Not all enemies could be cultivated like flowers.
Those too strong, like the Grand Unity Supremes, might end up cultivating him instead.
Those too weak wouldn't suffice either. Beings below Golden Immortals lacked the laws to provide the necessary nutrients for flowers to bloom.
Therefore, Golden Immortal Venerables and Grand Unity Cultivators were the most suitable flower seeds! Perhaps, in the future, Grand Unity Golden Immortals could also be cultivated as flowers.
Qing Ling's primordial spirit withdrew from the World of Withered Prosperity, returning to his physical body to continue his cultivation and recovery.
His inner Five Qi integrated into his five organs, and his Three Flowers merged with his essence, energy, and spirit.
Through this transformation in the Withered Prosperity Realm, he had discovered the path to perfecting the Three Flowers and Five Qi.
However, Qing Ling's Three Flowers had not yet converged at the crown of his head, nor could his Five Qi ascend to the primordial origin. Thus, he could not reach an ultimate state.
Therefore, the Grand Unity realm remained a distant journey for him.
Qing Ling understood the principle that haste makes waste.
The fate of the water Qilin in the chaotic lands was still fresh in his memory. He intended to proceed step by step, with absolute certainty.
This path, the closest yet furthest from the Grand Unity realm, would consume the longest span of his life.
Spiritual energy from all directions surged, entering his body to nourish his Three Flowers and cultivate his Five Qi.
This was the most demanding step for one's heart, and also the most time-consuming.
Polishing the Five Qi and Three Flowers required meticulous effort; no shortcuts could be taken.
Within Hundred Spring Valley, the Red Leaf Chinese Parasol tree's roots, connected to the earth, had spread across the entirety of Mount Xi's base. The Purple Nether Lotus had also sprouted roots and was planted in the water pool for nurturing its water spirit.
Qing Ling then placed You'er within it, allowing her to continue receiving nourishment from the three-element spiritual water and the divine lotus.
Although this substitute puppet possessed Golden Immortal strength, Qing Ling still dared not use it. This was because he often faced powerful enemies like Grand Unity Supremes, and the puppet might not be able to succeed in substituting for him against such formidable opponents.
If the substitution failed, he would have no chance of survival.
He could only hope that You'er would continue to grow and eventually catch up to him, so that she could be of use to him in the future.
Qing Ling emerged from his hundred-year seclusion, his internal energy flowing smoothly and his spirit at peace, having restored himself to his most perfect state. He had not forgotten that there was still a great deity within the valley.
In the valley, beneath the Red Leaf Chinese Parasol tree, Qu sat cross-legged. A stone table was placed before him, upon which lay a zither. His fingers glided leisurely across the strings, producing melodious and harmonious music. As the music rose, the myriad plants followed; as the zither played, the red leaves fell.
Qing Ling emerged and smiled upon witnessing this beautiful scene. "You still have the heart to play the zither? You haven't cultivated even a bit in a hundred years."
Qu's fingers abruptly ceased their movement. He lifted his slender digits, then placed them back down, pressing upon the strings.
"It is merely a clone. Cultivation is the business of the main body; what concern is it of mine?"
Qing Ling's throat tightened. He remembered that the main body before him was the Sun God, cultivating on the Sun Star—a perilous location few could match.
"You're not going to restrain yourself? Speaking so casually of the main body's clone, aren't you afraid of leaks?"
Qu looked up, his eyes as placid as water. He said faintly, "Two innate spiritual roots are present here, forming a small world of their own, isolating it from the outside.
Here, even if I killed you, outsiders would never know."
Qing Ling's heart leaped, but he maintained a calm smile. "Fellow Daoist is jesting.
I shall now detoxify you!"
Qu raised an eyebrow and asked, "How will you detoxify?"
"Just don't resist me entering your body. It might hurt a little," Qing Ling said somewhat guiltily.
Bai Fu, who had just poked his head out of a nearby cave, heard this and trembled inwardly. It seemed he had overheard something he shouldn't have.
