Chapter 2277 A Short Gathering
Lin Mu and Ziran eased the group's concerns and explained what had happened.
The two also told them about their discovery of the Death Qi geysers being stopped as well as the crater with the river flowing into it.
After hearing it all, the group was a bit surprised but was pleased, nonetheless.
"If no more Death Qi is being added to the area, it might eventually dissipate. But we still cannot go out in such density." Crown Prince Feng Shun was the first to speak.
"Indeed. It would be far too risky when we cannot see much." Elder Hu was in agreement.
"Can your skill be used continually?" Daoist Chu asked Ziran. "At the level needed to see through the Death Qi? Not for long." Ziran shook his head.
"Hmm. Then its best we stay in here till it's a more opportune time." Crown Prince Feng Shun stated.
"Yes, it does seem like the better idea." Lin Mu replied. "We can prepare better for it too now." He added.
The group discussed a bit more about what they should do, as well as all they had done in this time. "Ah yeah, I think I'll have the Three Colored Dazzling Mud Lotus seeds soon enough." Crown Princess Shang informed.
"Oh? Has the seed pod developed?" Lady Kang asked.
"The petals have all fallen off, and the peduncle has enlarged. It shouldn't be more than three months before the seed pod has fully developed." Crown Princess Shang stated.
"Huh, that's pretty fast." Lin Mu hadn't expected that. "Don't most immortal plants take longer to grow seeds?" he asked.
"They usually do, but the Three Colored Dazzling Mud Lotus is a bit different." Crown Princess Shang replied. "It's actually one of the reasons why most have been unable to find its seeds. The seed pod develops quite fast and then falls off. This, combined with the rarity of the Three Colored Dazzling Mud Lotus makes it incredibly difficult to come across them in the first place.
And of course, most just end up plucking the flower, so the seed pods often don't even get the chance to form." She explained.
"I see…" Lin Mu spoke. "Though it's good, I suppose."
"What about the other two plants?" Qiao De asked, feeling quite excited.
"Those will take longer to develop flowers, for sure." Crown Princess Shang replied. "Most Three Colored Dazzling Mud Lotus plants only form one flower at a time since it takes a lot of energy to do so. Even at the earliest, I don't see one forming in the next ten months." She added.
"We'll just have to wait then." Qiao De replied, feeling his excitement lessen slightly.
But the others in the group were still feeling good about it. Getting even a single Three Colored Dazzling Mud Lotus flower was a rare thing after all.
The group decided to disperse after that, with Qiao De and Ziran heading to their rooms first. Ziran needed to rest his eyes, as they were still a bit strained and also figure out the changes in his bloodline. Qiao De on the other hand simply wanted to cultivate.
Min Ju and Elder Hu also went away first after being dismissed by Lady Kang. The two knew they needed to be a prepared for anything, thus they were also eager to cultivate more.
Daoist Chu stayed to converse for a while more but left after half an hour along with Crown Princess Shang who was gonna go tend to the lotuses.
This only left Crown Prince Feng Shun, and Lady Kang there with Lin Mu.
"Looks like Daoist Mu Lin hasn't shaved for a while." Crown Prince Feng Shun said, seeing the decent sized beard that had grown. "This is the first time I'm seeing you like this," He added.
Lady Kang also looked at Lin Mu for a while more than usual.
"It does suit him though." Lady Kang stated. "Perhaps you should keep it." "Now that I think of it," Crown Prince Feng Shun tilted his head. "It does work for Daoist Mu Lin." He nodded his head.
"Hmm," Lin Mu didn't know what to think of it, as he had never kept a beard for long before.
Most of the time, it had only grown because he hadn't shaved similar to now. But he had never intentionally grown it out.
Being a body cultivator meant that his body's metabolism was faster and as such, his hair grew rather fast too. If he wished for it, he could even stimulate his hair to grow faster than usual.
Growing six to ten inches of hair in a month wouldn't be an issue for his body at all. But he simply let it stay at its natural rate as there was no need for it.
Though this was something that was handy if Lin Mu ever needed to disguise himself, as it would allow him to change his appearance in a relatively short time. It would even be a disguise that was quite natural and wouldn't be see through.
"I guess I'll keep it then." Lin Mu said after thinking for a minute. "I wish I could keep one." Crown Prince Feng Shun said with a sigh. "But I'll have to wait a few thousand years."
"Why so?" Lin Mu was surprised, as there shouldn't be a problem for him to keep one.
"Ah, Imperial Protocol." Crow n Prince Feng Shun replied. "Princes cannot keep a beard until they either ascend to become an emperor or have left the race for the throne." He explained.
"I didn't know that." It was a new thing for Lin Mu.
Though he remembered that Feng Baxing didn't seem to have a beard either. And the same could be said for several other princes he had seen in the Rust Sky world so far. It was a custom that was probably native to the Rust Sky world. But as he was thinking of this, Lin Mu was reminded of something.
"Crown Prince Feng Shun, I need your help."