Even though he had never been to the Sunbirch Kingdom, Yang Qing had been given an extremely detailed layout of the Kingdom that included vivid maps that were a rendition of the physical thing, down to the history and relationships of the kingdom with special detail given to Camel Lake Town.
Such knowledge helped him walk around the town with the same familiarity as he would in his backyard. Out of curiosity rather than head directly to the sect grounds of the Scorpion Lotus Sect, he decided to cut through the center of the town that was already bustling with activity just like Purple City of the Red Maple Empire was.
However, unlike the Purple City, Camel Lake Town didn't seem to have the vicious underbelly lurking within it like Purple City did. The liveliness of Camel Lake Town had a sense of warmth, unlike Purple City, which had a more cold transactional aspect.
"This smell.."
Yang Qing's gaze lit up when he was baptized by the aroma of the white butterfly lilies the moment he stepped into the town. It had a natural, gentle, and cooling sensation to it. Every time one breathed in its scent, it made one feel like they were being refreshed and renewed.
Yang Qing took another whiff as his eyes glittered from discovery.
"This gentleness, it resembles the gentleness of a jade yin liquid vein, could the lake have one.."To fulfill his curiosity Yang Qing made his way to the lake where he found countless cultivators admiring the beauty of the lake and the lilies as the gentle morning breeze carried its scent over. Some looked to be meditating next to it, however, no one seemed to dare step into the lake.
After walking into the area, Yang Qing understood why. There were experts both open and hidden at the late stages of the core formation realm surveilling the lake and also surrounding the lake there was a low-tier blue-grade array that had two functions. One was to maintain the conditions of the lake like a greenhouse, and the other was to serve as a barrier. The barrier was one way, it kept those out from getting in, but what was in the barrier could get out which was how the essence of the white butterfly lilies was able to pass through.
Yang Qing debated on whether to attempt to break in. The array was not overly complex, given enough time, he would be able to find its weak point. But ultimately he decided against it.
"Besides I don't need to go in there to confirm if there is a yin jade liquid vein within the lake.." thought Yang Qing as his amber eyes flickered with a shade of white. If one looked closely one would see the image of the moon flashing indistinctively within his pupils.
He closed his eyes, spreading his senses to the scent coming from the white butterfly lilies. With his eyes closed, he had blocked everything out, all that was there was darkness before a wavelike stream of grey appeared within the darkness, a second later that grey stream turned white, a mellow white which Yang Qing followed like a meandering river until he reached its source which was a pond of pristine white liquid that had a gentle coolness to it.
"It does have one, though the quantity is small, no wonder the kingdom let it be, maybe they hope its quantity will increase over time.." Yang Qing muttered, a smile appearing on his face as he turned to leave the area.
Yin jade liquid was purified and condensed yin qi. Consuming it could strengthen one's soul to double its size, along with also healing any wounds related to the soul that were considered the most difficult to deal with. Those with a yin-based physique would see considerable improvements in their abilities after consuming it. It was also an excellent ingredient for refining yin attribute potions, pills, or artifacts that were at the monarch grade. Even if it wasn't a yin-based weapon, quenching a weapon in yin-jade liquid increased the likelihood of the weapon or artifact awakening its spirit.
It was a valuable resource, however, it was exhaustible and took a long time to form. In his estimates, the small pond beneath the lake that was about 20 meters in radius had likely taken at least 5,000 years to reach that size. The vein likely squeezed a drop every few years which was why most used it sparingly or preferred to exploit its passive abilities that would not drain it like what the Sunbirch Kingdom had done.
Immediately after Yang Qing left the area, there was a commotion among the cultivators there.
"Old Cheng, do you feel something different?"
"Different? Different how? You're not about to use this as an excuse to shamelessly brag about being handsome are you? I don't mean to offend you, Ol' Bu but I've seen prettier green spit toads.."
"You? Good, and to think I spoke good things about you to Madam Ning.."
"Mmph, who are you lying to? You don't think I know, you've had your eye on her, and those good things you claim are telling her about me, you think I don't know it was you who lied to her that I have a loving wife, and two filial sons. Whatever chance I had with her is all gone. Even if I tell her it was a lie, that I have no one, she will just think I am a scoundrel trying to cheat.
Ol' Bu from now on don't say good things about me, I'd rather pay some bard... Mmh, this smell.."
"That's what I was saying, the scent of the lilies seems crispier. The fatigue I had from brewing potions all night seems to alleviating rapidly.."
"My thoughts seem clearer and faster. Has something happened to the lake?"
"Oi look at that.. do those lilies look to be dancing?"
"You're seeing things, Old Wen. Wait! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be breaking through, wait, those robes.."
"I already did a few hours ago. Those few months in seclusion without breathing in the lilies were pure torture. I felt like some part of me was dying in there. Ol' Huan look, they really are dancing.."
"Are you sure you need to be here? Shouldn't you be consolidating your base? If you're not careful then all the effort you put into breaking through will,.....wait they really are dancing.."
"I told you.."