Cultivating Immortality Begins with Acting as a Girl Chapter 189

“How should I address you, Immortal Maiden?”

After Wen Xingwen and Ji Yuxi left, the Cloud White Monastery’s Master, his face beaming, welcomed Song Ling into the monastery.

Although Song Ling’s displayed cultivation was merely at the first layer of Qi Refining, his identity was, after all, that of a disciple of the Purple Radiance Sect, with two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators supporting him. Thus, Bing Fanyu dared not act presumptuous in front of Song Ling, relying on his cultivation.

“My name is Shen Shaohua,” Song Ling said with a faint smile.

“Shen Shaohua, that name sounds quite familiar. Could it be… Immortal Maiden, you are our Zhao Kingdom’s Princess Zhaoming?” The Cloud White Monastery’s Master looked surprised.

“Precisely. Master, you actually know me?”

Song Ling was quite surprised as well, not expecting Princess Zhaoming’s reputation to be so widespread that even this small cultivation force in Mount Yilin knew of her.

“Your Highness, don’t think that our Mount Yilin is secluded. The flow of information here is not blocked. Our disciples often venture out for training, so it’s not surprising to know about Your Highness, the most beloved youngest daughter of our Zhao Kingdom’s Emperor,” Bing Fanyu said with a chuckle.

As the Zhao Kingdom’s imperial family was a mortal lineage, Bing Fanyu actually held no reverence for them. However, since this Princess Zhaoming had joined the Purple Radiance Sect, the situation was entirely different. He even hoped to use the connection of being “Zhao Kingdom citizens” to bridge the distance between them.

“So that’s how it is.” Song Ling nodded in understanding.

Entering the Cloud White Monastery, the winding path paved with bluestone resembled a snake, with flickering bean-sized candlelight in the moss-stained stone lanterns on either side.

The bronze qilin crouching on the main hall’s eaves had rusted green, and the bronze bells hanging from the eaves were covered in cobwebs, seemingly indicating the decline of the Daoist lineage. Turning a corner in the corridor, Song Ling suddenly paused—a refreshing fragrance permeated the damp musty smell, drifting faintly from the western side door, invigorating him.

“This is…”

Song Ling raised an eyebrow, about to step towards the source of the fragrance.

“Your Highness, halt.”

Bing Fanyu suddenly took a step to block his path, bowing and saluting, “That side is the storeroom for miscellaneous items. Recently, rats and ants have been rampant, I fear it might dirty Your Highness’s eyes.”

“Oh?”

Song Ling smiled faintly, saying leisurely, “Such a clear fragrance can actually come from this storeroom? Then this Princess is even more curious.”

“It’s just some insignificant wild spirit fruits, not worthy of Your Highness’s noble status. Your Highness, please come this way. I have prepared excellent spiritual tea for Your Highness in the inner hall!” Bing Fanyu’s voice remained respectful.

The smile on Song Ling’s face faded, and his voice turned cold:

“Master, have you perhaps forgotten what my senior brother instructed before he left? Are you sure you want to obstruct this Princess?”

“This… this old man wouldn’t dare, it’s just…”

Bing Fanyu was momentarily speechless, fine beads of sweat already appearing on his forehead.

Song Ling, however, was too lazy to listen to his nonsense and directly bypassed him, walking quickly towards the western side door.

As Bing Fanyu rushed to catch up, Song Ling had already pushed open the mottled wooden door. The decaying door hinges emitted a harsh groan, and bluestone steps wound downwards, with phosphorescent sand condensed on the damp rock walls emitting a faint blue glow.

The fragrance suddenly intensified, and there was actually a hidden world underground—

The three-zhang square space was covered with fertile spiritual soil, and silver-like moonlight grass grew densely. In the very center, a tree with dense tortoise-shell patterns and a completely dark green body was planted.

Among the lush leaves, a round, plump green fruit hung from a branch, which was the source of that fragrant smell.

“Moonlight grass growing alongside it, and a completely dark green body… Could this be the ‘Greenstone Ink Bell Tree’?”

Song Ling asked in surprise.

