Chapter 177: The Yellow Millet Pillow
After learning Shangguan Yu’s identity, Grandpa Ba’s eyes lit up, slapping Qiu Jin’an on the shoulder: “You can call me Old Ba from now on.”
“Get lost!” Qiu Jin’an shook off Grandpa Ba’s hand. The Dao Seeking Sect was indeed not a place to stay for long; he was about to spend a lifetime’s worth of anger here.
“Little Qiu, I think the Dao Seeking Sect is quite fun. It’s rare for us to come here, so how about we stay a few more days?” Shangguan Yu suggested.
Qiu Jin’an took Shangguan Yu and left without looking back, boarding the ship.
Shangguan Yu kept talking: “I’ve always taught you to be calm in the face of issues, to act coolly and remain steady. Look at you, you’re so big now, a sect master, and yet you often lose your temper. This isn’t good…”
Qiu Jin’an wore a dark face, offering no response.
Shangguan Yu wiped her tears: “The child has grown up and doesn’t listen anymore.”
Qiu Jin’an helplessly responded: “Mom, can you not act like a child?”“What’s wrong with being childlike? Your dad liked me just like this.”
“I…” Qiu Jin’an was at a loss, wondering what his father saw in his mother.
On the flying ship, Qiu Jin’an assigned tasks: “This visit to the Dao Seeking Sect, everyone is to write a 2,000-word reflection. It should include insights, reflections, and plans for the future. Hand them to me tomorrow!”
Instantly, there were groans all around.
…
In front of the Dao Seeking Sect mountain gate, Grandpa Ba waved goodbye to the departing ship, feeling dejected: “Do you think I have a chance with Shangguan Yu?”
The Grand Elder looked Grandpa Ba up and down with disdain: “You’re not even as handsome as me, and you’re thinking of pursuing her?”
The Third Elder solemnly said: “Second Brother, if you want to increase your generation, I won’t stop you, but I doubt Master will agree. Master is suppressing the Prison Peak and probably wouldn’t miss you.”
The elders, true to the tradition of kicking someone when they’re down, all advised Grandpa Ba not to dwell on it.
“Go, go, go!” Grandpa Ba shouted angrily. What kind of brothers are these, unable to say a single nice word?
“Let’s go check on the high-ranking members of the Undying Sect we captured,” said the Grand Elder. That was the pressing matter at hand.
On the martial training ground, Dao Seeking Sect disciples crowded around the high-ranking members of the Undying Sect, pointing and discussing them like rare animals.
This operation didn’t net all the infiltrators from the Undying Sect; two helmsmen and the patriarch remained at large, posing as Dao Seeking Sect disciples.
Lu Yang, holding the Yellow Millet Pillow, examined it curiously.
This was his first time seeing a celestial treasure.
The Yellow Millet Pillow was a pillow-shaped porcelain pillow, colored green-blue, with a blooming blue lotus painted on it with colored glaze.
“Is this the celestial treasure Yellow Millet Pillow that Little Lu mentioned?” the Grand Elder and others came over, also curious about the celestial treasure.
“Here, let me study it,” the Grand Elder took the Yellow Millet Pillow, very interested in items that could forcibly put people to sleep, as he specialized in dream-related powers.
The Grand Elder tried infusing a trace of spiritual power to activate the celestial treasure, but the spiritual power disappeared without a trace, and the Yellow Millet Pillow showed no response.
“Interesting.” The Grand Elder was even more curious about how to activate the Yellow Millet Pillow.
Yun Zhi wanted to tell the Grand Elder how to use it, but seeing his high spirits, she ultimately didn’t speak.
Let the Grand Elder figure it out himself.
After trying various methods, the Grand Elder couldn’t activate the Yellow Millet Pillow, becoming somewhat frustrated.
“How exactly does this thing work?”
Seeing the Grand Elder’s struggle, the captured Vice Grand Master of the prisoners laughed and said: “Foolish, this is a celestial item of our sect, how could you mere mortals have the qualifications to use it?”
