A few days before they were due to leave for the Flower Festival, several Outer Sect Disciples involved in the mission suddenly received a message.
The roster for the trip had changed.
The Inner Sect disciple leading them, Lin Qing, had been replaced by Senior Brother Lu Ziye.
Such things were quite common. Everyone guessed that Senior Brother Lin might simply have received some other urgent assignment at the last minute and could no longer join them.
Lingyuan Marsh Market.
Worry-Relief General Store.
"You've got pretty good luck, kid. They're even sending you to the Flower Festival."
Qin Xijun had returned a few days earlier. Now she was back to her usual languid self, reclining in a lounge chair.
Xiao He sat beside her, playing with the Jade-Stone Ball.
Song Yan curled his lip. "Oh, really? Last time we went to Silent Valley, everyone said we were just going there for fun too. And how did that turn out?"
"That was just your bad luck."
"Then how do I know whether I'll have bad luck this time?"
"I say one thing and you give me two back, huh? You get a bargain and still play the innocent."
"All right, all right. I'll stop."
If he kept talking back, Granny Qin would probably turn on him. He hurriedly fell silent and changed the subject.
"Say, Granny, I remember the Flower Festival happening every year. Why do they say it's once every three years?"
Back when he lived in Shiliang, he heard about Beiya Mountain celebrating the Flower Festival every year.
"That's the little festival. Only mortals celebrate it."
Qin Xijun explained, "The grand gathering happens once every three years. Some special spirit flowers and spirit herbs only bloom once every three years."
"Oh..."
"Then what did they mean in their letter