229: Laughter and cheers

Thirty years passed in a flash, but in the Immortal Realm, it was just a blink of an eye.

On this day, the light was just right. Inside the Imperial Garden of the Immortal Realm, exotic flowers and rare herbs filled the air with fragrance, immortal springs flowed gurglingly, and dense Immortal Qi swirled among them, making the pavilions and towers look like they were carved from glazed glass.

The Heavenly Emperor, dressed in a gold-patterned imperial robe with his black hair tied up with a jade hairpin, stood with his hands behind his back on the Nine-Bend Corridor, looking softly at the flower bushes not far away.

Beside him, Empress Su Qingcheng wore a formal red Phoenix robe, its hem embroidered with the intricate pattern of a hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix, the gold thread shimmering brightly.

Her hair was piled high in a cloud bun, her Phoenix hairpins swayed, and her face was peerless. Her brow carried an innate nobility and grandeur, and every move she made possessed the dignified grace of a mother of the world.

She held a Jade Pool immortal flower in her hand, a faint smile on her lips, whispering something to the Heavenly Emperor in a gentle and pleasant voice.

The five Noble Consorts were each displaying their elegance, chatting and laughing merrily.

Shangguan Ya wore a moon-white palace dress with tiny pear blossoms embroidered on the hem. Her skin was as white as snow, and her eyes were clear and pure, like a spirit who did not eat the food of the mortal world. She lowered her head to tease a spirit sparrow on the stone table, the dimples at the corners of her mouth shallow and pure.

Lin Qingyao wore an ice-blue long dress. Her posture was upright, her face cold and stunningly beautiful, and her brow carried a hint of aloofness and indifference. She leaned against a corridor pillar, holding an ancient book in her hand, looking down and reading quietly. Her whole body seemed to be shrouded in a layer of frost, which only served to highlight her proud and lonely beauty.

Li Yuru wore a crimson martial outfit, which further accentuated her slender figure. Her straight and long legs were eye-catching. She was rolling up her sleeves, competing with Noble Consort Bai next to her in the speed of picking flowers. Her waist was thin, her movements agile, and every posture exuded a breathtaking beauty.

Noble Consort Bai wore a goose-yellow silk dress, charming and bright, her smile as radiant as the sun. She hopped around lively, occasionally reaching out to snatch the immortal flowers Li Yuru had picked. Her silver-bell-like laughter echoed in the Imperial Garden, her eyes curving into crescents, showing a charming and naive cheerfulness.

Su Mei wore a misty purple gauzy long dress. Her figure was graceful, her skin whiter than snow, and her posture was perfectly enchanting. She reclined on a consort's couch, waving a gold-plated silk fan in her hand. Her eyes rippled with a hint of seductiveness, her red lips slightly curved, and every move she made exuded a deep-seated charm.

An immortal wind blew past, bringing bursts of flower fragrance. Accompanied by the laughter of the women, the Imperial Garden was a scene of harmony.

The immortal wind blew under the corridor, ruffling the gold thread tassels on Empress Su Qingcheng's Phoenix robe. She looked up at the Heavenly Emperor beside her, her brow filled with concern, and asked softly, "How is Your Majesty's injury? Is it fully healed?"

The Heavenly Emperor turned to look at her, a faint smile spreading across his lips, his tone peaceful: "Not yet, but it's mostly recovered."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Mei, who was reclining on the consort's couch, lightly waved her silk fan and spoke in a delicate, reproaching voice: "Your Majesty, in the future, if there are such dangerous things, just leave them to the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. Why must you personally venture into danger?"

The other four Noble Consorts nodded in agreement one after another.

Shangguan Ya stopped teasing the spirit sparrow, her clear eyes looking at the Heavenly Emperor as she softly echoed: "Indeed, Your Majesty, you have a body of ten thousand gold; you must not take such risks again."

Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor sighed lightly. His figure, standing with hands behind his back, showed a bit of helplessness but also carried an unquestionable firmness: "I didn't want to go either, but if that creation divine sword really is a cosmic supreme treasure, I must go. A cosmic supreme treasure is too important."

Hearing this, Su Mei's dark eyebrows furrowed slightly. She propped her chin with her jade hand and pressed: "Is a cosmic supreme treasure really that important? Is it worth Your Majesty risking your life for?"

"Of course." The Heavenly Emperor's gaze sharpened, his tone suddenly solemn, "In the entire Universe and Myriad Worlds, there is only one cosmic supreme treasure. Its power is simply beyond imagination."

Lin Qingyao, who had been standing quietly by the corridor pillar, finally looked up. Her cold voice broke the brief silence as she looked at the Heavenly Emperor and asked, "Does its power exceed even the Heavenly Book?"

