Covering the Sky: The Years I Was the Empress's Strictest Master

As Tan Lin spoke, he picked up a few tea leaves from the pile and put them into the teapot, which had already cooled down.

despair……

Then, with a flick of his fingertip, a wisp of divine liquid, shimmering with a pale golden glow and brimming with boundless vitality and spirituality, appeared out of thin air and poured into the pot.

This was none other than the divine liquid from the Sea of ​​Bitterness of the Heavenly Venerable of the Spiritual Treasure, obtained from the forbidden ancient road. After he removed the evil aura from it, its value to cultivators below the Quasi-Emperor level was immeasurable!

Even a quasi-emperor would find it quite beneficial to drink and refine it for the first time.

Splash...

When the divine elixir and the tea leaves of enlightenment meet, and are then cooked over a fire,

In an instant, a rich aroma of tea with Taoist charm filled the air, making people feel refreshed and clear-headed.

Chi Yao and Chi Xuan watched Tan Lin's fluid and skillful movements.

Looking at the twenty or thirty catties of Enlightenment Tea leaves on the table, enough to make most of the world's powerful forces outside the forbidden zone envious, they were speechless for a moment.

However, the invisible distance and estrangement that had developed between the three over the centuries seemed to be greatly diluted by Tan Lin's simple and natural actions.

Chi Yao took a deep breath, silently suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and sat back down on the stone bench.

Her posture was extremely elegant, with an indescribable charm, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her inner turmoil.

She said softly:

"Brother...when did you return to Beidou? Why are you here so suddenly?"

Beside her, Chi Xuan sat down silently, her gaze still fixed on Tan Lin's face, as if trying to see through all the recent changes in him.

It was actually quite heartbreaking for her. This seemed to be the first time that, since their parting in Beidou years ago, she had seen him all alone, without any other woman by his side.

Splash...

Under the watchful eyes of the two women, Tan Lin poured himself a cup of tea, sat down, and then slowly said:

"Not long after returning,

Seeing that most of the clansmen in the Chixia River region of the Southern Domain had already migrated, I decided to stop by and take a look. I already knew that Elder Li and a few others were unwilling to leave, and I also knew that it was my two younger sisters who had helped the Xiang family out of a predicament many years ago.

I thank you both in advance. This is just a small token of my appreciation; please accept it.

His tone was calm, as if he were just chatting casually with an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

As soon as he finished speaking, he piled the tea leaves in front of the two women.

Upon hearing this, Chi Yao's heart stirred slightly, but she did not put the tea leaves away.

She carefully sensed it and discovered that the aura of the person before her was as deep as the sea, exceptionally solid and heavy, giving her, who was of the same level, a feeling of unfathomable depth.

At this moment, recalling the rumors circulating outside that the other party had apparently transcended the tribulation to the seventh level of Quasi-Emperor in just two or three hundred years, and now observing his demeanor, he already had some guesses in his mind.

"Brother's cultivation is becoming increasingly unfathomable."

Chi Yao picked up the freshly brewed Enlightenment Tea, took a small sip, and felt the unique Daoist essence spreading within her body. She whispered:

"I heard that you reached the high level of Quasi-Emperor more than two hundred years ago. Now you must be not far from that step... right?"

When does my brother plan to... achieve mastery?

Her question was subtle, but her meaning was clear.

For a physique like the Undying Golden Body, reaching the Great Completion stage means being able to challenge the Supreme Beings, and standing at the pinnacle of humanity, overlooking all the heavens and myriad realms, even without the presence of the Great Emperors…

Upon hearing this, Tan Lin smiled slightly, put down his teacup, and gazed at the distant sea of ​​clouds:

"It's almost done, but it's still a bit lacking in the right amount of heat, so we need to wait a little longer."

He didn't specify what he was waiting for.

However, neither Chi Yao nor Chi Xuan were dull-witted. They could vaguely sense that he had grand ambitions, far beyond simple success.

Chi Xuan had been listening silently, but suddenly spoke, her voice slightly strained:

"Brother, your visit is probably more than just a casual stop and a thank you. Is there something important you need?"

Her gaze was intense, carrying a hint of scrutiny and a subtle, almost imperceptible, unease.

Upon hearing this, Tan Lin turned his gaze back to the pair of twin lotus blossoms, whose appearances seemed to be cut from the same mold but whose temperaments were quite different, and remained silent for a moment.

Uh...

The wind on the cliff top seemed to have subsided a bit, the aroma of tea filled the air, but the atmosphere inexplicably became somewhat stagnant again.

"There is indeed one thing."

Finally, Tan Lin spoke up in reply.

His voice remained calm, but it lacked some of the casualness from before and was more solemn:

"I need something from both of you sisters. Would you be so kind as to grant me that request?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Yao's hand holding the teacup tightened slightly, and Chi Xuan's jade-like body under her gauze skirt also suddenly tensed up.

"What?"

Chi Yao asked softly, her eyes clear as she looked directly at Tan Lin.

Tan Lin met her gaze and slowly uttered two words:

"origin."

Boom!

These two words were like a thunderclap exploding on the cliff top.

Upon hearing these words, Chi Yao and Chi Xuan's expressions changed instantly.

The essence of physical constitution!

