Chapter 590: Seed

Oblivious to the commotion of the outside world, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou pressed forward into the second realm, perfectly maintaining their guise as prodigies of the demon clan.

The air of this second stratum hung thick with the heady, intoxicating scent of blossoms, an endless tapestry of vibrant petals stretching as far as the eye could see.

Within this boundless garden knelt a slender, graceful figure, softly inhaling the sweet fragrance of the soil.

Sensing the arrival of the newcomers, the maiden rose to her feet with a gentle smile and clapped her hands in welcome.

“Greetings, travelers, and welcome to the second realm. I am the Spirit of this secret domain, known to all as Luo Hong.”

A domain spirit was a phenomenon unique to secret realms constructed by cultivators of the Tribulation Transmutation Stage; it was not a true living soul, but rather a preordained, intricate spell.

Yet, this particular manifestation had amassed enough consciousness over the ages to mimic the nuanced reasoning of a living being.

The Fortune Realm was a sanctuary of antiquity, and the only reason it had spoken in the modern tongue while decreeing the rules of the first realm was that Luo Hong had been actively studying their language.

In the absolute absence of the realm’s master, the domain spirit wielded supreme authority over everything within its bounds.

“Greetings, Senior,” the crowd echoed in unison.

Though they well knew she was merely a complex spell, none dared treat her as such, rendering their bows with utmost solemnity and respect.

“It seems this generation possesses some semblance of manners,” she observed softly.

Yet Luo Hong was not one to grant leniency for mere courtesy; clapping her hands once more, a clay pot and a single seed tumbled down from above onto each cultivator.

“The first realm tested your martial might; the second shall weigh the virtues of your character.”

“The trial before you is simple indeed: you must cultivate a flower.”

“In your hands lie the seeds of the Moon-Shadow Flower. When they bloom, they resemble ethereal beauties dancing beneath the midnight moon—a spectacle of peerless splendor.”

“The growth cycle of the Moon-Shadow Flower spans exactly fifteen days. Your task during this fortnight is to ensure a blossom rises from your pot; do so, and you shall pass. I will not supervise you during this period.”

“The more luxuriant the blossom grows, the higher your commendation shall be.”

“Be warned: during these days, you are strictly forbidden from employing any spiritual arts, sacred treasures, or any manner of cultivation techniques.”

“Furthermore, you must not converse with one another; this flower must be raised in absolute solitude.”

Noticing the tension tightening across their faces, Luo Hong offered a reassuring smile. “Do not be overly anxious. The Moon-Shadow Flower is quite resilient; the moment it touches soil, it takes root and sprouts.”

“Fairy, have you ever chanced upon this Moon-Shadow Flower?” Lu Yang inquired in a hushed whisper.

“I have indeed,” the internal voice replied. “It is a flower of rare elegance, once highly favored. Since you have never heard of it, I imagine it must be entirely extinct in your era.”

The rules of the second realm sounded simple enough, yet to Lu Yang's dismay, he was barred from consulting Old Meng.

Jiang Shishi cradled her earthenware pot, gently burying the seed within the earth, loosening the soil, and watering it with meticulous care, yet the Moon-Shadow Flower showed not the slightest inkling of sprouting.

Her brow furrowed, and her instincts urged her to seek counsel from Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, but the strict prohibition against communication stayed her hand.

She began to turn the rules over in her mind again and again, wondering if some crucial detail had slipped past her.

“If Daoist Lu Yang were in my stead, how would he unravel this riddle...”

...

The fifteen days dissolved into the ether, and the day of reckoning arrived.

The demonic prodigies stood in a rigid line alongside the two pure-blooded humans, awaiting Luo Hong’s judgment.

Standing at the vanguard of the line was Su Lian’er of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.

Clad in immaculate white silk, her countenance was breathtakingly beautiful as she cradled her pot, looking the very picture of fragile sorrow.

Her flowerpot was entirely barren.

Luo Hong’s brow twitched. “Where is your flower?”

Heavy tears began to cascade down Su Lian’er's cheeks, a sight so pitiful it compelled anyone to wipe them away.

“The blossom was growing beautifully at first,” she sobbed. “But having inherited the ancestral legacy of my lineage, I possess a beauty that shames the moon and causes flowers to wither in envy. The moment the Moon-Shadow Flower opened its petals and beheld my face, it withered and died of sheer shame.”

Luo Hong stared intently at Su Lian’er for what felt like an eternity before finally letting out a slow, deliberate breath.

