The mixed fragrances of three types of peaches came rushing to the nostrils, a scent that, if smelled by mortals, would grant them a thousand years of life.

The Rainbow Maidens neatly arranged the flower baskets on the table, where the sought-after flat peaches piled into a small hill.

Not only the fairies, but even Guanyin took notice.

"Mother, what about us?" the Seven Immortals hastened to ask.

"Birth does not matter!" the Queen Mother laughed.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what the first challenge is?" The Flowers Fairy asked impatiently.

The Queen Mother had initially prepared three challenges, but now that the Bodhisattva had arrived, she said, "Honored one, how about you set the first challenge?"

"I dare not defy the heavenly fate." Guanyin smiled.

All the fairies watched her eagerly as Guanyin pondered briefly and said:

"The flat peaches are placed in baskets before us, and I have heard that the ginsengfruit falls when encountering gold and withers when meeting wood, and must be placed in porcelain—this first challenge is for the fairies to weave a basket to contain the uncontainable."

Having said this, she looked towards the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother nodded, approving this first challenge.

The fairies immediately fell into deep thought.

Among those present, the fairies were not all human immortals; some were 'divine immortals,' deities of incense, such as the Rainbow Maidens, and so on.

If they passed the first challenge and ate the three-thousand-year flat peaches, they could reach the fourth level of Visualization, and it was possible for them to leave the 'divine immortals' to become 'human immortals,' and even earth immortals.

Other fairies who became human immortals or earth immortals, though not needing the three-thousand-year flat peaches, could also use them to reward their disciples.

Furthermore, wanting the six-thousand-year or nine-thousand-year flat peaches, meant they must pass this first challenge, hence they too wracked their brains.

"Please Queen Mother, Bodhisattva, to inspect."

The pondering fairies quickly raised their heads, thinking it was some earth immortal fairy, but saw the crystal-clear Gu She Fairy, carrying a bamboo basket.

"Gu She Fairy, what is this?" the Queen Mother asked.

"Fish basket." Yang Qinglan explained.

"Fish basket?" the Peony Fairy spoke out, "Gu She, is there a basket in the world that cannot contain fish?"

Chang'e sneered, "Peony Fairy, are you saying Gu She is inferior to you, unable to grasp the implications of the Queen Mother and the Bodhisattva's question?"

The Flowers Fairy and Chang'e were not on good terms; Peony was under the command of the Flowers Fairy. Naturally, Chang'e would seize any opportunity to demean her, especially since the other party had first mocked the Gu She Divine Woman.

In the cultivation world, strength is respected, but as peace reigned in the Heavenly Palace for a long time, strength gradually became less critical, and among the fairies, beauty mattered more.

In terms of beauty, Chang'e, Gu She (Yang Qinglan), and Wushan (Turquoise Pool) were in a league of their own. Besides Wushan, who was the adopted daughter of the Queen Mother and untouchable, the other two were thorns in the sides of all other fairies.

When the Heavenly Palace was first established, Chang'e would always lead the dance at major feasts, and she still did to this day, a point which the other fairies could hardly bear.

Those who were capable dislikes her for flaunting her beauty; those who were less capable hated her even more for living better on her looks alone. Moreover, Chang'e's aloofness incurred more jealousy.

In the Mortal World, all those legends about Chang'e flying to the moon, stealing spirit pills, and even Wu Gang chopping the tree in the Moon Palace, were all rumors spread by various fairies.

Therefore, Chang'e was particularly irritated by the Flowers Fairy, the leader of the fairies—she disdained bothering those flower fairies.

Gu She Divine Woman was slightly better, her greatest fault being that she never accepted any invitations to social gatherings, and her main mistake being friends with Chang'e.

The friendship between these two lone fairies might not have been easy for others to notice, but who would think Chang'e gave Gu She a Moonlight Palace Lantern, which Gu She carried whenever she traveled at night?

After all, laurel trees are only found in the Moon Palace.

—You really are brave; Guanyin is right here! (Turquoise Pool whispered to Yang Qinglan)

—Is she going to kill me on the spot? (Yang Qinglan wasn't afraid at all)

"Since Peony has doubts, Gu She, you demonstrate," the Queen Mother smiled, "if you can bring the Koi Spirit from the Heavenly River, you will have passed this challenge."

"Sister, I will go with you." Chang'e stood up.

"I also want to see!" Li Qianxia also stood up.

"Your Majesty, I will bear witness." Turquoise Pool smiled and requested permission from the Queen Mother, who smiled and nodded.

The four of them rode on clouds and left the Turquoise Pool, flying towards the Heavenly River.

In the Turquoise Pool, Guanyin pointed with her finger, and immediately a scene of the four appeared.

The quartet was seen floating on auspicious clouds, with celestial aura accompanying them, appearing like goddesses from a Dunhuang mural, embodying every mortal's fantasies about goddesses in looks, dress, and demeanor.

Clouds of good omen arrived above the Heavenly River; Yang Qinglan stepped out alone on the Golden Cloud.

