Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 126 - 117 Curled Feather Pelican [18th Update, Subscribe Please!]
As the three siblings were talking, Sect Master Zhou Yuan and the three Supreme Elders hurriedly arrived.
"Greetings, Sect Master, Supreme Elders."
The disciples paid their respects, and Lu Qingfeng also accompanied the elders in greeting them.
"Sorry to keep Elder Lu waiting."
Zhou Yuan looked at Lu Qingfeng and greeted him with a clasped fist.
"Elder Lu has just arrived as well."
Lu Qingfeng responded with a smile.
Beside Zhou Yuan, Mei Qingyan approached Lu Qingfeng and said, "The Hundred Herbs Garden is extremely dangerous. If Elder Lu is not fully prepared, perhaps it would be better to enter next time?"
Mei Qingyan was ultimately still worried, concerned about risking a Second Rank Alchemist and a Second Rank Refining Master, which the Luoxia Sect had only recently won over, in the Hundred Herbs Garden.
"Thank you for your concern, Elder Qingyan. Although I may not be an expert in combat, my skills in self-preservation are second to none. Please rest assured."
Lu Qingfeng thanked him with a clasped fist and shook his head in refusal.
"No need to persuade further, Junior Mei. Elder Lu and I will be together, and if anyone attempts mischief, they must get past me first."
Yue Lingxi stepped forward, holding a dragon-headed cane.
One month ago, after the minor competition of the Luoxia Sect ended, the spots for entering the Hundred Herbs Garden were decided.
Lu Qingfeng secured one of the four Foundation Establishment slots, entering the upper layer of the Hundred Herbs Garden with Supreme Elder Yue Lingxi, and Foundation Establishment Elders Mei Jiancheng and Yue Miaoyin.
Competing with the Three Juyun Sects, the Demon Clan, and the Demon Sect for Spiritual Medicine and Returning Yang Fruit.
Among the four,
Yue Lingxi had the highest cultivation, a master of the Foundation Establishment and Body Tempering Realm, leading this expedition.
Mei Qingyan and Han Shan, both Supreme Elders and masters of the Body Tempering Realm, were left outside the Hundred Herbs Garden due to their potential to advance to the Spirit Void in their lifetime, avoiding risk.
Mei Jiancheng is a senior elder within the Luoxia Sect, already at the Foundation Establishment Cultivation Realm.
Below the Sect Master and the three Supreme Elders, his strength was the strongest.
Every twelve years, when the Hundred Herbs Garden opens, the three elders of the Nourishing Yuan Realm from the Luoxia Sect take turns—last time it was Elder Zhang Qingyuan, the time before that Elder Sui Jiufeng, and this time it was Mei Jiancheng's turn.
As for the third and fourth slots, based on past experience, they were respectively for the Foundation Establishment Condensing Liquid Realm and the Foundation Establishment Qi Introduction Realm.
This arrangement allowed the Foundation Establishment Elders to gain experience and also avoided sending all the high-level experts from the Luoxia Sect into the garden at once, which could lead to a complete disaster and a gap in the sect's upper-level cultivators.
But this time,
The one entering the Hundred Herbs Garden with the 'Foundation Establishment Condensing Liquid Realm' cultivation was Lu Qingfeng, a Second Rank Alchemist.
And the one entering with the Foundation Establishment Qi Introduction Realm cultivation turned out to be Yue Miaoyin, a newly promoted elder who had returned just three years ago and had been promoted to Foundation Establishment only a few years prior.
These two selections surprised many in the Luoxia Sect.
Lu Qingfeng had volunteered and insisted strongly on going.
As for how Yue Miaoyin got the slot as a newly promoted elder, Lu Qingfeng was not sure.
Besides the four Foundation Establishment masters, there were also eighteen True Qi Realm disciples including Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. Initially, Lu Qingyu was not among them. However, seeing her eldest and second brothers entering the Hundred Herbs Garden, she refused to stay outside alone.
Lu Qingfeng also took this opportunity to let Qingyu gain some experience, so he prepared a robust set of trump cards for her and secured a slot from the Luoxia Sect.
Lu Qingyu's cultivation was on par with Lu Qingshan's, and her combat skills had been honed in the Crying Swamp. Although she might not be a match for Lu Qingshan, there were definitely few within the True Qi Realm who could pose a threat to her.
