Chapter 755

Chapter 755: Night Mansion Flower Feast

East Continent, Luo Capital.

After thoroughly enjoying the night market, the Xiangyu Sect’s group returned to the academy for rest.

Pushing open the door, Lolan Hill carried a bag back to her room, where Dai Ju, who had been sleeping on a chair, had already woken up.

Seeing the young lady return, it chirped pitifully, seemingly sad that Lolan did not take it out to play.

“Alright, alright, next time I’ll definitely take you out,” the young lady walked to this little creature, picked it up, and stroked it.

“You’ve only gone out a few times, let’s give Blue Crow a chance this time,” after which Lolan Hill took out some snacks bought at the night market from the bag, broke them open, and fed them to this greedy little creature, thus calming it down.

Lolan Hill couldn’t help but shake her head looking at this creature’s plump body, then placed the remaining pieces of snacks on a plate for it to peck at.

After a good night’s rest, the next day Lolan Hill sought out Gu Lie to inquire and understand the situation.

In the spacious room, there was a large round table, with Lolan Hill and Gu Lie sitting beside it.

“Lolan wants to ask about the court arrangements?” Gu Lie looked at this beautiful young lady with silver hair and black dress.

“Yes,” Lolan Hill nodded.

“After I came to Luo Capital, I asked several officials of the Spring Office. They said that the Autumn Lantern Festival is approaching, and they will officially announce it during the festival.”

Afterwards, Lolan Hill asked in detail about the specific process, then put her mind at ease, and then she inquired about matters concerning the Ye family.

“This is easy. I’ll write a letter of introduction for you, have someone deliver it to the Ye family, and you’ll receive a reply in a few days,” the Xiangyu Sect, being a famous major sect, still has some face value.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Gu Lie,” the young lady nodded.

A few days later, Gu Lie handed Lolan Hill an invitation card.

“Recently, the Night Mansion will host a flower viewing banquet, inviting many people. You can go visit, here is the invitation.” After saying this, he handed the young lady a deep blue invitation card with gold powder printing pavilions and buildings, silver powder flowers, and a fine inscription on the side.

“Autumn winds grow beautiful, stroll through pavilions and smell the fragrance.”

Although there is no mention of flowers, it expresses the meaning of viewing flowers, somewhat refined. The time is set for the twenty-fifth of the Dragon Year’s seventh month, which is five days later.

Just as Lolan Hill received this invitation card, Gu Lie asked about another matter.

“Will you sign up for the Crimson Tower Sword Duel?”

According to the rules, as one of the representatives of the new generation of the Xiangyu Sect, Lolan Hill should definitely participate, but considering her current special status and her preference for quietness, she might not actually attend.

“Do I have to go?” The young lady tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes looking at this senior brother.

“Well, not necessarily,” Gu Lie looked at this suddenly cute junior sister and shifted his gaze.

“In that case, I won’t go. It shouldn’t affect anything,” Lolan Hill blinked.

“Uh, alright.” In response, Gu Lie could only agree.

The results of the Crimson Tower Sword Duel would affect the reputation of the sect across the land. Although there is no mandatory requirement, if several generations of disciples cannot enter the top ten finals, the status of the sect would be in jeopardy.

However, currently the Xiangyu Sect is strong internally. Even without Lolan Hill, there are two Sequence 7s, Gu Lie and Jin Hua, standing firm, so there’s nothing to worry about.

“In that case, Lolan, guide the others well these days. The sword duel starts at the beginning of the eighth month of the Dragon Year, which is in ten days.”

“Mm, I will,” Lolan Hill nodded.

In the following days, besides guiding other disciples in their cultivation, Lolan Hill occasionally went out to wander around, exploring the bustling city. At night, she would return to her room to read, maintaining a stable routine.

After a few days, the Night Mansion’s flower viewing banquet began.

Early in the morning, Lolan Hill arrived at the Night Mansion according to the time on the invitation card.

The wide street was lined with queues of carriages. Some were intricately carved and fragranced, others covered with thin gauze, very luxurious. Many were pulled by exotic beasts, adding to the grandeur.

“Bishi Family, Young Master Bi Haihong has arrived~”

“Dragon Tree Bloodwort Sect, True Person Chen Xi has arrived~”

“Princess Liu Yue of the Colorful Su王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府王府

Standing eight feet tall, his hands were placed at his sides, with large knuckles covered in calluses.

“Who is this?”

