Chapter 24: Flying Flowers

When he arrived outside the Tongtian Pavilion, he suddenly stopped and walked toward Xu Weibian, who was lying on a chair, "Old Xu, I want to learn about the Da Feng Dynasty, which books should I read?"

The two words "Qingying" on the Qingying Sword are in Feng Wen, the script of the Da Feng Dynasty.

The Da Feng Dynasty was thirty thousand years ago.

Despite having gone through all the catalogues of the collection, he was still at a loss on how to start understanding the history of the Da Feng Dynasty.

"Da Feng..." Xu Weibian opened his eyes and looked him over a few times, "Is the Princely Heir interested in the Da Feng Dynasty?"

"Not very familiar with it." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "Just curious."

"The Da Feng Dynasty is too distant from us, some legends are too mystical to be taken seriously."

"What kind of legends are there?"

"...Too many to recount." Xu Weibian thought for a moment, "The third shelf from the northwest corner of the second floor mostly contains books on the Da Feng Dynasty, but they are all in Feng Wen."

"I will have a look, thank you, Old Xu." Chu Zhiyuan clasped his hands in thanks and entered the Tongtian Pavilion.

Xu Weibian watched him enter the Tongtian Pavilion and shook his head.

Imperial Family members rarely take a liking to reading.

Most royal descendants desperately pursue martial arts and seek military accomplishments, only the line of the Prince Qing Mansion values reading this much, perhaps.

What a pity...

He shook his head again, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the warmth of the sun.

Chu Zhiyuan reached the second floor and came to the third shelf from the northwest, encountering rows of old books, well-preserved and emanating a unique bookish fragrance.

Each book had been rebound, with titles written in Da Jing script.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head at this.

No wonder he couldn't find them.

He pulled out one titled "Seven Seas Chronicles" in Da Jing script on the cover, but inside it was written in Feng Wen.

Feng Wen is ancient and obscure, with simple words and rich meanings, often having multiple meanings for a single word, making it hard to read smoothly without sufficient cultivation.

He forced himself to read on.

By the end of the day, he had read only six books, given his reading speed, he could have read sixty in Da Jing script.

As he read more, he became more familiar with Feng Wen, his speed increased, gaining a basic understanding of the customs and culture of the Da Feng Dynasty.

The Da Feng Dynasty was entirely different from the current world.

The most fundamental difference was cultivation.

In the current world, martial arts flourished, everyone can cultivate, the threshold for cultivation is low, and the culture of cultivation is extremely prevalent.

In contrast, cultivation in the Da Feng Dynasty was exclusive to a small group, only those of exceptional talent or blessed fortune could cultivate.

Breaking a mountain ridge with a single punch is seen today as an achievement of a Great Grandmaster, not extraordinary, but in the Da Feng Dynasty, such rarity made it seem miraculous, hence such cultivators were called immortals or divine beings.

Books from the Da Feng Dynasty recorded many events of these immortals and divine beings, often exaggerated, such as flying a thousand feet over land, killing with a flying sword from a hundred miles away.

He wondered if the Da Feng Dynasty was a cultivation world.

After searching carefully, he found no mention of ascension or immortality and longevity, only martial arts manifestations were described.

He vaguely discerned it might not be a cultivation world but perhaps one with slightly more abundant spiritual energy than the current world, allowing a slightly higher ceiling for martial arts.

By evening, he finally found a clue, the strange patterns were known as Phoenix patterns.

It is said that an ancient person once witnessed the divine bird Phoenix.

The Phoenix was all red light, blinding to the eyes, and this ancient individual was later revered as the Phoenix Real Person, a person of extraordinary cultivation who saw the patterns on the Phoenix and, using a secret technique, transferred them onto a strange stone.

After the transfer, the individual's body exploded and died.

The Phoenix patterns remained imprinted on the strange stone, capable of being branded onto weapons or jade pendants through the stone.

Later, the strange stone suddenly burned to ashes, completely halting the further transmission of the Phoenix patterns.

Within the Phoenix Sect founded by the Phoenix Real Person's disciples, there are eight divine weapons imprinted with Phoenix patterns.

As for what these eight divine weapons were, there was no record.

Chu Zhiyuan guessed that the Qingying Sword he obtained was one of them.

Phoenix Sect.

Unfortunately, there was no lineage left; if the Phoenix Real Person's heritage were available, there might be hope to transfer the Phoenix patterns, now it seems almost impossible.

No one in the entire Da Feng Dynasty could achieve it, as a single person, he couldn't surpass the talents of the entire history of the Da Feng Dynasty.

He took out a piece of jade pendant from his sleeve, a piece of gold inlaid jade full of cracked patterns.

First glued, then embedded with a mix of gold and silver, this fragmented jade was stabilized, with the Phoenix patterns within it visible at any time.

He personally crafted it, ensuring the pattern's completeness through Super Sense, fitting it seamlessly.

Phoenix patterns differ from one another.

The two Phoenix patterns on the Qingying Sword are like a martial arts heart method, capable of transforming True Qi, hence possessing the wonders of Clear Heart and Light Sword.

However, the Phoenix pattern in this fragmented jade is different.

After several viewings of the Phoenix pattern, his spirit unexpectedly grew slightly stronger.

This change was minor but couldn't escape his Super Sense.

With a stronger spirit, True Qi circulated faster, increasing cultivation efficiency and enhancing martial ability power.

