Chapter 111: The Splendor of Shenlan, Little Flower's Past...
Qishan, Shenlan Cliff.
This is an absolutely beautiful mountain among the many peaks of Qishan. The high cliffs are covered with lush greenery. You can lie down on the grass as a mat, feel the breeze on your face, and feel the vitality of life as you pat the ground. You can look up at the sky and pluck the stars, and in the quietude, you can see the distant mountains.
Along the mountainside are ancient locust trees in bloom, and clear ponds murmur gently. Deeper into the mountains, you'll find packs of tigers living leisurely lives. Of course, if you feel afraid, you can run to the foot of the mountain, stand still, and gaze into the distance; you can see a sea of flowers in full bloom, and butterflies fluttering about.
Springtime is the most beautiful time to visit Qishan.
...
Lin Fanxiang sat quietly under the locust tree. She smiled as she watched Cai Cai running around but not daring to go outside the locust tree's perimeter. "Is Cai Cai afraid of those monsters outside?"
Cai Cai: "Coo coo coo—gou goo ga ga ga ga ga ga ga!"
Xiang Xiang Xiang Xiang! Big tiger, big tiger, ahhhhhh, look quickly!
The little yellow chick flapped its wings and flew up, its little eyes wide open!
A gust of wind rose, and a few pure white petals drifted gently down from the ancient locust tree, as if the tree were smiling. Lin Fanxiang stood up and turned around following Cai Cai's gaze, the girl also taking a deep breath—
Two or three orange-striped tiger cubs leisurely emerged from under the tree. Some were simply licking their paws and smiling, while others gazed at them with a sinister air. In short... first came the intimidation, then the cuteness...
Cai Cai: "Gou Gou Ga Ga Ga! Gou Gou Ga Ga! Ga Ga Ga!"
It's so scared! It's so scared! Help! Aaaaaah!
Lin Fanxiang unconsciously cleared her throat and took a few steps back towards Cai Cai. She looked at the tigers warily, and then, behind her, she heard a familiar laugh.
"Don't be afraid, they're just teasing you."
Lin Fanxiang's heart, which had been pounding with anxiety, immediately calmed down. The girl turned around, strode towards Qingyu, took her hand, and spoke in a rare, gentle tone, her voice tinged with emotion.
"You're finally here. I was just worried about you guys."
Qingyu put her arm around her and said with a smile, "We're fine, it's just that Xiao Zhang... Hey, where did you kids come from? Come here, let your big sister take a look at you."
Halfway through her sentence, Lin Fanxiang saw Zhang Xuan, who was soaking wet, behind her. She smiled helplessly and then watched Qingyu tease the little tiger.
Several tiger cubs peered intently at the two women and a chicken, with three men following behind. Qingyu chuckled upon seeing them, strode forward, and laughed as she watched them.
"Awoo awoo awoo awoo".
Who are you?! Watch out or I'll eat you!
"Aww, oh ah!"
No, no, I can't eat this! My brother said she's scary!
"Awoo awoo ah awoo—"
What are you afraid of! Charge!
Qingyu grabbed a tiger cub by the neck and stared at him, an absolute pressure emanating from it. The woman in red laughed.
"Let me guess, how many months old are you? Why are you playing by the locust tree?"
The little tiger swung its four legs wildly, "Awoooooo!"
"What are you afraid of? I won't eat you."
"Awoooooo!"
Ouch!
A vine, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, tapped the girl on the head. Qingyu clutched her head, immediately letting go. The little tiger fell to the ground with a "thud," and several other tiger cubs darted away—
Qingyu looked up, "Grandpa! I didn't do anything! They scared my friend first!"
The vine gently patted her shoulder, as if it were a reprimand, or a comforting gesture, but more than anything, it was a happy laugh.
Qingyu smiled, then gazed at the tree full of pure white locust blossoms for a moment, her eyes unusually reddening. A spring breeze brushed past her, and the young woman finally smiled.
"Grandpa, I'm back."
Grandpa, Sister Lotus went on a journey outside and finally realized her path of goodness, entering the cycle of reincarnation. As for me, I also went on a journey, becoming a great demon, and I also have a lover and friends. I've brought them all back to see you.
...
"Sister Yu!"
"Where's the tiger? I just saw a tiger!"
Qingyu lowered her eyes and sighed, then turned around and put her hands on her hips, shouting, "You just rolled out of the lake and climbed a mountain, and you kept saying you had no strength, but you got excited when you saw the tiger!"
All the way, Zhang Xuan was teasing Shui Youyou, Qin Tianshu, and Wen Chuan. The three of them walked slowly, and Zhang Xuan kept urging them to hurry up. However, Wen Chuan pushed her shoulder and walked forward, saying that she was too impatient.
