The Legacy of Hundred Flowers Valley

The Black Marsh. Grisly and rotten. Everywhere lay foul mud exuding a bizarre stench that made one retch. Black miasma blotted out the sun and sky. Even at high noon, the depths of the Black Marsh remained dismal and gloomy. Some of this miasma was formed by stagnant rot, while other patches were laced with deadly poison that could kill even an immortal cultivator upon contact. Toxic miasmas mingled inextricably with every other kind of foul vapor, impossible to distinguish and treacherous to guard against. Strangely enough, the Black Marsh was far from barren. Plant life was plentiful, yet the trees grew black as rotten wood, thriving in their own peculiar, vigorous manner. The black trees loomed like evil ghosts crouching in the gloomy miasma, poised at all times to devour any trespasser. Human tracks were rare here, and cultivating sects were few and far between. The Black Marsh was vast, having the largest land area among all landscapes in the Crescent Moon Realm and occupying the territory's very core. Yet in such an immense region, spirit veins were hard to find, and it was ill-suited for growing spiritual herbs, making it utterly impoverished. Cultivators hunting for treasures would never come to a place like this unless they were searching for something exceedingly strange. *Whoosh, whoosh...* The miasma surged as faint sounds of rushing wind drifted through the gloom. A moment later, several pinpricks of light faintly appeared deep within the vapors, shining in varied hues of green and blue. As the points of light drew nearer, they revealed themselves to be six immortal cultivators. Among the six, five were cultivators around the tenth level of Qi Refinement, some young, others visibly aged. They surrounded a black-robed young man. The youth was the sole Foundation Establishment cultivator among them. Compared to the others, he navigated the toxic miasma with ease, standing with his hands behind his back atop a silver disc-shaped flying magic tool. A faint, gossamer-like protective barrier enveloped him, keeping the miasma at bay. The others enjoyed no such comfort. Even as they sped along, they had to channel their crude defensive magic tools, remaining vigilant against the dangers that might spring upon them at any moment. They had evidently been flying for a long time and were gradually tiring, but seeing that the black-robed youth showed no intention of stopping, they could only grit their teeth and persevere. "Fellow Daoist Yue, where is it, exactly? Why is it so far!" The only female cultivator in the group, drenched in sweet sweat, could not help complaining. A long-bearded man beside her offered an appeasing smile. "Fairy Ming, bear with it just a little longer; we are almost there. That place is one of the rare spots in the Black Marsh with abundant spiritual energy. If it were easy to find, it would never have fallen to the likes of us." The female cultivator remained skeptical. "If there were truly such a treasure ground, why hasn't anyone else discovered it?" "Those few mountains are encircled by miasma even denser than that of the marsh's deepest core, and it naturally possesses hallucinatory power. I only discovered a clue by stumbling in by sheer luck. But my strength is meager, so I dared not intrude alone and instead invited Senior Huang and all of you. If we can claim that ground and open cave dwellings, we..." Before he could finish, the black-robed youth cut him off. "Is it here?" The group lowered their escape lights. Ahead, the miasma hung heavy as storm clouds, thick with an eerie chill. The long-bearded man nodded repeatedly. "This is the place! Senior, please follow me." Saying so, the long-bearded man located a mark he had previously left behind. After catching his breath for a moment, he led the way into the miasma. The black-robed youth stowed his silver disc, summoned an inch-long sword, and the rest took out their respective magic tools to follow the man inside. "Wait!" Just after entering the miasma, the black-robed youth suddenly called them to a halt. He tilted his head, listened intently for a moment, and his expression shifted slightly. "What is that sound?" Before his words finished fading, a loud, violent buzzing arose all around them. The sight that followed drew sharp gasps from everyone present. Deep within the miasma, the vapors churned violently as swarms of