“This object is called Dream-Building Lotus, the top-grade immortal plant of our Illusion God Sect.”
“Exchanging it for your Sword Qi Seed of the Emotionless Sword Dao lineage, you’re getting a great deal.”
It wasn’t just a great deal; this trade was so lopsided it made Ming Mengmeng’s heart ache.
Though this Dream-Building Lotus wasn’t the original body, it was still comparable to a Heavenly Rank Immortal Plant, far more precious than a mere Sword Qi Seed.
Even with the whole Illusion God Sect nurturing it, a small flower like this still required three hundred years of illusory energy to accumulate.
The reason she gave such an incomparably precious immortal plant wasn’t out of fear for that bastard Feng Linyi, but rather the result of Ming Mengmeng’s evaluation of Xiao Qingxuan.
As a Dao Venerable specializing in mental energy, she had an inexplicable premonition.
This little disciple at Half-Step Spirit Transformation before her would, in the future, become an extraordinary existence like the destined protagonists in novels and storybooks.
“Thank you, Sect Master Ming.”
Xiao Qingxuan didn’t know much about immortal plants; as long as she could recover Ye Luqing’s memories, it was fine.
But the fact that merely a glance could affect her so much clearly indicated this immortal plant’s grade was not low.
Ming Mengmeng waved a hand in the air, and the Dream-Building Lotus seemed to be draped with a layer of golden gauze; the deep purple light immediately dimmed.
This was a Restriction Spell Ming Mengmeng had placed on the Dream-Building Lotus; otherwise, with Xiao Qingxuan’s Half-Step Spirit Transformation realm, she would fall into an illusion realm the instant she touched it.
“Be careful when undoing the Restriction Spell. If this seal is gone, everyone on your Heavenly Sword Peak might fall into an illusion realm.”
Even cultivators of the Void Comprehension stage could be affected by the Dream-Building Lotus; only one at the Dao Integration realm could seal this immortal plant.
Ming Mengmeng gently guided the Dream-Building Lotus toward Xiao Qingxuan, instructing:
“The effect of the Dream-Building Lotus is to construct a dream comparable to reality, then make the dreamer believe it as true.”
“I’ve already understood the situation of your little lover through your memories. If my judgment is correct, her memories weren’t damaged but erased, so they can’t be restored.”
“So the only way is to reshape her memories and cognition, rewriting what was erased.”
“The entire process is led by you, meaning whatever memories you want her to have, she can have.”
Ming Mengmeng rested her elbow on the armrest of the jade throne, her chin propped on her right hand, her crimson eyes flickering, the corner of her mouth curving into an ambiguous smile that was neither righteous nor evil.
Overwriting and rewriting memories—this was the terrifying aspect of the Dream-Building Lotus, and also what countless people craved.
A person’s character and behavioral logic are often tied to past memories and experiences. So whatever kind of person you wanted, the Dream-Building Lotus could shape corresponding memories.
It could turn a fickle person devoted, a cowardly person brave, a kind person malicious…
Even if you wanted someone who despised you to fall hopelessly in love with you, the Dream-Building Lotus could easily achieve it.
If this immortal plant fell into the hands of an evil heretic, it could cause the downfall of a nation.
Xiao Qingxuan silently gazed at the small flower floating in her hand, a question arising in her heart.
What kind of A-Qing did she truly want?
The A-Qing before losing her memory was undoubtedly the best, but she didn’t want to make A-Qing retrace the path she had taken before.
She deeply regretted how she had treated A-Qing back then. If she could do it over, she would definitely treat their relationship well from the very beginning.
Should she let A-Qing become the little follower who trailed behind her once again? Or use the Dream-Building Lotus to directly advance their relationship further?
No.
She indeed wanted to do all that, but she wouldn’t permit herself to.
Ye Luqing was a living person, not her possession or appendage.
As for how to use it, she felt she still needed to think it over.
Watching Xiao Qingxuan’s constantly wavering heart, Ming Mengmeng curled her lips meaningfully.
Still too conscientious, not at all like a disciple trained by that bastard Feng Linyi.
But this did align with the pure-hearted nature of Sword Cultivators of the Emotionless Sword Dao lineage: emotionless toward all things in the world, yet extremely emotional toward their Dao Companion.
So-called ‘important person’—a Sword Cultivator of the Emotionless Sword Dao could only choose one in their lifetime, as the saying goes, ‘One life, one world, one pair of lovers.’
Or, like that bastard Feng Linyi, break through to the Dao Integration realm and attain transcendence, no longer bound by rules.
“Give me the Sword Qi Seed, and we’re even.”
Xiao Qingxuan nodded, flicking out a strand of energy from her fingertip, containing boundless Sword Qi.
