With that, Fendai set aside her childish temper, suddenly dropping her usual dissatisfaction to join Biluo in examining the patterns on the Liúlí floor.
"What is this?"
Crouching down in her pink dress, Fendai brushed her pale pink hand across the ground. The Liúlí floor was carved with rows of floral patterns never before seen across the Xiuxian Continent.
Wearing an expression of utter disbelief, she looked up at Biluo's puzzled face and asked, "Does this look like the floral chart of our Xiuxian Continent?"
Suspicion clouded Biluo's face as well. Having studied medicine under her master since childhood, why had she never seen these floral patterns anywhere in the Xiuxian Continent? With a sweep of her sword, every pattern along the enclosed Liúlí secret passage was revealed in full, stretching out for a hundred meters.
"This—"
Shocked by the sight before her, Biluo was momentarily at a loss for Chen Liushang's intentions.
"Could it be that she wants us to memorize these?" Fendai blurted out.
Suddenly, a treasure manual glowing with Liúlí light came flying through the air. The two of them jumped in fright before Biluo cautiously picked it up for inspection.
"The Hundred Flowers Musical Canon."
As Biluo opened to the first page, a Jade Qin with a Liúlí sheen came into view.
"Could it be?"
A sudden realization struck Biluo. She summoned from within her body the Liúlí qin that Chen Liushang had gifted her while half-intoxicated earlier.
"Is it meant to be used together with this Liúlí qin?" Fendai's face was full of doubt. Where on earth had her Senior Sister gotten such an exquisite Liúlí qin? She had never seen it in the treasury before, yet she voiced her confusion casually anyway.
"What on earth does she mean by trapping us here? Hmph! And where did you get that qin?"
Remaining silent, Biluo pulled on Fendai's little sleeve, signaling her to learn how to play the Liúlí qin together.
"The first flower is... named Silverflower Grass? Positioned at metal."
"I've never seen it..." Fendai voiced her bewilderment.
Studying the green plant carved into the Liúlí floor with its sharp-tipped leaves, Biluo casually tested the five positions of the qin's five strings.
"It's the first string. This is the metal position."
Fendai shook Biluo's shoulder in disbelief as she watched a Silverflower Grass materialize and float in the air. Overjoyed and excited, forgetting her usual airs, she grabbed Biluo's hand and eagerly caught the Silverflower Grass suddenly appearing before them.
"Junior Sister, let's keep trying them one by one."
A look of joy spread across Biluo's face. It was as if she had already found the key to clearing the trial. Holding the Liúlí qin, the two of them walked along, examining the various flowers carved into the Liúlí floor, testing string by string and slowly figuring it out.
Meanwhile, in a barrier on the left, Chen Liushang had placed Zheyue and Moran within the barrier of the Flower of Love Poison. Her purpose was to have the Flower of Love Poison blossom for Zheyue ahead of time, helping her quickly overcome the love tribulation, elevate her cultivation, and better confront the Demon race and protect herself in the future.
Zheyue and Moran were somewhat perplexed by this sudden barrier. Looking around at the dark surroundings, both grew vigilant.
Before long, Zheyue spoke up: "Senior Brother Moran."
Blushing, she gazed at the tall and handsome Senior Brother Moran before her and softly called his name.
"Junior Sister, how are you holding up?"
Moran cast a calm glance at the otherworldly Zheyue beside him, then slowly reached out his large hand to help her up. Puzzling over their surroundings, he formed a small night-pearl in his palm to illuminate the entire trial ground.
"Where is this?" Moran asked in profound astonishment, taking in the cave piled high with dirt all around them.
"Could it be that woman?"
"I never expected her cultivation to be profound enough to set up such a massive barrier."
He clenched his fists, staring intently at the enclosed space, feeling a twinge of admiration for Chen Liushang.
"Senior Brother, how are we supposed to get out?" Zheyue asked weakly, a blush still lingering on her cheeks as she looked up at the tall, frowning Moran beside her.
"Junior Sister, no need to worry. Stay here, and I'll go look for an exit."
With that, Moran vanished in a flash, leaving Zheyue all alone to wait anxiously for his return.
Maintaining her cold and detached composure, she surveyed her surroundings and gave a flick of her right sleeve, blasting a large opening into the enclosed cave. Possessing such formidable power, she simply dared not display her true strength casually in front of Moran; had it not been for the arrival of the Flower of Love Poison, she likely would have attained an Immortal Body long ago.
With cold and ethereal eyes—reminiscent of Chen Liushang's demeanor back in Wanzhong Heaven—she scanned the surroundings and pinpointed the exit in a flash.
"So it's right here."
"It's Senior Brother."
Dropping her usual shy demeanor once more, she suppressed her innate immortal talent.
"Junior Sister, how did you find your way here?"
Staring at Zheyue in disbelief, Moran betrayed a hint of shock. It had taken him half a moment of searching to find the exit; how had his junior sister found it so quickly?
"Senior Brother, I... I just got lucky," Zheyue said weakly, blushing as she tugged at her sleeve. Deep within her body, the Flower of Love Poison began scattering countless trails of purple light toward her meridians and heart.
"Junior Sister, let's see if we can break through this exit together," Moran said abruptly, grabbing Zheyue's small hand in frustration.
"I... I... I..."
Overwhelmed by the sudden sweetness, Zheyue flushed bright red. Pulling her hand away, she retreated to the left side of the cave and whispered, "Senior Brother, my cultivation is likely not enough for this. You should do it."
Startled by this sudden reaction, Moran gave the exit—a pile of rubble radiating a faint Liúlí glow—a serious look, then casually slashed his sword, shattering the first layer of the opening with ease.
"Junior Sister, watch out!"
Grabbing Zheyue's hand, Moran leaped backward to dodge. Her flush still fading, Zheyue stared blankly in a daze at the tall Senior Brother Moran beside her, letting her impulses carry her backward a few steps.
"Junior Sister, what are you doing? Hurry out!"
"I'm coming."
Flustered and fidgety, Zheyue took mincing steps, maintaining an air of elegance as she slowly walked out.
"There are still several layers left?" Moran said angrily, displeasure written all over his face.
"Could this really have been set up by that drunk Liúlí Immortal?"
"She really is extraordinary!"
Feeling helpless, Moran figured that anyone brought in by his master was bound to be exceptional.
Outside the barrier, Chen Liushang watched the group's trial progress with no small measure of satisfaction, growing increasingly engrossed. For the first time in many years, she felt genuinely carefree. After taking another sip of wine, she slumped against a pillar and drifted off to sleep.
Before she could fall into a deep sleep, the Great Elder arrived, shouting, "Spirit Lord, why have you been drinking so much?"
Landing in a magnificent entrance aboard his flying carriage, he touched down right in the center of the pavilion at Qianxuan Lake. Having just finished handling matters at Qianchen Pavilion, he had hurried over to check on the trials that the notoriously unreliable and wine-loving Spirit Ancestor had arranged for her disciples.
He called out loudly to Chen Liushang, who was fast asleep and talking in her sleep. Wiping a trace of wine from the corner of her mouth with a little hand, she flushed and mumbled in her dream:
"Mhm? Mhm? Damn fly, go away!"
"Spirit Lord, Spirit Lord..."