One Day

Gu Fuyou said, "Yes, it's the Azure Phoenix clan. The golden Phoenix crown, the jade-green feathered robe, and the bas-relief of birds paying homage to the Azure Phoenix; these are unique to Azure Phoenix Clan funerals. The hint of red at the corner of the woman's eyes indicates she's an Azure Phoenix from one of the three branches."

The Azure Phoenix and Dragon clans are legendary beings, believed to have assisted the celestial ancestors in creating the world, thus holding high statuses. Uniquely, they're the only mythical creatures that can morph into humans.

The Azure Phoenix clan is divided into three branches: Qingluan, Daqing, and Shaoqing.

The Qingluan boasts emerald feathers all over, save for a distinctive red patch near its eyes. When transformed into humans, this red mark remains, resembling the rouge worn by women, adding a touch of charm.

Usually, members of the Azure Phoenix clan are laid to rest in the clan's mausoleum, but the burial of this particular Qingluan here lends an extra layer of mystery to the place.

Gu Fuyou continued, "When I brought you out, I saw an inscription above the ice door—'Ruizhu Palace.' This confirms the woman's identity as an Azure Phoenix."

The Central Continent's Danxue Mountain houses the famed Ruizhu Palace, while Penglai Island in the Four Seas is home to Penglai Palace. These palaces are the strongholds of the Azure Phoenix and Dragon Clans, respectively. It's a name so revered that common folk wouldn't dream of misusing it.

Watching the flames flicker, Gu Fuyou remarked, "The Azure Phoenix clan is noble, always considered themselves superior. They value their physical forms and wouldn't use their bodies as the focal point of a formation."

"This formation was created to keep outsiders away. In Xian Luo, majority who enters are humans."

"They've always harbored disdain for humans, viewing them as inferiors for ages; even a mere glance in their direction was once seen as an affront to their dignity. Although times have changed, their deep-rooted pride hasn't. I suspect they placed the formation's focal point under the woman because, subconsciously, they believe those who enter aren't worthy of admiring her beauty. In their view, outsiders are only fit to bow their heads in submission. Hence, I guessed the formation's focus is the icy platform beneath her."

"After all, it's thanks to Ah Fu's discovery, I was able to see through the formation. It's fitting that I named it 'Ah Fu'. Ha-ha."

Zhong Michu had been silently listening. She finally spoke up, "Even so, it's an ancient formation. Knowing its focal point doesn't make it easy to break."

Gu Fuyou laid the sword embryo across her lap, caressing it thoughtfully. "I don't know why, but although the formation's defense was weak, it should have been difficult for me to break. Yet, it shattered with just two slashes of the sword…"

Looking up at Zhong Michu with a radiant smile, Gu Fuyou said, "Perhaps it was due to the spiritual energy Senior Sister Zhong lent me."

"Don't mock me," Zhong Michu responded, fully aware that the energy she transferred merely stopped Gu Fuyou's bleeding.

"I'm serious," Gu Fuyou insisted.

Suddenly, Zhong Michu turned her head and coughed lightly.

Concern washed over Gu Fuyou's face, "Senior Sister Zhong…"

She must've been injured earlier. Although the effects of the ancient formation were neutralized, it didn't mean she was entirely unharmed.

Zhong Michu waved dismissively, "I'm fine."

Gu Fuyou remained skeptical, "Really?"

Zhong Michu rested her forehead against the rock wall, eyes closed for a moment. When she opened them, she inquired, "What is that artifact you're crafting?"

"Zhong Michu rarely initiated conversations. Her decision to ask questions now was probably driven by curiosity, stemming from her recent narrow escape from death.

Recognizing her attempt to change the topic, Gu Fuyou sighed internally. Knowing the details wouldn't help anyway.

Smiling, she played along, "I'm crafting it without any clear plan."

Gu Fuyou didn't feel much like talking at the moment, and after their brief exchange, silence fell again, only broken by the crackling fire and Ah Fu's snores.

Sensing Gu Fuyou's mood, Zhong Michu felt an inexplicable unease. Breaking the norm again, she asked, "Why haven't you crafted it completely?"

The sword embryo only roughly resembled a sword, but it was incomplete, and thus lacked full power.

Gu Fuyou replied, "The time isn't right. This sword embryo…"

After a pause, she looked up at Zhong Michu, grinning mysteriously, "Can you guess why?"

Before Zhong Michu could respond, Gu Fuyou continued, tracing the patterns on the sword, "I plan to make it into the most formidable artifact in the world."

"I want to meld all the ancient formations into it, so it can be used like a talisman. With just a command,"

"Even someone like me, who lacks the talent for cultivation and has a low level of cultivation, can challenge those at the nascent soul stage or even the hallow void stage if I possess this."

"But because the materials are hard to come by, I haven't been able to complete the refining process."

She hadn't spoken like this to anyone in a long time. When she was younger, people dismissed her ideas as naive dreams. If she talked about them now, they'd laugh at her for overestimating her abilities and being delusional.