With both Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingshan looking after her, there would be no significant danger.
The self-endangering Hundred Herbs Garden was not considered particularly hazardous for Lu Qingyu.
On the Bo Wang Platform, besides the elders and disciples preparing to enter the Hundred Herbs Garden, there was also the Sect Master and half of the Luoxia Sect's elders.
As Lu Qingfeng and others fought and gathered Spiritual Medicine in the Hundred Herbs Garden, Zhou Yuan and the other elders were on standby outside.
Otherwise, the gathered Spiritual Medicines might be stolen the moment they were brought out.
It's not just Zhou Yuan and the elders.
The elite disciples of the sect and even the strong soldiers in the six cities controlled by the Luoxia Sect are ready for battle during the opening period of the Hundred Herbs Garden. They are prepared to deal with the possibility of the other three sects of the Juyun Mountain Range turning against them to snatch the opportunity.
In fact, not only the Luoxia Sect, but the other three sects are also doing the same.
People's hearts are separated by their stomachs; the four sects came together only because they are situated in the Juyun Mountain Range and because no one could monopolize the Hundred Herbs Garden. In reality, they are not united at heart.
It's always right to be vigilant.
…
"So be it."
"I won't say more."
Seeing Yue Lingxi stand up, Mei Qingyan sighed and stopped talking.
With Clan Master Zhou Yuan and the three Supreme Elders hurrying over, everyone was present, and they set off.
The entrance to the Hundred Herbs Garden is located in the middle section of the Juyun Mountain Range, close to the southeast, about 2,300 miles from Jinyun Peak.
It takes ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators about two to three days on foot. True Qi Realm cultivators are even slower. Moreover, the journey includes deep mountains, and if relying solely on oneself, it might take ten days to half a month to arrive.
Fortunately, the Luoxia Sect has domesticated Curled Feather Pelicans, which are large and extremely gentle spiritual beasts. They are fast and have excellent stamina, making them good creatures for transport.
They're just a bit ugly.
Gagaga!
The Curled Feather Pelican flew out of the clouds and landed on the Bo Wang Platform.
Lu Qingfeng looked over; there were nine Curled Feather Pelicans in total, each large in size with a flat back, easily accommodating three to five people. Their body feathers were grey-white, their eyes pale yellow, and their throat sacks orange or yellow, with curled crest feathers on their neck and back.
At first glance, they resembled somewhat silly geese.
Each was ridden by a person responsible for feeding and navigating the Curled Feather Pelican from the Luoxia Sect.
"So ugly!"
Lu Qingyu couldn't help but click her tongue after taking a look. These Curled Feather Pelicans were truly incomparable to her white crane.
"Let's go!"
Zhou Yuan leapt up and landed on the back of one of the Curled Feather Pelicans. The Deacon navigated, and they soared into the sky.
Eighteen disciples in groups of six squeezed onto the back of a Curled Feather Pelican, their faces filled with curiosity.
Although this spirit bird was somewhat unsightly, it was also a treasure of the Luoxia Sect.
It wasn't strong in combat, but it was fast and suitable for transport, usually reserved for the elders' travels. For True Qi Realm disciples, being able to be this close to a Curled Feather Pelican and soar in the sky was undoubtedly a novel experience.
"Everyone, hold on tight!"
The Deacon navigating the Curled Feather Pelican shouted, bringing immediate silence to the disciples.
Including Lu Qingshan, the eighteen disciples occupied three Curled Feather Pelicans.
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Clan Master Zhou Yuan occupied one.
Each of the three Supreme Elders occupied one.
Of the remaining nine elders, Yue Miaoyin and Yue Miaofa rode a Double-headed duck, while the remaining seven shared the last two.
For Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu, there were Iron Feathered Flying Eagles and white cranes for transport.
"Both ugly and slow."
Lu Qingyu stood on the back of her white crane, seeing the awkward posture of the Curled Feather Pelican in the sky and its speed far inferior to the white crane, she couldn't help communicating to her elder brother.
"It's difficult to tame spiritual beasts, and even more so for spirit birds."
"The Luoxia Sect's ability to acquire such spirit birds as Curled Feather Pelicans and breed them generation after generation is something many sects envy. What harm is there if they are a bit ugly or slow?"
Lu Qingfeng shook his head.