70: First entry into the Palace of a Hundred Flowers

Half a day had passed since leaving Star South City. The official road was sparsely populated, with slightly desolate wilderness on both sides. Qin Feng found a small, wind-sheltered mound and gestured for Xiao Chun to stop and rest. He needed to contact Hundred Flowers Palace as soon as possible to determine the route ahead. After all, with Xiao Chun accompanying him, he couldn't wander aimlessly as he used to.

He took out the token, which was engraved with intricate flower vines, and slowly injected a wisp of Internal Energy into it, following the method the envoy had previously told him.

The token vibrated slightly, and the flower vine patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, emitting a soft glow. A moment later, the light converged, forming a blurry, basin-sized light screen above the token. A languid and graceful figure appeared within the light screen—it was Hua Qianying, the Hundred Flowers Palace envoy from before.

Hua Qianying in the light screen seemed to be sipping tea. When she saw the token connection, her beautiful eyes flickered, landing on Qin Feng's face. A playful curve appeared at the corner of her lips, and her voice, carrying a hint of teasing, came through the light screen:

"Oh~ isn't this our great hero Qin Feng, Young Master Qin, who turned the tide in Star South City and slew a Martial King? Why, not basking in the admiration of the people in your heroic city and enjoying the generous treatment of the City Lord's Mansion, but suddenly remembering to contact my humble Hundred Flowers Palace?"

A trace of helplessness appeared on Qin Feng's face. He cupped his hands and said, "Pavilion Master Hua, please stop teasing me. Circumstances forced my hand; I had no choice."

"Circumstances forced your hand?" Hua Qianying raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Tell me about it? Could it be that the young ladies of the City Lord's Mansion were too enthusiastic, or did enemies come knocking?"

Qin Feng gave a wry smile, avoiding the main points, and said, "The reasons are complicated and hard to explain in a few words. In short, Star South City is no longer a place to stay long. This Junior was previously favored by Pavilion Master Hua, and now, bringing a younger sister, I have come to seek refuge and pay respects to the Sect. I hope Pavilion Master Hua will grant my request."

He turned slightly, allowing the light screen to illuminate Xiao Chun, who was standing beside him, looking at the light screen with a mix of nervousness and curiosity.

"Giggle, giggle..." Hua Qianying let out a string of melodious laughter, her gaze sweeping over Xiao Chun with a hint of scrutiny, then she said to Qin Feng, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Since you've decided to come, my Hundred Flowers Palace naturally welcomes you. However, don't call me Pavilion Master Hua anymore; it's too formal. Call me Sister Hua, or... Elder Hua will do."

Her tone carried an undeniable familiarity, clearly indicating she already regarded Qin Feng as one of her own.

"Yes, Elder... Elder Hua." Qin Feng readily complied.

"Mm." Hua Qianying nodded in satisfaction. "Where are you located now? I'll send Disciples to escort you. The Hundred Flowers Palace mountain gate is hidden, and outsiders find it difficult to locate."

Qin Feng reported their approximate location.

"Good, stay where you are and don't wander off. The escort will arrive soon." After Hua Qianying finished speaking, the light screen rippled and then dissipated, and the token returned to its original state.

After the contact was made, Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief. With Hundred Flowers Palace's escort, he wouldn't have to worry about getting lost.

That night, the bonfire crackled, warding off the chill of the spring night. Xiao Chun, nestled beside Qin Feng, was already fast asleep, a trace of travel fatigue still on her face. Qin Feng, however, was wide awake, his mind immersed in his thoughts.

[Daily Intel Refreshed]

[Yellow Intel: The location of the Hundred Flowers Palace Sect is deep within the 'Hundred Flowers Valley,' at the junction of the northern border of Qianyuan Kingdom and the 'Myriad Miasma Mountain Range.' A large illusion formation surrounds the exterior, making it difficult for outsiders to enter without an escort from the Sect or a token.]

[White Intel: Hundred Flowers Palace currently has 1,260 female Disciples and 372 male Disciples. Male Disciples are mostly for chores, external affairs, or as inheritors of special skills, with core Cultivation Techniques primarily being female-oriented.]

[White Intel: Hundred Flowers Palace is internally divided into two factions: the 'Conservative Faction' and the 'Reformist Faction.' The Conservative Faction advocates maintaining tradition, revering women, and being cautious with external forces; the Reformist Faction advocates limited openness, attracting external talents, and strengthening the Sect's power. Hua Qianying belongs to the Reformist Faction.]

Qin Feng was speechless looking at these three pieces of intel.

The yellow intel gave the exact location of Hundred Flowers Palace, saving him the trouble of figuring it out himself. But the latter two pieces of white intel contained a significant amount of information.

The disparity in the male and female Disciple ratio was within his expectations, but internal factional struggles... that was not good news. Where there are people, there is Jianghu, and it seemed Hundred Flowers Palace was not a pure land either. Hua Qianying belonged to the Reformist Faction, so he, as an "external talent" introduced by her, would likely be naturally wary of or even rejected by the Conservative Faction.

"Just out of the wolf's den, and into... I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse." Qin Feng rubbed his temples, feeling that the road ahead was still fraught with thorns... The next day, at the first hint of dawn.

A faint yet swift whooshing sound approached from afar. Qin Feng immediately opened his eyes vigilantly, shielding Xiao Chun behind him.

A graceful figure in green, like a nimble sparrow, swept over from the distance and landed lightly in front of their camp. The newcomer wore a tight-fitting outfit and a light veil over her face, revealing only a pair of clear, calm eyes. Her aura was clearly that of a Grand Martial Master.

Her gaze swept over Qin Feng and Xiao Chun, finally settling on Qin Feng. Her voice was cool and devoid of emotion: "May I ask, Your Excellency, are you Young Master Qin Feng?"

"Indeed, I am." Qin Feng stood up and responded with cupped fists.

The masked woman nodded slightly, then took out a hundred flowers token similar to Qin Feng's but slightly different, and gestured with it: "By order of Elder Hua, I am here to escort Young Master Qin into the Sect. I am the escort Disciple, Qing Luan."

"Thank you, Miss Qing Luan." Qin Feng said.

"No need to be polite, please follow me." Qing Luan was concise, turned around, and led the way, her movements light and swift.

Qin Feng pulled the still sleepy Xiao Chun, mounted his horse, and followed.

Qing Luan was clearly very familiar with the route, choosing only secluded but easy paths, moving extremely quickly. There was no conversation along the way; she seemed to have no desire to talk, merely performing her duty of guiding them.

After several days of trekking, passing through a misty and complex hilly area, the scenery suddenly opened up.

Ahead, two majestic green mountains stood on either side, forming a natural gateway. In between was a vast valley filled with blooming flowers and swirling Spiritual Qi. At the mouth of the valley stood a giant stele, inscribed with three bold, calligraphic characters – Hundred Flowers Valley!

Wafts of refreshing floral fragrance drifted on the wind. Hidden amongst the exotic flowers and plants within the valley were pavilions and towers, dotted with flying waterfalls and flowing springs, like a paradise untouched by the world.

"We've arrived." Qing Luan stopped and turned to Qin Feng. "Young Master Qin, this is Hundred Flowers Valley. I can only bring you this far; other Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters will receive you inside the valley. Farewell."

With that, she nodded to Qin Feng, her figure flickered, and she vanished back into the mist from which she came.