Qiu Shuangshuang tugged at Seraphine’s sleeve and shook it.

“Please, master’s wife!”

I was very curious—what was Qiu Shuangshuang saying? What couldn’t the system be allowed to know?

Beside them, Seraphine’s cheeks flushed as if the pink clouds from earlier had returned to stain her face. She pushed away Echo’s head as she tried to lean in and look, clearing her throat under Echo’s puzzled gaze before saying unhurriedly, “Actually, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“She’s a sensible child. If you want her as your disciple, then take her.”

I: ??

I said thoughtfully, “I know humans like to speak euphemistically.”

But I didn’t expect humans to stop speaking altogether.

System unable to analyze.

Seraphine pressed her lips together and suddenly glared at Echo. “Are you taking her or not?”

“Yes, if you think it’s acceptable.” I immediately replied. “I wanted to consult your opinion. Seraphine is very smart—if you want me to do this, you must have your reasons.”

I gave the intelligent Seraphine a thumbs up.

Though the peach blossoms had all fallen, in that moment Qiu Shuangshuang’s heart felt like spring had returned to the earth. She excitedly stepped back two paces, bowed deeply to Echo, and shouted happily, “Master! From now on I’ll be obedient and sensible, cultivate diligently, and honor my master!”

“I’ll also honor Palace Lord Velka the same way I honor my master!” she declared loudly.

Seraphine smiled gracefully, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she tapped Echo’s shoulder with her finger and said to Qiu Shuangshuang, “Since you’ve entered our sect, you’re bound to it for life. There are some things I can tell you now.”

Both Echo and Qiu Shuangshuang looked toward Seraphine—one curious, one excited.

What things?

Seraphine said with complete composure, “Outsiders only know your master comes from the Lingshan Sect, but they don’t know your master’s title is Lingshan Sword Venerable!”

I nodded, pressed my fingers together, and controlled Nine Heavens to spin impressively in a circle around us, scattering snowflakes.

Qiu Shuangshuang had an epiphany and shouted, “Venerable!”

“In this world, aside from the Ink-Trace Venerable, no one else holds the title of Venerable. To think I could become the disciple of Lingshan Sword Venerable—I’m truly blessed by three lifetimes of fortune!”

“With me, Qiu Shuangshuang, here, I’ll definitely spread my master’s reputation throughout the world!”

I said modestly, “I can handle that myself.”

Qiu Shuangshuang: “Hahaha!”

I also went “hahaha.”

Seraphine, watching from the side, couldn’t help but smile as she stroked Error’s head. “Good. We’ll hold the proper apprenticeship ceremony after leaving the Twin Dragon Secret Realm, but today I’ll give you an apprenticeship gift first.”

“Your master promised you eighty fragments, and I’ll add another 320 to round it out—consider it my…… your master’s goodwill.” Seraphine smiled.

Qiu Shuangshuang’s jaw dropped. Her brain: How many?

Round it out?

320 to round out 80?

Truly worthy of master’s wife—so generous, so admirable!

Qiu Shuangshuang said shyly, “Thank you, master, and mas—Palace Lord Velka! I won’t be polite then!”

From now on, we’re all family!

I didn’t think there was anything wrong with Seraphine deciding the fragment count for the apprenticeship gift. I efficiently pulled out 400 fragments and gave them to Qiu Shuangshuang.

The disciple’s gift was given, but Seraphine’s gift needed to be given too.

I turned to Seraphine, my eyes curving with joy. “Seraphine, what do you like most?”

Seraphine looked at Echo’s bright eyes and white teeth. The word “you” almost slipped out, but she gave a soft hum instead. “You’re with me day in and day out—don’t you know what I like?”

“Haha, Seraphine, please open your hands.”

Seraphine thought let’s see what you’re up to and lazily extended her hand, even deliberately tapping Echo’s nose tip before spreading her palm.

I smiled as I first pulled out a golden lotus.

