After crossing a valley, Shirley and the others passed through a glimmering veil of light that rippled like the surface of a serene pond. This veil of light appeared to be a light of concealment that hid their settlement.
On the other side was a breathtaking sight.
Nestled within a pristine valley suspended in the clouds, the Celestial Descent Light Spirit Tribe's settlement looked like something out of a sacred myth, causing their jaws to drop.
Brilliant towers of crystal and radiant stone floated on circular platforms, each one connected by shimmering bridges made of condensed light. Soft beams of sunlight refracted endlessly across the entire area, casting rainbows that danced in the air. There were no walls, no gates. The entire settlement was like one community. As they floated forward, they moved past lush floating gardens filled with luminous flora that bloomed under the nurturing essence of light. Trees with silver bark and translucent leaves gently swayed even though there was no wind, each leaf reflecting Shirley and others' faces as they passed.
Pools of radiant water shimmered, with spirit fish darting through beams of sunlight. that pierced the surface. However, they were the only tiny spirits here. There were a lot of small insect spirits and other spiritual beings that existed as a manifestation of nature. It was as though even the light itself was alive and playful here.
But as they walked through, these tiny beings fled.
"It usually isn't crowded here. The moment you humans came here, all the wisps rushed to our place, seeking shelter."
The leading Celestial Descent Spirit offered some explanation.
She was a female spirit clad in a white robe. She possessed blonde hair and a curvaceous figure. A pair of beautiful white wings adorned her back, making her look quite heavenly.
Shirley nodded.
One could rarely see a wisp in the true immortal world, but in the Elemental Dimension, there were plenty. Wisps were not spirits, but they were categorized as such since they were also a product of the manifestation of elemental energy. Some called them wisps, wisperoids, or even minor spirits.
They didn't pose any harm but were in high demand since they could be used as auxiliary ingredients in pill making. Some even keep them in their ponds or gardens, allowing them to roam free. However, they generally didn't go near anyone, not even spirits, unless they were sure that they could be safe in their presence.
Nonetheless, they continued forward.
Structures shaped like spiraling towers and domes dotted the landscape, each made of semi-transparent crystal with a pale golden hue. They pulsed gently with the rhythm of heaven and energy, making the atmosphere further tranquil.
Dozens of light-attributed spirits flitted through the air, some resembling human-like figures with luminous wings that were obviously Celestial Descent Light Spirits, but there were also others with different features. They all turned toward Shirley and her companions with genuine smiles and nods, their presence serene but powerful.
"There are also other spirits living here..." Aila's lips parted in shock.
She fully thought that there would only be Celestial Descent Light Spirits here, but that didn't appear to be the case.
"This place..." Isabella murmured beside Shirley, her expression softening, "...it feels like walking inside our own garden."
"Indeed... the sacred aura of their light is soothing..." Shirley also couldn't help but nod.
"It's beautiful..." Bylai said softly, eyes wide with admiration.
Even the ever-composed Frostrose looked moved by the ethereal tranquility of the place. She extended her hands, feeling the prismatic light give her a warm feeling. She wanted to dance as her beastly instincts were one with the atmosphere, but she restrained herself.
The leading Celestial Descent Light Spirit turned and gestured toward a grand floating temple at the heart of the settlement. It had twelve slender towers spiraling around each other, crowned with halos of light. Runes slowly rotated above it, exuding a layer of pressure that formed a defense.
"This is our Celestial Treasury," she announced with a voice that resonated directly in their minds.
"Only Shirley may enter. The rest of you can wait or leave."
Shirley turned to look at her sisters, and they nodded. This place didn't seem bad so far, making them willing to trust these spirits.
"Go on. We'll wait here." Isabella nodded.
Shirley smiled, waved her hand, and walked inside.
The temple's door opened, and a golden light shone forward. It encompassed Shirley and the female Celestial Descent Light Spirit, and they disappeared into the depths of the radiance.
Shirley arrived in a vast space, far more expansive than what the temple's structure suggested. She instantly knew spatial runes or ores were utilized in this structure, making her understand that these light spirits were more than capable of imbuing inscriptions. Perhaps they had the help of light spirits who were also skilled in space attributes, like the Radiant Expanse Spirit, which was ranked seventh in the Emperor Grade Light Elemental Charts.
She had seen one outside, so it came to her mind.
"Welcome to the Celestial Treasury," the female Celestial Descent Light Spirit said softly, hovering beside her.
"You may choose ten treasures of the Empyrean Grade from here in exchange for the entirety of the light spirit essence."
"Cool-"
Shirley's eyes lit up. She was going to ask for five but was offered ten instead. She took advantage of their generosity and walked inside, seeing hundreds of resources stacked neatly under a spotlight, which was actually a space where the ingredients were kept sealed to preserve their energy.
She could only wonder how long these spirits were living here.
A million years? A hundred million years? A billion years?
She had no idea and didn't ask since she was focused on browsing through the treasures. It was a straight path while the treasures were stacked left and right on a pedestal under the spotlights. The more she walked, the more the grade of the
treasures increased.
Right now, there were too many Immortal Foundation Grade Treasures, so she hastened and appeared at the Immortal King Grade section. She didn't stop there and made her way further, entering the Immortal Emperor Grade section.
In this area, she saw there were around two hundred and fifty treasures and many empty pedestals under the spotlight. Clearly, these treasures were used frequently. Regardless, she wasn't interested in Immortal Emperor Grade Treasures. Finally, she appeared in the Empyrean Grade section, her heart throbbing with excitement. Here, the area quickly ended. There were only around forty-eight treasures, so after a few dozen steps, everything came to an end.
Most of them were ordinary resources that couldn't be categorized as heavenly resources, but still, their grade was high enough.
Shirley instantly walked to the nearest High-Level Empyrean Grade resource. This was a treasure suitable for those who had prowess or their cultivation base at Level Six Empyrean Stage and above. It was a wind-attributed treasure named the Skyworld Feather Leaf. Its appearance was like that of a leaf shaped like a feather of a roc, and it spun in a mini whirlwind.
Its raw effects helped one to comprehend Level Seven and Level Eight. Quiddity of Wind Laws, which was extremely sought out considering Empyreans and Autarchs nearly never comprehend law intents for their cultivation stage. They would remain at Level Four to Level Six Quiddity or even less, not even crossing the Immortal Emperor and Sovereign Stage's law comprehension threshold.
She knew making this treasure into a pill would give more insights and potentially allow the user to comprehend Level Nine Quiddity of Wind Laws.
"I want this one... and..."
She pointed at the Skyworld Feather Leaf and made her way forward like she was on a
shopping spree.