For cultivators, especially for those with special physiques like them, the origin is the foundation, part of the Dao foundation, and the source of water for their future path!

Damaging one's origin can lead to a decline in cultivation and the severing of one's path to enlightenment, or even death and the dissipation of one's cultivation!

Tan Lin… this brother we haven’t seen for many years, he actually asked them for the source of their essence the moment he appeared?!

In terms of position,

Chi Xuan's face turned pale instantly, her delicate body trembled slightly, and her eyes were filled with disbelief and confusion.

Compared to her, Chi Yao was much calmer.

But her clear, bright eyes suddenly sharpened, staring intently at Tan Lin, as if trying to discern the true meaning behind his words.

"Brother... what do you mean by that?"

Chi Yao's voice remained steady, but it carried a hint of feigned coldness.

Tan Lin remained expressionless and continued:

"My two younger sisters, rest assured, I do not intend to take you by force."

Due to the requirements of my cultivation, I truly need a special, high-level, heterogeneous source.

However, taking a portion of your essence will not harm your fundamental nature. You only need to rest quietly for a period of time to recover, as compensation..."

He paused slightly at this point.

Then, as if to enhance credibility, he pointed to the pile of enlightenment tea leaves on the table:

"I can offer you a portion of the essence of the Ancient Tree of Life and the Ancient Tea Tree of Enlightenment, two immortal divine medicines, to help you replenish your damaged essence, stabilize your foundation, and accelerate your recovery."

With the essence of the divine medicine, even if it doesn't elevate your abilities to a higher level, your lifespan will at least be extended accordingly...

So, what do you two young ladies think? Of course, if you are unwilling, given the long-standing friendship between our Chi and Xiang families, I will not force you..."

After speaking, the two women looked at each other in bewilderment.

The terms offered by the other party were undeniably generous.

The ancient trees of life and the ancient tea trees of enlightenment are considered immortal medicines. The essence of such medicines is extremely rare and hard to come by.

If this is true, it will naturally be enough to make up for the loss of one's original essence, and may even bring about unexpected transformations. As for the increase in lifespan, that will be a natural consequence.

In terms of "value," the compensation Tan Lin offered far exceeded what they were required to pay in this transaction.

However, the fundamental matter concerns their own fundamental principles, and how can it be measured by simple, superficial "value"?

Besides, can the other party be trusted now?

Chi Yao remained silent in response.

She looked at Tan Lin, into his calm and deep eyes, trying to find some clues within them.

Subjectively speaking, she naturally wanted to believe that Tan Lin wouldn't really harm them. Otherwise, given his hidden strength and methods, he could have easily taken them by force. Why waste so much breath and trouble, and even ask for their opinions?

But that's precisely why she was even more puzzled as to why he needed their essence.

When did the cultivation of the indestructible golden body become so unpredictable?

Shouldn't it be grand and upright?

At least that's how it is described in the ancient books of the Chi family regarding the Xiang family's ancestor who achieved the Great Completion Golden Body...

Of course, things are unpredictable, and she couldn't say for sure what might happen.

However, although the innate Dao embryo and the primordial spirit body are also top-tier physiques,

However, compared to an ultimate physique like the Undying Golden Body, it still falls short at certain stages.

However, in practice, it varies from person to person.

Whether a cultivator is strong or weak ultimately depends on the individual. If someone is truly exceptional, even a mortal can reach the pinnacle!

And that fellow disciple of the same Suiren Emperor from another era, that "Heaven-Swallowing Maiden," seems to be...

Is it...

A thought flashed through Chi Yao's mind like lightning.

She suddenly remembered the long-standing rumors about the "Devouring Goddess".

He recalled his relationship with Tan Lin, and the rumors that whenever Tan Lin defeated an opponent, he would devour the opponent's physical essence to benefit his own cultivation path...

Yes.

It must be for her!

Only that woman, on that wicked path, would need so many different kinds of top-tier physical origins.

Upon understanding this, Chi Yao suddenly felt a pang of indescribable bitterness and melancholy.

…………

Chapter 264 The One-Month Term (Bonus Chapter with 10,000 Words, Please Subscribe!)

So that's how it is...

So, he came here for his fellow disciple?

Lost in thought, Chi Yao lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes concealing the already subtle complex emotions within them.

Reason told her that this deal was not actually a bad thing for the Chi family, or for her and her sister.

The elixir of immortality, as compensation, is enough to make the Chi family's foundation even stronger and their path to enlightenment smoother.

After all, the elixir of immortality is a divine object useful even to emperors, capable of granting them a second life. With their current cultivation level, even a portion of the elixir's essence should be more than enough to restore them...

Moreover, judging from Tan Lin's attitude, he was indeed sincere and never showed any domineering attitude. He always spoke to them in a consultative tone.

On a personal emotional level...

She felt a strange sense of loss and melancholy.

Even the so-called senior sister who appeared later could make the other party go to such lengths?

"Ha ha……"

Just as she was silently weighing her options, Chi Xuan, who was standing to the side, suddenly let out a cold laugh.

The laughter was soft, yet full of sarcasm, and the tone was incredibly complex.

Upon hearing this, Tan Lin and Chi Yao both looked at her.

Chi Xuan raised her head, her face drained of color, her eyes even slightly red. She stared intently at Tan Lin and said, word by word: