Chapter 181: Making the Flower Moon Palace Your Home

The rooms of the Flower Moon Palace were spotless everywhere; desks and cabinets were polished so finely they reflected faces. Gu Qing lay down on the bed, feeling the air fragrant, the bedding soft, and stretched out comfortably upon it.

Inside the Flower Moon Palace, you must act like the master.

At dawn, the young maid who had laughed at Gu Qing the night before entered with a stern face, brought him water for washing, and quietly made the bed.

"I just thought of another Flower Moon Palace joke. Want to hear it?"

Gu Qing smiled at the young maid.

The maid rolled up the bedding in a panic and dashed out the door—after being threatened by Yao Yue yesterday, she dared not utter a single word to Gu Qing today.

Gu Qing stepped outside and practiced his martial arts alone, completing his routine before sitting down to drink a bowl of porridge, savoring the Flower Moon Palace's flower cakes, then walking toward Lian Xing's residence.

The Flower Moon Palace bloomed with flowers, the air sweet and fresh. As Gu Qing walked, the disciples stepped aside, avoiding all contact with him, watching silently as he entered Lian Xing's chamber.

After a night's rest, Lian Xing's pain had lessened. She looked up at Gu Qing, her gaze shifting with a hint of shyness.

"Lian Xing."

Gu Qing was in high spirits. He approached Lian Xing, checked her hands and feet himself, then simulated electric currents to stimulate her skin and muscles. After completing the therapy, he reached out and gently embraced her.

Lian Xing offered no resistance, tilting her head slightly to rest against Gu Qing's chest, her face flushing with embarrassment.

She could not name the feeling, but this was the first time in her life she had touched a man intimately—it made her entire body feel strange.

"Gu Qing!"

Yao Yue appeared suddenly, ignoring their closeness, asking coldly: "Can you train bees?"

Lian Xing quickly sat upright.

"This place is full of flowers. If you raise a colony of bees properly, you can not only drink honey but also use them to defend against intruders."

Gu Qing turned calmly, his expression unchanged, as if unbothered by last night's events, and began discussing palace affairs with Yao Yue.

The Jade Bees of the Ancient Tomb Sect can be controlled by Xiaolongnu to fight enemies.

"Also, while the Flower Moon Palace is beautiful, its layout lacks structure. If you transplant these flowers and arrange them in a Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams pattern, intruders would become lost in the groves before even reaching the core—adding another layer of defense."

Gu Qing had seen the layout map of Taohuadao and learned some of its Qimen Dunjia techniques from Cheng Ying. But earlier, he had no intention of founding a sect. Now that he intended to take charge of the Flower Moon Palace, he wanted more defenses.

Yao Yue, hearing Gu Qing speak without reservation, faintly smiled, and immediately took him on a tour of the palace to select bees, instruct the disciples, and design the new layout.

Amidst her busy schedule, Gu Qing also exchanged martial arts with Lian Xing.

"Lian Xing, this set of Whirlwind Sweeping Leaf Legs comes from a master renowned for breaking his disciples' legs."

Gu Qing taught her the leg technique: "That master would break his disciples' legs, then regret it immediately—so he created this art. It relies on internal energy; even someone with shattered leg bones can walk normally after five or six years of practice."

Lian Xing's martial skill ranked only below Yao Yue's; her insight was exceptional. After seeing the Whirlwind Sweeping Leaf Legs, she recognized its ingenuity, nodded, smiled at Gu Qing, and asked: "Did that master ever break your legs?"

"He wanted to."

Gu Qing laughed. "I didn't give him the chance."

Lian Xing's lips curved in a charming smile. Lately, she had seen Gu Qing raising bees for the disciples, redesigning the palace's terrain, and sharing martial arts without holding back—she knew he truly intended to settle in the Flower Moon Palace. So she began sharing some of its techniques with him.

"Our palace's martial techniques are built on destruction."

Lian Xing's hands had fully recovered; as she explained the moves, her arms moved lightly.

The Flower Moon Palace possesses the technique of Flower Transfer Jade Catch. Ordinary martial artists who attack its disciples often injure themselves more severely the harder they strike. Over time, the disciples focused more on defense, learning to probe for weaknesses and strike at critical points.

"Flower Transfer Jade Catch is the foundation of our palace. I truly cannot teach it to you yet."

