Talking with a Flower

Li Qi stood up, then bowed and paid his respects.

Then, there was a sound of a door being pushed open, followed by light footsteps.

Because he was looking down, Li Qi could only see his feet.

Um...

Wearing shoes, you can't see their feet.

However, it can be seen that the shoes are not the style of the Tang Kingdom, but the kind of women's shoes commonly found in the Baiyue region. They make the feet look smaller, and the soles are very thin, making them look more like a sock than a shoe.

Looking further up, the lower legs weren't dressed in fancy clothes, but in ordinary long skirts embroidered with Trumpet Flower patterns.

However, the embroidered Trumpet Flower pattern did not cling to any particular object, but rather extended upwards along something that resembled light.

It seems that she deliberately changed this aspect in order to avoid being accused of currying favor with others.

Just as Li Qi had guessed, a flower that dares to rival the sun in beauty must be a flower of spirit; it would rather stop growing than crawl on the ground.

"Why doesn't the young master speak?" The Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom asked with a hint of curiosity.

Li Qi straightened up and looked directly at the Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom.

His eyes were filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Li Qi had long heard of the Flower Goddess's beauty.

Just think about it, that's the Flower Goddess, a famous haven for beauties, a place adored by countless people.

Although Li Qi had no particular interest in the Flower Goddess, his curiosity was itching to know what the Flower Goddess, who was so highly praised by so many people, looked like.

However, upon looking up, Li Qi's eyes appeared slightly stiff.

But the Trumpet Flower God before me, though she is indeed a beauty...

She was tall and slender, with dark green hair and a fair complexion. She had an upright and aspiring air about her. Her eyebrows and eyes were not delicate, but rather exuded a proud and unyielding spirit. She seemed quite approachable.

Only...

It seems like I've seen too many beautiful women lately, and my standards have gotten a bit too high.

To be honest, the appearance of the Trumpet Flower God in front of me is slightly inferior to that of the rabbit, and she is only on par with the two Wu Yu who serve the Great Earth Shamanic God.

You should know that Li Qi now doesn't even find the rabbit so thrilling anymore, because the most beautiful face he has ever seen is actually that of the Mara of Self-Transformation.

To be honest, Li Qi really didn't know how he could bear to watch her transform into a beauty.

I guess he can only suppress it because of his fear of the Heavenly Demon.

So now that we see the Flower Goddess looks like this...

To be honest, I'm a little disappointed.

"Young Master seems somewhat disappointed. I wonder if Lingxiao was impolite or what happened?" Upon seeing this, Trumpet Flower God sat down at Li Qi's desk and asked calmly.

Li Qi realized what had happened and immediately bowed again. "It was my rudeness, Your Majesty. Please forgive me."

I'm really a little embarrassed now...

Clearly, the Trumpet Flower God was somewhat dissatisfied, but she didn't openly break off relations. After all, she was only a seventh-rank official, and she should have basic respect for fifth-rank officials.

Even a young master should not be too rude to those who are stronger than him.

So Li Qi immediately apologized and then sat down opposite her.

They couldn't delay any longer, otherwise, if the Trumpet Flower God's dissatisfaction festered in her heart, Li Qi felt that he might be kicked out.

After all, he already had a certain understanding of the Trumpet Flower God and knew her temperament; she was the kind of person who would rather break than bend, and would give up her future for the sake of her reputation.

Fortunately, the atmosphere eased temporarily after Li Qi apologized.

"The king just asked me what brings me here, which shows that he doesn't know my identity and thinks I'm just an ordinary young master," Li Qi said immediately, trying to arouse the other party's curiosity and steer the conversation to the main topic so that the Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom's displeasure would not continue.

Perhaps it was true, or perhaps it was to save face for Li Qi, but it seemed to have worked. The Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom asked, "Young Master said you are unusual? What makes you unusual?"

"This young man actually came from the Imperial Academy in Chang'an," Li Qi said.

Upon hearing that Li Qi came from the Imperial Academy, the Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom was taken aback, then exclaimed in astonishment, "You're the hostage who abducted the direct descendant of Mount Luofu and was sent to Chang'an?!"

Well...

Li Qi touched his face.

I'm a little embarrassed.

"No... it wasn't kidnapping. My wife and I are deeply in love. It was just a slight surprise. Everything I did was from the bottom of my heart, and there was absolutely nothing improper or presumptuous about it," Li Qi quickly explained as he stood up.

If it only involved himself, he wouldn't bother to defend himself, but since it concerned the reputation of the rabbit, he couldn't be careless.

If the True Disciple were to become "deceiving disciples of Mount Luofu," then there would be a lot of gossip and rumors.

The Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom remained noncommittal, instead looking at Li Qi: "Hmm, I see. So, young master, what brings you here from the Lingxiao Kingdom?"

"I have come to pay my respects to the King and wish to visit Zunfo Mountain. I hope the King will grant me permission," Li Qi said.

"Zunfo Mountain? I have not forbidden anyone else from going there. You may go directly, young master. Why do you need to ask me for permission?" Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom said.

Then, she looked up and carefully observed the young man in front of her.

The matter concerning Mount Luofu and the Tang Kingdom caused quite a stir in the Baiyue region. All the Baiyue Sovereign received instructions and orders from Wushen Mountain, demanding that they do everything in their power to find Lady Luofu and all people and things related to Mount Luofu, regardless of their life or death.

This matter eventually escalated into a full-scale confrontation between the human and shamanic traditions, leading to the personal descent of a great diviner and a Great Shaman to Baiyue, leaving behind a ruin.

It was a fingerprint covering an area of a hundred miles, which has now been sealed off by the Great Deer Kingdom Lord. After discussions with many other rulers, it will not be open to the public and can only be internally handled by the Baiyue Sovereign.

Besides the rulers themselves being able to view it at will, each ruler can only designate ten slots every hundred years to be open to the public. Otherwise, it is strictly sealed off, and no one is allowed to view the Great Diviner's fingerprints.

This fingerprint has become one of the foundations of the entire Baiyue. It can be observed and cultivated in ordinary times. If all the earth veins in that area are detonated together with the fingerprint at a critical moment, it can unleash the power of a third-grade strike. No one below the fifth grade can withstand it; anyone who touches it will surely die.

This being... is the master of this seventh-rank young man before us.

Moreover, this young man had an affair with a fifth-rank Daoist True Person and obtained the Polaris Golden Core Method.

To be honest, if it weren't for his status as a young master, the Trumpet Flower God would definitely stay far away from this kind of person.

Unfortunately, the other party came to visit in person and even sent a prefectural governor under his jurisdiction to request an audience, showing that all the proper etiquette had been observed, so it was difficult to refuse.

Li Qi, unaware of the other party's thoughts, only heard the Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom mention the Zunfo Mountain. So he said, "Zunfo Mountain has many secrets. If I were to go there on my own, I would likely be like a headless fly, bumping around without finding anything. Therefore, I request an audience with the King, which will save me a lot of trouble."

The Trumpet Flower God said calmly, "Young master is joking. Zunfo Mountain has stood for hundreds of years, and tens of thousands of people visit it every day. What secrets could it possibly have? Haven't they already been thoroughly analyzed by experts from all sides?"

Li Qi said, "I don't know much either. Actually, I came here because I met a monk by chance. He was not highly skilled, but he had already mastered the basic method of the Heavenly Eye. He was not Buddha Child, but he had the Source of Buddhism. I helped him with a small matter on the way, and he told me that there was a Buddha statue on Zunfo Mountain, which was the key to him obtaining the Heavenly Eye."

"I am not clear about the situation, so I came to Prefect Mu and asked him to contact the King so that I could find out some information. If the King can tell me the reasons, I will be very grateful."

When Li Qi said this, his expression was very serious, and he seemed quite solemn.

But the Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom turned his face away and said in a calm tone, "There is Fengde Temple in Zunfo Mountain, and there are many eminent monks in Fengde Temple who are disciples of White Horse Temple. I know far less than they do. If you really have a connection with Buddhism, you should ask them. Why did you come here to me?"

Li Qi now understood the other party's polite refusal.

He pursed his lips.

Of course he knew there was a Buddhist temple inside, but if he went directly to those monks, he would most likely be turned away and wouldn't get any information. That's why he had to come to you first, Trumpet Flower God.

Compared to those bald monks who have no idea what the details are or what their needs are, the weaknesses and needs of the Trumpet Flower God are crystal clear.

Once the Trumpet Flower God is won over, she will naturally become the key to getting those monks to open their mouths.

Seeing that it was just a normal negotiation, the Trumpet Flower God would definitely not want to say much, so Li Qi changed his approach. "I know that the King is busy with affairs and does not want to trouble himself with such trivial matters. However, what if I could contribute to the King's affairs?"

The Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom turned his head and looked directly at Li Qi: "To contribute to my affairs? Although you are exceptionally talented and will eventually surpass those of us who have reached the end of our careers, you are still young and only a seventh-rank official... I'm afraid you can't be of much help."

"Some things are not determined by cultivation level. What if I could help the king return to the Tang Kingdom?" Li Qi said.

Upon hearing this, the Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom's expression clearly panicked for a moment, his lips tightened, and his pupils contracted.

