Entering The Derived Jade Enchantment Palace

The vast expanse of consciousness slowly coalesced as Jiu Mei's spirit returned from the ethereal depths of cultivation. Her awareness drifted upward like morning mist rising from a tranquil lake. For a fleeting moment, confusion clouded her thoughts—had she merely succumbed to exhaustion and fallen into mundane slumber?

Yet as her senses sharpened, she realized her physical form remained seated in the sacred lotus position, her spine straight as a sword, hands resting upon her knees in perfect meditative posture.

The revelation struck her instantly like lightning.

'I didn't fall asleep?' she thought with growing wonder, 'so this must be the transcendent state of cultivation trance described in the manuals.'

Memories flooded back—the countless manuals she had devoured, their wisdom speaking of the profound meditative states where time became meaningless and consciousness sank into the boundless depths of one's inner world.

This was the true first taste of what it meant to walk the immortal path, to transcend the limitations of mortal flesh and touch the eternal mysteries of the Heavenly Dao.

But as her awareness fully returned to the material plane, something extraordinary captured her attention. The very air around her seemed to pulse with invisible currents, as if the atmosphere itself had been transformed into something denser, and much more substantial. It was not oppressive, but rather carried an indescribable weight that seemed to caress her skin like silk brushed by gentle winds.

Closing her eyes once more, Jiu Mei extended her five senses to the limit outwards, calling upon her spiritual perception, trying to understand this strange phenomenon. Spiritual perception was the use of all five senses working together in tandem to unlock that sixth sense, that should act as a natural receptor to Qi and spiritual energy, hence why it was titled spiritual perception.

Gradually, like dawn breaking over distant mountains, she began to perceive the threads of warm energy that danced through the air in endless spirals, flowing like hidden rivers through an ocean of existence she had never before noticed.

The moment her consciousness touched upon these currents, they responded as if recognizing a kindred spirit. The warm essence began to converge around her form, drawn by some inexplicable attraction toward her lower dantian. Yet the instant this celestial energy made contact with her sea of qi, a miraculous transformation occurred.

The warmth that had embraced her from without suddenly became a profound coolness that spread throughout her sea of Qi, completely filling up her dantian - yet no bloated feeling was present in her stomach.

Understanding crashed over her as a wave of enlightenment, and Jiu Mei's eyes snapped open with the brilliance of twin stars.

"This is Qi!" she gasped, leaping to her feet with such sudden joy that her carefully maintained cultivation posture shattered like glass. "I can actually sense and absorb the energy of the world now!"

The implications of this breakthrough sent waves of ecstasy coursing through her young heart. What typically required weeks or even months of painstaking effort for ordinary disciples, she had accomplished in mere hours! The ability to perceive and draw in spiritual energy marked the true beginning of the cultivation journey—the first decisive step into the Qi Condensation Realm.

"This... this means I've only truly begun!" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with emotion. "I've finally stepped onto the immortal path!"

Unable to contain her euphoria, Jiu Mei began to dance around the chamber like a young phoenix taking its first flight. Her serpentine tail swayed behind her in graceful arcs, adding an ethereal beauty to her celebration as she spun and twirled around.

The knowledge that she possessed genuine cultivation talent—perhaps even rivaling the prodigious Lin Zhao—filled her with such overwhelming pride that she had to press both hands firmly over her mouth to prevent herself from crying out in triumph.

However, her joyous celebration was abruptly interrupted by a most terrestrial concern. Her bladder, having endured countless hours of meditative neglect, now demanded immediate attention with an urgency that broke no delay. The sudden awareness of this basic need brought a fierce blush to her cheeks.

"This is embarrassing," she muttered in mortification, frantically beginning to search through every corner of the chamber for suitable attire.

She rifled through the desk drawers with desperate efficiency, examined every shelf with thoroughness, and even peered beneath the bed frame until her persistence was finally rewarded. Hidden in the shadows lay a set of pristine white cultivation robes, their fabric woven from silk so fine it seemed to shimmer with its own inner light.

When she held the garments up to examine them, Jiu Mei discovered they were perfectly sized for her frame and, most importantly, long enough to completely conceal her serpentine tail. The robes were elegantly designed with flowing sleeves and a hem that would sweep the ground with each step, embodying the classical beauty expected of female cultivators.

With practiced care, she donned the celestial garments and carefully arranged her tail beneath the flowing fabric, wrapping it around her waist and thighs until no trace of her demi-human heritage remained visible.

She now appeared as any other respectable young lady. Well...except for her snake-ish eyes, and her rainbow-ish hair; but other than that she would perfectly blend in.

Drawing a deep breath to center herself, Jiu Mei approached the chamber door with measured steps. Her hand trembled slightly as she grasped the handle, uncertainty warring with curiosity about what lay beyond this sanctuary that had sheltered her recovery.

The sight that greeted her as the door swung open nearly stole the breath from her lungs.

She stood at the threshold of what could only be described as a palace worthy of celestial immortals. The corridor stretched in both directions like an endless river of polished marble, its walls adorned with murals that seemed to move and breathe with their own divine life. Carved dragons soared between painted clouds, while phoenixes danced amid gardens of jade flowers that sparkled with captured starlight.

Groups of female cultivators moved through these hallowed halls like flowing streams of silk and silver, their exquisite robes creating a tapestry of colors that would shame the most beautiful sunset. Their conversations carried the melodic cadence of those discussing profound cultivation insights and the intricate politics of their celestial sect.

But it was the magnificent ceiling that truly defied all comprehension. High above, a chandelier of impossible size and beauty hung like a constellation plucked from the heavens themselves. Thousands upon thousands of crystal fragments caught and refracted light in patterns that seemed to follow the very laws of the cosmos, creating a display that made the stars themselves appear dim by comparison.

