Chapter 279 The grand event opens, with dazzling costumes, a galaxy of heroes, and Li Xian making his appearance.

The Flower Cage Gate has five sub-altars, each representing one of the five elements of heaven and earth. The water altar is located in Dongran Lake in Huaiyin Prefecture, Yuzhou. It is an extremely important secret, and only elders know its approximate location. One must be escorted by a messenger to enter the altar.

The red smoke is called "Qingniao Mianmianxiang" (清袅眠眠香). It is made from a variety of ordinary ingredients, including "red rouge flowers," "calming grass," "stone powder," "lotus stamens in the green pond," and "moon-viewing fruit," all carefully prepared.

"Ordinary items" are not cheap. Li Xian's "Tiger Saliva Stone" and "Golden Leopard Tendon" already have miraculous effects, but they are still considered "ordinary items." When martial artists talk about "ordinary items," they mean items that have special effects but are not enough to be called "rare treasures," ordinary treasures passed down through generations.

The delicate, soothing aroma of this incense helps one sleep. It can calm anxiety and soothe the mind. It is an excellent medicinal smoke. However, the timing is important; taking it at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM) is most effective and can double the chance of a cure.

However, if the medicine is taken at "Zi Shi" (11 PM - 1 AM), the situation is entirely different. The three main medicines, "Hong Yan Hua" (Red Rouge Flower), "Bi Chi Lian Rui" (Green Lotus Stamen), and "Pan Yue Guo" (Moon-Viewing Fruit), are all miraculous medicines whose medicinal properties change with the time of day. At Zi Shi, the medicinal properties of Hong Yan Hua and Pan Yue Guo clash due to the conflict between water and fire, while Bi Chi Lian Rui precisely mediates this conflict.

The medicinal properties suddenly changed. While it still retained its essential effects of aiding sleep and calming the mind, it also stimulated the mind's wandering thoughts and subtly enhanced one's interests and aspirations.

These random thoughts cover a wide range. They could be martial arts, love, the past... and so on. But a person's random thoughts often change depending on the circumstances they encounter.

The layout of this bedroom subtly draws one's thoughts to moments of pleasure and intimacy. The bookshelves are filled with various love stories and biographies.

Nangong Liuli had gradually adapted, falling asleep every night to the scent of the sleeping incense. However, feeling increasingly agitated, she spent the entire night meticulously studying the formula for the red smoke incense, managing to identify several key ingredients such as "red rouge flower" and "green lotus stamen." She vaguely guessed the effects of the red smoke. She spat and cursed, "These wicked scoundrels and lechers, if they directly used aphrodisiacs, I'd praise their sincerity. They're truly despicable. Humph, they had to resort to this shoddy sleeping incense."

"My heart is pure, am I afraid?"

Although "Qingniao Mianmianxiang" originated from the Flower Cage Sect, it is a legitimate medicinal product and is sold in many places. It is used to heal emotional wounds.

She inhaled this fragrance for several days. The incense shouldn't have aroused any romantic or distracting thoughts. But alas, she herself possessed such thoughts. They accumulated in her heart, making her increasingly anxious and resentful.

That day… she inadvertently glanced at the sandalwood box in the dressing table again. Thinking of its contents, her pretty face suddenly flushed red. Before, though she had felt something was strange, she hadn't thought much of it and had never made such a connection. In that instant, certain images flashed through her mind, and she immediately understood its purpose.

She was utterly mortified. "The Flower Cage Gate... how... how could they make such a strange thing?" she cried out in terror, fleeing far away and desperately trying to avert her gaze, afraid that her eyes would be offended if they fell on the sandalwood box.

Several more days passed in a daze, and her cheeks became slightly flushed. She clearly knew that "Qingniao Mianmianxiang" was not an aphrodisiac. But she couldn't help but curse and blame the change on it.

In reality, the fragrance of "Qing Niao Mian Mian Xiang" (清袅眠香) possesses the characteristics of "the pure remain pure" and "the impure remain impure." Those with no desires or wants in their hearts can fall asleep upon smelling its fragrance, its benefits being boundless. Those burdened by desires and wants, however, will find their hearts captivated by the fragrance, their greed insatiable.

