Chapter 85 Shocking Change (Revised) "Where are the hot-blooded people?!"...
Lin Feiran moved so fast that before anyone could react, she had already pinned the person down.
She was neither overjoyed nor proud. Anyone could see that this was simply her thought and action, without any intention of deliberately humiliating or suppressing her.
But it is precisely this calm and unintentional demeanor that is most provocative; it is a kind of anger that comes from being looked down upon for no reason, as if in her eyes, she is less than a blade of grass.
Many people looked at him with strange expressions, completely forgetting that they had the same look when they looked at the flower grower.
Someone angrily retorted: "Wenran, you are truly arrogant! Not only did you kidnap the flower farmers, but you also tried to humiliate your fellow flower growers on the spot. What are your intentions!"
"That's right, return all the flower farmers to their homes. We'll consider it a temporary act of misbehavior on your part. Otherwise, even if your swordsmanship is unparalleled, you still won't be able to defeat so many of them!"
"Where did you get the Plum Blossom Order from?!"
In the end, even when the true colors were revealed, no one cared about the lives of those under her control.
Although Lin Feiran's actions were unpleasant, the people who were captured were not himself. They came for the Plum Blossom Order, not to support anyone, so why make trouble?
Seeing his indignant expression, Lin Feiran said, "The more people like you there are, the less likely anyone will help you."
There were still people challenging her, but she ignored them. Her grip tightened slightly, and the captured man immediately felt a sense of overwhelming fear: "I'll scream! I'll scream!"
Despite this, his eyes kept darting around. Whether fellow disciples or so-called friends, everyone was silent. He cursed inwardly, then finally spoke in a humiliating voice, "Master..."
Lin Feiran slightly retracted his right hand: "Well said."
No matter how unwilling the man looked, he couldn't escape the jeers from the other side, and some even shouted, "Spineless coward, actually yielding to tyranny!"
At this moment, a slight commotion arose among the crowd. A cultivator with narrow eyebrows and thin eyes leaped down from the rooftop, speaking in an unfriendly tone.
"Wenran, you kidnapped the flower farmer and secretly kept the plum branches. We are willing to suppress our anger and talk to you now only because we consider that you are still young and mischievous. Don't push your luck!"
"How can you advance a foot when you haven't even gained an inch?"
Lin Feiran threw his subordinate out, turned around and leaped to the front of the house, looking determined to defend it, and said loudly, "Since you've been resentful for so long, what are you all waiting for if you don't take action now?"
Someone pointed and glared angrily: "You think we're waiting? This is your chance. Do you really think a group of us are afraid of a little brat like you! Quickly tell us where Mei Ling came from, and we can let bygones be bygones for your previous antics. Otherwise, don't blame us for being ruthless!"
"Not pursuing the matter? Do you mean what you say? Everyone's acting on their own, who listens to you?"
Lin Feiran moved her right hand slightly, and the orchid sword at her waist was drawn half an inch. A cold light shone in the moonlight and shone in everyone's eyes. She looked at everyone, and her gaze finally fell on Pei Yu, her eyes deepening.
The commotion abruptly stopped, followed by an even greater uproar: "What do you mean by 'a non-existent Mei Ling'!"
"Could it be fake? Does anyone have Mei Ling?"
The crowd immediately searched around, but the person holding the plum token did not appear.
Lin Feiran looked at everyone and said, "There's no need to search anymore. Having obtained this great treasure, it must be hidden somewhere right now. Would it still be flaunting itself like I did before? However, they have probably already discovered that the fake flower branch cannot be included in the chart. They might even think it's their problem."
She took a sprig of red plum blossom from her sleeve and threw it into the water vat in the corner of the courtyard, splashing a few drops of water.
In a short while, wisps of black emanated from the branches, and the originally bright red petals faded completely, leaving a thin ink mark that then vanished like mist.
Seeing this, no one had any doubts left. Their faces turned ashen, veins bulging on their foreheads. The anger of being fooled, the disappointment after hope, all intertwined, and someone immediately flew into a rage.