"With the fish basket, you still need a rope; let me lend you one." Turquoise Pool took off the silk ribbon from her arm.

Worried about Yang Qinglan's fish basket being inadequate, she lent her the ribbon, which could summon good fortune and avert disasters.

Yang Qinglan understood her intentions, nodded, took the blue silk ribbon, tied it to the fish basket, and still threw the fish basket into the Heavenly River as if she was scooping water.

Along the Heavenly River, Immortals came and went. The carp Immortals in the river learned some Daoist laws, but they could not compare to the Great King of Numinous Power, who was constantly in front of Bodhisattva Guanyin's throne.

With the addition of Turquoise Pool's silk ribbon, just once, the fish basket scooped up a carp Immortal.

"Hey!" Just as Yang Qinglan was gathering up the fish basket, Li Qianxia suddenly had a stroke of inspiration.

"I've noticed!" She clapped her hands and laughed, "They say all efforts are wasted when scooping water with a bamboo basket, so I'll create one specifically for scooping water!"

"I want to see that!" Turquoise Pool laughed as she looked at Li Qianxia.

Scooping water with a bamboo basket is possible for anyone with even a bit of mana, but to pass this first challenge set by Guanyin using such a simple method was not allowed.

Li Qianxia set her hands in motion, the Giant Kun spat water, the Roc exhaled mist, and the combination of water and mist wove together into a basket.

The basket itself had no mana, only the power of Kunpeng, similar to how a rope on a crab sells for as much as the crab itself; now this basket had nothing special, yet it could hold water.

Anyone, including mortals without mana, could use it to hold water, and the effect was permanent, as if it truly was a basket specially made for scooping water.

"Queen Mother, Bodhisattva Guanyin, watch this!" Li Qianxia scooped water from the Heavenly River with the basket.

"Then I'll scoop moonbeams." Chang'e also wove a basket.

Turquoise Pool thought, "With fish, water, and moonlight, we only lack someone to enjoy the moon; I'll create a basket specifically for that purpose."

Combined with the concept of "Favored Concubine," a basket was made that could scoop up any mortal infatuated with moonlight.

The four baskets represented the accomplishments of each in their Daoist practices except for Yang Qinglan, who learned from Guanyin; this was the trick to the first challenge.

If Yang Qinglan had taken on this challenge alone, scooping ice, water, wind, fire, and so forth, all would have been effortless for her; her understanding of the natural world far exceeded that of the others, and Guanyin had said she would become a Heavenly Immortal faster than Li Changzhou had.

The four only stayed by the Heavenly River for a while before it was crowded with Heavenly Soldiers and Generals and various Immortals.

Officially, these people were there to witness the Immortal Law; however, everyone was actually there to see the Fairies.

The group rode the clouds back to Turquoise Pool. The Queen Mother asked Guanyin, "Honored one, what do you think?"

Guanyin smiled in response, "They are all top-notch Heavenly Immortals."

Heavenly Immortal is a high realm that naturally can be used to compliment someone, just like in the Mortal World 'jade,' 'flower,' 'dragon' are used to praise someone; this is the highest praise.

The Queen Mother smiled and said to the four, "Reward!"

The four Fairies, dressed in red, blue, white, and black, each presented a thirty-thousand-year-old Flat Peach to Yang Qinglan and the others.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The four spoke in unison, their voices so delightful that the Queen Mother nodded repeatedly, and additionally bestowed many Jade Dew.

What is Jade Dew? It's wine brewed from radiant energy.

Just one cup, and a third-level Earth Immortal must work hard for a month; it is coveted by everyone in the Heavenly Palace, and rightfully so.

"Your Majesty, I've also made one." Flowers Fairy stood up, "My basket can scoop lotuses in winter, plum blossoms in summer, chrysanthemums in spring, and peach blossoms in autumn."

She made a basket that could indeed defy the seasons and scoop flowers from all four seasons.

"Good, reward!" The Queen Mother said with a smile.

"Your Majesty, I also request a Flat Peach." Nine Heavens Mystic Goddess also entered the scene with a laugh as an Earth Immortal.

"Oh?" The Queen Mother grew interested, "Mystic Goddess, what will you scoop?"

"I've made a basket that can scoop morale—during a battle, a single basket down ensures both armies will retreat to their camps." Nine Heavens Mystic Goddess explained with a smile as she wove a basket.

"Peace on earth, forever without strife, this is the best!" The Queen Mother exclaimed, "Reward!"

Turning to Guanyin, the Queen Mother added, "Today at the Flowers Conference, it's all female Immortals; honored one, feel free to shed your status."

Guanyin smiled and bowed slightly, "Then this little monk will also make a fool of myself."

She opened her hand, divine light gathered, and a golden basket appeared in her palm.

"Bodhisattva, what is the use of your basket?" The youngest of the Seven Immortals asked curiously.

"This basket can scoop up those who sneak around stealing chickens and dogs; watch." Laughing, the Bodhisattva Guanyin glanced at Yang Qinglan and threw the golden basket toward the Mortal World, directly targeting Tongtian River.

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