"The Inkfrost Sacred Orchid!"
A disciple gasped, clutching their chest in disbelief.
It wasn’t that they lacked knowledge—it was simply that the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid was far too rare, a treasure nearing celestial-grade. Even the sect master of the Taiqing Sect had never laid eyes on it, let alone ordinary disciples like them.
In the world of cultivation, one’s spiritual roots were determined at birth, and innate talent was set from the moment of arrival.
Though there were rare heavenly treasures capable of refining spiritual roots, each was exceedingly difficult to obtain, and their usage came with harsh conditions. Every one of them required enduring excruciating body-tempering pain for even the slightest chance of improvement.
Heaven’s decree was absolute—even after enduring such torment, one’s spiritual roots would not improve by much.
But the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid was different.
Once fused with a host, it would conceal itself within their body, disregarding their original talent and gently nurturing their spiritual roots like a spring rain.
Given enough time, it could even defy fate and transform the host’s roots into the legendary Heavenly Spiritual Root!
There were even rumors that once the host’s talent reached its peak, the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid could manifest as a sentient spiritual plant, aiding in cultivation!
No wonder Xu Wanci’s talent was so extraordinary now—it was all because of the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid.
But… how could she bear to part with such a treasure as an apology gift?
Chu Qingchuan, of course, understood the rarity of the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid.
After the initial shock, he seemed to recall something and silently lowered his gaze.
Xu Wanci was just an ordinary disciple. For her to possess such a once-in-a-millennium treasure, it was most likely…
A name abruptly surfaced in his mind: Immortal Venerable Qingyan.
Only the former number one cultivator in the world would have owned such a heaven-defying artifact.
Meanwhile, Duan Ziwei beside him had no time to dwell on Chu Qingchuan’s thoughts. He stared at Xu Wanci in astonishment.
Most heavenly treasures, magical artifacts, and spiritual pills in the cultivation world—he had them all.
So, his way of judging a spiritual treasure’s worth was simple: did he have it, and if so, how much?
The Inkfrost Sacred Orchid? Not only did he not possess it, even the entire Duan Family had never obtained one.
Its rarity spoke for itself.
Just what kind of fortune did Xu Wanci have to own such a treasure?
Unlike the others, Jiang Qiuning, after her initial shock, was the first to spot the flaw in Xu Wanci’s words.
Suppressing her mockery, she lifted her head and spoke coolly,
"Since it already belongs to Fellow Daoist Xu, I won’t take what you cherish."
Her words jolted the others into realization.
Right!
They had been so stunned earlier that they overlooked Xu Wanci’s initial statement—that the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid was fused within her very bones and blood.
Once the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid merged with a cultivator, it became inseparable from their body.
Even if it later developed sentience, it would remain bound to its host…
Did Xu Wanci seriously intend to carve it out of her own flesh and blood?
Offering something impossible as an apology—
Not only was Xu Wanci malicious, she was also hypocritical.
Perhaps she even wanted to flaunt her treasure to everyone while earning Chu Qingchuan’s admiration.
What a scheming, treacherous woman!
The disciples who grasped this glared at Xu Wanci with disdain.
Yet, no matter how they looked at her, Xu Wanci remained still and silent.
Then, a disciple suddenly noticed something amiss about her.
A faint aura of spiritual energy clung to her body, and her already pale complexion had turned nearly translucent.
Her fingertips trembled slightly as wisps of spiritual energy seeped into her bones and blood.
The crowd stared at her, their expressions shifting from shock to disbelief:
Was Xu Wanci truly trying to extract the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid from her own body?
Could she even endure such excruciating pain?
And it wasn’t just pain—this act would drain half her lifeblood, crippling her future cultivation!
Just for an apology—was she really willing to go this far?
Duan Ziwei, who had been watching her closely, was the first to realize her intent. Without hesitation, he summoned his spiritual energy, ready to intervene.
Chu Qingchuan, sensing the surge of power, swiftly grabbed his wrist to stop him.
Duan Ziwei shook him off without a glance, raising his hand again, his voice tense:
"Can’t you see what she’s doing?! If we don’t stop her now, it’ll be too late!"
Chu Qingchuan suppressed the turmoil in his chest, forcing his voice to remain steady:
"All her spiritual energy is circulating through her bones and blood right now. Even the slightest external force will disrupt the fragile balance she’s maintaining."
"If you act now, you’ll only hurt her worse."
Duan Ziwei’s spiritual energy flared violently before dissipating helplessly.
He knew Chu Qingchuan was right, but the helplessness gnawed at him.
Clenching his fists, his usually arrogant peach-blossom eyes darkened with frustration.
At this moment, Jiang Qiuning might as well not exist to him.
And Jiang Qiuning herself wore an unguarded look of astonishment.
She stood closest to Xu Wanci and could clearly see the tremors of pain wracking her body—and yet, the faint smile on her lips.
