Flower of the Great Dao

Dark Night meticulously reviewed all the procedures. His gaze was finally drawn to a pile of things in a small room. The workers said it was yeast, not sawdust, as it appeared to the naked eye!

The yeast was a secret only the Third Young Master knew; even Boss Zhou from the winery didn't know the specific method.

This yeast had been prepared before she arrived. No one knew what it was made of, let alone how it was made.

To figure this out, she had to witness the entire process of making yeast firsthand.

However, the demand for yeast wasn't that high. This room full of yeast could still be used for a full three months.

That scoundrel Lin Su had been poring over reference books every day, shaking his head as if he understood everything. He had no plans to make yeast at all.

Dark Night gritted his teeth, sighed silently, and realized that the grand plan to travel the world would have to be postponed...

Bishui Immortal Sect.

The mountaintop was shrouded in mist, with cascading waterfalls and soaring orioles, resembling a fairyland.

A woman in white stood quietly before the waterfall, gazing at the falling water, appearing as if she were not of this world.

Indeed, just as everyone saw her, Zhang Yiyu was not entirely of this world.

Although she was born in the Capital City and had enjoyed all the worldly pleasures, after entering the Daoist Sect, she realized this was her true destination.

Her master said she had activated her Dao Root at birth.

Her fellow disciples said she was a legend of the Daoist Sect.

Yes, ever since she joined the Daoist Sect, she learned everything quickly. She understood the sect's cultivation techniques at a glance, mastered them instantly, refined them, and broke through...

In her first year on the mountain, she broke through to the Dao Root Realm.

In her second year, she broke through to the Dao Platform Realm.

In her fifth year, she broke through to the Dao Mountain Realm, becoming the youngest disciple at the third realm at the age of thirteen.

Three years later, she broke through to the Dao Heart Realm! She became the tenth disciple to reach the fourth realm.

Last year, she created an unparalleled legend by breaking through to the Dao Flower Realm!

How terrifying was the Dao Flower Realm?

Among the countless Daoist Sects in the world, those who broke through to the Dao Flower Realm were almost all elders. It was extremely rare for disciples to overcome this ultimate hurdle of the Literary Way. Yet, she had done it. By the time she reached the cultivation peak for most people, she was only eighteen years old.

She had only been in the Daoist Sect for thirteen years.

The next realm was the Dao Fruit Realm.

At nineteen, with the Flower of the Great Dao blooming, she was facing the ultimate cultivation step of "Plucking the Dao Fruit." How could cultivators all over the world compare?

Flowers bloom easily, but the Dao Fruit is hard to obtain.

Why? Because the Dao Fruit has no fixed template; it is unique to each person. No master can guide one through this step; it depends entirely on the individual.

Most cultivators spent the first half of their lives cultivating arduously on mountain peaks and the latter half traveling the mortal world, all to lay the foundation for the Dao Fruit.

What about herself? Should she also descend the mountain?

Suddenly, her heart stirred slightly. A wisp of light rose from above her head, transforming into an image:

It was the image of a young man, none other than Zhang Haoran, whom Lin Su had met.

Zhang Haoran sat by a small pavilion, grinning. "Sister, I'm participating in the Provincial Examination tomorrow. Father promised me that if I pass, I can choose my own path forward."

Zhang Yiyu said, "We've discussed your path many times and reached a consensus. You'll have a three-month break after each examination. As soon as the exam is over, you'll return to the mountain to decipher the ancient scrolls!"

Zhang Haoran shook his head like a rattle drum. "No! Ancient heavenly scrolls are not my forte. I'm not going up the mountain with you again, absolutely not..."

Zhang Yiyu pouted. "Does it matter what you say? I'll just drag you up the mountain. See if you can escape if you have the ability..."

Zhang Haoran's face changed. "I'm your elder brother, and you're my sister. Don't you have any respect for seniority?"

"In the sect, I'm the senior sister, and you're the junior brother. That's respect for seniority..."

Damn it! Zhang Haoran said, "Father also agreed! See if you can defy Father too!"

