Chapter 191.1: The Dragon Clan's Interference

Ye Liuyun stepped forward. Many gazes immediately settled on him.

All the attending ancient gods came from nearby regions. Most of them knew one another, at least by reputation. By contrast, both Qi Yuan and Ye Liuyun were complete strangers to them.

Thus, Ye Liuyun’s initiative naturally piqued their curiosity. Ye Liuyun stopped before a Ningxiang Cui bud. Its bud was jade-green in color, and it exuded a faint, exotic fragrance. Back when Great Venerable Qionghua attained the Dao, she most enjoyed keeping a pot of Ningxiang Cui by her bedside. Closing his eyes, Ye Liuyun began his visualization.

Around him, murmurs quickly arose.

"Trying Ningxiang Cui right off the bat? This man's got some nerve."

"Venerable Wuqian, if I remember correctly, you tried to awaken Ningxiang Cui at the last Hundred Flowers Gathering and failed."

"It is too hard. Starting with Ningxiang Cui... Whoever this True God is, he's bold to the point of recklessness."

"If he fails, that'll be a real embarrassment."

After all, most True Gods began with the simplest flowers. Failing on the very first attempt would be awkward. Worse, it would make them look bad in front of the host.

Qi Yuan stood to the side, watching with interest. "Would they judge me if I went up too?"

Qi Qi smiled brightly. "Who would dare question Godfather?"

Qi Yuan chuckled. As a mere spectator, seeing Ye Liuyun being judged was oddly entertaining. Such scenes were common everywhere, whether on Blue Planet or across countless worlds. As long as a discussion wasn't tightly controlled, posting anything even slightly controversial was guaranteed to draw all kinds of reactions. Just like these bickering True Gods.

"We're just here to watch the show," Qi Yuan said lightly. "To be the audience that questions, or gasps in shock."

At that moment, Ye Liuyun suddenly opened his eyes.

"The God Visualization Art is complete!" he declared softly.

All eyes turned toward him.

"Can he really awaken it?"

"If Ningxiang Cui blooms, the rewards would be enviable."

Ye Liuyun reached out and gently touched the flower bud. Within the visualization, a phantom figure emerged. It was a plainly dressed middle-aged man, unremarkable by any means.

"Who is that?"

"I've never seen this True God before."

"He was known as Venerable Hengyuan," Ye Liuyun said calmly. "Before the Hongtang War, he took great pleasure in flowers. Ningxiang Cui was something he personally retrieved from the Heavenly Sea and presented to Great Venerable Qionghua."

At this point, a trace of desolation flickered in Ye Liuyun's eyes. "Unfortunately, his feelings were sincere, but hers were not."

Simply put—at least to Qi Yuan—it was a rather clichéd, one-sided love story.

The crowds were visibly moved, murmuring and gushing over old memories long buried by time.

"So there was such a story behind it..."

"Well, Great Venerable Qionghua was a peerless beauty. Having admirers is only natural."

If Ye Liuyun hadn't visualized Hengyuan, the story would’ve been lost forever. The phantom of Hengyuan brushed his fingers against the Ningxiang Cui. In that instant, the tightly closed bud unfurled, and seven jade-green petals bloomed in full splendor.

A rich, intoxicating fragrance surged forth. Following that, two streaks of white light flashed and landed in Ye Liuyun's hands. The others stared with undisguised envy and jealousy.

Qi Yuan seemed equally envious. "Now I finally understand how the side characters in dramas feel when they watch the protagonist show off. Two supreme treasures... Who wouldn’t be jealous?"

Two supreme treasures meant two True Gods. How could Qi Yuan not envy that? Especially since it was exactly what he lacked most right now. His hundred thousand heavenly soldiers were still going hungry!

Seeing that Ye Liuyun obtained two supreme treasures in one fell swoop, the other gods were fired up. One after another, they visualized frantically, without caring whether their chosen gods had any real connection to Qionghua. They were throwing things at the wall to see what worked.

Unfortunately, the results were dismal. After half an hour, only three or four flowers had bloomed, all of them ordinary varieties that yielded mediocre rewards.

***

Deep within the palace of the Hundred Flowers Gathering, a glamorous, elegantly dressed woman watched the scene with disappointment. "The Hundred Flowers Gathering declines with every generation."

She was the organizer and the master of the North Sea Divine Eye. Qionghua was her mentor. For years, she had spared no effort hosting the gathering, inviting guests from all directions—all in hopes of awakening her master. Yet the results only grew worse.

"Li Yao. The Phoenix Clan member you invited, when will she begin her visualization? If I recall correctly, the Phoenix Clan’s Third Miss also has some connection to my master. Perhaps she can make a flower bloom."

In the past, she wouldn't have concerned herself with such details. Now, with the gathering's effectiveness steadily declining, she grew desperate.

Li Yao lowered her head, her voice apologetic. "Palace Master, she isn't an ancient god. The ancient god is the man beside her."

The glamorous woman glanced at Qi Yuan. "

Oh

?"

She immediately understood that Li Yao was doing the Phoenix Clan a favor. In that case, she wouldn’t hold any expectations. The glamorous woman didn't pursue the matter further, though her exhaustion showed.

The Hundred Flowers Gathering continued. More and more ancient gods tried their hands, and several additional supreme treasures appeared. The envy in the others’ eyes burned ever fiercer.

However, to the glamorous woman, it was little more than a drop in the bucket.

Just then, Li Yao hurried over from afar. "Palace Master, bad news! The Dragon Clan is causing trouble again!"

The glamorous woman, the palace master, went grim. "Those wretched flood dragons..."

Co-existing beneath the North Sea Divine Eye, the two clans clashed from time to time. Unlike the Qionghua Palace, which chose seclusion and detachment from worldly affairs, the Dragon Clan often ventured out to stir up chaos, dragging their reputation through the mud.

"Stop them," the palace master said urgently. "Do not let them come over and disrupt the Hundred Flowers Gathering!"

Just then, an arrogantly overbearing voice rang out. "We’re here with pure intentions: to awaken Great Venerable Qionghua. If they can attend the Hundred Flowers Gathering, why can’t we?"

A man clad in golden robes appeared, radiating the aura of a True God. Six clan members accompanied him—all peak First Step True Gods, with eleven divine apertures. Barring a handful of top-tier figures, none of the gods could match them, much less even consider fighting the Second Step golden-robed man.

The palace master stepped forward at once, her expression cold. "You trespass into my Qionghua Palace. Don’t you think that’s crossing the line?"

The golden-robed man's gaze lingered on her voluptuous figure, his eyes burning. "Compared to awakening Great Venerable Qionghua, such matters are insignificant."

Her brows furrowed deeply. "Golden Dragon, what exactly do you want?"

"Haven’t I made myself clear?" Golden Dragon replied casually.

It was obvious to all that they were here to watch the spectacle.

"These are guests of the Hundred Flowers Gathering," the palace master said coldly. "Golden Dragon, mind your conduct."

Back when Great Venerable Qionghua still ruled, the Qionghua Palace once stood above the North Sea Dragon Clan. Now that she was slumbering, the Dragon Clan had the upper hand.