However, the Glacial Snow Lotus was not entirely without use for the Emei Sect.
The Immortal Pool where the Glacial Snow Lotus was nurtured had water so chilling it could freeze a person to the bone, making it ideal for the Emei Sect’s female disciples to cultivate the Jade Maiden’s Heart Inner Strength.
This inner strength was not something anyone could cultivate; only senior disciples of the Emei Sect were qualified, and they had only one chance in their lifetime to enter the pool. Once missed, it was gone forever.
Yan Shouyi and his group had truly struck gold this time. Even Long Feicheng, who had little cultivation, benefited greatly from circulating the Minor Heavenly Cycle within the Immortal Pool.
After hearing the explanation, most of Yan Shouyi's confusion vanished.
It was no wonder they felt refreshed after leaving the Immortal Pool, and Ye Tianyuan's injuries had healed significantly. He had initially attributed this to the relief after removing the Love Silk Gu, but now he realized his cultivation had genuinely improved.
However, upon learning the effects of the Glacial Snow Lotus, Yan Shouyi suddenly became very interested in it.
Currently, he possessed two weapons: the Ancestral Dragon Sword, which required True Dragon Purple Qi to use, and the Soul Slayer Blade, which he carried with him and contained malevolent energy.
While the Soul Slayer Blade was a handy weapon, it was still far from the Ancestral Dragon Sword. There was significant room for improvement.
If he could obtain the lotus seeds of the Glacial Snow Lotus and imbue the Soul Slayer Blade with the energy of profound ice, the blade's offensive power would surely ascend to new heights!
As for the lotus root…
The lotus root, as hard as profound ice of ten thousand years, was not only an excellent material for forging weapons but could also be used to craft wooden puppet avatars.
If a wooden puppet avatar were crafted using the lotus root of the Glacial Snow Lotus, this avatar would undoubtedly be outrageously powerful. Yan Shouyi could even send the avatar ahead from the Flying Cloud Hall to scout the situation on Mount Emei!
With this thought, Yan Shouyi could no longer hold back and shamelessly asked Abbot Guanyun:
“Aunt-Grandmaster, the Glacial Snow Lotus will just rot away. How about giving me a chance to try and harvest the lotus seeds and root?”
If an outsider had asked this, Abbot Guanyun would likely have thought nothing of it and shown them the door.
Even Yan Shouyi, under normal circumstances, would have been refused by Abbot Guanyun.
But the current situation was special, and Abbot Guanyun decided to consider it carefully.
“If I can obtain the lotus root, I can refine an avatar and send it out to scout the situation. Perhaps we can break through the Emei Lotus Array sooner,” Yan Shouyi seemed to be persuading Abbot Guanyun.
Abbot Guanyun hesitated, “It’s not that I’m unwilling to let you harvest the treasure, but I worry that your attempt might damage the Glacial Snow Lotus. If something goes wrong with the Glacial Snow Lotus, it will shake the very foundation of the Emei Sect…”
Abbot Guanyun’s concerns were not unfounded, and Yan Shouyi himself was not entirely confident.
Wen Yuxian, standing beside them, suddenly said, “Junior Sister, don't forget that the Glacial Snow Lotus was originally gifted to our Emei Sect by a descendant of Lu Ban. Shouyi is a descendant of Lu Ban, and in a strict sense, he is the true owner of the Glacial Snow Lotus.”
This statement made Yan Shouyi feel a bit embarrassed himself.
Grandma, you’re showing your bias far too obviously…
Unexpectedly, Abbot Guanyun seized the opportunity provided by Wen Yuxian’s words and nodded, “Your reasoning is sound. Then, Shouyi, you may try. Just try not to harm the Glacial Snow Lotus. As for the final results… shall we split them three and seven, how about that?”
Yan Shouyi’s eyelids twitched. He suddenly felt that Abbot Guanyun also wanted to find a reasonable excuse to test the Glacial Snow Lotus…
If this endeavor succeeded, the Emei Sect would no longer have to watch the snow lotus wither away helplessly.
If it failed, Abbot Guanyun could completely shift the blame to Yan Shouyi. After all, the Glacial Snow Lotus was a gift from a descendant of Lu Ban, and it was ultimately ruined by a descendant of Lu Ban. No one could fault him for it, and certainly not her, the Sect Leader of Emei!
Good heavens!
The old abbess is truly shrewd!
Pah!
The older the ginger, the spicier the abbess!
Yan Shouyi clasped his hands and said, “Alright, I will rush to prepare the tools tonight and begin attempting to harvest the lotus seeds tomorrow morning!”
“Hmm, go ahead.” Abbot Guanyun flicked her horsetail whisk, showing no intention of chatting further with Yan Shouyi, and urged him to hurry and retrieve the snow lotus.
Wen Yuxian also nodded at Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi did not linger and turned to leave.
For him, there wasn't much else he could do at the moment. He had to stay in the Flying Cloud Hall for seven days anyway, and he couldn't afford to be idle during this time.
Attempting to retrieve the snow lotus was a meaningful goal.
…
There was no time to delay.
To leave Mount Emei as soon as possible, the first step was to leave the Flying Cloud Hall quickly.
Due to the limited number of rooms in the Flying Cloud Hall, Yan Shouyi, Long Feicheng, and the group of boys were all assigned to the same room. This room had been cleared, and bedding was laid out on the floor.
When Yan Shouyi was led in by Ling Xiaoxiao, everyone was present, including the balding, brown-haired monkey Lele and the injured Daoist Jinbi.
Daoist Jinbi had received treatment but was still very weak. He lay in a corner, his breathing barely perceptible. At his age, he looked truly pitiful.
However, upon seeing Yan Shouyi return, Daoist Jinbi still managed to sit up with effort and clasped his hands at Yan Shouyi:
“President Yan, it’s all thanks to your life-saving grace this time…”
Yan Shouyi quickly stepped forward to help Daoist Jinbi lie down, saying, “Master, there’s no need for such formality.”
“Alas, thinking about how I treated you with hostility at the foot of the mountain makes my heart feel unspeakably heavy. If not for President Yan this time, I’m afraid I would have also died at the hands of Huang Qingcang, and no one would have been able to avenge the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect! Regardless, I have no way to repay this life-saving grace, except to…”
Except to dedicate himself?
Long Feicheng, being overly perverted, even glanced at Daoist Jinbi’s body. Then, realizing how perverted he was, he couldn't help but slap himself.
Yan Shouyi interrupted Daoist Jinbi, “Master, in fact, I also have a request for you.”
“Oh? What is it? President Yan, please speak freely!” Daoist Jinbi was very happy to have an opportunity to repay the favor.
“Earlier, by the Washing Elephant Pond, I attacked the disciples of the Dianyi Sect and Huang Qingcang. It's possible someone secretly recorded it and will spread it widely, provoking conflict between folk sects and renowned major sects. As of now, you are the sole witness to the entire affair. Once we leave Mount Emei, only you can exonerate us.”
Upon hearing this, Daoist Jinbi’s face turned indignant:
“What kind of shameless person would do such a thing? President Yan, please rest assured, once we leave Mount Emei, I will fully cooperate and reveal the truth of the matter to the public!”
Now that Daoist Jinbi had completely abandoned his prejudice against folk sects, Yan Shouyi breathed a sigh of relief.
It was not in vain that he and Zhuge Ji had risked their lives to save Daoist Jinbi.
After speaking with Daoist Jinbi for a few more words, the injured Daoist Jinbi, whose injuries had not fully healed, showed signs of fatigue. Yan Shouyi then arranged for him to rest well and began to consider how to harvest the Glacial Snow Lotus.