Chapter 102: Flower Goddess (Please Subscribe, Thank You!)

“What do you think? Which flower sword should I practice, Sister Fengxian?”

After finishing the routine, Jin Lian panted as she asked Xiao Yu.

Meeting the bright anticipation in her eyes, Xiao Yu said: “Sister Jin Lian, I teach the Nine Flower Sword in two main modes.”

The first mode is the traditional method: observe the nine famous flowers, choose the one you love most and feel most deeply, then imitate its spirit and grace.

In this method, I will show you the flower’s spirit and grace in the most direct way possible.

This mode is called ‘I Bow to the Flower as Divine.’

The second mode is ‘I Am the Flower Goddess, and All Flowers Bow to Me.’

There’s no need to observe each of the nine famous flowers individually—every girl has her own floral language and floral soul, and each is a famous flower.

Once you awaken your own floral soul, you can return from the acquired to the innate, and the spirit and grace will arise naturally.”

“Every girl is a famous flower.” Liu Gugu frowned in thought. “Interesting.”

Jin Lian looked confused and asked: “Sister Fengxian, you’re my sword instructor—what do you think I should choose?”

“Well… how to choose depends on you. Pick a mode first, then I’ll teach you.”

Xiao Yu felt this elder sister hadn’t understood a word she’d just said.

Jin Lian truly hadn’t understood, but her mind was still sharp.

“Which mode did she choose?” she asked, pointing to Zi Ying beside her.

Xiao Yu said: “Zi Ying follows the second mode, but she’s different from you. Zi Ying lives in Hongxiu Fang and rarely sees true imperial flowers.”

“You’re famed throughout Tianmen Town—you may often go out and visit the gardens of noble families.”

Liu Gugu said: “The Nine Flower Sword already fixes nine specific flowers. Could Zi Ying simply correspond to one of them?”

Xiao Yu shook her head: “When the Nine Flower Sword reaches perfection, the nine flowers merge into one—the Flower of Glory and Wealth.”

‘Glory and Wealth’ is the essence of all famous flowers, and also the temperament of the Nine Flower Sword’s creator.”

She infused this temperament into the spirit and grace of every flower in the Nine Flower Sword.”

Though the nine flowers differ, mastering any one of them adds a touch of nobility to the sword’s wielder.”

Liu Gugu nodded lightly, as if grasping something.

Xiao Yu continued: “When the Nine Flower Sword reaches perfection, you can refine that trace of noble aura and apply it broadly—infuse it into the spirit and grace of any flower.”

Observing other famous flowers outside the nine, you can instantly mimic their spirit and grace.”

Liu Gugu frowned: “Can you explain this more concretely, more vividly?”

She vaguely sensed Xiao Fengxian’s words touched the very root of the Nine Flower Sword—even if she didn’t fully understand, her heart pounded with an uncontrollable surge of excitement.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment: “Immortal Martial Arts have five core elements: heart, spirit, intention, qi, and body. The heart is one’s true nature; the spirit is the ‘primary spirit’ formed by splitting off part of the mind to simulate techniques.”

Intention is the soul bestowed upon the technique by this ‘primary spirit.’

But most Immortal Martial Arts manuals only cultivate a few of these five elements.”

For example, the ‘Ghost Shadow Grasping Hands’ trains only technique and body—that is, only the ‘body’ element.”

Tell me, Liu Gugu, how many of these Immortal Martial Arts elements does the ‘Nine Flower Sword’ cultivate?”

Liu Gugu said: “The Nine Flower Sword has techniques and sword intention, but no breathing method—only two elements.”

Xiao Yu smiled: “Actually, the Nine Flower Sword has at least three elements. When perfected, there’s a certain chance it will coalesce a ‘Flower Goddess.’”

The Flower Goddess is the sovereign of all flowers, capable of granting soul and intention to any flower sword technique.”

