For several days, items were continuously delivered to Jishui Courtyard.
**Nomad: Jishui Courtyard is FMC’s court yard, previously mentioned as the Water Gathering Courtyard, I’ll start referring to it as the Jishui Courtyard**
The previously old and slightly dilapidated courtyard underwent a complete makeover. Furniture that had been used for over a decade was replaced with new pieces, and fresh, nutritious ingredients were delivered daily to the small kitchen in Jishui Courtyard.
Lian Yue was most pleased with the ingredients, as she no longer had to go to the main kitchen daily to fetch subpar items.
Of course, Lian Yue understood the reason for the Wen family’s sudden attentiveness, but she wasn’t foolish enough to decline the benefits.
During this time, the Second Lady came to visit Wen Qiao, intending to see if anything was still lacking in the courtyard and to make up for what had been withheld by the servants in the past.
Lian Yue dismissed her with the excuse that her mistress was resting. The items were left behind, but the Second Lady didn’t insist on entering.
After all, everyone in the Wen family knew that Wen Qiao was frail and frequently ill. Sometimes, she would be bedridden for ten days or more. Forcing her way in might worsen Wen Qiao’s condition, and no one wanted to risk offending Emperor Chenghao.
This concern, shared by both the Wen family and others, ensured that Jishui Courtyard remained the quietest place. As one of the central figures in the arranged marriage, Wen Qiao continued her peaceful and undisturbed life, focusing on researching her newly awakened half-demon bloodline.
After clarifying the powers of her awakened bloodline, Wen Qiao “recovered” and finally left her courtyard.
“Miss, where are you going?” Lian Yue asked.
“To the front courtyard, to see if there are any spiritual plants,” Wen Qiao replied.
Lian Yue was surprised but said nothing, grabbing a basket and following her out of Jishui Courtyard.
Wen Qiao led her maid to the Wen family’s Spirit Nurturing Hall.
The Sixth Elder, who managed the hall, was surprised to see her.
Wen Qiao had always been an inconspicuous and neglected figure in the Wen family. It wasn’t until Emperor Chenghao’s decree of marriage with the Seventh Prince that people even remembered her existence.
Seeing her today, still pale and frail, she stood delicately, like a fragile willow. Her beauty was undeniable, but her weak appearance inspired worry rather than admiration.
After coughing lightly a few times, Wen Qiao explained her purpose to the Sixth Elder.
The Dongling Kingdom was located on the edge of the Sacred Martial Continent, where spiritual energy was scarce, and spiritual herbs and plants were rare. However, the Wen family had deep foundations, and obtaining some ordinary spiritual plants was not difficult.
“Just ordinary spiritual plants, not spiritual herbs?” the Sixth Elder confirmed.
Wen Qiao nodded softly. “I want to grow some spiritual plants.”
The Sixth Elder, understanding that her poor health limited her ability to cultivate, thought growing some plants to pass the time was a good idea.
He assigned a junior disciple to take her to the Wen family’s Spirit Herb Garden.
The Spirit Herb Garden was small, about an acre in size, surrounded by a Five Elements Array made of thorny plants. A lion-tiger beast guarded the garden. Most of the herbs were low-level and young; higher-grade or older herbs were not grown here.
Wen Qiao first examined the thorny plants forming the array. They were called Red Thorn Briars, a vibrant crimson species as hard as iron, suitable even for making weapons.
“These are all ordinary spiritual plants, nothing too special. Third Miss, how many do you want?” the junior disciple asked, pointing to a cluster of plants growing by the briars.
Though he dismissed them as ordinary, the plants’ ability to grow in spiritual energy indicated they were not mere weeds and had their uses.
Wen Qiao selected five plants, none of which she recognized, but they were likely viewed as weeds by cultivators.
Lian Yue used a small spade to dig them up, roots and all, along with the soil.
Seeing this, the junior disciple hesitated before blurting out, “The soil here is spiritual soil, perfect for cultivating spiritual plants and not something you can easily buy outside…”
“Do you need to ‘buy’ soil to grow plants?” Lian Yue exclaimed in surprise.
