Chapter 338: Baihua Valley

Baihua Valley.

Mountains and fields blanketed in flowers like a huge, multicolored ribbon cast upon the ground; the rich floral scent accompanied a gentle breeze that brushed the face, leaving one unable to help becoming intoxicated.

Hard to say.

This Baihua Valley is indeed the most beautiful place Yunhe has seen in his cultivation so far.

Although his Ice Immortal Pavilion is not bad, with crystal-like palaces everywhere, wrapped in silver, yet compared to the scenery of Baihua Valley, it lacks a bit of fragrance.

As for the orioles and swallows inside the Ice Immortal Pavilion, Baihua Valley is actually not much different.

Likewise, as a sect primarily of female cultivators, the female cultivators of Baihua Valley are like blooming flowers, wearing various garments, walking or flying, always bringing a unique fragrance.

Keeping bees here would be quite good.

This was the first thought that flashed through Yunhe's mind.

"Senior, this must be your first visit to our Baihua Valley? Junior will take you around."

Beside Yunhe, a female cultivator at mid Golden Core, wearing a pink gauze dress with her figure faintly visible, gave a graceful salute and asked sweetly.

Those flickering eyes were like a speaking mouth, revealing hints of information.

This person is the cultivator who came representing Baihua Valley to invite Yunhe to the Flower Banquet; he is one of the disciples of the current Valley Master of Baihua Valley, called Yin Wen.

The reason it wasn't the Supreme Elder Lotus Flower Ancestor of Baihua Valley personally visiting is something Yunhe can roughly guess.

It's merely because his appearance was too sudden; the Lotus Flower Ancestor couldn't tell whether he had stepped forward truly for the Foundation Establishment cultivator Shen Xingrui, or to target the Shi family, and even their Baihua Valley.

If Yunhe were an enemy rather than a friend, he would have laid a trap in the Baihua Workshop Market.

From this, it can be seen that the Lotus Flower Ancestor is not ordinarily cautious.

According to Yunhe's knowledge, the Lotus Flower Ancestor is quite advanced in age, her lifespan possibly nearly exhausted; the older one gets, the more one cherishes life, and by hiding in Baihua Valley with the Mountain Guarding Formation's protection, she no longer has such worries.

"How long until the Flower Banquet begins?" Yunhe did not answer, but instead asked back.

Yin Wen replied softly:

"At this moment, the Champion Contest within the valley should be underway; the Flower Banquet will likely begin after some more time."

Baihua Valley, this place is also one of the Cave Heaven Blissful Lands; within the valley there is not only a fourth‑level middle‑grade spirit vein, but also a strange flower known as the Variegated Purple Gold Flower growing.

It is said that this flower blooms once every hundred years, formed from the spirit energy dissipated over a century by that fourth‑level middle‑grade spirit vein; it is a wondrous spirit plant that can greatly increase the cultivation base of Golden Core cultivators.

This is also one of the important reasons why Baihua Valley's founding ancestor chose this place to establish the sect.

And whenever the Variegated Purple Gold Flower blooms, all the flowers in Baihua Valley blossom regardless of season or time; the sight of plum and lotus flowering together can be seen only then.

Therefore, Baihua Valley holds a Flower Banquet every hundred years.

First, the abundant blossoming of spiritual flowers brings Baihua Valley a considerable harvest; whether made into Flower Paste or Flower Brew, they are renowned far and wide as top‑grade spiritual food and liquor.

Second, it is the ownership of the Variegated Purple Gold Flower.

Baihua Valley will hold the Champion Contest.

Any cultivator who wins the top prize can obtain the Variegated Purple Gold Flower to enhance their cultivation base.

And to display its strength and magnanimity, Baihua Valley invites all affiliated cultivation families and sects to participate in each Champion Contest.

Naturally, since it is a special spiritual flower that can boost the cultivation base of Golden Core cultivators, one must have Golden Core cultivation to participate in the Champion Contest.