Zhang Yiyu chuckled. "Father is not a member of the Immortal Sect. He doesn't interfere in sect matters..."

Zhang Haoran fell back, then suddenly jumped up. "Sister, can we be reasonable? Deciphering one ancient scroll was my limit. I can't decipher any more, no matter what. I'll recommend someone to you. He is the most suitable person to decipher the ancient heavenly scrolls. Go find him!"

"Brother, you've gotten smarter. Tell me, who is this scapegoat?" Zhang Yiyu teased him with a smile.

"His name is Lin Su, from Haining. A month ago, he was unknown, but today, he's like the rising sun. I'm telling you, his scholarship is a hundred times better than mine. If your ancient heavenly scrolls fall into his hands, he might decipher them completely in just a few days."

Haining?

Zhang Yiyu said, "A small place like Haining suddenly produced a prodigy? Brother, are you desperate?"

Zhang Haoran said, "You really live in seclusion in the mountains and know nothing of the world. I'm telling you, this person has written four Seven-Colored Poems within a month!"

"Keep bragging!" Zhang Yiyu obviously didn't believe him. Although she wasn't a practitioner of the Literary Way, she loved poetry very much. She was familiar with almost all the existing poems of this era. She knew how difficult it was to write even one Seven-Colored Poem. Weren't they all the concentrated literary talent of top Literary Way masters? Writing four in a month, did he think she was an amateur?

"When the noble pressure comes, one cannot be free..." The first poem was recited by Zhang Haoran.

Zhang Yiyu suddenly froze.

What magnificent spirit, what exquisite and wondrous poetry! She had never heard this poem before, but based on her understanding of poetry, such a poem was at least a Five-Colored Poem, and very likely a Seven-Colored Poem!

"Grape wine in jade cups..."

The second poem, Zhang Yiyu's entire body trembled.

"Xiling's fine wine, tulips, served in jade bowls, glowing amber..."

The third poem!

Zhang Yiyu's eyes snapped up, staring intently at Zhang Haoran.

"South Lake's autumn water, smoke-free at night..."

Zhang Yiyu's heart pounded: "Four poems in a row, each one peerless, has a true literary genius emerged?"

"More than just a literary genius? His ideas are endless. Flour, with a little arrangement from him, becomes a high-end delicacy. The Ting Rice your Bishui Sect looks down on, in his hands, transforms into the immortal wine 'Baiyunbian'! Sister, I don't know what level his literary talent has reached, but his miscellaneous knowledge is definitely unique in the world. Who else but him could be considered a walking encyclopedia? You neglect your elder brother's studies all day to pursue such a prodigy, it's truly baffling..."

Communication closed, Zhang Haoran turned south and apologized. Brother Lin, I'm sorry, I really can't do anything about my sister. You'll have to help me draw her fire. If I get locked up in the mountains for a few more years, I'll go mad...

Zhang Yiyu gazed at the sky for a long time, then suddenly commanded, "Someone!"

With a swish, two disciples landed behind her, both women dressed in formal disciple attire.

The two bowed in unison: "Senior Sister, please instruct us!"

"Investigate if there's someone named Lin Su in Haining? Oh, and from the Marquis of Dingnan's Estate..."

Lin Su?

The beauty on the right trembled slightly, her expression changing. She bowed and said, "Reporting to Senior Sister, the third son of the Marquis of Dingnan's Estate in Haining is indeed named Lin Su. He's a good-for-nothing, neither skilled in literature nor martial arts. May I ask why Senior Sister is suddenly inquiring about him..."

"Zhou Yueru, you know him well?" Zhang Yiyu turned around slowly.

"..." Zhou Yueru didn't answer, her face a complex mix of emotions...

The other disciple beside her chuckled softly: "Senior Sister, let me explain. It's quite a coincidence, actually. Zhou Yueru was betrothed to this Lin Su since childhood."

Zhang Yiyu was slightly surprised.

Zhou Yueru hurriedly spoke: "My family has already gone to break off the engagement. I have no relationship with him."

Break off the engagement? Zhang Yiyu's gaze swept over her blushing face and asked, "I heard Lin Su has unparalleled literary talent, composing four Seven-Colored Poems in a month. Such a literary prodigy, and you call him 'good-for-nothing'?"

