People crowded around Bai Xiaochun as well, and when they saw how small his lotus seed was, they mocked him in their hearts. On the surface, though, they offered perfunctory congratulations.
Bai Xiaochun was feeling a bit depressed, but there was nothing he could do about it. After those around him finished with their congratulations, he looked around and noticed how some people were already consuming the lotus seeds they had been given. Therefore, he looked down at his and, seeing no reason not to, popped it into his mouth. Instantly, a pleasant aroma filled him, accompanied by a scorching heat.
All of the energy passageways in his body thrummed for a full ten breaths of time. After that, the heat vanished. And yet, he could sense that his cultivation base had risen with volcanic speed during that short time!
Although he wasn't quite yet in the late Demigod Realm, the progress he had just made surpassed anything from the heavenly dragonfish.
“So incredible!” he thought, shocked. He had known that the lotus seeds were extraordinarily effective, but could never have guessed that they would provide all those benefits in only ten breaths of time.
Furthermore, the seeds contained no impurities whatsoever, and also conformed automatically to whatever techniques were used by the cultivator who consumed them. They were like consummate medicinal pills that didn’t contain even the slightest toxic element!
“Ten more… or maybe even five! With that many, I could reach the late Demigod Realm!” His heart pounded and burned at how effective the lotus seeds were, and he couldn’t stop pondering how to get more.
Eventually, the banquet ended, and he went back home, where he sat down to think.
“The Saint-Emperor definitely won't give me any more….
“There are plenty to be had in the heavenly pond. But getting my hands on them would cause a huge scene…. If only I could harvest them secretly….” Frowning anxiously, he looked out at all the lotus pods on the heavenly pond, filled with seeds… that he couldn’t eat.
“I ate thousands of fish. I refuse to believe… that these lotus seeds will stump me!”
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Chapter
1068: Keep Your Voice Down!
Bai Xiaochun felt like his ears were itching in frustration. He was determined to wolf down as many lotus seeds as he could, and yet, despite pondering the issue for an entire night, had nothing to show for it.
He had no interest in attending the second lotus banquet. Instead, he strolled along the edge of the lotus leaf, looking at the seed pods that floated on the lake’s surface, as well as those which were further down in the water, and had yet to rise.
“This Saint-Emperor Dynasty is way too rich,” he muttered to himself, his eyes bloodshot. “I can’t believe they just keep dragonfish and lotus seeds sitting around in this heavenly pond of theirs….
“You can see them… but you can’t eat them….” If he were capable of beating the three celestials in a fight, and the Saint-Emperor too, he would just have dived into the water and started grabbing seeds.
His desire only grew stronger as time passed. After the destruction of the Heavenspan Realm, and his arrival in the Eternal Lands, he had come to realize more than ever that getting stronger was the only way to achieve his goals.
It was going to take a lot to achieve a cultivation base breakthrough in these unfamiliar Eternal Lands. It would have been one thing if he had a lot of time on his hands, but right now, time was not something he had the luxury of wasting.
A few days passed in which his anxiety fermented, and the lotus banquets continued. All of his energy was focused on trying to figure out how to get more lotus seeds, to the point where he spent every day walking along the edges of the lotus leaves.
A lot of people noticed this behavior of his. But most people were wrapped up in thoughts about the lotus banquets. Besides, lotus seeds were not dragonfish, and everyone assumed it would be impossible for him to secretly harvest some.
Furthermore, the Saint-Emperor was no longer in secluded meditation. He was there every day, presiding over the lotus banquets. Because of that, the court officials who could guess what Bai Xiaochun was thinking didn’t really give it much weight.
“We have rules in the Saint-Emperor Dynasty. Nobody, no matter how important they are, would ever think of taking an immortal lotus seed without permission. Anyone who did… would be breaking a very important rule!” Many a cold laugh echoed within the hearts of the people of the Saint-Emperor Dynasty.
Of course, they all knew that Bai Xiaochun was important to the Saint-Emperor. But even if he were more important than he already was, there were certain lines that could not be crossed. Bai Xiaochun had escaped any real punishment in the heavenly dragonfish incident both because of his usefulness to the Saint-Emperor Dynasty, and also because of the fact that he had been very careful. Because of that, the Saint-Emperor Dynasty chose to simply let the matter slide.
But the lotus seeds were inanimate objects that could not fly into Bai Xiaochun’s hands of their own accord. The only way for him to get them would be to outright steal them!
And if he did that, he would be doomed, no questions asked!
Because of all of these things, most of the aristocracy didn’t put too much thought into the matter.
With the exception of Heavenly Marquis Liu.
He had noticed Bai Xiaochun’s odd behavior in recent days, and it immediately put him on guard. Filled with excitement, he began to surveil Bai Xiaochun even more closely than usual. Back when he had first been appointed parole captain, he had been very enthusiastic about monitoring Bai Xiaochun. But after a few months went by in which Bai Xiaochun behaved well, Heavenly Marquis Liu had begun to get nervous that nothing more would happen.
“You’re as crafty as a rat, Bai Xiaochun. But you won’t be able to evade my discerning eyes!” When it came to monitoring Bai Xiaochun, Heavenly Marquis Liu couldn’t see what happened inside of his blessed land, but as soon as he went out into the open, he could watch him secretly from the shadows.
Another three days passed. The officials proudly continued to attend the lotus banquets, and Heavenly Marquis Liu maintained full vigilance. Bai Xiaochun eventually became aware that Heavenly Marquis Liu was shadowing him. But around the same time, he came up with a plan that he was fairly certain would succeed.
“This is the only way I can do it!” he thought. From that point on, he didn’t go to the heavenly pond to look at the lotus pods anymore. He remained in his blessed land, where Heavenly Marquis Liu couldn’t see him. There, he performed an incantation gesture to seal the area, and then settled down cross-legged to meditate.
Outside, Heavenly Marquis Liu found a good spot nearby to stake out Bai Xiaochun’s blessed land, where he remained, eyes glued to the immortal's cave for several days in a row.
He was so excited about what was to come that he didn't even get tired. He was absolutely sure that whatever evil plan Bai Xiaochun had come up with was about to be carried out…
“All I have to do is catch him in the act, and it will count as a huge service to the dynasty!” The mere thought got him more excited, and he poured all of his energy into making sure that Bai Xiaochun didn’t get a chance to harm even a single lotus seed.
“I don't care what your plan is. I know you’re after the lotus seeds. And with me watching you so closely, you’ll never be able to get them without being spotted!”
Eventually, Heavenly Marquis Liu was getting antsy with excitement, whereas Bai Xiaochun was still sitting there meditating. For several hours, he didn’t even move, until finally, night fell. At that point, he surreptitiously sent some divine sense into his bag of holding.