Chapter 170: Wait, Are You Cultivating Tea Hundred Ways? (6k)

"You go first!" the silver-haired woman suddenly said to Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing's face twisted in bitterness. My twenty spirit seals probably overlap entirely with yours.

"Go on!" Lu Yaoyao, however, was thrilled, determined to prove herself and earn the woman's admiration.

What could Zhou Qing say? He stepped before the stone platform, exhaled slowly, and with his hands forming seals, twenty spirit seals floated into the air, then he carefully guided one downward.

In an instant, the seal sank into the stone.

"Huh? Lucky break?" Zhou Qing's eyes lit up.

Even the silver-haired woman glanced at him again, and Lu Yaoyao chuckled.

The second seal bounced back; the third succeeded and slipped in.

Of the twenty spirit seals Zhou Qing had learned from Senior Xuanqingzi, fifteen matched perfectly—his success rate was unusually high.

Yet even together, the two had only unlocked less than twenty percent of the platform. Under current conditions, fully opening it was impossible.

The silver-haired woman seemed unwilling to accept defeat, attempting to move the entire platform—only for the remaining barriers to instantly glow crimson, as if about to self-destruct.

Powerful spiritual energy surged, making the surrounding air scorching hot.

She reluctantly gave up.

"What's the point? If you're leaving something valuable for descendants, why make it so hard? It's clearly intentional!"

Lu Yaoyao muttered indignantly.

Zhou Qing quickly tugged her sleeve, signaling her to stay quiet—didn't she see the woman was already furious? Don't add fuel to the fire.

"Hurry and leave!"

The silver-haired woman frowned, her eyes filled with resolve. In her hand, an ice-type hairpin materialized, radiating bone-chilling cold.

The temperature around them plummeted below freezing, making them shiver involuntarily.

It seemed to seal some unknown power. Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao merely glanced at it instinctively—and felt their souls nearly freeze, a sharp pain stabbing their minds. They quickly looked away.

Clearly, she intended to gamble everything, trying to brute-force the platform's seals.

Zhou Qing's gaze locked onto the three jade vials on the platform. Because he was closer, he could clearly sense one contained the essence blood of the Golden Wings Great Peng.

But if she used brute force, given the strength of the current seals, everything inside would likely be obliterated in an instant.

"The chance of success is slim," Zhou Qing couldn't help warning.

The silver-haired woman glanced at him coolly, her voice calm: "If it's destroyed, then it was never meant for me."

"Things without destiny—even if they come into my hands—will eventually slip away. Forcing them only brings loss."

Zhou Qing was stunned.

What Dao are you cultivating?

Tea Hundred Ways?

Do you really believe in "destiny" that much?

But if you destroy this, where will I find Golden Peng essence blood again?

Will you still cultivate the Emperor's Radiance Scripture?

"Wait a moment!" Zhou Qing stared intently at the platform, searching for any overlooked clues.

Lu Yaoyao was delighted—clearly, brute-force destruction was dangerous, yet she'd urged them to leave first, proving she had no intent to kill.

She couldn't help speaking up: "Sister, you're so powerful, you must know many people. Why not just seal this place now, then find a fifth-rank array master later to break it? That'd be perfect."

The silver-haired woman slowly lowered the ice hairpin, looked at Lu Yaoyao, and replied coldly: "I don't know any fifth-rank array masters."

Lu Yaoyao immediately pointed at Zhou Qing, beaming.

"You might soon! This is my most admired Senior Zhou Qing. Don't be fooled—he's only a first-rank array master now, but his potential is limitless. Give him time, and he'll become a fifth-rank master for sure."

Zhou Qing, focused on the platform, stumbled at the sound. He turned to the silver-haired woman and offered an awkward smile.

He did have the fifth-rank array transmission left by Senior Xuanqingzi—but reaching that level? Who knew when that would happen.

You've got bizarre faith in me.

Look at the woman standing here—she's a Cutting Spirit expert, yet she's only a fourth-rank array master, and just barely gathered ten thousand spirit seals.

You want her to seal this place? That's digging your own grave.

We already know the secret of this place. Do you think she'll let us go and wait for a fifth-rank master to return?

You're being absurdly naive!

The silver-haired woman looked at Zhou Qing and shook her head slightly: "Too much time. Too many variables. Not feasible."

Lu Yaoyao opened her mouth to speak again, but the silver-haired woman cut her off: "Leave. If it's destroyed, it simply means we had no destiny with it."

Zhou Qing refused to give up. He clenched his teeth and, out of sheer desperation, activated his appraisal.