She glanced at the dressing table, her mind wandering:

“I’ve come here, and there’s no hope for me in this life. Why bother with any more clan rules and precepts? Rather than being forced by those thieves, I might as well... Ah! What am I thinking? Why am I thinking like this... This is terrible. This place is extremely strange.”

She pursed her lips tightly, struggling slightly. Feeling unable to move, she felt a slight sense of relief: "Luckily, I'm tied up and can't move at all, so I won't do anything strange. Wait... how come being tied up is a good thing?"

"That wretched flower cage door!"

Her mind was racing, and she felt restless. After resting in bed for a while, she rolled over and jumped out of bed again. She looked left and right, trying to find something to relieve her boredom and distract her mind.

Her heart fluttered, and she thought of the little thief who had fed and drunk her in prison. She had never clearly seen his face, yet the hazy memory of him seemed to add a unique charm to it.

After enduring this arduous period for several days, completely isolated from the world, I spent my days sleeping, spacing out, and doing nothing else. It was precisely because of this extreme boredom that my mind became active.

She intended to steer her thoughts towards martial arts techniques. However, as she drifted off into thought, her mind kept wandering elsewhere. She wasn't particularly interested in martial arts; from a young age, she had been bound by clan rules and etiquette, and was expected to be dignified and proper.

Everyone admired her for her beauty; she was a noblewoman from the Nangong family, with an illustrious background.

Having been captured, her clan's whereabouts unknown, and all rules abolished, she felt a strange sense of breaking free from her cage. Bound, yet she felt a strange sense of freedom. She knew perfectly well that this feeling was wrong. But the lingering fragrance only stirred her thoughts, drawing out deeper reflections.

This was all her original idea.

But his disgust for the flower cage gate was also heartfelt. At this time, his feelings were a complex mix of emotions.

On this day, the door was suddenly opened. Four women dressed in black dresses, with exquisite makeup and beautiful faces, walked into the room, giggling.

Nangong Liuli turned her head away. The four women laughed, "You said you weren't a flirtatious girl. Why is your face so red?" Nangong Liuli said, "I wish I could kill you all!"

One of the women said, "Oh dear, you know what you're thinking. We won't argue with you."

Nangong Liuli was furious but had nowhere to vent her anger, secretly blaming herself for being so weak-willed. She had been dragged into this state by Qingniao Mianmianxiang. One of the women said, "Alright, sisters, stop teasing her. The grand event has already begun; we must prepare the prizes properly."

Nangong Liuli exclaimed in horror, "What? The grand event has already started? How much time has passed?"

The four women exchanged glances, giggled, and said playfully, "It's been a long time. You... hurry up and come along. Since you're the prize winner, you'll be allowed to go and see this grand event."

Nangong Liuli was filled with shame and anger, unwilling to comply with such a request. She secretly used the "Thousand-Pound Drop" martial art, her feet seemingly rooted to the ground, sinking deep into the earth without moving an inch.

Knowing she was resisting, the four women laughed, "At this point, further resistance is futile. Since you're not behaving properly, don't blame us." They moved like phantoms, instantly surrounding her, and said, "If you don't stop now, I might use 'Soft Breeze Finger Technique'!"

Nangong Liuli quickly stopped her cultivation, gritting her teeth, and could only suppress her hatred for the time being. "The situation is stronger than you, I'll go with you." The four women suddenly laughed and said, "Even if you stopped your cultivation, it didn't mean you didn't need to."

Four fingers shot out simultaneously, striking Nangong Liuli on her back, ribs, and abdomen. Her eyes widened, and before she could even feel anger, she let out a scream and was completely paralyzed. She was then lifted up by the four women and carried out of the house.

Nangong Liuli's eyes welled up with tears. The past few days had been nothing short of humiliating. She had been subjected to finger-pointing techniques, her internal energy struggling to withstand the onslaught, causing her to tremble slightly. And now she had to endure the teasing and mocking words of the four women.