grotesque insects burst forth, hurtling toward them like mad. Shaped like mosquitoes, each was the size of an infant's fist, with long proboscises like steel needles that sent chills down their spines. "Blood poison mosquitoes!" The young man cried out in dismay, his face turning ashen. The others were equally gripped by terror. Blood poison mosquitoes were notoriously vicious in the Black Marsh. A lone specimen was unremarkable, but if one encountered a swarm, even Foundation Establishment cultivators would have to flee for their lives. At this moment, hundreds of blood poison mosquitoes were surging out from the miasma, with countless more looming behind them in a dense, dark mass. There seemed to be no end to them. If surrounded by tens of thousands of blood poison mosquitoes, doom would be certain, and they would be drained into dried husks in the blink of an eye. "This is a blood poison mosquito nest! Run!" The black-robed youth cursed the long-bearded man a thousand times over in his heart. Daring not delay, he spun around and fled. The long-bearded man had never imagined he would stir up such a catastrophe. His calves trembled violently as he scrambled frantically to escape. In an instant, total chaos erupted, everyone wishing they had sprouted an extra pair of wings. Fortunately, the blood poison mosquitoes seemed reluctant to stray too far from the miasma. The cultivators escaped by the skin of their teeth, shaken to the core, and flew until their strength gave out before daring to stop and catch their breath. What they did not know was that after they fled, two figures—a man and a woman—flew out from the miasma. Both wore similarly styled robes. Embroidered on the man's left sleeve was a spiritual insect resembling a horned earthworm serpent, while the woman bore the design of a seven-petaled spiritual flower. "Junior Brother, your starlight insect's light-and-shadow transformation divine ability is growing more and more refined," the female cultivator praised, glancing down at the insect resting on the man's palm. The creature resembled a mortal firefly, but its entire body was translucent, pulsing with a cool, starlight-like glow from within. The starlight insect rested docilely in the man's palm, exceedingly affectionate toward him. These two were disciples of Hundred Flowers Valley. Of the blood poison mosquitoes that had just frightened off the black-robed youth and his companions, only a small portion were real; the rest were merely phantoms conjured by the starlight insect. The man chuckled with a hint of smugness, though he still grumbled, "If the sect doesn't want outsiders knowing this is the gate of Hundred Flowers Valley, they should just seal the whole place with a grand array. Why make us patrol back and forth, putting on charades to scare away trespassers? Relying on natural miasma and a few grotesque insects living within it accomplishes next to nothing—it won't stop anyone determined." The female cultivator rolled her eyes. "It's clearly because you slacked off last time, failed to drive that person away in time, and caused trouble, yet you still have the nerve to blame the sect. A mountain-protecting grand array can shelter Hundred Flowers Valley just fine, but these mountain ranges are vast. Sealing all of them with spirit arrays would consume an astronomical amount of resources! Besides, the sect merely wants to avoid harassment from low-level cultivators. If a true expert comes looking for us, the two of us couldn't stop them anyway." "Senior Sister speaks the truth." Having been rebuked, the man remained utterly unabashed. Grinning cheekily, he blinked toward the direction the youth had fled. "The inch-sword that fellow held was quite nice and remarkably nimble. I hear Little Junior Sister has been wanting a magic tool like that." The female cultivator glared fiercely at him. "What are you scheming? Be careful Master doesn't hear, or you'll be punished with ten years guarding the serpent cavern! Go back on patrol. If you dare slack off again, I will report you to Master to teach you a proper lesson!" The man muttered a couple of grumbles but dared not argue. He promptly took the starlight insect into his dantian and flew back into the miasma. *** Meanwhile. Two streaks of light tore through the miasma at astonishing speed, completely unimpeded. "Hundred Flowers Valley lies just ahead." Master Feng's voice came from