"You little brat! How dare you make a fool of your grandpa like a monkey! I've already followed your fake clone all over Kunming, and now you dare to use this plum branch to fool people!"
"She wants to monopolize the flower farmer and the flower token; we must take her down!"
"Perhaps what we saw just now was a trick, and she definitely has the Plum Blossom Token on her!"
After a few words, the roof tiles rattled and the wind howled as a group of people suddenly leaped into the courtyard.
"The time has come! Slay the flower farmer and seize the flower token! We cannot let her spout nonsense any longer and allow herself to be manipulated! Time waits for no one!"
"Kill the flower farmer and win the flower-picking token!"
Even if you have three heads and six arms, do you think you can defeat us? Attack us all at once!
A nearly surging crowd rushed in, but Lin Feiran stood alone in front of the house, her right foot taking a half-step back as if she were about to draw her sword. However, the orchid sword at her waist was only drawn three inches from its sheath, and her calm gaze swept through the crowd.
"We may not be able to defeat them, but I refuse to believe that I am the only one here willing to draw my sword for them!"
Where are those who stand shoulder to shoulder with me?
A gentle breeze swept by, the bright moon hung in the sky, and a few night birds flapped their wings and flew past, leaving behind a few light feathers.
Where are those who draw their swords in the face of injustice?
The crowd had arrived, sword shadows were everywhere, and the hem of a black robe fluttered in the wind.
Where are the passionate people?!
A writing brush appeared before her, blocking an attack. A broad axe fell heavily, cleaving three longswords in two. A whip pierced the air, stopping two bronze maces. A long arrow whistled as it descended, shattering several bladed knives!
In a short while, several more clanging sounds were heard, and more than ten long swords fell in front of him, surrounding Lin Feiran so completely that no one could get close!
She looked up and saw a dozen people who had landed on the surrounding walls. They had different appearances and ages, but they were all staring intently into the courtyard, their muscles tense, just like Lin Feiran, ready to pounce.
"Those who stand shoulder to shoulder with me are here!"
"The one who drew the sword is here!"
"A person of passionate spirit is here!"
Another swift gust of wind swept past, and when everyone looked up, they saw a long bronze spear hurtling straight down like a dragon emerging from the sea or a meteor falling from the sky, descending with unstoppable force and immense power!
The moment it entered the ground, it knocked the cultivators in the courtyard to the ground. Those nearby felt their chests churning and immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The newcomer stood on the roof ridge behind Lin Feiran. He did not utter a word, but his arms were crossed and his eyes were lowered, which spoke volumes.
A female cultivator raised her arm, and the copper mace wrapped in her long whip was thrown high into the air, then slammed into the deep wall, breaking in half: "I was already ashamed for not standing up in the past, and I am fortunate to have this opportunity to redeem myself today. I will never back down!"
After saying that, she leaped down behind Lin Feiran.
The bearded man nimbly ran over, took the axe, and stood in front of the door. He wasn't alone; a solemn-looking woman, a crowned boy, a sword-wielding girl... In just a few breaths, dozens of people had gathered behind him.
"And us too!"
Shen Qi led the disciples of the Imperial Academy forward. When he passed Lin Feiran, he bent down to pick up the old pen. Pao Tang led the disciples of the Taiji Immortal Sect behind him. When they passed by, he drew his sword and hugged it to his chest.
As each person walked by, within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the balance of power between offense and defense was no longer a complete crushing defeat.
With the long spear in the middle as the dividing line, the atmosphere became tense. The cultivators who were knocked down immediately spat and stood up. Almost instantly, the two sides clashed in close combat!
A flash of light swept through the courtyard, and everyone's charts opened wide. A sudden inspiration struck. Lin Feiran immediately sheathed her sword and retreated. She took out a peach talisman from the chart, burned the petals into yellow talismans, and wrote on it with her fingers. A moment later, a blazing firebird suddenly flapped its wings and flew out, its tail feathers shining brightly, illuminating all directions!
