Chapter 637: Hundred Flowers Withered

After he finished speaking, Qin Ya turned and left.

The members of the Divine Guard Army watched his retreating figure, their eyes filled with contemplation. ‘Too weak? A waste of time?’ They finally understood they weren’t even worth mentioning in his eyes. Looking back on their challenges now, they felt incredibly childish—like toddlers throwing a tantrum at an adult.

Just then, a figure slowly approached.

The newcomer was broad-shouldered and powerfully built, clad in silver Armor and radiating an imperious aura.

Ce Tian gazed at Qin Ya’s distant figure with a strange look in his eyes. Then, he looked at his subordinates, the Divine Guard Army, who were utterly demoralized. He let out a cold snort, and in an instant, a vast, powerful aura swept over them.

Shaken by the aura, the Divine Guards snapped back to their senses.

“Commander Ce Tian, what are you doing here?”

“Huh? Commander Ce, when did you get here?”

Ce Tian glanced at the dejected Divine Guards and said flatly, “I arrived when the seventh one of you went up to challenge Qin Tianjue.”

Hearing this, their faces all turned beet red.

It was a look of shame.

In their eyes, Ce Tian was not just their leader, but also their elder. How could they not be ashamed after losing so much face in front of him?

“So, you at least know how to feel shame, do you?”

Ce Tian continued coolly, “But what are you ashamed of? That you couldn’t defeat a King? That you feel your own strength is too weak? Or is it…”

…

Qin Ya didn’t see Ce Tian reprimanding the Divine Guard Army. He had arrived at the edge of a five-colored lotus pond, a place of serene and elegant beauty.

Lotuses of every color filled the pond, their forms swaying gracefully as they stood tall and elegant.

Golden carp swam through the water, occasionally stirring ripples on the surface. Under the sunlight, the entire lotus pond glistened.

Walking closer to the pond, Qin Ya couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

A fresh fragrance washed over him, flowing through his body like a clear stream. All the pores on his skin seemed to open in response, and the refreshing sensation was so incredible that he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes in pleasure.

“A rare treasure, the Clear Heart Colorful Lotus. And such a huge patch of them.”

The corners of Qin Ya’s mouth curved up, his eyes shining with a peculiar light.

This Clear Heart Colorful Lotus was a natural treasure of heaven and earth with extraordinary effects. It was often used as the main ingredient for Refining Spirit Pills. A single stalk was enough to make ordinary Extraordinary Martial Artists come to blows, let alone such a large patch of at least four or five hundred stalks.

“Huh, someone’s here.”

A flash of surprise crossed Qin Ya’s eyes. In a pavilion by the lotus pond, he saw a woman dressed in a magnificent brocade robe with a green veil covering her face.

The woman seemed to have noticed Qin Ya’s arrival as well. A strange glint flashed in her eyes before she smiled faintly. “Young man, why don’t you come in and have a seat?”

Qin Ya nodded and walked inside.

“May I ask your name?”

“Zhao Yan.”

“I am Qin Ya. It’s a pleasure.”

“Oh, so you’re the famous Qin Tianjue who’s been making waves recently?”

A peculiar light flashed in Princess Consort Yen’s eyes. With a hint of admiration in her voice, she said to Qin Ya, “Seeing you in person is truly better than hearing about you a hundred times. You really are a hero among men.”

“You flatter me.”

Qin Ya remained calm and composed, offering a faint smile.

The woman before him had a formidable Cultivation. Even among Half-Venerables, she would be considered a peak expert, infinitely close to Venerable Cultivation. If he were to fight her, his chances of winning would be less than one percent.

“I heard you came here with Meiying Venerable, is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The woman seemed to grow interested. “What do you think of her?”

“Her?”

“That’s right. Mei… I mean, Meiying Venerable.”

Qin Ya couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled. ‘This woman seems very curious about Meiying.’

“Meiying Venerable is a… um, a very good person.”

Qin Ya said after a moment of thought.

Meiying Venerable had looked after him a great deal back in the main city. Although much of their relationship was based on mutual benefit, it was undeniable that Qin Ya had received a lot of her care. If not for her, the Dongmen Family—a Noble Family with its own Venerable—would have been more than enough of a headache for him, to say nothing of coming to the Divine Capital.

“And?” the woman asked, her interest clearly piqued.

“Er… It doesn’t feel right to talk about someone behind their back.”

“Don’t worry, we’re not slandering her. Just keep going,” the woman said with a smile.

Suddenly, her body trembled, and a look of pain appeared in her eyes. Beneath her veil, a green light began to flow across her face.

“It’s… happening again.”

Enduring immense pain, the woman squatted down, her delicate body trembling uncontrollably.

This made Qin Ya’s brow furrow. ‘What’s going on? What kind of pain could make an expert whose Cultivation is near the Venerable realm react like this?’ Disregarding the impropriety between men and women, he rushed forward to support her.

“Miss, miss, are you alright?”

“I… I’m fine. Please, don’t worry.” Though she said this, the weakness in her voice was obvious.

“Forgive my imposition.”

Qin Ya took a deep breath and took out a Holy Essence Undying Pill.

He then pulled off her veil. But when he saw her face, he couldn’t help but show a look of astonishment. The woman’s face bore a striking resemblance to Meiying Venerable and Pavilion Master Fang Mei. However, her features lacked their seductive charm and Evil Qi, possessing instead a gentleness that seemed to embrace all things.

‘It can’t be such a coincidence,’ Qin Ya thought with a wry smile.

Meeting two was already an extreme coincidence, but running into a third… this was just bizarre. What drew his attention more, however, was the faint green light on the woman’s face. No, it was a ghastly green flower.

From this green Demon Flower, branches and petal patterns were gradually extending, as if it were trying to spawn another flower. The sight made Qin Ya’s pupils shrink. His expression turned grave. “Hundred Flowers Withered!”

Without any hesitation, Qin Ya had the woman consume the Holy Essence Undying Pill. As the Elixir entered her mouth, the budding flower trembled and burst with light, as if resisting the Medicinal Power. After a moment, however, the light gradually receded and dissipated.

The Demon Flower had finally been suppressed by the Medicinal Power.

But Qin Ya felt no joy. The pill had only suppressed the new flower that was forming; the original Demon Flower could not be removed. To truly cure this Hundred Flowers Withered, a Holy Essence Undying Pill alone was not enough.

Qin Ya marveled to himself, ‘I never thought I’d encounter a bizarre poison like Hundred Flowers Withered here.’

Meanwhile, the woman gradually recovered from the pain. She stood up and, with some surprise, bowed deeply to Qin Ya. “Thank you, Qin Tianjue.”

As she bowed, Qin Ya happened to see faint green markings on her collarbone as well. He sighed. ‘It seems she’s been poisoned for quite some time.’