About half an hour later, they arrived at a room where there was a finely polished silver mirror. It could reflect their entire makeup and reveal the details of their appearance.

The four women said enviously, "This girl comes from a good family, is beautiful, and has a top-notch figure. Alas... the four of us sisters are no match for her."

Nangong Liuli pursed her lips, forcing herself to remain silent. Four streams of energy traveled along her spine, seemingly mixed with some kind of medicinal power. Truly, they melted upon touching bone, softened the heart, and numbed the flesh…

They arrived at a warm pool, steaming gently. The four women removed her clothes and allowed her to wash herself in. Nangong Liuli felt relaxed as she stepped into the pool. She curiously looked around. The four women stood at the four corners of the pool, wary of any resistance from Nangong Liuli.

By this time, Nangong Liuli was already trapped in the bandits' den, feeling she had nowhere to escape. She then relaxed and enjoyed her bath, her pretty face slightly flushed. Since her capture, bathing had become a luxury. The cell at the bottom of the ship was stuffy and dark; she was drenched in sweat, her clothes constantly getting wet again. Even a warrior is still a "human," and she was bound to experience her share of hardships.

She was later confined to her bedroom. Her situation improved considerably, but washing herself was still difficult. Furthermore, she was plagued by distracting thoughts and anxieties. It was truly a case of spring's beauty being locked away in the depths of her boudoir.

Just like the beautiful scenery in February and March, with lush grass, misty water, and dewy spring.

She cared little for the raging flood and the impending calamity. After washing herself clean, four women brought her a wide towel, which she simply draped over herself, her long hair cascading down her back.

The four women laughed and said, "You are lucky to have received permission from above. They specially prepared a flowing, colorful dress for you."

They then took out a wooden box. Opening it, they found a set of exquisite clothing inside. The fabric, imported from the Western Regions, felt like gauze and silk, meticulously woven. The four women took out the clothes; it was a complete set of dresses and accessories. Silver hairpins, earrings, shoes, socks, sachets, pearl strings… many of the accessories were unfamiliar to them.

The candlelight illuminated the various accessories, creating a dazzling display of iridescent light. The four women carefully touched the fabric and said with ill intent, "You little rascal... you're in for a treat wearing this dress."

At first glance, Nangong Liuli found the clothes beautiful and wasn't particularly averse to them. But upon closer inspection, she suddenly felt a shiver run through her body and wanted to flee. Hidden beneath the garment were fine needles. Wearing them would inevitably cause them to prick her skin. However, the needles were so fine that she assumed it wouldn't cause any pain.

Upon closer inspection… the flowing robes fit Nangong Liuli's figure perfectly. The positions of the fine needles corresponded precisely to acupoints on her body. These acupoints were all targeted at the martial arts she had learned. If the robes were worn, these acupoints would be firmly controlled.

Then there's nothing that can be done, and they're at the mercy of others.

The four women said, "This is woven from the purest jade silk from the Western Regions. This kind of silk is dust-free and will not get dirty or messy even after being worn for several years."

It turns out that the Flower Cage Sect possesses extremely sophisticated and ingenious techniques. This set of clothing is exquisitely crafted, concealing a hidden world within. Its beautiful appearance hides a predicament.

Nangong Liuli fought back fiercely. However, she was weak, and although the four women's martial arts were inferior to hers, they joined forces and assisted Su Feng Yi Zhi Rou in their attacks. Nangong Liuli was unable to cope with them.

After a tense standoff, Nangong Liuli said in a deep voice, "Fine... I'll wear this!" She could only swallow her anger and temporarily suppress it. She began to dress, slipping on her light socks. She felt no needles at all throughout the process.

But the moment she finished dressing, her acupoints were restricted, and seventy percent of her strength was drained. She tried to circulate her internal energy, but when the energy flowed through several major acupoints, it was loosened by an invisible force, or blocked, making it difficult to cross the insurmountable barrier.

She can still draw upon her internal energy. However, she must bypass important acupoints, and the meridians through which she circulates her energy are all relatively narrow and secluded. Being unable to use martial arts techniques is essentially no different from having no internal energy at all.