one of the streaks of light. Qin Sang gazed forward, saying with delight, "We've finally arrived! Many thanks to Fellow Daoist Feng for accompanying me along the way and introducing me to so many fellow daoists." Along their journey, they had stopped periodically to visit several Nascent Soul cultivators acquainted with Master Feng. From Master Feng, Qin Sang had also gleaned many rumors and secrets, reaping a bountiful harvest. "Since you require black astral soft gold, Fellow Daoist, why didn't you accept Old Ghost Ming's invitation? As long as you asked, Old Ghost Ming surely would have been willing to delay for a few days until you returned before taking action," Master Feng asked curiously. They had just departed from another Nascent Soul cave dwelling. Black astral soft gold was precisely a spiritual material that matched Qin Sang's alternative requirement for refining the Jinchen Sword. Qin Sang smiled wryly. "Fellow Daoist Ming intends to delve deep into the Bottomless Demon Cavern! I have heard that several Nascent Soul cultivators once joined forces to enter the cavern, yet all of them perished. Ten thousand years ago, a great cultivator even vanished inside. Though I do not know if the rumors are true, they suffice to prove how perilous that cavern is. I am unwilling to risk my life for a single piece of black astral soft gold..." The Bottomless Demon Cavern. It was hailed as the most hazardous forbidden ground in the Crescent Moon Realm. Located in the northwest of the Black Marsh, it was close to the sea. It was said that the entrance to the Bottomless Demon Cavern was merely an ordinary stone cavern, but the deeper one went, the more dangerous it became. To this day, no one had ever reached its end. Though black astral soft gold was rare, Qin Sang decided to give it up after weighing the risks. As they spoke, the two reached the vicinity of Hundred Flowers Valley, catching full sight of what had just transpired—including the Hundred Flowers Valley disciple stowing the starlight insect into his dantian. "Did you see that, Fellow Daoist?" Master Feng asked with a pointed look. Qin Sang hesitated briefly before giving a slight nod. "Indeed, it is quite unique!" Master Feng failed to notice the fleeting shock in Qin Sang's eyes. The method the Hundred Flowers Valley disciple used to command spiritual insects, and the fluctuations between cultivator and insect... Qin Sang found it remarkably familiar. It bore an uncanny resemblance to the Witch Clan's natal insect gu arts! Yet the disciples of Hundred Flowers Valley were clearly humans! Neither in the Beichen Realm nor the Three Realms of the North Sea had Qin Sang heard any rumors concerning the Witch Clan. It was virtually certain that no traces of the Witch Clan existed in the Four Realms of the North Sea. Could it be that the natal insect gu art was not unique to the Witch Clan? Or had ancient Witch Clan ruins been discovered in the Three Realms of the North Sea, and Hundred Flowers Valley obtained their legacy from them? Humans lacked the innate talents of the Witch Clan. Even Qin Sang had only dared to cultivate it by relying on the power of the jade Buddha. How did they resolve the hidden peril of a natal insect gu turning on its master? In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Qin Sang's mind. In any case, this trip had certainly been worthwhile. Qin Sang had never imagined that after the path to the Canglang Ocean was severed, he would stumble upon such an unexpected discovery in the Crescent Moon Realm. However, it had only been a fleeting glance, and Qin Sang could not yet be certain whether the heritage of Hundred Flowers Valley was truly the secret natal insect gu art of the Witch Clan. "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment." Master Feng halted his light outside the miasma and flicked a beam of radiance into the vapors. Qin Sang maintained a composed facade, but suddenly recalling something, he glanced around casually and asked, "Fellow Daoist, you mentioned the founder of Hundred Flowers Valley came from the Boundless Sea. Do you know which part of the Boundless Sea that might be?" After thinking carefully for a moment, Master Feng said, "...It seems to have been a place called Pure Lake. As for its exact location, it wasn't convenient for me to pry. Why do you ask, Fellow Daoist?" "Pure Lake..." Qin Sang silently repeated the name. It