In the blink of an eye, more than half a month passed.

On the twentieth day of the first lunar month.

On Lianyou Peak.

Gu Qingqing had just finished her Outer Sect duties for the month. As she returned to Lianyou Peak, she happened to meet Liu Yuechan.

"Senior Sister Liu, what did Elder Xu call you for?"

"Next month is the Flower Festival in Bei Ya Mountain, and Longquan Prefecture has invited us to send Disciples to participate."

Liu Yuechan explained to Junior Sister Qingqing, "Bei Ya Mountain is within the jurisdiction of Sheyang Sect, and Sheyang Sect is on good terms with our Cave Abyss Sect."

"The Flower Festival is a grand celebration held every three years, and we have always been invited to attend."

"On one hand, it’s an invitation for us to assist with management and support the festival’s affairs. On the other hand, it’s to strengthen the friendship between our two Sects."

As if remembering something, Liu Yuechan mentioned, "The Yan Family of Sword Casting Villa in Longquan Prefecture has also provided us with a lot of help over the years."

"Perhaps the Flying Sword Spiritual Artifact you received from the Sect came from the Yan Family."

Gu Qingqing said, "Oh," then corrected her, "Qingqing doesn’t use Flying Sword Spiritual Artifacts, but perhaps Senior Brother Song’s Flying Sword came from there."

"Senior Brother Song?"

Liu Yuechan was momentarily stunned. "You mean Song Yesheng?"

"That’s right."

Liu Yuechan pondered for a moment, seemingly recalling something.

With the New Year just passed, there were simply too many Sect missions for her to distribute the reminders for, and she was afraid of getting them mixed up.

"Hmm..."

"This Junior Brother Song, it seems, is on the list for this support mission."

"Ah?"

Gu Qingqing was quite envious. "Senior Brother Song has such good luck... he gets to go out and enjoy the scenery."

A support mission like the Flower Festival was very unlikely to be dangerous.

They said it was to assist with the grand ceremony, but what did these people know about such things?

Bei Ya Mountain had been holding the festival for so many years; would anything really go wrong now?

Thinking about it, in the past, it was just about admiring flowers, eating, drinking, and having fun.

"The chosen personnel for this mission, Elder Xu decided on..."

"Senior Brother Lin Qing, who just advanced to Inner Sect Disciple, will lead the team. From the Outer Sect are Song Yesheng, Li Qingfeng, and Junior Sister Yuerong."

Liu Yuechan mused for a moment, "However, perhaps Elder Xu made a mistake when he first set the list. Junior Sister Yuerong has just entered the Middle Stage of Qi Refining, and she has not been in the Sect for even two years yet."

"Strictly speaking, it’s against the rules."

"Although the Flower Festival truly won’t have any danger, considering the risks, I actually planned to replace her."

"Ah?"

Gu Qingqing felt a little upset, secretly feeling sorry for her little friend.

Such an opportunity, almost certainly without danger, and a legitimate chance to travel and enjoy the scenery, only came once every three years.

However, this rule was, after all, to protect the Sect’s Disciples.

Upon closer inspection, there was nothing to say.

"If nothing happens on the fifteenth of next month, you can take Junior Sister Yuerong’s place and go."

"Me?"

Gu Qingqing certainly wanted to go. Both Senior Brother Song and Senior Brother Li were good friends.

Traveling and enjoying the scenery with good friends would be a wonderful thing.

"No, I don’t think so, Senior Sister."

However, she still felt a bit awkward and declined this good opportunity.

She always felt that doing so would be "snatching" her good friend’s chance.

"Since Elder Xu made this decision, there must be some considerations."

"Junior Sister Yuerong has already entered Level 4 Qi Refining, and the Flower Festival won’t have any danger."

"It’s a good opportunity for her to broaden her horizons."

Liu Yuechan listened, then nodded. "Hmm, that makes sense."

"However, the final decision will still be up to Senior Sister."

"Okay."

...Cave Abyss Sect, Taiping Peak.

Song Yan and Li Qingfeng walked into the Mission Hall together.

About a few hours earlier, both of them had received a voice transmission from Senior Brother Lin Qing.

