Chapter 84: Old Friends Reunited
“I truly apologize. I was originally ordered to meet you all here.”
“However, this Purple-Striped Dangkang went mad without warning, which is why…”
“It ended up requiring you honorable guests to intervene…”
Lu Ziye waved his hand. “It is of no concern.”
“Thank you, fellow daoists.”
Seeing that the other party did not blame him, he seemed to sigh in relief and turned to the group of cultivators:
“I will first escort our guests to Cold Flower Valley. You all must investigate the cause.”
“This is the best-quality mount for the upcoming Flower Festival procession. Nothing can go wrong with it.”
“Yes.”
Following Yan Xun, they headed toward the city center.
Aside from Lu Ziye, the three outer disciples had never been here before.
Not to mention mortals, even they as cultivators could not help but marvel at the beauty of this place with a single word.
North Watch Mountain City, eternal spring.
Stilt houses seemed to grow from old plum trees, with wooden beams sprouting where gnarled branches met.
Along the edges of bluestone tiles, not wild grass but strings of pale purple flowers grew.
Vine bridges spanned between surrounding buildings, with unknown cascades of flowers and creepers spilling from every conceivable direction.
“Wow…”
Gu Qingqing was already dazzled.
Li Qingfeng was also somewhat amazed. “North Watch Mountain City? Why not just call it North Fang Flower City?”
What truly amazed Song Yan was that the mortals here seemed to be very close to cultivators.
“Zhao… Auntie Zhao, what kind of flower garden would you like?”
A young man dressed as an independent cultivator was conversing with an elderly woman beside him.
“Just like Auntie Wang next door… maybe slightly bigger than hers…”
“This…”
The cultivator seemed hesitant.
“The flower garden is too large. Can you manage it by yourself?”
“Oh, it’s fine! I’m still very hale and hearty!”
“Alright… alright then. I’ll go to your home first to look at the yard.”
“Good child.”
“…”
Although they might not yet reach the level of equal coexistence described in the legend of Tranquility Sea City, it was already much better than many places.
“Everyone here truly loves flowers.”
He sighed.
Sometimes, a shared hobby can weaken the distance and barriers between people.
Regardless of status, wealth, or strength, when discussing a common interest, many things are easily overlooked.
Perhaps it was this very charm that led countless cultivators throughout history to immerse themselves in the art of cultivating the heart.
That was not just talk.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, Yan Xun seemed to see someone and signaled back to the four of them.
He then quickly walked forward.
A graceful female cultivator approached, her pace neither hurried nor slow.
“Senior… these are the daoists from Eastern Abyss Sect.”
The female cultivator nodded and looked at everyone. “Sun-Shooting Sect, Cong Yuzhen.”
Lu Ziye hurriedly bowed and sent a voice transmission to the three clueless juniors.
“This is a Foundation Establishment senior!”
Hiss…
The three quickly bowed.
They saw the senior slightly shake her head. “There is no need for such formality.”
“The Flower Festival… it is lively.”
This time, only three people from Sun-Shooting Sect had come for the Flower Festival.
This Cong Yuzhen senior was both an inner disciple and a nominal elder within Sun-Shooting Sect.
One person counted as two roles.
It was somewhat similar to Elder Xu Ziqing in their own sect.
Lu Ziye was Eastern Abyss Sect’s spokesperson here, so he naturally needed to step forward, stand beside Cong Yuzhen, and inquire about the matters concerning the Flower Festival.
The group strolled toward Cold Flower Valley.
Two cultivators wearing Sun-Shooting Sect disciple robes approached from the distance, one male and one female.
Song Yan saw the young female cultivator’s face and exclaimed in surprise: “Ah Yun?!”
Seeing Song Yan, the young woman’s face was also filled with joy.
“Brother Yesheng!”
The young woman was Sheng Nian’s biological sister, Sheng Yun.
Lu Ziye was somewhat surprised. “Oh? You two… know each other?”
Song Yan laughed heartily. Encountering an old friend in a foreign land—how could he not be happy? “She grew up playing with me since we were little. She’s practically my sister.”
“Brother Yesheng, before I came here, I heard that Eastern Abyss Sect would send disciples to North Watch Mountain. I was wondering if it might be you.”
“I didn’t expect it to really be you!”
Since entering the world of cultivation, without her two brothers by her side, she always felt a void in her heart.
Now, encountering Song Yan here, Sheng Yun was truly overcome with mixed emotions.
A sense of inexplicable comfort.
Seeming to feel ignored, the male cultivator’s expression became somewhat unnatural.
“I am from Sun-Shooting Sect, Cheng Yu.”
“I have met Daoist Cheng.”
Song Yan’s collar rustled as Xiao He poked her head out and greeted Sheng Yun: “Hiss~”
“Xiao He!”
Sheng Yun immediately hugged the little snake and kissed her several times.
“I missed you so much…”
Her eyes were almost brimming with tears.
“Hehehe…”
Cong Yuzhen watched as she chatted animatedly with that Eastern Abyss Sect disciple, sometimes laughing, sometimes complaining.
Her expression actually showed a hint of relief.
“This child… must have been bottling it up for a while…”
Song Yan composed his thoughts and said seriously: “Ah Yun, how did you join Sun-Shooting Sect? And what about Ah Nian?”
Sheng Yun’s expression darkened.
She recounted everything that had happened to Song Yan in detail.
Unexpectedly, after hearing it all, her expression remained calm and she simply nodded.
He even smiled.
“Don’t worry. Your brother can handle himself.”
“If all else fails, when he’s old, we’ll bring him to the immortal mountains to retire and live out his days. Hahaha…”
Ignoring Sheng Yun’s reproachful gaze, Song Yan’s heart was completely calm.
Ah Nian?
No one needed to worry about him.
“The Flower Festival is approaching. In recent days, North Watch Mountain City has become much more lively.”
As a local, Yan Xun introduced the situation to everyone.
“Many mortal merchants have come here to do some business.”
“Quite a few cultivators have also come because of its reputation…”
The group chatted as they walked.
They passed a teahouse.
Song Yan’s heart suddenly stirred, and he stopped.
“…”
After a moment of thought, he stepped forward and said:
“Seniors, I have an old friend nearby. Perhaps… you should go ahead?”
Lu Ziye was about to speak, but Cong Yuzhen shook her head.
“It’s fine. The Flower Festival is meant for fun and laughter. It should be this way.”
Song Yan was stunned. He hadn’t expected that although Cong Yuzhen senior appeared serious and aloof, her words were actually quite warm.
“I will return to Cold Flower Valley with your Senior Brother Lu to discuss matters. Yan Xun, you take them to look around.”
“Yes, senior.”
The group wandered around under Yan Xun’s lead. Xiao He didn’t want tea, so she slipped into Sheng Yun’s embrace.
Song Yan walked alone and stepped into the teahouse.
The interior was decorated in an antique style.
Upon entering, he was greeted by the rich fragrance of flower tea.
Step by step, he ascended to the second floor.
By the window on the second floor sat a man dressed in a wanderer’s attire, with a conical bamboo hat and a horizontal blade.
He sat by the window, gazing at Sheng Yun in the distance.
“This trip was worth it. I’ve gotten to see both you and your sister.”
Song Yan sat down in front of him. A cup of flower tea had already been poured.
The man chuckled softly and looked up slightly.
“Weren’t you just talking about bringing me to retire and live out my days?”
Under the conical hat was none other than Sheng Nian’s face.