A month later.
Outside the Water Curtain Cave of the Flower-Fruit Mountain, two jade-green qilins from Qingqiu landed steadily.
Though the Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel was more convenient, it could only carry one person. If Zhao Li used it, the jade qilins wouldn’t be able to keep up, and Zhao Wu would surely worry.
Besides, Zhao Li still hadn’t told her father about her trip to the Otherworld Moon. Explaining the origins of such a powerful artifact would be troublesome, so she simply kept it stored in her soul storage device and rode the jade qilin with her father instead.
It was the month of peaches—the third month of the lunar calendar—and the Flower-Fruit Mountain was awash with blooming peach blossoms, their fragrance carried far and wide by the breeze.
The invitation had listed the birthday of the Evergreen Elder as the 22nd day of the peach month in the Gengzi year, but Zhao Wu and Zhao Li arrived two days early.
This was also a custom of the Wuji Realm. Typically, guests wouldn’t arrive on the exact day of the birthday banquet but would instead visit the host’s territory a day or two in advance as a sign of courtesy. This was especially true for close allies, who would always arrive early.
Only the major clans, eager to flaunt their prestige, would show up on the day of the banquet itself—a gesture that was already quite disrespectful to the host.
But they relied on their power and influence to openly flaunt such discourtesy.
After all, merely sending representatives to attend the banquet was considered a great honor to the host. Smaller clans naturally wouldn’t dare say a word.
Outside the Water Curtain Cave, aside from the elders and attendants from the Ape Clan’s Hall of Stewards responsible for receiving guests, there stood a young man.
Tall and slender, with clear, bright eyes, a straight nose, and lips as red as cinnabar, the youth carried an air of carefree charm. Yet, beneath his seemingly unrestrained demeanor, his peach-blossom eyes glinted with a shrewd intelligence.
This was Xiyou, the young master of the Water Curtain Cave of Flower-Fruit Mountain, the Evergreen Elder’s grandson, Wang Sun.
He was also one of Zhao Li’s few close friends.
With the Ape Clan’s elders stationed outside the Water Curtain Cave to welcome guests, the presence of the Hall of Stewards’ elder should have been sufficient. The young master had no need to come all the way to the outermost entrance. Even if one of the three supreme clans of the Wuji Realm were to visit, the Ape Clan’s patriarch and young master only needed to wait outside the cave palace—there was no need to greet them at the Water Curtain Cave’s entrance.
It seemed Xiyou had come out specifically to welcome the Qingqiu Clan.
Truly, after all these years of friendship, he still knew how to show respect.
In her past life—ten thousand years later—when the Shadow Realm invaded, the Ape Clan had fought valiantly. But the Evergreen Elder, their strongest cultivator, was only at the 75th level and stood no chance against the Shadow Realm. The entire clan was swiftly devoured.
By the time Zhao Li reincarnated into the Flower Clan, the Ape Clan had long since vanished. Now, seeing her old friend again filled her heart with joy.
“Little Lier!” Xiyou beamed at the sight of Zhao Li and lunged forward, arms outstretched for a hug.
Zhao Li raised a finger, stopping him mid-motion. “Xiyou, unless you want to become roasted monkey ribs, I suggest you don’t hug me like that.”
Yelan’s Red Lotus Karmic Flame was no joke—far fiercer than the Samadhi True Flame.
“Ah, when did you become so stingy? We used to hug all the time! Or have you finally started caring about propriety between men and women? Relax! I’ve never even thought of you as a woman.”
Was that his way of saying she lacked femininity?
Suppressing her anger, Zhao Li forced a smile and teased him back, “Oh? So in your heart, I’m as mighty as a man, worthy of your admiration?”
Xiyou said bluntly, “A real man? You? Oh, come on, hahaha! That joke isn’t funny at all.”
Zhao Li: … (a vein throbbing on her forehead)
Xiyou continued, “In my heart, you’ll always be little Lier. Super—entertaining.”
