The elder standing by the doorway of the room was over two meters tall, making him a towering presence over most people. However, he was also extremely thin as well. His height paired with his scrawny figure made him look like a bamboo pole.
One would imagine him to look sickly, but he seemed spirited and vigorous.
He had snowy-white hair and a long beard that extended beyond his knees. From the way he carried himself, it was apparent that he was someone who cared about his appearance.
He was also dressed in the clothes of the Holy Valley.
âPaying respects to Lord Buyu.â
The few elders standing with Lord Baimei quickly lowered their heads and greeted him. It would appear that Lord Buyu had an esteemed standing in the Holy Valley.
It was just that Lord Baimei didnât greet him. On the contrary, there was a displeased look on his face.
âShengguang Buyu, did Daoist Niantian tell you to come here? He really doesnât give up. Could it be that Chu Feng is his disciple?â
Lord Baimei had made his attitude clear through his words.
âLord Baimei, the reason why Iâm here has nothing to do with Brother Niantian. I also donât think that Brother Niantian has any relationship with Chu Feng,â Shengguang Buyu replied.
âOh? Thereâs no one in the Holy Valley who doesnât know of your relationship with Daoist Niantian. You played a crucial role in him becoming an honorary elder of the Holy Valley. Shengguang Buyu, I canât dictate who you associate yourself with, but some words of advice: Remember your own surname and your identity!
âDaoist Niantian is really getting out of hand. He even threatened me not to touch Chu Feng. His behavior isnât just a simple show of disrespect toward me. He doesnât respect the Holy Valley or Lord Holy Monarch at all!n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âShengguang Buyu, youâre a member of the Holy Valley. You should get your stance clear!â
The mocking tone of Lord Baimei was clear for everyone to hear.
âLord Baimei, I donât deny that Iâm on close terms with Brother Niantian, but he can take responsibility for his own actions. If he has truly offended Lord Baimei, Iâm certain that you wonât let him off the hook easily given your personality.
âAlso, the reason why Brother Niantian was able to become an honorary elder was due to the contribution he has made to the Holy Valley. It has nothing to do with me, and I donât have the power to pull such strings,â Shengguang Buyu said.
âWhat are you doing here then? If I havenât heard wrongly, you told me earlier not to kill this fellow? Could it be that youâre related to him?â Lord Baimei pointed to Chu Feng as he spoke.
âLord Baimei, the Holy Lotus Tree has blossomed,â Shengguang Buyu said.
âThe Holy Lotus Tree has blossomed?â
Delighted looks appeared on the faces of the elders present. Even Lord Baimeiâ stern look mellowed down, and a hint of a smile could be seen at the corners of his eyes.
âIt has finally blossomed. Young miss Menglai, Xintian, and the othersâ hard work have finally paid off.â
Lord Baimei stroked his beard as the smile on his lips grew more and more apparent.
âIt isnât easy for the Holy Lotus Tree to blossom. We canât miss this opportunity. Since the Holy Monarch isnât here at the moment, Iâll decide on his behalf here. Tell young miss Menglai, Xingtian, and the others to quickly enter the Holy Lotus Tree to cultivate,â Lord Baimei ordered Shengguang Buyu.
Perhaps out of sheer joy, his attitude toward Shengguang Buyu became much more amicable than before.
âLord Baimei, the Holy Lotus Tree blossomed only after Chu Feng was brought in here,â Shengguang Buyu pointed out.
â...â
A slight frown appeared on Lord Baimeiâs forehead. The elders also exchanged glances with one another.
âWhat do you mean by that?â Lord Baimei asked.
âLord Baimei, you should know that the Holy Lotus Tree possesses spirituality. It has always been said that only in the presence of an extremely talented individual will the Holy Lotus Tree blossom. The last time the Holy Lotus Tree blossomed was due to the closed-door disciple that the Holy Monarch brought in.
âIt should have been time for the Holy Lotus Tree to blossom once more, and young miss Menglai and the others have been cultivating with the treeâs fruits in order to make it happen. However, despite their efforts, the tree still refused to blossom. Itâs only at Chu Fengâs arrival that it finally blossomed. Donât you think that this is too much of a coincidence?â Shengguang Buyu asked.
âWhat a joke. Are you saying that the Holy Lotus Tree blossomed because it sensed Chu Fengâs talents? Would our sacred tree blossom for an outsider?â Lord Baimei sneered.
Shengguang Buyu seemed to have expected such a response, so he turned to the other elders and asked, âDo you all think that itâs a coincidence too?â
âAh, this...â
The elders stuttered with bitter smiles on their lips.
They were extremely familiar with the Holy Lotus Tree, and Shengguang Buyuâs explanation sounded much more probable here. It was just that they dared not to offend Lord Baimei, so none of them dared to speak their thoughts.
âShengguang Buyu, youâve really worked hard to plead for Chu Fengâs mercy. Regardless of whether itâs a coincidence or not, what difference does it make? Am I not allowed to kill him just because the Holy Lotus Tree blossomed due to him?â Lord Baimei asked.
âI wouldnât have intervened if it was a normal blossoming, but the Holy Lotus Tree has fully bloomed,â Shengguang Buyu replied.
âWhat? Fully bloomed?â
Those words astonished not just the elders but Lord Baimei too.
Shoosh!
There was a gust of wind, and Lord Baimei was no longer in the room anymore.
Seeing this, Shengguang Buyu chuckled softly before glancing at the other elders.
âTake good care of Chu Feng. Youâll suffer if anything were to happen to him.â
Leaving those words behind, he quickly left the room too. He knew that Lord Baimei had gone to where the Holy Lotus Tree was to confirm his claim.
However, shortly after Shengguang Buyu left, the elders slowly started to grow excited. One of them even began trembling.
âCould it really be true? Could this fellow be that formidable as to make the Holy Lotus Tree fully bloom?â the trembling elder asked.
âLord Buyu wouldnât make such a blatant lie even if he wishes to save Chu Feng,â another elder replied.
âSssss.â
The elders gasped in astonishment as they turned their gaze toward Chu Feng.
They were determined to put Chu Feng to death previously, but now that they were looking at him once more, there was a hint of fear in their eyes.
The Holy Lotus Tree had existed since the Ancient Era, and it had been in the Holy Valley for over tens of thousands of years now. There was a saying in the valley that only the most talented cultivators could make the Holy Lotus Tree blossom up.
However, it was a completely different matter to make the Holy Lotus Tree fully bloom. Only someone who wielded the power to alter the power balance of the world of cultivation could make the tree fully bloom.
There were people in the Holy Valley who had made the Holy Lotus Tree blossom over the years, but not once had it enjoyed a full bloom before...