Yuantian Pidao

Chapter 136 The Flower of Calamity Blooms
Standing on the edge of a cliff at Cuizhu Mountain, Gao Siyuan looked at the latest news coming from the outside world with a hint of surprise on his face.

Most of these messages were related to disaster relief. As a force supported by the prefect, the Gao family naturally had to respond to the prefect's call. For this reason, the Gao family even slowed down their search for the Corpse Daoist. Of course, the Gao family secretly set a trap, waiting for the Corpse Daoist to appear, but the Corpse Daoist never reacted.

Gao Siyuan didn't care much about these messages; they were just about using money and resources to satisfy Prefect Qi Xiuning. However, a message from Yan Hui Island caught his attention.

"The Corpse Daoist has been seen in Qinghe County, and is suspected of hiding within the Taiping Sect?"

Looking in the direction of Qinghe County, Gao Siyuan frowned.

He originally intended to destroy the Taiping Sect, but was delayed by the matter of the Corpse Daoist. Now that the news has arrived, he has become somewhat hesitant.

"The Taiping Sect was built up by the Lu family. If the Corpse Daoist is really hiding in the Taiping Sect, does that mean that the Corpse Daoist is a henchman of the Lu family?"

"Qingyuan County is not large. With the support of the prefectural governor's office, only the Lu family and the Wen family can make a person disappear into thin air, leaving my Gao family with no trace."

"That's right. The old ghost of the Lu family was seriously injured, so he specifically sought out the Corpse Daoist and provided him with corresponding assistance, so that he would deal with my Gao family, thereby stirring up trouble in Qingyuan County and achieving the goal of restraining my Gao family and even the prefectural governor's office."

As his thoughts collided and connected, a general outline of a conspiracy emerged in Gao Siyuan's mind.

Although the news came somewhat abruptly, he inexplicably felt that the Corpse Daoist was indeed in the Taiping Sect.

"According to the intelligence I've gathered so far, the Lu family's Qi cultivation has completely retreated, and they've all returned to their ancestral land. Perhaps I really should make a trip to Qinghe County to see what the Taiping Sect is hiding."

With his thoughts in turmoil, Gao Siyuan once again considered going to Qinghe County.

This time, he did not hesitate. He gave a few simple instructions, creating the illusion that he was still in Cuizhu Mountain, and quietly headed towards Qinghe County alone.

If the Corpse Daoist is indeed a pawn of the Lu family, then he must keep his trip as secret as possible to avoid attracting the Lu family's attention, as there may be Lu family spies on Green Bamboo Mountain.

While Gao Siyuan was heading to Qinghe County alone, a strange change was taking place at a key point in the upper reaches of the Qingyuan River.

Within the water vein nodes, the original tranquility has vanished. Countless resentful energies converge from all directions, evolving into gusts of eerie winds, accompanied by wailing sounds, turning this place into a living hell.

Protected by his inner energy, a man in black robes stood silently, as if waiting for something.

At one moment, the wailing within the node intensified, the clear spring gushed forth and was completely stained red with blood. A strange flower took root within, sprouted, and gave birth to a pure white flower. It was untouched by dust, forming a stark contrast with the blood spring where it took root.

Upon noticing the birth of this strange flower, the black-robed man, whose eyes had been half-closed, suddenly opened them.

"A femme fatale, haha, she really is a femme fatale, it's done, it's really done."

"The flood raged, and people's resentment boiled over. With endless resentment, this flower of calamity has finally grown. With this precious treasure, building a foundation for the Dao is no longer a luxury."

Upon careful perception, sensing the abundant spirituality within the Calamity Flower, the black-robed man knew his plan had not been in vain. At this moment, his joy reached its peak; he had waited far too long for this day. The essence of a spiritual treasure is a wondrous spiritual object born from the unintentional emanations of sentient beings, refined by heaven and earth. Rich in spiritual energy, it can be used by cultivators to forge their foundation. However, spiritual treasures are rare, and naturally occurring ones are highly uncertain and difficult to obtain reliably. Therefore, some have deeply studied the essence of spiritual treasures and created secret methods to artificially induce their creation.

These secret methods vary in quality and effectiveness, but they all share one thing in common: they require sufficient human willpower.

With a whoosh, at the moment the Calamity Flower truly manifested, a terrifying suction force burst forth from its body, continuously devouring the surrounding resentment, and in an instant, a huge vortex of resentment formed.

Being in the midst of it, the man in black robes heard the savage laughter of the demon and the wails of the people, as if a demon was constantly chewing on the souls of the people. Affected by this, his mind was momentarily distracted, but his will was firm and he quickly shook off the influence.

And so, time passed silently. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the resentment within the water vein node was completely devoured, and the Calamity Flower emitted rays of spiritual light, showing signs of blooming.

Seeing this scene, the last weight lifted from the black-robed man's heart.

"My means are limited, and I can't guide the will and power of many people. Fortunately, this disaster has been prolonged, affecting a wide area and lasting for a long time, otherwise there might have been unexpected events."

His eyes were filled with nothing but a tempting flower, and he could see no other. The man in the black robe was completely infatuated.

It was at this moment, having absorbed enough resentment, that the cursed flower finally began to bloom.

In an instant, the radiance of spirituality enveloped the entire water vein node. However, just as the Calamity Flower fully bloomed, a trace of deep-seated hatred gathered and transformed into a hideous ghost face, branding itself onto the flower's heart, tainting the originally pure spirituality with an ominous aura.

Noticing this change, the man in black robes showed a solemn expression.

"The secret technique my family obtained is indeed flawed."

His gaze fell on that hideous ghost face, and hatred welled up in his heart. The man in black robes instinctively felt a chill run down his spine.

"If the hatred remains, it will likely be difficult to forge the foundation of the Dao with this object. But no matter what, it is a hope, or even the only hope."

"At this point, my family has no way out."

With a soft sigh, without much hesitation, the man in black robes activated his secret technique and plucked the Flower of Calamity.

The moment the calamity flower was plucked, the water vein nodes trembled, causing the entire Qingyuan River to react. The river water surged, showing signs of another flood.

This sudden turn of events stunned countless people. The floods in Qingyuan County had just receded, and the aftermath had not yet been dealt with. If another flood were to break out, it would truly cause a human tragedy. Most importantly, this time the Qingyuan River's rampage was even more abrupt than the last one, without any warning whatsoever.

Fortunately, this sudden surge in the Qingyuan River came and went quickly, without actually causing a flood, which relieved many people. However, this unusual event also attracted the attention of many people, who entered the Qingyuan River to investigate the situation.

At the same time, as the Qingyuan River rippled again, a pair of deep blue eyes quietly opened within the previously undiscovered node of the river vein.

(End of this chapter)