The lotus flower, as large as an adult’s hand, made the surrounding temperature spike dramatically the moment it appeared, as if someone had scooped up molten lava from underground and poured it over our heads. The twelve-petaled golden lotus bloomed with petals thin as cicada wings that looked like they’d shatter at the slightest touch, yet the heat radiating from it and its fiery red center made clear its formidable power.

Seraphine’s pupils contracted and her mouth fell slightly open as someone gasped for her.

“Candlefire Golden Lotus!” Qiu Shuangshuang pointed at the golden lotus in Seraphine’s palm in shock. “Could this really be a Candlefire Golden Lotus?”

The Candlefire Golden Lotus had twelve petals and six stamens, with the stamen centers burning like candles with red flames, as if six candles had been stuck into the lotus flower, hence the name.

I gave Qiu Shuangshuang a thumbs up. “You’re a knowledgeable disciple.”

Seraphine murmured, “Candlefire Golden Lotus is impossible to find, requiring perfect timing and conditions to grow. They grow under extremely harsh circumstances, often with fire-attribute spirit beasts guarding them, waiting for the flowers to bloom so they can devour and refine the lotus. Even if you find the lotus pond, you might not be able to pick the flower. This is my first time seeing the real thing.”

I put my hands behind my back and leaned forward slightly to observe Seraphine’s expression. “Do you like it?”

Seraphine cupped the lotus in both hands, the flames from its stamens reflecting in her upturned lips. “I like it.”

Very much.

I clapped my hands happily. “Wonderful! As long as you like it, I think it would look even better worn in your hair!”

Wait.

Seraphine’s smile stiffened a bit as she stared at Echo in a daze. You want me to do what with this priceless divine flower?

Qiu Shuangshuang, standing to the side admiring the flower, scratched her head. “Master, you know the Saint of Red Lotus Sect is looking for a Candlefire Golden Lotus, right? If people found out you’re wearing the treasure she’s desperately seeking in your hair, wouldn’t that be…… problematic?”

Why would it be problematic? I was puzzled. “I’m the one who picked the flower.”

That was logical.

Seraphine raised her hand and removed her flower crown, letting her black hair cascade down. She casually tucked the golden lotus behind her ear, seeming somewhat shy as she hooked the hair by her ear back, asking softly, “How is it?”

Error drooled with envy, swimming to Seraphine’s shoulder and raising her upper body to look like she had a golden lotus on her head too.

Hey, what business is it of yours, you dragon! Qiu Shuangshuang looked at Error with disdain, then quickly shifted her gaze to Echo. Master, say something!

Master raised two thumbs up: “Very beautiful! A famous flower topples cities, Seraphine topples orbs!”

“Heh.” Seraphine smiled with restraint.

“Alright, next one.” I asked Seraphine to extend her hands again.

There’s more?

This time Seraphine raised both hands. The moment she straightened her palms, a soft flower twice the size of the golden lotus fell into them. The entire flower was white with light pink edges on the petals, which were slightly narrow and arranged in two layers—extremely elegant and pure, with a delicate fragrance wafting up.

“This is a cactus flower. Since the flowering cactus was very large, this flower is quite big too.” I explained while looking at Seraphine’s head thoughtfully. “Such a large flower might be difficult to wear.”

Seraphine: “……This is Dragon Sand Pure Pistil, as rare and precious as the Candlefire Golden Lotus among heavenly treasures. It grows on Dragon Sand Cactus. The Dragon Sand Cactus grows on dragon bones, maturing after ten thousand years, then blooming once every thousand years. The flower lasts seven days, then withers, and waits another thousand years.”

Qiu Shuangshuang’s eyes went vacant as she said quietly, “The medical cultivators at Thousand Beauty Valley are looking for Dragon Sand Pure Pistil……” When she’d gone to the Golden Jade Tower, there was a Senior Sister Du Yuzhu providing consultations, and Qiu Shuangshuang had heard about this while asking her to refine medicine from gathered herbs.

“So other people are looking for it too!” I put my hands on my stomach and laughed. “I’m so lucky!”

“No,” Seraphine said, curving her lips with pride. “The lucky one is me.”