Alright, Zhao Li got it. You jerk, you’re treating me like a toy, huh?!
Zhao Li’s lips twitched violently.
Xiyou bowed respectfully to Zhao Wu and said, “Uncle Zhao Wu, thank you for Qingqiu’s attendance at our ancestor’s birthday banquet. The guest rooms are ready. Let me show you the way.”
Once the accommodations were settled, Zhao Wu went off to share drinks and reminisce with some of the elder monkey-kin. Zhao Li hadn’t visited Flower-Fruit Mountain in years, so Xiyou took her around the territory for a tour.
“March peach blossoms blush shyly, adorning the waterfall’s reflection of Xiyou. Petals glow, willows sway—wishing the old sage longevity.” Admiring the scenery, Zhao Li recited the verse with a smile.
Xiyou teased, “Oh? You can actually compose poetry? That’s a surprise. Hey, just what kind of heavenly treasures did Uncle Zhao Wu feed you to patch up your brains?”
Zhao Li: … (I swear to—!!!)
“Honestly, you’re the most bizarre woman in the Wuji Realm. Even trying to break through to the 10th level, you managed to wreck your spiritual roots—just how hard did you push yourself… Ow—!!”
Zhao Li delivered a fierce kick to Xiyou’s crotch, his face instantly paling as he clutched himself and hopped around in agony.
“You… you trying to kill me?!” Xiyou gasped in pain.
Zhao Li shot him a glare and said coolly, “You’re not dead yet, are you? But…”
She grabbed Xiyou’s ear and yanked him close. Xiyou yelped, “Ow ow ow!”
“But if you dare tease me again, next year today, I’ll make sure Flower-Fruit Mountain hosts both a wedding and a funeral at the same time.”
Xiyou gulped, enduring the pain. “I was just joking! What, did your illness make you lose your sense of humor? If anything, your temper’s gotten worse!”
Zhao Li cursed him inwardly—you damn pervert—before curling her lip and responding with a haughty snort.
This guy had always loved teasing her like this, and back then, Zhao Li could never out-argue him, often ending up in tears. And this damn monkey? He loved seeing her cry.
Yet after making her cry, he’d go out of his way to comfort her.
What’s more, he was the type who only allowed himself to “bully” Zhao Li—. If anyone else dared mess with her, he’d beat them half to death. A real “freak.”
To outsiders, he was fiercely protective of her.
That’s why, after all these years, Zhao Li hadn’t cut ties with him and they remained friends.
In Zhao Li’s heart, this troublemaking monkey, though occasionally ridiculous, was still a friend worth keeping.
“Really mad now? Ah, you’re not cute at all when you’re angry…” Xiyou, ignoring the pain below, circled around the silent Zhao Li.
“Bullshit! This lady is adorable whether she’s angry or not!”
Xiyou choked.
“Hey, troublemaker, tell me which clans came for your ancestor’s banquet?”
Xiyou’s eyes darkened, and he snapped, “Well, the one you want to see isn’t here!”
Zhao Li knew exactly who he meant but played dumb. “Who I want to see? Who’s that?”
Xiyou exploded, “That damn man-eating flower!”
“Hahaha! Man-eating flower—see, this is why they say the monkey-kin have fiery golden eyes. You nailed it!”
Qing Tong’s true form was the Kalavinka Phoenix, a celestial-grade flower far purer in lineage than ordinary phoenix flowers—much like the status of the nine-tailed heavenly fox in Qingqiu.
Xiyou was taken aback, only now realizing that Zhao Li seemed different from before.
In the past, this little fox couldn’t go three sentences without mentioning Qing Tong. But now, not only had she not brought up that wretched flower at all, but even after hearing him mock and taunt it, she hadn’t gotten the slightest bit angry or defended it.
Instead, she praised his sharp eyes???
Had the sun risen from the wrong direction today?
Or perhaps… the spiritual root upheaval had shaken some sense into her?