In fact, Baihua Valley has held this so‑called Flower Banquet no fewer than twenty times, yet up to now no outsider has ever won the championship.

To many, this Champion Contest is actually just an internal struggle among Baihua Valley's disciples; outsiders come mostly just for the liveliness and to enjoy some delicacies.

"That's worth a look." Yunhe gave a slight smile.

Actually, the Ice Immortal Pavilion also holds similar activities from time to time, in order to increase the enthusiasm of the disciples below.

However, the rewards of those celebrations differ greatly from Baihua Valley's Variegated Purple Gold Flower, so Yunhe has not paid them much mind.

After all, without him, the Ice Immortal Pavilion's foundation still lags considerably behind that of Baihua Valley.

"I will follow your wishes, senior."

Yin Wen replied respectfully, but her lowered eyes still flickered with a hint of disappointment.

But she quickly adjusted her attitude and continued: "Senior, there are two fellow cultivators here, please come this way."

At Yunhe's side naturally followed Shen Xingrui and Shen Mu, this brother‑sister pair.

Now Shen Xingrui considers herself Yunhe's maidservant, while Shen Mu serves as his guard.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xingrui hastily tugged at Shen Mu's sleeve, who was still looking around curiously, signalling him not to embarrass Yunhe.

His simple‑minded appearance drew smiles from many Baihua Valley female disciples.

Yunhe didn't really care about that.

As for face, his cultivation base here is his face.

Put bluntly, even if he brought an ordinary person in, as long as others knew they followed him, they would not dare to offend.

On the contrary, he rather appreciates Shen Mu's honest simplicity, lacking the scheming and deceit common among cultivators.

The three, led by Yin Wen, quickly arrived deep within the valley.

A massive platform built on the mountainside, covered by a fairly strong defensive formation; around the platform stood a series of high terraces, already seated with many people, and a large number of Baihua Valley disciples gathered here, cheering for the cultivators dueling on the platform.

Seeing Yunhe and company arriving on flower‑boats, many showed puzzlement, but some who had already received the news first turned solemn, then quickly shifted to a somewhat ingratiating smile.

Meanwhile.

Inside a hall in Baihua Valley, a ray of light flew out and hovered before Yunhe and company.

Upon seeing this light, the Baihua Valley disciples below and the invited family and sect cultivators all performed respectful salutations, including Yin Wen, who had guided Yunhe and the three here.

"Disciple (junior) pays respects to the Lotus Flower Ancestor."

"Unable to greet you in person, my fault; I hope you will forgive me."

From the light stepped a beautiful woman in white plain robes, performing the salute while smiling apologetically.

This person is the Supreme Elder of Baihua Valley, the Lotus Flower Ancestor.

Yunhe also smiled and returned the salute.

Not at all, it's just that I suddenly showed up uninvited and disturbed you; I hope Fellow Daoist Lianhua won't blame me.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the Lianhua Elder brought Yunhe and the two others down to the highest viewing platform.

After her brief introduction, the people below finally realized that Baihua Valley had today welcomed another Yuan Ying Cultivator come to watch the championship bout, and they were both surprised and respectfully bowed.

Greetings, Senior.

In the crowd below.

There was a female cultivator who appeared to be seventeen or eighteen, wearing a red long dress, her complexion slightly pale, sitting cross-legged; hearing the movement, she slowly opened her eyes, looked toward the high platform, and a hint of doubt appeared in her eyes.

She felt that the person seemed somehow familiar.

"It's just an illusion, definitely an illusion. It seems the earlier injury has affected my mind and spirit; I need to recover quickly."

With that thought, she stopped being distracted, stuffed a few elixirs into her mouth, entered meditation, and seized the time to heal her injuries.

Meanwhile, on the platform.

I'll do it.

Shen Xingrui took the wine pot from a female disciple of Baihua Valley beside her, turned around, and carefully poured Yunhe a cup.

For a moment, the rich aroma of the wine mingled with the strong floral scent and wafted through the air.

