Rong Jun saw Li Yundong speaking with such self-assurance and couldn't help but let out a cold sneer. “You’re the one who caused Director Shen’s death, yet you still talk so tough. I’d really like to see how you turn this root, thick with mud, into fresh West Lake lotus seeds!”
The surrounding crowd also turned to look at Li Yundong, their gazes complex, filled with suspicion, mockery, and disdain.
Even the Third Mistress and Shen Hui looked at Li Yundong with alarm, their eyes clearly conveying that they utterly disbelieved a single word he said.
Only Su Chan knew that Li Yundong had already, without arousing notice, displayed his transcendental cultivation of magic.
Historically, in China, Zhang Boduan, the founder of the Ziyang Sect and one of the Five Southern Patriarchs of Daoism during the Northern Song Dynasty, once agreed with a monk to travel to Yangzhou in spirit. They arranged for their souls to leave their bodies simultaneously to admire the Qionghua blossoms there.
Moments after their souls departed, they returned together. The monk enthusiastically recounted the sights of the Qionghua blossoms he had seen. When he turned to ask Zhang Boduan, Zhang merely smiled without answering. He then reached into his sleeve and produced a freshly picked Qionghua blossom. The monk was instantly stunned, realizing his magical attainment was far inferior to Zhang Boduan’s. He asked how Zhang had managed it.
Zhang Boduan smiled and replied, “I cultivate both xing (nature/spirit) and ming (life/essence), thus I cultivate an Yang Shen body, which can interact with physical objects. You, however, only cultivated xing, not ming, so what you cultivated is an Yin Shen, which cannot touch tangible things.”
What Li Yundong was doing now was using the power of Yang Shen to instantly fly to West Lake. However, since it was winter, there were no lotus flowers on the lake surface, much less any seeds. Therefore, he flew to the bottom of West Lake and retrieved a section of lotus root.
Li Yundong was already at the peak realm of Yang Shen; transformation followed his will, and all techniques followed nature. To transform this section of lotus root into lotus seeds was merely the work of a thought.
Seeing the doubt on everyone’s faces, he showed no irritation. He simply smiled slightly, plunged his hand back into the basin of water, and submerged the root. Then, he swiftly mobilized the purest Yuan Yang Qi within his body, channeling it into the root.
All things begin in spring, and life grows through the gradual resurgence of Yang energy starting then. While the world is full of Yang energy, it is sparse and thin—how could it compare to the supremely pure, concentrated Yuan Qi accumulated in a cultivator’s Dantian over years of practice?
The moment this wisp of the world’s ultimate Yang energy flowed into the lotus root, it instantly stimulated the root, whose life force had not yet vanished, causing it to rapidly sprout and develop.
At first, the onlookers saw nothing happening, but soon, the lotus root in the basin began to sprout rootlets and stems. In the blink of an eye, the root grew longer and longer, sending forth a lotus root (rhizome) and leaves from the basin!
Everyone present was momentarily dumbstruck, their mouths hanging open involuntarily, their eyeballs nearly popping out of their sockets.
But what came next was even more astonishing. After the leaves emerged, the surface of the water in the basin was quickly covered in a lush layer of green lotus leaves, so vividly green that people felt they were suddenly transported to a warm spring, not the biting cold of winter outside.
Before long, the crowd watched as a single, tender, pink lotus flower rapidly pushed its way up through the lotus leaves. Then, this flower grew visibly, swaying, accelerating in size. It went from being small, like a pinky nail and glistening with dew, to the size of a fist, still tightly budded.
Before anyone could gasp in amazement, the lotus flower suddenly burst open. Petal after petal peeled back, revealing a cluster of fresh, vibrant carpel pads in the center, dotted with distinct seeds, resembling drops of crystal-clear water gathered upon them.
Li Yundong then flipped his wrist, plucked the seed head, and held it up before the crowd, smiling broadly. “Well? I said they were fresh West Lake lotus seeds, and they are fresh West Lake lotus seeds, aren't they?”
Only then did the crowd snap back to reality, erupting in gasps of profound shock. “Heavens, am I seeing things? Is this... is this magic?”
“Where in this world can anyone perform such magic! Didn’t Director Shen say it earlier? It was immortal arts, immortal arts!”
“Then, is this fellow an immortal? That’s utterly preposterous!”
Some, like Rong Jun, remained unconvinced. He shouted loudly, “Are these seeds real or fake?”