The “Greenstone Ink Bell Tree” is a rare spiritual tree. Its growth process cannot be exposed to sunlight but requires fertile spiritual soil and absorbs nutrients from its accompanying moonlight grass. Every thirty years, it bears a “Greenstone Ink Bell Fruit,” which has miraculous effects for breaking through bottlenecks in the Qi Refining stage.

“Your Highness has excellent eyesight. This is indeed the ‘Greenstone Ink Bell Tree,’” Bing Fanyu said with an embarrassed smile from the side.

Song Ling glanced sideways, “Is this what the Master called a storeroom?”

“This…”

Bing Fanyu smiled bitterly, helpless. He couldn’t openly say it was because he feared being coveted.

“I never expected such a good thing to be hidden in Master Bing’s Cloud White Monastery…” Song Ling said with a smile, “But since this ‘Greenstone Ink Bell Fruit’ has already matured, why hasn’t Master picked it yet?”

Upon hearing this, Bing Fanyu secretly cursed in his heart:

“How dare you ask? I was originally in seclusion, adjusting my essence, qi, and spirit to consume this ‘Greenstone Ink Bell Fruit’ in the best state, but I was unexpectedly disturbed by you uninvited guests!”

Outwardly, he forced a smile and said, “It’s just that this old man hasn’t made preparations yet.”

“So that’s it.”

Song Ling walked closer to the “Greenstone Ink Bell Tree,” her fingertips gently stroking the rough bark. The tortoise-shell patterns glowed with a cold luster in the faint blue light. The silver threads of the moonlight grass moved without wind, weaving into a hazy sea of stars around her skirt.

Suddenly, he said something astonishing:

“Master Bing, at your age, you’ve only cultivated to the sixth layer of Qi Refining. In my opinion, even if you consume this fruit, it would be a waste of heavenly resources. Why not let me have it instead?”

“Impossible! Your Highness, please dismiss that idea!”

Bing Fanyu’s face changed drastically. This was a “Greenstone Ink Bell Fruit” that only ripened once every thirty years. If he missed it, at his age, how could he wait another thirty years?

“Master Bing, this spirit fruit is fated with me. You are trying to cut off my opportunity…” Song Ling said expressionlessly.

Bing Fanyu’s mouth twitched. How could this Princess Zhaoming be so shameless?

Coming to someone else’s home and demanding a spirit fruit that someone had nurtured for thirty years, and then saying that not giving it to her would be cutting off her opportunity… It was utterly shameless!

But… he couldn’t erupt.

The other party was a disciple of the Purple Radiance Sect, and the two accompanying senior brother and senior sister were both in the late stage of Qi Refining. If he really offended them…

Bing Fanyu shivered, the consequences unimaginable.

“Your Highness, to be honest, this spirit fruit is crucial to this old man. Whether this old man can break through to the late Qi Refining stage in this life depends on it, so…”

Bing Fanyu hadn’t finished speaking when Song Ling interrupted him coldly:

“Master Bing, it seems you still don’t understand what I mean. I am not discussing with you; I am informing you that this ‘Greenstone Ink Bell Fruit’ belongs to me from now on. If you dare to refuse, I will have my senior brother and senior sister slaughter your entire Cloud White Monastery!”

Song Ling was certain that Bing Fanyu would not dare to go all out with him.

Although the “Greenstone Ink Bell Fruit” that ripened once every thirty years was precious, it was ultimately just a spirit fruit, far incomparable to the entire Cloud White Monastery, which had been passed down for many years.

Even if Bing Fanyu truly went mad and wanted to die with him, although he couldn’t defeat a sixth-layer Qi Refining cultivator right now, he could still escape if he used all his means.

Therefore, Song Ling was so resolute.

In fact, if possible, Song Ling even wanted to extract the entire “Greenstone Ink Bell Tree” as well, but doing so would undoubtedly be digging up the roots of the Cloud White Monastery, and Bing Fanyu would definitely fight him to the death. Therefore, he could only temporarily give up and see if there was an opportunity later.

“You—”

Bing Fanyu was momentarily enraged, and the spiritual energy fluctuations of a sixth-layer Qi Refining cultivator surged, but after a moment, he finally suppressed his anger.

He squeezed out a bitter smile and said, “This spirit fruit is Your Highness’s.”

In an instant, Bing Fanyu seemed to have aged ten years.

…