Chapter 15: The Hundred Flowers Banquet

As night fell, Luo Feng and Mo Luo Sa arrived at Meng Hua Tower.

“Looks like we’re the earliest.” Luo Feng sat down leisurely; Mo Luo Sa took a seat beside him. Around them stood numerous flower-shaped buildings, each attended by servants.

A green-robed servant smiled and said, “Your Excellency, the other guests are nearly here.”

“Hahahaha… I’m still the first!” A massive, mountain-like figure flew into the area, sending the attending servants tumbling behind him.

“Oh?” The towering figure turned, surprised, toward Luo Feng. “Someone here earlier?”

Luo Feng studied the towering figure. Beside him, the green-robed servant introduced, “Your Excellency, this is Sheng Tianyan, Lord of Tianyan Gate—one of the top two alchemists in Hu Yang City.”

“Hah! And who might this Lord be?” Sheng Tianyan walked over warmly, smiling.

“Luo He.” Luo Feng rose as well.

“Lord Luo He must have just arrived in Hu Yang City recently,” Sheng Tianyan chuckled. “If you don’t mind, shall we sit together?”

“Please.”

Luo Feng genuinely enjoyed making friends; he had come to the Origin Continent to see more of its wonders. He glanced at Mo Luo Sa beside him, who obediently retreated to the farthest corner.

After all, as a mere Void True God, he was unsuited to sit too close to two Eternal True Gods.

“In Hu Yang City, I love making friends—any new Eternal True God, I’m eager to befriend,” Sheng Tianyan said as he sat down.

“I’ve only just arrived in Hu Yang City. My acquaintances are few.” Luo Feng replied.

“Now you’ve added me as one,” Sheng Tianyan grinned. “Should you ever need help in Hu Yang City, come to me. I specialize in forging and have connections across all factions.”

Luo Feng nodded. “To rank among the top two forges in Hu Yang City—your strength is truly impressive.”

He himself had cultivated the Chaos Great Strength Scripture, a body-refining secret art. Since divine bodies could regenerate even when damaged, body refinement was somewhat easier than forging.

Even so, mastering the first layer—“Foundation Establishment”—of the Chaos Great Strength Scripture had taken him great effort. This deepened his admiration for true forging masters.

“Each has their own strengths,” Sheng Tianyan replied humbly.

As they spoke, a winged man flew in, radiating an air of weariness. He ignored everyone, entered a building alone, and sat down to drink in solitude.

“That Eternal True God is Sang Shuiyun,” Sheng said. “He and I are the only two who always attend Meng Hua’s Hundred Flowers Banquet. We’re rivals for her affection!”

“Rivals?” Luo Feng was startled.

Sheng Tianyan shook his head with a sigh. “Alas, my feelings are unrequited.”

Luo Feng found this amusing—both these Eternal True Gods were courting the Mistress of Meng Hua Tower?

“You’ll understand her charm once you see her,” Sheng Tianyan said, then noticed another arriving Eternal True God—a hazy form woven from mist, indistinct in features, save for a single calm eye observing all around.

“Who is that?” Luo Feng asked curiously.

Sheng Tianyan whispered, “The White Mist Lord of the Six Lords Alliance.”

Luo Feng frowned.

“The Six Lords Alliance is a hidden force in Hu Yang City. Rumor says their six Eternal True Gods train and spar together, eventually forming the alliance. It’s one of Hu Yang City’s nineteen dark factions.”

“Nineteen dark factions?” Luo Feng nodded.

“Didn’t you buy detailed intelligence on Hu Yang City?” Sheng Tianyan asked.

“No,” Luo Feng shook his head.

Buying it would be too dull.

The cultivation journey thrives on surprises!

“The official powers of Hu Yang City are the City Lord’s Mansion, the Hu Yang Guard, and the Ten Hu Yang Legions—all controlled by the Five Great Families,” Sheng Tianyan said simply. “Each has extraordinary backgrounds; some are even Royal Clans.”

Luo Feng nodded—he understood this well.

Yu State had five Divine Kings. Their families, over countless eons, had multiplied into vast numbers, and naturally dispatched members to occupy high positions across the Chaos Continents.

“The Five Great Families command the official forces, wielding immense power and terrifying lineage.”

“But in this world, strength ultimately speaks. No matter how powerful your background, it cannot match true strength. Thus, alliances formed by Eternal True Gods naturally shape Hu Yang City.”

“The nineteen dark factions also infiltrate Hu Yang City. Even its residents must pay them residence fees,” Sheng added.

“Beyond them, there are many lesser families, mostly engaged in trade—some refining elixirs, others forging, some founding sects. As scattered Eternal True Gods like us, our influence is far weaker,” Sheng Tianyan chuckled. “We have no interest in seizing control of Hu Yang City.”

Luo Feng nodded.

From what he understood, in a major city, scattered Eternal True Gods and ordinary family True Gods, when combined, vastly outnumbered the official and dark forces.

“There are also branches of major Origin Continent factions here. Though their branches may be weak, they can summon terrifying experts at any moment,” Sheng Tianyan shook his head. “The waters here are too deep; get involved, and you might lose your life.”