Zhou Yueru raised her eyes, her face full of question marks: "Senior Sister, did you make a mistake? Lin Su is not involved in the literary path, how could he compose four poems in a month? Especially... Seven-Colored Poems?"

"Yes," said the disciple beside her, "Seven-Colored Poems are incredibly rare. Even top literary masters might not compose one in their lifetime. Four in a month is absolutely impossible. Senior Sister, you must be mistaken."

"Then have you heard of a wine called... what was it, Baiyunbian?"

Zhou Yueru and the other disciple, Ziyun, spoke simultaneously. They knew this wine; it was incredibly legendary, truly the king of wines. Upon its release, it swept the wine world and was hailed as an immortal brew. The Sect Master had just obtained a jar and was hosting Venerable Shuiyue...

Zhang Yiyu's figure shot up, vanishing from her spot. The next moment, she appeared on the Sect Master's peak. Two old men were drinking on the mountaintop, the aroma of wine filling the air, both faces flushed with intoxication.

Zhang Yiyu's sudden appearance made the Sect Master smile: "An unparalleled immortal brew, a century-old friend, and the Flower of the Great Dao. Today's gathering of the White Clouds is truly complete. Come, Yiyu, have a drink!"

A cup of wine flew up and landed in Zhang Yiyu's palm. She took a sip, then another, and the air seemed to freeze.

"Master, this wine... who brewed it?"

"This person is truly a legend. Originally, he was just a good-for-nothing, neither skilled in literature nor martial arts, but he suddenly rose in the literary world, composing four Seven-Colored Poems in a month, and with his skilled hands, created an immortal brew."

"Is he... the third son of the former Marquis of Dingnan's Estate in Haining, surnamed Lin, given name Su?"

"Yes!"

Zhang Yiyu's heart churned like a stormy sea. She drank the cup of wine in one gulp and bowed deeply: "Master, this disciple will descend the mountain for trials today!"

"Good, tempering yourself in the mortal world is essential for attaining the Dao Fruit. Go!"

She left. The two old men on the peak continued their drinking, their conversation also continuing.

But the previous air of casual detachment was gone.

Because they were discussing the major events currently unfolding in the world...

In this era, five paths coexist. Which five?

The Literary Way, the Martial Way, the Cultivation Way, the Demon Race, and the Monster Race.

In a conventional sense, the first three paths form one major category: Humanity.

The latter two paths form another major category: the Other Races.

Humanity and the Other Races are fundamentally opposed.

However, internal conflicts also exist within each.

The Demon Race bases their cultivation on blood energy, which dictates their inability to cooperate with anyone. Why? They need to consume humans. The more they eat, the stronger they become. Therefore, they consume everything: humans, monsters, and even their own kind.

The Monster Race also cannot cooperate with them. In the past century, they have reversed their extreme hostility towards humans. Utilizing their advantages, they provide various daily necessities to the human world and have greatly developed trade with humanity.

And within humanity? One would think that as fellow humans, they should unite against external threats. But this is not the case. The conflicts within the human world are even more intense, as they revolve around the struggle for the Great Dao.

The struggle for the Great Dao is essentially a competition for believers.

The Buddhist Sect wishes to become the sole Dao in the world.

The Daoist Sect hopes that everyone in the world will cultivate.

The Literary Way wishes for all people to read.

The Martial Way hopes for everyone to take to the battlefield.

Every path rejects all others, firmly believing its own way is the orthodox one.

This, in turn, leads to conflict.

The Human Race and other races fight daily, the Daoist Sect and Buddhist Sect quarrel constantly, and the Literary Way's suppression of the Martial Way has remained unchanged for thousands of years. The competition between the Literary and Martial Ways and the Buddhist and Daoist Sects is in full swing. Even within the Daoist Sect, the three thousand Daoist Sects compete amongst themselves, vying for territory, talent, resources, and cultivation techniques. One slip-up could lead to the rise of one sect and the ruin of another...

The world is far more complex than it appears.