Chapter 1800: Pure Ice Lotus

Seeing the Ghost King unleash his 'Eternal Sleep Gaze' before hadn't left much of an impression, but now, witnessing someone suppress the Ghost King with a single glance, a flood of realizations suddenly washed over him. He had never considered using eyes as a form of attack; they were, after all, typically one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. Yet, what he witnessed today felt like the opening of a door to a new world. As he excelled in swordsmanship, he instinctively wondered if it was possible to integrate sword techniques into his eyes. Previously, he had only viewed the fantastical eye techniques in anime and TV shows as mere curiosities, but now, in this world of cultivation, their realization seemed entirely possible. Although he didn't yet know how to achieve this, witnessing such a miraculous sight today had shown him the direction, and he was confident he could eventually devise a method suitable for himself.

Zhao Hao, in particular, trembled uncontrollably. Before today, he had been the most powerful in that world for many years, truly unmatched. Especially after the death of the Demon Emperor, he had felt there was nothing left in the human realm worthy of his attention. There were even times when a surge of pride filled him, making him believe that all deities, buddhas, and immortals could be vanquished with a single stroke of his sword. He saw himself as utterly invincible among mortals, the unchallenged Human Emperor whose name was too sacred to be uttered, only honored, capable of dominating both heaven and earth. Even when he faced the Ghost King, his pride remained undiminished. While the opponent was powerful, he wasn't overwhelmingly so; his soul absorption and damage immunity skills were the main cause of his headache, and Zhao Hao believed he might not necessarily lose in a true battle.

However, at this very moment, witnessing Immortal Baopu suppress the Ghost King with a single glance—and that was merely a wisp of the immortal's residual soul—he instantly felt that he had been far too arrogant, inwardly resolving that from now on, esteemed elders could simply call him Little Zhao. Of course, this moment of weakness and hesitation was quickly replaced by an intense desire for greater power. This was the path he needed to pursue. He felt as if he had vaguely discerned the direction of immortal destiny, at least knowing how to proceed on the path beyond the Earth Immortal stage.

At this point, Chu Chuyan and Pei Mianman asked in astonishment, "Is the Ghost King dead?" Having previously experienced the Ghost King's terrifying power, they were momentarily left in disbelief. Immortal Baopu shook his head. "The Ghost King's nature is extremely peculiar, making him very difficult to kill directly," he explained. "So, I merely re-sealed him within the deeper layers of the great tomb."

Zu An's mind stirred. He recalled Jing Teng mentioning that when Immortal Baopu eradicated demons across the land in ancient times, many powerful entities couldn't be destroyed and could only be sealed within the great tomb. Along the way, despite the formidable power of the Death Reapers and Earthflame Demons, Zu An's group had been able to handle them, albeit with difficulty. He had wondered why Immortal Baopu couldn't simply kill such beings. Now he understood that those creatures were not the ones Immortal Baopu had sealed back then; the Death Reapers and Earthflame Demons were merely monsters inhabiting the upper levels of the great tomb. The truly formidable entities, like the Ghost King, resided in the deeper layers.

Immortal Baopu turned to Jing Teng. "After all that transpired back then, have you finally awakened?" he asked. Jing Teng nodded, a hint of hesitation on her face. "But there are still things I can't quite let go of," she replied. Immortal Baopu subtly glanced at Zu An. "Everything is predestined by fate," he said. "Your worldly ties are not yet severed, and you are destined to meet again in the future." Jing Teng's eyes lit up. "Really?" she asked. Immortal Baopu smiled faintly. "When have I ever lied to you?" Jing Teng also smiled. "That's true," she conceded.

Zu An frowned, realizing that Immortal Baopu, like Jing Teng, spoke in riddles. The two seemed to be discussing something momentous, but he couldn't understand a word. He wondered why she claimed not to know the Purifying Ice Lotus, yet reacted with such a tone, as if looking down on Immortal Baopu. He knew that even at her peak, she couldn't defeat Qin Shihuang Ying Zheng, and Ying Zheng was desperate to become an immortal; if he saw Immortal Baopu, he'd probably kneel and call him Dad.

Immortal Baopu then turned to Chu Chuyan and Pei Mianman. "Thank you for bringing me news of Bao Gu," he said. "I have a small gift for each of you." While Chu Chuyan and Pei Mianman remained composed, Zhao Hao, standing at a distance, immediately began to breathe heavily. Could it be that immortal destiny was truly about to fall to these two women? No matter the cost, he resolved, he would snatch it from them.

Immortal Baopu produced a talisman. With a gentle touch of his finger, a breathtaking lotus, entirely composed of ice, blossomed in mid-air. It was translucent and crystal clear, appearing as though it should be bone-chillingly cold, yet no frost emanated from it. "This is a wisp of the Purifying Ice Lotus's essence that I acquired long ago," he explained. "Unfortunately, it conflicts with my cultivation method. However, since you cultivate ice-elemental techniques, this object should be of great benefit to you." With another tap of his finger, the ethereal ice lotus directly merged into Chu Chuyan's glabella.

