Chapter 490: The Widowed Mother and Daughter
Chapter 490: The Widowed Mother and Daughter!
Jiang Chen had gathered intelligence on Green Wood Peak, making thorough inquiries about the Deputy Peak Master, several Elders, and the more renowned core disciples.
Among them was the Medicine Fairy of Green Wood Peak, Su Qingyao.
She was not originally of the Cloud Sea Sect, having married in from the Inviting Moon Immortal Sect.
Later, her Dao companion perished in battle while on a mission outside, leaving behind this widowed mother and daughter.
Possessing terrifyingly high aptitude in the medical Dao, she wielded considerable influence throughout the entire immortal sect.
The reason Jiang Chen hadn’t immediately connected the names was primarily because Su Tiantian’s own talent and aptitude were thoroughly mediocre, rendering her virtually invisible on the peak.
If her mother wasn’t Su Qingyao, she would have absolutely zero presence.
However, a complete stranger suddenly seeking him out at this exact moment for a private audience instantly triggered his caution. Ji Mingxuan mentioned an immortal peak Elder organizing a coalition to stir up trouble. Could this be the one?
Seeing the other party exhibit no reaction-neither agreeing nor refusing, appearing particularly slow-Su Tiantian planted her hands on her hips, her tone laced with annoyance. “You are incredibly rude. Whether you accept or not, at least give a straightforward answer.”Jiang Chen snapped back to reality. “My apologies. Your mother’s reputation is so illustrious, I was momentarily overwhelmed by the honor.”
Su Tiantian blinked, then broke into a smug smile. “That is true.”
Although her mother was an outsider, within the Cloud Sea Sect-and specifically Green Wood Peak-her status, position, and influence were second only to Peak Master Mu Ji.
The man standing before her was merely an unremarkable core disciple.
Encountering such a situation would indeed induce shock, making his reaction entirely understandable.
Jiang Chen observed her expressions, thinking inwardly. “She wears her emotions directly on her face.”
Her anger evaporating, Su Tiantian asked with a beaming smile, “So, are you going or not?”
Jiang Chen countered tactfully, “May I ask what Elder Su requires of me?”
“I am not privy to the specifics,” Su Tiantian replied. “Mother simply seems highly interested in you and perhaps wishes to make your acquaintance.”
Jiang Chen pondered for a moment. “Understood. Once I conclude my current tasks, I will visit your residence in the Sanxiu Domain.”
Su Tiantian gave a brief nod. “Alright, I shall depart first.”
Having secured his confirmation, she spun on her heel and left without further delay.
Watching her receding silhouette, Jiang Chen arched an eyebrow. “A naive, sweet girl?”
He resumed cultivating the rare spirit plants within his Second Senior Brother’s third-grade Spirit Farm, working for another half-hour before stopping.
However, he did not immediately head to the Sanxiu Domain. Instead, he ascended to the Qiongxin Domain at the tree’s apex-the area where his Master resided.
Naturally, his Master was currently in Secluded Cultivation, preparing to break through to the Soul Formation stage. Unscheduled interruptions were strictly prohibited.
Therefore, Jiang Chen’s purpose here was to locate two other individuals.
One was his Fifth Senior Sister, Mu Ning. He had previously promised to lend her the Thunder Gold Kui for her amusement.
The other was his Fourth Senior Brother, Gu Qiao.
With Eldest Senior Sister, Second Senior Brother, and Third Senior Brother gone to the Luo River Bei Clan…
…the only person left capable of handling matters here was his Fourth Senior Brother.
Although the man’s temperament was wooden, rendering him verbally inept and seemingly dull-witted.
He was, nonetheless, the Master’s disciple and a fully realized Golden Core cultivator.
Mu Ning was idling in sheer boredom when she suddenly spotted a highly anticipated, familiar silhouette. Her eyes lit up as she hurried over. “Sixth Junior Brother! You finally came to find me.”
Jiang Chen clasped his hands in a formal apology. “My apologies, Senior Sister. As you know, I am the sole Spirit Cultivator for the Spirit Farms. My daily duties are numerous and my tasks heavy, hence my delay.”
