147: Chapter 146 Valley of a Hundred Flowers

Three days later, Xiao Ye landed in front of the Baihua Valley gate, riding A-Diao.

A thousand white jade steps snaked up along the stream, with seas of flowers on both sides that bloomed all year round. The mountain gate was a carved white jade archway, and the three gilded characters "Baihua Valley" on the plaque were imbued with spirit. Upon entering the valley, one stepped onto a red carpet of fallen petals, the fragrance clinging to one's clothes.

Xiao Ye took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "Even the air in this place is fragrant; if you live here long enough, you might just get rhinitis."

After being announced, he was led into the Hundred Flowers Palace by a female Disciple in pink.

The interior of the Hundred Flowers Palace was not as delicate as its name suggested; instead, it was spacious and grand, much like a multi-functional building. Xiao Ye was led into the main hall, where the air was filled with swirling floral scents and light gauze curtains hung down. A woman sat on the main seat; she looked to be in her late twenties, with a gorgeous appearance and a dignified temperament. Her peach blossom eyes seemed to smile without smiling—she was the Valley Master of Baihua Valley, Fairy Peony.

Ding! High-quality beauty detected.

Name: Peony

Cultivation: Mahayana Peak

Age: 666

Aptitude: Top-grade Spiritual Root

Rating: 95

Xiao Ye was shocked internally. Holy crap! Peak Mahayana! This is a high-quality thigh to hug!

Although he desperately wanted to hug this thigh, he still cupped his hands and bowed on the surface. "Valley Master Peony, I have heard much about you. I am Xiao Ye, Emperor of the Great Qian. My visit today is presumptuous, but I come to propose a marriage."

"Oh?" Fairy Peony picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked with indifference, "Which Disciple of my valley does Emperor Xiao wish to marry?"

"Saintess Yu Keqing."

As soon as the words fell, the hall went quiet for a moment. Immediately after, several female Disciples of Baihua Valley on both sides couldn't help but chuckle, their whispers buzzing like flies.

"The Emperor of Great Qian? That small country? I heard they don't even have a Soul Transformation expert... Oh, he is one himself, just broke through."

"Just an upstart, relying on a bit of combat power to act so brazenly. He actually wants to marry our Saintess?"

"Saintess Yu Keqing has a Top-grade Spiritual Root, is a Soul Transformation True Monarch, and is a future candidate for Valley Master! Does a small country ruler at the Early Stage of Soul Transformation even deserve her?"

Xiao Ye remained expressionless, standing there with a smile as if he hadn't heard anything.

Although Fairy Peony didn't join in the laughter, the hint of disdain in her eyes could not be hidden. She set down her teacup, her tone polite yet distant. "Emperor Xiao, our Saintess has a noble status and never marries outside the valley. Moreover, your Great Qian... is after all tucked away in a corner, and is not a match for Baihua Valley in terms of status."

Translated into plain language, it meant: You are a small-time nobody from a broken country, you aren't worthy.

Xiao Ye nodded, took a jade bottle from his pocket, and placed it gently on the table. "Valley Master, this is a small gift for meeting you. It is a token of my respect."

Fairy Peony had intended to decline, but after a casual sweep of her Divine Sense, her expression changed abruptly. She snatched up the jade bottle, pulled out the stopper, and poured out a round, plump Medicinal Pill that shimmered with spiritual light.

"This is a spirit ascension pill," Xiao Ye said calmly.

"Ten spirit ascension pills?" Fairy Peony's voice changed pitch. "This... this is the divine medicine that can improve the grade of a Spiritual Root?"

"Exactly." Xiao Ye leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "One spirit ascension pill can raise a Low Grade Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root to a Medium Grade, Medium to High Grade, and High to Top-grade. Ten spirit ascension pills are enough for Baihua Valley to nurture ten geniuses with Top-grade Spiritual Roots. Valley Master, do you think this dowry is substantial enough?"

The hall fell silent.

The female Disciples who had just been whispering were all wide-eyed, their mouths open wide enough to fit a fist. Ten spirit ascension pills? Those are Heaven-Defying divine items that cannot be bought even with Spirit Stones! This Emperor of Great Qian is too extravagant, isn't he?

