novelraw Chapter 11 Vivi Dedicates Herself to the Favor of the Goddess
Chapter 11 Vivi Dedicates Herself to the Favor of the Goddess
The moonlight was cold and clear, and the Lingxu Cave was shrouded in night mist.
Li Xian carried a pot of brewed Bodhi tea and walked along the path behind the mountain towards Weiwei's secluded cave dwelling.
On the way, he went over the events of the day again.
Han Yishui's words, "You can only protect me for a while," were not empty words.
The Han family has been operating in this small area of Lingxu Cave for at least thirty generations, with deep roots.
Although Weiwei has the background of the Yao Guang Holy Land, she is too far away to help someone in a difficult situation.
More importantly—Weiwei saw everything hidden beneath his bitterness.
Branches of the elixir of immortality, sacred fruit, divine spring water, and Bodhi branches.
If any of these things get out, the elders of Lingxu Cave Heaven will tear him apart and devour him.
If the Holy Land of Yao Guang finds out, the entire Yan Kingdom, from the leader of Lingxu Sect to the village chickens, will be wiped out completely.
Weiwei has not made a sound so far.
It wasn't because of kindness, it was because she wanted it.
"A side NPC wants to trade? Let's talk. On the fast track, allies are more valuable than enemies."
Vivi Cave is a natural cave carved into a cliff halfway up the mountain, and its exterior is sealed off by a barrier.
When Li Xian reached the door, the restriction spontaneously opened up a gap.
She is waiting for him.
Li Xian stepped in.
The cave was more spacious than I had imagined.
The cliff face was polished smooth as a mirror, with a few unknown orchids embedded in it, emitting a faint fluorescent glow.
In the corner, there is a natural hot spring, with steam rising and the water surface shimmering.
A jade couch leans against the inner wall, covered with a plain-colored thin quilt.
The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance, mixed with the steam from the hot spring, making one feel completely relaxed.
Weiwei sat on the stone platform by the hot spring, having changed into a plain white undergarment. Her wet hair was disheveled, indicating that she had just taken a bath.
The Celestial Eyes glowed with a faint blue light in the dim cave, like two cool, clear stars.
"Junior brother arrived on time."
"Being punctual for business is basic courtesy." Li Xian placed the teapot on the stone table, sat down opposite her, and got straight to the point, "What did you see this afternoon, Senior Sister? What do you want? Name your price."
Weiwei did not respond immediately.
She picked up the teapot, poured herself a cup, and slowly sipped it.
The Daoist essence of Bodhi Calamity Ashes exploded once more in her sea of consciousness, loosening her cultivation bottleneck even further.
"Phew, this tea...it really is, really, really, comparable to the elixir of immortality described in ancient texts..."
After putting down her teacup, she looked directly at Li Xian.
"There are at least three red fruits. The spring water is a life-giving spring found only deep within the ancient forbidden land. And there are two branches with lingering traces of life on them..." She paused, a sharp glint in her blue eyes, "...an elixir of immortality."
Li Xian's expression remained unchanged.
"What does Senior Sister want?"
"The elixir of immortality."
Vivi didn't beat around the bush:
"I've been stuck at the great hurdle between the Sea of Wheels and the Dao Palace for half a year, all for the sake of perfectly completing the 'Nine Transformations of the Other Shore' and building a foundation for becoming a powerful being in the Sendai realm. Bodhi tea can help people attain enlightenment, but it doesn't have much effect on me right now. The vitality of the Elixir of Immortality is what can truly help me break through to a higher realm quickly."
"And the price?"
"What I can give you, junior brother should have already thought of."
Vivi said calmly:
"Han Yishui won't let you go. He's dying soon, and he's much more direct and reckless than I am. You won't be able to stay in Lingxu Cave Heaven for long. I have a senior master in Yaoguang Holy Land who can recommend you to join the outer sect of Yaoguang."
"Trading my incomplete elixir of immortality for the status of an outer disciple of the Yao Guang Holy Land? What a loss."
Vivi wasn't angry.
"What else would you like, junior brother?"
Li Xian held up two fingers:
"First, I need the source; give me as much as you have. Second, the scriptures you are currently practicing. Third..."
Thirdly, it goes without saying that you need to know the inside story.
Weiwei remained silent for a few moments.
"I can't give you much of the source; it's a rare treasure that only cultivators of the Dao Palace can access. As for the ancient scripture..." She looked up at Li Xian, "That depends on whether you're worth me revealing my secrets to."
"Say what you're trying to test."
Weiwei tilted her head slightly, her wet hair slipping off her shoulder, revealing her slender, fair neck.
"What you mentioned this afternoon—Dao Palace, Four Extremes, Dragon Transformation, Immortal Platform, Dao Severing, Quasi-Emperor, Great Emperor—these realm classifications are only recorded up to the Immortal Platform in the oldest records of the Spirit Ruins Grotto-Heaven. How could a mortal like you know anything about anything above the Immortal Platform?"
coming.
This is the very problem that Li Xian and others are facing.
"Senior Sister, do you believe there are six more heavens above the Immortal Platform?"
"...What?"
"Immortal One: Half-step Great Power, Immortal Two: Great Power, Immortal Three: Dao-Slaying King, Immortal Four: Saint, Immortal Five: Saint King, Immortal Six: Great Saint." Li Xian spoke slowly, but each word struck a chord with Weiwei's understanding:
"The Quasi-Emperor, on the other hand, rebuilt the five great secret realms and cultivated them to perfection."
