Wen Qiao opened her palm, and with a thought, a small seedling about an inch tall appeared in her hand.
To confirm that the seedling in her palm was not the same as the Rejuvenation Blossom in the flowerpot, Wen Qiao carefully placed them side by side. After a detailed comparison, she concluded: newly sprouted spiritual herbs often look somewhat similar at first, but as they grow, their distinctions become clear.
She exhaled a sigh of relief.
For a moment, she had almost thought she was Rejuvenation Blossom incarnate, which would have been utterly ridiculous.
Although Wen Qiao seldom left her residence, she knew that no Rejuvenation Blossom* had ever been known to cultivate into human form—at least not on the Saint Martial Continent. Perhaps such a phenomenon existed in the Upper Realm, but not here. Besides, Rejuvenation Blossoms were known solely for their rejuvenating properties and had no other use. Surely, her half-demon bloodline wouldn’t be so limited.
Through her experiments over the past days, Wen Qiao had come to understand that the small seedling in her palm was deeply connected to her demon-blooded lineage. Her ability to accelerate the growth of plants and absorb the essence of their vitality to refine her own body was a direct result of her awakened bloodline’s unique abilities.
This was something ordinary cultivators could not achieve.
At least, she had never heard of a cultivator being able to channel spiritual energy into a plant and cause it to sprout and grow. Even those with wood-based spiritual roots couldn’t do such a thing—it would be considered downright miraculous.
But those with extraordinary bloodlines could.
Wen Qiao now fully understood that her bloodline ability allowed her to accelerate the growth of spiritual herbs.
What did it mean to be able to hasten the growth of spiritual herbs?
Her instincts told her it was dangerous, making her even more cautious about revealing her bloodline powers.
While the essence of plants wasn’t the same as spiritual energy, it was a pure and gentle natural energy from heaven and earth. Absorbing it to cultivate was as effective as using single-attribute spiritual energy, if not more so. Moreover, it could help repair her damaged body and alleviate some of her chronic pain.
Aware of the mysterious origins of her half-demon bloodline, Wen Qiao dared not disclose it lightly. Even when accelerating plant growth to absorb their essence, she remained exceedingly discreet.
—
It wasn’t until dusk, under the soft glow of lantern light, that Ning Yuzhou returned.
Entering the bedroom, his gaze softened as he saw Wen Qiao sitting on the couch reading a book.
Wen Qiao put down the book and stood up slowly. After a moment of thought, she asked gently, “You’re back. Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
Wen Qiao promptly instructed the maids waiting outside to prepare dinner.
Neither of them—one a non-cultivator and the other just beginning her journey—had reached the stage of cultivation where they could abstain from eating. They still required three meals a day, like ordinary people.
When dinner was served, Ning Yuzhou invited Wen Qiao to sit with him, using the opportunity to chat.
He told her that in ten days, they would depart for Lin Tai Hunting Valley. He explained that the steward had summoned him earlier to discuss preparations for the trip, and that he would be quite busy in the coming days.
He looked sincerely apologetic for being unable to accompany her.
Wen Qiao tilted her head slightly, puzzled. “You can attend to your matters. I’m fine on my own and don’t need anyone to keep me company.”
Ning Yuzhou paused mid-motion with his chopsticks, a trace of helplessness flickering in his heart. She’s still such a child. Yet his expression remained warm and gentle as he smiled and said, “We’ve only just married, and as a husband, leaving my young wife alone while I’m busy would be frowned upon in the mortal world.”
“Dongling isn’t the mortal world. You don’t need to worry about that,” Wen Qiao replied earnestly.
The conversation was clearly going nowhere.
Ning Yuzhou chuckled, giving up on the topic. Instead, he reminded her, “While I’m away these next few days, no matter who comes to see you, you don’t need to meet them. Leave it to the stewards outside to handle.”
Wen Qiao nodded obediently.
After dinner, the couple sat in the flower hall, sipping tea.
The tea was a spiritual blend, fragrant and brimming with gentle energy, perfect for health and suitable for both cultivators and ordinary people.
As Wen Qiao sipped the warm tea, she couldn’t help but marvel at how Emperor Chenghao truly spoiled the Seventh Prince. Everything in the prince’s residence, from food to clothing, was top-notch and imbued with spiritual energy.
Ning Yuzhou glanced at the flowerpot on the windowsill and noticed that the seven-tiered spiritual herb had already sprouted an inch. He remarked in surprise, “So it’s already sprouted.”
“Yes,” Wen Qiao replied seriously. “Actually, it sprouted a little a few days ago. I didn’t expect it to grow so quickly.”
Ning Yuzhou picked up the flowerpot and examined it. He hadn’t looked closely before, but now it was clear that the plant had grown astonishingly fast, as if nurtured with spiritual water to accelerate its development.
He glanced at Wen Qiao.
The young woman sat quietly, her demeanour demure and harmless.
Finally, Ning Yuzhou commented, “It’s growing well.”
A faint smile appeared on Wen Qiao’s lips. Although her expression remained composed, her tone betrayed her joy. “It’s a seven-tiered spiritual herb. I’ll take good care of it.” After a pause, she asked suddenly, “Your Highness, do you know what kind of herb it is?”
“Call me ‘Husband,’” Ning Yuzhou corrected her.
Wen Qiao froze, her face flushing slightly as she hesitated.
Ning Yuzhou insisted, “We’re married now. There’s no need to call me by a title. You can use my name or ‘Husband.’”
Faced with his gentle yet firm demeanour, Wen Qiao finally relented, her voice barely above a whisper. “Husband.”
The warmth in Ning Yuzhou’s expression deepened. Looking at her with affection, he softly said, “If I’m not mistaken, this should be a Rejuvenation Blossom, right?”
Wen Qiao’s eyes widened. “You know about it?”
Ning Yuzhou’s gaze flickered at her words, though he maintained a calm exterior. “The people at Lingxu Pavilion said this seed was found in an ancient ruin. The Rejuvenation Blossom is a seven-tiered spiritual herb from antiquity, though it eventually disappeared. Modern refinements of Rejuvenation Pills use substitute ingredients and produce flawed results, unlike the effects of the original flower.”
He examined the plant further and continued, “Even at this sprouting stage, you can see five silver-white vein patterns on its leaves, which is characteristic of the Rejuvenation Blossom. Its scent…”
Wen Qiao stared at him, stunned by his detailed explanation, completely overturning her perception of the Seventh Prince.
She had only learned about the flower through the feedback she received from the plant itself. For Ning Yuzhou to deduce so much merely by observation suggested a wealth of knowledge far exceeding that of ordinary cultivators. His familiarity with rare spiritual herbs, particularly those like the Rejuvenation Blossom, hinted at an extraordinary depth of insight.
Suddenly, the Seventh Prince seemed far more mysterious.
—
The following days unfolded as Ning Yuzhou had predicted. Each morning, he left at dawn and didn’t return until late in the evening.
Wen Qiao, on the other hand, maintained her peaceful, focused routine of cultivation and tending to the Rejuvenation Blossom. She ensured the plant’s growth remained steady and unremarkable, carefully balancing her absorption of its essence.
Time passed quickly, and the day of their departure for Lin Tai Hunting Valley arrived.
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