Chapter 42: Awe

Zhu Xiaoyuan kept a calm expression, but inwardly he could not help feeling delighted. Painting was not something he did absentmindedly; with An Yue'er causing such a commotion, she had actually brought him business!

“Everyone, please come inside with me first,” Zhu Xiaoyuan said, his face now beaming with a smile. At this point, he already regarded Xieming and Hongxi as guests in the world of business.

“Please, both of you,” Zhu Xiaoyuan gestured.

Xieming and Hongxi dared not walk ahead of him. Seeing Zhu Xiaoyuan invite them, Xieming promptly replied, “Please, senior, lead the way. We will follow behind.” His manner was respectful, showing not a hint of discourtesy.

Zhu Xiaoyuan sighed inwardly at their politeness. These cultivators truly were courteous, displaying none of the arrogance he had sometimes expected. He said nothing more and stepped forward to push open his courtyard gate.

The small gate was not fully closed. Zhu Xiaoyuan recalled distinctly shutting it tightly when he left. “Looks like the wind was rather strong today,” he remarked with apparent casualness, then swung the gate open and stepped inside.

Following behind, Xieming and Hongxi’s eyes grew serious. They could not help but marvel. Was the wind really that strong? Was the senior hinting at something else?

As everyone filed into the courtyard, although it was spotlessly clean, not a speck of dust in sight, they felt a pressure descend upon them that was hard to describe. It was as if a great mountain pressed upon their heads, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

“This place is far too powerful. We simply aren’t strong enough to set foot here,” someone muttered.

“Thankfully, we’re following the senior. If we had tried to force our way in, we might not have survived,” Xieming thought with a surge of terror.

Hongxi nodded in agreement. The shock of Zhu Xiaoyuan’s domain was overwhelming, even more formidable than the great formations of their own sanctuaries.

“I have a thought, Brother Xieming,” Hongxi finally murmured.

Xieming looked to him, waiting.

“I think those two night demons were probably destroyed not by the senior himself, but by the pressure of his domain alone,” Hongxi whispered. The longer he remained in the courtyard, the more convinced he became.

The two men, both at the pinnacle of supreme cultivation, began examining Zhu Xiaoyuan’s courtyard with greater care. Their gazes were inevitably drawn to the peach tree.

“That peach tree—is it an Immortal Peach?” Hongxi whispered in shock and awe, glancing nervously at Xieming. The tree looked vigorous, adorned with a dozen peaches, all plump and fragrant. Even standing in the courtyard, they could clearly sense the peach's aroma.

“It does look like an Immortal Peach tree… but aren’t those supposed to grow only in the Celestial Realm?” Xieming replied in disbelief.

Who could have imagined that such a simple little courtyard would house an Immortal Peach tree? Could it be that the senior had truly descended from the Celestial Realm?

Xieming and Hongxi stared in awe. Suddenly, the tree seemed to sense their gaze. A wave of spiritual force shot out from the tree, striking them directly.

Both men felt as though explosions erupted in their minds, their faces paling as blood surged to their lips. Terrifying visions flooded their consciousness—the Immortal Peach tree was warning them!

“Avert your gaze! Don’t look at it any longer. Nothing in the senior’s courtyard is ordinary. We must not look carelessly. Close your eyes at once!” Xieming urgently warned Hongxi.

If they stared any longer, their lives might be forfeit.

Hongxi heeded the warning and immediately lowered his head, staring at the ground, not daring to even glance at the peach tree again.

For all that, the shock in their hearts only deepened. They were both supreme cultivators at the very peak, yet just one look had nearly undone them. Clearly, this peach tree was no ordinary thing; it had likely gained its own sentience. If that were the case, they absolutely could not afford to provoke it.

At this moment, dread welled up even more strongly within Xieming and Hongxi.

“Please be seated, all of you,” Zhu Xiaoyuan said, indicating small wooden stools in the courtyard. He turned to fetch a teapot from inside the house. “My home is simple and humble; I have nothing fine to offer you but some plain tea. I hope you won’t mind.”

At his words, Yu Qiushui and Huang Xiantang became visibly excited, as if they had stumbled upon some great fortune, their eyes shining brightly.

They had tasted Zhu Xiaoyuan’s tea before—being treated to tea by such a senior was a blessing earned over many lifetimes. The group sat promptly, eagerly waiting for Zhu Xiaoyuan to serve them.

He poured tea for each of them, and everyone rose hurriedly to receive their cups. None had expected that someone as formidable as Zhu Xiaoyuan would personally pour their tea.

Xieming and Hongxi exchanged a knowing glance. Indeed, this senior was exactly as An Yue'er had described—unmatched in power and ability, choosing to live in seclusion, hiding his strength to enjoy the life of an ordinary person. Was this how all true masters lived?

Yu Qiushui and the others accepted their tea, took one sip, and immediately closed their eyes in meditation.

Xieming and Hongxi were stunned. They had entered a trance the moment they drank.

Hongxi stared at the tea in his hand. Clearly, what Zhu Xiaoyuan called “plain tea” was nothing of the sort. He and Xieming raised their cups and took a cautious sip.

A fragrant aroma blossomed, the essence of the Dao swirling within. Their eyes widened. This was no mere tea—it was the Dao itself, the very principle of the Way!

Before they could think further, their spiritual power surged. Every vein and sinew flooded with Dao essence; scattered fragments of the great Dao awakened and filled their bodies. Light began to seep from the very pores of their flesh.

As their spiritual power rolled, their supreme cultivation pressed ever higher—until at last, they reached the pinnacle of Supreme Perfection.

When they finally finished absorbing the tea’s effects and opened their eyes, both men were left trembling with awe.

Huanyue and Ruofeng also drank the tea and closed their eyes in meditation…