Thus, he added another task to his daily cultivation routine: watching the Phoenix pattern in the fragmented jade before sleep.

——

The bright sunshine enveloped Yujing City.

The alley north of Phoenix Avenue is called Horse Rearing Alley.

At this moment, Horse Rearing Alley was bustling.

On one side were officials from the City Patrol, Infantry Office, and Household Affairs Office.

The City Patrol and Infantry Office blocked the road on both sides, preventing idle people from approaching, while officials from the Household Affairs Office and clerks from the Ministry of Rites directed subordinates in setting up the ceremony.

On the other side, more than twenty young men and women surrounded four middle-aged men and women, anxiously staring at the small alley across.

The alley twisted and turned, allowing only four people to pass side by side, yet led to the bustling and lively Phoenix Avenue.

A lovely young girl said crisply, "Master, it's almost time, why hasn't he come yet? Won't we be late?"

"No."

The woman beside her was charming in appearance, her slender and agile figure wrapped in a light green gauze garment, looking in her twenties at a glance, but appearing in her thirties upon closer look, being actually middle-aged.

The charming face was tense, and her willow-like eyebrows bore an air of majesty.

The lovely young girl said, "Master, is the Junior Minister from the Ministry of Rites coming to preside over the ceremony?"

"Yes." The middle-aged woman nodded gently.

Another young man snorted, "Just a Junior Minister, only Fifth Grade."

A young man beside shook his head, "A bit excessive, I've heard that in recent years, Court officials have been increasingly suppressing our Martial Arts Sect, seems not to be unfounded."

"Do you know what grade officials presided over the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Four Great Sects' other courtyards?"

"It's so long ago, who remembers, and besides, times aren't what they used to be, can't be compared."

"Though we can't compare with the Four Great Sects now, we might in the future, but just having a Fifth Grade official preside over the ceremony is too dismissive of us, don't you think?"

"Silence!"

The middle-aged woman softly harrumphed.

Everyone instantly fell silent.

She turned and glanced at everyone, speaking calmly, "All grace, whether thunder or dew, is the monarch's favor. If you lack this understanding, be obedient and go back to Flying Flower Peak to stay!"

"Yes..."

Everyone obediently complied.

She continued, "Although this time the Junior Minister from the Ministry of Rites is Fifth Grade, he's also a Princely Heir from a Prince Mansion, a true aristocrat. If you neglect this, don't blame me for being unkind!"

"Yes, Elder Lu." Everyone responded at once.

Lu Wan shook her head, sighing inwardly.

Pride leads to arrogance, and no one is immune to this, not only the young disciples but even the sect's elders fall into it occasionally.

After producing a Grandmaster, they could gain Court appointments, reaching heights akin to the Four Great Sects, experiencing such heavenly fortune, who could maintain a normal Mental State?

The Court carved out a place to establish a branch for the Flying Flower Sword Sect, already a significant benevolence, yet they were dissatisfied, believing only sending a Junior Minister from the Ministry of Rites to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony was neglectful.

Especially with officials from the Household Affairs Office and clerks from the Ministry of Rites present, they dared to be so reckless, truly not knowing the depth, foolish to the extreme!

In the Martial Arts Sect, actions are dictated by martial skills, without much roundabout dealings, but the Court is different.

Fortunately, they would be joining the Military Suppression Department in the future, not the devious and treacherous Court scene, else they wouldn't know how they perished.

"They're here!"

Suddenly someone whispered.

Everyone immediately looked over.

They saw several experts clad in blue robes escorting a slender and handsome young man strolling forward.

Wearing a red official robe, a white pheasant insignia, his eyes were bright, and his spirit was vibrant.

"Respected Junior Minister."

"Your Highness the Princely Heir."

...

The City Patrol and Household Affairs Office officials greeted with fists clasped from afar.

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his hands and nodded with a smile, approaching the front, smiling at Lu Wan, "Elder Lu, I hope I didn't arrive too late?"

"Lord Chu, you've worked hard." Lu Wan gave a slight smile, "It's not yet time."

"Congratulations Elder Lu, and also to the Flying Flower Sword Sect..."

Chu Zhiyuan exchanged pleasantries with Lu Wan, creating a congenial atmosphere.

The surrounding disciples of Flying Flower Sword Sect stared at the Prince Mansion's guards in amazement.

Indeed, fitting for a royal Princely Heir; all his guards had high, bulging temples and sharp gazes, all masters of the Innate Realm.

There was even a eunuch among them, gentle in demeanor, with clear and distinct eyes, and skin subtly glowing with a white jade-like luster, evidently a Grandmaster.

Lu Wan was also secretly relieved.

Unexpectedly, Chu Zhiyuan was so approachable, lacking the arrogance and airs typical of a Princely Heir, then after considering his background, she understood why.

This Fourth Prince differed from other Princely Heirs, and it might be the reason the Court sent him. If it were other Princely Heirs, proud and arrogant, it could have turned out unpleasant.

As Chu Zhiyuan chatted with Lu Wan, he shook his head inwardly.

Among the four middle-aged people, only Lu Wan was a Grandmaster, with the remaining three middle-aged at one Sixth Layer, one Seventh Layer, and one Eighth Layer.

And twenty-three young men and women, none had reached Perfection in the Postnatal Realm.

This was beyond his expectation.

Far from what he imagined.

Was the Flying Flower Sword Sect showing weakness, or was its foundation genuinely this shallow?