Surrounding this masterpiece, the entire ceiling had been crafted from colored glass panels that formed an enormous mandala of breathtaking complexity. Each section depicted scenes from ancient legends—immortals ascending to higher realms, divine beasts soaring through rainbow clouds, and cultivators achieving enlightenment beneath the eternal moon. Natural light filtering through this celestial artwork painted the marble floors below in ever-shifting patterns of gold, crimson, and azure.

'This place... is truly beautiful,' Jiu Mei thought, her urgent physical needs momentarily forgotten in the face of such overwhelming beauty. 'Is this truly the mortal realm, or have I somehow ascended to the celestial courts themselves?'

Mesmerized by the artistic grandeur above, she began walking in the opposite direction from the flowing groups of disciples, her neck craned back to better appreciate the masterwork overhead. Each detail revealed new layers of meaning—hidden symbols woven into the patterns, faces of legendary figures emerging from swirling clouds, and astronomical geometric designs.

So completely absorbed was she in contemplating these marvels that she failed entirely to perceive the immovable obstacle directly in her path until—

BOOM!

The collision felt as though she had struck an indestructible mountain. The impact sent her tumbling backward through the air before landing unceremoniously upon her posterior with a resounding thud that echoed through the corridor like thunder in a clear sky.

"Aiyo!" she cried out, immediately reaching back to massage her bruised dignity while her cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Senior, this junior sincerely apologizes for her inexcusable clumsiness! I was admiring the beautiful ceiling and failed to properly watch where I was going."

As she lifted her gaze to identify her unfortunate victim, the apology died in her throat like a candle flame in a hurricane.

The figure towering above her possessed a presence that could only be described as overwhelming. This was no ordinary female cultivator, but rather a warrior goddess who seemed to have stepped directly from the pages of ancient battle epics. Her height surpassed that of most men, while her physique displayed the kind of perfectly honed musculature that spoke of countless hours devoted to the most demanding physical training, that blended in perfect harmony with her natural voluptuousness.

Her skin bore the rich bronze hue of one who had trained extensively beneath the unforgiving sun, each curve and line of her form speaking of power that could shatter stones with a casual gesture.

Medium-length hair the color of emerald jade flowed wild and untamed to her shoulders, framing a face that combined classical beauty with the fierce majesty of a hunting tigress.

But it was her eyes that truly commanded attention—pools of liquid amber that seemed to burn with the concentrated fury of a thousand lightning storms. When that terrifying gaze fell upon her, Jiu Mei felt as though her very soul was being weighed and measured by forces beyond mortal comprehension.

Unlike the elegant pastels and soft hues favored by the other palace disciples, this imposing figure wore robes of deep scarlet silk that seemed to flow like liquid fire. Across the rich fabric, blue dragons had been embroidered with such exquisite skill that they appeared ready to leap from the cloth and soar into the heavens. The creatures' eyes glowed with threads of gold, while their scales shimmed with an inner light that suggested the use of materials far beyond ordinary silk.

The warrior goddess slowly descended into a crouch, bringing those volcanic eyes to within mere inches of Jiu Mei's terror-stricken face. The proximity of such overwhelming power caused an involuntary tremor to run through her body, and to her absolute mortification, a small trickle of urine escaped her trembling bladder.

'Please, don't let this big buff lady be mad.' Jiu Mei prayed desperately to any ancestor spirits who might be listening as she attempted to scramble away on her hands and knees.

"Hold your position, little girl," the woman commanded, her voice carrying the deep, resonant authority of one accustomed to absolute obedience from all who heard it. A hand that felt like it had been forged from steel clamped down upon Jiu Mei's head, preventing any possibility of escape.

"Are you perhaps one of the newly awakened disciples from the orphan's ceremony?" she inquired, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.

Jiu Mei could only manage a series of frantic nods, her vocal cords seemingly paralyzed by the sheer intensity of the woman's presence.

To her complete bewilderment, the terrifying figure suddenly threw back her head and released a peal of laughter so loud and hearty that it seemed to shake the very foundations of the palace itself. The sound echoed through the corridors like the roar of a celebrating dragon, yet none of the passing disciples so much as paused in their conversations—clearly, suggesting that such displays were commonplace here.

"Excellent timing!" the woman declared with obvious satisfaction, finally releasing her grip on Jiu Mei's skull. "You've arrived at the perfect moment for our orientation."

"S-senior sister, might this junior inquire as to her current location?" Jiu Mei stammered, finally recovering enough composure to speak properly. "And if it would not be too much to ask for, might I also request the honor of knowing sister's distinguished name?"

The imposing figure rose to her full, magnificent height and placed both hands upon her hips in a gesture that radiated supreme confidence. Her scarlet robes billowed around her like the wings of a celestial phoenix, while the embroidered dragons seemed to writhe with approval of their bearer's majestic bearing.

"You are a very reverent one, girl,... I like that! I am Yan Zhi, the ninth inner disciple to the illustrious Hall Master Yinghua," she announced with the pride of one who had earned her position. "And you, currently stand within the sacred halls of the Derived Jade Enchantment Palace."

The words struck Jiu Mei hard. Her eyes expanded until they resembled twin full moons, while her mouth fell open in an expression of absolute wonder that would have been comical under different circumstances. Every muscle in her young face seemed to come alive as understanding dawned, creating a smile so radiant it could have outshone the great chandelier above.

The Derived Jade Enchantment Palace—this was the hall she had been assigned to within the awakening ritual. Where Hall Master Yinghua herself, whoever she was, had personally chosen her to come here!

Her entire being seemed to ignite with euphoric anticipation as she gazed up at Yan Zhi with eyes that sparkled like captured starlight, her young heart pounding with the rythm of uncontrolled excitement and curiosity of what was to come.