Qu looked at him deeply and said calmly, "Come."
Qing Ling approached and sat cross-legged opposite him. A thread of green emerged from his glabella, transforming into a slender, green snake that shot directly into Qu's heart.
Qu grunted, his eyes fixed on Qing Ling.
Qing Ling closed his eyes, his consciousness arriving at Qu's heart.
The roots of a blood-red Rakshasa flower were entwined around this crimson heart.
The small green snake that Qing Ling had transformed into manifested the energies of life and death. It suddenly opened its mouth towards the Rakshasa flower.
The gravitational pull of life and death intensified. Threads of the Dao of life and death were slowly siphoned from the slumbering Rakshasa flower.
However, as the Dao of life and death was absorbed, the essence, energy, and spirit within Qu's body, and even his magic power, were also drawn away significantly.
Qu frowned, his face contorted in pain as he endured the loss of his vital energy and magic power. This pain was far less life-threatening than the pain caused by the Rakshasa flower's growth.
The tiny green snake, having absorbed sufficient Dao of life and death, slowly withdrew and retracted into Qing Ling's glabella.
Instantly, a warm current flowed from his glabella throughout his entire body.
Qu, on the other hand, looked pale and weak. Having lost so much essence and magic power, he also found it difficult to bear.
But seeing the somewhat withered Rakshasa flower within him, he let out a sigh of relief. As long as this damnable flower could die, that would be enough.
Qing Ling circulated his magic power, absorbing the vital energy and transforming it for his own use. He then opened his eyes and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist's willpower far exceeds my expectations. With this, only about four or five more sessions will be needed to completely remove the poison of life and death.
However, you have also lost a considerable amount of vital energy. It would be best not to rush; rest for another hundred years before commencing the second session."
Qu sneered, "My vital energy has already been drained dry by some snake spirit."
Qing Ling's face flushed with embarrassment, then he chuckled, "You cannot blame me entirely for this. The Rakshasa flower being planted in your heart has already affected your body's essence, energy, and spirit. I did my best to control it, but it was unavoidable."
With a pale face, Qu no longer bothered to argue with Qing Ling. He turned and entered his cave dwelling to recuperate alone.
Qing Ling shook his head helplessly and also left Hundred Spring Valley, heading straight for Granny Hua Geng's cave dwelling.
Inside Hua Geng's cave dwelling.
Qing Ling bowed respectfully, "Greetings, Clan Elder."
Hua Geng smiled warmly and said, "Arise. It has been hundreds of thousands of years since you last returned. I thought you would never come back to Mount Xi!"
"Grandmother, what are you saying?" Qing Ling replied with a smile. "Mount Xi is my home; how could I not return?"
Ke, standing beside them, added calmly, "It's good that you have returned."
Granny Hua Geng nodded and said, "It's fortunate that the three of us are all here.
The future of our clan members will be decided by the three of us."
"Qing'er, I must also tell you about Ke's origins. She is a primordial exotic species of heaven and earth, a Chaos Ice Chi!
In the past, our Mount Xi was too weak and could not afford to draw too much attention, so Ke had to endure a long period of hardship."
Qing Ling was slightly surprised, but he was also happy for Mount Xi. A Chaos Ice Chi, a primordial exotic species, born from the intermingling of innate dragon and snake energies. There was only one such being in all of heaven and earth!
Ke's previously cold expression vanished, replaced by a faint smile. "Clan Elder exaggerates!"
Ke's exquisite beauty had captivated countless male snakes. Her current smile possessed a charm that surpassed illusion.
Even Qing Ling was momentarily stunned, not expecting Ke to smile.
Granny Hua Geng sighed, "How am I exaggerating? With your bloodline and status, you would be extremely rare even among the Dragon Clan. Perhaps you could go even further."
Ke shook her head. "Grandmother, since I have joined Mount Xi, it is my destiny. Even within Mount Xi, I can still go further.
Please do not worry, Grandmother."