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墨書 Inktalez
Not far from the Transcendence Pool, there was a hot spring inn reminiscent of the Mudong Kingdom. It was surrounded by ancient architecture, and inside were open-air pools, separated for men and women. The Transcendence Pool was not very large, about ten zhang in diameter, with the male and female pools shaped like the yin-yang symbol. The air was thick with celestial energy, almost tangible, forming a heavy mist above the surface of the water.
Hanno stripped off her clothes and stepped into the pool. The garments she had discarded on the ground were immediately dissolved by the mist. As she submerged herself in the water, her body, forged through tribulations, began to ache slightly. The True Essence within her circulated faster and faster until it transformed completely, and her body began to change into that of an immortal.
Hanno let out a long breath as she emerged from the pool, feeling incredibly light and comfortable. She could sense a powerful force flowing within her, and she couldn't help but smile. An immortal! She was now an immortal—how wonderful!
Outside the pool, there was a set of white celestial robes laid out. These were standard garments for immortals, provided free of charge to those who had just ascended. For higher-quality robes, immortals had to sew them themselves.
Elder Brother Li emerged from the male pool, wearing similar celestial attire. The two looked like they were dressed in matching outfits and couldn't help but share a smile.
"Stop smiling and hurry up to register," interrupted Bing, ruining the moment between them. The atmosphere had made him feel like he wanted to wave a torch.
Hanno and Elder Brother Li shrugged at each other and followed Bing to meet Tai Bai Jin Xing. In their minds, Tai Bai Jin Xing resembled the kind old man from "Journey to the West," so they expected him to be quite amiable.
And indeed he was amiable. Although Tai Bai Jin Xing did not look like an old man but rather a young figure with long white hair and a crane-like appearance, he was very friendly. After registering their names and learning that they preferred not to be constrained or hold official positions in court but wished to be free-spirited immortals instead, Tai Bai Jin Xing even pulled out a map of the realm to point out scenic spots and suitable places for secluded cultivation. Ultimately, Hanno and Elder Brother Li chose an island somewhat distant from the court as their temporary residence. For this choice, they paid a considerable price—Tai Bai Jin Xing was also the sales manager of the realm's real estate company!
Using an iPad as a bribe for Bing to continue guiding them to their newly purchased island, they ended up buying it with two iPads and a laptop. To ancient immortals, these modern items were almost akin to divine artifacts!
On their way, they passed by the Peach Garden. Looking inside from outside, they saw vibrant flowers blooming on every tree, laden with fruit that weighed down the branches. The fruits hung like golden ornaments while flowers clustered together in shades of crimson. Some ripened early with rosy cheeks while others remained green with unripe skins. The trees bore unique blossoms that bloomed throughout all seasons without fading colors. Towering pavilions surrounded them, often veiled in clouds and rainbows—not ordinary plants but those cultivated by the Queen Mother of the West.
Hanno and Elder Brother Li couldn't help but swallow hard; the legendary Peaches of Immortality! How they longed to taste one!
Seeing their reaction, Bing chuckled softly and said, "You two want to eat Peaches of Immortality? I have a way."
Hanno and Elder Brother Li's eyes lit up as they leaned closer to Bing and asked eagerly, "What way?"
It was known that these lower-tier figures were truly well-informed about the realm; they had more knowledge than even high-ranking immortals did. Thus, neither doubted Bing's words.
Bing did not answer immediately; instead, he extended his right hand, rubbing his thumb against his index finger in a gesture that implied he wanted money.
Hanno feigned reluctance as she took out her laptop from her spatial bag and handed it over to Bing. "This is all we have left; if I give it to you, we will have nothing."
Bing grinned widely as he quickly stowed the laptop into his own spatial bag.
"This method is quite simple; just wait by the Peach Garden for the Victorious Buddha of Combat to arrive."
"Victorious Buddha of Combat? Qi Da Sheng? Sun Wukong?" So there really is a Sun Wukong!
Bing nodded, "Since you know about the Victorious Buddha of Combat, you should also know that his true form is a monkey, right? What does a monkey love to eat the most? Peaches! Sun Wukong has always been obsessed with the peaches from the Peach Garden. Every so often, he sneaks into the Peach Garden to steal some."
Hanno and Elder Brother Li couldn't help but laugh; it seemed that even as the Victorious Buddha of Combat, Sun Wukong still had little regard for rules!
Elder Brother Li asked, "Sun Wukong can sneak into the Peach Garden to eat, but we immortals can't enter, right? How can we get our hands on the Peaches of Immortality?"
Bing chuckled, "Who said anything about entering the Peach Garden? Even if you don't go inside, as long as you're lucky and quick enough, you can still get some peaches."
Elder Brother Li cupped his hands towards Bing, "Please enlighten me, brother!"