“These aren’t just plants—they’re spiritual plants! They require spiritual soil infused with energy to thrive,” the disciple replied, clearly thinking Lian Yue was ignorant of such matters. Of course, he only grumbled internally and dared not voice his disdain in front of Wen Qiao.
Back at Jishui Courtyard, Lian Yue whispered to Wen Qiao, “Miss, who would’ve thought your marriage to the Seventh Prince would have such an impact? That disciple from the Spirit Herb Garden clearly disliked me, yet he held back instead of chasing me off like he would’ve before.”
She sighed, marvelling at how the Seventh Prince, despite being unable to cultivate, still commanded such authority. “Truly, he’s a winner in life.”
Wen Qiao patted her maid’s head, knowing that although Lian Yue appeared impulsive, she was quite perceptive and adept at creating a favourable impression.
Wen Qiao asked Lian Yue to bring five pots, planting the spiritual plants and watering them before placing them on the windowsill in her room.
“Miss, are you keeping these as ornamental plants? They’re not as pretty as the flowers in our courtyard,” Lian Yue commented.
Wen Qiao said nothing, letting the assumption stand.
Her rare trip out of Jishui Courtyard and her decision to grow seemingly useless spiritual plants quickly became a topic of gossip within the Wen family and beyond. Many found her hobby peculiar.
One day, the Wen family received an invitation.
Along with the invitation came a letter from Lingxu Pavilion, inviting the family to a grand auction to be held the next day.
Wen Xian and a group of young Wen family disciples happened to see a guard carrying the letter and invitation inside.
“What is that?” Wen Xian asked.
“It’s an invitation to tomorrow’s auction at Lingxu Pavilion,” the guard replied.
Wen Xian’s eyes lit up with interest. “Who sent it?”
“It’s the Seventh Prince.”
Wen Xian’s eyes widened in shock. “The Seventh Prince? Are you sure? Could it be for Third Sister?”
The guard nodded.
As the guard carried the invitation toward Jishui Courtyard, the disciples of the Wen family remained in a state of disbelief. Wasn’t the Seventh Prince supposed to be a cultivation failure? How did he get an invitation to Lingxu Pavilion?
Lingxu Pavilion spanned the Sacred Martial Continent, with a powerful background. Every six months, its branches held auctions, and its invitations were notoriously difficult to obtain. Could it be that the invitation was a favour from Emperor Chenghao? After all, without the emperor’s support, someone unable to cultivate couldn’t possibly secure one.
That the Seventh Prince would send such an exclusive invitation directly to Wen Qiao showed just how much he valued his fiancée.
The Wen family members exchanged glances, their opinions of the engagement shifting. They began to re-evaluate the match between Wen Qiao and the Seventh Prince.
—
In Jishui Courtyard, Wen Qiao was equally surprised when she saw the Lingxu Pavilion invitation.
Lian Yue was astonished. “Miss, are you going? Could the Seventh Prince be hoping to meet you there?”
After all, despite Emperor Chenghao’s sudden decree, the two betrothed had yet to meet. It was a situation where they only knew of each other by name. Lian Yue had thought it might take a long time before they met, but now it seemed much sooner than expected.
“Of course, I’ll go,” Wen Qiao replied.
Hearing this, Lian Yue immediately began preparing her mistress’s attire for the outing, determined to ensure Wen Qiao made a good impression on the Seventh Prince, especially considering all the benefits they had received because of him.
—
That night, Wen Qiao stood by her window, gazing at the five potted plants on the windowsill.
The plants, newly transplanted, had slightly wilted leaves. Wen Qiao attempted to channel her limited spiritual energy into them, carefully sensing their emotions. Through the feedback, she learned the names given to them by cultivators, their growth states, vitality, and the amount of plant essence they contained.