Xu Wanci’s right hand rested over her heart, spiritual energy pouring ceaselessly into her bones and blood as she lowered her gaze, her expression serene.
Jiang Qiuning’s grip on the bedframe tightened, her emotions in turmoil:
Xu Wanci… didn’t she feel any pain?
Of course, Xu Wanci felt the pain.
But this agony—both physical and spiritual—only sharpened her focus, allowing her to maintain perfect control over her expression.
Once, she had endured similar torment, powerless as she inched toward death. But now, this pain was her path to survival.
The Inkfrost Sacred Orchid had already elevated the original host’s talent far beyond what she started with. A century ago, the host had possessed only a Triple Spiritual Root, but now she had a Single Spiritual Root.
Her cultivation had also surpassed her peers, reaching the Golden Core stage at just over a hundred years old.
If she did this carefully, even after removing the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid, her talent and cultivation would remain intact.
According to the original text, transforming into a Heavenly Spiritual Root with the orchid’s help required extremely stringent conditions. The host’s current Single Spiritual Root was already the limit of what she could achieve.
And given her recent actions… it was only a matter of time before the orchid developed sentience.
She and the original host were not the same soul, and her entire future hinged on a lie. A sentient Inkfrost Sacred Orchid was far too unpredictable.
Keeping it would bring more harm than good.
Now was the perfect opportunity—not only to rid herself of the orchid but also to dispel Jiang Qiuning’s hostility and wariness toward her.
With this thought, Xu Wanci pressed her right hand harder against her chest.
As her body grew increasingly translucent, the expressions of the onlookers shifted—from scorn to shock, and finally, to awe.
They could only stare blankly as she smiled, calm yet without the slightest hesitation, and drew out a solidified Inkfrost Sacred Orchid from the center of her chest.
Her right hand was already drenched in blood, yet the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid resting upon it remained untouched by any stain, appearing crystalline, pure, and exuding an ethereal aura.
Drip. Drip. Drip…
The sound of blood droplets hitting the ground snapped everyone out of their daze.
Jiang Qiuning gazed at Xu Wanci, silent for a long while.
It was as if she were seeing her for the first time, her eyes fixed on her in disbelief.
Xu Wanci blinked slightly, as if puzzled, and asked softly,
"Not enough?"
As if recalling something, a flicker of anticipation flashed in her eyes—though what shone brighter was sincerity and earnestness.
Her voice was light yet resolute:
"Then shall I give you my Golden Core as well?"
Almost the moment she spoke, her left hand moved to dig out her own Golden Core.
Realizing something was wrong, Duan Ziwei, Chu Qingchuan, and Jiang Qiuning acted almost simultaneously, trying to stop her.
But a surge of spiritual energy from outside the door was faster—firm yet gentle, it tightly bound Xu Wanci’s left hand before they could intervene.
Everyone turned in unison, and upon seeing the newcomers, quickly bowed in greeting:
"Greetings, Sect Leader, Second Elder, Peak Master Qi."
Ning Menglan waved dismissively at them, then frowned at the bloodied Xu Wanci standing there.
It had only been a few days, and she had already reduced herself to such a state again.
From the disciples’ accounts, he had pieced together the gist of what had just happened. Remembering Xu Wanci’s past with the Immortal Venerable Qingyan, he flicked his sleeve and sighed,
"Xu Wanci, why must you torment yourself like this?"
"Life for a life, debt for a debt. Everyone must pay for what they’ve done," Xu Wanci replied without turning around, her voice carrying an unusual gravity. "Isn’t that so?"
"While that may be true, you—" Ning Menglan looked at Xu Wanci’s nearly translucent complexion and swallowed the rest of his words:
Must you be so ruthless to yourself?!
At that moment, Jiang Qiuning finally spoke:
"Xu Wanci, my injuries that day were not severe, and my unconsciousness had other causes."
"Now that I’ve received your apology, take the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid back."
Whether Xu Wanci’s remorse was genuine… or just an act, today’s spectacle was enough.
The price had already been paid. From now on, she would remain wary, but she wouldn’t recklessly move against her.
If that was the case, then Xu Wanci’s goal had likely been achieved.
Besides, with the Taiqing Sect’s leader and elders present, she couldn’t openly oppose the sect.
So let it be.
Contrary to her expectations, Xu Wanci did not retrieve the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid. Instead, she tilted her head slightly in confusion:
"How can an apology gift be taken back?"
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, she knelt on one knee, turned her hand holding the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid, and gently pressed it into Jiang Qiuning’s palm.
The Inkfrost Sacred Orchid in her palm slowly dissolved, merging into Jiang Qiuning’s flesh and blood.
Once the fusion was complete, Xu Wanci lifted her head slightly. Her face was pale, but her eyes were as clear and transparent as glass—no trace of her former obsession and adoration for Chu Qingchuan remained.
With gentle remorse, she whispered, "Jiang Qiuning, I’m sorry."
"This is my apology."
"An apology meant only for you."
