Brocade Rosy Tulip

Brocade Rosy Tulip

As the midday sun flooded the arena, the day's fierce matches had yet to conclude when the tournament referee slowly stepped onto the central platform beneath countless watchful eyes. Soul Power surged around the white-haired elder, and his deep, powerful voice spread across the entire venue through Soul Power.

"An important announcement will now be made."

The entire stadium fell silent at once, everyone holding their breath. The elder swept his gaze around the grounds, his expression grave as he continued, "Following an investigation by the tournament committee, Shi Nian, vice president of Canghui Academy, has been found suspected of deliberately attempting to murder participating team members, causing Shrek Academy's team members to miss today's match."

The moment those words fell, an uproar erupted through the stands. Discussions broke out everywhere among the spectators. Some were shocked, some furious, while others wore expressions of sudden realization.

"After deliberation by the tournament committee," the elder raised his voice to suppress the noise, "Shrek Academy will receive a bye in the next round."

Within the participating teams' rest area, the representatives from each academy wore different expressions. Huo Wu of Blazing Fire Academy abruptly rose to her feet, her red hair as flamboyant as fire. Feng Xiaotian of Divine Wind Academy stroked his chin thoughtfully. Meanwhile, Canghui Academy's leading teacher had gone deathly pale, fine beads of sweat forming across his forehead.

In the VIP Seats, Feng Yao's slender fingers lightly pressed against the trembling strings of his qin, a glint of understanding flashing through his eyes. He slightly turned his head, his gaze lingering on Ning Fengzhi's warm, jade-like profile. His fingertips merely tapped softly against the armrest, while Qian Renxue, disguised as the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, maintained a proper smile. Only within those profound eyes flashed a nearly imperceptible trace of something unusual.

Looks like I won't be seeing Tang San take the field anytime soon. Feng Yao gently stroked the strings with his fingertips as he mused inwardly. During these days of watching the matches, he had covered the entire arena with Ultrasound every day, capturing every detail like an invisible web.

The intricate Soul Skill combinations of every academy, the unexpected tactical shifts—all of them had been dismantled and reconstructed one by one in his mind. Yet what interested him most was still Tang San's unique techniques and combat skills.

I've seen just about everything worth seeing. Feng Yao murmured inwardly, his white robes swaying softly in the breeze. It's time to return to the academy and properly digest these gains. Breaking through to Soul King before the Finals is the priority.

His fingertip lightly tapped the body of the qin, gathering every lingering ripple of Soul Power in the air. The combat techniques, tactical variations, Tang Sect techniques, and Heart Separation Control he had gained from observing these days all required quiet contemplation.

He cast one last glance at the fiercely ongoing matches before slowly rising and leaving his seat.

The midday sunlight spilled across the empty corridors of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, making Feng Yao's white robes especially eye-catching amid the light and shadows. The entire academy was unusually quiet. It was likely that all the noble students had gone to the tournament venue to watch the matches.

A few students who had been unable to attend the matches sat sparsely scattered throughout the Cafeteria. Feng Yao's gaze passed over the empty dining area, and he immediately spotted the Imperial Dou Team seated in a corner. Calmly taking a light meal, he carried an exquisite porcelain plate toward them.

"Little Feng?" Dugu Yan was the first to notice him, a trace of surprise flashing through her violet eyes. "Why did you come back so early today?"

Feng Yao gently set his tray on the carved wooden table and sat beside Yu Feng. "The Preliminary Tournament is nearing its end," he said mildly, picking up a pair of jade chopsticks. "I've already seen most of the tactics worth seeing. Continuing to watch would bring nothing new." He picked up a slice of green bamboo shoot and continued, "I might as well come back and consolidate what I've gained during this time."

Dugu Yan nodded thoughtfully, her fingers unconsciously winding around a strand of hair. Yu Feng suddenly leaned closer and said with a grin, "Then we'll be relying on Little Feng's command during our matches." He deliberately cupped his hands in an exaggerated salute. "Master Strategist, please take good care of us."

Feng Yao chuckled softly and lifted a celadon teacup for a sip. "No problem."

"You guys should at least say something," Yu Feng said, dramatically spreading his hands. "Sister Yan and I are the only ones carrying this conversation. It's so awkward!"

Hearing that, the Shi Family Brothers exchanged somewhat awkward looks and, in perfect unspoken agreement, scratched the backs of their heads. Ye Lingling sat quietly to one side, the corners of her lips lifting slightly into a faint smile. Oslo merely snorted. "Not everyone is as noisy as your Martial Soul."

