After Being Certified by the Immortal Lord on the Path of Ruthlessness - Chapter 25.2

Ye Qingge suppressed the urge to join in the applause and strode forward with heavy steps.

Upon hearing the footsteps, Ling Lan, who had been cheerful moments before, immediately wiped the smile from her face and rested her right hand on her wooden sword.

But when she saw who it was, she relaxed, stroked the hilt of her sword, and looked up, saying, “Lu Jiu.”

“Lu Jiu!” Jiang Mianhao’s voice was noticeably more cheerful. She exclaimed excitedly, “Did you see Lanlan’s swordplay just now? Isn’t she incredibly skilled?”

Ye Qingge’s expression remained indifferent as she forcibly suppressed the flicker of anticipation rising in her heart.

Ling Lan, who had been laughing and chatting earlier, now fell silent.

“I saw it,” Ye Qingge replied flatly.

Encouraged by the response, Jiang Mianhao grew even more excited. She pressed further, “So, what do you think? Isn’t Lanlan amazing? I believe she’ll become as skilled as you one day!”

“Mianhao,” Ling Lan gently tugged at Jiang Mianhao’s sleeve, her ears warming with embarrassment at the praise.

A breeze occasionally rustled through the bamboo grove, causing the leaves to whisper together.

Just as Ling Lan thought Jiang Mianhao’s question would be ignored again, the person before her shifted her gaze to Ling Lan and actually responded.

Ye Qingge gave a slight nod and said to Ling Lan, “Not bad.”

Though it was only four words, Ling Lan couldn’t hide her excitement and exhilaration. Her swordplay had been praised countless times by Jiang Mianhao, but this was the first time she had received recognition from Ye Qingge.

After all, just two days ago, the two of them had been sworn enemies.

Jiang Mianhao clapped her hands in delight, wrapping her arms around Ling Lan’s and laughing, “See, Lanlan? I told you you’re amazing!”

Ling Lan’s ears flushed with shyness.

“Oh, right, Lu Jiu,” Jiang Mianhao seemed to remember something and turned to ask, “How did you find Lanlan and me yesterday? And what about Mi Xiu? Where did she go?”

Jiang Mianhao’s questions jumped around so abruptly that if it weren’t for the genuine confusion welling up inside her, Ye Qingge would have wondered if she had misheard.

Jiang Mianhao looked utterly serious, her emerald eyes clear as water, their lashes fluttering like ripples on a pond.

Of course, Ye Qingge wouldn’t answer such a belated and foolish question. With a flick of her sleeve, she turned to Ling Lan and asked, “Starting today, you’ll begin accumulating spiritual power. Do you know how to do that?”

“I think I do,” Ling Lan replied earnestly. “Grandma Rong Qi once told me that aside from regular meditation and cultivation, there are two ways to accumulate spiritual power.”

“One is to slay demons and monsters, refining their malevolent energy into spiritual power. The other is to perform good deeds, accumulating merit to exchange for spiritual power.”

“Which one should we start with?”

Ling Lan shared everything she knew without holding back, then looked intently at Ye Qingge, waiting for her reaction.

But the usually calm and composed immortal lord was now frowning, as if suppressing some emotion, and her typically impassive eyes held a flicker of… curiosity?

Ling Lan sensed something was off and glanced at Jiang Mianhao beside her.

In those emerald eyes, she saw the same expectation.

And the next moment, she heard Ye Qingge speak but not in response to her question.

“Enough.” Ye Qingge gritted her teeth and said, “After we separated yesterday, I was alone in the pavilion drinking tea. I noticed that soaring bird and kept an eye on it. Who would’ve thought you two would fall into its clutches? I couldn’t bear to watch, so I saved you. As for that foolish mimosa, how would I know where she went?”

As if completing a task, Ye Qingge rattled off a long string of words, laced with insincere coaxing and perfunctory remarks.

She simply couldn’t stand the curiosity churning relentlessly in her heart. Ye Qingge had been ruling the immortal realm for centuries and had never reported or explained her actions to anyone.

Yet, under the hopeful gaze of this foolish plant, she had revealed her whereabouts.

Ye Qingge clenched her jaw, repeatedly calling out to the Wuji Mystic Master in her mind.

But there was no response.

Jiang Mianhao, having received an answer, was in high spirits. The confusion in her heart dissipated, only to be quickly replaced by worry: “Is Mi Xiu really safe all alone?”

Feeling the rapid shifts in emotions, Ye Qingge clicked her tongue and said, “Ling Lan, today you should go to the temple to perform good deeds. There will be low-level evil spirits causing trouble there.”

With that, Ye Qingge waved her hand and tossed out a small compass.

Caught off guard by the sudden task, Ling Lan reached out and caught the compass, examining it curiously.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Ye Qingge gritted her teeth, enunciating each word clearly, “Take this noisy plant with you and make sure to burn some incense properly.”

Jiang Mianhao muttered in protest, “I’m not noisy at all.”

Ye Qingge snorted coldly and swept her sleeves as she walked away.

Watching the retreating figure, Jiang Mianhao stuck out her tongue and made a face.

Ling Lan, however, felt that something was off. She looked up at the distant figure, feeling puzzled deep down.

Since when had this immortal become so talkative?

And she hadn’t even told her how to use this compass!!!

……

By the time Ling Lan and Jiang Mianhao arrived at the temple, the person by her side had already reverted to her original form.

Jiang Mianhao’s injuries from the previous day were too severe. Even with Ye Qingge’s powerful spiritual energy supporting her, she could only maintain her human form for a few hours.