Mu Ning waved her hand dismissively, her face entirely unbothered. “It matters not, you are here now!”
Jiang Chen immediately summoned the Thunder Gold Kui. “The spirit insect is here. Please take it, Senior Sister.”
Mu Ning flashed a wide grin, eagerly cupping the beast in both hands. As she inspected it carefully, she laughed, “Hehe, I simply love insects. The rarer they are, the more I adore them.”
Jiang Chen blinked innocently. “Senior Sister, please take good care of it. For my sake, feel free to use any heavenly treasures to feed it.”
Mu Ning tilted her head, remaining completely silent, her two eyes staring fixedly at him.
Feeling a sudden pang of guilt under her intense gaze, Jiang Chen probed cautiously, “What is wrong?”
Mu Ning rolled her eyes. “As if you needed to say it!”
With that, she ran off to another area to play with the Thunder Gold Kui.
Jiang Chen retracted his gaze, chuckling dryly. “I won’t say it next time.”
Next, he waited in the area for a while.
Fortunately, the wait was brief before Fourth Senior Brother Gu Qiao appeared.
He was exactly the same as always: his entire demeanor dull, staring blankly at the ground as he walked.
“Fourth Senior Brother!”
“Oh. Sixth Junior Brother.”
“There is a matter I must report to you.”
“A report for me?”
“The Medicine Fairy from the Sanxiu Domain wishes to see me.”
“Then go.”
“I wanted to inquire, does our Master have any conflicts with her?”
Staring blankly at the Sixth Junior Brother before him, Gu Qiao paused. “I have not heard of any conflicts.”
Jiang Chen feigned a sigh of relief. “That is good. If there were conflicts, I certainly would not attend.”
Gu Qiao shook his head. “Master has no conflict with the Medicine Fairy, but his relationship with her late Dao companion was rather poor.”
Jiang Chen was struck speechless. “Senior Brother, can you not just finish what you are saying in one breath?”
Gu Qiao countered logically, “But your question strictly pertained to the Medicine Fairy.”
Choked by the absolute rigidity of the response, Jiang Chen decisively admitted defeat. “Alright, that is my fault.”
Gu Qiao stated flatly, “If you wish to see her, then go. Master will not say anything.”
Since that was the case, Jiang Chen had nothing more to ask or discuss. He clasped his hands. “Farewell, Senior Brother.”
He did not disturb Mu Ning further, decisively departing the area.
This time, without any detours, he truly arrived at the Sanxiu Domain.
The architecture and Spirit Farms in this sector, though seemingly sparse, were colossal in physical scale.
Every single spirit plant he observed was not a short-term cultivation type; most had been planted for decades, some even centuries.
Five-Colored Flower!
Myriad Spirits Return to Heart Grass!
Nine-Aperture Exquisite Vine!
Seven Emotions Growth Fruit!
Although the majority of the structures and Spirit Farms were heavily concealed by Formations, obscuring their inner depths…
…a fraction remained visible, their identities easily discernible.
Yet, each one delivered a tremendous visual impact to Jiang Chen.
He had originally believed the rare spirit plants in his Second Senior Brother’s care were already quite exceptional.
Only upon beholding the spirit plants cultivated by these Elders did he truly understand the definition of ‘rare’.
Any single stalk liquidated on the outside market would demand a baseline price of high-grade Spirit Stones, and without exception, they were all astronomically expensive.
Jiang Chen sighed inwardly. “The wealth here almost rivals my personal spatial realm.”
Before long, he arrived at the medicine garden where the Medicine Fairy resided, noting three wooden cabins within.
The aesthetic felt similar to the Spirit Farms below, enclosed by a simple fence.
Inside grew numerous ultra-rare medicinal herbs, exclusively cultivated for pharmaceutical and alchemical refinement.
Jiang Chen could recognize a few, such as the Gengjin Bone-Eroding Flower, which he had previously seen once in the toxic nursery at Nether Spring.
It appeared this Medicine Fairy practiced both the medical and poison Dao.
Seeing no movement inside, Jiang Chen projected his voice clearly. “The sixth disciple under Mu Ji, arriving upon invitation!”