Feng Yao could not help laughing, his gaze passing over the four of them. The Shi Family Brothers' solidity, Ye Lingling's tranquility, Oslo's coldness—he suddenly realized that Martial Souls affected Spirit Masters' personalities far more deeply than he had imagined.

"Then by that logic," Feng Yao teased, "when I'm not around, no one pays attention to you?"

Yu Feng immediately nodded repeatedly as though he had found a kindred spirit. "Aside from answering when Sister Yan gives orders, they're usually just like four walking rocks!" He clutched his chest dramatically. "Little Feng, you have no idea how I've endured all this time—"

Dugu Yan covered her mouth as she laughed, her violet hair swaying slightly with the movement. "Who told your Martial Soul to be a Wind Chime Bird?" She blinked mischievously. "Every one of them likes peace and quiet more than the last. As vice captain, I can only talk less too. Besides, snakes also like quiet."

Light laughter immediately rang through the Cafeteria. Even Oslo, who usually wore a cold expression, slightly curved his lips. Sunlight streamed through the windows onto the group, casting a layer of golden radiance over this rare warm moment.

The warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting mottled shadows across the dormitory floor. Feng Yao sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room. After closing his eyes and focusing for a moment, he slowly opened them, determination flashing through his gaze.

"Since I'm going to consolidate the insights I've gained these days, I might as well do it in one push." He spoke softly to himself, brushing his fingertips over his storage Soul Tool. Several streaks of light flashed, and several boxes of different materials appeared neatly before him, each faintly emitting a different energy fluctuation.

Feng Yao's gaze moved among the boxes as his slender fingers lightly tapped against his knee. "Spirit City is less than a hundred li from Star Dou Forest," he mused. "But suitable Spirit Rings are hard to come by. The urgent matter is breaking through the bottleneck first."

He first eliminated two boxes—the gilded box containing the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and the red jade case holding the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. The former could temper the body, but it was not what he needed right now. The latter's blazing energy was better suited for fire-element Spirit Masters.

The remaining three Immortal Grade herbs each possessed their own unique traits, leaving Feng Yao unable to make a choice for a moment.

"This fire-element one..." Feng Yao's fingertip paused over a crimson jade box, and a golden figure appeared in his mind. "It would suit her quite well." A faint smile unconsciously rose on his lips.

Feng Yao stared at the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower inside the crimson jade case, his expression gradually becoming distant. The Immortal Grade herb's scorching heat seeped through the jade box, yet it only reminded him of that golden figure.

"At first, I merely wanted to find shelter." He murmured softly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the jade box. Back then, approaching that "His Highness the Crown Prince" had only been intended to establish a mutually beneficial exchange.

Yet at some point, that exchange of benefits had begun to change. Perhaps it had been when she waited in the training grounds late at night. Perhaps it had been when she occasionally lowered her disguise, revealing a fleeting trace of exhaustion and loneliness in her eyes. Or perhaps it had been when she opened her heart and began appearing before him in her true form.

Feng Yao sighed softly and carefully put away the jade box. The fiery glow of the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower gradually faded within its case, yet it left behind an inextinguishable warmth in his heart. That "Xue Qinghe," always noble and distant before others, would privately express her concern through carefully veiled words.

"How ironic." Feng Yao shook his head self-mockingly. He had approached her with an agenda at first, yet now he had become the person who understood her other side best.

Feng Yao's gaze involuntarily fell upon the crystal-clear Lovesick Heartbreak Red not far away, and his fingertips trembled slightly. Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting mottled shadows across its snow-white petals. For a moment, it seemed as though they reflected that figure who haunted his dreams.

He took a deep breath. Soul Power circulated through his body like a gentle stream, stirring his blood and vitality. A sweetness rose in his throat, and a mouthful of crimson blood sprayed across the petals. In that instant—

Memories surged like a tide. Beneath the bright moonlight, that cold and proud figure appeared vividly before him. Yet in the next moment, the glittering nightlife and indulgent decadence of his previous life flashed through his mind. Feng Yao's heart and mind wavered, and his consciousness blurred for a brief instant.

Blood droplets slowly slid down the petals. The Lovesick Heartbreak Red trembled softly, its petals swaying slightly, yet it ultimately did not fall.

"So it really is like this." Feng Yao smiled bitterly as he wiped the blood from his lips, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He stared at the flower still standing tall, unsure whether he should feel relieved or regretful. Under the sunlight, the Lovesick Heartbreak Red gave off a faint glow, as though silently telling him something.

Feng Yao stared at the completely unmoved Lovesick Heartbreak Red in his hand and let out an almost inaudible sigh. His slender fingers gently brushed over the petals, wiping away the bloodstains with the tenderness one might use for a fragile dream.