Xiyou had always despised Qing Tong, finding her pretentious and insincere toward Xiao Li’er.
But no matter how much he tried to warn the silly girl before, she wouldn’t listen. They’d nearly fallen out a few times over that damned flower.
“Just what did your uncle feed you? Does Qingqiu still have more in stock? If not, I’ll get you some more?” Xiyou asked, both delighted and puzzled.
What kind of supreme spiritual treasure could make this little fool so sharp all of a sudden?
Zhao Li’s eyes curved into crescents. “My father fed me a month’s worth of mountain delicacies—monkey head mushrooms. They really are miraculous. Our stock is running low now, but since your Flower-Fruit Mountain is a blessed land of spiritual energy, surely you have such treasures, hmm?”
Xiyou shuddered under her gaze.
Though he knew “monkey head mushrooms” were just fungi and not actual monkey brains, as a member of the ape tribe, hearing it still made his skin crawl. Especially with the little imp grinning so deviously.
“If you wanted something else, I might’ve been able to scrounge something up but ‘monkey head mushrooms’ sound so rare, I doubt even Flower-Fruit Mountain has any…” he stammered.
Zhao Li smirked triumphantly at him.
Having lived a second life, she’d finally managed to leave this troublemaking monkey speechless. Her mood instantly brightened. While she loved kicking enemies when they were down, with her own people, she knew when to stop.
“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. Tell me, who else is coming?”
“So far, it’s just the families friendly with Flower-Fruit Mountain. From the flower tribe, it’s the great-grandson of the Jinluo family.”
At the mention of the flower tribe, Xiyou’s expression soured.
Unlike Qingqiu, Flower-Fruit Mountain didn’t consider the flower tribe allies. They merely coexisted peacefully, keeping to their own territories.
And the flower tribe didn’t see the ape tribe as allies either.
They were just diplomatic socialites, trying to stay on everyone’s good side.
Compared to Qingqiu and Flower-Fruit Mountain, the human city of Wugou was the flower tribe’s real target for currying favor.
The apes had always despised humans, Xiyou most of all. So, their disdain for the flower tribe’s fawning over humans ran deep.
“The Jinluo family…” Zhao Li murmured, lowering her head.
The Jinluo were the foremost of the Four Great Clans of the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers, trusted retainers of the flower tribe’s royal Qing family. Sending their great-grandson was, on the surface, a gesture of sincerity.
“What, are you disappointed Qing Tong isn’t coming?” Xiyou asked sullenly, mistaking her silence for sadness.
Zhao Li raised her eyes. “Not at all. I already knew that ‘man-eating flower’ wouldn’t show. She’s busy training for the Spiritual Combat Youth Hero Tournament later this year.”
Last year’s Spirit Combat Youth Hero Tournament was won by the Divine Maiden of the Ancient Phoenix Clan, a result that Qing Tong had never been able to accept. So this year, she was determined to redouble her efforts and claim the championship for herself.
If Qing Tong secured the title in the Spirit Combat Youth Hero Tournament, she would gain the leverage to bring her clan into the ranks of the Immaculate City as honored guests, rather than as a subordinate clan bound by collars.
“I’m actually relieved she didn’t attend the Elder Buweng’s birthday banquet,” Zhao Li said, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. “On such a joyous occasion, shedding blood would have been in poor taste. So, her absence was ideal—otherwise, I might not have been able to suppress my killing intent.”
Xi You, intimidated by her fierce aura, swallowed hard and stammered, “You… you two had a fight?”
“A fight?” Zhao Li tilted her head, her gaze both bewitching and ruthless. “Is she even worthy of fighting with me?Xiyou, remember this—from now on, Qing Tong and I are sworn enemies. As for the Flower Clan, their fate remains undecided. If they behave, they may yet survive. But if they don’t—”
Zhao Li plucked a peach blossom and, channeling spiritual energy into her palm, crushed the flower into dust.
“This flower will be their clan’s fate.”