The following day, as dawn broke, the thin mist between the Five Elements Mountain Range dissipated.
Lin Ming had just finished a night of meditation and was restoring himself to peak condition. He was about to begin studying the Dou Saint remains when Xiao Yi Xian arrived outside his meditation room with a Jade Slip in her hand, her steps slightly hurried.
"Lin Ming, the Flower Sect that you asked me to keep an eye on and contact has sent back some information."
Xiao Yi Xian handed over the Jade Slip, her pretty face showing a hint of solemnity. "The situation doesn't seem very optimistic. Yun Yun is in a rather difficult situation within the Flower Sect. Her disciple Nalan Yanran, was brought to the sect's waiting room at this moment by the steward who contacted her, after being mentioned by someone from our sect."
Lin Ming took the Jade Slip, quickly scanning the information within with his Soul Power, his brows furrowing slightly.
The Jade Slip recorded some recent developments of the Flower Sect, as well as the internal strife caused by Yun Yun inheriting the Flower Sect Leader's fighting Dou Qi and the issue of her becoming the Sect Master. Having the Original Work Memory, he was fully aware of the cause and effect of this matter.
"I understand." Lin Ming put away the Jade Slip, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Yun Yun was the one who suggested she go to the Flower Sect. Now, just like in the original story, she has inherited Granny Hua's fighting Dou Qi. However, unlike in the original story, she no longer has Lin Ming's help. If he doesn't take care of her, her only fate will be to perish in the Flower Sect. Therefore, both morally and logically, he cannot sit idly by and ignore this matter.
Moreover, this was precisely his original intention in instructing Xiao Yi Xian to contact the Flower Sect.
Standing up, Lin Ming said without hesitation, "Let's go see her. I'll go with her to the Flower Sect."
A moment later, in the main hall of the Five Elements Sect, Lin Ming saw Nalan Yanran, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.
At this moment, she had shed some of her former naivety and arrogance, and her brows showed more maturity and weariness, while her eyes held an undisguised anxiety and worry.
"Lin Ming... Sect Master." Upon seeing Lin Ming, Nalan Yanran quickly stepped forward and bowed, her tone earnest, "My master is in the Flower Sect... I hope you can lend a hand!"
"Miss Nalan, there's no need for such formalities. I am already aware of the matter concerning Sect Master Yun Yun." Lin Ming offered a slight gesture of support, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable resolve. "Without further ado, let's set off now."
Lin Ming acted swiftly and decisively, immediately summoning Elder Yao, Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, and the core elders of the Five Elements Sect.
Everyone gathered in the main hall, their eyes all focused on Lin Ming.
"Everyone!"
Lin Ming looked around, his voice calm yet powerful.
"Sect Master Yun Yun the Flower Sect and I are old friends. Now that she is in trouble, I must go to help her immediately. The return date is uncertain, because after resolving the matter of the Flower Sect, I will accompany Zi Yan directly to the Eastern East Dragon Island of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan to help her complete her inheritance."
Lin Ming's words startled some of the uninformed. The Ancient Void Dragon Clan was the supreme being in the Magical Beast World, and their territory was shrouded in mystery, where danger and opportunity coexisted.
Lin Ming continued, "During my absence, all sect affairs will be decided jointly by Elder Yao and Xiao Yi Xian, with Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, and all the elders providing their full assistance."
After speaking, Lin Ming's gaze turned extremely serious as he swept over everyone present, his tone becoming more forceful. "There are a few things you must remember. First, my Five Elements Sect and the Soul Hall are now mortal enemies. Now that I have obtained the Dou Saint remains, the Soul Hall will never let this go. If the Soul Hall launches a full-scale attack while I am away, and you are no match for them, remember not to defend your sect to the death, only to increase casualties!"
After a pause, Lin Ming gave the most crucial order, "At that time, you should decisively abandon the Five Elements Sect's foundation, lead your core disciples and vital resources to Sacred Pill City, and seek the protection of the Pill Tower! My relationship with the Pill Tower is still acceptable; they should be willing to take us in."
"Remember, the sect's foundation can be rebuilt, but the people must never be harmed! Each and every one of you is a cornerstone of the Five Elements Sect's future, more important than this sect gate!"
These words struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
Abandoning this precious sect foundation was undoubtedly an extremely painful decision, but seeing Lin Ming's unwavering gaze and the value he placed on their lives in his words, everyone felt a surge of warmth and resolve.
"Sect Master, rest assured! We understand!" Elder Yao was the first to respond in a deep voice, a glint of light flashing in his aged eyes. "As long as we live, the Five Elements Sect will live!"
"We swear to live and die with the sect... no, we swear to obey the Sect Master's orders to the death!" Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, and others also expressed their determination, their eyes resolute.
Lin Ming nodded, quite satisfied with their reaction. What he needed was a cohesive team that knew how to assess situations, not a bunch of reckless brutes who only knew how to fight to the death.
"Furthermore," Lin Ming said, looking at Xiao Yi Xian and the elder in charge of resource management, "The sect's treasury, especially the resources brought back from the ruins this time, needs to be prepared in advance to be dispersed, hidden, or easily portable, just in case."