【Treasure Storage Platform: This peculiar stone platform holds several treasures, surrounded by an extremely powerful five-color seal—solvable only by a fifth-rank array master.】

【What no one knows is that within the platform lies another image array: plant three incense sticks on the ground, bow respectfully—and the array will dissolve automatically.】

【After all, the platform's creator, before death, had already let go. All he asked for was a sincere bow from his successors.】

Seeing the appraisal feedback, Zhou Qing froze—then burst into ecstatic joy.

He hadn't expected such luck—his appraisal had directly revealed how to break the platform's seal.

But then his joy turned to despair.

If this woman weren't here, once he used this method, everything inside would be his.

Now? This woman, obsessed with "destiny," is determined to smash the platform with brute force—giving him no time at all.

Fine. Without her, even with the faint perception of the Emperor's Radiance Scripture, I'd never have entered this cave.

Given our three encounters, just give me one drop of Golden Peng essence blood, and let me and Little Sister Lu leave safely. I ask for nothing more.

"Let's go," the silver-haired woman picked up the ice hairpin again, her voice icy.

Zhou Qing suddenly spoke: "Wait—have you smelled anything?"

The silver-haired woman frowned. Lu Yaoyao, seeing Zhou Qing's serious expression, lit up and cried: "Sister, Senior Zhou's nose is incredibly sharp—even dog-type beasts can't match it. Don't rush!"

Zhou Qing, pretending to sniff, sighed inwardly at Lu Yaoyao.

If you can't play along, just stay quiet. No one thinks you're mute.

Soon, Zhou Qing seemed to realize something, his face lighting up: "It's incense smoke! That's why it felt familiar."

The silver-haired woman's veiled nose twitched slightly—but she smelled nothing.

Zhou Qing then pulled three incense sticks from his storage pouch, sniffed them himself, and grew even more certain.

"Yes, this scent—could this platform be like an ancestral altar? Does it require worship?"

Zhou Qing murmured. Before the silver-haired woman could stop him, he lit the three incense sticks and solemnly declared: "Elder, since we've accidentally entered this place, it means we're destined. As those with destiny, we shouldn't leave empty-handed."

"I, Zhou Qing of Taiqingmen, offer the lifespans of all members of Cangyan Dao Palace and Tianji Sect. I beg you to open the barrier, so we may inherit your legacy and carry it forward, restoring it to the world."

He planted the incense sticks, then bowed deeply.

This absurd scene made Lu Yaoyao's face twitch with embarrassment. She glanced nervously at the "third mother" beside her.

The silver-haired woman also shook her head slightly—utterly illogical.

But in the next instant, her eyes narrowed sharply.

The array on the platform suddenly began to swirl rapidly, and in an instant, the runes blazed with brilliant light.

Then, a withered spectral figure slowly emerged above the array.

He wore a simple ancient robe, his hair golden, his face deeply wrinkled, every gesture radiating innate authority.

He chuckled: "To kneel before me proves you are courteous and kind-hearted. I can rest in peace now—these treasures are yours."

Zhou Qing stared at the spectral figure, utterly speechless.

Clearly, this was merely a lingering projection—barely even a lingering attachment. Worse, he'd bowed in the wrong direction.

Still, he feigned astonishment, turned to the stunned women, and hurried to the other side of the platform, bowing gratefully: "Thank you, Elder. I shall not fail your trust."

After Zhou Qing bowed again, the five-color array slowly faded, revealing the several items on the platform.

Zhou Qing calmly brushed dust off his knees, stood up, and sheepishly faced the silver-haired woman, scratching his head: "Elder… I… I think I accidentally solved it!"

The two women just stared, dazed, still unable to process what had happened.

Wait, this actually worked?

【Heart-Appraisal +9】

Lu Yaoyao's tag above her head, 【Very Compassionate】, instantly changed to 【Extremely Absurd】.

"You—" the silver-haired woman finally snapped out of her shock, opening her mouth to speak—but couldn't find words to describe the scene.

She recalled all the treasures she'd been forced to abandon due to various obstacles—and suddenly felt she'd missed countless opportunities.

"Elder, please," Zhou Qing stepped aside politely.

The silver-haired woman said nothing, stepped forward—but hesitated, then turned to Zhou Qing: "You choose first."

Zhou Qing hadn't expected her to be so principled, but he waved his hands: "No, you go first."

The silver-haired woman said nothing, only stared silently at him.

Zhou Qing felt utterly uncomfortable, even embarrassed.

What kind of person is this? Cold and domineering!

