Chapter 83: Northbound to Dragon Spring
Several days before the Flower Festival’s departure, several outer disciples involved in the mission suddenly received a message. The departure list had changed.
The inner disciple leading the team, Lin Qing, was replaced by Senior Brother Lu Ziye.
This kind of thing was quite common. Everyone speculated that perhaps Senior Brother Lin had temporarily received other important duties and could not participate.
Lingyuan Ze Market.
Worry-Free Miscellaneous Shop.
“You kid are lucky, being sent to the Flower Festival.”
Qin Xijun had returned some time ago and was now in that languid state again, lying on a reclining chair.
Xiao He sat beside her, playing with that small jade ball.
Song Yan curled his lips: “What luck? Last time we went to Silent Valley, everyone said it would be fun. And what happened?”
“That was your bad luck.”
“How would I know if this time is bad luck or not?”
“I say one thing and you talk back twice? Getting an advantage and still acting innocent.”
“Okay, okay, I won’t say anything.”
If he talked back any more, Grandma Qin might lose her temper. He quickly stopped and changed the topic.
“Hey Grandma, I remember the Flower Festival happens every year. Why do you say it’s once every three years?”
Before at Shiliang, he heard every year about North Watch Mountain holding the Flower Festival.
“That was the minor festival, only for mortals to celebrate.”
Qin Xijun explained: “The grand gathering happens once every three years. Some special spirit flowers and herbs only bloom once every three years.”
“Oh…”
“What does the letter they sent say? ‘Restarting the ancient ceremony,’ what does that mean?”
Qin Xijun raised an eyebrow: “Ancient ceremony? Hmm… I think I heard someone mention it…”
“Many years ago, the grand Flower Festival had a wishing ceremony that both mortals and cultivators could participate in.”
“You would tie a flower petal with your wish written on it to a Peach Blossom Spirit Tree, and it was said that the wish would come true in the new year.”
Really?
Song Yan secretly scoffed.
If only it were true.
Hang “immortality” on a tree, and he wouldn’t have to cultivate bitterly every day.
“But, that Peach Blossom Spirit Tree apparently withered and died inexplicably many years ago, and no one could save it.”
“So the later grand gatherings never had this ceremony again…”
Qin Xijun was stunned: “No way? You happen to be going to the grand gathering this year, and this year the Spirit Peach is saved?”
“How would I know?”
“…”
“So when are you leaving?”
“Now.”
Song Yan tapped Xiao He’s head, and the snake baby entered her sleeve.
“I came specifically to say goodbye to ‘Master’ you.”
…
On the Wayfinding Plateau, Li Qingfeng and Song Yan arrived early and were chatting.
Senior Brother Lu Ziye seemed to be in a good mood.
He loved these kinds of sightseeing trips.
From the direction of Lotus Seclusion Peak not far away, Gu Qingqing’s figure hurried over.
“Huh?”
Song Yan and Li Qingfeng exchanged glances.
This seemed different from the list.
Li Qingfeng asked: “Junior Sister Gu, wasn’t it Junior Sister Yang Yuerong on the previous list?”
“Yuerong hasn’t met the requirements for external missions yet. The deacon elder might have made a mistake before.”
“Later when the list was sent to Senior Sister, it was changed to me.”
Gu Qingqing explained: “I also just found out and hurriedly packed.”
“I see…”
Actually, the requirements for external missions for outer disciples were not strictly defined.
For example, the previous Silent Valley mission, due to its originally very low danger level, allowed Song Yan, who had been in the sect for less than two years, to participate.
But in Yang Yuerong’s case, it was indeed difficult to participate. Her cultivation level was a bit too low.
However…
The more Song Yan thought about it, the more alarmed he became.
At first, who was on the list? Lin Qing, Li Qingfeng, Yang Yuerong.
Now the people on the list were being replaced one by one.
Who was it now? Lu Ziye, Gu Qingqing, Li Qingfeng.
How was this becoming more and more like the Silent Valley composition… Later, after carefully sorting through it, he believed it probably wasn’t his bad luck.
It was probably Gu Qingqing’s bad luck.
From Silent Valley to Peach Blossom Wharf, she was there every time.
He should try to stay away from her in the future. This girl was very unlucky.
Seeming to notice his gaze, Gu Qingqing smiled brightly at him, two shallow dimples appearing on her face.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Lu Ziye summoned the Spirit Boat.
Exactly the same as the last time to Silent Valley…
This time, since there was a Spirit Boat, Li Qingfeng wouldn’t be riding his black pot.
Gu Qingqing took out a small, translucent bead from her Cosmos Bag and, with a surge of spiritual energy, let it float slowly.
Li Qingfeng was a bit curious: “Junior Sister Gu, what are you doing?”
“This is a Recording Pearl.”
Gu Qingqing explained: “Junior Sister Yuerong couldn’t go to the Flower Festival this time, so she asked me to capture the scenes of the grand gathering for her.”
“Then why are you using the Recording Pearl now?”
“You don’t understand, right? Just recording the Flower Festival scenes, although exciting, lacks buildup.”
“I’ll record everything before and after, so when Junior Sister Yuerong watches it, she’ll feel the grand gathering is truly exciting~”
“Oh.” Li Qingfeng was somewhat surprised: “An expert…”
Dragon Spring Prefecture was in the northern part of the Chu Kingdom.
There were two places in the Chu Kingdom that were cold year-round. One was Jiangyun Prefecture, closest to the Great Heavenly Mountains in the south, and the other was Dragon Spring Prefecture.
Among these, the climate at North Watch Mountain in Dragon Spring Prefecture was somewhat different.
This could be considered the warmest place in the northern border.
The Spirit Boat’s flying speed was much slower than sword flight, so the Spirit Boat flew for nearly three days before arriving near the North Watch Mountain reception point.
This was a place similar to a tea plantation.
However…
There were only some mortals managing the farm work here, and no cultivators to receive them.
Boom—
Just as the group was puzzled, a sound came from the distance.
They saw three or five cultivators chasing a first-stage mid-rank demonic beast, rushing toward the tea plantation.
“?”
The four Eastern Abyss Sect disciples looked at each other, unsure what this was about.
But with a demonic beast approaching and mortals in the tea plantation, they couldn’t afford to be dazed.
“Little Song, you and I will assist them and intercept the demonic beast.”
“Qingfeng, Qingqing, go take those mortals to a safer place.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
A green light flashed at Lu Ziye’s fingertips, and several thick green vines and tree branches burst from the ground below, tying the demonic beast’s limbs tightly.
Oiii—
A miserable scream.
Only now, getting closer, could they see this first-stage mid-rank demonic beast was a Purple-Striped Mountain Pig.
This type of demonic beast had relatively weak aggression and a very gentle temperament.
In some places, it was called the Dangkang under the name of auspicious beast.
Song Yan wondered to himself, what did these people do to provoke such a demonic beast?
He summoned the Untethered Vessel, ready to unleash his flying sword.
But from afar, he heard someone among those cultivators shout: “Fellow Daoist! Fellow Daoist! Don’t kill it!”
He slightly withdrew his spiritual energy, and the originally thrusting flying sword tilted slightly, heavily “slapping” the Purple-Striped Mountain Pig on the forehead.
Oiii—
Another miserable scream.
Under the previous chase by many cultivators, the already exhausted big pig now collapsed heavily, panting heavily.
The cultivators surrounded it, unsure what they were doing.
From among them, a young man walked toward them.
“You must be the fellow Daoists from the Eastern Abyss Sect?”
The four nodded.
The young cultivator smiled sheepishly, a look of shame on his face.
“I am Yan Xun, a disciple of the Yan family from Sword Forging Manor.”