Chapter 137: Ancient Dreams

Xiao Hua watched as Mo Bai followed Yu Rou into the Qionghua Hall, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him. He had traveled through so much turmoil, never imagining he would arrive at the Yihua Sect. He wondered if this sacred mountain would be the place that changed his destiny. Ever since he left the Wu family, he had journeyed across the land, and the things that brought him the most joy were meeting Mo Bai and Nalan Xin’er, not to mention Gan Yu. Now, Yu’er had been initiated into the Yihua Sect under the tutelage of Master Guyu, one of the four great masters of Chu Dream, which provided her with a good foundation. As for himself, everything depended on the master of the Qionghua Hall.

Although Mo Bai had visited many strange places and witnessed many peculiar things, the Qionghua Hall still deeply stunned him. As soon as he entered, a wave of floral fragrance washed over him. Mo Bai stirred; he had assumed that while the Yihua Sect had secular disciples, its leaders had always been Taoist, so if there were any scent in the main hall, it should have been the smell of incense and smoke, not this intense floral aroma.

Mo Bai thought to himself that the Yihua Sect was indeed unique. This was certainly not a place for common folk to burn incense and pray; this was a holy sanctuary that spirit cultivators, especially female ones, spent their entire lives striving to reach.

Beyond the fragrance, the layout and decorations of the hall were filled with floral motifs, some in bud and some in full bloom, creating a dazzling, overwhelming effect.

Yu Rou did not walk far before she said, "Master Mo, please follow me this way. My master is waiting for you in the back hall."

"Many thanks, Miss Yu Rou," Mo Bai replied politely.

Turning past a side gate, they left the main Qionghua Hall and entered a quiet, secluded courtyard. It was elegant and distinct from the area they had just left. At the entrance stood a young girl dressed as a Taoist nun. Seeing Yu Rou approach, she immediately performed a salute and said, "Senior Sister Yu Rou, is this Master Mo Bai? Master is waiting inside."

Yu Rou nodded to the girl and turned to Mo Bai. "Please, Master Mo."

With a creak, the small gate of the side courtyard was opened. Mo Bai stepped inside, but Yu Rou did not follow. Instead, she turned around, closed the gate, and stood outside with the young girl, showing that the rules of the Yihua Sect were exceptionally strict.

As Mo Bai stood in the courtyard, unsure whether to advance or retreat, a voice from the house spoke, "Is that Master Mo? Please come inside to talk."

A smile appeared on Mo Bai's face. Based on the voice alone, he could tell that the speaker was an incredibly powerful spirit cultivator. It had to be Master Gumen. After all the trials he had endured on the journey to the Yihua Sect to seek a solution for Xiao Hua, he finally felt a weight lift from his heart. He brushed the dust from his clothes and stepped into the small room.

***

"Sister Gan, you’ve grown much thinner in the few days we’ve been apart. If Brother Xiao Hua saw you like this, his heart would break," the young witch Nalan Xin’er said, having found Gan Yu in the middle of her spirit cultivation under the guidance of a Yihua disciple. Her opening remark was filled with playful teasing.

Gan Yu’s pretty face flushed. For the past day or two, her mind had not been on her cultivation; she had been calculating when Wu Luohua would arrive on the mountain. Seeing Nalan Xin’er arrive today, her heart finally settled, glad that no further complications had arisen on the journey. "You little girl, you only know how to spout nonsense. I haven't lost any weight. Both my master and my fellow disciples have been very kind to me. Even after just a few days of training, I feel quite different from before."

The young witch took hold of Gan Yu’s arm, shaking it as she said, "Sister, it's only been a few days, and you're already defending the Yihua Sect! It seems the Yihua Sect really is a wonderful place, the spirit sect every female cultivator dreams of joining. It’s just a pity I was born into the Nalan family and raised in the Yuntian Sect; I could never betray my sect in this lifetime. Otherwise, I would come and learn those flower-manifesting techniques to keep you company, so you wouldn't be lonely." She put on a helpless expression, and her playful demeanor instantly made Gan Yu burst into laughter.

Gan Yu replied, "You little rascal, you really can talk. In these few days at the Yihua Sect, aside from learning basic cultivation methods, I’ve also heard the Master speak about the spirit cultivators of Linglong. Although the Yihua Sect is one of the five great spirit sects, objectively speaking, it still cannot compare to the Yuntian Sect, the head of the Five Directions. The Yuntian Sect’s hundreds of years of foundation, coupled with the fame of the current 'Six Sons of Yuntian,' is enough to shock all of Linglong. You are a disciple of the Yuntian Sect and possess the Nalan family’s bloodline—you should be satisfied. You truly don't know how lucky you are." Gan Yu gently tapped the young witch on the nose.

