Chapter 672

Chapter 672: First Encounter with Zhihua

In the assistance of several local young masters and misses, Lolan Hill quickly found a place to stay and settled down.

After the others left, she inspected the inn room. It was fairly clean and tidy. The furniture made of boxwood didn’t look too old, and the tables and chairs were relatively new.

After a simple dinner, she returned to the room, took out the yellow jasmine token, held it in her hand, and infused a little bit of magic power into it. A warm sensation spread from her palm. Although she didn’t know what exactly it represented, after infusing a little magic power into the token, it emitted a faint magical fluctuation that then spread outwards.

Probably used by the sect for communication. It was only October, and there was still a long way until the winter solstice at year-end, so there was no rush. She decided to stay here for a few days to see if anyone would come to guide her. If not, she would set out for the state city of Huilu Continent; there must be a branch hall of the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect there.

After making this decision, Lolan Hill practiced for some time before bathing and going to sleep. By then, it had already grown late into the night.

She wondered how the two little ones had fared today. Since they just arrived in the city, she could only bring them in tomorrow. With these thoughts, Lolan Hill gradually fell asleep.

In the forest outside the city, two birds stood on the treetops, their bodies slowly circulating with magic power, as if they were sleeping or meditating. Only by midnight did they gradually awaken. The two creatures began chirping to each other. Their meaning was roughly that Lolan Hill should take them out to play when she left the city.

After a while of chirping, the dark-crowned Dai Ju seemed somewhat tired, turned away, and ignored the blue crow, curling up its round body and squatting on the branch, preparing to continue sleeping.

The dark-crowned blue crow didn’t mind, spreading its wings and flying through the forest, looking for something to eat. As a member of the Necromancer Sequence, it was very advantageous to move around at night.

Not only could it rely on its perception of soul consciousness to detect creatures in the darkness, but it also had excellent night vision, making it easy to catch small animals and insects.

—

The next morning, Lolan Hill changed into another piece of Jialan’s clothing and walked down the stairs. At this point, many travelers were already having breakfast on the first floor of the inn.

After ordering a bowl of Job’s tears and yam porridge, Lolan Hill finished it and went out.

First, she came to the outskirts of the city, found the two birds in the forest, then stretched out her hand and pressed it against a slender white poinciana tree. A sprout emerged, quickly growing into long branches. Under Lolan Hill’s manipulation, these branches formed two bird cages.

Opening the wicker-woven bird cages, Lolan Hill looked up at the two birds and said softly, “You can go in first. This way, I can bring you into the city. Otherwise, if someone mistakes you for wild beasts and eats you, it wouldn’t be good.” She explained the reason, not knowing whether the two could understand her.

The two birds tilted their heads and looked at the two bird cages, chirped a few times, then flew down and entered on their own.

Seeing their obedient behavior, Lolan Hill gently stroked their heads and feathers, comforting the two birds, which were about the size of chickens.

It seems they are quite obedient, the young lady thought. The feeling of being trusted was really nice.

Lifting the two bird cages, Lolan Hill walked back into the city. However, she hadn’t gone far when a golden light streaked across the sky, splitting above Lolan Hill’s head and transforming into pale yellow feathers that drifted down.

These feathers gathered together to form a woman in her early twenties. She wore autumn white dress with a light gold gauze overlay. Her figure was slightly plump, with graceful curves. Her black hair was parted into two strands falling in front of her chest, extremely charming.

“Hello, I am Zhihua of the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect,” although she was only over 25 years old, she was the youngest Sequence 6 Lolan Hill had met since coming to the Eastern Continent.

“Hello, my name is Jialan, or Lacy works too,” Lolan Hill thought for a moment, took out the yellow jasmine token from her sleeve, and handed it to the disciple of the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect.

Zhihua looked at the token in her hand, gently stroking it, then looked at the girl who appeared to be around 17 years old, understanding something.

“It seems this was given to you by Uncle Chuwu. You must have come from another continent,” she asked softly.

“Yes, I came from Leixiaze to Yan Yao Continent, crossing the Suiyan mountain range. I just arrived yesterday,” Lolan Hill nodded.

“That’s correct.” Zhihua curiously examined the girl in front of her. She was only Sequence 3, yet she crossed the Suiyan mountain range so quickly. If she wasn’t lying, then she truly was a rare and exceptional genius.

Although she had some doubts about its authenticity, Zhihua didn’t show it.