"The Great Emperor is the ultimate being who has achieved perfect unity of the five great secret realms, made the final leap, merged with the Heavenly Heart Mark, and proved himself to be an emperor."
"There are also differences in the combat power of the Great Emperors. Those whose combat power far exceeds that of ordinary Great Emperors and who have made great contributions to all races in the universe can be called—Heavenly Emperors."
"What I'm telling you today are truly forbidden secrets that have existed only through oral tradition throughout history."
Vivi's breathing quickened.
"What's the basis for what you're saying?"
"The star I come from has buried more than one Great Emperor." Li Xian spoke casually, as if he were talking about what he had for dinner that night. "There are stone carvings left by Great Emperors, the remains of Heavenly Venerables, and the broken steles of ancient sects. Every realm I mention is pieced together from those relics."
Half true, half false.
But for Vivi, that was enough.
She had seen the things that sank beneath the sea of Li Xianku.
The divine spring water of the ancient forbidden land, the branch of the elixir of immortality, the ashes of the Bodhi tree—any one of these things could prove that what he said was not false.
A person from an ancient star where the Great Emperor was buried.
A mortal who possesses the elixir of immortality and knows the realms above Sendai.
Vivi's fingers gently slid along the rim of the teacup, her heart completely tipped in tatters.
She stood up.
"Place the things my junior brother brought on the stone platform."
Li Xian took a red sacred fruit from the Sea of Bitterness and placed it on the stone platform:
"That's enough for you to clear the level. We can talk about more later."
Weiwei walked over and picked up the incomplete elixir of immortality.
The moment her fingertips touched it, a vibrant, almost overwhelming life force surged from the sacred fruit, causing her hand to tremble slightly.
It really is an elixir of immortality.
She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, the scrutinizing look in her blue eyes had faded, leaving behind something more complex.
"The Originium you requested."
She took out an iron box from a hidden compartment under the jade bed and handed it to Li Xian:
"We'll discuss the matter of the Yao Guang Holy Land another day. Tonight..."
She paused for a moment.
"Do you want to know what else the Celestial Eye can see?"
Li Xian's eyebrows twitched.
Vivi turned and walked towards the hot spring.
The white undershirt slid down her back like water, revealing a slender waistline that hadn't fully developed yet.
"The Celestial Eyes can see more than just objects. They can see the meridians, blood circulation, and foundation of the Dao in a person. Your Dao foundation is purer than any other cultivator I've ever seen." She didn't turn around, her voice soft. "I want to confirm one thing."
The rising heat blurred her features.
"...Okay, what's this? A cutscene triggered by temporarily maxing out affection?"
Li Xian put the iron box into the Sea of Bitterness and headed towards the hot spring.
He did not hesitate.
Speedrunning emphasizes efficiency. Being able to obtain Originium, a decent Sea of Wheels scripture, and the complete loyalty of a powerful ally in one night makes one a master of time management in a sense.
Besides, the Celestial Eye is truly worth it.
Then he realized a serious problem.
As you get closer, the outline of the body bathed in spiritual light becomes clear in the mist.
Her skin was almost transparent in the spring water, with shimmering blue light flowing through her veins, like a living star map.
Li Xian reached out his hand.
The moment my fingertips touched her shoulder—
His heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't nervousness, it was confusion.
Temperature, touch.
The slight acceleration of her pulse beneath her skin vibrated into his fingertips.
A strand of damp hair clung to her neck, and her breath carried the scent of flowers, or perhaps the essence of a spring.
That's so true.
The Dream Inception disc I made in the Human Desire Path before was supposedly the most high-end on the market... Compared to how I feel now, it's no different than wearing a layer of plastic gloves.
Weiwei turned around, her blue eyes looking directly at him, and reached out to put her hand on his shoulder.
She did not speak.
Li Xian remained silent.
As the two people, each with their own thoughts, became entangled in the hot spring, the moonlight outside the cave was swallowed up by the clouds.
……
long after.
Weiwei curled up on the jade couch, her breathing long and even; she had fallen asleep.
She held the incomplete elixir of immortality in her hand, its life force slowly seeping into her veins. She gripped it tightly, yet her brow remained relaxed in her dream.
Li Xian sat on the edge of the couch, looking down at his palm.
The warmth of the delicate body in his arms still lingered on his skin.
When she curled up defenselessly beside him, the weight, temperature, and heart rate transmitted by her soft, boneless body were all clearly etched into his sensory memory.
Something inside him was stirred.
It was very light, but he noticed it.
"wrong."
Li Xian quickly pulled herself back to her senses and began to analyze.
The Dream Inception of the Human Desire Path is only about 70% accurate in its reproduction.
Even if the new version's deep dive mode reaches over 90%, based on the previous iterative upgrade pattern, the maximum perceived accuracy is 85%.
But those feelings I just experienced, even at the very least, account for 98%.
—Could it be that the deep-diving mode is being repeated in a loop?
He remembered that line of small print in the version description:
Once the depth exceeds 90%, the neural circuits will form a resonant feedback, with the left foot stepping on the right foot, and the cycle ascends.
Theoretically, it is possible that the depth of the dive may unknowingly exceed the safety threshold, achieving near 100% complete simulation.
That makes sense then.
Li Xian found a reasonable explanation for herself and suppressed that slight unease.
He unfolded the silk book given to him by Weiwei and, with the help of the spiritual light from the hot spring, began to memorize the Wheel Sea Chapter of the Lingxu Scripture.
There are still 499 years, 10 months, and 25 days left. We can't waste any time.
Outside the window, the moon reappeared from behind the clouds.