The man's words had barely fallen when the crowd burst into chatter.
Song Wanníng sat quietly among them, a faint glimmer flickering in her eyes.
The Hua Clan was known for its mastery of planting. If even they couldn't handle this, it was hard to imagine anyone else succeeding.
"You've got to be kidding me. If the Hua Clan can't do it, what chance do we have?"
"Exactly. When it comes to cultivation of plants, who could possibly outdo them?"
"What about the Cao Mu Clan? Didn't they help?" someone asked.
The man in white twitched his lips. "Are you asking that just to mess with me?"
"Everyone knows the Hua Clan split from the Cao Mu Clan ages ago. Now that they're in trouble, the Cao Mu Clan's probably sitting back and laughing. You think they'd help?"
That remark got a wave of agreement.
Tens of thousands of years ago, the Hua Clan officially separated from the Cao Mu Clan. No one knew the full story, but relations between the two had been terrible ever since.
Whenever they crossed paths, sparks flew. Neither side ever backed down.
"Well, I'm going to give it a shot. If I manage to make that flower grow, the Soul-Molding Flower will be mine!"
"Hahaha, count me in. I'm going too, just for fun!"
One by one, the demon cultivators grew restless. After all, if they could reshape their Primordial Souls, their strength would soar. Who wouldn't want that?
Seeing his job done, the man in white grinned. "Alright then, help me spread the word. I've still got other places to inform!"
He left in high spirits.
After all, the Hua Clan rewarded anyone who helped spread their announcement.
Even after he left, the tea stall buzzed with discussion.
The Hua Clan had always been a mystery. Everyone was curious about them, but they were notoriously reclusive, never joining any public events. They preferred to stay within their own borders, cultivating by absorbing the essence of heaven and earth.
Now that they'd opened their gates for a public competition, it was something no one could resist checking out.
"Sister, are we going?"
Xiao Jin looked up at Song Wanníng, his golden eyes sparkling with excitement. Ever since they'd arrived in the Beast Realm, they'd only dealt with monsters and animal-type beasts. They'd never seen a plant spirit before!
Seeing the little ones' eager faces, Song Wanníng couldn't help but smile fondly. "Of course we're going."
She was curious too and wanted to see it for herself.
As for the Soul-Molding Flower, she didn't expect much. Her planting skills were average at best. Keeping spirit herbs alive was one thing, but anything beyond that was another story.
She finished her tea, stood, and headed toward the Hua Clan's territory.
Everyone around had the same destination in mind. Among the travelers, a hawk demon cultivator followed her closely. He kept sneaking glances at Song Wanníng's face, clearly lovestruck, trying to strike up small talk in hopes of winning her favor.
Beastkind were naturally direct about attraction. If they liked someone, they confessed boldly.
Sensing her demonic aura, the hawk demon was overjoyed. He was already picking out names for their future children.
Song Wanníng shot him a sidelong glance, expression flat. It was the first time anyone had ever confessed to her this bluntly. She had to admit, beasts really did act on instinct.
Still, now wasn't the time to make a scene.
And to be fair, the hawk demon didn't mean harm, he was just showing off like a peacock spreading its feathers.
So, Song Wanníng simply released a wave of her aura.
The golden dragon's pressure rolled out like a storm. The smiling hawk demon instantly froze, nearly dropping to his knees. He grabbed the nearest tree for support, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
Song Wanníng turned her gaze toward him and asked with a soft smile, "Why'd you stop?"
Her tone sounded gentle, but her eyes were cold as frost.
The hawk demon's face drained of color. He shook his head so fast it was a blur.
Song Wanníng raised an eyebrow, then turned away without another word.
Once she left, the hawk demon exhaled shakily, cold sweat dripping down his back. He almost turned around to flee, but the lure of the Soul-Molding Flower was too strong. He decided to keep going—but from a very safe distance.
After his little display, no one else dared approach Song Wanníng again. Her beauty stood out no matter where she went, dazzling in any race. Naturally, it attracted plenty of unwanted attention.
But she didn't bother hiding herself. At her level, if she still needed to cover up, she might as well stop cultivating altogether.
She continued toward the Hua Clan's borders at a relaxed pace, feeling that this kind of quiet journey wasn't half bad.
Once her cultivation improved a bit more, Gong Ye would never escape her grasp again.
After two days of travel, Song Wanníng and her companions finally arrived outside the Hua Clan's territory. By then, a large crowd of demon cultivators—and even a few human cultivators—had already gathered there.
Everyone kept to their own side, waiting peacefully near the entrance.
Song Wanníng picked a random spot, leapt onto a tree branch, and settled down to wait.
Another day passed.
More and more people arrived, full of excitement for the competition.
She gazed toward the mist-shrouded Hua Clan lands. The fact that they'd rushed the timing for this contest meant their younger clan member's situation must be dire.
Time crept by slowly. Just as the crowd was starting to get restless, the Hua Clan's grand gates finally opened.
White mist drifted apart, unveiling a scene straight out of a dream.
Everywhere she looked, there were flowers. Some were in full bloom, others still budding, and some were only just emerging from the soil. The explosion of colors created a surreal beauty, as if the air itself shimmered.
A refreshing fragrance filled the air. Song Wanníng inhaled deeply, and her Primordial Soul instantly cleared. The fatigue she'd been carrying melted away.
"They're open!"
"Hahaha, finally! Let's see what this mysterious Hua Clan really looks like!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd as they entered the Hua Clan's domain. There was no tension, no sense of rivalry—only curiosity and awe.
Song Wanníng jumped down from the tree and blended into the crowd, walking deeper inside. With each step she took, the flowers beside her blossomed in turn, as if paving a crimson carpet to guide the way forward.
Everyone followed the path, winding deeper through turns and bends, until after several hours, they finally reached the heart of the Hua Clan's land.
There, the flower spirits appeared.
Handsome men and beautiful women stood on both sides of the path, smiling warmly as they welcomed the guests. Each carried a tray of flower nectar, offering it to every visitor who entered.
Song Wanníng's eyes lit up. The Hua Clan truly lived up to its name. Every one of them was stunning, each with their own kind of beauty, no two alike.
She accepted a cup of nectar from a graceful woman and offered her a gentle smile in return.
The woman's cheeks instantly flushed pink. After a moment's hesitation, she shyly handed Song Wanníng another cup.
Song Wanníng couldn't help but laugh softly. She thanked her in a low voice and continued deeper into the Hua Clan's domain, nectar in hand.