Chapter 98: Devoted Heart

At the very heart of the Holy City, various immortal pavilions stand tall, majestic and imposing, soaring into the clouds, making it hard to tell just how high they are.

The immortal pavilions and towers are resplendent with gold and jade, extraordinarily luxurious, most of them hovering in midair, surrounded by swirling mist and lingering spiritual energy, like a divine land.

It had long been arranged that Yang Zhu was an honored guest of Yaochi, so upon his arrival he was received with the highest honors.

A maid led the way, guiding Yang Zhu into a splendid golden hall; this place was specially reserved for receiving Saint‑Lord‑level dignitaries and was rarely used.

"Young Master Yang, please wait a moment; I will go report to the Queen Mother at once."

The maid performed a courteous bow, very respectful, then withdrew carefully and hurriedly.

Yang Zhu stood with his hands behind his back, boredly scanning the hall, and noticed that formation lines were everywhere.

It helps preserve immortality; even saints would find it hard to damage this place, showing how much effort went into its original construction.

"It seems a great deal of thought went into this…"

Yang Zhu gazed, lost in thought, forgetting the time; when he came to, he saw the Yaochi Holy Maiden standing not far away, quietly looking at him.

She was an extremely beautiful woman, her face veiled so her features were indistinct, like a secluded orchid in an empty valley—utterly unworldly, possessing a serene beauty.

Not only was her appearance capable of overthrowing cities and nations, but her bearing was equally transcendent, untouched by mortal food, making one feel ashamed of one's own vulgarity.

It seemed that all beautiful things in the world would pale before her.

Seeing Yang Zhu looking at her, the Yaochi Holy Maiden's beautiful eyes fluttered in panic, and she hastily withdrew her gaze.

For some unknown reason, she would unconsciously be drawn to Yang Zhu, often losing herself without realizing it.

Yang Zhu walked toward her, stopping when half a meter remained; at that moment a faint, elegant fragrance wafted over, calming the mind and spirit.

"I say, fairy maiden, why are you staring at me again? Could it be that you like me?"

Yang Zhu wore a faint smile; he was extremely handsome, to the point that even peerless beauties would look dull beside him.

"Yes…"

The Yaochi Holy Maiden unconsciously tapped her flawless crystal chin, then quickly realized her cheeks flushed with a blush.

She was slightly shy, possessing myriad charms; any beautiful thing in the world would lose its luster before her.

"Really or not?"

Yang Zhu's eyes were deep, as if holding a special power, gazing at her without blinking.

"No… I… I…"

The Yaochi Holy Maiden clenched her silver teeth against her red lips, her flawless jade fingers gripping a corner of her clothing, her beautiful eyes downcast, she dared not meet his gaze and remained speechless for a long while.

"Haha, I'm just teasing you; I asked casually, so don't take it to heart."

Having said that, Yang Zhu tried to find a seat, but as he turned, the Yaochi Holy Maiden grabbed one of his arms.

Yang Zhu turned his head to look at her, slightly furrowing his brow.

"Yes."

As if she had steeled herself, the Yaochi Holy Maiden's eyes fixed firmly on Yang Zhu, her voice like heavenly music, pleasant and moving.

"If you'd said that earlier, it would have been settled."

Hearing this, Yang Zhu put an arm around the Yaochi Holy Maiden's slender waist, pulling her delicate body close; instantly a softness pressed against his front.

The Yaochi Holy Maiden's white robes fluttered, her black hair danced lightly, her eyes were like water, seeming like misty vapor, giving her a hazy beauty.

"Mm."

She lightly tapped her chin, her body leaning against Yang Zhu, even feeling a warmth that inexplicably put her at ease.

The Yaochi Holy Maiden possessed extraordinary talent, ranking among the top of her generation's heavenly prodigies, and besides being "one of our own," becoming her Dao partner would also be an excellent choice.

Most importantly, Yang Zhu also felt affection for her.

