Chapter 102 Moon Spring Flower Boat
By this time, the sun had almost set, and the array and music of the Hall of Heroes had come to an end, so the crowd naturally dispersed.
However, Xue Rongzhan suggested that they go have a few drinks to relax.
Xie Lanqing was a little confused by the atmosphere today. To say that Song Chi and Mo Shubai were estranged wouldn't be entirely true; the back-and-forth exchange of spiritual energy while they played the zither almost made their senior brother, watching from the sidelines, envious. But to say they weren't estranged either, Song Chi seemed to be avoiding Mo Shubai's gaze. As for Mo Shubai, he remained as calm and collected as ever, but when he glanced at Song Chi, a hint of involuntary tenderness flickered in his eyes.
Judging from the situation of these two, his senior brother had a slight chance, but not much. At this moment, he couldn't help but test the waters, so he smiled and said, "I have some things to take care of when I return to the sect, so I won't be going for drinks tonight."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Song Chi immediately said, "Then I'll go back with Senior Brother Xie first." Then he jumped onto his bicycle.
Mo Shubai, upon hearing this, simply smiled and said to Xie Lanqing, "Thank you for escorting Third Junior Sister back to the sect's guild hall," before leaving with his senior brother.
Xie Lanqing noticed a strange glint in her senior brother's eyes, and he glanced back slightly before leaving. Of course, she couldn't see Song Chi, who was standing by the window watching the sunset, her pure and innocent face serene, almost radiating ruthlessness.
Xie Lanqing: "..." So, does this person still not have a heart? Oh well, this play is still quite entertaining.
From then on, Xie Lanqing deliberately came to the entrance of the Qingjian Sect's guild hall every day to pick up Song Chi. In order to get rid of his senior brother, a burden, he didn't even ride in the imperial carriage and flew directly to pick him up. But in fact, he was quite disappointed about this, as Song Chi seemed to really like his pomp and circumstance as the young master.
But by picking him up and dropping him off every day, sometimes even walking back and forth, countless people along the street have seen him, and many have raised their cameras to take pictures.
In just three days, rumors began to circulate that Song Chi, this flirtatious butterfly, had finally picked the last of the four beauties.
Xie Lanqing was somewhat dissatisfied with this. Why did Song Chi pick him... He's not a flower.
However, once you get involved with this person, all those rumors will become increasingly outrageous.
Just three days later, that shameless senior brother actually pretended to bump into him by chance and accompanied him to the Qingjian Sect's guild hall.
That very night, his master asked him to have a sword duel with his senior brother, and the two fought fiercely by the waterfall for an hour.
The next day, great news! The whole city was abuzz with outrageous rumors that the two brothers were fighting each other over Song Chi.
Therefore, when Xie Lanqing went to the entrance of the Qingjian Sect that morning, she only received a quiet glance from Song Chi before she turned and disappeared in the blink of an eye. She was ignoring him!
By this time, all preparations for the sacrificial ceremony were complete and without any omissions. Following tradition, the seal would be broken, and everyone would leave and remain silent for three days, awaiting the start of the sacrificial ceremony on the night of the fifteenth.
Next, lanterns will twinkle throughout Changge City, fireworks will light up the sky, and the entire city will celebrate for three days. Especially on the night of September 14th, countless Moon Spring Flowers will bloom along the thousands of streams cascading down from the Purple Evolution Divine Palace. These are crescent-shaped, light blue flowers that appear overnight, their blossoms swaying in the wind and making a clear, tinkling sound. Furthermore, at night, beautiful blue mist-like pollen will rise from the heights, drifting down the streams and merging with the sacrificial hall.
This is said to be an ancient exorcism ritual. On this night, both cultivators and mortals can come to the banks of the thousands of waterfalls and streams, take a small boat, and float downstream. Couples, in particular, are believed to have a smooth and loving relationship if they can safely float downstream to their destination.