Bing said, "The Queen Mother and the Jade Emperor are well aware of Sun Wukong's peach-stealing antics. However, due to the friendly relations between the Eastern Court and Western Buddhism, the Queen Mother cannot punish Sun Wukong for this. Later on, she came up with a plan and asked Erlang Shen for help in guarding the garden. Whenever Sun Wukong comes to steal peaches, Erlang Shen will surely appear to fight him and retrieve the stolen peaches. You must know that Erlang Shen and Sun Wukong are evenly matched; sometimes he manages to reclaim the peaches, while other times he fails completely, allowing Sun Wukong to leave with a full load..."
Hanno listened with curiosity but missed the main point. He asked, "What does their fight have to do with us?"
Bing rolled his eyes at Hanno. "Fighting requires hands. Sun Wukong originally held onto the peaches; when he lets go to grab his weapon, won't those peaches fall to the ground? Once they finish fighting, how could Sun Wukong possibly pick up all the peaches that fell? The leftover ones would be up for grabs for others who want to eat the Peaches of Immortality! But you have to be quick; there are plenty of immortals who want those peaches!"
Hanno and Elder Brother Li exchanged glances: what a great opportunity! They certainly wouldn't compete with other immortals for peaches lying on the ground, but sneaking a few out from the Peach Garden wouldn't be too difficult for them with their otherworldly abilities. Moreover, they already had someone set up to take the blame; how could they let such a good opportunity slip away?
Life in the court was actually quite dull, as calm as a stagnant pond. Thus, watching Sun Wukong fight Erlang Shen Yang Jian over the Peaches of Immortality became one of the most anticipated pastimes for immortals. They even started placing bets on who would win between Sun Wukong and Yang Jian. When Hanno and Elder Brother Li heard that Sun Wukong was about to head to the Peach Garden to steal peaches, they rushed over and found a lively scene unfolding. The immortals had brought their own chairs and snacks, sitting outside the Peach Garden chatting eagerly while waiting for the grand show to begin.
"I feel like I've arrived at a teahouse," Hanno said to Elder Brother Li.
Elder Brother Li smiled slightly. "Most immortals were once humans who cultivated themselves."
The two didn't know many immortals and quietly sat down in a corner without attracting any attention. After a while, they heard some immortals shouting excitedly: "He's here! He's here! Sun Wukong has arrived!"
They looked up and saw a figure resembling a thunder god flying in from afar. He moved incredibly fast; just moments ago he was still outside South Gate, and now he had already entered the Peach Garden.
As soon as the monkey entered the Peach Garden, Yang Jian arrived shortly after. He appeared handsome and dignified, with long ears that reached his shoulders and bright eyes. He wore a three-mountain phoenix hat and donned a light goose-yellow robe. His golden boots complemented his dragon-patterned socks, while his jade belt was adorned with floral designs. He carried a crescent-shaped slingshot at his waist and wielded a trident spear in his hand.
"He's so handsome!" Hanno couldn't help but exclaim, "Even more handsome than the Erlang Shen played by Handsome Jiao."
Elder Brother Li couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. "As long as they're immortals, they all have a beauty bonus. Just look at Tai Bai Jin Xing and how he looks better than any mortal."
Hanno didn't catch Elder Brother Li's jealousy and replied, "But Yang Jian is the most handsome!"
Elder Brother Li felt a bit frustrated. Seeing Hanno completely oblivious to his feelings, he could only mumble, "The monkey is out; we should hurry into the Peach Garden."
"Okay!" Hanno responded, and together with Elder Brother Li, they activated the Flower Thousand Bones World spell, easily slipping into the Peach Garden. Of course, this was also because the Yellow Turban Warrior and others had come out to watch Yang Jian and Sun Wukong fight.
Sun Wukong picked a perfect moment; most of the Peaches of Immortality in the Peach Garden were ripe. The fragrance of the peaches made Hanno and Elder Brother Li feel their celestial energy increasing.
"Let's pick a few three-thousand-year-old peaches to take back for our parents and Zhou Le," Hanno suggested as they approached the front of the peach tree. This tree bore fruit only once every three thousand years—the Peaches of Immortality, which were said to grant immortality and enhance one's physical condition when consumed.
Elder Brother Li nodded and picked five three-thousand-year-old peaches from under the tree. Then they moved to the middle and picked two six-thousand-year-old peaches before reaching the innermost part. Here grew the Nine Thousand Year Ripe Peaches, with their purple-striped cores; consuming them would grant one longevity equal to that of the heavens and earth. Hanno picked two of these. The six-thousand-year-old peaches and Nine Thousand Year Old Peaches were meant for just the two of them—not that they didn't want to give their family the best, but the celestial energy contained in these peaches was too strong for mortals, who might explode from it.
The two quickly finished picking the peaches and slipped out of the Peach Garden, finding a spot to casually watch the two great warriors battle. Sun Wukong and Yang Jian fought using pure martial strength without spells, ensuring that their combat wouldn't harm any observing immortals. Of course, each immortal had their own protective measures and were not easily harmed.
"Brother Li, Sister Hanno, why did you arrive so late?" Just as they settled in, a soldier approached them to greet them. Since it wasn't his turn for duty today, he was dressed in casual clothes.
Elder Brother Li smiled back at him. "There's no helping it; my companion and I live quite far away. We only arrived after receiving word, so we were delayed."
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