Chapter 90: Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus (Part 2)
For now, it was placed into the Cosmos Bag.
Afterward, the valley strolling, butterfly chasing, and flower viewing were relatively more free.
Moreover, because there was no longer any “reward,” many wandering cultivators who were devoted to cultivation had each departed and did not participate.
Tomorrow was the grand gathering. Senior Brother Lu had already gone early with Senior Cong Yuzhen to the main hall of Spirit Flower Valley to discuss matters.
The Eastern Abyss Sect group and the two disciples from Sun-Shooting Sect followed Yan Xun, playing together.
Flowers and beautiful women should have been relaxing and leisurely, but unfortunately Cheng Yu was a killjoy.
In front of Sheng Yun and Gu Qingqing, she always tried to offer some tiresome attentions and make some boring jokes.
Beneath the flower waterfall, beside the vine bridge.
Xiao He was coiled around Song Yan’s wrist, her snake tail clutching a cluster of spirit flowers, swaying back and forth.
A swarm of spirit butterflies surged out from the purple wisteria, and several of them actually hovered above Gu Qingqing’s head.
The valley was filled with flower spirits and spirit beasts.
However, they were all gentle-natured and peace-loving demonic beasts.
Li Qingfeng sinisterly pulled out the black wok from behind his back and pretended to shovel at the spirit butterflies, nearly startling Gu Qingqing into dropping her Recording Pearl off the bridge.
Everyone burst into laughter.
The sun set in the west, and they each dispersed.
Inside the bamboo courtyard.
An ancient sword lay across Song Yan’s lap.
The blade was mottled with blue-gray patina, its edge pattern winding like two intertwined green plums.
At the junction of the crossguard and blade, the ancient characters “Lianli” were carved.
Now that he had actually obtained the flying sword, he had instead become hesitant and at a loss.
He naturally could not investigate whether there were any mysteries within this ancient sword; he needed to rely on the wonders of the Twin Jade Pearl.
The previous Untethered Vessel had always been intended as the sword body for his future natal flying sword, so refining it with sword qi had been no problem.
But a sword cultivator’s natal flying sword was only one—so how should he refine this flying sword “Lianli”?
At this moment, the ancient sword lay before him.
Yet the Twin Jade Pearl showed no unusual activity whatsoever, remaining perfectly still.
“…”
After pondering for a while, he decided to first refine it with spiritual energy.
He slowly channeled spiritual energy into it, and after about a quarter of an hour, the refinement was complete.
Under his command, it moved as if his arm were his finger.
However…
The Twin Jade Pearl still had not produced any change…
“Could it be that sword qi is required?”
He shook his head and dismissed this speculation himself.
The previous “Heart Demon” had been sucked into the Twin Jade Pearl by it before he even made a move.
It was only after the demonic flame dissipated that he had proceeded with the refinement.
Presumably that was not the reason.
But he tried anyway.
Song Yan himself dissolved the spiritual energy and divine sense imprints, then refined it again with sword qi.
The Twin Jade Pearl still showed no response.
“It seems not every ancient sword can be ‘invited’ into the realm by the Twin Jade Pearl…”
He lamented inwardly but still could not figure out why the Twin Jade Pearl had shown slight activity initially.
He played with it for a while longer, then stored the flying sword in his Cosmos Bag.
Failing to achieve his original goal was somewhat regrettable.
But after all, it was still his prize.
The introduction said this was a flying sword forged by an ancient cultivator who died for love, before taking his own life…
At least it held great sentimental value.
Unfortunately, young Song Yan had no thoughts of romantic love at the moment. Otherwise, gifting it to a beloved dao companion would have been quite nice.
For now, it could only be placed into the Cosmos Bag.
Suddenly, Yan Xun’s voice called from outside the door.
“Fellow Daoist Song…”
Song Yan opened the door and invited him in.
After the valley strolling, Song Yan had asked him for a jade slip cataloging and introducing the various spirit flowers and plants in the valley.
He had not expected Yan Xun to deliver it right to his door, and even brought some flower tea along.
He scanned it briefly with his divine sense.
The Hundred Flower Catalog.
The jade slip contained a great deal of content, with very detailed introductions of various spirit plants.
Not rushing to send him away, Song Yan asked Yan Xun to stay for a cup of flower tea and chat for a while.
When the conversation turned to the Hundred Flower Catalog, Yan Xun’s enthusiasm was reignited.
“This flower catalog has actually always existed.”
