Azure Heaven Saber

The stall owner laughed and said, "What this miss just said was half right, indeed granting people’s wishes and such is nothing but a myth, certainly not to be taken as truth."

Dong Xiaoyan immediately became furious with embarrassment, having the tall tales she had just boasted about burst right in front of her face – how could she stand it?!

With much ire, she said, "Boss, you know only half the story; your unfamiliarity with the tale of the fairy’s desire only proves that the Fantasy Immortal Orchids you’ve used are not yet ripe! Naturally, they lack the various divine wonders of a true immortal breed!"

The stall owner forced a troubled smile, "The lady’s lesson is taken to heart – it must be due to my ignorance and lack of worldly knowledge."

Then he added, "But all the Fantasy Immortal Orchids I possess do have other magical qualities that no woman under heaven can resist, driving them all mad with desire!"

Dong Xiaoyan scoffed, "No woman under heaven can resist, driving them all mad with desire? Boss, aren’t you exaggerating a bit too much?"

The stall owner replied with a faint smile, "Miss, you might not know. The Fantasy Immortal Orchids I speak of not only need ten thousand years to bloom but also require an additional six thousand years to manifest their higher value. And this value, due to the effect of its petals, is not known by everyone – it’s a sight to behold, amazing and magical!"

"What’s so magical? What’s there to be amazed at?" asked Dong Xiaoyan.

"These Fantasy Immortal Orchids bloom only when they gather the purest essence between heaven and earth; they are the epitome of sanctity and nobility, untouched by even a speck of dust. Naturally, they contain the purest and most yin of celestial energy within them."

"If a woman has the fortune to consume nine petals, she can maintain her appearance for life, her youthful beauty eternally preserved!"

Smiling slightly, the stall owner said, "Eternal youth, everlasting beauty, even if one unfortunately passes away, their appearance remains unchanged for ten thousand years!" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Dong Xiaoyan’s eyes immediately lit up, "Really?"

With that, she crouched down and asked, "Boss, which one is the Fantasy Immortal Orchid?"

The stall owner rolled his eyes helplessly, thinking that it was right in front of her.

Just now, listening to the girl’s extensive boasting, shrouded in mystique and grandeur, it turns out she didn’t even know what the Fantasy Immortal Orchid looked like!

And here he thought she was someone who knew her stuff!

"This is it."

The stall owner pointed to a rough and bumpy plant that seemed devoid of moisture, withering at any moment, and said.

"So ugly?! How can that be?"

Dong Xiaoyan was taken aback.

She never imagined the Fantasy Immortal Orchid she had been hyping up so much would turn out to be so hideous, instantly showing a look of aversion.

"Ugly? So the miss has never seen a Fantasy Immortal Orchid before?"

Chuckling wryly, the stall owner said, "What you said, miss... any plant isn’t attractive before it blooms, and besides, no plant can keep its flowers forever; they’re destined to wither quickly."

Dong Xiaoyan snorted, "Just tell me how much for this one? I’ll take it!"

Feng Yin coughed loudly in a hurry.

This girl really didn’t hold back when spending money; her words betray her like a lamb ready to be slaughtered.

You haven’t even asked about the basic information of this flower, but you’re already saying ’I’ll take it!’...

How could you be so... naive?

Forget it, I’ll do it.

Let me show you the ultimate skill of this divine healer. My healing skills may be the least of my abilities, and my medical prowess comes second, but haggling is where I truly shine!

Feng Yin picked up the Fantasy Immortal Orchid growing in the Purple Crystal mud and examined it closely before saying, "Boss, does this orchid require the powder of supreme-quality Spiritual Crystals as soil?"

While examining it again, he said, "It appears there’s some common soil mixed in, hmm... what’s that scent? Watered with Spiritual Water? This flowerpot, this flowerpot is clearly made of... pure mud? It should be Ancient Mother Earth, right?"

Hearing the words "Ancient Mother Earth," the stall owner suddenly looked at Feng Yin in surprise, "Young brother, you have a keen eye, not simple!"

"Flattery, but I just have a bit of research on green plants."

"Correct. When the Fantasy Immortal Orchid was discovered, it was growing in a cavern in the middle of a cliff, probably because it was where spiritual energy and earth veins converged; that’s how it has survived until now. However, when it was transplanted by the discoverer, the technique was lacking, slightly damaging its vitality. Coupled with soil and water issues, the only option was to use the spiritual energy of supreme-quality Spiritual Crystals mixed with Spiritual Water for irrigation to sustain its life force."

"As for the soil in the flowerpot and the material of the pot itself, both are Ancient Mother Earth from the orchid’s original growing spot."

The stall owner was straightforward, "If not for that, this Fantasy Immortal Orchid definitely wouldn’t have survived to the present day."

"Why not transplant it into a spiritual field, still relying on the earth veins to restore its underlying vitality and activity?"

"It would eventually be priced for sale. Once transplanted, it would need to reroot, which with the condition of this particular Fantasy Immortal Orchid, would most likely end its life nine out of ten times. Even if it were lucky enough to survive, its foundational vitality would certainly be greatly reduced. Between the two evils, it’s better to maintain it as it is."

The stall owner was clearly someone who understood and loved flowers, not hiding anything and revealing everything straight out.