However, if one of them has ulterior motives, they are very likely to separate along the way, each jumping onto someone else's boat, or they may fall into the stream and crash onto the shore.
In short, this is a tremendous test for the couple's relationship. However, the cultivation world is full of skeptics and eager to try. Furthermore, all the major powers are encouraging young men and women to participate, because the more steadfast the love between couples who sail downstream, the stronger the power to suppress evil will be.
Those destined individuals and protectors like Cui Xue Ruo naturally had to row their small boats downstream.
Furthermore, because the evil spirit in the Ice and Snow Lake Secret Realm almost broke out of the secret realm last time, all the major forces attached great importance to this evil-suppressing ceremony. Therefore, all the venerable ones were specially invited to attend the ceremony on the evening of the 14th.
Xie Lanqing sent an invitation to Song Chi that morning, asking if she was interested in going down the river together.
Then, around mid-morning, I received a reply with only two words: "Not going."
At the time, her senior brother was also present, so Xie Lanqing generously showed him the resolute letter.
"This is all your fault, senior brother!" If it weren't for the rumors of infighting among the fellow disciples, Xie Lanqing was 80% sure that Song Chi would have agreed to ride down the river with him in the small boat.
In fact, even without that outrageous rumor, Song Chi would never have taken that small boat.
Since completing her mission as a musician, she has been playing the zither for over an hour every morning. She's gotten used to seeing Mo Shubai every day, and aside from finding Mo Shubai's fingers beautiful, the incense scent pleasant, and his occasional gentle, moon-like smile with its subtle hint of a small cupid's bow—which makes her slightly want to kiss him—she feels she has completely overcome that lustful impulse, at least her heart is now completely at peace.
As for the exorcism ritual performed on the Moon Spring Flower Boat, she suspected it had nothing to do with her. After all, the Golden Scroll hadn't made a move by noon, which reassured her even more. Therefore, she stayed indoors playing the zither and comprehending the magic.
However, as night fell, he was summoned by his master and then accompanied Mo Shubai to Moon Spring Flower Mountain to attend the ceremony.
The Ziyan Divine Palace temporarily chose a mountain with a wide stream flowing through the very center of the thousands of waterfalls and named it Moon Spring Flower Mountain. There is a spacious area halfway up the mountain, which is convenient for setting up a ceremonial tent so that the major sects can come to watch the ceremony.
Song Chi followed his master to the viewing platform, where he saw dazzling lanterns hanging everywhere, winding down the mountain and converging into countless streams, resembling a sea of lanterns that meandered down the mountainside and directly connected to the myriad lights of Changge City. The scenery was truly magnificent and beautiful, captivating everyone's heart.
Many young disciples above the Golden Core stage from various sects had arrived by now, though most were the most talented and privileged to be here. The place was still bustling with activity. However, most of the young disciples had gone to admire the scenery at the riverbank where the streams branched into three, lined with pale blue moonflowers. Some, however, were only now beginning to express their feelings for each other, attempting to share a small boat later. In short, the scene was filled with a pink, bubbly atmosphere, as ambiguous as could be.
Of course, the major sects were naturally happy to see this happen, and hoped that there would be as many devoted couples as possible. Those evil spirits were truly chilling, and they dared not release them to wreak havoc on the world.
Moreover, someone in the Purple Evolution Divine Palace came up with a bizarre idea: a huge spirit crystal mirror was suspended high up. Then, the mirror would show the figures of couples deeply in love. Although they were mixed in with the crowd, as soon as they were reflected, there would be a commotion, and everyone would turn their heads precisely to look at that couple.
Song Yun and Xi Ya were seen by the mirror. They were actually talking in the shadows of the woods, but their images were reflected by the all-pervasive Great Spirit Crystal Mirror, and they both blushed deeply.
Song Chi couldn't help but chuckle. Since Jin Juan hadn't made a move yet, she figured it was her turn to watch the show.
