A waft of fragrance lingered in the air, penetrating the sealed spaceship and directly affecting their spirits, making them feel as though they were in a forest, experiencing a fresh and natural atmosphere. This experience was unique; despite being inside the spacecraft and surrounded by heavy clouds with occasional arcs of lightning flashing by, it felt like they were amidst trees and greenery.
"Old Chen, are there any more records about the Heavenly Herb?" Wang Xuan asked, puzzled. How could such a herb come into being in the clouds, where lightning frequently appeared?
Chen Fate Soil shook his head. "No other records exist; I suspect even the Taoist ancestral halls don't describe it much. This thing is incredibly mysterious. If it could be understood, this secret path wouldn't have been completely blocked off."
Qingmu remained silent, carefully maneuvering the spaceship closer to the hazy light under Wang Xuan's guidance.
"Thud!"
The spaceship trembled slightly, as if grazed by a spark of electricity, causing both Wang Xuan and Old Chen to change their expressions.
"It's nothing," Qingmu reassured them. "We didn't get electrocuted; we just entered an area of disturbed airflow. Our spaceship can withstand thunderstorms, so this turbulence is no problem."
Indeed, the spaceship stabilized and continued forward.
Wang Xuan frowned slightly. "That light was on the left side earlier; how did it move to the right side of the clouds? Can its position change?"
"It might be due to the disturbed airflow; it can't affect the spaceship, but it has shifted the Heavenly Herb from its original position," Qingmu suggested.
The black clouds roiled, with lightning occasionally flashing like silver waterfalls, breathtakingly vast yet perilously daunting. Even Old Chen felt uneasy; if something went wrong with this spaceship, it wouldn't matter if he were only close to Lighting the Lamp Chen or became a true Gathering Herb Chen—he couldn't withstand such a lightning strike.
"Qingmu, slow down. It doesn't matter if we can't harvest the Heavenly Herb; this isn't our territory. Navigate carefully around the lightning instead of charging through."
Qingmu remained calm. "Master, don't worry. I've been a captain for ten years, with over twenty years of driving experience. I often travel to the moon, occasionally to Mars, and have navigated deep space alone; this cloud layer is nothing."
Wang Xuan listened, feeling envious. While instructing Qingmu to approach the Heavenly Herb, he chatted about his aspirations to explore outer space.
"Old Qing, why not teach me while we're at it? I still have zero experience. What real man doesn't want to pilot a spaceship through deep space? Of course, Old Chen is the exception; look at him—he probably gets seasick!"
Chen Fate Soil shot him a glare. "When I was battling in deep space, you were still playing with toy boats in the bathtub! I've got thirty-two years of experience!"
Thud!
Old Chen instantly fell silent as the spaceship jolted again, this time with considerable force, causing even Qingmu's expression to change. The protection systems had already activated, yet they were still experiencing such turbulence.
Crack!
A blinding bolt of lightning flashed right in front of the spaceship, illuminating everything and leaving no darkness in sight—only that terrifying, intense light, enough to chill the bones.
All three felt a chill; such a mighty force of nature was frightening. If it struck a person, how would they survive?
"I finally understand the dangers of the ascension process; with such overwhelming natural power, relying solely on the physical body to withstand it is nearly impossible," Wang Xuan reflected. Considering it carefully, humans are truly weak—amidst thunder, in nature, in the universe, they are like dust.
As the blinding light faded, Qingmu remarked, "This lightning is twice as hot as the surface of the sun. So, if there are immortals, they are truly impressive."
Old Chen added, "Those who ascend are no ordinary characters. The lightning they face is far more complex; besides the lightning we see, there are likely mysterious powers involved."
Wang Xuan appeared alarmed. "We're getting close to the Heavenly Herb, but why do I feel like we're being targeted? This lightning seems off!"
Under his guidance, Qingmu maneuvered the spaceship nearer to the Heavenly Herb, but the surrounding lightning was exceptionally erratic and hostile, bombarding them relentlessly.
In an instant, the spaceship shook multiple times, with terrifying beams of light intertwining and a deafening roar surrounding them. Qingmu confirmed that the lightning protection system was active, and the spaceship remained unharmed, just being rocked by the energy waves in the clouds.
"Is that a plum tree?" Wang Xuan exclaimed, gradually distinguishing the plant as they got closer.
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In the serene, pale golden light mist, a fruit tree with golden trunks and leaves emerged, remarkably enchanting, rooted in the clouds. Aside from its extraordinary appearance, it resembled a plum tree.
It stood taller than a person, with a trunk as thick as an arm, and patches of golden bark flaked off like scales, emanating a divine golden glow. Its branches were as supple as willow, each exuding a vibrant life force, with elongated golden leaves scattering a hazy light.
The entire tree bore only one flower, resembling a plum blossom but much fuller—about the size of an adult's fist. The petals had already bloomed, indicating it was nearing the time to wither and bear fruit.
"Golden Plum!" Old Chen was astonished by his description. "So it's this kind of Heavenly Herb, rooted in the clouds and accompanied by thunder."
He felt a deep sense of regret; it was now certain that the Heavenly Herb was not yet mature, and its fruit had not fully formed! However, the leaves and branches of the herb seemed extraordinary, rekindling their hopes.
"How did we pass through?" Under Wang Xuan's guidance, Qingmu maneuvered the spaceship closer to the mysterious herb tree and inexplicably moved through the golden light. There was only a hazy glow; no tangible object was present.
"Could it be that there's no real tree?" The three of them felt a sense of tension. They were so close, and if they left empty-handed, it would truly be a disappointment.