Luo Feng found his new acquaintance, Sheng Tianyan, quite interesting. “Lord Luo He, which faction do you belong to?” Sheng Tianyan asked.

“None,” Luo Feng said. “I came to Hu Yang City with only one servant.”

Sheng Tianyan smiled. “As a newcomer, you’re easily exploited by factions. I’ll give you a piece of intelligence—be careful.” With a flick of his finger, a streak of light shot toward Luo Feng.

Luo Feng examined the detailed intelligence. Such information cost at least ten Cosmic Sands.

“Thank you, Brother Sheng,” Luo Feng said.

“A small thing.” Sheng Tianyan suddenly glanced outside. “Several Eternal True Gods arrived this time—even two from the Five Great Families?”

Luo Feng looked.

Two purple-gold figures flew in, each with three eyes and a tail bristling with purple-gold scales, razor-sharp. They swept their gazes across the room, ignored all other Eternal True Gods, and flew straight to one building.

“Two Eternal True Gods from the Qu Meng Clan of the Five Great Families?” Sheng Tianyan exclaimed. “The Royal Clan rarely visits Meng Hua Tower.”

Luo Feng, having received the detailed intelligence, now knew two of the Five Great Families were Royal Clans. The Qu Meng Clan was the family of Qu Meng Divine King of Yu State.

!.

With a Divine King guarding them, countless descendants bred over endless eons, and vast resources for cultivation, the Qu Meng Clan naturally produced many elites.

“Even the Five Great Families sent Eternal True Gods? Rare indeed!”

“The Mistress of Meng Hua Tower truly has unmatched charm.”

Other arriving Eternal True Gods murmured among themselves, all glancing at the Qu Meng Clan pair—after all, they were backed by a Divine King! Who wouldn’t envy them?

As music began, all Eternal True Gods fell silent, gazing at the figure emerging from nothingness.

“The Mistress of Meng Hua Tower?” Luo Feng gazed from afar.

Her divine body seemed the very embodiment of the law of seduction, naturally drawing the gaze of every Eternal True God. Even Luo Feng saw, in her, the shadow of his wife, Xu Xin.

“Such a powerful divine body—each Eternal True God sees in her the trait they most desire?” Luo Feng had read about this in Sheng Tianyan’s intelligence, yet still marveled.

“Fifteen Eternal True Gods attended tonight’s Hundred Flowers Banquet—this is Meng Hua’s honor,” the Mistress’s voice echoed everywhere, resonating in every Eternal True God’s soul. “I have newly composed a melody. I invite you all to listen.”

Present were two Eternal True Gods from the Qu Meng Clan of the Five Great Families, five from the nineteen dark factions, and eight others including Luo Feng and Sheng Tianyan—fifteen in total.

The melody filled the heavens and earth; snowflakes drifted naturally through the night. The world before Luo Feng’s eyes transformed.

“Such a powerful musical illusion,” Luo Feng sensed the Mistress’s artistry. Even his own finest creation, “A Luo Ya,” paled in comparison.

Yet for Luo Feng, whose will was at the peak of Chaos, the effect remained limited.

“Her illusion is vastly stronger. Without the Seven Emotions Refining Heart Method, this melody affects me little. But if I use the Seven Emotions Refining Heart Method… I may not withstand it.” Luo Feng felt uneasy.

Listening to musicians like A Luo Ya while using the Seven Emotions Refining Heart Method had once stirred his emotions so deeply he wept.

If he used it under the Mistress’s illusion, his immersion would be far deeper—he might lose composure entirely.

“Mo Luo Sa, guard me,” Luo Feng sent a mental message.

“Huh?” Mo Luo Sa, eating and drinking alone in the corner, looked up and immediately replied mentally. “Master, rest assured—I’ll guard you with all my focus.”

The Mistress’s musical illusion affected only the fifteen Eternal True Gods. Servants and attendants had no right to her full attention.

Luo Feng steeled his mind and activated the Seven Emotions Refining Heart Method. As the secret art surged, the melody’s power exploded countlessfold, instantly plunging Luo Feng into a world of pure inner sensation.

…

The two Qu Meng Clan Eternal True Gods listened to the melody.

“Meh. Barely better than performances in the Royal Capital.”

“Acceptable, but nowhere near the impact of our Clan’s ‘Hundred Trials Melody.’” They drank and chatted as they listened—clearly, the music barely touched them.

Most other Eternal True Gods present enjoyed it deeply.

The two devoted suitors, Sheng Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun, were utterly immersed, their faces wet with tears of joy or sorrow.

Luo Feng, originally seated in meditation, now lost control. Invisible energy surged outward, silently shattering the table before him, jolting Mo Luo Sa in the corner and startling the green-robed servant: “Lord Luo He!”

Fortunately, the building’s array protected it intact.

“Who is this unknown Eternal True God? Losing control at a Hundred Flowers Banquet?” The others were astonished.

Even Sheng Tianyan, seated beside Luo Feng and moved to tears, opened his eyes to stare. Though emotionally stirred, he remained fully aware—far from losing control.

“Could my brother Luo He be this deeply immersed?” Sheng Tianyan could not believe it.

(End of Chapter)