Chapter 215 – Flower of the Underworld: Manjusaka

“???”

It was an obvious mistake, yet Si Ye had turned it into a means to demand resources—a situation the Seventh Elder had not anticipated.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his tone filled with disbelief: “What a clever scheme. But Si Ye, do you really think the clan will agree?”

Si Ye replied, “They will. Mu Lin’s talent is exceptional, and he is worth winning over. Moreover, Lingluo was close to Mu Lin when he was still weak—this was an accident, but it is also our greatest advantage in winning him over.”

“If we replace Lingluo, our Chu Family will have to compete with the legitimate daughters of other aristocratic families. Even if we succeed, we would have to invest ten, or even a hundred times more resources.”

“In contrast, Lingluo already has an excellent relationship with Mu Lin. With just a little nurturing, we can strengthen her position in his heart.”

“If we invest fully in her, there is a high probability that Lingluo could become Mu Lin’s principal wife.”

“And Mu Lin comes from a humble background with no family ties. This is a disadvantage, but it is also our advantage… As long as Lingluo remains close to him, he, unburdened by family obligations, will wholeheartedly support our Chu Family.”

“This is something that Yan Zhanpeng, Yuan Ce, or even the princes of the Great Spirit Imperial Dynasty cannot achieve.”

“…”

Si Ye’s words left the Seventh Clan Elder of the Chu Family utterly speechless.

He had originally intended to reprimand and condemn her when he made the call, but after hearing Si Ye’s analysis, he had to admit that this junior of his made a compelling argument.

For the Chu Family, nurturing Chu Lingluo was indeed the most convenient and efficient way to win over Mu Lin, with a high probability of success and immense benefits.

Just as he was swayed, Si Ye pressed further: “Clan Elder, we must decide quickly. Our Chu Family is not the only one who values Mu Lin. That young lady from the Yan Family is already very close to him. The Yan Family has always been sharp in their judgment. If we act too slowly, Mu Lin will be snatched away by them.”

Hearing this, the Seventh Elder of the Chu Family agreed that their family must act swiftly.

In the end, he decided: “I will inform the clan. What resources do you need?”

Hearing this, Si Ye breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her plan was halfway to success.

As for the resources, after some hesitation, Si Ye gritted her teeth and resolutely said: “Lingluo’s Azure Emperor Scripture has not yet contracted a Spirit Root. I plan to take one from the clan’s treasury—the Five-Organs Spirit Tree.”

Upon hearing this, the Seventh Clan Elder on the other end almost immediately exclaimed: “Impossible!”

At this moment, the Seventh Clan Elder’s voice was somewhat unsteady, while Si Ye remained exceptionally calm.

She knew why the Seventh Clan Elder was shocked. The so-called Five-Organs Spirit Tree was a miraculous seed, classified as Heaven Grade. It was said to be related to the Ginseng Fruit Tree, an innate Spirit Root.

This tree blooms once every five hundred years and bears fruit once every five hundred years, ultimately producing five fruits.

The five fruits correspond to the five organs—heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—and can replace a person’s internal organs.

Of course, its abilities go beyond mere replacement.

As fruits condensed from an innate Spirit Root, these five organs are inherently imbued with the five elements.

Even an ordinary person, or even a mortal, would immediately gain the corresponding Spirit Root talent upon replacing one of their organs.

Moreover, those who consume the fruit would also acquire Water Spirit Body, Fire Spirit Body, Earth Spirit Body, Metal Spirit Body, and so on.

Moreover, if the five-organ fruits are consumed by a single person, a qualitative transformation occurs. That fortunate individual will achieve the unity of the five elements, obtaining the Five Elements Spirit Body.

Do not assume that the Five Elements Spirit Body is ordinary just because its name is common. It must be understood that all things in the floating world exist within the realms of yin-yang and the five elements. By embodying the five elements, one can wield nearly all spells in the world.

Yet, the supreme-grade Five Elements Spirit Body is still not the full extent of the benefits brought by the five-organ fruits.