"Hehe," the young witch giggled as she was teased. "Alright, alright, I know. It’s just that this kind of happiness makes me feel a bit overwhelmed."

Gan Yu paused and asked, "Why do you say that, Sister Xin’er?"

Nalan Xin’er leaned her head against Gan Yu’s chest and said gloomily, "My status in the Yuntian Sect is a bit special. Besides being the granddaughter of the Grandmaster, I have now inherited the mantle and spiritual energy of my teacher, Master Wuzui. Perhaps one day I will be on Yunqi Peak, never to descend from the Yuntian Sect again. And when that time comes..." She raised her head, looking at Gan Yu with a pitiful expression. "Sister Gan, I wonder if there will be anyone to stay with me until I grow old." Nalan Xin’er didn't name the person she hoped would stay with her, but Gan Yu could guess.

Gan Yu looked somewhat melancholy as well. "I am just an ordinary woman from the Gan Family Fortress. The Wu family is such a powerful clan, perhaps..."

Before Gan Yu could finish, the young witch pulled away from her embrace, her eyes glistening with tears as she smiled, "Sister Gan, that won't happen. Brother Xiao Hua loves you so much; even if the Wu family opposes it, he will hold firm to his beliefs. Besides, you have me to back you up." Here, Nalan Xin’er’s eyes darted around, as if realizing her own influence might not be significant in the eyes of the Wu family, and she quickly added, "And you have your master, Master Guyu, and the entire Yihua Sect! If that’s not enough, I’ll get Brother Mo to help. It will definitely work."

Gan Yu listened to the girl's rambling and smiled.

With a creak, Mo Bai pushed the door open and saw a middle-aged woman dressed as a Taoist nun sitting in the hall. She nodded slightly at him. Mo Bai bowed, observing Master Gumen closely. She appeared to be around fifty. Although she looked somewhat aged, one could see from her features that she must have been an incredibly beautiful woman in her youth. Notably, on her right cheek near her ear, there was a dark red birthmark that, upon closer inspection, resembled a plum blossom, making her look quite extraordinary.

***

"Master Mo, hearsay does not compare to meeting in person. My junior sister Guyu had mentioned your name to me previously, saying you were very young, but I did not expect you to be quite this young," Master Gumen said, gesturing for Mo Bai to sit.

"You are too kind, Senior. I am unworthy of the title 'Master.' You may simply call me Little Mo or Mo Bai," Mo Bai said, sitting down naturally and showing no trace of timidity before the leader of one of the world's five great spirit sects.

Master Gumen laughed aloud. "Very well. Mo Bai, you are indeed forthright. You helped the Yihua Sect survive a crisis during the Spirit Rising Tournament, and for that, I thank you. However, my junior sister Guyu mentioned that you have some personal business at our sect. She did not elaborate, so please, tell me what it is and see if I can be of any help." Master Gumen showed no airs of a sect leader and treated Mo Bai with great courtesy.

Mo Bai looked at Master Gumen with appreciation, thinking to himself that she was truly worthy of being the head of the Yihua Sect; she did not beat around the bush. Since that was the case, he would get straight to the point. "Senior, I do indeed have a favor to ask, but this is not for myself. I assume you are familiar with the Wu family of spirit cultivators?"

"The Wu family—though I do not have much interaction with them, I am well aware of their reputation on the Linglong continent," Master Gumen said softly.

Mo Bai nodded. "You are correct. It is a pity that despite their greatness, they have their own sorrows. The eldest son of the Wu family, Wu Luohua, was born with a unique constitution. He cannot break through his spiritual barriers, meaning he cannot cultivate any spiritual energy. For the Wu family, this is a catastrophe. They have worked tirelessly for years on his behalf, but to no avail. Eventually, Wu Luohua decided to leave the family himself to search for a way to break through his barriers on the Linglong continent. Unfortunately, after many hardships, he still has not found a solution. That is why we have presumptuously come to the Yihua Sect to ask for your guidance."

Master Gumen frowned slightly. After a long silence, she said, "Under normal circumstances, if the Wu family came to me, I would grant them some face, especially since you, Mo Bai, have come personally and have done my sect a great service. However, the cultivation methods of the Yihua Sect are primarily for women. Although Wu Luohua’s name contains the word 'flower,' he is a man. I fear that the Yihua Sect and he are simply not meant to be."

Mo Bai had already prepared for this. He knew she wouldn't commit to treating Xiao Hua based on a few words. This was the moment for *it* to appear. Mo Bai smiled slightly and solemnly took an object from his robes—a delicate small wooden comb. He handed it to Master Gumen and said, "Master, please look. Do you recognize this?"

Gumen looked down at the hand Mo Bai extended. It was a strong, capable hand, one that could weave any spirit technique with great speed. But at this moment, Master Gumen’s gaze was not on the hand, but entirely on the delicate small wooden comb.