Fairy Peony's hands trembled slightly, her gaze shifting back and forth between the Medicinal Pills and Xiao Ye. After a long while, she took a deep breath, capped the jade bottle, and slowly pushed it back onto the table.

Xiao Ye raised an eyebrow. "Is the Valley Master not satisfied?"

"No." Fairy Peony stood up, walked over to Xiao Ye, and looked him up and down with a complex expression. "Emperor Xiao, I have seen your sincerity. I can agree—but as for the Saintess... you will have to handle that yourself."

"Deal." Xiao Ye smiled, stood up, and patted his robes. "Where is the Saintess?"

"The flower sea behind the mountain." Fairy Peony called over a Disciple. "Take Emperor Xiao to find the Saintess."

Xiao Ye followed the Disciple out of the Hundred Flowers Palace, and Fairy Peony's voice came from behind him. "Emperor Xiao, if the Saintess does not agree, this marriage will not happen. And the Medicinal Pills will not be returned!"

Xiao Ye didn't even turn his head, waving his hand nonchalantly. "Rest assured, when I make a move, there is no woman I cannot win over."

Fairy Peony watched his back and shook her head, muttering in a low voice, "This small country ruler is actually quite interesting." She looked down at the bottle of spirit ascension pills, hesitated for a moment, and then stored it in her Storage Pouch—what if the Saintess actually agreed?

The flower sea behind the mountain. Flowers covered the mountains and plains, colorful and vibrant, the fragrance so rich it could intoxicate a person.

A woman in white was crouching in the flower bushes, carefully watering a spirit flower.

Her long hair flowed like a waterfall, her profile was exquisite, and her figure was graceful; even while crouching, one could see the stunning curves of her exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio.

Ding! High-quality beauty detected.

Name: Yu Keqing

Cultivation: Soul Transformation, 3rd Layer

Age: 36

Aptitude: Top-grade Spiritual Root

Rating: 95

What a perfect baby mama!

"Yu Keqing?" Xiao Ye walked over and greeted her with a smile.

The woman in white looked up, revealing a face that could topple cities, her brows slightly furrowed. "Who are you?"

"I am Xiao Ye, Emperor of the Great Qian, here to propose marriage to you." Xiao Ye got straight to the point, not mincing words at all.

Yu Keqing was stunned for a moment, then stood up and said expressionlessly, "I won't marry."

"Don't be in such a rush to refuse." Xiao Ye smiled, stepped closer, took a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, and shook it in front of Yu Keqing. "Don't you want to make a name for yourself and become a legend? As long as you are with me, all of this can be achieved."

Yu Keqing looked at him expressionlessly, as if she were looking at a snake-oil salesman.

Xiao Ye didn't mind. He poured out three round, plump Medicinal Pills that shimmered with spiritual light and held them in his palm. "spirit ascension pills, they can improve the grade of a Spiritual Root. You have a Top-grade Spiritual Root; take these three, and you will directly reach a Mutated Spiritual Root. I don't need to tell you how fast a Mutated Spiritual Root Cultivates, do I?"

Yu Keqing's gaze paused slightly; staring at the three Medicinal Pills, a hint of temptation flashed in her eyes.

Her greatest wish was to be famous throughout the world, a fact Xiao Ye had already found out from Fairy Peony—how could a woman who pursued fame and status be indifferent to a Mutated Spiritual Root?

But she only hesitated for a moment before regaining her cold demeanor and turning her head away. "Three spirit ascension pills... are not enough."

Translated into plain language, it meant: The pills are good, but if you want me to spread my legs, this chip is not enough.

Xiao Ye smiled and took out an ancient-looking Secret Manual, with four large characters on the cover—Jade Maiden Immortal Scripture.

"This is an immortal technique, divided into nine layers. Once practiced to the ninth layer, cultivation speed increases by two hundred and fifty-six times." He handed the Secret Manual to Yu Keqing. "A Mutated Spiritual Root, plus two hundred and fifty-six times the cultivation speed—one day of your cultivation will equal a year of someone else's. Never mind fame throughout the world? You will likely become famous throughout the Five Regions."

Yu Keqing's breathing finally became erratic.

She stared at the Secret Manual, her fingers curling slightly, as if she were still trying hard to restrain herself from taking it.

"How do I know if what you say is true or false?"