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.
With everything arranged, Lin Ming felt a little relieved. He turned his gaze to Nalan Yanran, who was waiting to the side, and Zi Yan had already skipped over to his side.
"Let's go."
Lin Ming said to Nalan Yanran, then patted Zi Yan's head and said, "Zi Yan, you'll come with me on this trip too."
"Great!" Zi Yan was naturally overjoyed. She was happy to go anywhere as long as she could go with Lin Ming.
Lin Ming said no more, and with a flick of his sleeve, a gentle Dou Qi of battle qi enveloped Nalan Yanran.
He nodded to Elder Yao and the others one last time, then his figure moved and transformed into a stream of light, carrying Zi Yan and Nalan Yanran, directly rushing out of the Five Elements Sect's main hall and disappearing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye.
Elder Yao, Xiao Yi Xian, and the others gazed in the direction they had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.
The atmosphere inside the main hall was somewhat heavy. With the Sect Master gone and powerful enemies surrounding them, the future was destined to be anything but peaceful. But more than anything, there was a sense of responsibility for being trusted and entrusted with a mission, and a determination to protect this foundation and await the Sect Master's return no matter what.
After leaving the Five Elements Sect, Lin Ming tore through the void and began to travel at an extremely fast speed towards the location of the Flower Sect.
Nalan Yanran looked at Lin Ming beside her, whose expression was calm but whose aura of authority and confidence was naturally captivating, and felt a surge of emotions.
Who could have imagined that their Jia Ma Empire could produce a giant who could influence the landscape of the Middle Continent, a figure who even the infamous Soul Hall Venerable Elder suffered a great loss at his hands?
Although Lin Ming was the "model child" and leader among his peers when they were young, now that they were in the heart of the Central Middle Continent, surrounded by powerful figures, he was still able to stand firm. Nalan Yanran felt a sense of relief and gratitude. With Lin Ming's help, this problem should truly be solved.
Five days later, as Lin Ming tore through the void to travel, Lin Ming said, "We have entered the Northwest region, and we are only a couple of days away from the Flower Sect."
Nalan Yanran nodded in agreement.
Two days later, Lin Ming and his two companions, weary from their journey, finally slowed down in mid-air above a continuous mountain range. Nalan Yanran glanced around, then slowly descended into the void, took out a petal-shaped object from her Storage Ring, and launched it out.
The petal-shaped object had just been launched when it disappeared into the void in front of them, and a strange fluctuation emanated from that space. A moment later, a huge spatial barrier appeared in Lin Ming and the others' sight.
"Such a massive spatial barrier, quite an undertaking..."
Upon seeing this spatial barrier, a hint of surprise flashed across Lin Ming's eyes. Although the Flower Sect did not have the strength to create its own space, its method of using a spatial barrier to hide the sect's location was not considered petty.
The spatial barrier rippled slowly, then cracked open. Nalan Yanran beckoned to Lin Ming and Zi Yan before stepping inside, followed by Lin Ming and Zi Yan.
Upon entering the spatial barrier, a flower appeared before one's eyes, and an exceptionally rich floral fragrance wafted towards them. Faintly, within this fragrance, there was also an extremely powerful Heaven and Earth Energy.
"What a strange place..."
Lin Ming, suspended in mid-air, gazed at the world hidden behind the spatial barrier, a look of amazement appearing on his face.
What appeared before Lin Ming and his companions was an endless expanse of flower-covered mountains. These peaks were covered with brightly colored flowers, and from a distance, they looked like a sea of flowers. A gentle breeze stirred, and the beautiful petals danced in the sky, creating a scene that resembled a fairyland.
"So beautiful..."
Gazing at this fairyland, Zi Yan was completely captivated and murmured to herself.
"This sea of flowers must be a formation..." Lin Ming stared at the sea of flowers that stretched to the horizon, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. He sensed that this sea of flowers contained extremely powerful energy, and even the petals floating in the sky seemed to have a specific and mysterious trajectory.
Upon hearing Lin Ming's words, Nalan Yanran nodded and smiled, "This is the Flower Sect's Sect Protecting Array. Without a way to enter, one will only get lost in this sea of flowers, and without a guide, one will never be able to get out."
"These flowers, they must be bewitching flowers. I never expected that such rare flowers, which are quite uncommon outside, would be so plentiful here..." Lin Ming said, sniffing the fragrance of the flowers in the air.
"It's not all bewitching flowers; there are other rare flowers that can greatly amplify the effects of bewitching flowers..." Nalan Yanran smiled slightly.
After speaking, Nalan Yanran added with a hint of caution, "Follow me carefully, and don't go the wrong way, or you'll get lost in the sea of flowers."
Lin Ming nodded in agreement, and then led Zi Yan to follow Nalan Yanran's footsteps through the sea of flowers.
Nalan Yanran's flight path was quite strange; it wasn't a straight line, but rather a curve. Zi Yan was quite displeased with this, but because Lin Ming was pulling her along, she had no choice but to follow Nalan Yanran's flight path.
After flying through this sea of flowers for about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the end was finally about to appear. And the battle of the Flower Sect was about to begin.