It was like two armies at war, with supplies being transported from the rear. Wide roads were blocked. Supplies had to take long detours, sometimes even abandoning carts and horses to carry rice and grain across mountain roads. By the time the supplies arrived, the vanguard had already collapsed.

She truly became a delicate woman, completely at the mercy of others.

Moreover, the basic acupoints created by the acupuncture needles combined with each other have an unexpected and wonderful use, in addition to the random thoughts aroused by the "fragrant wisps of sleep".

Adorned in flowing robes, her beautiful eyes sparkled with delight.

His expression was very strange, and he was in great distress.

The four women said, "Don't rush, there's still some makeup to do. Do you want it to end like this?" Nangong Liuli groaned in despair, thinking, "Oh no... there's still makeup to do... I... I can't live like this!"

At this point, she was no match for him. Her face was made up, her lips were painted red... her makeup was made to be exquisite. Her hair was adorned with clouds and phoenix hairpins, and she was transformed... though there was resentment in her eyes, her appearance was exquisite.

It seemed more like an invitation to a banquet.

Nangong Liuli was filled with shame and indignation. But when she looked in the mirror, she was extremely beautiful. Her hair was as black as ink, and her figure was graceful.

Seeing this, Nangong Liuli felt somewhat comforted. With a slight movement, her brows furrowed, sensing something amiss. A fine needle, hidden within her clothing, pierced her skin. Her subtle movements tugged at the fabric, thus shifting the needle.

It then produced a miraculous effect, with a sensation like ants biting at various acupoints on the ribs, the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of the feet, and the spine. The whole body felt as if it had been gently swayed by a finger dozens of times.

Nangong Liuli stood frozen in the distance, barely able to breathe. The four women teased, "Good girl, come with us." Nangong Liuli tentatively took half a step.

She couldn't help but gasp and froze, her beautiful eyes pleading for help as she looked at the four women.

The four women said, "Oh right, we forgot to teach you the footwork. This outfit requires specific footwork to walk in."

The four women then taught her the footwork. Nangong Liuli dared not disobey and followed their instructions. She took a light step, and it was indeed effective. However, her gait was slightly unsteady, and she could only suppress her embarrassment.

They practiced for half an hour.

Nangong Liuli could walk without difficulty, but her speed was very slow. The four women nodded secretly, their mission accomplished. They immediately led Nangong Liuli out of the pavilion.

Nangong Liuli cried out in despair. She could only follow along, and seeing the sun high in the sky, she had no heart to appreciate it. She thought to herself, "The Flower Cage Sect has a long history, and it was that woman who led me to this predicament. There is no hope. I am stronger than anyone else, so I should just endure it for now and bear it for a while."

After traveling for half an hour, Nangong Liuli was drenched in sweat from exhaustion. Her exquisitely beautiful dress, with its flowing, flowing lines, was not breathable and allowed sweat to escape, as if deliberately designed to make her suffer. Furthermore, her walking style was extremely tiring for both body and mind, and her pace was slow.

Nangong Liuli asked, "Where are we going? Haven't we arrived yet?"

The four women said, "You can't wait any longer?" Nangong Liuli blushed and gritted her teeth. She hated the Flower Cage Sect to the extreme, but she was also restless and acting very strangely.

They walked slowly for another half hour. Nangong Liuli was so tired that she wanted to lie down and rest. But her flowing robes wouldn't allow her to make any other movements. She could only maintain her posture, straighten her back and chest, and walk slowly to preserve her graceful figure.

She felt dizzy and disoriented, not knowing how long she had been walking. She entered a small room with a mahogany chair inside. The four women said, "Please sit down."

Nangong Liuli was covered in sweat and was already extremely exhausted. She immediately went to sit down, but the moment the acupuncture points were activated, she felt completely powerless.

She thought to herself, "These thieving women are playing tricks on me. I'm wearing these clothes, and even walking requires careful planning. If I sit down, the needles will move."

