Purple Bamboo Blossoms

The night sky was turning white, and the man and woman flying high in the sky were the first to be exposed to the sunlight. Yue Qianchou kept glancing at the woman in Ziyi beside him, a strange smile playing on his lips. This girl's mother was indeed generous! Much more generous than that handsome old man, Nong Zhu. Nong Zhu! Xiaoyao? Heh heh, always walking among the flowers, never leaving a trace, tsk tsk! This handsome old man was indeed a master at picking flowers. Heh heh! If he dares to lay a hand on me again, and one day he really angers me, I'll take the Fairy Qionghua to your South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest, and I'll see what happens then!

Thinking about how he could teach that Nong Zhu a lesson, Yue Qianchou smiled even more happily, and even secretly looked forward to that day coming soon.

In the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest, where the bamboo sea ripples like waves, Nong Zhu, a maid in the 'Langhuan Courtyard,' was kneeling beside the tea table when she suddenly felt an itch in her nose. Touching her nose, she wondered, "Is someone plotting against me? Why do I feel like sneezing?"

Shaking her head, she arranged two cups made of purple bamboo, picked up the teapot boiling on the small stove, and filled the two cups with two streams of fragrant tea. Setting the teapot aside, she pushed one cup across to the other with two slender fingers. Looking at Bi Changchun sitting cross-legged opposite her, Nong Zhu said irritably, "What are you doing here again?"

Bi Changchun, who was usually serious, smiled faintly and said, "When I heard that the purple bamboo here was in bloom, I was reminded of the time when we first met. You served me this purple bamboo flower tea, and the fragrance still lingers on my tongue. It is truly a rare and exquisite tea. So many years have passed, and now that the purple bamboo is in bloom again, how could I not come?"

Judging from the tone of their conversation, their relationship was indeed very close. Who has ever seen Bi Changchun speak to someone in such a tone?

"Old Bi, now that you mention it, I remember. The first time you came here, the purple bamboo flowers bloomed the next day, and after they withered, a large swath of purple bamboo died. A while ago, after that brat Yue Qianchou came, my purple bamboo grove bloomed again the next day. Could it be that you two, master and disciple, are the nemesis of my purple bamboo grove? If not, then it's too much of a coincidence!" Nong Zhu said with considerable suspicion.

"Dead again?" Bi Changchun paused, holding his teacup. Nong Zhu shook his head with extreme heartache, saying, "Once bamboo flowers, it's a sign that it's about to wither and die. Hundreds of purple bamboos! Gone again."

"A hundred or so bamboo stalks are nothing but a drop in the ocean compared to the Purple Bamboo Forest," Bi Changchun said casually, and began to slowly savor his fragrant tea.

These words immediately angered Nong Zhu, who raised her eyebrows and glared, shouting, "I'm not giving you this tea!"

He reached out and snatched the teacup from the other person's hand. Bi Changchun didn't seem to mind and said indifferently, "I advise you not to disturb me while I'm drinking tea, otherwise I guarantee that you won't see a single bamboo in your South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest from now on."

This was a blatant threat, Nong Zhu stood up abruptly. He raised his eyebrows and cursed, "You, Bi Changchun, are trying to threaten me just because your cultivation is higher than mine."

Bi Changchun suddenly sighed, "I drank purple bamboo flower tea once when I first met you, and this is the second time. The opening of the Eastern Pole Sacred Land is not far off. I wonder if I will have a third chance in my life."

Nong Zhu paused, looking at the teacup in her hand, her expression twitching slightly as she said, "You're trying a softer approach when the hard approach doesn't work." Although she saw through the other party's intentions, she still sat down and placed the teacup in front of Bi Changchun, asking, "Do you really think that Yue Qianchou can resolve the current situation?"

"You'll know once you try." Bi Changchun picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Try it? Such a big matter, and you just send a disciple to try it out?" Nong Zhu immediately jumped up again, pointing her finger and cursing, "You, Bi Changchun, it turns out that what you said about observing the stars at night was all fake. If you want to try it, let your disciple try it out. Why do you have to involve my daughter in this? What are you up to? No, I have to recall Ziyi."

"What's the rush?" Bi Changchun said calmly, "Ziyi should go out and see the world. Look at her, she's been by your side for so many years, and apart from her cultivation improving, what do you think she's learned from you? She knows absolutely nothing. Perhaps she could learn a lot from Yue Qianchou."

"At least there's no danger!" Nong Zhu exclaimed. "Can I let her live a peaceful and carefree life, the life everyone dreams of?"

