Chapter 215
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Chapter 215: The Flower of the Other Shore, Manjusaka
“???”
Si Ye had mistaken an obvious error as a resource-demanding tactic, completely unexpected by the Seventh Elder.
After a long silence, the elder finally said flatly, “Clever scheme. But Si Ye, do you truly believe the family will agree?”
Si Ye responded, “They will. Mu Lin’s exceptional talent makes him worth recruiting. Lingluo’s existing bond with him during his weaker days—though accidental—gives us our greatest advantage.”
“Replacing Lingluo would force our Chu family to compete with legitimate daughters of other powerful clans. Even if successful, we’d need to spend ten or even a hundred times more resources.”
“In contrast, Lingluo already shares a strong connection with Mu Lin. With minimal nurturing, we can deepen her importance in his heart.”
“If we fully commit, there’s a high chance Lingluo could become his primary wife.”
“Mu Lin’s humble background—having no family—is both a weakness and our opportunity. As long as Lingluo maintains their bond, his lack of familial ties means he’ll devote himself entirely to aiding our Chu family.”
“This is something Yan Zhanpeng, Yuance, or even the princes of the Great Spirit Dynasty could never achieve.”
“…”
Si Ye’s reasoning left the Chu family’s Seventh Elder utterly silent.
He had initially contacted Si Ye to reprimand her, but after her analysis, he begrudgingly admitted her logic was sound. For the Chu family, nurturing Chu Lingluo was indeed the simplest, most effective method to secure Mu Lin—with both high success and immense rewards.
As the elder wavered, Si Ye pressed further: “Elder, we must act swiftly. The Yan family also eyes Mu Lin—their girl already shares a close bond with him. The Yans are quick to seize opportunities. Delay, and they’ll claim him first.”
Hearing this, the Seventh Elder agreed speed was crucial. Finally, he relented: “I’ll inform the family. What resources do you require?”
Si Ye exhaled in relief—her plan was halfway realized. After a pause, she hardened her resolve: “Lingluo’s Qingdi Scripture lacks contracted Spiritual Roots. I demand the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree from the clan treasury.”
“Impossible!” the Seventh Elder barked, his voice fraying. Si Ye remained unshaken.
She knew his outrage: the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree, a heavenly-grade treasure rumored linked to the mythical ginseng fruit tree, bloomed once every five centuries and fruited five more. Its Five Organs Fruit could replace human organs while granting elemental affinities.
Even a mortal replacing one organ gained corresponding Spiritual Roots Talent and an elemental ethereal spirit—Water, Fire, Earth, Metal. Consuming all five triggered a metamorphosis, merging the elements into a five-element ethereal spirit.
Though “five-element ethereal spirit” sounded ordinary, its power was unmatched. All existence lay within yin, yang, and the five elements—this physique enabled near-limitless spellcasting.
Yet even this Superlative Level five-element ethereal spirit wasn’t the fruit’s pinnacle. A millennium of growth—five hundred years flowering, five hundred fruiting—imbued the organs with vast primordial energy.
The five organs are closely connected to the body, while the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth form the foundation of all material existence in this realm. When combined, even if Chu Lingluo slept every day after consuming the Five Organs Fruit, her physical form and magic power could achieve the state of Five Qi Returning to Origin. This miraculous tree could elevate cultivators to heaven’s doorstep in one leap.
Though the Chu family only obtained a small sapling of the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree, Seventh Elder immediately refused when Si Ye requested it for his daughter. Since Chu Lingluo, Si Ye, and Seventh Elder were ultimately clan members, the elder didn’t speak harshly but swiftly offered an excuse: “The Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree sapling is indeed marvelous, but its growth demands are extreme. Lingluo’s talent isn’t supreme—even with the sapling, she couldn’t cultivate it successfully.”
This reasoning… barely held water. Shallow waters can’t raise flood dragons; small shrines can’t house great deities. The mighty Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree required not only a five-element spiritual ground to take root, but also needed to comprehend the five-element laws during growth—a process directly tied to Chu Lingluo’s abilities.
The Heavenly Human Perception Sutra – Qing Di section wasn’t purely self-serving. While contracting Spiritual Roots allowed spirit flowers and exotic treasures to aid cultivation, Chu family Qi Practitioners could also feed their own insights back to these Spiritual Roots through growth and understanding. Such harmonious coexistence required contractors to be unparalleled geniuses.