She cursed weakly, "Bastard..." The four women said, "Hmph, you wretched girl, of all people to offend, you had to offend us."

The four women laughed and said, "This flowing, colorful dress has a proper way of sitting and walking. We four sisters can't stand your arrogant attitude. If you behave yourself and call us 'good sisters,' we will teach you all the techniques of sitting and walking. Although you can't fight, you can still move around freely. It's a bit troublesome, but it's all very good."

Nangong Liuli said, "Dream on."

The four women said, "Since that's the case, you'll just have to bear it yourself." The four women turned and left, closing the door behind them.

Nangong Liuli inwardly groaned, secretly regretting her actions upon hearing the door close. She wanted to turn around, but dared not move.

"I acted impulsively again, and now I'm in a terrible state. Even sitting or walking is difficult for me." She sat upright in her chair, not daring to move an inch. Suddenly, a beam of light shone in... and in front of her was a huge glass lens.

Below were eight arenas. Thousands upon thousands of onlookers surrounded them, creating a lively scene; all were members of the Flower Cage Sect's thieves.

Nangong Liuli took a few deep breaths, barely suppressing her palpitations, and stared intently at the arena. She hadn't seen anyone else there for a long time.

Preparations for the grand event were in full swing, and everyone was anxious. The sounds of fists and kicks, shouts and curses, and the excited cries of the crowd reached Nangong Liuli's ears. Her gaze wandered, searching for a certain figure.

"Where!"

Nangong Liuli gradually noticed.

Seeing a figure lying leisurely on a tree branch dozens of feet away from the arena, casually chewing on a straw, Nangong Liuli felt a surge of inexplicable anger, thinking of her own predicament. Filled with resentment and despair, she looked away.

The Flower Cage Sect excels in various martial arts, but is somewhat weak in martial arts. Nangong Liuli was filled with mixed emotions; she knew her fate was sealed, and today she would fall into the hands of one of them.

Although the martial arts skills of the participants were not weak, Nangong Liuli had grown up in a powerful family since childhood. During family banquets and festivals, she had sparred and competed with her peers. She had seen many talented people, and any one of them could easily crush nine out of ten of the participants.

"Do you expect the Flower Cage Sect to produce a true dragon? These scoundrels who've been wallowing in the mud, no matter how strong they are, what do they have to do with me? Hmph. That Hua Wucuo is a coward, yet he clearly has some strength. If... he really fought for me, even if he lost, I would still remember his kindness. My heart has nowhere else to rest, so it will inevitably fall on him. But he still refuses..."

Thinking of this, tears welled up in my eyes. I felt inexplicably wronged.

Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a fighting arena. Wang Changjiang of the Flower Cage Sect unleashed a single move, simultaneously producing three melodious "ethereal sounds." His opponent was instantly defeated, tumbling off the arena, unconscious.

Nangong Liuli's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she said, "This person is quite formidable."

This Wang Changjiang is thirty-five years old. Nangong Liuli is only twenty. In the path of martial arts, the older one gets, the more skilled one becomes. Eating fine food for a few more years, practicing martial arts for a few more years, and accumulating experience for a few more years are all great advantages.

There's a saying in the martial arts world: "Better to provoke a young swordsman than a seasoned veteran." This means that some martial artists, though their skill level may be ordinary, are old and cunning, and their methods transcend their level.

At the Nangong family banquet, competitions among peers were limited to those who were three years apart in age. If the age difference was more than three years, any competition had to be carefully considered. It was not honorable for the older to bully the younger, and it was even more humiliating for the younger to bully the older.

At a clan banquet, Nangong Liuli once competed in a musical contest with her cousin, who was four years her senior. Her performance incorporated insights into martial arts, and after defeating her cousin, she dared not push her further.

Unconsciously, she recalled her past glory days. In the world of martial arts, there is only the distinction between the strong and the weak, rarely the distinction between the old and the young. Her exclamation was indeed sincere.

On the terrace in the distance.