Lian Xing frowned slightly, troubled, and said: "But I promise, I will tell you its secrets."

Gu Qing possessed the Qi Kun Great Shift; his desire for Flower Transfer Jade Catch was weak. He comforted Lian Xing with a few words, ready to discuss internal energy with her, when suddenly an odd sound echoed through the palace.

A buzzing, like swords grinding against each other, or silkworms devouring mulberry leaves, carried a chilling force from afar—disciples along the path cried out in alarm.

"Let's go see." Gu Qing took Lian Xing's hand in one, flashed to the treetops, and looked down: thousands of rats, each as large as cats, had suddenly appeared in the palace, gnawing indiscriminately at the flowers.

The female disciples scattered in terror.

"Wei Wuya!"

Yao Yue's voice rang cold, rising through the air.

These rats were Wei Wuya's doing.

"Gu Qing, Yao Yue, you two lovers, open your eyes and watch as these rats devour your Flower Moon Palace!"

From deep within the distant woods came a hoarse voice.

It was indeed Wei Wuya's work. News of Gu Qing and Yao Yue's affair had spread through the Jianghu. Wei Wuya, who had once courted Yao Yue and Lian Xing, flew into a rage, vowing revenge. But at Dongting Lake, Gu Qing had lured them away—now they had come to the Flower Moon Palace.

"I told you before—we should have killed Wei Wuya."

Gu Qing shook his head, looking at Yao Yue. Her face was icy—clearly enraged by the insult and the rats.

!

Gu Qing dashed back inside, returned moments later holding a porcelain bottle. Wherever he passed, the rampaging rats turned and scurried away, squealing.

Gu Qing had anticipated Wei Wuya's tactics and prepared in advance. After the rats fled, he darted into the woods—and moments later, two figures were thrown out, landing at Yao Yue's feet.

One wore green, the other yellow. They no longer boasted as they had in the woods, but still held their necks high, seeking only death.

Yao Yue looked at them, her heart stirred. She recalled her own words to Gu Qing: "The mistress of the Flower Moon Palace dislikes relying on others—it displeases her." Gu Qing remembered. Now he had brought these two disciples of Wei Wuya to her, leaving their fate in her hands.

A quiet joy stirred in Yao Yue. She flicked her sleeve, severing their heart meridians.

"Wei Wuya has provoked us again."

Yao Yue suddenly spoke to Lian Xing.

Lian Xing stood on a treetop, using her lightness skill to float gently to the ground: "They say Wei Wuya has trained relentlessly these past years, seeking to settle old debts."

Lian Xing still felt revulsion at the thought of Wei Wuya—his face was grotesquely ugly, yet his intellect was extraordinary. Years ago, he came to the Flower Moon Palace seeking to marry Yao Yue and Lian Xing, claiming it was a union of beauty and wisdom—a memory etched deeply in both their minds.

Yao Yue gazed into the woods, watching Gu Qing drive away the rats with his porcelain bottle, then said: "I plan to take Gu Qing to Guishan to find Wei Wuya."

Lian Xing instantly tensed, frowning at Yao Yue: "Why take Gu Qing?"

To find Wei Wuya, Yao Yue alone was enough.

Yao Yue lowered her eyes slightly: "Everyone in the Jianghu knows Gu Qing seeks to marry me."

"But you know—he seeks to marry you."

Lian Xing's heart jolted. She spoke calmly: "And he is devoted to me; I feel the same for him. We are naturally complementary." She gestured to her hands and feet—now fully mobile, her skin and flesh restored by Gu Qing's healing.

"I don't care!"

Yao Yue said coldly.

If complementarity was the point, Yao Yue felt she and Gu Qing complemented each other too. Lian Xing's crippled limbs had been a hidden regret in Yao Yue's heart—but Gu Qing had healed them, erasing that regret.

Thus, Yao Yue's guilt toward Lian Xing vanished.

Yao Yue had always been extreme and domineering. She would never have yielded because of her sister's legs—and now she would not remain passive because of her.

Lian Xing frowned.

Yao Yue declared authoritatively: "The palace needs to be arranged in the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams pattern, and your legs still need rest. Stay here."

As for Gu Qing… Yao Yue could not name her own feelings, but she did not want to see him happily together with Lian Xing.

(End of Chapter)