One after another, everyone leaped onto the backs of the young spirit-winged dragons.
Just as the young dragons were about to spread their wings, suddenly, the ever-silent Yelan glanced in a certain direction, her star-like eyes narrowing slightly.
Then, she sent a voice transmission in a thread-like whisper to Zhao Li.
Upon hearing it, Zhao Li also glanced in that direction, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
She replied via voice transmission as well: “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
Only then did Yelan withdraw her gaze. Zhao Li retrieved the Divine Guide from her soul storage and handed it to Yelan, saying:
“Miss Ming, this is the Divine Guide. With it, no matter the quality of the spiritual treasures or the legendary divine artifacts and magical tools of the Wuji Realm, as long as you know their appearance and name, it can guide the wearer to their location. Since the young spirit-winged dragons only obey their master’s commands, I thought it would be simplest for you to lead the way directly. With the Divine Guide, we can bypass the ten-year or hundred-year peaches and head straight for the thousand-year or even ten-thousand-year peach trees.”
The Divine Guide took the form of a golden ring inscribed with ancient runes on its inner band. When worn, the user could visualize the name and appearance of the treasure they sought, and the gem embedded in the ring would emit a beam of light to guide them forward.
Zhao Li’s eyes urged her to put it on, but Yelan hesitated, reluctant to accept it.
“But isn’t the Divine Guide one of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox’s inherited treasures?” Yelan stammered.
Inherited treasures were artifacts passed down exclusively through the direct royal bloodlines of each race. Not only were outsiders forbidden from touching them, even non-royal members of the same race were unworthy of such privilege.
Though the Divine Guide was merely a scouting-type artifact—far less precious than weapon-type treasures—its unparalleled functionality placed it among the top-tier scouting tools in the Wuji Realm.
While it required both the name and appearance of the treasure to locate it, rendering it useless for undiscovered spiritual treasures, it was exceptionally effective for finding known artifacts.
After all, many rare treasures were known by name and appearance, yet their locations remained a mystery. With this ring’s assistance, it was as if one had received divine guidance—hence its name, the “Divine Guide.”
The sacred status of this inherited treasure within the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox lineage, and even the entirety of Qingqiu, was no less than that of the Asura Blade among the Asura Clan. Only the ruler of a race or their designated heir was deemed worthy of wielding it.
Of course, if Zhao Li wished to touch the Asura Blade, Yelan would undoubtedly summon the divine weapon for her to hold—though only the Asura King could unleash its true power. Others could touch it but never harness its might.
The Divine Guide, however, had no such restrictions. Even non-Nine-Tailed Heavenly Foxes could use it freely.
Still, as a symbol of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox’s heritage, even if Zhao Li meant well, it seemed improper for Yelan to simply take and use it.
Noticing her hesitation, Zhao Li smiled warmly and said, “It’s fine. Miss Ming and I have become fast friends, as if we’ve known each other for lifetimes. I’m more than happy to lend you my clan’s Divine Guide.”
After all, I’m going to bear your children in the future, and the Divine Guide will be passed down to them. What’s the harm in letting their mother use it now?
“Meeting by chance is fate, so from now on we shall be the closest of friends!” Zhao Li grabbed Yelan’s hand and slipped the Divine Ring onto her right ring finger. “Just lending my best friend the Divine Ring for a while. I’m sure even my father wouldn’t scold me for this!”
Yelan was slightly taken aback by her actions.
Ripples of emotion stirred in her heart.
According to the script Lier had devised, this was supposed to be their “first meeting,” and such intimate gestures weren’t part of it. But it seemed Lier had decided to take the “instant familiarity” route.
Truth be told, Yelan herself had no desire to deliberately distance herself from her Lier.
After so many years of separation, now that their hearts were finally drawing close again, how could she bear to pull away?
Even if it was just an act, she couldn’t bring herself to create distance between them again.
Zhao Li’s actions and words warmed Yelan’s heart.
A sweet smile unconsciously graced her lips.
Zhao Li stared at Yelan’s serene, smiling face, unable to stop herself from drooling again.
Niu Tai and Zhu Qing, who were well aware of the Qingqiu fox clan’s infatuation syndrome, inwardly scoffed at Zhao Li’s starry-eyed gaze: Closest of friends? That look on your face clearly says you’re thirsting after her body.
Yelan didn’t refuse further. With a quiet command, she ordered the young spirit-winged dragon to take flight, heading toward the direction of the Millennium Peach Tree.
…
The journey was filled with laughter and lively conversation between Zhao Li and Yelan.
Niu Tai and Zhu Qing stood guard at the front and rear, keeping a vigilant watch over their surroundings. As men, it was their duty to protect the women in their group.
Chu Rou and Zhi Die, however, still harbored deep-seated fear of the Asura clan and dared not get too close to Yelan. They even maintained a noticeable distance from where Zhao Li and Yelan sat.
They envied Zhao Li deeply. Her outgoing personality, her ability to effortlessly connect with others, and her fearless courage in the face of the Asura clan.
The women of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Foxes were the most beautiful among the fox clans, and Zhao Li’s level-45 strength was another reason Chu Rou and Zhi Die found her so captivating.
After observing for a while, they now understood that the Asura people weren’t as fearsome as the rumors claimed—at least, this Lady Ming’s demeanor was quite gentle.