Qingmu gritted his teeth and used the mechanical arm to try to pluck some leaves from the Heavenly Herb. If they could obtain even a small part of it, it would be an incredible harvest. However, the mechanical arm passed through the golden light without grasping anything. The tender golden branches swayed with the thunderstorm, elusive and unattainable.
What kind of species was this? Was that tree not a solid object? The three of them were astonished.
As they drew nearer, the floral fragrance thickened significantly, sharpening their senses, yet it did not trigger any other supernatural changes. The medicinal aroma wafted directly to their minds, intoxicating them—a truly bizarre phenomenon.
"The times have changed. We can pilot spaceships straight into the clouds, traversing the thunderstorms that ancient people viewed as insurmountable, yet... we still can't harvest the Heavenly Herb!" Old Chen lamented, feeling quite unwilling.
Though he couldn't see it, the sweet scent was tantalizingly close, yet they still couldn't touch that secret path leading to the herb.
After pondering for a while, Wang Xuan suggested, "Let's look up ancient texts later, review the county records from this area in An City, and see if there are any myths or legends about this region, especially regarding the Heavenly Herb."
He proposed starting from the legends, as this remarkable herb was too extraordinary to grasp at the moment.
Qingmu contemplated, "This Heavenly Herb seems to involve a mental aspect, as if it doesn't belong to this world. Why has it manifested? Is there some factor in reality that has caused it to reveal itself?"
Wang Xuan's mind jolted. "If it's related to the mortal realm, perhaps linked to the turmoil caused by Old Chen's recent 'departure' and the top figure in the New Technique realm suffering an 'air disaster,' these events might have stirred the hearts of the people in An City, prompting the appearance of the Heavenly Herb?"
Qingmu agreed, "That makes sense!"
Wang Xuan's eyes sparkled, his voice powerful. "If that's the case, Old Chen, hurry up and make some contributions. Tonight, issue an obituary, saying you are severely injured and won't recover. How old are you, Old Chen?"
Qingmu perked up, "If such news gets out, it'll probably trigger a flood of reports. In one day, news of the deaths of key figures from both the old and new realms will surely ignite public opinion."
Old Chen shot them a fierce look. "Letting Olesha die in an 'air disaster' is one thing, but do you both want me to be declared 'mortally wounded' too?"
He sighed, "You're overthinking this. It's not about the hearts of the people. Just now, I recalled something. During my training at the Taoist ancestral hall, I once saw a record mentioning the Golden Thunder Fruit, which could help one achieve the highest Taoist skills. It seems that this should be the Heavenly Herb, quite similar to the Golden Plum here! However, this thing detests the aura of the mortal world. If the disturbance in human emotions is too intense, it might quickly vanish."
Wang Xuan was taken aback. "So the opposite of what we thought? Does that mean it's because of Olesha's death and the ensuing news that it disturbed people's hearts, increasing the aura of the mortal world, that the Heavenly Herb wants to hide away?"
Old Chen replied lightly, "The Heavenly Herb is incredibly mysterious. Even the Pre-Qin alchemists and Taoists couldn't decipher its essence; no one has truly understood what causes its appearance."
Finally, he furrowed his brow and said, "The Taoist texts vaguely mention that long ago, not only did the Taoists seek the Thunder Fruit, but also a peerless great demon contested for it, and the Taoists suffered losses back then."
Wang Xuan was astonished. "The Taoist school is a continuation of the Taoists, existing since the Pre-Qin period. If it's from that era, I can't help but feel… it sounds a bit strange!"
Not just him; Old Chen and Qingmu immediately recalled the peerless red-clad demoness they had seen in the Inner Landscape. From her ancient Jiangnan dialect, they could deduce she was from two or three thousand years ago, speaking in soft and flowing tones.
The three of them were instantly astonished. The appearance of this Heavenly Herb didn't seem coincidental; it might be connected to that extraordinary red-clad demoness!
"Is she trying to fish for something?" The old fisherman, Chen Fate Soil, made that connection immediately.
Wang Xuan frowned. "That's unlikely. She wouldn't be able to cross the veil in the Inner Landscape, let alone intervene so forcefully in reality."
Regardless, they remained on guard.
Wang Xuan glanced at the bone fragment he had with him, but the female sword immortal showed no reaction.
The three continued to pilot the spaceship around, repeatedly attempting to use the mechanical arm to capture the Golden Plum, but all their efforts failed.
"Let's retreat; we can't obtain this thing yet, and it's not mature," Old Chen sighed.
The lightning in the area grew denser, and Qingmu didn't want to take any further risks, controlling the spaceship to move back a little.
"Hmm?!" Wang Xuan was taken aback.
Old Chen also suddenly looked up, both feeling something unusual.
Wang Xuan had genuinely seen a change; the Heavenly Herb, taller than a person, was now flowing with golden mist, and a patch of golden soil had appeared around its roots, extending about ten feet.
Was it becoming more manifest, growing increasingly real?!
Old Chen was surprised because the wound on his forehead began to itch, as if his metabolism was accelerating.
In that moment, Wang Xuan also noticed a slight itch in his ten fingers, as if new nails were about to sprout quickly.
"The Heavenly Herb… has solidified a lot!" Wang Xuan murmured.
Old Chen sighed, "Could it really be as recorded, that one cannot find it in the mortal realm, but suddenly sees it when looking back?"
Qingmu pondered, "Is the Heavenly Herb truly touching the human heart? Perhaps one must be willing to let go to gain something?"
The patch of golden soil became increasingly real, the Golden Plum swaying with the thunder, and the fragrance grew even more intense!