Song Chi felt that today's event would make couples who were in love even sweeter than before, but it would also cause fickle couples to part ways unhappily. She wondered who would be happy and who would be sad. She, however, didn't care; she was just watching the show.
As the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) was approaching, she still listened to her master's questions.
"Are you really not going to launch the Moon Spring Flower Boat?"
"No," she answered immediately and decisively. Why get involved in this mess when you can just watch the show?
Then, at the stroke of Xu (7-9 PM), a lively chorus of music filled the air, and the Moon Spring Flower Boat Ceremony officially began. At this moment, the Jiang family, one of the eight great clans, also joined in the fun. Suddenly, countless pink lotus flowers gushed forth from the water like a spring. These lotus flowers served the same purpose as the Love Lotus of Immortal Lord Qiongyu; lovers could pluck a pink lotus from the water and present it to each other as a token of their affection.
This pink lotus is a water-wood spirit technique that will keep emerging until the event ends at midnight tonight.
Song Chi's viewing platform offered a perfect view of the stream below where boats were gliding, and the large spirit crystal mirror high above. So, as soon as the event started, she immediately sat by the railing, propping her chin on her hand, leisurely watching the couples and enjoying the live broadcast reflected in the jade mirror. It couldn't be more fun!
Venerable Xueqiao looked at her amused expression and remained speechless.
He had deliberately asked that question when Song Chi said he wasn't going. Good, several of the boys who wanted to go to the riverbank stopped in their tracks. Then, one by one, they all suddenly acted as if they had no interest in boating on Moon Spring, chatting and laughing with those around them.
Shu Bai probably knew from the beginning that Song Chi wasn't going, which is why he didn't ask the Mo family to place a small boat for him on the stream bank. At this moment, he was only two steps away from his third junior sister, admiring the scenery with gentle eyes.
These two have been acting strangely lately. They were so affectionate at the Mo family's house before, but now they're just separated by a small courtyard. There have been two heavy rainstorms in between, but Song Chi hasn't deliberately gotten soaked to the bone to go see her senior brother…
This brat suddenly started practicing music with unusual diligence again, playing the zither by the window every night under the moon. But whenever she played a piece with a water elemental root, and sometimes even managed to capture some of the essence of the rhythm, she would suddenly retreat seven or eight feet... as if mastering a water elemental root was some unacceptable thing.
Then, at least a day would pass before playing the Water Spirit Root pieces, and sometimes she would even go so far as to jump onto the lotus pond in the yard to show her shock…
At such times, Shu Bai, gazing at the moon by the window, would lower her eyes slightly, then look at the neighbor with a look of pity in her eyes, and then play a zither tune as tranquil and gentle as moonlight under the moon. The tenderness in it was actually much more exquisite than the essence of the water spirit root that Song Chi had grasped.
These two, in terms of mastering the water elemental root, truly made Venerable Xueqiao extremely gratified.
However, their interactions always seemed a bit distant compared to when Song Chi first joined the sect, when Shu Bai distanced himself from her for a time, and she didn't look at Shu Bai for ten years. Yet, when they met in daily life, they were always smiling and chatting, seemingly not at all distant.
This left Venerable Xueqiao completely baffled, wondering what kind of trouble the two were up to.
Now that this great opportunity has presented itself, Venerable Xueqiao intended to suggest that the two of them go boating down the river together, which might just deepen their relationship.
However, seeing the wolf cub lurking in the shadows, and Song Chi's somewhat flirtatious nature, Venerable Xueqiao was worried that if the two sailed down the river, and Song Chi's unstable temperament led him to be identified by the Moon Spring Divine Soul Flower Array and end up on another man's boat, that would be terrible; the two of them would have to be separated.
Therefore, when Song Chi firmly said he wouldn't go, he felt that was fine.
At this moment, the Golden Core disciples were the first to board the flower boats and float downstream, laughing and joking. Half of the people were gone from the riverbank, while the remaining half continued to follow. The Nascent Soul cultivators were now beginning to face their fate.
