The Flowers Bloom in Spring

Why was this fairy scolding people too?

Beside the small island, atop the beach reefs, Wu Wang sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, eyes closed in concentration. He appeared to be meditating.

Yet the phantom of his soul within his spiritual platform was propping up its chin, swinging its feet, and continuously tossing and catching the Flame Emperor Token.

Excited as he was, he had not lost his reason. Nor did he believe the other party had to respond to his feelings. More than that, he knew that because of his strange illness, he had developed an intense fondness for any woman he could touch.

He tried analyzing it, but it did nothing.

Though his reason constantly reminded him that Jingwei's condition was amiss, and that the enthusiasm he had offered might ultimately be like the foam upon the sea waves—a fleeting burst of sparks.

Still...

"Perhaps this was youth. Youth."

Wu Wang looked toward the tireless bird, endlessly repeating its task of filling the sea, and sighed softly.

What a sin.

Let's wait until Senior Shennong arrives before discussing what comes next.

Thinking thus, Wu Wang finally made up his mind not to disturb this elder fairy of the human race for the time being.

He had plenty to keep himself busy with. The most crucial matter remained his own cultivation.

Senior Shennong's Anointing had turned him fat in a single bite, allowing him to absorb insights and reach the Core Condensation Realm. This was the perfect opportunity to consolidate his own realm.

Wu Wang exhaled softly. Only after reciting the Heart-Clearing Formula several times did he calm himself, the incantations for the first through third levels of the Flame Emperor Art flowing through his mind as he immersed his consciousness in each circulation of his heavenly cycle.

Before long, Wu Wang opened his eyes, a trace of confusion in them.

Why did cultivating the Flame Emperor Art here feel so much smoother?

He extended his Spiritual Consciousness and carefully sensed the conditions throughout the grand array. Before long, he made a new discovery.

This grand array Senior Shennong had set up did not block the exchange of Spiritual Energy within and without. Instead, it weakened the influence of the Great Wilderness's laws, artificially creating a small blessed land for Immortal Cultivation.

Immortal Cultivation was fundamentally the cultivation of oneself. Attaining the Dao meant slowly unfolding one's own Dao between heaven and earth, or attaching oneself to an already existing Great Dao.

Cultivating here naturally yielded twice the result with half the effort.

Wu Wang glanced at Jingwei Bird speeding through the distance, feeling somewhat more balanced, then closed his eyes and began his secluded cultivation here.

Thus, half a month passed.

Wu Wang had confirmed that there truly was no froth in his cultivation realm. Senior Shennong's Anointing technique was indeed extraordinary.

—He had genuinely been worried that his cultivation had been watered down.

He wondered whether Senior Shennong was still fighting those powerful Innate Gods. If the senior had won, did that mean Wu Wang had also mooched a little battle credit?

I defeated Lu Wu, Ying Zhao, and other gods together with Human Emperor Shennong.

Tsk. The art of language.

Another half month passed like this...

"Is Senior Shennong coming or not?"

Wu Wang watched Fairy Jingwei, who was still flying back and forth without pause, and his state of mind grew somewhat restless.

Cultivation, cultivation. Only cultivation could keep him from noticing the passage of time and pin down the little peach hearts that kept popping up in his heart.

Another two months or so passed.

Wu Wang slapped his thigh and rose to his feet. He took two steps toward Jingwei, determination written all over his eyes.

Since Senior Shennong intended to help him along, then Wu Wang would draw upon the professional degree in foundational theories of romance from his previous life and experience the taste of love!

But after taking a few steps, he stopped sheepishly.

He could not help questioning himself several times in his heart:

Wu Wang, what do you take Fairy Jingwei for? Just because your strange illness means only she can touch you, must she become close with you?

How was that any different from breaking your leg and demanding that some beautiful woman passing by take care of you for the rest of your life?

What kind of tyrannical, unreasonable logic was that?

She was the most special one to you, but you were not the same to her.

