Proud Senior Brother Fang

"Sigh."

Chu Liang let out a gentle sigh and sheathed his sword, standing still.

The latter half of the journey yielded little; they encountered only two flower demons. While a smooth path was a blessing in the eyes of most, for those whose goal was to hunt monsters, it was inevitably a bit disappointing.

Yet this shallow disappointment was swiftly scattered by the sight before them.

As everyone emerged one by one from the cramped, oppressive forest path, the first impression that struck them was awe.

They were still within the bounds of the dense forest, but now the towering canopies soared tens of meters above, as if the dome of a grand palace arched overhead, dispelling all sense of suffocation. Ahead lay the mouth of a valley, its rocky cliffs jagged and overhanging, thick with vines and vegetation clinging to the black stone. Strange flowers bloomed in profusion, their petals glowing faintly under the dance of mysterious fireflies, casting a shifting, ethereal light.

It was a realm utterly primeval and otherworldly—a hidden domain of monsters.

"This..." Lin Bei opened his mouth, stammering wordlessly, as if wanting to say something, but the sound echoed through the vast valley, making him instinctively fall silent.

There was a touch of that reverence—"Dare not speak aloud, lest I startle the gods above."

Fang Ting spoke in a grave tone, "According to the guide, the Jade-Faced Spirit Blossom is just ahead in the valley. Though there may be no more flower demons here, the danger is far greater... We must be cautious."

"Understood!" The group nodded in agreement.

It was simple logic: in a land teeming with demons, if a patch of untouched ground suddenly appeared, it could only mean it was claimed by something even more terrible.

As their human forms traversed this wild, vast land, a sense of insignificance was inevitable. The group pressed on into the black, uneven terrain of the valley, and soon enough, at its edge, they discovered a cluster of enormous flower stalks growing in a small clearing.

A single stalk bore two blossoms, each bud as large as a human head, the petals tightly closed over the heart of the flower, pure white, with long, straight leaves surrounding it—so pure, so stark in this valley of monsters.

"So that's the Jade-Faced Spirit Blossom... It really does look just like the illustrations," Lin Bei murmured.

Fang Ting glanced up at the sliver of sky above, almost completely obscured by the rock walls. "At this hour, it's just turned to night outside. When a ray of moonlight falls on that flower, it will bloom. Until then, do not touch it."

Chu Liang had already learned the process of harvesting the Jade-Faced Spirit Blossom on the way here.

This plant was truly mystical; at any other time, plucking it would make it lose its spiritual essence. Only at the instant it reached full maturity, blooming after absorbing the moonlight, could it be harvested with its power intact.

But at that very moment, all who gazed upon it would fall into an illusion—perhaps its way of protecting itself.

Thus, one person must stand before the flower with a bronze mirror at the moment it blooms, so that the blossom's illusion would be reflected back, causing the flower itself to fall into a trance. Then, another could harvest it from behind.

Only two were needed for this part, but the quest required five, for the other three would stand guard outside, forming a Three Talents Sword Formation to ward off the guardian beasts drawn to the flower.

...

"Sister Ziqing, take the 'Human' position; Brother Chu, the 'Earth' position; I'll take 'Heaven'. Lu Ren holds the mirror, Lin Bei picks the flower," Fang Ting commanded crisply.

The Three Talents Sword Formation was not simply a matter of one person to a side. The 'Human' position guarded one direction, the 'Earth' position covered two, while the 'Heaven' position covered one but was also responsible for reinforcing the others, ready to assist as needed.

In this way, the greatest burden fell on the strongest member, compensating for any disparities in strength.

No one objected, and they took their positions around the flower.

The wait was not long. Soon, a single shaft of moonlight pierced through the obstacles above, illuminating the clearing. In this sunless valley, such a ray was precious indeed.

The moonbeam slowly shifted, inch by inch, until it hovered above the Jade-Faced Spirit Blossom.

"Focus!" Fang Ting shouted suddenly.

Chu Liang, Xu Ziqing, and Fang Ting, the three formation holders, immediately took their stances, swords drawn, turning their backs to the flower and no longer looking its way.

For—

As the blossom ripened, the valley filled with rustling sounds. Some monsters, long coveting the flower, could no longer restrain themselves.

"Roar—!" The first to burst from the undergrowth was a black-spotted tiger, its furious roar shaking the mountains! Its hide was marked with savage stripes, and beneath its ribs grew a pair of fleshy wings—a beast clearly refined through years of cultivation.

Forest monsters were cunning, and this one lunged straight for Xu Ziqing.

The young girl bit her lip, fear evident in her eyes, but she did not retreat. Instead, she stepped forward, prepared to meet the beast.

Just then, a golden dragon of sword energy swept across from the side!

Boom—

In a surge of power, the tiger vanished on the spot, leaving only drifting ashes behind.

Fang Ting, of course, had acted.

Chu Liang, witnessing this, marveled at the strength of the Golden Core realm, but couldn't help a silent sigh.

What a waste.

If only he could have landed the finishing blow himself.

Fang Ting, ever watchful, noticed Chu Liang's sigh and spoke, "Brother Chu, there's no need to be discouraged. With diligent cultivation, you too will wield such strength in time."

Hmm... Did he think Chu Liang was discouraged by his prowess?

Chu Liang paused, then nodded toward Fang Ting.

Yes, yes, of course.

There was no time for further conversation. The tiger's appearance seemed to signal a call to arms—soon, a giant python as thick as a barrel, a gleaming golden eagle, a three-eyed jackal... monsters attacked from all sides!

Chu Liang's eyes lit up at the sight.

But at that moment, Fang Ting barked another command: "Wind and Thunder Sword Art! Swift!"

With a spell in his left hand and his right gripping the Thunder Sword, he shouted, unleashing a tempest of sword energy. Sand and stones flew, thunderclouds roared around him, and in an instant, the storm swept forth.

Rumble—

With a single stroke, all the charging monsters were swept away, obliterated by wind and thunder!

Annihilated.

"Hmph!" Fang Ting sheathed his sword with a cold snort, casting a domineering gaze around, radiating authority. He glanced sidelong at Xu Ziqing and Chu Liang, lifting his chin and puffing out his chest. Though his face remained impassive, his eyes seemed to flicker with anticipation.

He looked for all the world like a golden retriever that had caught a mouse and was waiting for praise, but trying to appear aloof.

In stark contrast, the light that had just flared in Chu Liang's eyes was quickly extinguished.

There was no sparkle left in his gaze...

The more ruthlessly Fang Ting slaughtered, the greater Chu Liang's heartache...

Xu Ziqing, whether accustomed to her brother's strength or simply too tense to notice, offered no words of praise for Fang Ting's show of might.

And so, Fang Ting held his pose for quite some time, but no praise came. At last, he blinked and said to himself, "Sister Ziqing, Brother Chu, as long as you both cultivate diligently, one day you too may unleash such a stroke."

"Heh." Chu Liang smiled.

While the battle outside was progressing smoothly, those inside, tasked with harvesting the blossom, finally saw the moonlight fall upon the first flower's heart.

"It's about to bloom!" Lin Bei shouted.

Lu Ren hurriedly raised the large bronze mirror in his hands.

Under the moonlight, the great Jade-Faced Spirit Blossom awakened like a beauty from slumber, slowly unfurling its petals... revealing a face as white and flawless as jade.

Yes, when the blossom opened, it truly did reveal a face strikingly human—an androgynous, ethereal beauty, pale and smooth as jade.

As soon as this face appeared, its eyes shone with a strange, wary light—yet the next instant, it caught sight of itself in the bronze mirror before it.

A look of rapture soon spread across those eyes...