The rabbit and butterfly clans could only survive by relying on the Flower-Fruit Mountain. As the young mistresses of their respective clans, they, like Niu Tai and Zhu Qing, naturally hoped to establish ties with the Asura clan.
Even if formal relations weren’t possible, they should at least exchange a few words with Lady Ming.
Yet they could only watch timidly from the sidelines.
Noticing their discomfort, Zhao Li turned to Yelan and said, “Sister Yelan, let’s have the dragon pause for a moment.”
Yelan gave a slight nod, and with a whistle, the young spirit-winged dragon immediately halted mid-air.
They were currently weaving through a grove of century-old peach trees.
The older the peach tree, the deeper it grew within the secret realm. Their current location was still within the initial stretches of the Flower-Fruit Mountain’s hidden domain.
“What’s the matter?” Niu Tai asked.
Zhao Li replied, “Though the millennium and ten-thousand-year peaches are more potent, the century-old ones still hold value. Since we’ve come across them, we might as well gather some. What if some of our clansmen can’t handle the power of the older peaches?”
As Journey to the West had stated, as long as the affinity was right, even a level-1 cultivator could leap to level 30 after consuming a hundred-thousand-year peach.
However, the 100,000-year-old Peach of Immortality tree is located in the deepest part of the secret realm, a place no one has ever set foot in before. It can truly be said to be a rare encounter, not something one can seek out.
While the 10,000-year-old Peach of Immortality pales in comparison to its 100,000-year-old counterpart, it can still instantly elevate someone from level 1 to anywhere between the teens and twenties.
The effects diminish further with the 1,000-year, 100-year, and 10-year peaches respectively.
In other words, to help Chu Rou and Zhi Die reach level 29 or even 30, the ideal choice would be the 10,000-year-old Peach of Immortality, followed by the 1,000-year-old one.
This is provided that their affinities align.
There have been cases where individuals with incompatible affinities found the Peach of Immortality’s enhancing power repelling them, rendering it completely ineffective despite consumption.
Xiyou mentioned that back then, the person in question had very low comprehension yet consumed a 10,000-year-old peach.
In the Wuji Realm, heavenly treasures and earthly wonders, much like spells, are subject to the concept of affinity.
The reason the Peaches of Immortality from Huaguo Mountain are so highly sought after by various races is precisely because these peaches have a high compatibility rate with most people. It’s rare for someone to be unable to absorb their benefits.
According to Xiyou’s knowledge, the higher the age of the peach, the greater the likelihood of affinity conflict.
After discussing with Niu Tai and Zhu Qing, Zhao Li concluded that they should prioritize finding 1,000-year or 10,000-year peaches for Chu Rou and Zhi Die. Once these two reached their level caps, they could then gather large quantities for their own clansmen.
After all, their entry into the secret realm was entirely thanks to these two girls.
“Moreover, according to the Divine Compass, the 1,000-year-old peach trees are still some distance away. I thought that we shouldn’t waste the time we spend flying. If Chu Rou and Zhi Die consume some 100-year peaches during our journey, they can still gain a few levels along the way.”
As long as their affinities align and they can handle it, there’s no harm in consuming as many peaches as they like. The order of consuming 100-year and 10,000-year peaches doesn’t conflict.
Zhu Qing nodded. “That makes sense.”
Niu Tai added, “In that case, let the second brother and I handle the picking. You ladies can enjoy the scenery from the dragon’s back.”
The two summoned their flying mounts and set off separately to gather the peaches.
Under Zhao Li’s direction, Yelan guided the young Spiritwing Dragon closer to a peach tree, plucked a few fruits, and handed them to Chu Rou and Zhi Die.
“Princess Zhao Li and I will stand guard. After eating, you can safely enter a meditative state to enhance your spiritual power.”
Both Chu Rou and Zhi Die looked flustered by the unexpected favor.
After hesitating for a while, Zhi Die timidly asked, “Miss Ye, aren’t you going to eat any?”
Yelan smiled faintly. “Actually, the Peaches of Immortality aren’t compatible with our Asura clan. Consuming them would be pointless. I came to the secret realm simply to broaden my horizons—just traveling for experience.”
This explanation allowed her to avoid revealing her true level while politely declining their well-intentioned offer without causing offense.
Niu Tai and Zhu Qing were kind-hearted souls who would undoubtedly divide the peaches equally afterward, ensuring members of other clans could benefit as much as possible.
If Yelan had outright said she “didn’t need them,” they might have taken it as the Asura clan looking down on these peaches from the start.
Zhao Li’s goal was pure: she wanted them to interact with Yelan and discover the virtues of the Asura clan, so they could later represent their own races in supporting and defending the Asura people.
She aimed to gradually change the Asura clan’s “isolated and helpless” situation in the Wuji Realm.
Although Yelan and the Asura clan believed they didn’t need such external assistance, if this was Lier’s wish, then Yelan would certainly respect her intentions.
Upon hearing this, Zhi Die and Chu Rou finally consumed the flat peaches without hesitation.
In Yelan’s eyes, these two young girls possessed great potential. It was just that their previous cultivation methods had been misguided, causing their progress to stagnate.
Thus, he offered them a few words of guidance.