The Flower Boat Festival Begins!

" Whoa, Calm down, Miss Lu. I understand that my music was pretty good. But, Isn't your reaction a bit extreme?" Long Ming stopped playing the zither and asked in a soft voice.

Lu Yanyu was a bit startled as she let go of Long Ming. " I… I apologize for my misdemeanor, Young Master."

" However, My proposal still stands." Her voice was firm.

" Oh, I would like to hear the reason behind this." Long Ming held the wine glass beside him as he took a sip.

Lu Yanyu paused for a moment as she sighed. " It's just a short story. I shall explain briefly."

" It was around ten years back? Around, three Flower Festivals Ago?" Lu Yanyu's tone became low. " It was the time when the Four Seasons Valley and Blissful Heaven Temple were in a heated battle. Naturally, The Eternal Spring Tower and Blissful Hall were competing for the Flower Boat Festival."

" However, Blissful Hall was even more overbearing. They trained the prostitutes in the harshest ways. Unlike Eternal Spring Tower which focuses on Art and Freedom, Blissful Hall is simply a whorehouse."

Lu Yanyu chuckled bitterly as she continued. " They dragged me away from my family and put me in jail. Hah, I remember how girls around me got violated by all sorts of things in the name of *training*."

" But you know, I was lucky." Lu Yanyu spoke. " Sister Meng was very angry when they lost the Flower Boat Festival. She barged into one of those secret dungeons and rescued all the girls there."

" From then, I tried my hard. I became the brightest Sky Pearl of Eternal Spring Tower. I even performed for the Imperial Princes."

" However, No matter how hard I tried, Eternal Spring Tower didn't win the Flower Boat Festival."Lu Yanyu sighed.

" But, This time, I can feel it." Lu Yanyu looked at Long Ming. " Young Master, Since the day you came, You changed the entire Eternal Spring Tower. You are simply a man full of wisdom and creativity."

" So, Young master, Will you not help me?" Lu Yanyu held the hands of Long Ming as she asked.

Long Ming grinned as he raised her chin. " I can see the conviction in your eyes. However, After you will win, Will you fulfill your promise?"

Lu Yanyu looked at Long Ming with straight eyes as she nodded. " Yes, I will. No matter what, I must defeat the Blissful Hall and make Sister Meng proud."

" Then, I shall take my advance payment." Long Ming grinned as his face came close to Lu Yanyu's.

"Mm?!!"

Lu Yanyu felt her soft lips get sealed by Long Ming's lips as he gave her a deep and sensual kiss. His tongue parted her lips as it entered her mouth, gently caressing her tongue.

Lu Yanyu felt a shiver running through her body as it was simply a new feeling for her.

Staying in the brothel, She knows the affairs between men and women, However, it was still her first kiss. And Long Ming kissed her in the best way.

' Mm, Training with Xiao'er didn't go to waste at all.' Long Ming thought inwardly as their lips parted.

Long Ming grinned as he could feel a string of Fragrant Yin Qi rushing into his body from Lu Yanyu.

" I… I guess that should be enough for you." Lu Yanyu blushed as she turned around. Her heart was beating wildly as she tried to calm down herself.

' It's just a kiss… Yes.'

But when Lu Yanyu looked at Long Ming's handsome face and his serene aura, her mind turned into a mess once again. She rubbed her lips as Log Ming's taste was still lingering in her mouth.

Long Ming smiled lightly as he unfurled his long hair. His hands tapped on the zither string.

" Then… Let me play this song for you once again."

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One day already passed as the evening was near. The sky was lit by the floating sky lantern. Everyone gathered around the stages as the entire Grand Sky City was filled with a mood of festivity.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, The Flower Boat Festival has come yet again! This evening is dedicated to all the beautiful women of the Holy Qilin Empire!"

" Let's eat, drink and enjoy!"

" That man, He is the City Lord of Grand Sky City?"

" Indeed, He is. The man next to him is the Imperial Advisor of the Imperial Family, Qi Ha."

" Hmm, I see."

" But in my eyes, The most handsome person here is you, Little Brother." Meng Zhi grinned as she looked at Long Ming.

Long Ming wore a dark violet robe with a crimson floral pattern. With his physique improving due to his cultivation, his body looked more mature. Along with his Desolate Immortal Aura, he was akin to a dragon standing among mortals.

" Oh, Is that so?" Long Ming grinned as he pointed his paper fan at the camp of Blissful heaven Temple. " I think that person there looks more handsome."

" Heh, Impossible. As far as I know, He is one of the Core Disciple of Blissful Heaven Temple. He practices something like Yin Devouring Great Art, retaining his handsome face. He is totally not like you, Little Brother, who got a natural charm.""