Ming Mengmeng looked at the Sword Qi Seed in her hand with satisfaction, then waved toward Xiao Qingxuan as if she had lost interest in her.
“You can go.”
Xiao Qingxuan gave a slight nod and transformed into a beam of sword light, departing.
After Xiao Qingxuan left the Phantom God Palace, Ming Mengmeng’s gaze at the Sword Qi Seed gradually grew fanatical.
She let out a long breath, as if to vent all the resentment she had accumulated over the years.
“Feng Linyi, I can finally remove this damn Sword Mark…”
She held the key to controlling the Sword Slave Mark in her hand, carefully bringing it close to the pink Sword Mark on her lower abdomen.
The moment she brought it close, she suddenly stopped her hand, her breathing growing increasingly ragged.
Ming Mengmeng’s throat moved slightly. Somehow, her mind recalled that year, the nearly ultimate pleasure of her body being filled with Feng Linyi’s Sword Qi.
“Gulp…”
“Just try… just one try.”
She extracted a strand of Sword Qi unique to the Emotionless Sword Dao from the Sword Qi Seed and gently injected it into the pink Sword Mark.
“Gwuuh!”
“Hoooooh——”
Ming Mengmeng collapsed uncontrollably onto the jade throne, her swan-like neck extended upward. Her fair skin instantly flushed crimson and hot, and her entire body trembled as if being electrocuted.
The next moment, unable to withstand the immense force, the jade throne instantly crumbled, and the uncontrolled Dao Rhythm of the Dao Integration Realm Dao Venerable swept through the entire hall.
The Sword Qi within the Sword Qi Seed was extremely pure, beyond compare to ordinary Emotionless Sword Qi.
A single strand of Sword Qi Seed could nurture hundreds or even thousands of strands of Sword Qi, and its allure to a Sword Slave was almost fatal.
Inside the sea of flowers in the main hall of the Phantom God Palace, vast patches of flowers swayed with Ming Mengmeng’s Dao Rhythm.
The deep purple pistils opened and closed, and even the style trembled lightly, spraying out pink-purple floral juices one after another.
“Pfft pfft…”
After a quarter of an hour, Ming Mengmeng finally regained the ability to speak from the immense impact.
Saliva had dripped from the corner of her mouth down to her collarbone; her white hair was plastered to her face; a faint pink mist rose around her body, and a dazed smile lingered on her face.
“As expected… as expected of Emotionless Sword Dao, the potency is really strong…”
“Hehe… the weak, trashy Sword Qi of Illusion Sword Art really can’t satisfy me after all.”
“Hehehe… big and thick Emotionless Sword Qi ❤…”
The Illusion Sword Art had been inherited in Illusion God Sect for over a century. The world believed it was the fourth major sword school created by the Sect Master of Illusion God Sect to oppose Feng Linyi.
But in reality, it was just Ming Mengmeng wanting to nurture Sword Dao seeds to use their Sword Qi to pleasure herself.
However, after experiencing the Sword Qi of that unparalleled Sword Dao genius Feng Linyi, no other Sword Qi could satisfy her anymore.
And today, she had encountered a Sword Dao genius comparable to Feng Linyi, and the high-quality seed could also satisfy her.
Ming Mengmeng dragged her limp and powerless body, swaying as she stood up.
Though her body seemed exhausted, those crimson eyes blazed brightly.
She drew out a somewhat thicker strand of Sword Qi from the Sword Qi Seed and tremblingly directed it toward the pink, glowing Sword Mark on her lower abdomen.
“One more, the last strand…”
“Hehe, Feng Linyi, This Lord, This Lord will not lose to you…”
“Gulp…?”
“Hoooooh ❤…”
At the same time, aboard the Flying Boat.
Looking down at Illusion God Sect, completely shrouded in purple illusory mist, Xiao Qingxuan’s expression was somewhat solemn.
Half an hour ago, Illusion God Sect announced a temporary closure, likely because Ming Mengmeng was undoing the effects of the Sword Slave Mark.
The Sword Slave Mark was a contingency her Shizun had left on Ming Mengmeng, capable of controlling a Dao Integration Realm Dao Venerable at any time.
On the surface, trading the Sword Qi Seed for the Dream-Building Lotus seemed highly profitable, but it involved deeper implications.
As a Dao Integration Realm Dao Venerable, Ming Mengmeng would certainly be able to undo the control of the Sword Slave Mark after obtaining that Sword Qi Seed, undoubtedly making Feng Linyi lose a trump card.
But Xiao Qingxuan had no regrets; as long as she could recover A-Qing’s memories, any price was worth it.
Xiao Qingxuan sighed. After returning to the sect, she would voluntarily seek punishment from her Shizun.
When the time came, she hoped Shizun wouldn’t blame them too harshly.