"Thank you, Immortal!" Chu Chuyan exclaimed. She could feel that it was a primordial seed, containing ice power so profoundly immense that even if she did nothing, her cultivation would progress with half the effort and twice the result. If she could truly comprehend the fundamental laws within it, she wondered what terrifying power she might achieve.

"Oh, the Purifying Ice Lotus?" Mi Li's voice echoed in Zu An's mind. "What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Zu An was startled. Having experienced Elder Mi's attempted possession and witnessed Zhao Hao's separated soul hidden within the Crown Prince, he knew that cases of possession were rampant in the cultivation world and feared something might go wrong for Chu Chuyan. "Don't worry, there's no issue," Mi Li explained. "That's the most fundamental of laws; it possesses no independent consciousness and brings nothing but immense benefits to its host." Zu An finally relaxed. "So, Queen Teacher, you know about the Purifying Ice Lotus? Could you tell me more about it?" "I don't know," Mi Li replied bluntly. "Then why did you say 'oh'?" Zu An muttered, feeling a little frustrated. Mi Li snorted. "I merely felt that an item of such caliber shouldn't be something Immortal Baopu could possess," she stated. "However, since it's only a wisp of its essence and not the actual Purifying Ice Lotus itself, it's somewhat understandable." Zu An was speechless. He wondered why she claimed not to know the Purifying Ice Lotus, yet reacted with such a tone, as if looking down on Immortal Baopu. He knew that even at her peak, she couldn't defeat Qin Shihuang Ying Zheng, and Ying Zheng was desperate to become an immortal; if he saw Immortal Baopu, he'd probably kneel and call him Dad.

Immortal Baopu nodded slightly in response to Chu Chuyan's gratitude, then turned his gaze to Pei Mianman. "You cultivate fire-elemental techniques," he noted, "and the black flames emanating from you are quite extraordinary, though you don't seem to fully grasp how to utilize their power. I happen to possess an item that is destined for you." As he spoke, he produced another talisman. With a gentle touch, a vibrant Manjusaka flower blossomed in mid-air. Though exquisitely beautiful, it emanated an intensely oppressive aura of death. Fortunately, a black butterfly rested upon the flower, its gentle fluttering wings adding a faint hint of vitality. Zu An gazed at the butterfly. Despite its undeniable beauty, its completely black form somehow evoked a sense of melancholy, inevitably bringing to mind unpleasant thoughts. It flickered in and out of visibility on the flower, seeming both present and absent at once, as if harboring countless profound mysteries.

Pei Mianman's internal black flames seemed to be drawn by an unseen force, suddenly erupting around her entire body. She reached out to gently touch the Manjusaka flower, and the black butterfly, as if sensing her, settled on her translucent, jade-like finger. The black butterfly subtly flapped its wings, causing the flower's petals to sway. Soon, both transformed into streaks of light and were absorbed into Pei Mianman's finger. Standing directly behind her, Zu An noticed her flowing hair fluttering, vaguely revealing the nape of her neck. There, a coin-sized pattern appeared—the black butterfly, beautiful yet strangely demonic. Zu An paused, surprised, wondering why there was only the butterfly pattern and where the Manjusaka flower pattern had gone.

At Pei Mianman's level, she could naturally "see" the changes happening to her body. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Why did it leave a mark on my body?" She thought the placement of that flower was simply too embarrassing. Chu Chuyan had received an ice lotus that vanished directly into her spiritual sea, remaining completely invisible and pure. But what did this mark make her look like? Her face flushed crimson with embarrassment at the thought.

Immortal Baopu paused, unsure why she reacted so strongly. He eventually replied, "This is the essence of the 'Netherworld Butterfly's Guidance,' which I stumbled upon long ago. Unfortunately, I was never able to utilize it. It is a joyous occasion that you have gained its recognition. This item will naturally merge with your body, following the most fundamental traces of the Heavenly Dao. As for the pattern, you needn't worry; it will normally recede into your skin and only become visible when your vital energy surges and your emotions are agitated." As he spoke, the butterfly pattern on the nape of her neck indeed gradually faded from view. Pei Mianman finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, she quickly realized that if she were to become intimate with Zu An in the future, the pattern might reappear. She wondered if he would like it.

At that moment, Immortal Baopu suddenly spoke in a low, somber tone: "Born on this shore, growing on the other, watching a lifetime, hands forever out of reach. Though flower and leaf never meet, a bone-deep longing dwells in the River of Oblivion. I hope the black butterfly's guidance can alter this fated tragedy." Zu An and his companions were utterly bewildered. They wondered what exactly he was talking about. At that moment, Mi Li's heart stirred, realizing that this man was proficient in divination and prophecy. He must have glimpsed some heavenly secrets, which explained how he could acquire items of such caliber.