It raised its head and let out a long cry, its fierce wings sweeping across, crushing a group of cultivators!
In an instant, the situation changed drastically!
Seeing this, Pei Yu frowned, took a few steps back, and pulled out the Flower Token from the chart. A burst of fine light shone down, like a wildfire, but in the next instant, the fire surged and swallowed the firebird whole. After the flames scorched it, only a broken talisman remained.
Behind the firelight was Pei Yu's indifferent face.
The chart was unfolded in front of her, and five sticks of Danruo were held between her fingers. The wisp of fire just now was obviously produced by the burning Danruo.
She carefully examined the people behind Lin Feiran and said slowly, "Everyone should think carefully. Now that the flower farmer has been imprisoned by her, no more flower tokens will appear. If you want to fight, how will you defeat us?"
I don't even need to draw my sword; a gust of fire will leave you with nothing."
Many cultivators behind her relaxed and laughed silently. They then unfolded the charts, each holding a Danruo, their faces full of pride.
For the past few hours, Danruo and Mudan had been held hostage by Pei Yu and others, and the others had no chance to take them. Now, seeing this situation, they were inevitably in a bit of a predicament.
Pao Tang's expression was displeased, but she did not back down. She simply said, "So what? Even if Broken Sword were here today, I would not yield an inch!"
The others showed no fear, only displeasure. They couldn't help but wonder if things would have turned out differently if they had stepped forward like Wenran earlier.
Pei Yu rubbed her temples, not wanting to hear another word. She didn't care how the two sides fought each other, nor did she care about the flower farmers. Her only target from beginning to end was Lin Feiran.
Even now, she still believed that Lin Feiran had the Plum Blossom Token, or at the very least, news about it. She was determined to find out and win!
Without warning, the pomegranate flower in Pei Yu's hand was about to ignite, and a burst of bright flames shot out, sweeping unstoppably toward Lin Feiran. Her "Compendium of Beauties" was forced out, and the flames immediately licked at it. Seeing this, Shen Qi rolled up his sleeves to extinguish it, but unfortunately it was not an open flame, and extinguishing it was useless.
The next instant, the flames went out, and the pomegranate flower in Pei Yu's hand, before it had even burned out, fell from the branch.
Pei Yu immediately looked up and, without pausing for a moment, the remaining four pomegranate flames burst forth, sweeping up Lin Feiran's chart, only to be extinguished in the next instant!
"You couldn't possibly have that many peony flower tokens!"
Lin Feiran sheathed his sword and stroked the Book of Flowers: "After I wrote down the method for breaking through the barrier for you all, I immediately went to get a lot of peony flower tokens."
Pei Yu's expression grew colder: "You knew what I was going to do all along?"
Lin Feiran shook his head: "I can't predict the future, how would I know you would make a move? These peonies weren't originally meant to defend against these Danruo Flower Tokens. The reason I took so many Flower Tokens was to leave myself a last resort. If no one stands by my side, I can protect them with this peony."
She leaped up and took out several peonies from the chart. The Yao Huang and Wei Zi peonies bloomed in her palm, with golden threads piercing the top and held high. In an instant, the peonies merged into one, forming a simple pink hue.
It was a peony that could be seen anywhere, not precious, yet it seemed to be pressing down like dark clouds overhead!
"Fortunately, some people have still stood up, and some people's hearts have not turned cold."
A constant rustling sound filled the air as the peony garden, as large as a mansion, unfurled its petals, thin as cicada wings yet subtly glowing, layer upon layer, pressing down and shutting everyone out.
Then a few more soft sounds were heard, as if the house was collapsing. The roof tiles fell down, falling like chrysanthemum petals and disappearing into the air.
The peony, a national treasure, is famous throughout the city.
The roof, constructed from illusions, collapsed, revealing the original, desolate house.
The black tiles were dilapidated, the windows were drafty, and most of the doors were missing. So, the flower farmers, who crowded around the house and courtyard, were revealed. They hid among the blooming peonies, grinning, and stiffly reciting their pre-arranged words to the surrounding cultivators, which was quite noisy for a moment.