So I say: when the Nine Flower Sword is perfected, only one flower remains—the Flower of Wealth and Nobility—and yet countless spirit and grace forms can arise—using the Flower of Wealth and Nobility to cultivate the essence of all flowers.”

If you use the ‘Tiger Soul Seven Kill’ to explain, it would be easier to understand.”

The Tiger Soul Seven Kill cultivates four Immortal Martial Arts elements: spirit, intention, qi, and body.”

Forget the breathing and training methods for now—focus only on spirit and intention.”

The spirit is training the warrior’s soul into a ferocious tiger; the Seven Kill secrets are techniques mimicking the tiger’s divine powers.”

Using a human’s ‘spirit’ to control the tiger’s killing moves is far less natural, fluid, and powerful than letting the ‘Tiger Spirit’ wield them itself.”

The Nine Flower Sword has no direct ‘spirit cultivation method.’

But Xiao Yu sensed that after the nine sword intentions merge, a ‘Flower Spirit’ similar to the ‘Tiger Spirit’ could emerge.”

The Tiger Spirit’s defining trait is ‘ferocity,’ so the Seven Kill secrets are all steeped in bloodthirsty cruelty.”

The Nine Flower Sword’s ‘Flower Spirit’ emphasizes ‘nobility,’ so while each of the nine flowers is distinct, all carry a trace of wealth and dignity.”

Liu Gugu thought carefully and said: “Your words seem logical, but I know you’re making it up.”

Xiao Yu blinked: “Where am I making it up? Can something made up still be logical?”

Liu Gugu said: “Do you know who created the Nine Flower Sword?”

Xiao Yu shook her head.

Liu Gugu smiled: “I’ve been investigating the origins of the Nine Flower Sword these past few days.”

It wasn’t created by one person—it began as the Five Flower Sword, invented eight hundred years ago by a concubine of the Lu state.”

The Lu concubine didn’t hoard it; the Five Flower Sword spread among noble ladies and wives in Lu.”

By the time it reached Western Shu four hundred years ago, it had become the Eight Flower Sword—it was always called the ‘Beauty Sword Method’; ‘Nine Flowers’ was added later.”

“So that’s why…” Xiao Yu seemed to understand.

“Why what?”

Xiao Yu said: “Didn’t I say before that when the Nine Flower Sword is perfected, there’s only a certain chance of coalescing the ‘Flower Goddess’?”

“Hehe, don’t play dumb with me. You’re just unsure yourself and don’t want to commit to anything.” Liu Gugu wore a smug smile, as if she’d seen right through her.

Xiao Yu looked innocent: “But I’ve already perfected the Nine Flower Sword and coalesced the ‘Flower Goddess.’”

“What? What are you saying?” Liu Gugu was first shocked, then skeptical: “Don’t think your sword skill is so high you can fool me. I may never have eaten pork, but I’ve certainly seen pigs run.”

Xiao Yu glanced at her and entered the ‘Flower Goddess’ state.

The ‘Tiger Spirit’ transforms the soul into a ferocious tiger.

In spirit form, it becomes a ten-foot-tall tiger; in physical form, the eyes, demeanor, and aura radiate the tiger’s ferocity and brutality.

The ‘Flower Goddess’ remains human—whether in spirit or body, always human-shaped, face unchanged—but the aura and spirit… Liu Gugu, Jin Lian, and Zi Ying saw the living ‘Little Li Fei.’

Xiao Yu had always seemed lovely and charming, but before, her impression was mostly spirited and radiant.

Now, she was still the same person, yet seemed transformed—her beauty was dazzling, as if all flowers bloomed before their eyes, breathtakingly lovely, elegant and noble, so exalted one dared not defile her yet longed to draw near.

“Well?”

Seeing their dazed expressions, Xiao Yu was surprised, yet deeply pleased.

This ‘Flower Sovereign of All Flowers’ had taken days of deliberation and hesitation before she finally decided to coalesce it.

