Compared to the flustered beast cultivators all around her, Song Wanníng looked calm and confident. Every move she made carried quiet assurance, not even a hint of panic.
In fact, she looked more like one of the human cultivators than a beast.
The Patriarch of the Hua Clan noticed it right away. Their sharp gaze lingered on her for a moment, thoughtful, before they finally looked away.
Among the participants, over a dozen were human cultivators.
Most of them handled the basics of planting well enough.
But out of the hundred or so beast cultivators who stepped forward, barely twenty looked like they knew what they were doing. The rest fumbled around clumsily, drawing laughter and teasing from the onlookers.
Before long, everyone's eyes turned toward one particular beast cultivator.
"Wait, isn't that the wolf clan's alchemist, Xicheng?"
"Yeah, that's him. I heard he's one of the youngest alchemists in their new generation, and he's already refining fifth-grade pills!"
"For real? He looks so young!"
"Of course. The wolf clan's been bragging about him nonstop."
"Seems like this guy might actually win the contest."
"Don't be so sure. The humans aren't doing badly either, maybe they'll surprise us."
Among the beast clans, alchemists were rare. Even a fifth-grade alchemist like Xicheng was a rising star and drew plenty of attention.
So now, most people pinned their hopes on the young wolf. The rest of the bets went to the human cultivators.
Li Qingya planted her flowers with practiced grace, every movement smooth and almost hypnotic. She stole a glance at Song Wanníng's progress, a flicker of calculation glinting in her eyes.
Before long, everyone stopped moving, the flowers now rooted in the prepared soil.
Several human cultivators had brought nutrient solutions and spirit spring water, and the flowers they watered instantly perked up, glowing with renewed life. Satisfied smiles spread across their faces. They were sure they'd taken the lead.
The finals, they thought, would definitely be among them.
"Go, check them one by one," the Hua Clan Patriarch said coolly, motioning for the flower spirits to inspect each contestant's work.
Song Wanníng stood quietly at the back, waiting. Li Qingya, standing nearby, suddenly struck up a conversation.
"Daoyou, your planting technique's amazing. Are you an alchemist by any chance?"
Her smile was polite, her tone curious, perfectly natural as if she truly wanted to know.
Song Wanníng turned her head, gave a small nod, and didn't elaborate.
Li Qingya didn't mind her coldness. She kept chatting with a friendly smile, careful not to overstep.
Song Wanníng glanced at her a few more times, that faintly odd feeling growing stronger. Something about the woman's behavior felt off. Someone that guarded and poised wouldn't normally start chatting so casually.
Keeping her guard up, Song Wanníng decided to play along. She wanted to see what this woman was after.
Soon, the flower spirits reached Song Wanníng. Seeing her gentle smile, a few of them blushed. They examined her planting more thoroughly than usual, and when they found the flower had survived, their eyes lit up.
"Congratulations, you've passed!"
They beamed at her. Compared to the rowdy beast cultivators, Song Wanníng stood out like a vision of beauty, a calm, radiant figure that was impossible to ignore.
Even among the Hua Clan's own people, her kind of beauty was rare, edged with quiet sharpness rather than softness.
Amused, Song Wanníng smiled and thanked them, then turned to watch as they checked Li Qingya's work.
"Congratulations, Daoyou, you've passed as well!"
"Great!"
Relief flashed across Li Qingya's face. She'd been planning to make it to the next round so she could get closer to Song Wanníng and win her trust.
For the rest of the time, she played the role of a curious amateur who admired alchemists, asking question after question about pill refinement.
Li Qingya had always been good at acting, or she never could've fooled her sect for so long. Now, she slipped into the role easily, her flattery just the right mix of genuine and subtle. It was so well done that it actually made people feel good talking to her.
Song Wanníng's smile deepened. She went along with it, humoring her. She knew one simple truth: when someone's behavior makes you feel too comfortable, it's usually because they're after something. So what exactly did this woman want?
As Song Wanníng pondered that question, the second round began. It was the same process, but this time the flowers were rarer and harder to nurture.
Once again, Song Wanníng moved unhurriedly, showing no sign of ambition or anxiety.
Dozens had been eliminated in the previous round. Now only a little over thirty participants remained, including more than ten human cultivators. With the stakes higher, everyone gave it their all.
The Hua Clan Patriarch had promised that no matter whether they managed to awaken the clan's descendant or not, the winner would still receive a reward.
That meant whoever won would get the Soul-Shaping Flower!
So everyone was desperate to succeed.
But watching flowers grow wasn't exactly thrilling. The beast cultivators who'd been excited at first were now yawning and chatting in small groups.
Their conversations inevitably drifted toward gossip about the Hua Clan's past.
The Hua Clan and the Cao Mu Clan had once been one and the same, but something happened ten thousand years ago that tore them apart.
After that, both clans became secretive, rarely appearing in the outside world.
They didn't even get involved when major upheavals hit the beast clans.
And now, out of nowhere, the Hua Clan was inviting outsiders to a planting contest? All for one descendant? It was strange no matter how you looked at it.
"I heard some elder from the Cao Mu Clan seduced and abandoned a Hua Clan flower spirit, then married a human. That's why they broke apart!"
"That's not what I heard. Supposedly, the Cao Mu Patriarch tried to reform the entire clan, and the Hua Clan refused, so they split."
"No, you're both wrong. I heard the Hua Clan got greedy and tried to take control of the Cao Mu Clan, so they got kicked out!"
"Bullshit, it was actually—"
The stories got more and more ridiculous, and before long, even the listeners were rolling their eyes.
So many rumors, and not a single one consistent.
The Hua Clan Patriarch sat silently at the top seat, their gaze cold as they listened to the careless chatter.
If not for Xiao Shiba, they never would've opened the barrier to let these pests in.
Now, they felt the visitors' presence tainted the Hua Clan's sacred land.
Suppressing their irritation, they turned their gaze back to the contestants.
With one glance, they could already tell who'd succeeded.
Sure enough, after the flower spirits checked everything, ten participants advanced to the third round.
"Congratulations to those who passed. You've entered the third round," the Hua Clan Patriarch announced.
But the third round won't be held here. It'll take place in our Hua Clan's forbidden grounds. As for the rest of you, please see yourselves out."