Yang Zhu glanced sideways and happened to see the Queen Mother of the West standing at the doorway, kind and peaceful, smiling warmly at them.

"Haha, Queen Mother, you've come." He burst into laughter, let go of her hand, and walked toward the seats inside the hall.

"Queen Mother…" the Yaochi Holy Maiden lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushing even more.

"Good, good, good…" the Queen Mother nodded repeatedly, unable to suppress her smile: "Yue'er, Young Master Yang taking a liking to you is your blessing."

"Yue'er knows." The Yaochi Holy Maiden glanced at Yang Zhu, her eyes rippling, and nodded in agreement.

"Young Master Yang, did you come to me for something important?"

The Queen Mother of the West inquired.

"Then Yue'er will take her leave first." The Yaochi Holy Maiden, being tactful, said softly and prepared to depart.

"It's fine, please stay."

Yang Zhu called her to stop; since things had already progressed that far, there was no need to hide it from her.

The Yaochi Holy Maiden paused, then stood beside Yang Zhu.

A woman like the Yaochi Holy Maiden, who resembles a banished immortal and is indifferent to the world, once her feelings are engaged will be unshakable, making it hard for her to fall for anyone else.

The previous Yaochi Holy Maiden, Yang Yi, was just like that; having decided to follow Zhang Lin, she would enter even a perilous place like Purple Mountain without hesitation.

Only, unfortunately…

"I came to see you this time because I want a section of peach tree trunk." Yang Zhu got straight to the point.

Everyone knows the Peach Divine Tree is extremely important to Yaochi, protected to the utmost; ordinary people aren't even allowed to approach it.

"Alright, I'll have someone prepare it right away."

But if Yang Zhu speaks up, not to mention a section of trunk—even if he demanded the whole tree, the Queen Mother of the West would not hesitate in the slightest.

The weight of the two words "Imperial Son" is not something to be taken lightly.

"I don't know what you intend to use the peach tree trunk for, or whether you need our help."

I recently made a trip to the Holy Cliff, extracted the corpse of a Great Accomplishment Holy Body, intending to use it for myself.

Yang Zhu's simple remark caused the Queen Mother of the West's expression to change abruptly.

That is comparable to a Great Emperor's existence, equivalent to a Great Emperor's corpse—how terrifying it is hard to imagine; a single misstep could lead to eternal ruin.

"You... you aren't joking, are you?"

"No matter how composed the Queen Mother of the West is, facing such a thing, she cannot remain calm."

"Not to mention the Holy Mother of Jade Pond; even if one looked across the eight wildernesses of the universe, anyone who heard this would turn pale."

"It was truly shocking, utterly unprecedented! 'Of course not.' Yang Zhu wasn't that bored to joke about such a thing."

"Alright, I'll have someone fetch it as soon as possible."

"If it were an ordinary cultivator, such a thing could never happen; but if it were Yang Zhu, it would still be understandable."

"No need for that; I've temporarily suppressed him, and he won't cause any trouble for a while. Once the trunk is retrieved, it can be left here for now, and I'll come pick it up later."

"The Queen Mother of the West nodded in agreement, and everything will be done as he instructed."

"After further discussion, Yang Zhu said he would next go to the Ice Snow Palace for a visit; upon hearing this, the Holy Maiden of Jade Pond expressed her desire to go along."

"In response, Yang Zhu naturally had no objection and gladly agreed; they walked side by side and left the main hall together."

"That dead dog is at the Wonderful Desire Hermitage, and I also heard that the Holy Son of the Yin Yang Sect is there."

"After meeting with Duan De at the agreed location, they reported the information they had gathered."

"This guy is somewhat lacking in virtue, but his strength is certainly not lacking, especially when it comes to finding people and probing the earth—saying he's adept at it is no exaggeration."

"After writing 200,000 words, I discovered the protagonist had never even held a girl's hand, and I felt wronged along with him……"

"(End of chapter)"