Today was the first time she revealed it before others—and the effect was better than expected.

But she didn’t maintain the ‘Flower Goddess’ state long; after smiling, she returned to her ‘true form.’

Yet the moment she smiled, they became even more entranced.

Long moments passed before Liu Gugu slowly came to her senses. She dared not look at Xiao Yu again, instead lifting her teacup and gulping it down, then speaking in a dazed tone: “The Flower Goddess is too powerful—the Nine Flower Spirit and Grace can’t compare at all. But why has no one ever heard of anyone achieving it before?”

Xiao Yu shrugged: “Just treat it as something I invented. The ancients expanded from Five Flowers to Nine Flowers—today, I establish the ‘Flower Goddess’ for the Nine Flowers.”

Liu Gugu smiled bitterly and shook her head: “You might as well say the ‘Flower Goddess’ always existed—only no one ever achieved it.”

Achieving the rare ‘Flower Goddess’ realm is genius; creating the ‘Flower Goddess’ through the Nine Flower Sword is a prodigy!

“I was just lucky—don’t forget the Shadow Spirit Map.” Xiao Yu reminded her.

She wasn’t being modest on purpose.

In Immortal Martial Arts, ‘spirit cultivation’ is extremely hard to practice, but easy to explain in one sentence: transform your spiritual soul into another form.”

The ‘Little Li Fei’ in the Shadow Spirit Map was Xiao Yu’s ‘self.’

Imitating ‘yourself’ isn’t hard—the hard part is whether Xiao Yu can accept this ‘self.’

She had once strongly resisted becoming ‘Little Li Fei.’

After returning from ‘No Return,’ she had the inspiration to use the ‘Little Li Fei Shadow Spirit Map’ as the ‘fundamental spirit map’ for the Nine Flower Sword.”

This was very easy for her.

‘Little Li Fei’ was her—she had seen the map, and had experienced soul resonance with the immortal spirit within it.

But she resisted becoming ‘Little Li Fei.’

After days of inner conflict, and after teaching Zi Ying sword techniques in the Pear Fragrance Garden, she had another inspiration: divide the ‘Flower Sovereign’ into yin and yang—the yang spirit as ‘Little Li Fei,’ the yin spirit as the ‘Master of the Nine Flower Breaking Sword Form.’

During the Purple Mansion’s deduction of the method to kill Xiang Huchen, she had deciphered five of the Seven Kill secrets and evolved corresponding spirit-intentions.

The Killing Tiger Spirit-Intention.

In ‘No Return,’ Xiao Yu had desperately piled Debuffs upon herself until the Purple Mansion finally deduced the ‘Breaking Sword Forms’ for Plum and Orchid spirit and grace.

Xiao Yu wondered: if she coalesced a new ‘Flower Spirit’ from the Nine Flower Breaking Sword intention, wouldn’t it be the opposite of the ‘Magnificent Little Li Fei’?

That is, the ‘Flower Spirit·Yin Form.’

These days, Hong Qu had been constantly whispering to her the Daoist concept of ‘yin-yang mutual generation, cultivation of life and nature’—Xiao Yu had been deeply moved.

Whether the yin and yang spirits could merge, or what effects merging would bring—she had no idea.

She’d already cultivated Immortal Martial Arts and ruined her Immortal destiny—so as long as she didn’t kill herself, she might as well keep experimenting!

Liu Gugu was clever and well-traveled; after hearing only of the ‘Shadow Spirit Map,’ she slowly understood: Xiao Fengxian’s ‘Flower Goddess’ was the ‘self’ from the Shadow Spirit Map.

“Is that map still around?” she asked, eyes hopeful.

Xiao Yu shook her head: “The flood washed away the camp, and even the earth sank a bit.”

“Can you draw it again?” Liu Gugu asked.

“Do you know who the painter was? If you can find that Master Painter, why not just ask a celestial to grant divine arts—why bother with the Nine Flower Sword?”