Meanwhile, the large spirit crystal mirror began filming famous couples from the cultivation world, with Song Yun and Xi Ya once again being selected and presented in enlarged versions to the public. Xi Ya actually had a fiery temper and almost punched the spirit crystal mirror, but Song Yun kindly pulled her hand and pulled her onto the boat. Her cheeks immediately flushed, and she instantly became overflowing with tenderness.
This made Song Chi and Dai Jia burst out laughing. Dai Jia and the others then ran over to Ji Minghuang's side, to the viewing platform on the opposite bank of the river.
Of course, the large spirit crystal mirror quickly switched gears and began filming those who had fallen into the water due to their unfaithfulness in love. Both male and female disciples were among them, and Song Chi was thoroughly amused by their drenched appearance after falling into the water.
She'd made up her mind that she definitely wasn't going to the pleasure boat. She'd just enjoy watching the show tonight.
However, the golden scroll suddenly moved at this crucial moment.
"The Yin Palace needs to open the seal for the sacrificial ceremony to unseal the Wood Spirit Root, and the array flag that activates the seal is hidden in this Moon Spring Flower Stream."
"Please ride down the flower boat with Xie Lanqing and exchange pink lotus flowers for each other. The first array flag is hidden inside the pink lotus flower."
Song Chi: "..." What do you mean by "the first one"? Are there many more?!
"The remaining array flags will be used to guide you to different boats based on your romantic entanglements, and you will also need to exchange romantic pink lotuses with each other."
"The final array flag can only be obtained by the holder of the Azure Jade Zither. There may be evil spirits causing trouble. Please be sure to jump into the boat of the Immortal Lotus Child to receive the Love Lotus given by him."
Song Chi: "..." That's so cool!
She looked up at the large spirit crystal mirror that was now attracting everyone's attention, and suddenly felt a sense of retribution. What a show she had just watched! The most exciting part of the whole show was probably going to happen to her now.
Before I could even react, Xie Lanqing, dressed in a flamboyant pink outfit, casually tossed her headband and strolled to the riverbank, where a small boat, also a bright pink, lay moored. It was unmistakably her little boat!
A female disciple asked, "Didn't Senior Brother Xie make any appointments?"
Then Xie Lanqing, this extraordinary person, replied with a smile, "I made an appointment, but was rejected."
Many disciples burst into laughter. "Did you get rejected by Junior Sister Song?" they asked.
Xie Lanqing chuckled softly twice, without replying.
Just as he landed on the small boat, she was about to use her spiritual power to loosen the mooring rope.
Song Chi: "..." Forget it! At this critical juncture, how could she possibly abandon this mission? The Wood Spirit Root absolutely had to be unsealed!
"Senior Brother Xie, please wait a moment!"
Song Chi resolutely leaped forward and landed precisely opposite Xie Lanqing's small boat.
Buzz!
At that time, the light from the Great Spirit Crystal Mirror shone almost directly down, like a dazzling bright moon.
At the same time, the surrounding crowd erupted in laughter, and then their gazes flew over like searchlights.
Seeing this scene, Song Chi could only say, "As expected of the number one scandalous heroine in the cultivation world... This pomp and circumstance is very fitting for her current status of being the subject of scandals wherever she goes."
Xie Lanqing was also a little stunned. After all, she had indeed refused his invitation before, and now she had jumped onto his small boat.
It's safe to say that anyone with a brain can't do something like this.
"Senior Brother Xie, did you make an appointment with someone else?" Song Chi looked like he was about to get up.
Xie Lanqing chuckled. "How could that be? It is truly my honor to ride downstream with Junior Sister Song in this small boat." With that, she pointed to the rope with her spiritual energy, and the small boat darted downstream with the rapids.
This section is a gentle slope, about two or three hundred meters long, and ahead lies a tall waterfall.