Qingyu chuckled a few times, annoyed to the sight, and ran straight up; otherwise, how could she have gotten to the locust tree first?
Lin Fanxiang looked at Zhang Xuan, who was covered in water and injuries, and pursed her lips. Zhang Xuan lowered his head but smiled and said that he was fine, that he was very well.
Qin Tianshu sighed, "Although, I still want to see the little tiger."
Cai Cai flapped her wings, "Coo coo coo!"
Lin Fanxiang smiled unconsciously and pursed her lips, saying, "Actually... it is indeed a little cute."
Wen Chuan smiled. The little tiger was cute, but the big tiger was anything but—he had just fought half a battle with the Mountain Lord, and although he was considered the victor, the tiger clan's oppressive aura was truly terrifying, making one tremble from the inside out.
No wonder he was the demon king who dominated Qishan for many years.
As they talked, they all arrived under the locust tree. A stream flowed gently by, a light breeze carried the fragrance of locust blossoms, and Qingyu leaned against the tree with her arms crossed, while the girl smiled languidly.
"You're here?"
Wen Chuan smiled and stepped forward, "Mm."
Achoo!
Before they could say more than a few words, Zhang Xuan sneezed again. He sighed. Indeed, he had been soaking in the lake during the fight and had used a lot of spiritual energy. He was soaking wet and the wind was blowing, so he was quite cold.
Lin Fanxiang looked at him helplessly, "Grandpa Locust Tree put the carriage over there. I'll take you to change your clothes."
At that time, the foot of the mountain was filled with chaotic spiritual energy, so Grandpa Locust Tree simply rolled up his vines and turned the entire carriage, horses, and wheels onto the grassy area on the mountain, which made things easier for them.
Zhang Xuan nodded obediently, greeted Qingyu and the others, and went to the carriage. It wasn't far; it would only take a short walk.
Qin Tianshu looked at the monkey hair hidden in his clothes and hair, and sighed, "Alright, I'll go change my clothes too."
...
The locust tree is ancient, its vines spreading all over the ground. The stream is crystal clear, and fish occasionally swim by. At this moment, the spring breeze is gentle, and only Qingyu and Wenchuan are under the tree.
Before long, Tengman leisurely moved two or three large stones under the tree. Qingyu led Wenchuan to sit down with a smile, "Sit down first, we'll talk when they arrive."
"I've been playing by the locust tree since I was a child, learning knowledge, studying formations... um... cursing demons, getting injured, spitting blood? Anyway, I grew up here."
"Let me tell you, Grandpa is very old—oh dear!"
"...Yes, I do have the qualifications!"
"No powerful demon dares to provoke them!"
"In Qishan, he is the most, most, most, most powerful!"
Qingyu praised Wen Chuan earnestly, then looked up at the tree with a smile, beaming. After speaking, she pursed her lips, lowered her head, and chuckled softly.
"Honestly, there aren't as many people beating up as there are all year round..."
Wen Chuan looked at her and smiled, showing respect for the ancient tree. If he spoke carefully, it even hinted at something unusual: meeting the parents.
Suddenly, from somewhere, a vine swayed gently in front of Wen Chuan, as if to shake hands. Qing Yu whispered in his ear,
"Just a handshake is fine, Grandpa wants to get to know you."
Wen Chuan cleared his throat, a rare occurrence, and stood up with a serious and respectful demeanor, shaking hands with Teng Man with a natural air.
?
Qingyu frowned at him, feeling that he was acting a little strange. But then she turned and smiled, pulling him to sit down and chat. The stone chair that Grandpa Locust Tree had brought was wonderful; you could lean against it, sit on it, and even step on the small stones to prop your feet up.
Bathed in the gentle breeze and warm sunshine, the girl leaned against him and smiled softly.
“In the past, right here, Grandpa Locust Tree moved a lot of stones, chairs and tables, and then Sister Lotus came out from the stream and taught us all sorts of things.”
“If tiger cubs don’t transform into human form, they become adults at the age of three. So when they come to listen to the lectures, they are usually only a few months old. They come in batches and leave in batches, while I am the only one who wanders under the tree every day.”
"But I usually just sleep during class because fighting is too tiring, especially going to other mountains to challenge someone. I'm a kid, and I walk slowly. At first, I was laughed at. But then Grandpa Locust Tree found out and used his vines to entangle me. Whoosh—in a flash, I was on another mountain."
Wen Chuan tilted his head and kissed her hair. The young man smiled and said, "I'm curious, Fan Di is the land of the Flower Clan, so why do you live in Shenlan Cliff?"
"Um……"
Qingyu smiled slightly, pursing her lips. The girl raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight, and dappled light and shadow fell down. She chuckled softly.
"Shenlan Cliff is where the Mountain Lord lives, and I long for it."