These heavenly treasures that others desperately sought had all been picked by one person and given to her to wear as flowers.

Warmth flowed through her heart, gentle affection overflowing from her eyes and spilling from their corners to tint her brows. In high spirits, Seraphine beckoned everyone to sit on the ground.

After glancing at Echo, she took out three boxes from her storage ring, carefully placing the Candlefire Golden Lotus and Dragon Sand Pure Pistil into jade cases before storing them safely in her ring.

“Come on,” she said gently, opening her palms. “There must be other things.”

Seraphine was the smartest Seraphine in the world.

I raised my thumbs, and under three pairs of bright, expectant gazes, pulled out a small white daisy. “Look!”

“Guess what’s special about it?” I said in a boastful tone, looking left and right before casually picking another daisy from the ground and holding both flowers up for Seraphine to see.

“Please look carefully.”

Qiu Shuangshuang thought: Could this be some treasure I’ve never heard of? I’m going to gain knowledge today!

She craned her neck curiously.

Seraphine propped herself up with one hand while the other rested against her lips, leaning toward Echo.

Her hair flowed like a waterfall, spilling over Echo’s sleeve as her long lashes fluttered up and down, carefully examining the daisy in Echo’s hand. The finger against her lips extended to count the petals one by one.

“Heh, don’t tell me this flower has two more petals than the other one?” Seraphine glanced sideways with amusement.

I laughed heartily. “Exactly! You really are very smart.”

Seraphine chuckled softly, thinking that only Echo in this world would notice such peculiarities in small things. Smiling, she accepted the daisy from Echo’s hand, tucked one into her hair, and handed the one missing two petals to Error.

Error’s tail curled around the small daisy, wearing it on her head as she stuck out her tongue.

Please call her Beauty Dragon~

Qiu Shuangshuang, sitting cross-legged to the side, patted her chest. This is more like it! The Twin Dragon Secret Realm was huge—even if master was incredibly lucky, she couldn’t possibly appear at just the right moments to collect heavenly treasures constantly. One or two items was fine, but any more would shatter other people’s dao hearts!

“Oh right, there’s one more thing. I don’t think you’ll like it since it’s pitch black,” I said honestly. “The place where it grew was also pitch black, but it’s still a flower.”

Seraphine indicated: Please proceed.

I pulled a black flower from my inventory.

This flower was black as ink, deeply saturated without a trace of impurity, though only slightly larger than the daisy. I said with distress, “They bloomed in patches, growing in pitch-black mud. I checked, and that mud should be called Dustless Gold—it’s material for forging high-grade artifacts. But I don’t understand why pitch-black mud would be called gold.”

Seraphine: “……”

Qiu Shuangshuang: “……”

“What about the Dustless Gold?” Seraphine’s pupils trembled as she grabbed Echo’s hand. “Don’t tell me you only brought back Dustless Flowers without taking the Dustless Gold?”

Qiu Shuangshuang raised both hands to clutch her head, fingers digging into her hair.

Dustless Gold!

Ten thousand gold pieces worth of Dustless Gold per ounce!

How many of the famous artifacts in the world today were forged without adding Dustless Gold! This was the ultimate treasure that artifact refiners dreamed of!

I tilted my head. “How could that be? I brought back everything valuable. But since they’re not pretty, I put all these random ugly things in my storage ring.”

Qiu Shuangshuang went blank: Random ugly things?

Seraphine caught the key word: Things? Plural?

To prove I’d brought it back, I pulled a shell-like container from my storage ring and placed it on the ground. Inside the shell, what looked like mud blacker than ink bubbled like boiling thick soup.

I sighed and grasped Seraphine’s fingers in return, removing the storage ring from my left ring finger and placing it on hers. With some melancholy, I said, “The ring is full of these ugly things. Though they’re not pretty, they’re fairly useful. I hope you won’t mind them.”

“This is another small gift. Please accept it, Seraphine.”

[Author’s Note]:

Qiu Shuangshuang (screaming, wailing, tugging at her hair): Mom! Dad! I think I’ve joined an incredible sect!! Your daughter’s going places!!