The large spirit crystal mirror went too far, deflecting directly at the small boat.
It seems I won't be able to sneak a photo of anyone else tonight. Song Chi felt like he was about to vomit blood!
However, as the small boat sped towards the waterfall, she suddenly remembered something.
In this passage from the book, Mo Shubai again plays the role of the Moon-Gazing Immortal. While everyone else is enjoying the lively procession on the flower boats, he stands with his hands behind his back by the waterfall on the viewing platform, gazing at the moon. He didn't participate!
But the problem is... who else could the owner of that final array flag, the Azure String Zither, the Immortal Lotus Child, be but Mo Shubai?
He went to watch the moon tonight. His master had asked him about it before, and he said he wouldn't participate. Song Chi immediately looked towards the stands in the distance. The bell-like sounds of the Moon Spring Flowers and the light blue pollen mist could form a barrier. She entered it, but at this moment, she couldn't transmit her divine sense to Mo Shubai.
If she were to shout out now… Song Chi couldn’t help but close her eyes just thinking about the effect.
But for some reason, despite the many lights, flowers, and voices around them, Mo Shubai's clear eyes met hers for a moment, then he smiled faintly, and his blue-clad figure moved gracefully.
As the small boat cascaded down the waterfall, Song Chi saw Mo Shubai, dressed in blue, descending through the light blue barrier of the Moon Spring Flower. He even seemed to give her a gentle, smiling nod.
Song Chi was stunned for a moment. She had a feeling that Mo Shubai seemed to have guessed something. Moreover, that light and graceful figure... was simply breathtakingly beautiful.
Just then, the small boat plunged from the waterfall into the clear spring below, splashing water that brought Song Chi back to his senses.
Xie Lanqing, propping her chin on her hand, leisurely fanned herself with a peach blossom fan, watching her with a smile. She seemed to see right through her!
Song Chi thought to himself, "What are you laughing at? Just wait and see how I shatter your worldview."
Venerable Xueqiao couldn't help but rub his forehead. That brat, oh dear!
And Shu Bai, you… just one glance from that girl and you immediately chased after her. It's likely the two of them had a minor disagreement before, which is why that girl has been deliberately getting close to Xie Lanqing lately, and now she's jumped onto his pleasure boat, probably to deliberately annoy her senior brother.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have glanced at us with such a complex mix of emotions as the ship sailed away.
Shu Bai, being magnanimous, smiled and followed. In fact, Shu Bai had also planned to bring the small boat bearing the unique white lotus mark of the Mo family, but only released it now.
"That brat!" Venerable Xueqiao cursed inwardly. Then he cursed again, "Those two are really good at making a scene. Look how they've turned a small conflict into a spectacle for everyone to watch."
However, as soon as there was any movement on Shu Bai's side, a commotion broke out everywhere. The rest of those ambitious bastards, all smiles, jumped down to the stream and released their boats.
There's bound to be a fight about this...
Fortunately, the Moon Spring Flower Divine Soul Formation is a natural causal formation that can suppress evil, and it is not a formation whose rules can be broken by these mere Nascent Soul Realm cultivators.
Therefore, as long as that girl doesn't waver... once Shu Bai catches up, and the two are of one mind, she will naturally jump onto her beloved's boat without thinking.
However, for some reason, Venerable Xueqiao thought of Song Chi's flirtatious nature and dared not imagine that she would obediently be sent to Shu Bai's small boat by the causal array.
Well… sigh! This brat really needs to rein in her temper.
At this moment, the other disciples, eager to watch the spectacle, followed suit, even those who hadn't originally planned to ride the flower boat. Of course, some felt that the view from the Great Spirit Crystal Mirror was better and more comprehensive, so they remained on the riverbank, sitting directly in front of the Great Spirit Crystal Mirror.
That jade mirror… Venerable Xueqiao really went too far. It would be fine to look at other young lovers and disciples, but why did he keep chasing after that girl Song Chi?
