Chapter 123: Four Flowers? How Is This Possible! (6k)

Mo Xingjian heard this and moved to set up the arrangement, but Luo Lingling stopped him again.

“Remember to clean up your tracks—there are plenty who know our Taiqingmen’s methods; don’t let them recognize us by the setup or materials,” Luo Lingling warned solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Mo Xingjian immediately raised a thumb in agreement and admiration.

Just as the two were about to resume their arrangement, the thunder suddenly fell silent, the lava ceased flowing, and the blue rain stopped falling.

The two looked up in confusion and realized the three previously stable flowers had suddenly blazed with light—a golden ray shot forth from them, and slowly, a fourth flower’s phantom began to emerge.

It was a golden flower, its appearance like the sun descending upon the world, its radiance too brilliant to behold directly.

It emitted a sacred, majestic aura; each petal seemed forged from purest gold, inscribed with ancient, mysterious runes.

“Four flowers! It’s four flowers! How is this possible?” Mo Xingjian’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.

Three flowers gathering at the crown was already rare; this fourth flower meant Zhou Qing’s breakthrough had surpassed all logic, reaching an unprecedented realm.

Luo Lingling stood frozen, then burst into wild joy.

With the appearance of the fourth flower, the celestial phenomena grew even more frenzied.

The clouds in the sky were swept away by golden light, replaced by dazzling rainbows spanning the heavens.

Zhou Qing was immersed in a wondrous state—he felt his power rising continuously, every inch of skin, every pore absorbing spiritual energy from the heavens and earth.

Until a miniature infant-like spiritual entity, clutching a four-colored flower, stepped out from his third eye.

It flew joyfully around the sky once, then, as if spotting something, furrowed its brow and darted back swiftly.

Instantly, his physical body opened his eyes, golden light flickering within them like brilliant stars.

He rose to his feet, a powerful aura erupting from him, instantly sweeping across the entire desert.

“Fourth Brother!”

“Little Aqing!”

Seeing this, Mo Xingjian and Luo Lingling rushed over in delight.

【Heart Mirror Points +9】

Mo Xingjian’s head tag 【Nose Is Insanely Talented Disciple】 instantly changed to 【Disciple I’m Proud of in This Life and the Next】.

Zhou Qing, utterly focused, said gravely: “I see many heading this way—fifty or more are Soul Transformation cultivators!”

The two instantly paled.

Without hesitation, they grabbed Zhou Qing and fled.

Mo Xingjian swept his hand, nearly destroying everything at the site, then the three dashed into the teleportation array and vanished in an instant.

Less than four breaths later, a black-robed figure tore through space and stepped out.

He stared at the fading four-colored flowers above, his face filled with shock.

“Three flowers gathering at the crown is already exceedingly rare—yet now it has mutated into four colors. If this person grows, he may reach the level required by a Level Five Spiritual Nation!”

Then he landed and began scanning the surroundings.

Shiiii! Shiiii! Shiiii!

The next moment, over fifty figures emerged from space—all radiating Soul Transformation cultivation.

They exchanged glances but said nothing.

Some sped off to pursue; others activated image stones, searching for traces.

Meanwhile, Mo Xingjian and the others appeared in a desolate mountain wilderness.

The moment Zhou Qing landed, a notification chimed.

【Heart Mirror Points +9】

【Heart Mirror Points +9】

Without saying it, only Second Uncle and Third Senior Brother could have delivered points at this precise moment.

Yet even he hadn’t expected that not only had he achieved three flowers gathering at the crown, but also mysteriously formed a fourth golden flower.

This likely relates to that mutated thread of Dao Qi—ever since Second Uncle infused it into him, countless inexplicable phenomena have occurred.

Normal Dao Qi never alters a cultivator’s innate talent—but his was different.

He might’ve once doubted it, but forget not—he adopted a mutated hen.

Some things? Impossible to predict!

“Shh!” Mo Xingjian instantly signaled silence and pulled the two into hiding.

Soon, a flood of Nascent Soul cultivators flew overhead, releasing their spiritual senses to search.

Mo Xingjian’s face darkened—especially since the four-colored flower phenomenon had not yet fully dissipated.

Though hastily arranged, the teleportation had already carried them hundreds of miles from the Sand Sea.

Yet now, Zhou Qing’s breakthrough aura still lingered in the sky, and with so many appearing and searching, anyone with half a brain would know what happened.

When they came here, he’d used every ounce of his Soul Transformation power to run for two full days.

Now, to return unnoticed, they’d need at least seven or eight days.

Along such a journey, countless sects and factions would surely pursue and block them.