“Is he here without an invitation? He shouldn’t be, since he’s come directly here.”

“I don’t know, but I can tell you one thing – there will be a good show today,” several people nearby whispered among themselves. They were mostly young members of prominent families in Luo Capital and were particularly fond of such events.

The attendant at the gate looked somewhat troubled, then hurriedly informed the household. Soon after, a man in black finery came out to greet them.

“I’ve long admired Master Yue Guanzhen. Since we forgot to send an invitation, it was truly a dereliction of duty by my staff, and I apologize sincerely.”

With his words of reassurance and arrangements, the disciple from Jiuhuang Mountain stopped standing stiffly at the gate and entered the house with him.

“That’s Third Young Master Ye Zhen from the Ye family; he probably came out to smooth things over when he heard the commotion,” a few young noblemen continued their discussion.

“This explanation is quite interesting. This banquet was originally co-hosted by the Ye family and a few other families they have close ties with. Anyone who wants to participate just needs to say so beforehand. Generally, they wouldn’t refuse, as it’s meant to be a social gathering, and the more people, the livelier it gets.”

“He must not know the details; that’s why he showed up uninvited. After all, Jiuhuang Mountain is quite remote, and its people may not understand proper etiquette,” someone else speculated.

“Judging from how calmly he’s talking with Young Master Ye Zhen, he doesn’t seem to bear any grudges against the Ye family. How strange.”

“Speaking of which, I remember something. Do you remember He Xingzhou’s Baiduan Workshop?”

“Some memory. It’s said to be a workshop for forging weapons, but it’s only of moderate strength and doesn’t stand out much.”

“Baizhuan Workshop used to belong to the Yue family, but due to poor management, it was acquired by the Liu family a few years ago during a major upheaval.”

“It’s said that because the heir of the Yue family was betrothed to a member of the Liu family, the Yue family trusted the Liu family even more, only to be betrayed by them.”

“This story isn’t very flattering. As a result, the Yue family declined, and the Liu family paid off the Yue family members, dispersing their descendants across various regions.”

“The former heir of the Yue family was named Yue Guanzhen.”

“How intriguing. Tell us more. How do you know so much?” Several young men became interested, gathering around while waiting.

“Haha, I’m well-informed about this. Who would have thought my wife comes from He Xingzhou? Last year, I accompanied her back home for a visit, and I learned quite a bit.”

Lolan Hill looked ahead, occasionally hearing snippets of gossip. She shook her head slightly and continued forward.

Today, she had to meet many people, so she took out the phantom pendant she once used in Emanas to disguise herself, making her look like the former Lolan with black hair and eyes. Though beautiful, she didn’t attract too much attention.

As she approached the gate, Lolan Hill took out the invitation and handed it to the attendant.

“From the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect, Immortal Lo Lan has arrived!”

With the attendant’s announcement, she curiously stepped into the residence.

Entering the courtyard, she saw several pavilions with tables set up with tea, fruits, and snacks. A few guests were resting there. Looking further ahead, some people were walking along the main path.

It seemed this wasn’t the main venue of the banquet but rather a temporary resting area for guests who had been waiting. They could rest before entering the inner hall or wait for acquaintances to arrive together.

A few young men sitting in the hall discussed the black-haired girl entering the courtyard.

“The Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect, did Immortal Jin Hua not come? This girl named Lolan is new to me.”

“But her background must be decent; perhaps she belongs to a branch of the royal family, since Lo is one of the imperial surnames.”

At this point, only a small portion of the upper echelon of the Dynasty knew about Lolan Hill’s title, so many nobles in Luo Capital didn’t recognize the black-haired, black-eyed girl.

“But judging by her appearance, she is indeed a rare beauty. Should we go introduce ourselves?” Some young men joked.

“Sigh, I wish I could, but you know, my father recently arranged a marriage for me, to the fourth daughter of the Lian family.”

“Oh oh, we do know the name of the fourth daughter of the Lian family. Looks like I won’t be able to drink with you anymore.”

“Why?”

“If I’m having a good time and the fourth daughter of the Lian family comes and beats me up, and then also hits you, who would I complain to?”

“Well,”

The fourth daughter of the Lian family was known for being fierce and temperamental, though she was quite pretty, and few in Luo Capital dared to provoke her.

Causing Trouble. However, since she came from one of the six major families of Luo Capital, there were still quite a few people who proposed marriage to her. Since this person could get engaged to another, their family background must not be too bad.

Where there are people, there are all kinds of stories.