Li Yundong smiled, handed the seed head to the Third Mistress, and said, “Hurry, pick the seeds, mash them up, and feed them to Director Shen.”
The Third Mistress trembled with excitement. Having witnessed this divine spectacle from Li Yundong, she finally understood why Shen Wancai held this young man in such high regard, even calling him an immortal and inviting him to the banquet against his family’s wishes!
The Third Mistress now revered Li Yundong as a deity, convinced that someone as godlike as him could certainly save Shen Wancai. She immediately cupped the seed head with both hands, trembling slightly, and urged Shen Hui, “Quick, quickly, come with me and shell these seeds!”
Although Shen Hui had witnessed Li Yundong’s astonishing divine skills several times, none had shaken her as profoundly as this. She suddenly began to grasp the intention behind her father’s desire for her to apprentice herself to this young man.
But this was not the time for fanciful thoughts. Shen Hui quickly composed herself and hurried into the kitchen with her mother.
Not long after, the two reappeared, carrying a bowl between them.
Shen Hui held the porcelain bowl as if it contained the Golden Elixir fluid of the Jade Emperor. Beside her, the Third Mistress stared fixedly at the mashed West Lake lotus seeds, her expression suggesting she desperately wanted to snatch a bite herself.
It wasn't just her; most people in the room, having witnessed Li Yundong’s divine technique, harbored the same thought: these West Lake lotus seeds must be extraordinary. Eating them might not grant eternal life, but surely… extending one’s lifespan and promoting health was possible?
Shen Hui slowly spooned the mashed seeds, mixed with water, into Shen Wancai’s mouth. After just two mouthfuls, Shen Wancai suddenly convulsed, spat out the liquid lotus mixture with a loud cry, and shouted, “So bitter, so bitter!”
Seeing that Shen Wancai, who had seemed completely lifeless moments before, revived the instant the seeds entered his system, the crowd’s eyes widened in astonishment. “He’s alive! He’s come back to life!”
The Third Mistress and Shen Hui embraced each other, weeping with joy. Li Xiaoxian and Shen You, however, exchanged a look of utter horror, both trembling violently.
Li Xiaoxian’s mind raced. She instantly let out a wail, collapsing onto Shen Wancai in a torrent of tears, crying loudly, “Old Shen, you scared me to death! Thank heavens you’re alright! You must clear my name!”
Li Yundong watched the tears flow instantly from Li Xiaoxian’s eyes. Her acting was so superb that many current movie stars would feel ashamed. He couldn't help but admire her inwardly.
Nearby, Yin Mengfan breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Shen Wancai finally wake up. She pressed her palms together. “Thank Heaven, thank Buddha. That was terrifying! Li Yundong, I thought you wouldn’t be able to save him! The last time I saw you, you revived CEO Cao in just a few moves. Why was this so much more complicated?”
Li Yundong laughed. “CEO Cao was young, and her body was merely suffering from a leakage of energy. Her vital blood was not depleted; she was in danger because the sudden event caused her vital energy supply to fail. I used massage techniques to circulate the strong vital blood she already possessed, so she recovered immediately.”
“But Director Shen is over sixty, an aging body whose vitality and blood are severely weakened. If I had used massage techniques to manipulate his already meager Yuan Qi, even if I saved him temporarily, it would ultimately harm him. He would soon suffer from exhaustion of vital blood and depletion of Yuan Qi, leading to death. Therefore, I had to use Dragon Gall and Phoenix Liver to regulate his breath, and then use Yang-infused, fresh West Lake lotus seeds to strengthen his Yang energy. By doing this, I not only saved him, but I dare say, Director Shen has gained ten years of life because of it!”
As he spoke, Li Yundong suddenly turned his head and smiled at Rong Jun, who had been so consistently confrontational. “Young Master Rong, I said these were Dragon Gall and Phoenix Liver, and I said these were West Lake lotus seeds. What do you say? Are they or aren’t they?”
Had Li Yundong said these words ten minutes earlier, perhaps no one here, except Su Chan, would have believed him. But having witnessed him conjure a lotus root out of thin air in a basin and transform decay into wonder by turning the root into a flower and seeds—such an astonishing divine feat witnessed firsthand—who dared to remain unconvinced?
No matter how unconvinced Rong Jun remained, he certainly dared not utter a single objection.
