Inside the main hall, Gu Han was still immersed in deep refinement, completely unaware of everything happening outside.
Her mind was engaged in a difficult and profound Fusion with the vast and boundless dao rhyme within the Donghuang Bell.
On the bell's body, patterns of the sun, moon, and stars slowly rotated, each flicker seemingly expounding the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
Fine beads of sweat subtly seeped from Gu Han's forehead.
Refining a quasi-immortal artifact was by no means easy.
Even though her Cultivation had reached Late Stage Ascension to Immortality, and the Chaos Scripture was incomparably profound, she still felt immense pressure at this moment.
The Dao principles contained within the Donghuang Bell were too vast; each strand required her to comprehend, to integrate, and to control.
This was a grand undertaking that could not be rushed, nor could it be stopped.
Time quietly flowed by in this silent refinement.
Within Jade Pool Immortal Palace, a delicate balance was maintained between Qingxuan and Ling Shuang.
After Gu Han entered seclusion, Qingxuan no longer deliberately provoked her, spending her days enjoying flowers and tea, as if truly just a temporary guest.
Ling Shuang became even more silent, spending most of her time in internal struggle and making pastries.
However, the cold Qi shrouding the small courtyard seemed a little gentler than before, no longer as biting.
Initially, there were naturally continuous failures, but the Empress of the Northern Region seemed exceptionally persistent.
After hundreds of attempts, when the first batch of barely edible "Snow Lotus Crisps" came out of the oven,
Even Lan Xing, who was serving nearby, couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
"Your Majesty... you actually made it!"
Lan Xing's voice was filled with unbelievable excitement.
Empress Ling Shuang looked at the pastries on the jade plate, which, although not perfectly shaped, had a clear and refreshing aroma.
A barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of her lips.
"It's not enough."
She picked up a piece and took a small bite.
In the crispy texture, the clear fragrance and subtle sweetness of the snow lotus blended just right.
It was much better than the first one she had made.
She didn't know if Gu Han would like it.
But she made it herself, so even if she didn't like it, she had to.
Time quietly passed in tranquility and their respective busyness.
Vice Palace Master Yun Yun handled the Immortal Palace's daily affairs, coordinating resources, and arranging rotations, all in an orderly fashion.
For the two temporarily residing Empresses, she maintained appropriate attention and courteous care, neither overly solicitous nor disrespectful.
Through several discreet observations, Yun Yun was quite satisfied with the current situation of the two Empresses.
Empress Qingxuan seemed genuinely engrossed in
Empress Ling Shuang, on the other hand, lived a secluded life, and the East Courtyard guest house was always enveloped in a barrier, seemingly to prevent outsiders from prying.
Empress Ling Shuang, on the other hand, lived a secluded life, and the East Courtyard guest house was always enveloped in a barrier, seemingly to prevent outsiders from prying.
The two Female Generals, Lan Ling and Lan Xing, also acted with great discretion, rarely interacting with outsiders except for necessary purchases.
Yun Yun could sense that the Empress of the Northern Region seemed to be doing something very important.
"As long as they don't fight within this Immortal Palace, let them do as they please."
Yun Yun stood atop Yunwu Peak, gazing towards the East and West Courtyards, a relieved smile appearing on her gentle face.
With the Palace Master in seclusion, the burden on her shoulders was not light, and her biggest worry was these two Empresses starting a conflict over a disagreement.
Now, it seemed they had tacitly reined in their sharpness, at least on the surface.
As for their respective subtle feelings for the Palace Master...
Yun Yun gently shook her head; that was not her concern.
She believed the Palace Master would make her own decision.
Meanwhile, within the Lingxu Grotto-Heaven, the month-long exploration was nearing its end.
During this month, the first batch of over thirty Disciples had undergone tempering through blood and fire, and also reaped rich rewards.
Liu Ruyan and Gu Luoli joined forces in the core area, and with their exceptional strength and tacit agreement, collected several rare Spirit Medicine uncommon in the outside world, whose value was immeasurable.
Although their Cultivation did not directly Breakthrough, their aura became more condensed, and their comprehension of their own Cultivation Technique deepened by another layer.
In the outer regions, the performance of the six small teams was equally commendable.
Ye Ling'er's team encountered several waves of Yao Beast attacks in the south and even unexpectedly stumbled into a naturally formed illusion Formation.
Within the Formation, she sensed the Formation's core and, with Ah Yao's unique talent,
Ultimately led the team out safely, discovering a small pool of "Cold Marrow Spirit Liquid" that could temper the Meridians.
After this battle, Ye Ling'er's aura became even more condensed and cold, seemingly only a thin window paper away from the Golden Core Stage.
And Ah Yao, through repeated actual combat and exploration, completely consolidated her Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivation, becoming more proficient in the use of the Radiant Lotus Platform.
Murong Xue's team not only successfully hunted down the Early Golden Core stage Shadow Leopard,
But also discovered a small patch of
She herself also faintly touched upon the opportunity for Core Formation.
Xiao Ya, relying on her keen intuition for Formations and the deductions of the Qianji Disk, led her team to avoid several hidden dangers.
Having collected many rare Materials, her understanding and application abilities in the Dao of Formations soared.
Zhao Ling'er and Wang Zhaojun's cooperation became increasingly seamless; one attacking, one defending, they not only gathered
They also jointly killed a Peak Foundation Establishment "Poison Swamp Crocodile".
Wang Teng, in the western mining area, not only collected a large amount of "Red Copper Essence Ore" but also unexpectedly unearthed a small piece of "Geng Metal Primordial Stone" containing sharp metal Qi.
This greatly benefited his cultivation of metal-attribute Cultivation Technique; he became more inwardly sharp and much steadier.
It can be said that every Disciple who entered the Lingxu Grotto-Heaven gained training and rewards far exceeding their expectations.
On this day, the light barrier at the entrance of the Lingxu Grotto-Heaven rippled again.
Only half a day remained until the one-month deadline.
In the square, Disciples who had completed their exploration early or felt they had gained enough were successively teleported out.
Most of them looked tired, but their eyes were bright, their aura solid, and their faces beamed with joy.
"They're out, they're out!"
"Look, it's Senior Sister Zhao and them!"
"Senior Brother Wang Teng is out too! Whoa, he's got a pile of shiny golden rocks in his hand, looks like he struck gold?"
"Senior Sister Xiao Ya seems a bit thinner, but her temperament feels even more ethereal!"
"Senior Sister Murong... her Sword Qi is so sharp!"
The Disciples remaining in the Immortal Palace gathered around, excitedly observing their returning peers, chattering as they asked about their experiences in the Secret Realm.
Zhao Ling'er happily displayed several well-preserved "Water Cloud Ganoderma".
Wang Teng, with an air of grandeur, patted his bulging Storage Pouch, drawing gasps of envious admiration.
Xiao Ya smiled and nodded to her familiar Junior Sisters, while Murong Xue stood quietly to the side, closing her eyes to savor the gains from the Secret Realm.
As time passed, more and more people emerged.
Li Zhiwei walked out alone, her significantly increased Cultivation attracting frequent glances.
Finally, with only an hour remaining until the deadline, the southern light barrier fluctuated violently.
Ye Ling'er, holding Ah Yao's small hand, stepped out with two other fellow Disciples.
Ye Ling'er's hair was slightly disheveled, but her eyes were still clear, and the aura subtly emanating from her was significantly stronger than before she entered.
And Ah Yao was a sight to behold.
The little one's blue outfit was smudged with dust and grass, but her small face was rosy, and her large eyes were even more lively and spirited than when she went in.
She curiously gazed at the bustling square, and upon seeing familiar Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, she immediately waved happily.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"