Chapter 1709: First Palace Lady, Ling Ziruo
Xiang Shaoyun's visit was rejected. He proceeded to visit one house after another, but everyone refused to meet him. Many saw what happened to him and had a toying look on their faces as they watched him. As far as they were concerned, he was embarrassing himself. Did he really think that he was some sort of a big shot?
The three freaks behind Xiang Shaoyun were saddened on his behalf. They felt that he shouldn't have lowered himself that way and visited these people one by one. It should be the other way around.
Xiang Shaoyun merely smiled at their remarks. He wasn't going from house to house out of pretense. He truly wished to find himself an ally or two. He hoped to face the aliens alongside these allies in the future. Unfortunately, all his efforts had gone to waste.
Just as he was about to return to his residence, Guangling Palace's Ling Ziruo from house number 8 agreed to meet him. And thus, Xiang Shaoyun stepped into the house. The three freaks also wanted to enter, but the guards stopped them. Just as they were about to use force, Xiang Shaoyun stopped them and had them wait outside.
House number 8 was indeed much better than Xiang Shaoyun's assigned residence. Not only was the house much more expansive, but it also had a thicker concentration of astral energy. Naturally, it also had an excellent environment.
Soon, nine women appeared before him. The women seemed to be spending a time of leisure in the courtyard, forming a picturesque scene that was enchantingly beautiful. These were all the palace ladies of the Guangling Palace. Each was extraordinarily talented and beautiful enough to charm any man.
Xiang Shaoyun, with his firm willpower, remained unaffected despite their beauty. Apart from the initial admiration for the beauty before his eyes, he immediately returned to complete calm. The nine palace ladies leisurely walked up to him, gazing at him with seductive eyes that could drive many men crazy.
"What a handsome man. I think my heart is fluttering," said the woman in purple coyly.
The woman in pink nibbled her lip and said, "He's exactly my type. Anyone qualified to become a young God is a giant among men. However, a flawless man like him is very rarely seen."
"Stop scaring him. He's the one the goddess wishes to see. This much teasing is enough," said the woman in green.
At this time, one of the nine walked up to Xiang Shaoyun and said, "Young Master Xiang, how have you been?"
The woman was none other than Yue Xi, whom Xiang Shaoyun had once met in the ancient battlefield. Yue Xi was herself a first-class beauty, but the other women with her were beauties of a similar level. One ought to admit that the Guangling Palace's palace ladies truly were incomparable in terms of appearance.
"Hello! My apologies for the intrusion," said Xiang Shaoyun with a nod.
"There's no intrusion to speak of. Senior Ling herself wishes to see you. We're only the welcome party," said Yue Xi.
She was no longer the pseudo-God from before. Instead, she had advanced into first-stage Rebirth Realm.
"So it's Sister Yue's ex, seems like we have been too rude," teased one of the women.
"What nonsense are you saying! Th-there's nothing between me and Young Master Xiang!" denied Yue Xi with a slight blush on her face.
In the ancient battlefield, without Xiang Shaoyun's help, she would have died. Apart from gratitude, she also felt adoration for Xiang Shaoyun. Xiang Shaoyun remained silent because he did not see them teasing him when so many of them were together. In any case, it didn't take them long to bring him into a building.
Upon entering, he saw a woman dressed in a plain, simple outfit. She was seated before a small side table, preparing tea with smooth motions that were pleasing and calming to behold. She had become one with the world, her presence completely withdrawn. It was an eye-opening experience to feel her temperament and witness her work.
At first glance, the woman did not look like anything special. At a second glance, one would notice that she was quite special. At a third glance, one would feel that she was mesmerizing. Like a lotus hidden amidst a sea of blooming flowers, her beauty was concealed. One had to take the time in order to discover her uniqueness.
Without realizing it, Xiang Shaoyun was staring blankly. He had seen many beauties, especially with the likes of Yu Caidie, Ye Chaomu, and Devil Concubine. Each of them was an absolute beauty, but they seemed to still lack something. The woman before him had something that could put him in tranquility, a sensation where he would only dare to admire her from afar and not spoil her purity with his presence.
This woman was Ling Ziruo, Guangling Palace's first palace lady, the number one beauty among the young guild master candidates. A majority of the candidates were men. The few female participants did not command much confidence from the observers either. As for Ling Ziruo, she was the woman that stood the highest chance against the male candidates. With her mighty cultivation and the backing of the Guangling Palace, she had a high chance of becoming one of the top-five candidates.
When Ling Ziruo was done making tea, she lifted her eyes. They were as bright as a pair of stars. "Young Master Xiang, please taste the tea."
Only then did Xiang Shaoyun recover from his reverie. He took a seat opposite her and lifted the cup of tea. First, he lightly sniffed it and said, "10,000-year spring water, 10,000-year tea leaves, and a skilled tea maker. This tea is divine."
Only then did he slowly drain the cup. The moment the tea slid into his throat, a boiling sensation rose within his throat. It was as though he was drinking some boiling water. The sensation was terrifying, but Xiang Shaoyun remained silent as he swallowed the tea. When the tea reached his stomach, a powerful wave of heat spread from his body as though his skin was steaming. It was a rather mystical experience.
He shut his eyes and started circulating his energy in accordance with the Desolation mantra. The energy within the tea was slowly refined and absorbed into his astral cosmos sea. At the same time, he entered a mystical mode similar to what he experienced during his time at the Brightflower Land, where he saw the boundless universe. That sight of the cosmos, with the endless sea of stars, was a sight that changed his view and breadth of mind.
After a long while, Xiang Shaoyun opened his eyes and asked, "Is this the legendary Divine Flame Tea?"
"Looks like Young Master Xiang is someone who knows his tea. Please take a second cup," said Ling Ziruo nonchalantly.
Xiang Shaoyun accepted the second cup and drained it unhesitatingly.
This time, the tea felt completely different. It made him feel like he was soaking in a hot spring as a comfortable sensation washed over him, nearly causing him to moan in satisfaction. A sense of enlightenment also enveloped him, putting his mind in extreme clarity. Even his soul power clearly increased.
"This is the Divine Soul Cleansing Tea!" said Xiang Shaoyun confidently.
"That's right. Please taste the third tea," said Ling Ziruo, a slight trace of joy flickering in her eyes.
Xiang Shaoyun took the third cup. Immediately, his domineering God Realm energy surged, and he could no longer suppress his cultivation. He exclaimed in shock, "This is the Divine Battle Intent Tea!"