At this moment, the crowd revered Li Yundong as a deity. Some of the older, distinguished guests rushed toward him like a tide, disregarding their status, and shouted, “Young Master Li—no, no, Immortal Li, do you have any more Dragon Gall, Phoenix Liver, or West Lake lotus seeds? Could you possibly give me some—ah, no, no, I’ll buy them! Name your price!”
The hall instantly erupted in clamor, and Li Yundong was surrounded so tightly that no one could get near him.
Shen Wancai, who had just regained consciousness, was utterly bewildered. He looked around, patted Li Xiaoxian’s back to signal her to get up, then raised his hand toward the Third Mistress. “What is going on here? What happened?”
The Third Mistress helped Shen Wancai stand, tears streaming down her face as she smiled. “Thank Heaven, my dear husband, you’re finally alive! You must thank this living immortal properly!”
Shen Hui, seeing her father revived, seemed to come back to life herself, regaining her usual sharpness. She quickly explained what had happened, but out of concern for her father’s health, she dutifully omitted the parts involving her mother and Li Xiaoxian scheming against each other.
Shen Wancai listened in silence for a long while. Seeing Shen Wancai’s complexion ruddy and showing no sign of having been near death, the Third Mistress glanced at the West Lake lotus seeds nearby and asked wistfully, “Old Shen, how did those fresh West Lake lotus seeds taste? Were they really that bitter?”
Shen Wancai merely glanced at the Third Mistress and understood what was churning in her mind. He initially intended to glare and hiss, Are you trying to steal my medicine too?
But as Shen Wancai’s gaze swept over Li Yundong standing nearby, a thought struck him. He pushed the bowl toward the Third Mistress and said with a smile, “You stood against the objections of everyone to save my life; this is for you!”
The Third Mistress trembled with excitement, afraid Shen Wancai might change his mind, and immediately clutched the bowl to her chest, refusing to let anyone else even look at it.
The crowd watched with green eyes full of envy, thinking: This Shen Wancai was practically a corpse just now, yet after just two or three mouthfuls of these seeds, he was instantly alive. This demonstrated the marvelous power of these seeds to revive the dead and mend broken bones! If he ate the whole bowl, wouldn't he become an immortal?
Feeling the intense scrutiny of the crowd, the Third Mistress immediately stood up warily, found a quick excuse, and fled upstairs. At first, she walked with the measured dignity of a noble lady, but after a few steps, she couldn't help but break into a run, like a refugee escaping disaster.
Reaching her room, the Third Mistress immediately began gulping down the contents of the bowl, tears streaming down her face as she shouted from within, “So bitter, so bitter!”
Su Chan couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. These people didn't understand the crucial secret, but she knew perfectly well: the true elixir was the inconspicuous Nine-Cycle Jade Dew Pill consumed earlier. Without the pill nourishing Shen Wancai’s vital essence, no amount of West Lake lotus seeds could have saved him.
But the crowd only believed what their eyes saw. Since Shen Wancai revived immediately upon eating the lotus seeds, they took the seeds as the true miracle cure, regarding them as unparalleled treasures.
The little girl, however, had no intention of correcting anyone. Moreover, she knew it would be futile even if she spoke up. She simply gazed at Li Yundong with admiration, thinking to herself: This is how it should be. A man with such great abilities as Yundong deserves respect everywhere he goes, not to be looked down upon, bullied, or even framed!
Seeing everyone bowing respectfully to Li Yundong, the little girl felt secretly pleased.
As if sensing her thoughts, Li Yundong smiled, reached out, and gently flicked the tip of her nose. Su Chan giggled and made a silly face at him.
While the two were interacting intimately as if no one else were present, Shen Wancai approached Li Yundong, sighed softly, and said, “Young Master Li, I cannot thank you enough for this great kindness! I wonder if Young Master Li could step aside with me? I have a few private words I wish to share.”
Li Yundong smiled and replied, “Certainly!”
Shen Wancai chuckled, “Then let us go upstairs to talk!”
Li Xiaoxian and Shen You, seeing that Shen Wancai hadn't even spared them a glance after waking up, grew increasingly uneasy and terrified due to their guilty consciences. Li Xiaoxian couldn't help but cry out, “Old Shen…”
But Shen Wancai left without looking back, ascending the stairs with Li Yundong, leaving a panicked and trembling Li Xiaoxian standing rooted to the spot.
Once inside the room, Shen Wancai immediately closed the door and fell to his knees before Li Yundong, saying with utmost reverence, “Young Master Li, I know you are a living immortal; you need not hide it anymore. Please, you must take me as your disciple!”