Shi Yufei, the "Grand Envoy of the Water Altar" of the Flower Cage Sect, Yan Hao, the Deputy Envoy of the Water Altar, Jin Shichang, the Water Altar Extradition Envoy, Ye Cheng, Liu Yu, Meng Han, and other elders of the Flower Cage Sect all gazed at the various scenes on the arena.

Seeing Wang Changjiang defeat his opponent in one move, they all nodded repeatedly, showing their admiration. Shi Yufei said, "This young man, Wang Changjiang, is indeed an outstanding talent of our Flower Cage Sect."

Yan Hao, the deputy envoy of the Water Altar, said, "With a single move, he played the 'Gu Heart Immortal Sound,' the 'Strong Qi Immortal Sound,' and the 'Drumming Immortal Sound,' which shows that his martial arts are quite well-planned. He figured out the route himself."

Jin Shichang said, "This young man is a worthy contender for first place in this grand event."

Shi Yufei sighed, "Alas..."

Elder Liu Yu of the Flower Cage Gate asked, "Why does the Grand Envoy sigh?" Shi Yufei replied, "This Yangtze River is indeed quite good. But it's still lacking something, and I'm not entirely satisfied with it."

Meng Han said, "Our Flower Cage Sect still has outstanding talents such as Wolf Blade, Bao Zhixian, and Ding Zelin. They are all quite good candidates."

Shi Yufei said, "The times are different now. The dynasty is declining and chaos is breaking out in all directions. Many heroes are emerging, and powerful families are all investing heavily in cultivating outstanding talents to be selected for the list and increase their family's influence."

"These exceptional talents you mentioned, could they possibly make it onto the list?"

There are four ranking lists: Heroes, Beauties, Divine Weapons, and Crimson Ranking. These lists are divided into three levels: "Heaven," "Earth," and "Human." The Heroes Ranking is highly coveted by all heroes, and those who ascend it are truly exceptional individuals.

The rankings are not based on age, but solely on charisma, martial arts skills, and influence. The Earth Ranking corresponds to heroes within the "Dao" (path/system), while the Human Ranking corresponds to heroes of a lower level within the "Prefecture" or "State" (path/system).

Those who are old enough to be listed on the "List of Men" at the tender age of twenty are highly renowned and influential. Li Xian was once selected for the "List of Heroes of the Prefecture," a derivative list of the "List of Heroes," which, while possessing a certain prestige, is not without its challenges.

However, the four ranking lists only include the Heroes Ranking, the Beauties Ranking, the Crimson Ranking, and the Divine Weapon Ranking. The so-called "Prefectural City Talents Ranking" is, in essence, a list specially set up by the Prefectural City for the Golden Scales.

All the envoys and elders remained silent. Yan Hao, the deputy envoy of the Water Altar, said, "Grand Envoy, even though the Heroes Ranking is a ranking of people, it is not something to be taken lightly. It not only depends on the individual's strength, but also on the power behind them."

"There are only 108 spots available. They are still young, and it would be unreasonable to ask them to do something they don't understand."

Shi Yufei said calmly, "The Water Altar is located in Huaiyin Prefecture. As far as I know, the 106th person on the Human Ranking here is the 14-year-old boy from the Lishan Sword Sect."

The Heroes Ranking has no age limit. Therefore, those who can make it onto the list at a young age are truly exceptional!

Shi Yufei said, "Huaiyin Prefecture has produced quite a few outstanding figures over the years, enough to squeeze into the list of heroes. We should certainly strive to emulate them... Although our deeds are different from theirs, let us not forget that we were once..."

As he spoke, a look of reminiscence crossed his face. The expressions of the crowd varied; Yan Hao was indifferent, Jin Shichang and Ye Cheng were somewhat enthusiastic, while Meng Han and Liu Yu looked into the distance.

The event was very lively.

Several more matches followed. Ding Zelin and Lang Dao took to the stage one after another, delivering brilliant performances that drew cheers and excitement from the entire audience.

Shi Yufei nodded slightly, but felt a slight sense of regret. He couldn't see the splendor he wanted to see.

Suddenly, they spotted a fighting arena.

Li Xian bowed forward.

(End of this chapter)