"Even demons dream of pursuing the Great Dao, but back then I always wondered, what would be the ultimate outcome of cultivation, life and death, and the Dao itself?"
"I don't know if it counts as stupidity or arrogance... When I was one or two years old, I swaggered up to the mountain god..."
Qingyu held up two fingers and made walking motions in the sunlight, swaying them as if she had walked to many, many places...
Following the wind, a little girl walked into Shenlan Cliff, climbing the mountain. Her short legs wobbled as she passed by the stream. She was dressed in tattered clothes, covered in grass and dust. Her sparse hair stood up, making her look dusty.
The child sniffed, looked at herself in the mirror by the stream, washed her face, and carefully combed her hair with a comb made of sharp leaves, muttering to herself as she did so.
"I'm still young, only one or two years old, and I'm still a plant spirit. I'm just a tough, lifeless creature with no spiritual energy, so the mountain lord won't eat me."
"When you get there, you must first pay homage to the mountain king, and praise him, praise him to the skies...slurp slurp..."
"Hmm, be sincere, be clean, hmm... huff... huff... huff..."
"Don't be afraid!"
She washed her face, combed her hair, patted her face, and did a few moves to cheer herself up. Finally, she straightened her tattered red clothes, took a few deep breaths, and tried her best to encourage herself.
At most, it will just be bruises, but it won't be patches of blood scattered all over the place!
Absolutely! The Mountain Lord is a super, super powerful demon!
call-
Suddenly, a vine tapped her shoulder, and the child whirled around, her eyes wary. "Who's there? What do you want? Fight!"
She looked around, her fists clenched tightly, her childish voice resolute, "Even though I'm only two years old, I'm not afraid. If you're under five, I'll fight you, I'm not afraid to die! Over five... how dare you hit me if you're over five!"
A gentle breeze blows, and locust blossoms fall lightly. The child seems to hear the old man's laughter.
—Five years old? Grandpa is five thousand years old, I'm afraid it's not good for me to fight with you.
The child frowned, gently clenched her fist, and blinked as she thought, "You, you're five thousand years old?"
"Oh! You are the big locust tree, the grandpa locust tree in Shenlan Cliff!"
"You...are older than the mountain king?"
Ouch!
She covered her head, her eyes wide open, "What if the child has no hair? What if we knock it all out?!"
—Really? Grandpa doesn't know. Grandpa has a lot of hair.
The child opened his mouth slightly to listen, "It's okay, it's good that you know now, but you're not allowed to hit me anymore!"
—Hahahaha, I know you, you're Xiaohua, right? Tell Grandpa, are you going to see the Mountain King?
The child nodded, "Yes!"
—Oh dear, the price of going to see a big tiger is worse than losing your hair.
"But……"
The child's face scrunched up, he swung his legs, feeling tired, and plopped down on a rock by the stream, chatting with the big locust tree. "But I just want to go..."
"You just said you know me, so you should also know that I have no father or mother, and the Flower Clan won't accept me. They say I didn't grow up in a prosperous place, and that I have too much resentment. They've said all sorts of things, basically they just look down on me."
"I'll just leave it at that. I was thinking of going to explore other mountains—"
"The golden monkey next door told me, 'If you have too much malevolence, go cultivate! The demon race needs malevolence, it's all about killing!'"
"Brother Xiong Er from Xunling said that I am too young, so I should eat more, play more, and sleep more. I will be able to understand the Tao while I rest."
"The white fox from Qingqiu said that a demon like me has few kinship ties and few bonds, and is here to cultivate diligently and wander alone on the Great Dao."
"..."
"...Okay, actually I have no idea what they're talking about..."
The child sighed, and she shook her head dejectedly.
"Actually, I just want to find a home, a place to live."
"They kept talking about the Great Dao and cultivation, which confused me."
She listened to the wind, looked at the sky, and smelled the fragrance of locust blossoms, then smiled softly.
"I've been thinking about it a lot. I want to know what the ultimate goal of the Great Dao is, or what a demon looks like after it has cultivated to a certain level."
"There are many powerful demons in Qishan, but if I'm going to see one, I want to see what the strongest one is like."
"So, I came to Shenlan Cliff—"
I, as a mere child, stand before the mountain king.
When you pay homage to the strong with a sincere heart, you see yourself reflected in your lowered head and brows.
Whether it's life or death, or kinship, once you enter this gate, you embark on this path.
The road we came from, the monument of reincarnation.
My way is me.
-----------------------
Author's note: I don't know what to write for this part. I thought I'd add some details about the female lead's childhood. The key point is that she has no family ties, she's not exactly single-minded, but she's very stubborn and resilient, the kind of person who's fearless and unafraid of death or life.
It serves to flesh out character traits and provide a few minor foreshadowing elements; otherwise, it's nothing special.
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