Wu Wang drooped his head in frustration for a while, then returned to the shade at the edge of the beach. He sat cross-legged again, brought his hands together to return to unity, and absorbed wisps of fire energy from between heaven and earth.

He truly wanted to charge over without caring about anything, but he still could not persuade himself.

Time flashed by. Half a year after arriving on the island.

"Cultivation really is interesting."

Wu Wang spread open his left hand. A pale white flame danced ceaselessly in his palm. He had only broken through his realm a few days ago, yet insights once again brimmed in his heart.

He discovered that he had taken a shortcut.

He had begun with the Star Invocation Technique, which made it easier to obtain power by borrowing it from the Star Gods, rapidly enhancing his Spiritual Sense. Then, through his mother's arrangements, he was able to cultivate two methods at once and embark upon the path of Immortal Cultivation.

A powerful Spiritual Sense made it easier to perceive the Great Dao, easier to restrain the fire Spiritual Energy around him, and easier to resonate with the Great Dao.

He had taken only half a year to advance from the early Core Condensation Realm to the middle Core Condensation Realm.

Of course, such good fortune only lasted before the Nascent Soul Realm. —As Wu Wang's cultivation realm rose higher, the advantages brought by his powerful Spiritual Sense would be caught up to by cultivators of the same realm.

Wu Wang calculated that catching up to Ji Mo's cultivation realm within twenty years would not be a problem.

That was assuming he could continue cultivating peacefully in such a blessed land without anyone disturbing him.

This truly was a fine place. When the Human Emperor acted, it really was extraordinary. It even saved him quite a few Spirit Stones and the effort of setting up a Spirit Gathering Array.

Wu Wang smiled and shook his head. He rose and entered the crude little wooden house nearby. Standing before a wooden easel, he watched the bird passing by the window on schedule and waited with a brush in hand.

Soon, he painted a new picture of a bird spreading its wings and wrote a short passage beside it.

No abnormalities in the past three days. Jingwei remains in her sea-filling state. The cycle for breaking free of this state on her own remains thirty-six days. Jingwei's awakening time has been observed—midnight.

Before long, Jingwei Bird flapped past the window. Wu Wang watched for a while with a smile, set down his brush, and returned to where he cultivated in seclusion.

He was observing Jingwei.

But this was not some voyeuristic impulse. He was very seriously observing Jingwei Bird's soul state.

What if Senior Shennong's reason for sending him here was only the first layer—to help Jingwei? At the very least, Wu Wang needed to know what was going on.

Jingwei's condition was actually rather terrible.

Wu Wang had now discovered that the reason she kept filling the sea was that it was a method of nurturing her soul. While in the sea-filling state, her soul could remain gathered and not disperse.

Yet whenever she awakened once every thirty-six days, whether she took human form or simply remained Jingwei Bird, her soul would disperse bit by bit.

How to allow her to maintain a solidified soul even while in human form was the "subject" Wu Wang constantly considered during cultivation.

He could not exactly go over and ask without a care:

Want to date, Fairy? The kind where you'll scatter into smoke and vanish while we date?

That would be far too improper.

Unable to find an answer through Immortal Cultivation, Wu Wang turned his attention to the Star Invocation Technique, the field in which he was most skilled.

Thus, one year and three months after arriving on the island.

"Senior Shennong, do not blame this junior for being disloyal!"

Near midnight, the moon shone bright while the stars were sparse.

Wu Wang rose to his feet, exhaled softly, and looked toward the Divine Tree glowing faintly in the night before striding over.

No, he needed to review a little more.

Wu Wang pulled a small slip of paper from his sleeve and looked at the homemade guide written upon it: one little technique for pursuing fairies each day. He touched his fingertip with a tiny spark of fire and burned the paper completely, leaving behind not the slightest evidence.

He swept back his long hair, leaned against the trunk, and waited for Jingwei Bird to fly back from the seaside.

According to Wu Wang's calculations, she should already have awakened on her own by the time she returned...