"This isn't Ziyi's dream, it's your dream. What's the difference between a life without joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness and a pig?" Bi Changchun looked at Nong Zhu and sneered, "Don't use your selfishness as an excuse to protect your daughter. You just don't want your daughter to leave you. A fledgling eagle will eventually spread its wings. Following an eagle will only lead to starvation sooner or later. A cultivator at the late Tribulation Transcendence stage Realm doesn't know what human warmth and coldness are. You're quite the good father you are."

"I'm selfish?" Nong Zhu's expression changed upon hearing this. After a moment of silence, he shook his head and said, "No, it's too dangerous to stay by Yue Qianchou's side. You don't know what kind of person your disciple is. That guy is a born troublemaker, known as the Scum of the Cultivation World. I don't expect Ziyi to learn anything from him at all."

"Ziyi is no longer a little girl. It's too late for you to try and teach her anything now. Just let her stay with Yue Qianchou! Perhaps the educational methods of the Scum of the Cultivation World are more appropriate than yours as her father." Bi Changchun took a sip of tea, stared at Nong Zhu, and shook his head. "Relax and let Ziyi face it bravely! You often travel in the mortal world, so you should know that more hardships are not entirely a bad thing. At least I believe that if there is real danger, Yue Qianchou will definitely have a way to protect your daughter."

"Old Bi, tell me the truth, am I really as bad as you say, my father?" Nong Zhu asked, her face pale.

"It's gone too far, and it's actually harmed Ziyi." Bi Changchun suddenly sighed, "When I left the Bi family back then, I was worried about what would happen to my family without my protection. Later, although there were many hardships, I didn't interfere, and as a result, they have gradually made it to where they are now, better than I imagined. Nong Zhu, do you really want to take care of Ziyi for the rest of your life?"

Nong Zhu said nothing, turned around, and walked out slowly with a somewhat lonely air. Bi Changchun watched his figure disappear into the depths of the bamboo forest, then casually picked up his tea and continued to drink.

On the beach, a melodious flute tune rose and fell. A Nong Zhu flute lay at his lips, and ten slender fingers moved with the sea breeze, the music as melancholic as his mood, tinged with a faint sadness. The waves gently lapped at his feet. Soon, a flock of seagulls took flight and landed around him, seemingly listening as well. Just then, a dozen or so jets of water suddenly spouted from the sea, followed by a dozen enormous fish tails whipping out of the water with a "splat," disappearing into the spray.

"Splash, splash..." A dozen enormous humpback whales burst from the surface, turned, and crashed back into the sea, sending waves flying. A dozen more, their backs emerging from the water, swam towards them in unison, as if summoned by the sound of Nong Zhu flute. The Nong Zhu continued playing, slowly walking towards the sea, treading on the waves as if strolling leisurely...

After traveling several dozen meters on the surface, the lead whale broke away from the pod, swam directly to them, dived into the water, and gently lifted Nong Zhu up. Nong Zhu, playing a mournful tune, stood on the back of a whale, accompanied by a group of whales, and continued towards the deeper sea. The sound of her flute pierced the ocean, spreading in all directions...

Three elderly men flew swiftly through the sky. Leading them was the white-robed elder from the snow-capped mountain; the other two, able to keep up with his speed, must also possess considerable cultivation. Soon, the island where the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest was located came into their view. Just as they were about to land, they suddenly heard the melodious sound of a flute drifting from the distant sea. The three exchanged glances. The white-robed elder, the leader, said, "That's the sound of Nong Zhu's flute. Nong Zhu isn't on the island. Let's go!"

The three of them quickly flew over the bamboo forest, and Bi Changchun, who was holding a teacup in the house below, paused slightly...

The sky was blue, the sea vast, Nong Zhu seemed to have figured something out as he rode a whale across the ocean. The flute music gradually became clearer, and the dozen or so humpback whales accompanying him joined in the merriment, leaping out of the water one after another. Suddenly, three sharp whistles came from the sky, followed by three enormous auras descending from the heavens. The dozen or so whales became restless. Nongzhu Nong Zhu, stopping his playing. Three old men slowly descended, forming a triangle, and floated about three or four meters above the surface, surrounding him.

"Nong Zhu, you really are living a leisurely life," the white-robed old man sneered.

Nong Zhu held the flute in her hand and tapped it lightly in her palm. She asked with some surprise, "Bing Chengzi." Then she looked at the gray-robed old man on her left and the black-robed old man on her right, and frowned. "Hu Changshou, Yin Baikang, you three experts at the late Spirit Transformation stage have graced us with your presence. Do you have something to discuss with me?"

The white-robed Bing Chengzi shouted, "Nong Zhu, stop pretending to be confused! You once said you wouldn't interfere in the affairs of the Cultivation World, so why are you going back on your word?"