did not sound like a broad geographic territory, meaning it would likely be difficult to locate. Hundred Flowers Valley would probably not disclose the secrets of its heritage easily. He needed to prepare two paths; investigating the origins of the valley's founder might turn up some clues. "I was merely wondering whether Hundred Flowers Valley considers itself a power of the Boundless Sea or the Crescent Moon Realm," Qin Sang said with a soft chuckle. "Do you suspect Hundred Flowers Valley is a foothold planted in the Crescent Moon Realm by the Boundless Sea?" Master Feng laughed heartily. "Fellow Daoist, you overthink it. The Boundless Sea is a loose sheet of sand, tangled and convoluted. Even if a great cultivator were to step forward, he could never subdue all the factions to serve him..." Before his words faded, the miasma ahead suddenly churned violently, parting to reveal a pathway. From within came a clear, crisp voice like that of a young maiden: "Distinguished guests grace our doorstep, yet I have failed to welcome you properly. I hope the two fellow daoists will not take offense." Master Feng let out a soft exclamation. "Fellow Daoist Lan? Is Fellow Daoist Mu not in the valley?" He then explained to Qin Sang, "Fellow Daoist Lan is Fellow Daoist Mu's junior sister, named Lan Jingsi. A prodigy of unmatched talent, she achieved Nascent Soul before the age of three hundred, creating the celebrated story of a single sect boasting two Nascent Souls." From ahead came silvery, bell-like laughter. "Fellow Daoist Feng flatters me..." Before the voice died away, a gentle breeze swept before them, and a young maiden appeared—fresh and natural, devoid of makeup, possessing an unblemished natural beauty. Lan Jingsi's beautiful eyes flicked over Qin Sang before settling on Master Feng. "When Senior Brother returned to the valley last time, he repeatedly praised Fellow Daoist Feng's extraordinary divine abilities. I have long admired you from afar, but unfortunately, I was guarding the valley at the time and could not accompany him, missing the chance to witness them in person." Master Feng laughed heartily, repeatedly demurring, before gesturing toward Qin Sang. "This is Fellow Daoist Mingyue. His divine abilities far surpass mine; even Bi Fang was defeated by his hands. This time, I came at Fellow Daoist Mingyue's behest to pay a visit to Fellow Daoist Mu." Hearing this, Lan Jingsi was thoroughly surprised. Qin Sang bowed with clasped hands. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lan." Lan Jingsi returned the courtesy, withdrew her inquisitive gaze, and slightly knit her delicate brows, radiating a trace of girlish charm. "You two have arrived at an unfortunate time. Senior Brother left the valley not long ago and is unlikely to return anytime soon..." "This..." Master Feng and Qin Sang exchanged glances, finding themselves in a dilemma. Master Feng had some rapport with Valley Master Mu, but this was his first meeting with Lan Jingsi, and certain matters were awkward to discuss with her directly. At that moment, Lan Jingsi shifted her tone. "This is no place to speak. Fellow Daoists, please follow me back to the valley first to enjoy a cup of flower tea. Though Senior Brother is away, I can make decisions regarding any matters you may have." Qin Sang readily complied. Passing through the miasma, they discovered a whole new world inside. Rolling mountains stretched out beneath clear waters and lush peaks, free of any decaying or gloomy aura. Within the Black Marsh, it was like an unearthly paradise, a truly rare and precious sanctuary. The three flew through the air toward the mountain gate of Hundred Flowers Valley. Before long, they saw disciples practicing and sparring upon a mountain peak. The majority were female disciples, and clear, delicate shouts echoed through the air. Qin Sang could not help looking twice. Sure enough, he spotted several more disciples who possessed natal insect gu. This time, he saw them even more clearly. In Qin Sang's eyes, none of these disciples' insect gu reached the level of exotic insects; they were quite ordinary. To anyone else, it would be easy to overlook what made their insect-controlling arts so peculiar. Yet Qin Sang possessed a natal insect gu himself, and with a single glance, he identified the crucial crux. It shared the same source as the Witch Clan's legacy, yet was not entirely identical!