"So it still won't work." He murmured softly, understanding flashing through his eyes. As he carefully returned the Immortal Grade herb to his Soul Tool, a relieved smile instead appeared on his lips.

This result had actually been within his expectations all along. Having lived through the mortal world across two lifetimes and seen every facet of human life, how could he possibly retain a heart as pure and flawless as Xiao Wu's? Those memories of the past, those ties to the mortal world, had long become part of his soul.

Feng Yao looked out the window, his thoughts drifting far away. He suddenly thought of Tang San.

"That guy probably secretly tried it too when he got it." Feng Yao chuckled and shook his head. With Tang San's cautious and suspicious personality, he clearly could not have plucked the Lovesick Heartbreak Red either.

Feng Yao's gaze shifted uncertainly among the three exquisite boxes, his fingertips unconsciously tapping against the table. Each box emitted a unique energy fluctuation, intertwining into a wondrous rhythm within the quiet room.

"Which of these three should I choose?" he murmured, his brows slightly furrowed.

Suddenly, a gleam flashed through his eyes, and he lifted his right hand. "I've got it." With a thought, the ancient and mysterious Innate Bagua Plate emerged from his palm, giving off a faint mystical radiance.

"Appear!"

As Soul Power surged, the ancient markings on the Bagua Plate lit up one after another. Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui—the eight Hexagram Symbols bloomed with dazzling light. The Bagua Plate slowly rotated and expanded until it covered the entire room, projecting a massive Bagua formation onto the floor.

Feng Yao closed his eyes and focused, sensing the flowing auras of the three Immortal Grade herbs within the formation. The white vapor of the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone gathered at the Kan position, the fragrance of the Brocade Rosy Tulip lingered around the Zhen position, while the clear radiance of the Eight-petal Immortal Orchid resonated with the Dui position. The light upon the Bagua Plate brightened and dimmed unpredictably, seemingly deducing the choice most suitable for him.

Just as the Bagua formation reached its peak, Feng Yao suddenly opened his eyes, realization flashing through them.

"So that's how it is." He murmured softly, his gaze falling upon the Hexagram Symbol representing the Zhen position. The hazy radiance of the Brocade Rosy Tulip perfectly merged with the Zhen Hexagram, forming a mysterious resonance. Zhen was Wood, perfectly matching the meaning of growth and vitality.

No wonder it can evolve the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, Feng Yao thought to himself.

Feng Yao flicked his sleeve, and the Bagua Plate's radiance gradually receded. He reached for the jade box containing the Brocade Rosy Tulip. The instant his fingertips touched the box, a cool sensation traveled up his arm and straight into his heart.

"It's you." A slight smile appeared on his lips as he carefully opened the lid.

It was an Immortal Grade herb with a peculiar shape. Its roots and stem resembled vines carved from emerald jade, winding layer upon layer into an exquisite curtain-like form. Its leaves were fine and dense like comb teeth, gleaming with an emerald luster. At its peak bloomed a brilliant golden tulip, its petals flowing with light like liquid gold.

When Feng Yao lifted it into his hands, its rich fragrance instantly filled the entire room. The scent was unlike that of an ordinary flower. It carried an innate air of magnificence, as though it could place one within a resplendent golden palace. Every wisp of fragrance seemed almost tangible, condensing into faint golden halos in the air.

Feng Yao took a deep breath and gently brought the flower bud to his lips. With his breathing, the tulip's petals trembled slightly, scattering specks of golden powder. Soon, a faint golden glow began spreading around his body, making him seem as though he were bathed in the morning sun.

As Feng Yao sat cross-legged, his hands naturally hanging at his sides, the Fuxi Qin appeared in his left hand while the Innate Bagua Plate appeared in his right. Under the golden radiance of the Brocade Rosy Tulip, both Martial Souls underwent wondrous changes—the ancient qin's body began flowing with gilded patterns, while the Hexagram Symbols on the Bagua Plate gained brilliant golden edges. The two resonated with one another, building a mysterious golden force field around Feng Yao. Even the air twisted slightly beneath this power.

Feng Yao's breathing gradually became deep and steady. Every inhalation and exhalation caused the golden light around him to ripple like water. The Brocade Rosy Tulip floated before his chest, fine golden motes constantly seeping from its stamen like a pouring galaxy and flowing into his body.

The Fuxi Qin played without being touched. The Bagua Plate rotated on its own, unfolding the fundamental truths of heaven and earth. Their resonance formed a peculiar rhythm within the room, and even the dust in the air danced gently to its beat.

So this is the secret of the Brocade Rosy Tulip, Feng Yao realized in his meditative state. This Immortal Grade herb was not strengthening his Soul Power. It was reshaping the very essence of his Martial Souls.