After a moment, Su Tiantian emerged from within and personally unlatched the fence gate. “Mother is currently catching up with a guest. Follow me inside first.”
Jiang Chen gave a slight nod. “Alright.”
He immediately followed her, stepping past the boundary line.
However, upon entering, he discovered that the feeling inside and outside were worlds apart.
From the outside, it appeared to be merely a standard medicinal garden.
But upon entering, he realized the concentration of Spirit Qi inside was terrifyingly high, accompanied by something else-an indescribable essence lingering in the air.
If given a moment to carefully sweep the area with his Divine Sense, he could undoubtedly discover, and possibly even identify, the anomaly.
Unfortunately, this was not his own territory; he could not act recklessly.
If flagged by the Medicine Fairy, it would be exceptionally difficult to explain.
In a high-level entity’s domain, passive compliance was the surest path.
Before long, the two arrived at the central and largest wooden cabin.
Yet, the moment he crossed the threshold, he unexpectedly locked eyes onto a somewhat familiar face.
Cold, porcelain-white skin.
Exquisite, flawless features.
A minuscule cinnabar mole resting precisely at the hollow of her left collarbone.
Dressed in a moon-white, wide-sleeved flowing immortal dress.
Jiang Chen exclaimed in surprise, “Fairy Mu Beiyun?”
Mu Beiyun, however, failed to recognize him. “You are?”
Jiang Chen chuckled lightly. “I am the one who sold you the Calyx Boat.”
Recognition finally dawned in Mu Beiyun’s eyes. “So it is you,” she said in sudden realization. “So many years have passed without a meeting; my memories had grown somewhat hazy.”
Although they had not seen each other for a long time, the man before her still occupied a small corner within her memory.
The events that had transpired back then remained permanently etched in her mind to this day.
Noting her increasingly mature aura, Jiang Chen asked curiously, “What brings you to Green Wood Peak?”
Mu Beiyun cast a glance deeper into the room before replying, “I am accompanying my Master to visit Aunt Su.”
Jiang Chen nodded. It seemed Medicine Fairy Su Qingyao and Mu Beiyun’s Master knew each other.
Subsequently, he obediently took a seat on the periphery.
Su Tiantian poured a round of hot tea, leaving the three of them to wait patiently.
Time trickled by, minute by minute, with no one speaking.
Logically, Su Tiantian and Mu Beiyun should have shared a good relationship, providing ample topics for conversation.
Yet Jiang Chen noticed the two rarely communicated, scarcely even exchanging glances.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Su Tiantian was quite… envious of Fairy Beiyun.
If she wasn’t looking at her face, she was eyeing certain other physical features.
She seemed to be engaging in a one-sided comparison.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, movement finally stirred from the inner sanctum.
A silhouette stepped out, and beside him, Mu Beiyun immediately rose to her feet. “Master.”
Jiang Chen recalled: her Master was the Orchid Fairy of the Inviting Moon Immortal Sect.
The very same unfortunate casualty who had been robbed of the Calyx Boat by Long Ao’s Master, Ling Shuang.
He immediately stood up, looking over with keen curiosity.
She was of average height, her figure slender yet flawlessly proportioned.
Her skin possessed a cold tone graced with a faint, lustrous glow.
A pristine oval face, framed by brows as delicate as willow leaves.
Her gaze was clear and piercing, like a freezing pond beneath the moonlight.
A small, straight nose, sculpted like a hanging gall.
Her lips were thin and shallow, delicately tinted a pale pink.
Her upper garment was a moon-white, front-fastened short jacket.
Her lower attire consisted of a long skirt embroidered with lunar motifs.
Over it all, she wore a semi-transparent, pale-white silk shawl.
Su Tiantian stepped forward, latching onto the woman’s delicate right arm with a coquettish whine. “Auntie!”
Jiang Chen was inwardly stunned. “They are family?”
It turned out the Orchid Fairy and the Medicine Fairy were sisters.
No wonder they could converse for so long, forcing him to wait bitterly.
Just then, a voice laced with softness drifted from the inner chamber. “Jiang Chen!”