Chapter 88: Seeking Spirit in the Sea of Flowers
With the order given, the cultivators immediately scattered in all directions, racing against time.
The previously crowded area below Butterfly-Clapping Spring suddenly became empty.
Since only individual contributions would count in the end, there was no notion of forming teams.
Song Yan did not rush to set off, pondering quietly in his heart.
Spirit flowers and spirit seeds should also possess a special type of wood-attribute spiritual qi.
If he stored that spiritual qi within the Mystic Adversity Spirit-Worshipping Mask, would it slightly increase the efficiency of finding spirit seeds?
The cultivators touring the valley were all at the Qi Refining Stage. Without any special means, most could only search by releasing their divine sense.
If the Mystic Adversity Mask could be of some use, he would have a slight advantage.
Song Yan walked forward at a leisurely pace. Beside Butterfly-Clapping Spring, there was a stone platform, upon which several seeds were placed.
These were the various spirit seeds displayed by the Spirit Flower Valley cultivator when explaining the rules earlier.
“Fellow Daoist, pardon the disturbance.”
He bowed respectfully. “I wonder if I might take a closer look at these spirit seeds?”
The Spirit Flower Valley cultivator saw that he was a Eastern Abyss Sect cultivator and immediately dared not be negligent.
“Of course.”
For any cultivator participating in the valley tour, this was permitted.
Seeds came in many varieties.
From common to rare.
The contributions earned after they bloomed naturally varied as well.
The troublesome part was that the Mystic Adversity Mask could only store one type of spiritual qi.
If multiple types of qi were mixed together, it would likely lose its efficacy.
With no alternative, he chose the variety that was most numerous and had a moderate contribution value.
A wisp of spiritual qi was quietly drawn into the mask.
He was about to leave when he noticed a blackened seed at the very end of the stone platform.
“Hm? Fellow Daoist, it seems you did not mention this type of seed earlier.”
The cultivator heard him and looked at where Song Yan was pointing.
He then understood and explained: “Fellow Daoist may not be aware.”
“This spirit seed is called the Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus. It does not count toward the contributions for this valley tour.”
“Because this type of seed is few in number and extremely ancient.”
“Although there is still a trace of life force within it, it can no longer be stimulated to grow by mere spiritual energy.”
“In all the years Spirit Flower Valley has explored, the methods capable of making this Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus grow can be counted on one hand.”
“And because it does not grow naturally, once it blooms, it quickly withers and its spiritual energy scatters. It is difficult to preserve even within a Cosmos Bag…”
Song Yan understood.
Put simply, making this Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus bloom was not impossible.
But the investment was too great, and it was difficult to preserve.
The spirit plants grown from other spirit seeds could be preserved in large quantities and used for pill refinement, artifact refinement, talisman crafting, and formation drawing.
Compared to that, this Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus was somewhat of a chicken rib—useless yet wasteful to discard.
“When the mountain folk hid the spirit seeds, a few withered ancient lotus seeds were mixed in among them, so they were placed here for all fellow Daoists to identify.”
Song Yan nodded and asked no further questions, turning to leave.
…
Walking out from Butterfly-Clapping Spring.
He activated the mask, and the spiritual qi in the valley instantly spread like ink stains.
“It really works…”
Previously, Song Yan had tested the mask’s effects, but at that time he had been within the sect.
The traces of various types of spiritual qi were rather chaotic, and the results were not ideal.
Here, although there were also influences from other plants and spiritual beings, the traces were all faint and did not interfere with seeking spirits.
He channeled his spiritual energy, flew up and stepped onto the cliff wall, making several leaps toward the westernmost cliff of Spirit Flower Valley.
The ink stains shown by the mask indeed grew denser.
There, three seeds shaped like peach pits were embedded in the crevices of the cliff wall, concealed by some sort of illusion to appear as ordinary moss.
“This Spirit Flower Valley is truly cunning, hiding several spirit seeds together.”
“Some cultivators are destined to get nothing.”
He formed a sword with his fingers, about to retrieve them, when a crimson fire snake suddenly struck from behind.
Song Yan quickly dodged and looked back.
He saw Cheng Yu emerging from the forest behind him, wearing a smirk.
“Fellow Daoist Cheng… what is the meaning of this?”
Cheng Yu’s smile did not reach his eyes. “Forgive me.”
“I have been searching everywhere for flower seeds to no avail, and happened upon Fellow Daoist making a discovery here…”
“We both discovered them at the same time, so why not… share a few with me?”
The rules did indeed state that if two cultivators discovered spirit seeds at the same time, they could compete through combat.
However, this valley tour was primarily a recreational event.