However, for some reason, the rumors about that girl were particularly popular in the cultivation world. This, however, could not stop people from watching the spectacle.
When Song Chi's small boat reached the second waterfall, it was swept away by the blue mist of the Moon Spring Flower like a wisp of smoke. The next moment, the Great Spirit Crystal Mirror searched for a while before finally finding it in the gentle flow of the stream below the waterfall several mountains.
Above that stream, the Jiang family's Pink Lotus Water and Wood Life-Generating Technique was constantly producing pink lotuses that meandered past the two people's small boat with the current.
At that time, Venerable Xueqiao only saw Song Chi in the dim light of the lanterns, resting his chin on his hand and gazing at the pink lotuses.
Then, looking at the lotus flowers with an expression of admiration, he tilted his head and glanced down at them, then dipped his fingers into the water, gliding them along as if playing.
Although she seemed relaxed and elegant, for some reason, Venerable Xueqiao always felt that this brat was about to cause trouble.
As expected—!
She scooped a pink lotus from the water, examined it in her hand, then held it horizontally and handed it to Xie Lanqing.
She might have wanted to find a secluded spot to avoid being tracked by the large spirit crystal mirror. But the moment she picked up the pink lotus and handed it over, the spirit crystal mirror, like a bright moon, instantly illuminated the two of them clearly.
When Song Chi looked up, although her face only twitched slightly, Venerable Xueqiao knew that the girl must be secretly gritting her teeth in anger.
But even so, it didn't stop her from handing over the pink lotus flower that symbolized her affection.
"Junior Sister Song, do you know the meaning behind giving away the Pink Lotus of Love?" Xie Lanqing asked with a smile.
"I know," Song Chi replied straightforwardly.
Xie Lanqing was stunned for a moment, then Song Chi became displeased and was about to throw the pink lotus into the stream. Xie Lanqing smiled gently and quickly caught the pink lotus in her hand.
You thought it was over? Then that brat sat cross-legged, glanced at Xie Lanqing, and stretched out her hand.
"So what about mine?"
Venerable Xueqiao heard only a chorus of laughter and buzzing from the crowd. After all, it was the first time he had ever seen someone so eager to ask for a Love Lotus; anyone would have been too embarrassed to say it. But this brat had asked so boldly and naturally, uttering such an embarrassing question.
Venerable Xueqiao couldn't help but cover half of his face with one hand, and then secretly searched for the location of Shu Bai with his divine sense.
That kid was unlucky; he was flung away by the Moon Spring Flower's blue mist and landed in a secluded stream more than ten miles away. But that didn't stop him from seeing the large, brightly lit Spirit Crystal Mirror hanging in the sky. What made Venerable Xueqiao click his tongue in amazement was that Shu Bai, upon seeing this, simply looked up and smiled slightly. He didn't seem to mind at all.
Shu Bai's magnanimity left Venerable Xue Qiao speechless. He knew this child was a good one, but unfortunately, he had encountered a little devil like his third junior sister. That girl's temperament, sigh!
Xie Lanqing had probably never seen anything so direct before, and was slightly taken aback. Seeing this, Song Chi even beckoned to him with a raised finger, urging him to hurry up!
Venerable Xueqiao then heard a low chuckle from his disciples. That brat, sigh!
Xie Lanqing glanced at the distant mountains and forests with her starry eyes, then reached out and bent down to the water's surface. When she scooped up a pink lotus, her cheeks were slightly flushed. At that moment, she truly looked like the moon shining on a flower-filled forest, shimmering and vibrant—a breathtaking sight. This kid is quite handsome. That brat naturally couldn't help but steal a few more glances… This little lecher, she wasn't satisfied with just her senior brother. Shu Bai's beauty rivaled that of this spring orchid and autumn chrysanthemum. Yet she was still not content.
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Author's note: [doge][doge] Update delivered~
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