Chapter 99: Returning to the Sect

Tonight is the last night in Linghua Valley, and everything that needed preparation has been nearly completed.

Gu Qingqing and Sheng Yun, two young women, had agreed to go into town to buy some floral teas and pastries to bring back to the sect.

Earlier, they had purchased some with Yan Xun during the Flower Festival, intending to present them to Granny Qin.

Song Yan sat quietly in the courtyard, savoring the tranquility.

He truly adored this little courtyard.

“Although the grotto dwellings within the sect are rich in spiritual energy, living there for a long time can feel stifling, don’t you think?”

Xiao He was sitting on the ground, seemingly lost in her own world, but when she heard Song Yan speak, she nodded blankly.

Having lived in caves since childhood, she felt no difference.

“I’ve heard that once you enter the inner sect, the grotto dwellings come with their own small courtyards.”

She was quite envious.

“Ding…”

A communication talisman rang outside the door.

Song Yan stepped out of the courtyard.

Unexpectedly, it was Liang Feng who arrived.

“Daoist Song, sorry to disturb you.”

He was somewhat surprised.

He had thought Liang Feng would be under strict supervision.

But soon, he discerned the reason.

There was a numbness about him—though still alive, his entire being exuded a faint sense of impending death.

At present, Liang Feng’s cultivation had fallen from the tenth level of Qi Refinement down to the sixth.

His spiritual power was unstable even at this level.

His hair had turned slightly white.

Though he still wore a faint smile, the helpless despair in his demeanor was something even mortals could perceive.

“Daoist Liang.”

In truth, the two were not very familiar.

Yet after a moment’s thought, Song Yan invited him inside.

He poured a cup of floral tea.

To Liang Feng’s surprise, Song Yan was the first to speak.

“Brother Liang, I’ve heard about your situation. What are your plans moving forward?”

Liang Feng had always found Song Yan to be a peculiar presence.

At first, he thought Song Yan was simply perceptive, able to sense his abnormality.

Then, in the valley forest, when Song Yan produced another lotus seed and shattered the conspiracy between him and the man in the yellow robe.

Now, facing him—the traitor who had betrayed Linghua Valley and consorted with demonic cultivators—Song Yan acted as if nothing had happened.

Perhaps this was why, before leaving the valley where he had lived for decades, Liang Feng still clung to a faint hope to see him.

“I... what plans could I possibly have?”

Liang Feng gave a bitter smile—seeming sorrowful, yet there was a trace of relief compared to when he first entered the courtyard.

“In truth, I long ago anticipated that such a day would come…”

“To be frank, outside Mount Beiya, I had already found a secluded and serene place.”

“Full of spirit and untouched by humans.”

“I had thought…”

Suddenly Liang Feng shook his head, leaving the sentence unfinished.

“I never thought I would survive.”

Song Yan merely sipped his tea and listened.

“That’s for the best. My wife and I both love flowers. In that secluded valley, I will plant flowers and plants, and care for her for the rest of her life.”

“This time, with my cultivation dissipated, there is no hope of foundation establishment in this lifetime.”

“Being expelled from Linghua Valley means no more wandering around. Instead, I have more time to stay by her side.”

Song Yan nodded.

Liang Feng had come close to death several times.

It was no wonder he had grown indifferent to the world.

After he finished speaking, the two sat silently drinking floral tea.

The atmosphere in the courtyard fell into a quiet stillness.

After a while, Liang Feng set down his teacup.

His eyes still held despair but also something else faintly stirring.

He looked at Song Yan.

“Daoist Song, that lotus seed entrusted to me…”

“Is fake.”

Song Yan blurted out.

The flicker of hope that had appeared in Liang Feng’s eyes immediately extinguished.

Indeed, how could it be otherwise?

After years of study, to still be indulging in such daydreams was absurd.

Not only meaningless, it had disturbed someone’s peace.

He gave a self-mocking smile and was about to take his leave.

But then Song Yan’s fingertips glowed with spiritual light, and a soundproof formation slowly spread out.

“Brother Liang…”

Song Yan suddenly spoke.

Liang Feng’s eyes widened slightly.

He felt an incredible hope take root and sprout within his heart.

