Chapter 303: Soul Tea
Knowing there was nothing he could do about it for now, Feng Fan pushed the problem to the back of his mind. 'I'll worry about it when I reach the Immortal Realm.'
"Thank you, Senior Lu. Farewell."
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With a final bow, Feng Fan left the inner city and returned to the inn in the outer city. He still had the token Lu Bao had given him stored safely inside his space ring. Since the old man hadn't asked for it back... well, there was no reason to return it, right?
As soon as he stepped through the doorway, Xue Qiang rushed forward and threw herself into his arms, resting her head against his chest.
"Where were you?" she asked softly.
Feng Fan smiled faintly and wrapped his arms around her. "Sorry. I was gathering the information we needed. Senior Lu gave us everything. We're ready now, let's head back to Red Pole."
Xue Qiang stepped back and gave a small nod. Beside her, Huang Xue and the other Xue Qiang, also in the room, nodded in agreement. Together, they made their way to the flying vessel stationed just outside Seven Heavens City.
Only three other groups had returned to the vessel. Feng Fan noted it with a glance but didn't dwell on it. He sat cross-legged and cultivated. There was no time to waste; every moment spent refining his power could mean the difference between victory and annihilation.
If he could break through to the Dao Seeking realm, his mastery of the Array Dao would likely ascend to tier 9. And once he could craft tier 9 arrays… who could stand against him? Even peak Transcending Tribulation experts would be helpless.
It was important to remember that the upcoming battle would involve two hundred thousand cultivators, making overall strength far more crucial than individual fighting power. However, formations had the power to tip the scales, turning the tide of war with a single well-placed array.
While Feng Fan remained in silent cultivation for the next seven days, the other groups gradually returned, each bearing a similar expression: disappointment and frustration.
When Feng Fan sensed that everyone had arrived safely, he opened his eyes and ended his cultivation session. Xia Ling noticed it and approached him with a heavy expression.
"Sir Feng…" he said, his voice low and defeated.
Feng Fan didn't need to ask. The answer was written all over his face. "Don't worry. We've completed our mission. It's time to head back and let the higher-ups of the Black Turtle Sect and Dao Seeking School worry about the coming challenge."
He then recounted his meeting with Grand Inspector Lu and relayed everything he had learned. He only deliberately left out the part about the four Demon Venerables.
Xia Ling sighed. Inspector Lu's words didn't differ much from what they had already uncovered, but the jade slip containing detailed information on every seat of the Intergalactic Council was a welcome surprise.
"Alright, everyone," Xia Ling announced, turning to the rest of the group. "We're heading back to Red Pole."
With his command, the flying vessel lifted off from the ground. Just as they had arrived in Yellow Leaf, they now set course for home.
They arrived at the exact spot they had departed from. Their return didn't go unnoticed; several figures from the Dao Seeking School turned to look, drawn by the commotion, including Elder Long Liu, the one who had organized the mission.
"Welcome back, everyone. Congratulations on returning safely," she greeted. But the expressions on the returning cultivators' faces told a different story. There was no triumph, only weariness and disappointment.
Xia Ling stepped off the flying vessel alongside Feng Fan, cupping his hands respectfully.
"Elder Long, I'm afraid we bring troubling news."
Long Liu's brow furrowed. Feng Fan stepped forward and handed her the jade slip Grand Inspector Lu had given him in Seven Heavens City.
"This contains everything we learned. It came from a reliable source. He advised surrender, but if we insist on taking the challenge, our best chance lies in facing the Obsidian Court. They specialize in poison and assassination techniques," Feng Fan briefly told her what Lu Bao had said to him.
Long Liu accepted the jade slip and stored it in her space ring. She gave a small nod. "I'll examine it. Thank you for your efforts. Now, follow me. I'll give you the reward I promised."
With that, she turned and began flying back toward her quarters. Feng Fan glanced over his shoulder at the girls waiting by the vessel.
"I'll be back soon," he said, before following after Elder Long Liu.
When Feng Fan arrived, the door was already open. Inside, Long Liu was pouring tea into two porcelain cups. Without needing an invitation, he entered and took a seat in front of one of them. After finishing, Long Liu gently placed the teapot between them.
A rich, fragrant aroma drifted through the air. Feng Fan instantly knew these weren't common herbs. His body reacted instinctively, almost craving the tea. Seeing Long Liu take a sip, he followed suit.
The moment the tea touched his tongue, a warm current surged through him, gently washing over his soul. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
At the Spirit Severing realm, cultivators would gradually divide their own souls using spiritual qi, enhancing their attunement to the Dao. However, this process was akin to inflicting wounds on one's own soul. By the end of the ninth realm, the soul would be split into ten fragments.
To enter the Dao Seeking realm, one had to first find their Dao and then piece their soul back together, restoring it into a single, cohesive whole. It was a delicate balance—growing stronger through division, yet ensuring the soul wasn't damaged beyond recovery.
Feng Fan was pleasantly surprised to discover such a rare treasure existed, tea that could nourish the soul. Normally, cultivation at his level required cycling through the painful process of splitting and mending the soul. But with this tea, the restoration process would be smoother, faster.
If he had more access to this, his cultivation speed could increase by leaps and bounds.