Especially early on, when everyone moves toward one place, but you turn back—suspicion is inevitable.

Once suspicion arises, guilt is already assumed.

If someone saw this abnormal scene, and factions like Cangyan Dao Palace stirred up trouble, Taiqingmen would be in grave danger!

“We must go back!”

Before Mo Xingjian could speak, Zhou Qing spoke first, his expression grave.

Luo Lingling smiled faintly and nodded in agreement: “Little Aqing is right. The darkest place is often the safest. Right now, we must join the flow—only then will we avoid suspicion.”

Mo Xingjian couldn’t help but laugh silently.

No wonder he had these two disciples—their thoughts were eerily aligned.

There was no other choice now.

He had ways to hide them, could wait out the storm before returning to Taiqingmen—but things always carry a risk.

They were in the eastern region of Lingyun Prefecture; besides the Five Great Sects, there were over a thousand minor sects.

Though their strengths varied, a few still had Soul Transformation cultivators, and combined with other sects, the number of powerful figures was unimaginable—he couldn’t guarantee they’d escape everyone’s notice.

Even if they somehow evaded Soul Transformation cultivators, among so many sects and countless mortals, there was always a chance someone might accidentally spot them.

If some fool happened to blabber nonsense, even if they tried to explain, they’d never be believed.

“Wait until they pass!” Mo Xingjian agreed to their plan.

The three then hid themselves.

Mo Xingjian and Luo Lingling kept glancing at Zhou Qing, their smiles never fading.

“Push the Void Realm Manifestation to its limit—unless someone physically probes you, they won’t detect you,” Mo Xingjian instructed.

Zhou Qing nodded, and instantly his spiritual power vanished completely—he looked like an ordinary mortal.

Luo Lingling smiled too, and in an instant became a commoner.

“Second Sister, you’ve cultivated it too?” Zhou Qing asked in surprise.

But he immediately realized how foolish the question was—such a technique, given Second Sister’s nature, she’d have mastered it even if it were impossible.

“No wonder you’re my little Aqing!” Luo Lingling said nothing more, only grinned and pinched Zhou Qing’s cheek.

Seeing someone else cultivate the same art made her delighted.

The three then fell silent, waiting quietly—the sounds of flying figures overhead never ceased.

Countless cultivators were rushing toward the Sand Sea; this was just the nearby ones—soon, distant sects would hear the news and arrive too.

【Ignore Points +5】

As Zhou Qing quietly checked himself, he suddenly froze, then looked toward the cave entrance with wide-eyed delight.

His master and Second Sister were fully focused on the outside, ready to slip into the crowd at the first opportunity.

Oh, this was a tense, crowded environment indeed.

And this “crowd” situation was far better than he’d imagined.

He’d hoped for even a single Golden Core cultivator—but now he saw Nascent Soul experts, even Soul Transformation masters.

Keep it up—don’t remember me yet, let me keep grinding.

【Ignore Points +7】

【Ignore Points +9】

…

As expected, the notification chimed again—and the points weren’t just high, they were massive.

【Ignore Points +6】

【Ignore Points +8】

【Skill Fragment +1】

…

Zhou Qing listened, thrilled—each chime was sweet music. He hadn’t gained so many points in ages; when he heard the skill fragment finally appear, his joy exploded.

Today was truly double fortune.

Time passed slowly; Zhou Qing secretly glanced at his Infant Flame.

Strictly speaking, it was the companion of his Nascent Soul—now shaped like a lotus, continuously burning around the infant.

He still didn’t understand how Third Senior Brother managed it—his Nascent Soul hadn’t even formed, yet his Infant Flame appeared first.

Premature birth isn’t supposed to be this premature.

Though he’d just entered Nascent Soul Early Stage, he could tear apart a Mid-Stage cultivator—he was nearly crushing them, and even Late Stage might be worth a gamble.

This was the confidence granted to him by the top-ranked Three Flowers—no, it should be called Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

He had never tried it before, yet the feeling was intensely strong; and this seemingly ordinary Nascent Soul flame burned with far greater intensity and range than a normal one.

Then, he quickly turned his gaze to the forehead of the Nascent Soul.

Nascent Souls have different ranks; apart from the Xuan and Huang grades, only Tian and Di grade Nascent Souls possess special enhancements.

For instance, when Third Senior Brother showed him his own, there was a red mark on the forehead of his Nascent Soul, brimming with violent energy.

According to Third Senior Brother, that was an Infant Mark—a unique symbol that only appears in the top twenty Di-grade Nascent Souls.