Nong Zhu frowned. With a light flick of his flute, more than a dozen whales sank to the bottom of the sea. He sneered, "When have I ever broken my promise and interfered in the affairs of the Cultivation World? Bing Chengzi, don't think you can talk nonsense just because you have high cultivation. Do you think I'm afraid of you?" He then looked at the other Human Path, "Are you two here to cause me trouble too?"

Yin Baikang, dressed in a black robe, laughed and said, "Brother Nong Zhu, don't misunderstand. Brother Changshou and I were invited here to serve as witnesses."

"Proof? What proof?" Nong Zhu asked as she glanced at the three people's location again. It was clear they were surrounding her to prevent her from escaping.

"Your disciple Ziyi has clearly been sent to the Huaxia Cultivation World by you, how dare you say you didn't interfere?" Bing Chengzi shouted.

Nong Zhu snorted coldly, "That's right, my disciple Ziyi did go to the Huaxia Cultivation World, so what? Does the Huaxia Cultivation World belong to you, and others can't go there?"

"Don't be hasty," Yin Baikang said, gesturing to the two men. He then smiled at Nong Zhu and said, "Brother Nong Zhu, here's the thing. Your disciple Ziyi is currently associating with a man named Yue Qianchou. A few days ago, one of Bing Chengzi's disciples died at the hands of Yue Qianchou, and Bing Chengzi's other disciples haven't taken revenge out of respect for your disciple Ziyi. We just want to know if your disciple Ziyi has become involved in the affairs of the Huaxia Cultivation World. Regardless of whether she has or not, while things can still be clarified, Brother Nong Zhu, we advise you to recall Miss Ziyi back to the South China Sea to avoid any misunderstandings later. As for the past, we can forgive and forget for your sake, what do you say?"

Nong Zhu was slightly taken aback. Yue Qianchou had acted so quickly? Had he ignored his words? It seemed Bing Chengzi's disciples were all at the late Tribulation Transcendence stage, yet he had managed to kill them? This guy was truly something else. As Nong Zhu watched the three of them pondering this, he suddenly noticed that Bi Changchun had appeared above them at some point, coldly staring down with his hands behind his back...

"Why did you have to come today of all times? What a coincidence." Nong Zhu rubbed his forehead, shook his head and smiled bitterly. It was one thing for him to be alone, but three experts at the late Spirit Transformation stage hadn't even noticed that someone was above him. The title of the Number One Expert Under Heaven was truly well-deserved.

Hu Changshou, who had remained silent until now, looked arrogant Human Path, "What? Do you think the three of us need to pick an auspicious day to come find you?"

"How dare I!" Nong Zhu waved his hand dismissively, pointed upwards and shook his head, saying, "Good luck to you all!"

The three weren't afraid of any tricks he might play. They looked up and glanced at him, but the moment they saw him, their expressions changed drastically, and they were almost scared out of their wits... Wearing a light blue robe, with a handsome face and cold eyes, he stared at them indifferently, as if looking at a few ants. Who else could it be but Bi Changchun, the god of death?

The three of them instantly teleported dozens of meters away and stood in a row. Hu Changshou's arrogance vanished in an instant. He pointed at Bi Changchun and asked, "Bi Changchun, what do you mean by standing above us?" The implication was clear: Did you intend to ambush us?

Bi Changchun was indeed incredibly arrogant. He didn't even look at them directly, put his hands behind his back, gazed at the distant horizon, and said with an air of nonchalance, "What do you mean by this?"

The implication was clear: whatever they wanted, I'd give them. Hu Changshou clicked his tongue, too ashamed to utter a word. Bing Chengzi said in a deep voice, "Bi Changchun, this is a private matter between us and Nong Zhu; you have no right to interfere."

"Did I say I was going to get involved?" Bi Changchun said calmly, turning his gaze from the horizon to Bing Chengzi, and then asked, "Do you really want me to get involved?"

Bing Chengzi's face stiffened, bewildered by the man's rambling remarks, unsure of what to say. The key issue was that this guy was far too powerful; the three of them were no match for him. If he displeased him with a single word, he would immediately attack. And once he did, no one had ever survived his attacks. Talking to someone like that was incredibly stressful!

"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding, let's all keep quiet." Yin Baikang persuaded everyone, and finally smiled at Bi Changchun, "Old Bi, we have something to talk to Nong Zhu about, don't get the wrong idea, we don't mean anything by it."

"What makes you think I'm thinking something inappropriate?" Bi Changchun's gaze fell on him again. Yin Baikang's smile immediately froze, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, "It's good that you're not thinking anything inappropriate, it's good that you're not thinking anything inappropriate."

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