But it was only for a moment. She quickly regained her composure and said, "It seems that you came prepared, young master, but let's forget about it. What good will it do to return to the Tang Kingdom?"

"It's nothing more than a few more sarcastic remarks and some cold talk. Why make myself unhappy? I'm doing just fine in Baiyue, being the ruler of my own country. Isn't that good enough?"

Li Qi immediately replied, "If Your Majesty truly thinks this is good, why do you strive to improve your cultivation, tirelessly cultivate the land beyond the borders every day, and inscribe your lofty ambitions into your sacrifices, secretly accumulating strength? If Your Majesty says you have no intention of returning to the Tang Kingdom, I'm afraid even Your Majesty yourself wouldn't believe it?"

After reading the national history and witnessing the sacrificial ceremony, as well as the poem recited during the ceremony, Li Qi found that none of the events were in accordance with fate.

"In this country, doing these things only requires giving an order. It's just something to amuse oneself and find some comfort. Does the young master really take it seriously?" The Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom looked at Li Qi with a smile and asked in return.

"It turns out I misunderstood. I'm truly sorry to have disturbed Your Majesty. I'll write a letter to my classmate now, telling him not to trouble Mr. Liu Donghe with the preparations." Li Qi said with a somber expression.

"Mr. Liu Donghe?" The Trumpet Flower God, who had been calm before, lost her composure and couldn't help but raise her voice.

Liu Donghe was a renowned scholar of the Tang Kingdom and a great Confucian scholar capable of standing independently of the Nanshan Academy.

Moreover, he has another identity.

Liu Shenzhi's father, Liu Junyi's uncle.

"That's right. When I was studying at the Imperial Academy, I felt a little regretful about the story of the Trumpet Flower. Coincidentally, my classmate Liu Shenzhi and I went to his house to play, and that's when I discovered that Liu Shenzhi's father was actually Mr. Liu Donghe. That's how we met by chance," Li Qi said.

As Li Qi spoke, he gazed at the Trumpet Flower God, and it was clear that she was wavering.

She could fall from grace in the Tang Kingdom because of a famous scholar's poem, and she could also return to the public eye because of another poem.

This is the tiger skin that Li Qi is preparing to pull out.

Although I wouldn't say I'm very close to Uncle Liu Donghe, we've known each other for a long time.

During his time at the Imperial Academy, he would visit Liu Shenzhi's house almost every day to study the Witchcraft Silkworm artifacts. Over time, he became familiar with the people in the house.

He already knew of Liu Donghe's reputation back then, and now that he's exposed him, he's not afraid that Trumpet Flower God won't fall for it.

If the Trumpet Flower God really wants to go back to the Tang Kingdom with him, she's not afraid of being exposed.

He said, "Tell your classmates not to prepare anything troublesome about Liu Donghe."

It's a simple matter. Just say a few words to Liu Shenzhi, and the matter will be settled. Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi are not exactly best friends, but they are at least good brothers. Liu Shenzhi wouldn't refuse to do something so simple.

Even if Liu Donghe's Liu Donghe refused to agree and the matter couldn't be accomplished, Trumpet Flower God wouldn't have any complaints.

Those kinds of people are not easy to get along with. It's already a good thing to have an opportunity. Do you really expect Li Qi to promise that he can definitely do it?

Li Qi might be able to make a promise, but is the secret of the Buddha sculpture really worth that much?

Let alone a Buddha sculpture, even the true method of cultivating Heavenly Eye cannot buy Liu Donghe's promise.

The Sovereign of Lingxiao Kingdom was naturally aware of this matter.

So she stood there, stunned, lost in thought.

Li Qi didn't urge him, and just sat there waiting.

After a long while, the Trumpet Flower God sighed, raised her beautiful, delicate eyebrows, sat down, and looked at Li Qi: "What exactly is the matter that you are doing, young master? If you really wanted to find out about the Buddha statue, you wouldn't need to use something like this to provoke me."

"I see that you are well prepared, and you have done a lot of research beforehand. You even managed to use Liu Donghe's name to seduce people. Your intentions must be quite ambitious. Let's be frank and see if I can get involved in your affairs."

After listening, Li Qi nodded.

This is a call for him to lay his cards on the table, to stop arguing, to get Li Qi to tell the truth, to set clear prices, and to do business cleanly without trying to build relationships.

However, it's hard to say.

How do I confront her? Tell her that you've been targeted by a demon, and you don't know when you'll fall into the Desire Realm. You also don't understand 'what I am,' so you're looking for supernatural Divine Ability like Heavenly Eye to see if you can make do with them.