The Heavenly Emperor nodded and said deeply, "Of course. If it is an offensive cosmic supreme treasure, its power will certainly exceed the Heavenly Book. After all, in the All Heavens and Myriad Realms, there are twelve Heavenly Books, but there is only one cosmic supreme treasure."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Imperial Garden fell silent for a moment. The women all showed expressions of understanding, and a hint of amazement flashed in their eyes.

It was the lively Noble Consort Bai who recovered first. She reached out and tugged at Li Yuru's crimson sleeve beside her, laughing loudly: "Oh, these matters of fighting and killing are so boring. Your Majesty, Your humble servant has obtained a Seven-Colored Lotus, and it has bloomed beautifully. Would you like to take a look?"

Li Yuru also echoed, shaking the immortal flower she had just picked: "Yes, Your Majesty, Ningzhi's Seven-Colored Lotus is very rare, even more charming and beautiful than the immortal lotuses of the Jade Pool."

Seeing the atmosphere was slightly heavy, Su Qingcheng also smiled and said: "In that case, let's go see that Seven-Colored Lotus and let everyone broaden their horizons."

Seeing this, the solemnity in the Heavenly Emperor's eyes completely dissipated, replaced by a gentle smile. He nodded and said: "Alright, I will go with you to take a look."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the Imperial Garden became lighthearted again. The women surrounded the Heavenly Emperor, talking and laughing as they walked towards Noble Consort Bai's Huaqing Palace. Immortal music drifted, accompanied by the fragrance of flowers, spreading across the Nine-Bend Corridor.

The group talked and laughed, and before long, they arrived outside the Huaqing Palace.

Before they even stepped through the courtyard gate, a scent of crisp lotus fragrance, carried by Immortal Qi, wafted over, refreshing the heart and soul.

Noble Consort Bai entered first, pointing her hand toward the lotus pond in the courtyard, and said delicately: "Your Majesty, look, it's that one."

Everyone followed her finger and saw a Seven-Colored Lotus standing tall in the center of the lotus pond. Its seven petals were respectively tinged with the seven colors of dawn light: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. A faint immortal light flowed around the edges of the petals, and a thumb-sized crystal dewdrop had condensed at the stamen. As a breeze blew past, the dewdrop rolled, and the dawn light overflowed. It was truly brimming with Spiritual Qi and peerlessly magnificent.

The Heavenly Emperor's eyes moved slightly, and he thought to himself that although such a Seven-Colored Lotus was rare, it was not unique. He had seen a Ninth-Grade Seven-Colored Lotus even better than this in the depths of the Jade Pool, with dawn light extending for thousands of miles, capable of drawing upon the power of the stars in the sky.

But seeing Noble Consort Bai's expectant look beside him, and seeing that the other women were all full of admiration, he deliberately slowed his pace. A perfectly timed flash of surprise crossed his eyes, his footsteps paused slightly, and he praised aloud: "What a fine Seven-Colored Lotus! With its flowing dawn light and dense Spiritual Qi, it actually has such divine charm."

As soon as these words were spoken, Ningzhi's eyes instantly lit up like the stars in the sky. She proudly raised her chin, leaned close to the Heavenly Emperor's side, and said as if claiming credit: "Your Majesty, this is what Your humble servant spent three years of hard work, watering it daily with Jade Pool immortal water and Morning Dew Jade Marrow to raise it. Even my grandfather said that the quality of this Seven-Colored Lotus is a once-in-ten-thousand-years occurrence."

Empress Su Qingcheng covered her mouth and chuckled: "Sister Ningzhi's mouth is becoming more and more eloquent. However, this Seven-Colored Lotus is indeed pleasing to the eye."

Lin Qingyao also nodded rarely, her cold eyes softening a bit: "The dawn light of the petals blends together without any impurity; it is indeed rare."

Li Yuru took Shangguan Ya's hand and smiled: "Your Majesty, look, the dewdrop on that stamen could probably nourish the Divine Soul."

Shangguan Ya also nodded, her pure eyes full of joy: "Yes, Your Majesty, this lotus blooms so beautifully, it will surely add much auspiciousness to the Immortal Realm."

Empress Su Qingcheng looked at this scene with a smile and said softly to the Heavenly Emperor: "Since Ningzhi has put so much heart into it, why doesn't Your Majesty bestow a name upon this Seven-Colored Lotus, so as not to let her hard work go to waste?"

Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor pretended to ponder for a moment, raising his hand to stroke his non-existent beard, the smile in his eyes deepening: "This lotus's dawn light reflects in the Myriad Heavens, and its Spiritual Qi connects to the Myriad Worlds. It shall be called..."