Helpless, he gave a slight nod and turned his gaze to the platform.

Five items lay neatly arranged: three jade vials of different hues, an ancient leather scroll radiating antiquity, and a finely crafted storage pouch.

One of the vials definitely contained Golden Wings Great Peng essence blood. As Zhou Qing subtly activated the ancient characters of the Emperor's Radiance Scripture in his spiritual sea, his eyes brightened instantly.

Without hesitation, he reached out and gently lifted the central vial, its entire surface crimson.

The moment his hand touched it, a warm, dominant energy surged through his palm, resonating faintly with the Emperor's Radiance Scripture.

His heart surged with excitement.

As for the other items, Zhou Qing, still rational, decisively chose to abandon them.

After all, his companion was a Cutting Spirit cultivator; escaping unharmed under her watchful gaze was already a stroke of luck—if he grew greedy, his life might be in peril.

"I've made my choice!" Zhou Qing said.

The silver-haired woman said nothing more and took the beast-skin scroll first, slowly unrolling it.

In an instant, her pupils shrank sharply, her eyes filled with shock, then instantly flooded with ecstatic joy.

Next, she picked up the storage bag, opened it to inspect, and was equally stirred.

Finally, her gaze settled on the other two jade vials, which seemed to contain some elixirs; after probing them, her face lit up with surprise again—though she wondered whether their potency had survived the passage of time.

"These items are of great use to me. If you kept them, you'd invite death. But this stone platform was opened by you—I cannot take advantage of you without repayment!"

Having spoken, the silver-haired woman opened her palm, and a jade tablet emitting a faint, soothing fragrance appeared.

"Once activated, this jade tablet unleashes an attack equal to my full strength. I give it to you as a life-saving talisman."

Looking at the jade tablet offered before him, Zhou Qing's heart surged with joy—such a rare treasure, if he feigned refusal now, he'd seem ungrateful.

"Thank you, Elder!" Zhou Qing exclaimed, quickly reaching out to accept it.

Then, her gaze turned to the jade vial in Zhou Qing's hand, and she warned: "If you wish to assimilate this blood essence, you must have an elder present to guard you. Its violent power is beyond your current cultivation base to suppress."

Zhou Qing's lips curled into a smile—he saw she had noticed. But with his Four Flowers at the Crown ability, he had no cause for concern.

Still, he bowed respectfully: "I understand, junior disciple."

Then, the silver-haired woman turned to Lu Yaoyao, and a snowflake materialized in her palm. "Place your hand on it."

Lu Yaoyao blinked in surprise, then smiled brightly and obeyed without hesitation.

In an instant, the snowflake slowly changed color, gradually turning a pale blue-green.

Seeing this, the silver-haired woman's expression flickered with astonishment, though she quickly regained composure.

"I never expected your constitution to be so similar to mine!" she murmured.

Hearing this, Lu Yaoyao grew even more excited, her eyes reddening as she urgently asked: "R-really?"

The silver-haired woman retracted the snowflake and pulled out two jade slips, handing them to Lu Yaoyao: "This cultivation method is called 'Ice Lotus.' It should suit your constitution. But its companion scripture is 'Ice Purity Technique.' If you wish to practice it, you must abandon your previous heart method…"

"I accept!" Lu Yaoyao interrupted before she finished, her eyes locked on the silver-haired woman without blinking.

For her, if this woman truly was her birth mother, this was the first gift she had ever received from her.

Zhou Qing, standing nearby, felt deep joy for Lu Yaoyao.

After all, Taiqingmen's core heart method was "Taiqing Mystical Qi Technique"—even he had abandoned it to switch to the more compatible "Yin-Yang Technique."

This method, crafted by a Cutting Spirit cultivator, was incomparably superior to Taiqingmen's teachings.

The silver-haired woman gazed at Lu Yaoyao for a moment, then softly said: "Good. Keep it safe. Do not let others take it from you."

"Absolutely not!" Lu Yaoyao vowed firmly.

The silver-haired woman nodded slightly, then unleashed her vast spiritual sense like a tidal wave, thoroughly scanning every corner of the cave.

Confirming no other valuable items remained, she led Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao out of the cave.

"If fate allows, we shall meet again!"

Outside the cave, after speaking these words, she raised her hand and lightly slashed the air before her. Instantly, a spatial rift appeared, exhaling faint icy mist.

Seeing this, Lu Yaoyao hurriedly asked: "Sister, your kindness is beyond repayment—may I ask your name?"

But the silver-haired woman gave no reply; she merely waved her hand, and the two were drawn involuntarily toward the rift, vanishing within.