Sure enough, from afar, he caught sight of the colorful feather on Jingwei Bird's forehead gradually dimming, while her eyes regained their spirit.

Then she spread her wings, circled around, and landed in the medicinal garden nearby.

Wu Wang smiled calmly. He had anticipated this situation long ago. He took a thick paper book from his sleeve, turned to face the tree trunk, and began letting out bursts of laughter he could barely contain.

He had undergone professional training. So long as there was even the slightest thing to laugh at, he could immediately laugh aloud.

He laughed for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

Wu Wang heard the fluttering sounds. His Spiritual Consciousness caught the scene of Jingwei Bird spreading her wings and landing on a branch above his head, while he continued turning the pages in his hands.

Then, with a soft pop, a girl in a light green short skirt sat upon the branch, swinging her pair of smooth bare feet as she asked quietly:

"What is... that?"

It worked!

Wu's First Technique for Pursuing Fairies!

As though startled, Wu Wang looked up at the girl and tried to keep his gaze fixed only on her lovely face.

"This is a picture book," Wu Wang said with a smile. "Would you like to look? It's quite interesting."

Jingwei blinked softly. "Just turn it yourself. I can see from here. You need not... fuss over me."

Most of the strange accent in her speech had disappeared. Clearly, she had simply gone too long without speaking before this and had somewhat forgotten how to converse with others.

Wu Wang smiled and agreed, flipping through the album before him while using his Spiritual Consciousness to observe Jingwei's expression.

Soon, the thick album had been flipped through. A hint of lingering interest appeared in Jingwei's eyes.

"Would Fairy like to come down and take a closer look?" Wu Wang asked with a smile. "There are even more interesting sections inside."

"What sort of sections?"

She looked at Wu Wang somewhat warily. Wu Wang merely smiled at her.

After a short while, Jingwei jumped down from the branch, stopping two feet away from Wu Wang.

Wu Wang placed the book before her, pinched one corner, and made the pages flutter rapidly.

Jingwei focused her gaze. Two stick figures appeared at the corner of the book, fighting one another in a flurry with sabers, spears, swords, and halberds.

She covered her mouth and chuckled, finding it quite novel.

Wu Wang turned the book, flipped the other corner, and made a little deer appear inside, hopping about; then he turned the book over and cast the technique again...

Jingwei's laughter continued without end, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Wu Wang handed the booklet over. She did not hesitate much, nodding as she accepted it. Beneath the tree, she kept flipping through it, watching the few simple drawings come alive and playing to her heart's content.

Wu Wang released a Crystal Ball glowing pale yellow. Specks of starlight fell over him and Jingwei, making Jingwei feel a trace of warmth.

"This is..."

"A small spell," Wu Wang explained. "It can let you remain awake a little longer without causing you any harm."

"Thank you."

Jingwei answered softly, raised a hand to arrange a lock of beautiful hair beside her ear, and continued flipping through the thick booklet in her hands.

Before long, Jingwei reluctantly returned the booklet to Wu Wang and asked in a soft voice, "Did... Father send you here?"

"More or less."

Wu Wang smiled and nodded. Seeing Jingwei's expression darken somewhat, he immediately understood a little and sighed. "Actually, Senior Shennong and I have only met a few times.

"That day, Senior Shennong and I were gathering medicinal herbs outside when several powerful Innate Gods suddenly surrounded and attacked us. Senior Shennong gave me a push, and I ended up here."

"Is he in danger?"

Jingwei's eyes were full of concern as she hurriedly asked, "Are the enemies very powerful?"

Wu Wang immediately understood.

There was some unpleasantness between this father and daughter, yet they cared deeply for one another.

As expected of the fairy he had taken a liking to.

"Do not worry. Though they are troublesome, the old senior will have no problem dealing with those few," Wu Wang said with a smile. "The old senior asked me to wait here for a few years.

"He was also afraid you would be lonely, so he wanted someone to keep you company more often."

"That will not be necessary."

Jingwei pursed her lips, lowered her head, and was about to jump back onto the branch.