After all, the world is vast and full of wonders. I will examine this junior sister more closely later.

“Your arrival was quite early, somewhat unexpected by several of the uncles. That’s why they asked me to come and meet you, fearing some danger might be lurking,” Zanhua explained briefly, then beckoned Lolan Hill over to a large tree nearby.

She waved her sleeve lightly, and a set of elegant stone table and chairs appeared under the shade of the trees, allowing Lolan Hill to sit for a while.

“But it seems everything is fine,” she added, looking at the two little birds beside Lolan Hill with great interest.

“In fact, there were many powerful monsters along the way, but I managed to avoid them carefully,” Lolan Hill said softly, smoothing the hair by her ear.

“No wonder. But that was indeed the right thing to do. Did these two little birds help warn you?” Zanhua asked curiously, wondering how this young lady had crossed the treacherous Lava Mountains.

“Well, yes, they helped me a lot,” thought the girl secretly, even though they were a bit greedy for food and play. She then opened the cage and let the two little creatures out.

“These birds seem well-groomed, not like wild ones,” Zanhua observed as she looked at the clean feathers of the two birds.

“I met them in Yan Yao Continent and became friends with them. I also took care of them during that time,” Lolan Hill shook her head.

“It seems you’re quite skilled at taming exotic beasts. No wonder you could arrive so quickly,” Zanhua realized that this was probably the reason the young lady had managed to cross the Lava Mountains so swiftly.

Thinking about it made things clearer. No wonder Uncle Chiwu valued her so much, giving her his token, and she could travel through the dangerous Lava Mountains at such speed. There must have been some means of avoiding and taming exotic beasts, making the journey easier.

Looking at the senior sister before her, Lolan Hill wasn’t sure how to explain herself. She couldn’t just say she was very strong, so she had to accept her guess.

They continued chatting for a while, gradually getting to know each other better. Zanhua seemed very kind and considerate, almost like a good wife and mother.

“Senior Sister Zanhua, when can I officially join the sect?” Lolan Hill asked curiously, eager to start learning.

“It might take another two months, until the Winter Solstice at the end of the year, when all new disciples will be admitted together.”

“Don’t worry too much; you can first build a solid foundation. Some skills, like understanding medicine, observing dragon veins, and studying celestial charts, will need to be learned later as well,” Zanhua explained, waving her sleeve again to create two wooden cups on the stone table.

“This is our special drink, Dew of the Flowers. You can have a sip to replenish your energy. After that, I’ll take you to our sect’s location and find you a place to stay.”

“Alright,” Lolan Hill nodded, feeling a bit surprised at how quickly things were changing. She had expected to stay in the city for a few days, but the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect had sent someone over so quickly.

**[Zixiang Dew of the Flowers]** (Silver Grade, Excellent): Can replenish Mana (Essential Energy) and alleviate mental fatigue. Made internally by the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect.

Lifting the wooden cup, she took a small sip, and the cool, slightly sweet liquid soothed her insides, refreshing her spirit.

“How does it taste? It should be quite good. If you want more, you can come find me. I’ve brewed quite a bit of it,” Zanhua smiled warmly.

“Thank you, Senior Sister Zanhua.”

After a brief rest, Zanhua prepared to take Lolan Hill on their journey.

“Wait a moment, I have something left at the inn in the city,” Lolan Hill had to explain.

“Alright, I’ll take you to the city,” Zanhua extended her fair wrist, letting the young lady grasp it, then leaped lightly into the sky.

Lolan Hill felt as if she had entered another dimension, moving like a streak of light through the sky and directly entering the city above.

“That way,” the young lady pointed, and they landed directly in the courtyard of the inn.

Seeing the sudden appearance of the two, the inn’s staff and guests were amazed. Although this wasn’t a state capital, people couldn’t just fly around recklessly.

Zanhua waved her hand, and a small golden flower emblem appeared. Seeing this, others quickly quieted down, standing respectfully to one side, awaiting orders.

Zanhua gently explained the situation, and the inn staff quietly stepped back, making room and ensuring no one disturbed the two important guests.

Watching this scene, Lolan Hill felt a slight gasp. It seemed the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect had quite a reputation in this region.

She retrieved her wicker box and other items from the room, while Zanhua stepped into the courtyard.

The sun slowly rose, gently taking the young lady’s hand. Yellow leaves danced around them, entwining the two before transforming once more into streaks of light, soaring high into the sky.