Under her influence, the five plants began to grow rapidly, almost unnaturally. Just as their roots threatened to burst through the pots, Wen Qiao’s sparse spiritual energy was completely depleted. Her face turned as pale as paper, and large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.
Weakly, she slumped into the armchair by the window. Her fingers trembled as she absorbed the plant essence the five plants gave back to her.
The essence, rich in spiritual energy, soothed her meridians, alleviating some of the pain caused by the depletion of her energy. Though the relief was minor, it reinvigorated her spirit, akin to consuming a rare spiritual medicine.
So this plant essence could ease the gnawing pain in her meridians.
Wen Qiao’s complexion improved slightly. She glanced at the now-thriving plants and allowed herself a faint smile.
—
By noon the next day, Wen Qiao, accompanied by Lian Yue, boarded a beast-drawn carriage arranged by the Wen family.
The carriage was pulled by a low-level beast with a gentle temperament, suitable for travel within the city.
Cultivators, being physically strong, rarely used transportation within city limits unless traveling far. Only someone as frail as Wen Qiao required a carriage for short trips.
The Wen family had already received an invitation to Lingxu Pavilion’s auction half a month prior. Wen Zhongqing, the family head, was leading a group of young disciples to attend.
Wen Xian watched the departing carriage with a dim expression.
The other disciples of the Wen family couldn’t hide their envy. Previously, they had dismissed the Seventh Prince as a pampered failure, relying solely on Emperor Chenghao’s favour. Yet his ability to casually gift his fiancée such a prestigious invitation was undeniably impressive, even if it was due to the emperor’s support.
“Ah Mei, why hasn’t the Third Prince sent you an invitation to Lingxu Pavilion?” Wen Xian suddenly asked Wen Mei.
The two were both legitimate daughters of the Wen family, close in age, and often compared to each other in cultivation and behaviour.
Wen Mei glanced at her, her beautiful, charming face expressionless as she replied indifferently, “The Third Prince is in secluded cultivation.”
Wen Xian chuckled softly and continued, “Who would have thought the Seventh Prince cared so much for Third Sister? Ah Mei, what do you think?”
“It’s fine,” Wen Mei replied, giving Wen Xian a strange look, as if to say, ‘What does this have to do with us?’
Wen Xian was left speechless.
Known as the “Twin Beauties of the Wen Family,” Wen Mei and Wen Xian walked side by side. Wen Mei was dazzlingly beautiful, exuding charm, while Wen Xian was elegant and serene. Each had her own appeal, and wherever they went, they drew the attention of countless young martial cultivators.
—
The Wen family’s beast-drawn carriage arrived silently in front of Lingxu Pavilion.
Attendants from Lingxu Pavilion promptly came forward to guide the carriage to a designated parking area.
Lian Yue helped her mistress out of the carriage and handed the invitation to one of the pavilion’s maids. After examining it, the maid smiled warmly and said in a gentle tone, “Please follow me, honoured guest.”
Lingxu Pavilion had five floors. The first-floor hall was spacious and grand, with a central platform displaying various pills, talismans, artefacts, and arrays. Though their grades weren’t high, the sheer quantity and the rarity of such items in the spiritual-energy-poor Dongling Kingdom made them exceptionally valuable.
Without lingering, Wen Qiao ascended to the third floor with her maid.
Today’s auction was being held on the third floor.
The maid leading the way stopped before a private room and knocked on the door.
The door opened swiftly, revealing a burly royal guard who saluted respectfully upon seeing Wen Qiao.
The maid stepped aside, her head lowered, not daring to look into the room.
Lian Yue felt nervous and barely dared to breathe as she followed closely behind her mistress.
Wen Qiao maintained her composure, steadying herself before stepping into the room.
The private room was spacious, its elegant decor exuding subtle luxury. It was furnished with all the essentials, including chairs, couches, and screens. On the wall was a reflective crystal panel, thin as paper, allowing those inside to see the auction platform outside without being seen in return. On a long couch carved from spiritual wood and adorned with intricate patterns sat a young man.
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