The Yan family’s Seventh Elder might as well have declared outright that Chu Lingluo lacked the capacity to support the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree, making gifting it to her wasteful. Si Ye knew this, yet still proposed his solution: “If Lingluo alone can’t sustain it, what if Mu Lin joins her? Our clan’s secret technique Yin-Yang Dragon-Serpent Forms allows soul fusion during Dual Cultivation. Lingluo could borrow Mu Lin’s comprehension to grasp five-element laws, accelerating the tree’s growth.”
This approach was viable. Dual Cultivation secret techniques involved the great way of yin and yang—not dark magic, but legitimate methods benefiting both parties. Their bad reputation stemmed from greedy practitioners seeking to steal energy rather than share. Moreover, contracting the tree would grant Chu Lingluo a pseudo five-element ethereal spirit even without eating the fruit. Her five-element technique comprehension would skyrocket, and through soul fusion with Mu Lin, she’d share this pseudo-spirit body with him.
Si Ye’s plan was clever, but Seventh Elder remained unmoved. “This decision requires the family head’s approval—don’t expect success. Ask for something else. Unless Mu Lin adopts our surname or marries into the clan, then I’ll plead your case.”
Si Ye sighed, recognizing his defeat. Mu Lin wasn’t Chu blood—and like water spilled from a bowl, married daughters couldn’t bring clan treasures to outsiders. Still, he’d expected this rejection. Demanding the Spirit Tree had always been an ambitious opening gambit.
Of course, knowing she would fail, she still had to try.
—People always prefer compromise. For instance, if you say the room’s too dark and needs a window, everyone refuses. But if you demand to tear down the roof, they’ll settle for opening a window.
Requesting the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree was Si Ye’s “roof-tearing” tactic.
The next item was her true goal.
“If the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree isn’t possible, I’ll take the Manjusaka.”
“…Very well. I’ll persuade the clan leader to send it to Lingluo.”
“My thanks, Seventh Elder.”
“For the family’s sake.”
…
When the communication ended, Si Ye’s face showed no triumph despite his success.
He knew the Manjusaka wasn’t ideal for his daughter Lingluo.
Manjusaka—the Other Shore Flower—bloomed along the Yellow Springs’ banks, acting as a bridge to the Underworld. It symbolized life and death’s cycle and undying remembrance.
A flower of death. A blossom of hell.
Yet Chu Lingluo, with her pure heart and childlike innocence, clashed with this grim symbol.
But Si Ye understood: even a top-tier Earth-level Spiritual Root couldn’t guarantee Lingluo’s standing with Mu Lin anymore.
Left with no options, he demanded the Manjusaka instead, hoping this spirit flower’s harmony with Mu Lin would secure his daughter’s position.
“Lingluo, I’ve done all I can. The rest lies with you.”
A sigh escaped him, tinged with regret.
“Pity… The Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree remains out of reach. Mu Lin’s talent is remarkable, yet not superlative.”
Opinions split regarding Mu Lin’s gifts—some called them extraordinary, others exceptional but not peerless.
This divide stemmed not from error, but differing standards.
The weak Fushan Fox tribe saw Mu Lin as heaven-sent.
But ancient houses like the Chu and Yan families, steeped in millennia of inheritance, merely acknowledged his skill.
Si Ye’s blame towards Mu Lin for failing to obtain the spirit tree mirrored their world’s harsh truth:
A woman’s status depended wholly on her father’s or husband’s standing.
Many saw Chu Lingluo as Mu Lin’s appendage—her claim to the Manjusaka rested solely on his merits.
Yet since Mu Lin couldn’t dominate peers like Blood Cherry or Tian Yun, his “dependent” couldn’t demand heaven-grade treasures like the Five Organs Nurturing Spirit Tree.
The Chu family’s verdict was clear: Mu Lin and Lingluo weren’t worthy.
Their rule forbidding heaven-grade Spiritual Roots for outsiders meant nothing—Mu Lin, Yan Yunyu, and Si Ye all knew rules bend before strength.
Had Mu Lin been stronger, the Chu elders would’ve invented excuses to comply.
But they deemed him insufficient. Si Ye accepted this fate.
Yet one question lingered—would Mu Lin?