As if only an instant had passed, Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao felt solid ground beneath their feet. When they looked up, they were back at Taiqingmen—right outside Zhou Qing's courtyard.

The tree once frozen stood before them.

Gazing at this scene, Zhou Qing felt his scalp prickle with awe.

Is this the terrifying power of a Cutting Spirit cultivator?

They had struggled for seven days to cover this distance—yet she had merely flicked her wrist, crossing it in the span of a single breath.

Amid his profound awe, Zhou Qing suddenly felt a new yearning for that realm.

"Senior Brother Zhou, will we ever see her again?"

Lu Yaoyao, snapping back to reality, wore unmistakable disappointment—she still didn't know her name.

Zhou Qing sighed, unsure what had gotten into this girl.

He comforted her: "We will. Train hard in the 'Ice Purity Technique' she gave you. Perhaps with this heart method, you'll break through to Nascent Soul—then maybe you'll meet her again."

Hearing this, Lu Yaoyao's eyes lit up. She immediately pulled out the two jade slips, her face filled with anticipation.

"By the way, don't mention anything about Canglan Mountain to anyone. There's no such thing as a secret that won't leak!" Zhou Qing warned seriously.

This girl's power is still weak—if Soul Transformation elders learned she possessed a Cutting Spirit cultivator's technique, she'd invite endless trouble.

Cutting Spirit cultivators are exceedingly rare. Across this fourth-tier spiritual nation—with its eight commanderies and seventy-two prefectures—only a dozen or so have ever existed.

Yet countless cultivators are trapped at the peak of Soul Transformation, desperately striving to transcend and become one of the billions above all.

Lu Yaoyao understood—if this technique became common, she'd be branded a traitor and would never see "Third Mama" again.

"We've been gone so long, the Sect Master must be frantic with worry!" Zhou Qing glanced at the sky.

Lu Yaoyao nodded obediently, then smiled brightly: "Senior Brother Zhou, I'll break through to the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible—I won't hold you back next time!"

Zhou Qing smiled warmly: "Good. Next time we go out, I'll take you along."

Watching Lu Yaoyao's sword vanish into the distance, Zhou Qing sighed again.

He had to admit—since leaving Linggu Mountain and arriving at Canglan Mountain, her presence had brought him immense gains.

Then he glanced around.

His Master and Senior Sister had both entered seclusion. He'd been gone over two months, and Third Brother hadn't even come to look for him—no idea what he and Lei Luo were up to.

Back in his room, Zhou Qing immediately pulled out the jade vial containing the Jin Chida blood essence, holding it with reverence.

With this treasure, he could now properly cultivate the "Emperor's Radiance Scripture."

The Golden Peng True Body and the Emperor's Majesty—just thinking of it thrilled him.

Still, for safety, Zhou Qing decided to wait until after midnight to first verify the blood essence.

Next came the jade tablet gifted by No. 6—capable of unleashing a Cutting Spirit-level strike, a true trump card.

Even if Sikong Yan came himself, he wouldn't fear—but he couldn't grow overconfident.

Some opponents had thick hides or too many tricks—a single Cutting Spirit strike might not kill them outright.

Even his Second Sister, a Nascent Soul cultivator, carried a life-substitution talisman.

Besides, he now suspected the Cangyan Dao Palace and Tianji Gate were backed by figures from the Imperial Capital. Would they not easily acquire something like this?

One old Emperor, and Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo guarding the border—both are Cutting Spirit cultivators. Who knows how many such superiors they've secretly cultivated over the years?

"Next time I enter the Divine Ruins Palace, I'll leave this thing behind," Zhou Qing murmured, staring at the jade tablet.

What if No. 6 sensed it?

"Maybe next time I go in, I'll visit her forbidden zone?" Zhou Qing suddenly thought of something, his eyes brightening.

I won't act—just watch. If she even releases a trace of ice technique, it'll confirm everything.

But after acquiring so many treasures this time, he doubted he'd enter again anytime soon.

Finally, after enduring until the early hours of the next day, Zhou Qing could no longer wait—he began the verification.

【Rare Blood Essence: This jade vial seals three extremely pure drops of Jin Chida blood essence. Even after countless ages, their vital energy remains vigorous. Due to their immense power, assimilation requires extreme caution.】

"Three drops?"

Seeing the feedback, Zhou Qing froze for a moment, then his face erupted in ecstatic joy.

He had assumed the vial contained only one drop of Jin Chida blood essence—yet it held three! This was an unexpected windfall!

(End of Chapter)