The wind whispered past their ears as they ascended like shooting stars, becoming tiny black dots high above. Below, many people in the city below began to murmur among themselves.

“Who would have thought that today we could still see a celestial being from the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect? Truly rare,” an elderly man stepped out of his shop, watching the distant figure, muttering to himself.

“How did you know that was someone from the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect? It’s so far away, hard to make out clearly,” asked a curious tourist from a foreign land.

“In Huilu Continent, there is only one sect capable of using the power of the dragon veins for rapid flight. Other cultivators might be able to fly here, but they cannot achieve the transformation into streams of light or traverse the skies,” the elder proudly stroked his beard.

“So that means the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect controls all the dragon veins in Huilu Continent?” he exclaimed in surprise. Such power was indeed immense.

“Indeed, the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect is the legacy left by the Immortal of Fragrant Incense. Do you know the origin of the Cut-Heaven Dao?” The elder said with pride.

“It’s not one of the Five Virtues, the direct lineage of the Yellow Bird?” the guest asked curiously.

“That’s correct. It is one of the Five Phoenixes, the direct lineage of the Yellow Bird. But the Cut-Heaven Dao was not achieved alone. At that time, both the East and West had sages involved. The Immortal of Fragrant Incense was one of the main leaders and the only sage who brought the Cut-Heaven Dao back from the West.”

“Therefore, the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect is a holy site for the Cut-Heaven Dao, holding a very high status among many sects practicing the Cut-Heaven Dao. Even though several branches have split off over time, it remains strong.”

“No wonder this sect has such honors in the court; even His Majesty occasionally summons them to consult matters related to the Star Observatory,” the traveler recalled past rumors and suddenly understood.

“Of course, no wonder. The officials in the court all wear collars adorned with red and yellow flowers, each with its own meaning.”

“Haha, enough talk, I need to check if the yellow paper we made today is ready. This is what many students from various regions love,” he said, heading towards the back.

In front of the inn, several young men were still standing there. They had just been about to find Lolan Hill when they were told that the young lady had already been taken away by an immortal.

“Who would have thought we would actually encounter such a rare genius from the Xiangyu Sect,” said the tall man regretfully. If only they had exchanged more yesterday, perhaps they could have formed some connection.

“Lucky, lucky. Yesterday, fortunately, Brother Lu pulled me back. Otherwise, my father would have surely expelled me from the family,” the young man who had stopped Lolan Hill yesterday broke out in a cold sweat, feeling relieved.

With the power of the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect, even if the girl hadn’t spoken, countless people would have come knocking, trying to curry favor and use her to advance themselves. At that time, his family’s connections would have been nothing more than a joke.

“Today, I’ll treat everyone. Let’s have a good drink to calm our nerves,” his voice carried a hint of relief and gratitude, feeling he needed to thank his companions for their usual bickering.

“Haha, then tonight you’re buying! Don’t try to wriggle out of it later,” the boys and girls nearby said.

“Of course not, of course not. Thanks to the encouragement of a few good brothers and sisters. Come on, let’s go, tonight we won’t stop until we’re drunk,” several of them headed towards the tavern in the city.

—

Above the sky, Lolan Hill was carried by Jin Hua, soaring through the ethereal heights. She looked down at the grand and awe-inspiring landscapes below, her mood lifting considerably.

However, she didn’t yet understand the impact she had caused at the inn, nor did she realize that she would become the senior sister to many young disciples in the future.

The Immortal of Fragrant Incense, Hong Chun, was part of the Dragon Sequence 9 during the era of the Phoenix Witch. She had accompanied Dorothy and Su Qin, two witches, on a journey to the Western Continent. Later, she served in the Mercury Dynasty, participating in the development of magical sequences. After completing her work, she returned to the East with the knowledge and secrets of the Mercury Dynasty and the new magical sequences.

This sage, who returned from the West, established the Xiangyu Sect in Huilu Continent, passing down all the secrets and knowledge of the three sequences she had learned. This was the precursor to the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect.

Later, the Xiangyu Sect expanded, gradually splitting into the Fragrant Incense Star Observatory, which focused on magical sequences; the Condensed Purple Night Illumination Palace, which focused on necromancer sequences; and the Autumn Dusk Copper Dragon Valley, which focused on dragon sequences.

However, due to internal competition among these factions, the main sect could no longer fully control them. Eventually, it changed its name to the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect, with strength roughly equal to the other factions.

(End of Chapter)