t help but be eager to ask Fang Bai, "If I consume a petal of the Chaos Lotus, can I also advance as quickly as Senior Sister Xianyun?"

Fang Bai nodded, then shook his head, saying sternly, "Yes, you can, but I’d prefer you not rush it! You just entered the Immortal King Realm, and your realm has only recently stabilized. With a little more time, you can advance naturally, which will be more beneficial for your future cultivation."

Knowing Fang Bai had her best interests at heart, Qin Yaorao abandoned the idea of immediately consuming a petal to break through a realm.

Remembering Xianyun Fairy’s care for Qin Yaorao, Fang Bai then passed on a set of Immortal Technique Secrets to Xianyun Fairy, suggesting that if all went well, Xianyun Fairy, with her ordinary talent, could eventually become an Immortal Emperor Realm expert, joining the Golden Rainbow Sect’s higher ranks.

Studying the Immortal Technique Secrets passed to her by Fang Bai, Xianyun Fairy found them more profound and mysterious than those taught by her master, knowing she had received a great opportunity, she was overjoyed.

Afterward, Qin Yaorao and Xianyun Fairy bade each other farewell, then rode the Auspicious Clouds with Fang Bai, flying away.

Watching Fang Bai and Qin Yaorao leave, Xianyun Fairy thought that Fang Bai might be the white-clad immortal who picked the Chaos Lotus and was chased by many immortals. With concern for the safety of Senior Brother Jin Jian and a few fellow disciples, she flew to the Endless Ocean to investigate.

When she arrived above the Endless Ocean, she found many immortals still waiting there, hoping for Fang Bai’s appearance, which amused her.

She diffused her Divine Sense among the many immortals, searching for a long time but failing to find any trace of her fellow disciples, realizing that Fang Bai’s message about their deaths might be true. She returned to the sect, feeling melancholic.

...

"Ah? You say you’ve found Rushi and Ruhua? I can’t wait to see them!"

After parting with Xianyun Fairy, during their flight, Fang Bai and Qin Yaorao discussed Dongfang Rushi, Dongfang Ruhua, Baili Mingyue, Su Linglong, Tang Wenrou, Ye Wumei, and others. Qin Yaorao was delighted to learn that Fang Bai had met them in the Immortal Realm and had settled them properly.

Yet, since Fang Bai still needed to find other immortals who had ascended from the lower realms, Qin Yaorao would not see them anytime soon.

Because they did not know where the ascended immortals resided in the Immortal Realm, Fang Bai and Qin Yaorao could only drift aimlessly on the Auspicious Clouds as they traveled.

One day, they crossed an endless wasteland and saw a massive ancient tree over a hundred feet high, its branches and leaves covering miles around. Beneath it, many immortals were meditating in cultivation.

"This is a Bodhi Tree. It is said that cultivating under it yields unexpected results."

Fang Bai pointed to the gigantic Bodhi Ancient Tree.

He held Qin Yaorao’s hand as they descended beside the Bodhi Ancient Tree, finding a vacant spot where they planned to sit.

After landing, Qin Yaorao noticed two gazes focusing on her and frowned, looking over to see faces turn a bit unfriendly.