CHAPTER 553: 285, DEVOTING ONESELF TO, THE ETERNAL CELESTIAL COURT.

"However..." Wu Ziting drew out her voice, paused for a moment, and then continued, "But if Master Xu really has that kind of need, this concubine... this concubine... it’s not impossible..."

At this point, her cheeks flushed like the glow of dawn, and even her earlobes turned crimson.

"Master Xu possesses the Golden Crow Immortal Body, which is very beneficial to low-realm female cultivators like us..."

"When I was in the Heavenly Saint Sect, this concubine..." she lowered her head slightly and spoke softly.

As early as her time in the Heavenly Saint Sect, she had admired Xu Xing. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken the opportunity to converse with him and present him with poems praising his renown.

It was just that back then, the elders of the Cloud Sword Sect wanted her to marry the seventh disciple of Heavenly Saint Sect Master Cui Tong. Due to various restrictions, she could only keep her feelings hidden in her heart.

This time, she was sent to the Nanhua Sect because she had heard that Xu Xing and the Butian Sect were facing difficulties. Therefore, she specifically requested her Sect to send her as an envoy to lend Xu Xing a hand.

If it weren’t for this reason... She would have gone to see Xu Xing secretly by herself. Why would she bring Zuoqiu Ying, go to the Qingzhu Mountain Cave Mansion with her, to meet Xu Xing and discuss establishing diplomatic relations between the two sects?

"This..." Hearing Wu Ziting’s words, Xu Xing was dumbfounded for a moment, not knowing what to say.

At his level of renown, he attracted countless female cultivators. Wu Ziting was not the first, nor would she be the last.

It was just like the Immortal Maidens arranged by the Nanhua Sect to serve him; when he was in seclusion, Immortal Maidens would occasionally try to curry favor, hoping to achieve success overnight.

The same was true when he went to the Zuoqiu Clan to propose marriage. Many elders of the Zuoqiu Clan suggested that women from their clan serve as attendant concubines for Zuoqiu Ying, marrying into the Butian Sect alongside her.

He usually refused such proposals sternly.

But Wu Ziting was different. Although her realm was one level lower than his, merely a Dao Pill Daoist, her position in the Cloud Sword Sect was not ordinary. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to act as an envoy to the Nanhua Sect and the Butian Sect.

It could be said that after becoming famous, he had never encountered a female cultivator of such high status as Wu Ziting who was willing to throw herself at him...

If I don’t handle this well, it could become a diplomatic incident with the Higher Teachings... Xu Xing secretly winced.

He hadn’t forgotten that Wu Ziting still held the Contract Book for diplomatic relations between the Butian Sect and the Cloud Sword Sect. Furthermore, Wu Ziting’s feelings for him were mostly admiration, not an attempt to curry favor with the powerful by offering herself.

If he didn’t reject her properly and caused Wu Ziting to develop hatred from unrequited love, it would be a disaster.

Since ancient times, there had been countless such tales in the Cultivation World.

"Immortal Wu’s affections..." Xu Xing took a deep breath. "Xu Mou understands. However, Xu Mou is not a lecherous person... Just a while ago, I became engaged to Zuoqiu Ying of the Zuoqiu Clan... And the Saintess of the Starfall Sect is a close female friend..."

He shook his head, hoping Wu Ziting would understand his meaning and retreat in the face of these difficulties.

"Master Xu, you come from the Mortal World. Although you’ve been in the Cultivation World for hundreds of years, in my opinion, your way of thinking is still bound by mortal conventions," Wu Ziting said, no longer concealing her thoughts. "Sometimes, official status isn’t important."

In essence, she didn’t mind being a lesser wife.

"This concubine has heard that Master Xu had a cherished bond in the Mortal World, but unfortunately, your Madam passed away prematurely, her soul returning to the Yellow Spring.

"We cultivators pursue the Great Dao to become immortals and progenitors.

"The Immortal Path is solitary...

"What matters is reaching the end," she said solemnly.

Reaching the end... Xu Xing fell silent, touching the Six Harmonies Jade Cicada hanging around his neck.

He understood the implication of Wu Ziting’s words. What Wu Ziting wanted was a Dao spouse, not necessarily a husband in the conventional sense.

"Immortal Wu, Tianyi Gorge is not far. Let’s hurry so we don’t miss the appointed time," Xu Xing said, changing the subject.

With that, he waved his large sleeve, summoned his Fire Cloud Escape, and stepped onto it. In the blink of an eye, he had traveled hundreds of li.

Wu Ziting, still standing there, paused, a look of disbelief in her eyes.

However, seeing Xu Xing’s figure receding into the distance, she gritted her teeth, retrieved a flying shuttle from her sleeve, and stepped aboard.

This shuttle, named the Sun and Moon Shuttle, was a Nascent Soul-level Taoist Treasure from the Cloud Sword Sect. It contained the Magic Power of a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord. When activated by a Dao Pill Daoist, it could achieve the escape speed equivalent to that of a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord.

Previously, when traveling with Xu Xing, she had used this very treasure.

「Half a month later.」

Xu Xing and Wu Ziting arrived one after the other at the Five Peaks Pool in Tianyi Gorge.

"This should be the place." Xu Xing landed in a mountain hollow and produced the Token he had received from Hong De. He immediately sensed the location of the Nascent Soul Cave.

He paused for a moment. Seeing Wu Ziting’s Escaping Light approach, he then channeled several streams of Magic Power to open the Nascent Soul Cave.

Instantly, patches of five-colored radiance flashed on the ground. Xu Xing sent a sound transmission via divine consciousness to Wu Ziting, telling her to follow, then plunged into the brilliant light.

This five-colored radiance distorted space and time, making it impossible to discern up from down. Only the ceaseless sound of rushing water, flowing south, could be heard.

Could I have been mistaken? This doesn’t seem like an ordinary Nascent Soul Cave... Xu Xing mused.

After about half a moment, the five-colored radiance dimmed, revealing a wide passage before him. At its end lay an underground chamber, dozens of zhang across.

The chamber contained nothing unusual, only a dozen or so White Jade Pillars standing upright.

Xu Xing contemplated for a short while. A purple light flashed in his eyes. After a moment’s thought, a plan formed in his mind.

He channeled his Magic Power, pushing and shifting the stone pillars to rearrange them.