“In Spirit Flower Valley, generation after generation of cultivators, there would always be flower enthusiasts who studied the way of flowers.”
“This version is the most detailed one in recent years.”
“Written by Big Brother Liang Feng.” Song Yan was taken aback. “Liang Feng?”
Come to think of it, Sheng Nian had once warned him to be careful of Liang Feng.
Yet until now, this person had always been well-behaved and had never done anything out of line.
At least in what Song Yan could see, that was the case.
Yan Xun nodded. “Yes, Big Brother Liang Feng and his beloved are both most fond of the way of flowers.”
“That is precisely why everyone feels most at ease leaving the position of Spirit Flower Valley’s chief steward in his hands.”
Liang Feng was currently at the tenth level of Qi Refining, not too old either—just in his early forties.
If he could have the resources to support him and establish his Foundation, there was still great hope.
He had ability, good relationships and connections—there was nothing wrong with him serving as this steward.
“Liang Feng’s wife?”
It seemed she had never appeared.
Yan Xun sighed softly. “Big Brother Liang Feng’s beloved wife suffered a grave injury over twenty years ago and has been in a coma ever since.”
“Hm?” Song Yan was startled. “What happened?”
Yan Xun pondered for a moment, then recalled, “I’m not entirely clear on the specifics. I only heard from the valley elders that over twenty years ago, several demonic cultivators were chased here.”
“In the fighting, Big Brother Liang Feng’s wife was caught in the crossfire. Though she still has life force, she has no consciousness and cannot awaken.”
“I never knew…”
“Later, Big Brother Liang Feng has been searching for ways to save his beloved wife all these years, traveling far and wide.”
“Unfortunately, there has been no result.”
“But fortunately, Big Brother Liang Feng has not become too despondent. He even joined with several seniors from Sun-Shooting Sect to attempt the exploration of the Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus spiritual seeds, and there has been some progress…”
Song Yan nodded slightly. During the valley strolling, he had heard Spirit Flower Valley cultivators mention this.
He had heard that though there were methods, the investment was too great, and it was difficult to preserve.
Let alone lotus seeds—the flowers did not even bloom fully.
They enjoyed flower tea together for a while longer, and then Yan Xun took his leave.
Sitting alone in the courtyard.
His divine sense sank into the jade slip.
He quickly scanned it and found his true target.
“Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus.”
Beside it was a painting of a lotus.
“When the bud first forms, it is like crystallized ice. After blooming, the petals are translucent as moonlight.”
“One Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus can only produce a single lotus seed.”
“At maturity, the moonlight cradles the seed, which is entirely lustrous white.”
“The lotus petals can be used to refine ‘Pure Moon Talismans,’ which suppress ghosts, heart demons, and illusions.”
“The moonlight spiritual qi released when the ancient lotus blooms can slightly improve a cultivator’s spiritual roots.”
“The Moon-Sustaining lotus seed can be used to refine many ancient formula pills…”
“Furthermore, the seed contains tremendous vitality. Legend has it that it can reconstruct a cultivator’s physical body.”
“…”
Song Yan felt a pang of regret.
He recalled that when the lotus bloomed, there had indeed been a beam of moonlight that cradled the seed.
He had not expected that the moonlight could improve spiritual roots.
His attention had been entirely focused on the lotus seed, and he did not know when the moonlight had dissipated.
“However, if that was not just luck, I can exchange for a few withered seeds from the valley cultivators. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future.”
Now it seemed that these withered ancient lotus seeds were not considered too precious among Spirit Flower Valley’s cultivators.
When Song Yan had learned alchemy before, he had known something about this.
Many of the precious spirit plants and herbs in the current cultivation world had gradually become scarce since long ago, and by now they were nearly extinct.
Presumably only in ancient ruins or lost secret realms could they be found.
It seemed the Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus was one of them.
Even its spiritual seeds were withered beyond repair, difficult to cultivate.
At the end of the Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus introduction, there appeared to be some experiential notes on forcing withered seeds to mature.
“The Moon-Sustaining Ancient Lotus spiritual seeds passed down through generations in the valley wither in places of yin filth.”
“If infused with the spiritual energy of a Pure Yang Thunder technique, their vitality may be restored.”
“However, thunder-attribute spiritual techniques are sufficient for cleansing filth but lack sharpness. They can only force the flower to bloom but cannot produce lotus seeds.”
“…”
So that was how it was…
He fell silent, but his mind grew active.