The Fragrance of Tea Fills the Air"
The Enlightenment Tea had ripened!
Jiang Yuqiong's eyes lit up instantly.
And not just him!
Everyone else present noticed the change in the same moment.
Even the Emperor of Jinghong, Su Kuangren, and the members of the Longevity Ji and Mu Families, who were about to retreat, unconsciously paused and turned back to look.
All gazes converged on the small tree rooted in the ruins.
By now, the Ancient Tea Tree of Enlightenment had grown to over a person's height, its trunk more than a foot thick.
The bark was gnarled and cracked, resembling dragon scales draped across it.
The entire tree was shrouded in a hazy glow.
Invisible ripples spread through the void.
A serene and tranquil aura permeated the air, intoxicating the mind and sparking an urge to sit and meditate on the spot.
"It's said that cultivating beneath the Ancient Tea Tree of Enlightenment for a day is worth ten days of effort!"
"I didn't quite believe it before!"
"But now…"
An elder from Huangchu Holy Land spoke, his lips dry with awe.
The others nodded in agreement.
The Ancient Tea Tree of Enlightenment—an immortal divine root, a rarity across eons.
Ancient texts recorded its existence only in the distant past.
In the present age, it was unheard of.
Yet here it stood, growing before their eyes, filling them with wonder and shaking their hearts.
The tree wasn't tall or robust, bearing just 108 leaves on its branches, but it didn't appear sparse.
Each leaf radiated light, swaying and glowing in a myriad of colors, the entire tree sparkling like crystal.
The 108 leaves varied in shape and hue.
Some resembled true dragons, robust and vigorous, full of primal strength!
Others mimicked celestial phoenixes, wings spread in flight, breathing divine flames!
Still others took the forms of the Eight Trigrams, divine cauldrons, bronze bells, clouds, mountains—each vivid and lifelike.
A dazzling array of strangeness, no two alike.
And this was the hallmark of the Enlightenment Tea's maturity!
"Looks like that old dog Ji's two holy medicines weren't totally useless!"
"They ripened the Enlightenment Tea this fast!"
Jiang Yuqiong smiled, thoroughly pleased.
But before he could act, one leaf on the tree's branches suddenly burst with radiant light.
Then it shot skyward, vanishing into the void in an instant.
Everyone froze in unison.
Jiang Yuqiong was stunned too!
But he quickly understood.
Each year, when the Enlightenment Tea matured, if not harvested promptly, the leaves would detach and depart.
The truths of the Dao they bore would return to the heavens and earth, leaving no trace.
After a brief moment of shock, Jiang Yuqiong tugged at his mom's sleeve, shouting in a panic.
"Mom, harvest them quick!"
"We can't let them get away!"
He was frantic!
This couldn't happen!
He'd painstakingly used two holy medicines to hasten the tea's growth.
If they all escaped, it'd be a colossal loss!
Right now, Jiang Yuqiong lacked the power to stabilize the Enlightenment Tea himself.
But no worries—he had his mom!
He didn't even need to urge her—Su Qingshuang acted instantly.
With a graceful wave of her hand, her five fingers spread slightly, unleashing a wondrous force.
In response, over a hundred Enlightenment Tea leaves detached from the branches, turning into streaks of light that flew into her palm.
Bound by her restriction, the leaves hovered quietly.
Held in her hand, they formed a thick stack!
A rich, fragrant aroma wafted forth!
Jiang Yuqiong squinted his big eyes, inhaling deeply, feeling his soul sway as if he were floating.
"Frost, quick, let me see!"
Jiang Wu Xu and Granny Xi rushed over, each grabbing a leaf to examine closely.
Jian Lingtian, He Mengchang, Emperor Batian, Emperor Wushuang, the Holy Master of Huangchu, and others swarmed in too.
Everyone eagerly breathed in the fragrance drifting from the leaves.
The tea's scent spread, the charm of the Dao permeating the air, soothing their bodies and nearly lifting their souls, as if they'd glimpsed profound mysteries.
It was utterly enchanting!
"This is the Enlightenment Tea?"
"Each leaf is etched with the laws of heaven and earth, the truths of the Dao! Incredible! Truly incredible!"
"The wonders of the cosmos, the splendor of the Dao, the marvels of creation! So such a divine treasure really exists in this world!"
"Minus the one that escaped, that leaves 107 leaves—107 different Daos!"
The group marveled endlessly.
Drinking a cup of this divine tea would surely yield unimaginable gains!
In an instant, their eyes burned with fervor.
One by one, they stood there, throats bobbing, practically drooling.
Farther off, the Emperor of Jinghong, Su Kuangren, and the twenty-odd others craned their necks, eager for a closer look.
But they didn't dare approach.
"The Emperor's child is truly divine—possessing even such a treasure!"
"He's just been born—where did he get an Ancient Tea Tree of Enlightenment?"
Gulp!
He Mengchang, the Holy Master of Jade Cauldron, spoke in awe.
By the end, he actually swallowed hard.
His gulp set off a chain reaction—Emperor Batian, Emperor Wushuang, the Holy Master of Huangchu, and others followed suit.
Gulp!
Gulp!
The sound of swallowing echoed through the scene.
Their eyes blazed with longing—they couldn't hide their greed.
Seeing their reactions, Jiang Yuqiong nearly burst out laughing.
These guys!
Staring with those big, starry eyes.
They might as well write "covet" on their faces!
You're all Saint Ancestors!
Pinnacle existences of the Desolate Realm!
Where's that aloof, unshakable demeanor you're supposed to have?
Can't you show a little dignity?
Gulp!
Even Jian Lingtian couldn't stay composed.
His throat moved with difficulty.
The Enlightenment Tea bore the Dao—a treasure beyond reckoning, especially for powerful cultivators.
They couldn't resist its allure, even as Saint Ancestors.
If found elsewhere, they'd have fought tooth and nail for it by now!
But this belonged to the Emperor's child!
A bunch of old-timers, their ages measured in tens of thousands of years, couldn't bring themselves to shamelessly beg.
They were stuck in an awkward bind.
Jiang Yuqiong grinned at them.
He reached out, taking all the leaves from his mom.
Then he plucked two and handed them to an elder from Jade Cauldron Holy Land.
The white-haired elder froze.
The "greed" on his face solidified.
"Is the Emperor's child… giving these to me?"
He asked, incredulous.
Who could easily believe this?
This was Enlightenment Tea—two pieces of it!
Such a treasure, and the Emperor's child was just handing it over?
Real or fake?
The others gasped, exchanging looks.
Was the Emperor's child serious?
Seeing their reactions, Jiang Yuqiong rolled his eyes.
"Of course it's for you—take it already!"
He slapped the two leaves into the elder's hand.
Then he began distributing to the rest.
"Come on, come on—everyone gets a share, two pieces each!"
"Those who want it, step up—miss out, and it's gone!"
His childish voice rang out.
Miraculously, at that moment, everyone understood him.
The strong individuals stood dazed, not fully processing it until the leaves were in their hands.