The Ever Spring Mistress's words made the Saintess feel a bit lost.
"That isn't exactly something I can do." The Saintess stated.
"But aren't you out here now?" The Ever Spring Mistress asked. "I was surprised that you're actually in an Immortal world. You rarely leave the Serpent Moon Sect after all. And even if you do, you only appear in the Celestial gatherings." She added before a look of realization appeared on her face. "WAIT! Don't tell me you're out having fun alone?!" the Ever Spring Mistress asked bringing her face close to the Saintess. If anyone in the Serpent moon sect or even the celestials that knew about the Saintess were to see this, they would be stunned. The Saintess was not one to let others close to her most of the time, and especially not let anyone act like this.
And yet, she was tolerant of the Ever Spring Mistress.
It was an astounding scene that few would ever get to witness. "Enough," The Saintess rolled her eyes and pushed the Ever Spring Mistress's face away.
"Fine." The Ever Spring Mistress said before sitting down. "We can at least have tea right?" She asked.
"Sure." The Saintess replied.
"Good, I got some Fresh Three Rivers tea picked on the first day of Spring." The Ever Spring Mistress said and took out a small pouch. This time though, the Saintess actually showed an expression of interest. "I knew you would want it." The Ever Spring Mistress said and opened the pouch, releasing a faint fragrance that was rather unique.
If one smelled it, they would feel like they were sitting on a boat floating down a river that was surrounded by a field of flowers on both sides. "Did you make it?" The Saintess asked.
"Of course! I even went to Northern Celestial court and asked the Black Tortoise clan for access to the Great Three Rivers Gorge." The Ever Spring Mistress replied with a proud look.
"No wonder…" The Saintess said, as the Ever Spring Mistress started preparing the tea.
She used a teapot made from solid clouds which automatically filled up with water and added the Fresh Three Rivers tea to it. Strangely enough, the tea leaves looked like flickering water!
And when the tea leaves touched the water in the teapot, they instantly dissolved causing the water to churn. If one looked into the churning water, they would feel like they were staring at a whirlpool swirling in a shifting river.
What was even stranger was that the fragrance of the tea spread in the entire courtyard, and a faint image of a massive gorge appeared above it. If a mortal were to look at it, they would think that they were hallucinating. It was simply too strange!
"Here you go," The Ever Spring Mistress poured out a cup for the Saintess and let her have a taste.
The Saintess brought the cup to her face and gently lifted the veil, letting her red lips be unmasked but for a moment.
"Mmmhmm… Your Proficiency in the Dao of Tea has increased once more." The Saintess said feeling impressed.
"I've been practicing a lot." The Ever Spring Mistress nodded. "Having no disciple made me too bored, and I just decided to focus more on hobbies." She spoke.
"Only you would consider it a hobby… Your proficiency in the Dao of Tea has already turned into a Dao Icon." The Saintess said cheekily.
"What can I do? My friend hadn't talked to me in two hundred thousand years, I had to focus on something." The Ever Spring Mistress replied. "It just so happens two hundred thousand years were enough for the Dao of Tea to form a Dao Icon." She said as a matter of fact.
The Saintess didn't respond and simply continued to enjoy the tea. In a few minutes, the tea was all gone, and the illusory image of the gorge also disappeared. "So tell me… What are you actually doing here?" The Ever Spring Mistress finally asked. "I doubt you would go out of the Serpent Moon Sect without a reason. And I'm sure no one would dare to ask you for a favor from the Celestial courts." She added.
"I'm out because of the Serpent Moon Sect." The Saintess replied. "Do you remember the Seven Ancestral Serpents?" She asked.
"Yeah, you asked me to keep an eye out all those years ago." The Ever Spring Mistress nodded. "We've found them." The Saintess replied. "There's one that the sect found, and two more that were found here." "What?!" The Ever Spring Mistress was surprised. "Here? Did you find them?" She asked.
"I did." The Saintess nodded.
"Then what's left? You just need to take them with you right?" The Ever Spring Mistress asked next.
"It's not that simple." The Saintess replied. "I do not 'own' them." "What do you mean?" The Ever Spring Mistress narrowed her eyes. "The Ancestral Serpents… They were raised by a cultivator… and are also bound to him by birth." The Saintess revealed.
"Bound… You mean tamed?" The Ever Spring Mistress asked feeling surprised. "Can someone even tame those? Aren't their bloodlines too strong to be imprinted?" "I thought so as well. But I was proven wrong." The Saintess replied. "So a cultivator in the Rust Sky World has them." The Ever Spring Mistress muttered. "I don't see how that's hard though. If they are in the Rust Sky world I'm sure they're at most an immortal. You simply need to offer them a chance to join the Serpent Moon Sect. No Immortal would let go of an opportunity to join a Celestial power." She suggested.
"That's the thing. They have accepted my offer already." The Saintess replied. "But they are also not someone I can command." "Do they have a backing?" The Ever Spring Mistress narrowed her eyes. "Another celestial?" "If it was a Celestial, it would still be manageable." The Saintess said, her expression serious. "But when it's the Pillars of the Void… Things lose meaning." ~clack~
The teacup fell from the Ever Spring Mistress's hand upon hearing that name.