While the Grand Elder was studying it, the Vice Grand Master mocked him, and the five high-ranking members of the Undying Sect also let out sarcastic laughter from time to time.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, the Grand Elder grabbed the porcelain pillow and struck the Vice Grand Master on the head with it, causing him to peacefully fall asleep.
“So, this is how the celestial treasure is used.” The Grand Elder, deep in thought, finally understood how to use the Yellow Millet Pillow.
Unable to hold back any longer, Yun Zhi advised, “Grand Elder, use spiritual power as a thread, and form a blue lotus on the back of the pillow, just like the one on the front, to activate the pillow.”
“I see.”
The Grand Elder used spiritual power as a thread to form a blue lotus on the back of the pillow and sharply tapped another high-ranking member of the Undying Sect on the head, who then peacefully fell asleep.
“It’s quite useful.”
The Grand Elder returned the pillow to Lu Yang, who also tried it according to the Eldest Senior Sister’s instructions, but without any reaction.
Everlasting Fairy mocked, “You think you can activate my treasure with your Foundation Establishment level cultivation?”
Lu Yang, having no choice, handed the pillow over to the Eldest Senior Sister for disposal.
Yun Zhi formed a seal with one hand, slowly infusing it into the Yellow Millet Pillow. Once the seal disappeared, she handed the porcelain pillow to the Grand Elder.
“Grand Elder, as the most proficient cultivator in dream-related powers in our sect, this item will be most effective in your hands. I’ve left a mark on the pillow, so even if it’s taken by outsiders, I can retrieve it.”
The Grand Elder was both surprised and delighted, earnestly thanking Yun Zhi. This was an extremely precious celestial treasure, and possessing it would elevate his combat capabilities to another level.
Already a powerhouse among those at the Unity Stage, with this celestial treasure, he could become an invincible existence within the Unity realm. Even Daoist Non-Speaker would have to be cautious around him!
Yun Zhi then passed on an ancient chant for the Grand Elder to memorize, saying that reciting it while using the Yellow Millet Pillow could enhance its power.
Curious, the Grand Elder inquired if Yun Zhi knew the meaning of this ancient chant.
Yun Zhi’s expression turned strange, suggesting it was best the Grand Elder didn’t know the meaning of the chant.
“Why is your pillow called the Yellow Millet Pillow?” Lu Yang asked Everlasting Fairy.
“Is it because you lay on the pillow making millet porridge, and during the process, you dreamt through your life, only to wake up and find the porridge wasn’t cooked yet?” Lu Yang recalled a certain legend. (TL Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BC_Dongbin#Yellow_Millet_Dream)
Everlasting Fairy nodded, “Pretty much.”
“That was when the pillow was first created. I invited Ying Tian Immortal and others for a meal, with millet porridge as the main dish. I was preoccupied and let the porridge boil over, bubbling and almost spilling out of the pot.”
“That’s when I remembered Nonuple Immortal once said, if you’re conducting an experiment and the liquid boils over, throwing a few broken porcelain pieces in can prevent it from boiling.”
“I didn’t have any broken porcelain, only the porcelain pillow, so I threw the pillow into the millet porridge. When I fished it out, the pillow was covered in millet porridge, hence the name Yellow Millet Pillow.”
Lu Yang: “……”
Does that have anything to do with what I guessed?
“Did it still boil over after you threw it in?” Lu Yang was curious about the follow-up.
“No, it didn’t.”
Just as Lu Yang was about to commend the method, he heard Everlasting Fairy continue, “I used too much force and broke the pot.”
Everlasting Fairy, still a bit shocked, “Luckily, Ying Tian Immortal and the others stood me up. Otherwise, having no main dish for the meal would have been terribly embarrassing.”
Indeed, the ability of immortals to foresee and avoid disadvantages is no myth.
(End of the chapter)