Having turned back into a plant, Jiang Mianhao sat in her pot, which was packed into Ling Lan’s bundle as they hurried toward the Wish-Granting Temple.

The Wish-Granting Temple was the most famous temple at the foot of Mount Taibai.

The temple was serene and tranquil, with monks chanting sutras in the side halls. Only the main hall housed a statue of the goddess.

Surrounded by mountains, the temple was encircled by peach trees planted by people. Visitors wrote their wishes on red silk ribbons and hung them on the peach branches.

By the time Ling Lan arrived at the Wish-Granting Temple with Jiang Mianhao, it was already noon.

Wealthy nobles who had finished their meals were carried over by sedan bearers to offer incense to the goddess, while those who couldn’t afford food prayed along the streets and kowtowed before the goddess’s hall.

Occasionally, a few striped cats could be seen strolling leisurely about.

Before Ling Lan even entered the temple, she bumped right into the abbot.

Having never visited such a place before, Ling Lan felt nervous. She imitated the other devotees, clasping her hands together and bowing reverently.

The abbot also clasped his hands and bowed in return, saying, “This is your first time here, isn’t it? You look unfamiliar.”

Startled that she had been recognized as a newcomer, Ling Lan quickly replied, “You’re very observant. This is indeed my first time here, and I know nothing about this place.”

Jiang Mianhao, tied to the bundle on Ling Lan’s back, poked her head out and swayed her branches, curiously taking in everything around her.

The abbot glanced at the bundle behind Ling Lan and immediately recognized that the plant had already achieved its transformed form. He understood the purpose of her visit at once.

With hands pressed together and a bow, he said, “The Divine Maiden protects all living beings across the three realms. If you have any requests, benefactor, you may approach the Divine Maiden and speak them to her.”

Ling Lan hurriedly returned the gesture, replying, “Thank you for your trouble.”

“May the Divine Maiden bless you,” the abbot chanted once more with hands clasped before turning to attend to another worshipper.

It was autumn, and the mountains were adorned with peach trees laden with vibrant, crimson peaches, complementing the fluttering prayer ribbons and creating a magnificent sight.

This was Ling Lan’s first visit, and though she kept her mission in mind, she couldn’t help but feel curious about her surroundings.

Jiang Mianhao, nestled in the strap of her bundle, was even more excited, stretching most of her grassy body out and waving her leaves cheerfully at the dancing ribbons.

Ling Lan gently nudged the protruding grass back inside and whispered, “Be careful, Mianhao. It’s crowded and chaotic here. Without Lu Jiu, we need to protect ourselves.”

Chastened, the little grass obediently settled back into the bundle, following Ling Lan as they explored the temple.

The minor demon Ye Qingge had mentioned had yet to appear, but many people had come to pay respects to the Divine Maiden.

In the tranquil and serene courtyard, only the area outside the Divine Maiden Hall was bustling, with a winding line of people stretching all the way into the peach grove.

Jiang Mianhao whispered, “Lanlan, can we go see the Divine Maiden Hall?”

Interrupted from her focus on the compass in her hand, Ling Lan coaxed, “After I check the surroundings, we can go, alright?”

“Okay!” Jiang Mianhao replied, immediately quieting down.

When Ye Qingge had tossed her this compass, she hadn’t explained how to use it. Ling Lan turned the palm-sized disk over and over but couldn’t figure it out.

Activate it with mental focus?

Ling Lan held her breath and concentrated, silently reciting in her mind, but as soon as she calmed herself, her eyes snapped open.

What incantation should she chant?

Since chanting didn’t work, Ling Lan tossed the compass high into the air. It flipped and landed steadily back in her hand, the needle unmoving.

Apparently, tossing it didn’t work either.

Feeling somewhat disheartened, Ling Lan walked around the temple with the compass, but the needle remained completely still.

It seemed there were no demons or monsters nearby.

Slightly reassured, Ling Lan shook the compass to confirm it wasn’t broken and then hung it from her waist.

During her tinkering, another large group of worshippers arrived to pay homage at the Divine Maiden Hall.

Jiang Mianhao peeked out from the back of the bundle and whispered in awe, “So many people.”

“Let’s go take a look too,” Ling Lan said, patting Jiang Mianhao’s leaves as she joined the line behind the other worshippers.

The line looked long, but it moved faster than expected.

Following the crowd, Ling Lan performed the three bows and nine kowtows before the Divine Maiden statue and waited to offer incense.

Every person who knelt bowed deeply, eyes lowered, afraid of offending the Divine Maiden.

Ling Lan, carrying the grass pot on her back, stood at the end of the line. An accidental glance upward allowed her to see the statue everyone was worshipping.

Crafted from pure gold, the Divine Maiden sat majestically on her high throne, her long lashes slightly lowered.

Though it was an immobile golden figure, the more Ling Lan looked, the more familiar it seemed; the cool, elegant features, the breathtakingly beautiful face, the untouchable aura.

Ling Lan blinked and shook the grass out of her bundle, asking, “Mianhao, don’t you think this Divine Maiden statue looks very familiar?”

Before Jiang Mianhao behind her could respond, the compass hanging from Ling Lan’s waist suddenly lifted into the air and shot straight forward.

Ling Lan was greatly startled. Seeing the compass react, she quickly followed it.

Pushing through the crowded masses, Ling Lan was led by the compass all the way to the front, where it came to a steady halt.

The previously motionless needle now began to move, spinning once within the dial before stopping firmly in place.

Ling Lan watched as the needle settled, then lifted her gaze to follow its direction.

Pointing directly at the needle was the very goddess statue she had just bowed to along with the crowd.