"Fellow Daoist, please try this; this is a five-hundred-year-old Baihua brew, not comparable to those one-hundred-year-old Baihua brews," said the Lianhua Elder with a smile.

Yunhe also didn't stand on ceremony, and in one gulp drained the cup.

Immediately he felt a warm current flow through his body; the taste was mellow beyond compare, and indeed it had some effect in advancing his cultivation base, but for someone like him, a Yuan Ying Cultivator, the increase in cultivation base was negligible compared to its effect on Golden Core cultivators.

How is it?

Not bad. Yunhe nodded.

Whether to speak or not, the taste was still quite good.

Speaking purely of flavor, it could compare to the Nine Wastelands Wine of the Cold Sword True Lord.

While speaking, he casually picked up a pastry from the table and stuffed it into his mouth.

Hundred-flower paste, fragrant but not greasy, and the taste was also not bad.

Gulp—

Suddenly, the sound of swallowing saliva came from behind Yunhe.

Brother!

Shen Xingrui was the first to react, hurriedly lowering her voice and shouting.

Shen Mu gave a foolish laugh and scratched his head.

Yet Yunhe laughed, patted the seat beside him, and said to Shen Mu, "Sit down and eat together."

"Young master, we—" Shen Xingrui hurriedly said.

Sit.

Oh.

Shen Xingrui immediately sat down together with Shen Mu.

Eat.

Shen Xingrui was somewhat restrained, while Shen Mu dug in without any hesitation.

These two are quite interesting.

On the other side, the Lianhua Elder looked at Shen Xingrui and Shen Mu and couldn't help but laugh.

She knew exactly how the Shi family had offended this Yuan Ying Cultivator, and she did not think the identities of the two were as simple as mere maid and guard.

Especially after Yunhe treated them in this way.

Yunhe smiled without speaking, raised his cup, and looked down at the platform.

At that moment, inside the spell formation's restriction, two Golden Core cultivators were engaged in a duel of magic.

Judging by their attire, they appeared to be a Late Jie Dan Stage cultivator from Baihua Valley and a Mid Jie Dan Stage cultivator from outside.

The two sides differed by one realm, and adding the differences in inherited techniques, magical treasures, secret arts, etc., the outcome of the duel was almost without suspense.

"I have to say, Fellow Daoist, your timing is perfect; after just two more rounds, it will be the final championship bout," the Lianhua Elder said, noticing Yunhe's gaze.

Oh?

Yunhe raised his eyebrows, took a small sip, and his gaze fell steadily upon a female cultivator seated cross-legged below, wearing a red robe.

He felt somewhat surprised inside.

"Has she grown up?"

Huaxin couldn't recognize him at a glance, but he indeed recognized Huaxin instantly.

Even though her appearance had greatly changed from the child in Yunhe's memory who clung to a candied hawthorn skewer.

However, judging from her current state, she did not seem to be doing well.

"It seems my cheap master also participated in this so-called championship bout. Moreover, her cultivation base has reached Late Jie Dan Stage; if she wants to quickly advance her realm, Baihua Valley's Variegated Purple Gold Flower is indeed a good choice."

However.

Looking at the duel currently taking place on the field, although both sides displayed powerful techniques with considerable commotion, it seemed like a mere show—thunderous but rainless—far from the fierceness a true cultivator's duel should have, let alone any injuries.

How could it be that only Huaxin ended up injured?

After the duel had continued for a while, the outside cultivator withdrew his magical power and voluntarily conceded defeat.

Upon seeing this, Yunhe understood the reason.

How could Baihua Valley possibly allow an outsider cultivator to win the championship bout and take the Variegated Purple Gold Flower?

In that case.

"It seems my cheap master's attempt to win the championship bout won't be easy."

Yunhe silently set down his cup, while Shen Xingrui beside him, nibbling on a pastry, hurriedly poured him another cup.

"Next, Hua Xin versus Li Qian!"

"(End of chapter)"