A faint gleam flashed in Wu Wang's sleeve. In the blink of an eye, he had gathered a pile of booklets into his arms and said dejectedly, "Then didn't I draw all these for nothing?"

Jingwei paused. She hummed softly a few times, turned back to look at the pile of booklets in Wu Wang's hands, and puffed out her cheeks slightly.

"Hmph. I am only considering the effort you spent..."

Wu Wang could not help smiling until his eyes narrowed.

That night, beneath the Divine Tree, during that brief half hour.

The two stood three feet apart, continuously flipping through the little booklets before them.

Amid the rustling of pages, those simple animations somehow seemed especially entertaining.

Wu Wang looked at the little trinkets he had made in Northern Wilds within his Storage Treasure, then looked up at the girl sitting with her legs together, her laughter never ceasing, her eyes always curving into crescents.

His Dao heart was unobstructed, clear, and at ease.

Only when that familiar colorful feather appeared upon Jingwei's forehead did she reluctantly set down the booklet and say to Wu Wang, "I... am going to change back."

"Cough, well," Wu Wang asked as though casually, "did Senior Shennong send anyone here to accompany you before?"

Jingwei blinked. "You are the first person to come here besides Father."

With that, she rose and spun in a circle. Her long hair and skirt fluttered gently, carrying a hint of laughter like silver bells.

"I have never been as happy as I was today."

"My name is Wu Wang."

"Mm... My name is Nuwa."

"Well, until next time."

Wu Wang said this, and Jingwei laughed softly before transforming into Jingwei Bird amid green smoke and flying toward the tree canopy.

Beneath the tree, Wu Wang grinned broadly and threw several hard punches into the air.

The hardest first step had been taken!

"Jin Wei?"

Clear birdsong came from the branch. Wu Wang instantly stood ramrod straight. By the time he turned around, he had resumed his refined smile. "Fairy, what is it?"

She lightly shook her head. The spirit fruit clenched in her beak fell into Wu Wang's palm, and she turned to fly back into the tree canopy.

Not long afterward, she entered the sea-filling state again, flying endlessly back and forth in pursuit of her obsession.

Wu Wang brought the spirit fruit to his nose and sniffed it. He determined that this fruit was incomparably precious. It contained a vast amount of Fire Attribute Spiritual Power and could strengthen one's Dao foundation and consolidate true essence. Even swallowed directly without being refined into a pill, its effects would be extraordinary.

Wu Wang swallowed the fruit in one bite, gathered up the picture books one by one, stored them in a special treasure pouch, and drifted toward the seaside cottage while humming a tune.

Ah, Mother, he might be... in love.

At the same time, in the deepest reaches of Northern Wilds' starry sky, within that great hall.

Cang Xue stood with her long staff, eyes closed, a gentle smile on her lips. Who knew what she had seen.

Where starlight fell was naturally where the Dao of Stars existed.

"Remnant soul..."

She opened her eyes. Divine light shimmered within them, yet behind it lingered traces of recollection and contemplation.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Without warning, the long staff in Cang Xue's hand trembled slightly. The foremost of the Seven-Day Sacrifice immediately tightened her grip, divine light bursting from her eyes as she continuously scanned every corner of the starry sky.

Why was there such a fluctuation?

After searching for a while longer, Cang Xue closed her eyes again. Above the divine hall, the outline of an immense and majestic Star God's body appeared.

Throughout the Northern Wilds, the stars in the sky shone brilliantly, and one priest after another continuously lowered their heads in worship.

At last, Cang Xue found the source of the disturbance. She looked toward the southeastern Great Wilderness with an expression caught between laughter and tears—at Wu Wang within a great formation somewhere in the deep sea of the Eastern Sea.

"This?"

The Star God's body above the hall slowly faded away, and the stars of the Northern Wilds returned to normal.

Cang Xue closed her eyes once more and, through the necklace Wu Wang wore upon his chest, carefully observed his current condition. Her expression gradually turned grave.