Chapter 56 Spring City Blossoms: My Pact with Him Was Made First

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! If you miss this opportunity and fail to make the list, and are ignored by all you young immortals, I will definitely not let you off the hook!"

A fat, middle-aged man dressed in gold and silver walked hurriedly, driving several servants carrying treasure chests. His expression was clearly displeased, but when he passed Lin Feiran, he paused, his expression changed drastically, and the corners of his downturned lips turned upward, forcing a smile.

"Young immortal, did you just come down from the top-floor pavilion?"

"Yes." Lin Feiran sized him up, her gaze calm. She then looked at the crowded gatehouse and asked, "What are you all doing here? Why are there so many of you?"

At this point, he looked back and saw a man standing behind the girl, half a head taller than her. He was as handsome as an immortal, and looking at him made one feel refreshed. However, he was also imposing and had a sharp beauty that made people dare not look closely. His flattery immediately choked back, and he only dared to get close to Lin Feiran.

"The person behind you is also an outstanding individual..." He mumbled as he turned the page, explaining, "We are all ordinary people, unable to participate in the Flying Flower Festival or enter the Pilgrimage Valley. The reason we have traveled thousands of miles to Spring City is simply because we have something to gain."

Lin Feiran was only thinking about finding spiritual treasures and entering Sword Mountain, so he asked, "You also want spiritual treasures?"

The man burst into laughter, his eyes disappearing as he grinned: "Little immortals, you really are otherworldly. What use would we have for spiritual treasures? We can't eat them, use them, or keep them. What we want are the spiritual herbs from the valley."

Lin Feiran understood. The Pilgrimage Valley had a unique terrain, abundant spiritual energy, and naturally formed magical formations, making it a natural spirit-gathering array. This was why it was able to contain so many remnant souls of saints.

Such blessed places nurture rare and exotic herbs that are hard to find in the world. Xian's journey was also to find a certain medicinal herb.

Seeing her raise her eyebrows, the man knew she understood and stopped explaining: "People's desires are different. We only want spiritual herbs, but we cannot obtain them. So we can write down our needs and post them on this building, specifying the reward. Cultivators who are willing to find herbs can then accept the challenge and sign a contract."

At this point, he stroked his beard and chuckled, "However, it's not just us mortals. Only eighty-one people entered the valley this time. The remaining cultivators who failed to enter or were unable to enter will also be listed for some spiritual treasures and herbs."

Lin Feiran turned around and saw golden light emanating from the city wall, with crowds of people below. Before long, horizontal characters flew out from the building, intersecting to form characters, and were first engraved in the first ray of golden light.

[Search for Fusang wood, no quantity limit, no number of people required, one tree can be exchanged for one Shangqing Pill]

The man was visibly excited, gasping for breath, his fat face trembling: "That's the first list released! This... this is truly a grand gesture! Little Immortal, even I, a mortal, have heard of the Shangqing Pill! It cleanses the meridians and marrow, gathers and integrates spiritual energy, and I've heard it's also beneficial for clearing nightmares and aiding in breaking through realms. Such a rare treasure, and a mere wooden branch can be exchanged for one!"

Not only him, but also many cultivators watching from below the wall were captivated by the sight.

Lin Feiran's heart stirred slightly, but she wasn't interested in the elixir. She just suddenly remembered hearing the term "Fusang wood" somewhere.

The Jin Huo Wan formula for treating cold-related ailments must contain Fusang wood.

The man's eyes gleamed, and he muttered the name of the hibiscus tree, already contemplating reselling it. Lin Feiran, however, ignored him. As if sensing something, she turned to look at the tall building bustling with people.

Since the notice has just appeared, the person who posted it must not have left yet.

After watching for a few moments, I suddenly saw a person walk down from the third floor with a calm and composed demeanor. He was tall and had a unique way of walking. It seemed unintentional, but he precisely avoided the bustling crowd without getting a single leaf on him.

Lin Feiran recognized the person at a glance as Qi Chen.

The flower-flying butterflies that used to perform in Shanghai have now appeared in Kunming.

Thinking of the coldness caused by orange blossoms, Lin Feiran found it hard not to connect the hibiscus wood inscription with him. What exactly was his identity?