She had decided not to share such things with others, but she couldn't resist when Zhong Michu asked twice.

Partly because it was a spur of the moment, driven by an intense, inexplicable emotion. The other part was a gut feeling that Zhong Michu wouldn't look down on her.

As expected, Zhong Michu was Zhong Michu showed a brief flicker of surprise, but she didn't show any sign of contempt. Gu Fuyou used to find her expressionless face dull, but now she adored it.

If Zhong Michu had shown any hint of disdain or simply laughed it off without taking it seriously, Gu Fuyou felt she would be devastated, setting herself up for another disappointment.

Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Zhong Michu asked, "Do you want the core of a Hallow Void spirit beast for this purpose?"

"Yes." Gu Fuyou responded, smiling and looking straight into Zhong Michu's eyes, not wanting to miss any of her reactions.

Zhong Michu shook her head. "There are countless formations known through the ages, all requiring incorporation. Unless it's an artifact between heaven and earth, it's hard to withstand the pressure. And the sheer amount of spiritual power needed to operate it, you're probably looking at billions of spirit stones. Where are you going to find that? As for letting the formation evolve and improve itself, that's unheard of. No one has thought that way, dared to think that way…"

Gu Fuyou retorted, "Thousands of years ago, the notion of humans cultivating was unheard of. Nobody could imagine or dare to undertake cultivation. Yet now, countless sects exist, and the path to immortality thrives. Just because something doesn't exist now doesn't mean it won't in the future!"

Zhong Michu paused, lost in quiet contemplation, refraining from an immediate rebuttal.

Excitement burgeoned in Gu Fuyou's heart, like a bud in a wasteland, nourished and slowly blossoming.

She had so much to say about her dreams but found no one who understood. She had held back for so long, eager to discuss. All she needed was a spark, and she would be passionately unstoppable.

She fiddled with the campfire, "All types of formations in the world are derived from Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, spreading like the branches and roots of trees."

"In the end, the foundation of any formation relies on treasures of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. I already have a metal spirit and now the core of the wind beast, which is of wood attribute. Both are top-quality items. They may not be unique in the world, but they're good enough as a foundation for endless variations. I only lack treasures of water, fire, and earth. As for the vast spiritual power needed, you don't necessarily need so many spiritual stones. Just one thing will do…"

She paused here, initially wanting to reveal what that thing was. But on second thought, since Zhong Michu might not know about it, saying it might not be convincing.

Unexpectedly, Zhong Michu's thoughts flashed, and she naturally continued, "Are you talking about Kirin Marrow?"

Gu Fuyou stared at her in shock, "You… you know about the Kirin marrow?"

Kirin marrow doesn't refer to a specific item but a category of spiritual objects.

These substances are rare phenomena produced by heaven and earth, occurring once every tens of thousands of years, maybe even longer.

Whether it's a spring or the flowing magma in a volcano, or even the blood of a particular spiritual beast.

The spiritual energy contained within the Kirin marrow is as vast as the universe. When not utilized, it appears ordinary. But once harnessed, even a single drop could rival the energy found within miles of spiritual mines.

If such an item were to appear in the world, every cultivator would go mad for this rare treasure.

However, due to the vast intervals between appearances of the Kirin marrow and limited records, many are unaware or skeptical of its existence.

Suddenly, Gu Fuyou blurted out, "Senior Sister Zhong, Senior Sister Zhong, there are three thousand paths to immortality, and none is the only truth!"

After a long pause, not being able to ignore Gu Fuyou's expectant gaze, Zhong Michu sighed and softly added, "Act according to one's nature, go with the flow…"

Joining in, Gu Fuyou smiled and said, "Even grass, trees, and rocks can become immortals!"

Filled with emotion, Gu Fuyou, her voice trembling, Gu Fuyou asked, "Senior Sister Zhong, have you also read the 'Records of the Azure Emperor'?"

Zhong Michu was about to explain that she merely referenced it for some research, but seeing Gu Fuyou's joy, she simply responded with a nod.

Gu Fuyou felt an overwhelming joy of meeting a kindred spirit.

'There are three thousand paths to immortality, none are the only right way, act according to one's nature, go with the flow, even grass, trees, and rocks can become immortals.' This quote from the 'Records of the Azure Emperor' resonated deeply with her.

This book, originally a banned text, written by one of the past leaders of the Azure Phoenix clan, a figure the world respectfully called the Qing Emperor. It's been tens of thousands of years since, and his name is lost to history.

It covers astronomy, geography, formations, crafting, treasures, spirit beasts, and more. Its insights are profound and unique.

The Kirin marrow is one of the treasures recorded in the 'Records of the Azure Emperor.'

The reason it was banned was that many considered it too eccentric and unorthodox. Many of the spiritual beasts and treasures mentioned have never been seen by modern people, so they label it as fiction and misleading.

Due to its historical accounts and its critical words, the book disparaged the Four Immortal Sects. At that time, the Four Immortal Sects were just a minor sect, so they kept silent. Now, having gained more influence by controlling a continent, they have banned this book.