The surrounding cultivators stared in disbelief. They only knew that Wen Ran had taken away the flower farmers, but they didn't know there were so many people. How did she manage to take them all away? Did she carry them back one by one?
For a moment, everyone was truly at a loss, and even when they drew their swords, they were at a loss. With nowhere to vent their anger, they could only grit their teeth and watch!
"Wenran, what exactly are you trying to do! The flower farmers are saved, but what about us? When will we be able to get out of here?!"
"I've had enough of this endless night, I've had enough of this fighting. Without the flower game rules, there's no winner, and the Flying Flower Gathering will never end!"
When will the Flying Flowers Festival end?
Lin Feiran looked up at the sky and said, "All the methods for breaking through the barrier have been given before. Haven't you all discovered that there is no Plum Blossom Token in the city, at least not among these flower farmers?"
Of the twelve flower patterns, only the plum blossom's whereabouts are unknown. If it doesn't appear, what's the point of collecting more of them?
The female cultivator who had been holding the whip looked at her and asked, "How do you find it?"
Lin Feiran shook his head: "I don't know. The only thing we can do now is to search. There must still be places we've missed in the city."
She turned to look at everyone: "Those who wish to come together can go their separate ways to find plum blossoms; those who do not wish to can stay here. However, I will return every half hour to place a peony."
Immediately someone shouted, "Don't believe him, everyone! This man is spouting nonsense. Do you think we'll still believe you? If you take even one step outside the flower-covered enclosure, I'll chop you into eight pieces!"
What kind of bullshit punishment is this? Maybe they'll just arrest me and I won't have to suffer in this eternally dark Spring City anymore!
Lin Feiran glanced at him: "You might as well give it a try."
After saying that, she walked out of the courtyard. The man immediately took out his knife and stepped forward. Before Lin Feiran could make a move, someone stood in front of her and blocked the attack.
The cultivator turned around and said, "Fellow Daoist Wen, you go ahead first. We will also go to search for plum blossoms later!"
Lin Feiran did not refuse, nodded his thanks, and immediately headed east.
The sound of swords clashing came from behind, but Lin Feiran did not turn around again. Apart from the matter of Mei Ling, she still had doubts in her heart.
If her arrow appears, it means that she is currently in Spring City, or even nearby.
According to Xuanzhen, they are all gathered in a secret realm, where a Holy Spirit is in charge and there are viewing platforms and guides. How could they appear in Chuncheng?
A jumble of questions flashed through my mind, and just as I was wondering what was going on, I suddenly heard another clap of thunder in the sky, and the dampness rose again, like the moisture before a mountain rain.
This lightning bolt had struck before, so Lin Feiran didn't pay much attention to it. But the next moment, she suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.
One drop, two drops, three drops... The drizzling rain fell, and countless rain spots instantly appeared on the blue brick ground, along with a damp, dusty smell. Where the rainwater moistened, wisps of mist rose.
Lin Feiran took a closer look and his pupils shrank. These were not pure raindrops. Each drop that fell into the water contained several plum blossoms, shaped like fine needles, as bright as cinnabar, and extremely sharp. Even the long-polished blue bricks under his feet were silently broken open, splashing up a cloud of dust!
She immediately opened the chart and drew out a peony from it. The petals spread out to shield her from the unavoidable rain of needles. Even so, the water droplets that had fallen earlier still hit her and caused her some injuries.
Lin Feiran wiped away the blood droplets that had seeped out and looked up at the sky.
Under the eternal night, all that could be seen was a vast emptiness, as deep as an abyss. Apart from a few faint shadows falling around the full moon, there was no sign of rain.
She recalled her master's gesture of pointing to the sky.
What's in the sky? There's nothing in the sky.
The stamens fell to her side, striking the blooming, illusory petals and creating ripples. Lin Feiran stood motionless, gazing at the sky, her eyes growing darker. Suddenly, she stretched out her hand towards the sky, as if gesturing for something.