His own was the fourteenth-ranked violent Nascent Soul of the Di grade; when fighting, he could temporarily boost his cultivation base by one minor realm, with zero side effects, and later had a thirty percent chance of touching the Soul Transformation realm.

But now, not a single trace of an Infant Mark adorned his Nascent Soul—anyone unaware would mistake it for an ordinary one, making it highly deceptive.

Then, he turned his gaze to the four-colored flower clutched by the Nascent Soul, his eyes filled with excitement.

He did have an Infant Mark—he simply transformed it into a petal pattern.

Not one, but four altogether!

Each petal represented a unique enhancement.

The first silver petal allowed him to cultivate under moonlight with double the efficiency.

It was practically forcing him to become a night owl.

The second blue petal enabled him to breathe, fight, and move effortlessly underwater or in the sea, unaffected by the surrounding environment in the slightest.

You could say that at that moment, he was a living fish.

The third red petal signified intense heat, allowing his body to withstand extreme temperatures—he could even take a leisurely bath in lava while searching for treasures.

The final golden petal was for storage—Zhou Qing could even think of it as a backup battery.

In his spare time, he could store excess blood qi and spiritual power within it; later, whether fighting or fleeing, when both sides were exhausted, he simply replenished himself.

Hey hey hey, I’m back on my feet again—Mom won’t have to worry about my hands getting cut by tetanus anymore.

Compared to the other three enhancements, this last one surprised Zhou Qing the most.

In another sense, it was an extremely secure safeguard.

Looking at the four-colored flower now, Zhou Qing grew more satisfied with each passing moment.

Indeed, the rich rely on rare arts; the poor depend on mutations.

But I like it!

Meanwhile, outside, Mo Xingjian—who had been on guard—suddenly felt something, and immediately pulled out his identity token.

【Is there anyone from Taiqingmen nearby? The location has been roughly confirmed—in the desert north of Lingxu Mountain Range. I’m heading there first; if anyone arrives, hurry to assemble.】

The message sender was none other than Sect Master Cao Zhengyang.

“Aren’t you out training with Lu Yaoyao?” Mo Xingjian frowned. How far had this anomaly spread?

Then Mo Xingjian seemed to realize something and turned to look at Zhou Qing.

Because right now, they were inside Lingxu Mountain Range.

After thinking it over, he decided not to return yet—wait until Sect Master and the others arrived in the desert, then go together; that way, they wouldn’t appear too deliberate.

Since he’d been noticed and no “ignore point” prompt had come after a long while, Zhou Qing reluctantly stood up, walked to Second Senior Sister Luo Lingling, and returned the three talismans.

“Take them—you keep them!” Luo Lingling frowned and immediately refused, her tone firm.

Zhou Qing spoke earnestly: “Senior Sister, I’m about to walk my own path—these things are truly useless to me.”

Each of these three talismans was priceless; given her personality and circumstances, she needed them far more than he did.

After much back-and-forth, Luo Lingling finally relented and accepted the talismans.

“My little Aqing has truly grown up. Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown! This is unprecedented in history—there will surely be a dedicated page for you in the annals of Nascent Soul cultivation.”

Luo Lingling looked at Zhou Qing, her eyes filled with a warm, satisfied smile.

Zhou Qing, flattered and embarrassed, scratched his head and smiled shyly.

Mo Xingjian, standing beside them, also looked thrilled, his expression brimming with unrestrained excitement.

“Ancient texts record that anyone who achieves Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, if they don’t perish prematurely, will almost certainly reach the Cutting Spirit realm. You’ve now, unprecedentedly, condensed Four Flowers—your future strength is unimaginable. Hmm… if my guess is correct, the Imperial Court will send people to find you soon.”

Mo Xingjian spoke with deep, thoughtful eyes.

Hearing this, Zhou Qing felt a pang of worry—he didn’t want to become a caged bird, kept and controlled by them.

Luo Lingling’s face turned grave. “This matter must not be known by anyone else—except us three.”

“But Second Uncle and Third Senior Brother know!” Zhou Qing added.

Luo Lingling sighed. “Fine—except us five…”

“What about First Senior Brother? We all know—shouldn’t we tell him? Isn’t it unfair to hide it from him alone?” Zhou Qing hesitated before speaking again.

Luo Lingling sighed. “Then except us six—no seventh person must know.”

Mo Xingjian smiled wryly and fell into thought.

“The Imperial Court will send people to look for you—but they won’t dare actually find you!” Mo Xingjian suddenly said to Zhou Qing.

Both were puzzled.

