Chapter 129: The Seven-Colored Spirit Stone and the Sea Soul Garment

Yan Chixia and She Mei'er hurried toward the Hundred Herb Garden, followed closely by Daoist Qingxu and Fairy Jiuxiao.

"Hehe," Daoist Qingxu remarked as they walked, "Fairy Jiuxiao, this ancient ruin on the Mysterious Island is truly extraordinary. Our journey here has been entirely free of danger, as calm and peaceful as a leisurely stroll. In the past, I have entered several other ancient ruins, and the situations there were always fraught with peril—teeming with lurking demonic beasts stirring up trouble. Countless cultivators would flock to those places, fighting tooth and nail over cultivation resources, turning the heavens dark and the earth dim in their ruthless struggle for survival. Truly, I am ashamed to be associated with such people and find their behavior utterly detestable. I have never been able to understand why those who claim to follow the 'Righteous Path of the Human World' cast those very principles aside the moment they reach a critical juncture."

Fairy Jiuxiao nodded in deep agreement, her expression stern and righteous. "The Righteous Path of the Human World—how many in this world truly practice it? To those hypocrites with twisted hearts and deceitful tongues, the 'Righteous Path' is merely a grand-sounding platitude. Qingxu, you say this ruin is different because we have encountered no danger and no throngs of greedy cultivators. That is only because this island is too mysterious and has yet to be discovered. If those sanctimonious, profit-driven wretches knew of its existence, how could they possibly stay away?"

"Indeed," Daoist Qingxu nodded. "Fairy, your words are most insightful."

As they spoke, they entered the Hundred Herb Garden and joined Yan Chixia and She Mei'er to observe the surroundings. The garden covered about an acre, with various medicinal herbs—ginseng, fleeceflower root, lingzhi, cordyceps, rattan, dragon saliva grass, notoginseng, saffron, deer-grass, thousand-leaf red, and golden-necked silver silk grass—growing in vibrant, lush patches throughout.

Fairy Jiuxiao and Daoist Qingxu were delighted by the sight. As they observed, they silently estimated the age of the herbs, concluding that all of them were at least several centuries old. Some of the ginseng, fleeceflower, and lingzhi were precious specimens nearing a millennium in age. Furthermore, there were several unknown, rare herbs that appeared to be at least five hundred years old, though both the Fairy and the Daoist were unable to identify them.

She Mei'er stood beside Fairy Jiuxiao, gazing at the priceless herbs with infectious excitement. "Master, we have truly made a great discovery this time!"

"Indeed," Fairy Jiuxiao replied, unable to suppress her joy. "Mei'er, these herbs are extraordinary. Their age is such that if used to refine Golden Elixirs, their potency will be immense. There is no time to lose. Qingxu, let us begin the harvest. We shall take what we each require. But mark my words: although this garden appears vast and the herbs plentiful, they are still a finite resource. We must harvest with care; we must never waste or squander such precious gifts of heaven."

Daoist Qingxu agreed immediately. "The Fairy is absolutely right!"

With hearts full of joy, they set about selecting the oldest herbs. Fairy Jiuxiao and She Mei'er gathered five ginseng roots, five fleeceflower roots, ten lingzhi mushrooms, four cordyceps, and various quantities of the other herbs according to their needs. As for the unknown, exotic herbs, Fairy Jiuxiao, unsure of their properties or which elixirs they might be suited for, decided not to harvest them blindly. After committing their appearance to memory, she turned to She Mei'er and said, "Mei'er, that is enough for us."

She Mei'er pointed at the unfamiliar herbs and asked, "Master, we have none of those, why not harvest some?"

Fairy Jiuxiao looked slightly embarrassed. "Mei'er, I do not recognize those herbs, nor do I know their properties. What use would they be? If we take them back only to let them sit on a shelf as ornaments, it is better to leave them here to continue growing."

As her voice faded, Daoist Qingxu and Yan Chixia approached. "Fairy, have you finished? We have finished as well."

Fairy Jiuxiao nodded at the Daoist with a faint smile. "Qingxu, I have seen your harvest. You should have taken more; why match the quantity of our collection exactly?"

Daoist Qingxu replied, "Before we breached the seal of this ruin, we had an agreement: all cultivation resources found within would be divided equally. Thus, while I was harvesting, I kept a close watch on your collection."

"Hehe," Fairy Jiuxiao chuckled. "Qingxu, a man of your word—I was right to trust you! However, you have overlooked one thing: I have only Mei'er, and what we have collected is enough to last us a year or more. You, however, have not only Yan Chixia but also three other precious disciples. Take my advice, Qingxu, and harvest a bit more."

"Yes, yes!" She Mei'er chimed in with a bright smile before the Daoist could speak. "Opportunities like this are rare! Elder Qingxu, there are still plenty of herbs left in the garden. Please, take more. Come, I will help you harvest them now..."

"No," Daoist Qingxu said, waving his hand. "Fairy Jiuxiao, She Mei'er, I appreciate your kindness, but let us leave it at this."

"Very well," Fairy Jiuxiao said decisively. "In that case, let us not waste more time. Let us leave the Hundred Herb Garden and search elsewhere for the Seven-Colored Spirit Stone, the Spirit Spring, the Spirit Veins, and the Sea Soul Garment."

She Mei'er pointed toward a stone house sitting on the grass ahead. "Master, that stone house looks quite interesting. Shall we take a look there before we continue our search?"

"Agreed," Fairy Jiuxiao nodded. "Let us take a look."

The group departed the garden and approached the stone house. Finding the door shut, She Mei'er hurried forward to open it, but Fairy Jiuxiao called out, "Mei'er, wait!"

Startled, She Mei'er stopped and turned back. "Master, what is it?"

"Let me see what lies within," Fairy Jiuxiao replied. She projected her divine sense into the stone house and suddenly let out a cry of shock. "Ah! The Seven-Colored Spirit Stone... the Sea Soul Garment!"