Not long after Lolan Hill entered the Ye Family manor, she learned a lot about the noble circles of Luo Capital from the various snippets of conversations around her.

Which young master had his eyes on which beauty, who was caught in an affair, a certain tavern recently launched new dishes, and new rumors about the imperial palace spread… There was no shortage of such news.

And when she followed the winding corridor and entered the main venue of the flower viewing banquet, a broad scene unfolded before her eyes.

A clear little river encircled a green hill, with lush trees lining both banks. A three-story pavilion stood atop the green hill, where many guests gathered. Some strolled along the riverbank, some played chess indoors, some played the zither on the hillside, and others carried bird cages, chatting and admiring each other.

Most of those present were noble offspring from Luo Capital, and even representatives from large sects were accompanied by acquaintances. Lolan Hill, however, entered alone, feeling somewhat out of place at first.

Fortunately, she did not mind much. She merely followed several other guests across a small bridge and arrived at the gathering on the green hill.

Long benches were scattered among the hillsides, and some servants were serving exquisite snacks. Some guests even sat directly on the hillside drinking and enjoying themselves. Their unrestrained manner made it hard for outsiders to criticize their unseemly behavior.

“Haha, another autumn has come. I wonder what exotic flowers and plants the Ye Family has prepared this year,” said one of the two men in long robes who were already somewhat drunk.

“Even the most exquisite flowers and plants cannot compare to the beauty of a lady,” slurred the other.

“No need to help me, I can still… hic,” he interrupted himself with a burp and broke free from the servant’s support beside him.

“I still have to wait for Immortal Fairy Xia Yue,” he muttered, causing laughter from those nearby.

“I think Immortal Fairy Xia Yue probably doesn’t like you.”

“Haha, what kind of person is Immortal Fairy Xia Yue? How could she pay attention to such a rude person?” The other young men also laughed.

Lolan Hill stepped into the pavilion and slowly climbed up the stairs. The noise below continued unabated. Listening to the gossip, she understood just how significant Immortal Fairy Xia Yue was.

She came from Yun Sha Xia Jiangtian, a new generation disciple of the current Xia Jiangtian. It was said that she had already reached the sixth sequence, and would soon advance to the seventh sequence.

In the current Plantagenet Dynasty, there were only about twenty known Sequence 7 Extraordinary Beings. Even if some were in seclusion, their numbers would not exceed thirty. Reaching Sequence 7 indeed set one apart as extraordinary.

Humans are different from beasts. While accumulating experience contributes to the perfection and power of techniques, human wisdom also leads to excessive contemplation, making it difficult to overcome mental trials. Many are stuck, and those who reach Sequence 7 are geniuses among geniuses, capable of defeating wild Sequence 8 beasts.

The benefits of wisdom are numerous, but not without drawbacks. Humans are rare in that they can commit suicide even when living comfortably, without any death or survival threats. They break free from instinctual control, like ships at sea, gaining freedom but also suspicion, disbelief, and anxiety. Or perhaps, to some, a happy life like a pig’s is a luxury.

As Lolan Hill quietly sat in a corner, appreciating the beautiful sight of the tender yellow trees shedding their leaves, a voice echoed from afar once more.

“Yun Sha Xia Jiangtian, Immortal Fairy Xia Yue has arrived~”

After the commotion, a veiled woman walked gracefully towards them. She wore a dress that transitioned from white gauze to crimson clouds, with a charming appearance and graceful figure. Two other women in similar attire accompanied her, suggesting they were also disciples of Xia Jiangtian.

If Lolan Hill were to evaluate, this woman’s appearance might be comparable to Feng Nai of the Anemyi family, but her ethereal extraordinary strength made her even more captivating, keeping people awake at night.

On the green hill, many young people turned their gazes towards these three women, and several young masters also stepped out of the hall, eager to talk to them.

“Li Manzhi, are you brave enough to face me?”

A loud shout rang out as a man in coarse clothing stepped forward, blocking the path of the three women. His eyes burned with intensity as he stared intently at the woman behind Xia Yue. The woman wore a pink-purple robe, seemingly Li Manzhi, the eldest daughter of the Li family.

Various noisy voices filled the air, and several servants of the Ye Family hurried to find someone to mediate. Other young masters from other families also stepped forward to stand between the two parties.

“You’re a rustic ruffian from the countryside, how dare you be so disrespectful to Immortal Fairy Xia Yue?”

(End of Chapter)