Five hundred years to bloom, five hundred years to bear fruit—a millennium of nurturing imbues the five-organ fruits with vast primordial energy.

The five organs are closely linked to the body, and the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth form the foundation of all matter in this world.

When all these factors combine, it means that after consuming the five-organ fruits, even if Chu Lingluo were to sleep all day, her physical body and mana would achieve the state of the five qi converging toward the origin.

This is a miraculous fruit tree capable of elevating a person to the heavens in a single step.

Although the Chu Family obtained only a small seed, when Si Ye requested it for her daughter, the seventh Clan Elder promptly refused.

Of course, Chu Lingluo, Si Ye, and the seventh Clan Elder of the Chu Family were ultimately part of the same family, so the latter did not say anything harsh. Instead, he quickly offered a reason.

“The Five-Organs Spirit Tree—this seed is indeed extraordinary, but its growth requirements are also extremely high. Lingluo’s talent is not peerless. Even if we gave her the seed, she would not be able to cultivate the Five-Organs Spirit Tree successfully.”

This reason… was barely acceptable.

Shallow waters cannot nurture a Jiao Dragon, and a small temple cannot house a revered deity.

While the Five-Organs Spirit Tree is powerful, its requirements for a growth environment are also exceedingly high. Not only must it take root in a Five Elements Blessed Land, but during its growth, it must also comprehend the laws of the five elements.

This aspect is closely tied to Chu Lingluo.

The Scripture of Heavenly Induction – Azure Emperor Chapter is not an entirely self-serving cultivation method. While contracting with a Heaven-Earth Spirit Root allows spiritual flowers and rare herbs to assist in one’s growth, as the master of the contract, the Qi Refiners of the Chu Family can also reflect their own insights and growth back to the Heaven-Earth Spirit Root, promoting its development.

This harmonious coexistence requires that those who contract with Heaven-Earth Spirit Roots must be exceptional Prodigies.

At this moment, the seventh Clan Elder of the Yan Family all but explicitly stated that Chu Lingluo could not provide support to the Five-Organs Spirit Tree. Giving her this Heaven-Earth Spirit Root would only be a waste.

Si Ye understood this as well, but since she dared to propose it, she naturally had a solution.

“Relying solely on Lingluo, that child indeed cannot sustain the Five-Organs Spirit Tree. But what if Mu Lin also participates?”

“The family possesses the dual cultivation secret art, Yin-Yang Dragon-Serpent Transformation. If Lingluo and Mu Lin engage in dual cultivation, during the fusion of their divine souls, Lingluo can draw upon Mu Lin’s comprehension to perceive the laws of the five elements, accelerating the growth of the Five-Organs Spirit Tree.”

“…”

This method was indeed feasible, and Si Ye was certain that Mu Lin would inevitably agree.

After all, dual cultivation secret arts involve the great path of yin-yang. They have never been sinister techniques but are orthodox methods beneficial to both men and women.

The reason for their current poor reputation is due to the selfishness of human hearts, where most seek only to absorb yin to supplement yang or absorb yang to supplement yin.

At the same time, if Chu Lingluo contracted with the Five-Organs Spirit Tree, even without consuming the mature five-organ fruits, due to the fusion of their roots, she would possess a pseudo-Five Elements Spirit Body.

Upon obtaining this constitution, her comprehension of five-element mystical arts would increase by tens or even hundreds of times.

Yet such a woman engaging in dual cultivation with Mu Lin, during the fusion of their divine souls, would also share the pseudo-Five Elements Spirit Body with him.

‘To gain a Five Elements Spirit Body out of thin air—such a temptation, I don’t believe you can resist.’

Si Ye’s plan was well-laid, but in the end, the Seventh Clan Elder across from her did not agree.

“This matter is of great importance and not something I alone can decide. I will report this to the family head… but don’t hold out much hope. Better tell me if there’s anything else you want.”

“Of course, if you can get Mu Lin to change his surname or have him marry into the family, I will do my utmost to persuade the Clan Head.”