Mo Xingjian analyzed: “The Shengwu Imperial Court is a newly risen fourth-tier spiritual nation—its strength pales compared to the old powers. Nearby imperial states alone have forty or fifty Cutting Spirit cultivators. If they truly found you, do you think they could protect you?”

Zhou Qing suddenly understood and chuckled bitterly: “So I’m a hot potato?”

Mo Xingjian nodded. “Pretty much. Yes, your future could propel the Shengwu Imperial Court to a qualitative leap—perhaps even elevate it to fifth-tier. But it will take too long.”

“How could other fourth-tier spiritual nations wait for you to grow strong enough to swallow them? All imperial states are deeply intertwined—you never know which side the lofty, virtuous-looking officials truly serve.”

“If they truly find you, other imperial states will unite to pressure them—and they’ll hand you over without hesitation.”

Luo Lingling asked: “But what if they can’t find you? Will other fourth-tier nations just give up?”

Mo Xingjian replied: “If they can’t find you, at least there’s still a sliver of uncertainty. Then they can simply claim publicly that it was another imperial state’s prodigy who came here to divert trouble—plenty of excuses exist.”

“Won’t that fool them?” Zhou Qing couldn’t help asking.

Mo Xingjian looked at them both. “If you don’t believe it, go look for yourself—no one will stop you. If you still don’t believe it and want to act on false charges, higher-level imperial alliances will intervene to stop you.”

Both suddenly understood.

But ultimately, the fewer people who know, the better.

“Enough talk. Rest up—we leave after dark!” Mo Xingjian said.

Zhou Qing looked at the two weary faces and said: “Master, Senior Sister, you rest—I’ll keep watch.”

Since their breakthrough from seclusion, they hadn’t slept a wink—their spirits had remained tense the entire time, and Zhou Qing, seeing this, felt a pang of sympathy.

After a brief pause, they nodded. Exhaustion would dull their reflexes and lead to flawed decisions. Their burden was heavy—they must get Zhou Qing back safely.

“Alright, be careful!” Mo Xingjian warned, then the two entered the cave to rest.

【Ignore Point +6】

Less than an hour later, another prompt sounded, and Zhou Qing grinned widely.

Until deep into the night, voices passing overhead came in wave after wave.

Until Mo Xingjian and Luo Lingling emerged, fully refreshed.

“Time’s right—find a gap and go!” Mo Xingjian said.

Zhou Qing nodded, then looked at his panel.

【Name: Zhou Qing】

【Age: Twenty】

【Cultivation Base: Nascent Soul Realm, Early Stage】

【Cultivation Method: Yin-Yang Scripture】

【Talent Skill: One Inspection Per Day,】

【Heart-Insight Vision—Lv4 (76/400),】

【Reduce Presence—Lv4 (11/100)】

【Skill Fragment: 2/3 (Unobtainable)】

In less than a day, the talent skill 【Reduce Presence】 had jumped from 41 points directly to Lv4.

Now, among all Qi Refining cultivators, there was a 90 percent chance they’d completely ignore his presence—even Nascent Soul cultivators had an 11 percent chance of overlooking him.

He now only needed one more skill fragment to synthesize a new skill.

This filled Zhou Qing with excitement and anticipation.

“Now!” In the next instant, Mo Xingjian pulled out his Bagua Disc, and the two quickly climbed aboard.

Then, seizing the right moment, they swiftly changed into Taiqingmen robes and openly followed the crowd toward the desert.

When they returned later, the once-deserted desert was now bustling—everywhere, heads swarmed, the scene lively.

Blood qi surged into the sky; everyone was gossiping about what they’d seen.

Mo Xingjian led them straight toward the inner circle.

Now that a day had passed, over three hundred Soul Transformation cultivators had arrived.

The invisible pressure formed by their presence made one’s spirit tremble, leaving Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling parched and breathless.

“Don’t look nervous!” Mo Xingjian whispered.

Both immediately straightened, their eyes filled with curiosity as they scanned the surroundings.

“Mo Brother!” At that moment, Cao Zhengyang’s delighted voice rang out—he hurried over with Lu Yaoyao.

Mo Xingjian feigned surprise: “Sect Master, what are you doing here?”

Earlier, when Cao Zhengyang sent the message, Mo Xingjian had pretended to be too far away to receive it—only then could he create a perfect alibi for himself and the others.

Cao Zhengyang said: “I was training with Xiao Liu nearby and came over as soon as I saw it.”

Mo Xingjian quickly replied: “I saw the celestial anomaly too, so I came along with everyone else.”

“Greetings, Sect Master Uncle!” Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling bowed.

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(End of Chapter)