According to Chenghua, he was originally just an unknown actor in a theatrical troupe. Later, by a twist of fate, he embarked on the path of cultivation and became a true independent cultivator without a master.

Qi Chen walked downstairs and suddenly looked over as if he had something in mind. However, he did not seem to recognize her. He only glanced at her briefly before looking away and walking towards the inn not far away.

"Young Immortal Master, Young Immortal Master?" The fat merchant called out to Lin Feiran, rubbing his hands and laughing, "I see that the Young Immortal Master has an extraordinary bearing, especially the one behind you. It is obvious that his cultivation is not shallow. I also have a contract here. If the two of you can enter the valley and fetch some herbs for me, you can choose the reward on it."

He handed over a piece of paper listing seven kinds of medicinal herbs, all of which were extraordinary, and the reward attached was also considerable.

Lin Feiran did not accept it, but asked, "Since only eighty-one people can enter the Pilgrimage Valley, how can you be sure that the person who made the pact will definitely be selected?"

The portly merchant chuckled: "Make good connections, you know. A contract can be signed by more than one person, but there are risks involved. For example, on the first list, if a hundred people sign a contract with him, he will give a hundred branches of Fusang wood in return for a hundred Shangqing pills."

"I lack the resources to choose from seven people, and I immediately selected the young immortal!"

Lin Feiran pushed the letter back, politely declining, "The situation in the valley is still unknown, and I may not be able to take care of everything. Besides, I have a prior agreement with him, so I must prioritize him and find the spiritual herbs for him."

Ru Xian couldn't help but glance at her, her calm features reflected in her blue eyes.

The portly businessman was taken aback, his gaze shifting between the two men before he chuckled and said, "Indeed, this one clearly possesses profound cultivation and is unable to participate in the Flying Flower Gathering."

He said he understood, but inwardly he cursed his bad luck, having wasted so much time with Lin Feiran. He snatched the letter back, looked away from the two of them, and hurriedly squeezed into the building.

Lin Feiran found it somewhat amusing, thinking to himself that this person was truly a master of changing faces.

She turned around, expecting Ru Xian to continue the previous topic and hold on to it, but he didn't mention it again, only looking away: "You've got the identity token, what do you want to do next?"

Lin Feiran was somewhat surprised, but still replied, "Having traveled so far, why don't we find an inn to stay at first?"

As if a wisp of smoke were nodding, the two avoided the crowd surging towards the city wall and stepped into the city.

Spring City is the only city at the entrance to the Pilgrimage Valley. It is bustling and prosperous, with travelers coming and going all year round. Therefore, there are many restaurants and inns in the city. However, the two of them looked at several places and chose again and again, but still could not decide on one.

Like a hailstone, one can endure wind and rain and sleepless nights on the way to Kunming, but once inside the city, one becomes picky.

He couldn't stand any strange smells, movements, or noises. Moreover, he was extremely sensitive; if even a little bit of gauze or linen was added to the bed fabric, it would rub his exposed skin red.

Lin Feiran was shocked again when she saw the crimson stain on his leg.

Was it really this person who pierced through the Demon King with a single shot?

As the two were on their way to the next inn, Ru Xian suddenly spoke, her voice like pearls, cool and gentle in the autumn sun: "Don't you find it annoying?"

Lin Feiran was puzzled at first, but then realized that he was referring to the search for lodgings. He shook his head and said, "Why would it bother you? You're just choosing a place you like, and you're being so careful. It must be very important to you. Since it's important, we should respect that."

Ru Xian paused, turning to look at her. The gold ornaments on her body shimmered and sparkled, their brilliance catching his eye. He couldn't help but say, "Are you always like this? You can do whatever you want with others? If you're always like this, people will inevitably test your limits step by step."

Lin Feiran frowned upon hearing this, and asked in surprise, "Shouldn't we interact with people like this? Could it be... that the Lord is testing my limits?"

Ru Xian's lips moved slightly, not expecting her to answer like that. He felt a strange sense of being outmaneuvered. After a moment of silence, he said, "Let's go take a look at this place."