“But if it were true…”

“What would you do?”

Song Yan looked into his eyes.

“You may only answer once.”

Liang Feng fell silent for several breaths, feeling his heart regain vigor, pounding strongly, his gaze becoming clear.

“Though it may take a long time, I am confident I can make them more and more!”

Song Yan frowned.

“How can that be? An ancient lotus can only produce one seed, right?”

Liang Feng shook his head.

“The Records of the Hundred Flowers describe various spiritual flowers based on current conditions and hearsay.”

“Dried seeds can induce ancient lotus flowers, which theoretically can bear seeds.”

“But due to innate limitations, even theoretically, only one seed is produced.”

“However, if the seed itself is a true moon lotus seed, it’s an entirely different matter…”

Song Yan interrupted him, somewhat puzzled.

“If you truly had such ability, why wouldn’t Linghua Valley let you plant that mature spiritual seed to grow more lotus seeds?”

As soon as he asked, he realized the answer himself.

Liang Feng smiled bitterly.

A whole valley of cultivators and spiritual plants…

Even knowing that the ‘spiritual pearl’ was actually a moon lotus seed, who would risk allowing such an experiment?

“Time frame?”

Without hesitation, Liang Feng answered, “Three years! The moon ancient lotus requires little spiritual energy; as long as there is sufficient vitality, it grows and matures rapidly.”

Compared to many precious spiritual plants and objects, this speed was indeed quite fast.

“One last question.”

Song Yan looked at him.

“What must you do for me to believe you?”

Unable to conceal his excitement and hope, Liang Feng took from a small pouch a jade vial containing tiny insects.

They were a pair of pale yellow bugs, one slightly larger, the other smaller.

The larger one curled protectively around the smaller.

Song Yan’s heart skipped a beat.

Mother-and-child heart-linked bugs.

Without hesitation, Liang Feng used spiritual power to draw out the smaller insect, then handed the vial containing the mother bug to Song Yan.

Song Yan was surprised.

“You had prepared this long ago?”

“Of course.”

Liang Feng smiled freely.

“This is probably my only chance in this life.”

Hearing this, Song Yan nodded.

The moonlight in his palm no longer concealed itself.

Liang Feng swallowed the small insect into his abdomen without hesitation.

…

The next day, Lu Ziye, along with three outer sect disciples, bid farewell to the members of Sheyang Sect.

“Thank you, Senior, for your care this time.”

Cong Yuzhen shook her head.

“I had invited you all to enjoy the flowers and have fun, but didn’t expect so many troubles. I cannot take responsibility for your hardships.”

Having spent time together recently, everyone had grown familiar with Senior Cong Yuzhen.

Though her emotions remained steady, she surprisingly enjoyed joking around.

“Brother Yesheng, come visit Sheyang Sect when you have the chance!”

“Definitely!”

Song Yan smiled warmly.

“Train diligently. When the time comes, you and I will spar at Longtan Mountain.”

“As far as I know, the nine-branch competition at Longtan Mountain doesn’t allow outer sect disciples from the six great sects to participate, right?”

Since the Night Incident at Wanghu, Cheng Yu had rarely appeared before the group, but today he finally showed up.

Unfortunately, his first words were unpleasant.

They hadn’t seen him for several days; they had thought he might have been killed by Sheng Nian taking advantage of an opportunity…

Ah Nian is really slow.

“Daoist Song, focus on your cultivation. Within three to five years, first reach the late Qi Refinement stage…”

“Cheng Yu…”

Unexpectedly, Cong Yuzhen spoke up.

“How are you any better than him?”

Cheng Yu was caught off guard and speechless.

“Disciple…”

“If not for your parents’ protection, would you even be in the inner sect now?”

“Disciple… disciple knows his mistakes.”

Cheng Yu’s face flushed; he hadn’t expected his senior to reprimand him.

Cong Yuzhen looked at Song Yan.

“Don’t take it to heart.”

“It’s nothing.”

He hadn’t expected this senior from the other sect to speak on his behalf.

Cong Yuzhen and Lu Ziye exchanged a few more polite words.

Then both parties boarded their spirit boats and departed.

“Let’s go!”

“Return to the sect!”

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