"This rough appearance must be about five thousand years old," Feng Yin remarked, after taking another careful look, offering his opinion.

The Fantasy Immortal Orchid plant didn’t look good in and of itself, it wasn’t particularly attractive. Its numerous bumpy leaves were neither green nor yellow, and the main trunk was as thick as two fingers, showing the mottled traces of time."

"Not bad, I once inspected its roots closely, they have approximately four thousand three hundred years of growth."

The stall owner said, "In other words, it still needs ten thousand years to bloom."

"..."

Dong Xiaoyan grew increasingly disinterested. "It won’t flower for another ten thousand years... What use is it to me?"

However, Feng Yin’s interest did not wane, and he pursued further, "Is it true that consuming nine petals of this Dream Fantasia Immortal Flower can grant eternal youth and immortality?"

"It is true that eternal youth is assured, at least to some extent. As for immortality, that I cannot guarantee. When it comes to the subject of longevity, it’s difficult for anyone or anything to make such a definitive claim."

"Oh? I can understand that immortality remains an elusive concept, but how can we verify that it indeed preserves youth?"

"There are precedents for its youth-preserving effects, and not a few at that. With just a little inquiry, one can discern the truth. This is hardly a great secret in the martial world."

"Oh, I see," Feng Yin nodded.

Having spent ten years in the small town, he was naturally aware of the legends of the Dream Fantasia Immortal Flower in the martial world, though he had never seen one himself.

The shop owner spoke earnestly, "Young man, you have a discerning eye and an understanding of flowers, but this item is extremely delicate. Unless you’re certain you can care for it and possess the necessary wealth, it’s better not to buy it. After all, ten thousand years is not a short time."

Feng Yin nodded, then said, "Let’s talk about how much you plan to sell it for?"

"??"

The owner was taken aback. He had displayed this item merely to amuse the two young people and to alleviate his own loneliness. He had thought perhaps he could find out what else they might need, having items they could actually be interested in, but he had never truly considered selling the Dream Fantasia Immortal Flower.

Yet, Feng Yin was indeed asking its price on the spot.

"The flowering period of this Dream Fantasia Immortal Flower is exceedingly long; expecting a quick return isn’t realistic. However, considering its rank, the price can’t be cheap either. The absolute lowest I could go is two thousand top-grade Spiritual Crystals," the owner said after pondering for a moment.

Dong Xiaoyan became impatient, "Two thousand top-grade for this withered flower? Why don’t you just go rob someone?"

"If I had the strength to rob that much... I would just be a gardener, not a bandit," the owner replied with a roll of his eyes, showing that he didn’t take Dong Xiaoyan’s knowledge of flowers seriously.

Moreover, he had quoted the low price because he genuinely liked Feng Yin, sensing a kindred spirit in him and wishing only to find a caretaker for this rare spiritual root.

After all, even though he was a gardener, he was still a merchant at heart.

"The shop owner is sincere, and the price is fair. You’re giving me quite a bargain, so I’ll take the flower!" Feng Yin clearly made up his mind to acquire the Dream Fantasia Immortal Flower.

"Are you crazy? What do you want with this thing? It won’t bloom for at least ten thousand years!" Dong Xiaoyan fumed.

"Ten thousand years is too short, merely a day’s time... I’ll wait for it to bloom," Feng Yin said warmly, "...and then I’ll give it to you to eat."

Dong Xiaoyan was stunned, looking at Feng Yin with a dazed expression.

Feng Yin smiled and then proceeded to pay the owner in Spiritual Crystals.

He didn’t notice Dong Xiaoyan’s gaze gradually softening from surprise to a mist of spring water. She pursed her tender lips and spoke no more.

Her entire demeanor suddenly became much softer.

After Feng Yin completed the payment and continued walking with the flower in his hands, Dong Xiaoyan followed him quietly, a rare occurrence for her to remain speechless.

She would occasionally giggle foolishly, her eyes somewhat hazy.

Feng Yin silently practiced the Spirit Enlightening Scripture, drawing a bit of spiritual essence which he infused into the Dream Fantasia Immortal Flower, before placing it into his Space Ring.

To others, this flower might be difficult to care for and indeed require a wait of ten thousand years; but for Feng Yin, it was hardly a matter at all.

Once back, a few touches with his fingers would suffice.

What truly troubled him was not whether the flower would bloom or when, but rather... where should he plant it?

With the protection and enhancement of the Spiritual Transformation Technique, he could plant the flower anywhere and it would thrive. However, whether Feng Yin would see it often and be able to access it easily was a significant concern.

Because it was certainly not feasible to carry it around in a flowerpot all the time.

During the transaction, because of the need for transplanting, this was unavoidable.

But to keep it in a flowerpot after purchase seemed inappropriate, besides not being a long-term solution.

Plants need to be grounded; relying on external forces alone does not keep them true to nature. That would make them aberrant rather than genuine vegetation.

Not to mention, could the small amount of soil in a flowerpot sustain it for ten thousand years?

What a joke!

After pondering for quite a while, he realized how unusually quiet his surroundings had become.

Turning his head, he saw Dong Xiaoyan smiling foolishly as she followed him, holding onto the hem of his clothes, matching his pace step for step.

On closer inspection, her eyes appeared dreamy and faraway, clearly lost in her own thoughts.