It roughly said that there would be a Sect dispatch mission in the middle of next month, which seemed to involve heading north to Longquan Prefecture.

The two of them came to the Mission Hall by unspoken agreement to check out the situation beforehand.

"Old Song, isn’t the Flower Festival a Mortal festival? Do Cultivators in Longquan Prefecture also celebrate this festival?"

"How would I know?"

Song Yan’s gaze searched the Jade Wall.

At the same time, there were quite a few outward dispatch missions from the Sect.

For example, he had just seen missions to guard Changping, to make a handover at Xiqi River... It took him a lot of effort to find the mission regarding his Flower Festival.

He also kept a close eye, repeatedly confirming that this was a mission issued by the Sect, and not some inexplicable commission.

Sect Support Mission.

Location: Longquan Prefecture, Bei Ya Mountain.

Inner Sect Disciple: Lin Qing. Level 8 Qi Refining... Outer Sect Disciples selected:

Song Yan, Li Qingfeng. Level 6 Qi Refinement Stage... Yang Yuerong. Level 4 Qi Refining.

Within this Mission Jade Slip, there was also an invitation letter from Sheyang Sect.

"To the Fellow Daoists of Cave Abyss Sect from Bei Ya Mountain, respectfully:"

"The Flower Festival is approaching, and the ceremony will revive ancient rites. We earnestly request the dispatch of elite Disciples to assist with various security matters."

"The mountain kitchen has newly opened its cellar of hundred-flower honey wine. After the grand ceremony, we wish to get drunk with all of you under the floral shade."

"Respectfully, Wu Duo of Linghua Valley, Bei Ya Mountain."

"Yi Si Year, Twenty-sixth Day of the First Month."

Bei Ya Mountain... Song Yan pondered.

The first people he thought of were Rong Xiaofeng and Wu Huaguo, the couple.

After exploring the Cultivator’s Immortal Cave together that day, they had said that the Wu Family was in Bei Ya Mountain.

"What a coincidence."

Should he really go and pay them a visit?

However, after thinking about it, a grand ceremony like the Flower Festival, which even the two giants of the Chu Kingdom’s Cultivation World, Sheyang Sect and Cave Abyss Sect, would attend, meant that the Wu Family would naturally be involved.

Perhaps, this Wu Duo of Linghua Valley was a Disciple of the Wu Family... He would leave it to fate.

What was truly famous in Longquan Prefecture was not the "Wu Family Immortal Clan" that was still up in the air.

But the Sword Casting Villa, the Yan Family, renowned throughout Chu Kingdom.

The so-called "Northern Yan, Southern Qin."

This Yan Family of Longquan Prefecture, famous for Artifact Refining, was indeed the undisputed leader among the current four great Cultivation families.

Its overall strength was probably even above some smaller Sects.

If he had the leisure to do so on this trip, he could visit the Yan Family.

Song Yan was very interested in the forging materials of the Unmoored Boat and wanted to find someone to discuss them with.

The two of them studied for a long time, and finally, Li Qingfeng was the first to conclude, "Old Song, this is a damn good mission!"

"Traveling and enjoying the scenery! Admiring flowers and the moon!"

Song Yan, however, did not think so.

He couldn’t help it; he had been scared too many times.

Let’s start from the trip to Jiran Valley.

He still remembered how Senior Brother Lu Ziye kept telling them at the beginning, "easy-peasy," "no danger at all."

What was the result? They almost didn’t make it back.

Then there was Peach Blossom Dock; at first, they thought it was just to clear out some small fish and shrimp.

What was the result? They almost became someone’s blood food.

Sometimes he would also wonder if these missions were truly easy originally.

Was it just because he, this unlucky lone star, made every ordinary mission perilous?

"Hey, do you think everyone is like those bastards from Profound Origin Sect?"

Li Qingfeng pointed at the copied Mission Jade Slip in his hand. "Sheyang Sect has an Elder in charge, and our Sect has already given them a heads-up."

"Nothing will go wrong."

He slyly leaned closer to Song Yan and whispered, "Xiao He, let’s go out and play!"

From his sleeve came Xiao He’s muffled agreement.

"Let’s go out and play~"