A few breaths later, she suddenly withdrew her hand and rushed towards the center of Chuncheng without looking back, moving at an extremely fast speed.
In a flash, she drew the Peach Talisman again, using it to transform into lightning. As a result, lightning flashed beneath her feet, a technique she had previously learned from Xuanzhen.
The cultivators who had been guarding the flower farmer were about to draw their weapons, but before they could even start a fight, the sudden rain stopped them, forcing them to retreat and search for cover.
The rain came unexpectedly. As everyone huddled under the eaves discussing the situation, a streak of blue lightning suddenly pierced the darkness, rushing towards them through the rain. The faint light illuminated the face of the person who had just left, revealing him to be Lin Feiran.
Why did she return?
Before anyone could ask, she had already crossed the distance, flashing past like lightning.
Two more claps of thunder, and the rain in the night suddenly intensified. What was just a drizzle had now turned into a torrent, and a thin layer of water quickly spread across the streets, reflecting the scenery. The dense, needle-like raindrops created a chilling sight.
The rain was so heavy that many cultivators had to take shelter indoors. However, some of the bolder ones used peony tokens or peach charm tokens to avoid the falling needles. In an instant, magical images appeared everywhere, all following the shadow of lightning in front of them.
They didn't know what Lin Feiran was up to, but they were inexplicably certain that she must have noticed something was amiss.
In just a few moments, Lin Feiran arrived at the clock tower in the city. She stood downstairs and looked up at the sky, finally feeling reassured.
"really."
The cultivator who had previously assisted her stepped aside and, upon hearing this, remarked, "As expected."
Many people gathered behind her and looked up, their eyes widening in surprise.
Now, the full moon has completely set behind the bronze bell, and apart from the faint glow it emits, nothing else can be seen.
Just as everyone was astonished, the moon, which had been completely hidden behind the bronze bell, fell down again, revealing half of its bright light beneath the bell's mouth.
Lin Feiran stared at that spot in silence. Then someone else reacted and exclaimed, "The sky... the sky is about to collapse!"
The sky has collapsed, but this is not an exaggeration. With the bronze bell as a comparison, the downward movement of the sky is clearly visible to the naked eye, almost instantaneous.
Lin Feiran looked on and only now understood why his master pointed to the sky, but he was not quite sure. Could it be that it meant the sky was tilting?
As she pondered this, her gaze shifted from the needle to the setting moon, her eyes growing increasingly intense.
Some looked around in alarm and exclaimed again, "Where is the Holy Spirit? They have all vanished!"
The others immediately looked back, but the figures that had been wandering around the city had vanished without a trace. In the city that was about to fall into night, only a few silent roof tiles remained, standing sparsely, looking from afar like the undulating waves in the night sea, lonely and vast.
The rain was still falling, and in the time it takes to drink a few cups of tea, the shallow puddles had already reached above the insteps. With nowhere to go, they all accumulated, and the sharp stamens swayed in the water, creating a beautiful, colorful scene on the ground.
Once Lin Feiran had made up her mind, she no longer hesitated and leaped eastward. The remaining cultivators were shocked and even more impressed by her, so they followed her without saying a word.
The collapsing and sinking sky had fallen onto the four pillars, the tops of the pillars cracked, and dust and smoke scattered everywhere. At least the sinking momentum had temporarily stopped.
Many people were still uninvolved when they heard the noise and looked up. Upon seeing what they saw, they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, and an uproar broke out, causing another disturbance.
Lin Feiran glanced at them once before turning his gaze to the sky pillar. The pillar shattered, and many people emerged from it. Looking at their faces, he recognized them as the cultivators who had been taken to the secret realm to watch them break through their cultivation after entering the city. They were the senior brothers and sisters of the others.
At this moment, they smiled, held their precious artifacts, and waded through the puddles, slowly moving forward, just like every other flower farmer before them.
Another clap of thunder sounded, and the drizzle intensified, pouring down like a torrent. Not far away, the figures on the opposite side were already blurred by the rain.
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