Asking Master Zhang to paint the Shadow Spirit Map to cultivate the Nine Flower Sword is like asking Bill Gates to reinstall Windows.

Originally, Zhang Huasheng was willing to “awaken the immortal spirit” in the Shadow God Map because she had the bearing of a noblewoman—she looked like Lady Li and had the potential to become the Emperor’s favorite concubine!

Aunt Liu fell silent, but Jin Lian beside her excitedly cried out, “Fengxian sister, practice this one—I’ll choose this one!”

Zi Ying also said, “Fengxian sister, you were just so beautiful—I never knew a person could be so elegant and noble.”

“The ‘Flower Goddess’ is a martial realm; everyone can cultivate it. As long as your realm is sufficient, anyone can become like that,” Xiao Yu smiled.

“Really? Can I too?” Zi Ying’s round eyes sparkled as if glowing.

“Yes, but you will become a different kind of Flower Goddess,” Xiao Yu said.

“Are there several kinds of Flower Goddesses?” Aunt Liu asked, puzzled.

Xiao Yu said, “In the end, only one supreme goddess exists, but beneath her are the Noble Flower Goddess and the Commoner’s Flower Goddess.”

Flowers carefully tended in gardens, such as the Nine Famous Flowers corresponding to the Nine Flower Swords, are governed by the Noble Flower Goddess.

Flowers growing naturally in villages and hamlets, equally beautiful and fragrant with unique qualities, yet lacking the noble aura of palace flowers, are governed by the Commoner’s Flower Goddess.”

Aunt Liu glanced at Zi Ying, thinking of her humble origins and Xiao Yu’s earlier words: “Every girl is a flower,” and “Through later cultivation, return to the primordial—your flower soul will naturally bloom.”

“What kind of flower should Zi Ying practice? It probably isn’t one of the Nine Flowers, right?”

Xiao Yu’s gaze flickered and said, “The little yellow flower.”

“What little yellow flower? Be specific.”

“It’s the little yellow flower growing in the corner of the wall—cute and beautiful,” Xiao Yu replied vaguely.

Zi Ying seemed to recall something and covered her mouth in surprise: “Fengxian sister, are you talking about hemp vine?”

A few days ago, Xiao Yu had asked her what plant she remembered most, and she had said hemp vine.

Later, Xiao Yu not only squatted by the wall, observing the hemp vine for a long time, but also instructed her to carefully study every tendril, green leaf, and tiny flower of the hemp vine from now on.

“Don’t call it hemp vine—it’s ‘Hemp Little Yellow,’” Xiao Yu said sternly.

Aunt Liu’s expression twisted: “Even if Zi Ying is lowly, she’s not a hemp vine, is she?”

Hemp vine isn’t even considered a weed—it grows too vigorously, is too hard to remove, its tendrils are covered in prickles that sting and itch, and it thrives anywhere, in every corner of the land, north and south, recognized as a “pest plant.”

Moreover, hemp vine’s flowers are extremely small, inconspicuous, odorless, even slightly foul.

Xiao Yu said seriously, “Auntie, don’t look down on hemp vine. Even if it’s not the ‘King of All Flowers,’ it’s at least the ‘God of All Herbs.’”

“God of All Herbs? Have you cultivated it?” Aunt Liu immediately seized the core issue.

Xiao Yu said, “I’m still researching it—I haven’t perfected it yet.”

Aunt Liu sneered: Had she not perfected it—or had she never even tried?

If she won’t even practice it herself, why is she leading others astray? How could she betray poor little Zi Ying, who trusted her so much!

Xiao Yu sighed, “Every girl has her own flower soul—hemp vine is the flower soul of my ‘Sha Man Yu’!”

Aunt Liu froze for a moment.

Zi Ying smiled, “I believe Fengxian sister—I’ll practice ‘Hemp Little Yellow.’”

“You’ll never regret it,” Xiao Yu said earnestly.