Song Yan had instinctively assumed everyone would be amiable and courteous with one another.
He had forgotten that there was also the reward of a supreme-grade magical artifact hanging before all the cultivators.
…
Song Yan narrowed his eyes.
Before he could respond, flames surged with waves of heat. Cheng Yu’s toes lightly tapped the cliff wall.
The fire snake grazed the hem of Song Yan’s robe and blasted into the stone wall.
The vines on the cliff emitted green smoke, and the three spirit seeds were shaken loose, tumbling down.
Cheng Yu flew forward, channeling spiritual energy to seize the spirit seeds.
Song Yan immediately formed a seal with his left hand. Untethered Vessel transformed into a stream of light, striking straight toward Cheng Yu’s face. Hummm—
Where the blade passed, the sword sang clear and sharp.
“So fast…”
Cheng Yu’s pupils contracted. The jade token at his waist suddenly emitted a crimson glow, condensing into a semi-transparent fire shield before him.
Using the momentum, he retreated thirty feet, a talisman pinched between his fingers.
The talisman burned out in an instant, transforming into red light. More than ten fire arrows swooped in from all directions, sealing off every path of retreat.
The heat waves distorted the air, and even the stone wall glowed orange-red.
Pressing his advantage, spiritual light flashed at his fingertips again. A phantom longbow slowly manifested before him, spiritual light condensing into arrows.
Cheng Yu snorted coldly, feeling pleased in his heart.
Where did this nobody come from, to make Senior Sister Yun’er think of him so!
These fire arrow talismans and Metal-attribute Spirit Arrows would not be fatal, of course, but making him suffer a bit would be enough.
“Hm?”
But Song Yan neither dodged nor retreated. Several white sword shadows split from Untethered Vessel.
The sword light rose and fell, slashing all of the fire arrows to nothing.
Song Yan now had the Cloud-Sword technique completely mastered.
This was the benefit of specializing in a single path.
Now, in many situations, he could go beyond the original sword form, manipulating the sword shadows and sword light independently and flexibly.
The Metal-attribute Spirit Arrow shot forth, but the tip of Untethered Vessel tapped it precisely, and its spiritual energy collapsed instantly.
White sword shadows surged forward, circling around Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu’s expression shifted slightly. He was about to unleash another technique when he suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
He saw that Untethered Vessel had somehow circled behind him without his notice.
Song Yan channeled his spiritual energy again, his hand grasping at empty air. Vines swept the three spirit seeds back into his palm and stored them within his Cosmos Bag.
All of this happened in the span of a breath.
The dust settled.
“Fellow Daoist Cheng, the scenery in this Spirit Flower Valley is intoxicating. Fighting and killing would truly spoil the mood.”
He certainly would not actually kill anyone here.
At the Flower Festival hosted by the Sun-Shooting Sect, slaying an inner disciple of the Sun-Shooting Sect?
Song Yan wanted to live a few more years.
This person was better left for A Nian to deal with.
After all, he was a “demonic path” cultivator.
“I yield.”
…
Cheng Yu’s expression was grim, a flash of viciousness in his eyes.
But his face suddenly changed, his smile becoming warm.
“Heh, Fellow Daoist Song’s sword control is truly impressive…”
“I am inferior in skill and concede gracefully.”
“We are here to enjoy the flowers. Let us not harm our harmony.”
Song Yan chuckled coldly. “Naturally.”
He withdrew his flying sword.
Not the slightest bit courteous.
“Please.”
…
Cheng Yu gave him a deep look, then slowly retreated.
He vanished into the dense forest.
What an incomprehensible person.
Song Yan cursed silently. Where did all these lunatics come from, always resorting to swords and blades at the drop of a hat.
“I need to tell A Yun to be on guard.”
Why couldn’t this lighthearted valley tour simply be pleasant and amicable?
It was supposed to be all fun and games, yet they were even fighting over spirit seeds…
Truly…
“Hm?”
Muttering curses, he glanced back casually.
A black object caught his attention.
Perhaps it had been in that crevice all along, piled together with the three spirit seeds, hidden deep within.
He had not noticed it before.
When the tremor shook them loose, it had tumbled out as well.
“A withered Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus seed?”
Song Yan picked it up and turned it over in his hand, examining it for a moment.
“What lazy mountain folk, stuffing spirit seeds around so carelessly.”
He toyed with it as he continued searching elsewhere.
Apart from that ancient sword, Song Yan had no interest in the other prizes. However, since his cultivation was not based on wood-attribute techniques, he truthfully had no confidence in breaking into the top three.
For now, collecting more spirit seeds could never be wrong.