The two entered an inn. The decor was not luxurious, but it was neat and clean, with a faint sandalwood scent. The room was not noisy, and the bed sheets were made of brocade with a floral pattern, which was soft to the touch.

Finally finding a place to stay, Ru Xian never expected that the person who would feel a little relieved would be him!

To his surprise, he looked down from the wooden ladder and saw that Lin Feiran in the lobby had already paid the deposit. She looked up at him, gestured, and pointed to the door. He heard her voice coming from the yin-yang symbol.

"The sun is shining brightly. You should rest first. I'll go find something to eat. Do you want me to bring you some?"

She showed no signs of fatigue; in fact, she looked radiant. She had just said she wanted to find a place to stay, but was she actually bringing him here to rest? If so, she could have simply told him to find a place to stay himself; why bother coming all this way with him?

"..."

He lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable, and after a moment of silence, he said, "No need."

"Okay, then you should rest first."

Lin Feiran didn't hesitate. After nodding to him, she took her sword and stepped out of the shop without looking back.

Ru Xian looked out the window until her figure disappeared at the end of the street before she suddenly looked away.

*

Along the rivers and valleys of Kunming, mist hangs heavy, and fallen leaves lie askew.

Qiu Tong peeked out from between the rocks, lifting her skirt, her gaze sweeping around. Her hair was damp with a mixture of water vapor and sweat, sticking to her neck and temples, a mixture of hot and cold.

She had been searching for almost an hour, but still hadn't seen the old man fishing!

In her previous life, because she failed to defeat Pei Yu in the sect competition, she had to go to Chuncheng to participate in the Flying Flower Festival in order to win a spot to participate in the pilgrimage ceremony.

As they approached the city, a fierce struggle ensued. During the battle, a jade ring given to her by Wei Changzai was knocked into a ravine. She immediately went into the ravine to look for it, but instead of finding the jade ring, she helped an old man rescue a silver fish.

To express his gratitude, the old man gave her a piece of broken jade.

It was that piece of broken jade that helped her evade numerous investigations at the Flying Flower Gathering and avoid the inquiries of many venerable ones.

She didn't know who the fisherman was, but since she wanted to participate in the Flying Flower Gathering, find out her father's identity, and win the opportunity to enter the Pilgrimage Valley, she had to go through this ordeal, she had to see him again, and get that piece of jade!

When Daohe Palace's horse team stopped in the dense forest, Qiu Tong calculated the time and, unable to wait any longer, broke away from the long line under the pretext of searching for the jade pendant and quietly went down to the valley outside Chuncheng.

I met the fisherman at this time in my past life, but why can't I find him now?

Is it really going to be a jade ring that falls from the sky?

But Wei Changzai had been in seclusion for a long time, making it difficult for her to even meet him. How could she possibly have received a jade ring as a gift?!

Qiu Tong searched around but couldn't find it, and her anxiety grew. She broke out in a cold sweat. The thought that she might not be able to participate in the Flying Flower Gathering or that her identity might be exposed in public made her feel wronged and fearful. She even began to resent Wei Changzai.

Why did they suddenly close down for no reason?

There were only shallow beaches on both sides of the valley to walk on. There were many rocks piled up on the beaches, many of which were as tall as a person. Qiu Tong had to use both hands and feet to climb over them. She dared not use magic, for fear that her search for someone would be too obvious and arouse the fisherman's suspicion.

Halfway up, she suddenly bumped her knee, a wave of pain washed over her, and large tears fell.

She couldn't help but kick a stone, wipe away her tears, and for a moment she missed Consort Wei even more—not the cold-eyed person she was now, but the Consort Wei from her past life!

With him around, everything will be handled well!

Qiu Tong sniffled, not daring to linger any longer. After wiping away her tears, she continued climbing forward. Suddenly, the river beside her surged, and the sound of water rose everywhere. A bluebird flew out from the branches of a tree on the bank, raised its head, and cried out.

She looked up and seemed to sense something. She immediately climbed to the top of the rock and peered out. There was an old man wearing a straw raincoat sitting on the bank, fishing with a long rod, just like a figure in a painting.

A moment later, he turned to look at Qiu Tong and gave a slight smile.