Hearing this, Si Ye understood that her scheme had failed.

She also knew where she had lost.

‘Mu Lin is ultimately not a member of the Chu Family, and a married daughter is like spilled water—the Chu Family will not hand over their best treasures to an outsider.’

Thinking this, Si Ye sighed slightly, but she was not overly disappointed. Asking for the Five-Organs Spirit Tree in the first place had been an exorbitant demand.

She had anticipated the possibility of failure.

Of course, even knowing it would fail, she still had to do it.

—People always prefer compromise. For example, if you say the room is too dark and a window must be opened here, everyone will surely object. But if you propose tearing off the roof, they will come to mediate and agree to open a window.

Demanding the Five-Organs Spirit Tree was Si Ye’s “tearing off the roof.”

The next item was what she truly wanted.

“Since the Five-Organs Spirit Tree is out of the question, then I want the Manjusaka.”

“…Very well. I will do my best to persuade the Clan Head to send it to Lingluo.”

“Thank you, Seventh Elder.”

“All for the family.”

…

The communication ended. Her plan had succeeded, yet Si Ye’s expression was not one of pure joy.

The reason for this was that she knew the Lycoris was not the best choice for her daughter, Lingluo.

Manjusaka, also known as the Other Shore Flower, blooms on the banks of the Underworld and is seen as a bridge to the Netherworld Hell, symbolizing the cycle of life and death and eternal longing.

It is a flower of death, a flower of hell.

And Chu Lingluo, with her childlike innocence and pure heart, was ill-suited to the Other Shore Flower.

However, Si Ye understood even more clearly that an Earth Grade Spirit Root, even an Earth Grade Supreme, was not something entirely beyond Mu Lin’s reach now.

At the very least, it could not completely secure Chu Lingluo’s position.

Left with no alternative, she could only request the Manjusaka from the family, hoping that through this spirit flower, which was perfectly compatible with Mu Lin, she could stabilize her daughter’s standing.

“Lingluo, I, your mother, have done all I can. From here on, it’s up to you.”

Thinking this, she could not help but sigh with a trace of regret.

“What a pity, in the end, I still couldn’t obtain the Five-Organs Spirit Tree… Mu Lin’s talent is high, but ultimately not high enough to be extraordinary.”

Regarding Mu Lin’s talent, some considered it extraordinary, while others believed it was exceptional but not yet beyond the norm.

This discrepancy did not arise from anyone misremembering, but rather from different evaluators having different standards.

The Fushan Fox Clan was weak in strength and had long served as vassals. To them, Mu Lin seemed like a heaven-sent genius.

But for super families like the Chu Family and the Yan Family, with their millennia-long heritage and broad experience, Mu Lin’s excellence was something they could accept.

As for Si Ye attributing the failure to obtain the Five-Organs Spirit Tree to Mu Lin, this aligns perfectly with the current state of this world.

At home, a woman follows her father; after marriage, she follows her husband. In this era, a woman’s status has always been closely tied to the standing of her father and husband.

Chu Lingluo is viewed by many as an extension of Mu Lin’s family. Because Mu Lin is outstanding, Chu Lingluo can request Manjusaka from her family.

However, many believe that since Mu Lin is not invincible among his peers and cannot overpower Xue Ying or Tian Yun, as his dependent, Chu Lingluo is not qualified to demand a Heaven Grade spiritual plant like the Five-Organs Spirit Tree.

Yes, the ultimate issue is that the Chu Family considers Mu Lin and Chu Lingluo unworthy.

As for the Chu Family’s rule prohibiting the transfer of Heaven Grade Spirit Roots to outsiders, whether it’s Mu Lin, Yan Yunyu, or even Si Ye, they all understand one thing—rules are meant to be broken.

As long as one is strong enough, the Chu Family’s decision-makers will find their own justifications.

Unfortunately, the Chu Family does not consider Mu Lin strong enough, and Si Ye… has already resigned herself to fate.

But if she has accepted it, what about Mu Lin?

(End of Chapter)