Despite deeming it prohibited, the Four Immortal Sects still hold certain records within the book to be beyond doubt—they send people every year to divine the stars and calculate the advent of the Kirin Marrow, an open secret.

Upon learning that the Kirin Marrow would appear in this century, they've discreetly dispatched people worldwide to search for it.

By now, there are only a few copies of "Records of the Azure Emperor" left in the world. She had to put in a lot of effort to obtain one.

Zhong Michu not only possesses a copy but has also read it.

Gu Fuyou never would have imagined someone like Zhong Michu would read a banned book.

This gave Gu Fuyou a new perspective on Zhong Michu, seeing her in a more vibrant light.

Gu Fuyou offered the sword embryo to Zhong Michu, looking at her earnestly, "Senior Sister Zhong, would you like to take a look?"

Zhong Michu, observing Gu's expression, found it hard to refuse.

Accepting it, she felt the cool touch of the sword embryo. Its texture was soft, and it looked like black jade. "Is this a Yin-Yang jade? It's of excellent quality."

Though called jade, Yin-Yang jade has the texture of jade but is tougher than any metal. It can absorb spiritual energy and balance the five elements.

Top-quality Yin-Yang jade has a immense capacity, even able to absorb the spiritual energy of an entire spirit stone mine. It's very beneficial when used to create magical instruments, but good quality Yin-Yang jade is rare, very rare, and hard to find.

Gu Fuyou's eyes sparkled even brighter with excitement. She leaned towards Zhong Michu and exclaimed, "Yes, it's a Yin-Yang jade!"

She realized she had spoken too loudly, felt embarrassed, and quickly sat back down.

She felt like a child, eagerly sharing a cherished toy with a new friend, overjoyed at the slightest praise.

It took her quite a while to calm herself down, worried that her excessive excitement might make Zhong Michu uncomfortable.

Holding her face in her hands, gazing affectionately at the fire, she said softly, "Senior Sister Zhong, when I first encountered array formation, I knew it was my lifelong passion."

"I'm not particularly gifted, as you know, and I might never reach the Golden Core stage in my cultivation."

"So, I want to create this artifact to prove that array formation techniques aren't a sideline, to show that with effort, even without talent or the ability to cultivate, one can still stand shoulder to shoulder with the best, without falling behind."

"I know forging this sword will be incredibly challenging, but even if it takes my whole life, there will come a day, there will be a day…"

She trailed off, memories causing her eyes to tear up. Hurriedly wiping away the moisture, she looked at Zhong Michu and chuckled, "Senior Sister Zhong, I've only ever shared these thoughts with you. Don't laugh at me, and please don't tell anyone."

She realized she had spoken too much today, opening her heart too wide, and got carried away with her dreams.

Reflecting on it later, she felt somewhat embarrassed.

Perhaps due to her lingering injuries, Zhong Michu wasn't sitting as upright as usual. Instead, she leaned lazily against a rock, watching Gu Fuyou silently.

The firelight reflected in her eyes, warming her visage.

She finally spoke, "Gu Fuyou, you are incredible."

Truly incredible.

Gu Fuyou's thinking is boundless, free from constraints.

She has her goals and is willing to dedicate her life to them, shining brilliantly when talking about her dreams.

She had no clear idea of what she wanted to do with her life. It seemed to her that her entire life's path was in clear view: cultivate and eventually ascend to immortality.

For her, whether she becomes an immortal or not didn't matter. Cultivating was just a part of her life, just as eating is for mortals. She didn't particularly love it, nor was she averse to it.

It felt too mundane. At times, even her memories seemed colorless.

Deep down, she was somewhat envious of Gu Fuyou, who had found a passion worth dedicating her life to. Although she herself hadn't found such a passion, she could still resonate with the sentiment, and that's why she genuinely said what she did.

Gu Fuyou's cheeks turned pinkish-red "Senior Sister Zhong, don't make fun of me. What's so incredible about me? You are the incredible one."

Zhong Michu retorted, "Am I incredible?"

It wasn't a rhetorical question; she was genuinely asking.

Gu Fuyou thought that Zhong Michu seldom left the mountain and was unaware of the standards of fellow cultivators outside. Living secluded in her courtyard, without any point of comparison, she naturally wouldn't find herself exceptional.

Filled with emotion, Gu Fuyou jumped to her feet, her voice filled with fervor, "You are incredible! Truly incredible!"

"You reached dual cultivation of the Golden Core Stage before the age of a hundred. Throughout history, there have been very few like you. Among women alone, you are undoubtedly the first. You will certainly ascend and be revered throughout history. You're the really incredible! Really, I swear!"

"Is that so?" Zhong Michu responded lightly, the corner of her lips tugging upward in a faint smile.

For the first time, Gu Fuyou saw her smile.

Her face was as radiant as white jade, a delicate flower speaking warm words.

Overwhelmed, Gu Fuyou sat back down, covering her flushed face with her hands.