" Then, What is his cultivation?"

" I think, Early stage of Primordial Spirit Unification Realm?"

" Hmm…"

Long Ming's eyes wandered around as he noticed many factions there. Here, Meng Zhi and Mu Qinglian were standing beside him.

Other than the Blissful Heaven Temple, There were some female cultivators from the Six Sword Pavilion, Purple Cloud Sect and some other noble families.

" There are two stages. One for individuals and other is for the faction performance. The faction performance will start first." Meng Zhi spoke.

It was like a group performance given by the various faction. The one received the most donation will be the winner. Of course, in this case, no one can cheat by using overwhelming amount of money because everyone will be watching each other.

However, the donations are secondary. The one that will evaluate the performance will be the giant white lotus that was hovering in the sky.

" It was a Royal Grade Treasure created by Heavenly Emperor Sacred Qilin. It was said that one day, he was looking at a pond of lotus and he got mesmerized by its beauty. In that spur of the moment, he made this treasure."

" It has no attacking or defending property. But it can evaluate a thing's beauty, its ability to resonate with the Grand Dao of Four Arts. When a performance taps upon the dao rhythm of Grand Dao, the lotus will open a petal."

"There are total twelve petals. Last time, only eight petals were opened and it made Blissful Hall the winner."

Long Ming looked at the gigantic floating lotus as he was amused. He knew if it was him performing, he could naturally get the best result from that treasure.

' However, Unfortunately, I am not an official member of Four Seasons Valley or Eternal Spring Tower. So, It will be inappropriate.' He thought inwardly. But a smile appeared on his lips.

" But well, I have confidence in my teaching. I am sure we are going to win this time."

Meng Zhi grinned as she nodded. " Well, I too believe in you. Well, Since we are going to play, why not play bigger?"

She turned around as she saw a middle aged woman. " Elder Han, I wonder if your Blissful Hall is prepared this time."

" More than enough, Meng Zhi." Elder Han replied with a placid tone. " This time, Your Eternal Spring Tower got even lower chance this time."

" Is that so? Meng Zhi chuckled. " Perhaps you got the Imperial Scholar Liu to write another poem for you? Or got a new zither song from Grand Magistrate's Hall?"

" Does that matter?" Elder Han chuckled. " The only thing matter is the things in our hand. Who will know that these are not our creations, as long as we present them first?"

" On the other hand, I heard you recruited a young talent?" Elder Han looked at Long Ming. " Our disciples suffered quite a bit from his hand."

" Well? Things like that tend to happen often." Meng Zhi spoke. " Then, How about betting this time?"

" Of course, I was waiting for you to ask that." Elder Han chuckled. " How about the ownership of the newly discovered Spirit Jade Mine?"

" That's low." Meng Zhi grinned. " How about we play big?"

" I am betting the Scarlet Gold Ore mine along with 1 Million Mid grade Spirit Stones. Also, the loser will have to shut down their business for three months."

Elder Han's eyes narrowed when she heard that. " Meng Zhi, Are yous serious? Heh, If you lose, The Sect Master will strip your identity as an Elder."

" Well, I guess Blissful Heaven Temple is too poor to play big. You guys are all talking." Meng Zhi spoke as she turned around.

" Fine, I will bet the Millenium Blue Iron Ore mine along with the other two things. The loser will shut their business for three months." Elder Han snorted. " You dug your own grave, Meng Zhi."

" Well, I dug the grave, but it's not for me."

The music began as the performance started. The first one was from Purple Cloud Sect. As their girls performed, three lotus petals bloomed in the sky.

After that, several groups came and go. Most of them could go to the five petals.

After that, The Blissful Hall went on the stage. It was a group of twelve. Two girls stood on both the left side and the right side, as scrolls in their hands unfurled.

Two poems, side by side were before the spectators. As the crowd began to read that poem, the girls started to play the music.

The music was ethereal as mist appeared around the stage, The mist turned into cranes as they flew to the sky. The clouds gathered as the cranes danced across the sky. The audience felt like they were floating in the sky.

" Look at the petals! Seven petals!"

" No, The eighth one is blooming! Huh? Th-The ninth one!"

" Ten petals! Blissful Hall managed to awaken ten petals at once!"

Elder Han giggled as she looked at Meng Zhi after the performance of Blissful Hall is over.

" How is that? Do you have any confidence? Well, If you wish, I can reduce the bet."

Before Meng Zhi could retort, she paused. She saw Long Ming holding her hand as he gave her a wink.

" Don't worry, Sister Meng. Our performance is going to start now. Let's see who is going to have the last laugh."