“Very well. I shall count it as a pass.”

Next in line stood Jiang Shishi.

Within her pot, a Moon-Shadow Flower bloomed in magnificent, breathtaking splendor.

Luo Hong offered a solitary nod, granting her passage.

Then came Ao Yue.

Ao Yue’s pot was similarly devoid of life, holding nothing but empty earth.

“Where is your flower?”

Ao Yue clasped his hands together, bowing with immense deference. “Replying to Senior, I have failed to grow any flower.”

“Give me your reason.”

Hearing the question, Ao Yue straightened his posture and smiled proudly. “Senior stated at the very beginning that the second realm tests our inner qualities. In my estimation, the seed Senior bestowed upon us was incapable of blooming from the start. This trial was meant to test our honesty!”

“...You are disqualified.”

“Why?!” Ao Yue’s eyes widened in frantic disbelief; he had been entirely certain of his triumph.

Luo Hong let out a cold, mocking laugh. “You have the audacity to ask why? It is true that I gave you all boiled seeds that could never sprout, but whoever told you that this trial was meant to test honesty? The human race is cunning and thick-skinned; what use has the demon race for honesty? Do you truly believe your honesty can vanquish the humans?”

“This trial was meant to test your ability to deceive.”

“Though the little girl from the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan spun a clumsy tale, it was a falsehood nonetheless, so I permitted her to pass.”

“Then what of Jiang Shishi? How did she manage to present a blooming Moon-Shadow Flower?”

Luo Hong’s sneer deepened. “Did you fail to listen when I decreed the rules? I commanded you to make a flower grow within the pot; when did I ever state that you were required to plant the specific seed I gave you?”

Ao Yue stood utterly speechless, the truth washing over him as he frantically recalled her exact words.

It was not just Ao Yue; the demonic prodigies lined up behind him all held empty pots, lowering their heads in profound shame.

Every single one of them had assumed Luo Hong was testing their honesty.

Jiang Shishi breathed a silent sigh of relief, profoundly grateful that she had mirrored Lu Yang’s unorthodox way of thinking to dissect the rules and grasp what the domain spirit truly desired.

The demonic prodigies trailing behind Ao Yue were systematically eliminated without exception, until Luo Hong finally halted her stride before Meng Jingzhou.

She scrutinized him from head to toe, his conspicuous display of prowess in the first realm having piqued her curiosity.

“Where is your flowerpot?”

Meng Jingzhou stood with entirely empty hands; there was no flower to be seen, nor even a pot.

“Please follow me.”

With a theatrical gesture, Meng Jingzhou escorted Luo Hong to a secluded corner of the garden where a veritable sea of Moon-Shadow Flowers bloomed in rich, dense clusters of extraordinary beauty.

The bottom of Meng Jingzhou’s flowerpot had been completely hollowed out, placed flat on the ground like a miniature retaining wall around the most vibrant, overflowing cluster of wild flowers.

Meng Jingzhou scratched the back of his head with an air of sheepish modesty, his grin stretching so wide it nearly reached his ears. “Ah, I am truly embarrassed. I don’t know what came over the flower I planted, but it grew so fiercely that it busted a massive hole right through the bottom of the pot. You see, it ended up looking just like this.”

“If I recall correctly, Senior did say that the more luxuriant the flower grows, the higher the commendation, right?”

Luo Hong stared at him, entirely speechless.

I did say the more luxuriant the growth the higher the evaluation, but this is simply absurd.

It was blatantly obvious that this round was a trial of deception, and the fabrications had begun.

"Passed."

The last one was Lu Yang. Lu Yang’s flowerpot was completely empty—forget a flower, there was not even a speck of soil inside.

"Empty. You failed—"

"Hold on," Lu Yang said, raising a hand to stop them.

"The condition for passing was to make a flower grow from the pot within fifteen days, correct?"

"Correct."

"Then I have passed."

"Where is your flower?"

Lu Yang pointed to the flowerbeds blanketing the ground and said with absolute confidence, "During these fifteen days, I kept planting the flowers from the beds into my pot, then moving them out, swapping them for another batch to plant inside, and moving them out again."

"Every single flower in this garden can be considered to have grown from my pot."

"If Senior does not believe me, you may inspect the roots of all the flowers in the garden. They will undoubtedly be stained with the soil from my pot."

Luo Hong: "..."

The condition for passing never specified it had to be on the fifteenth day, but rather within these fifteen days from the start of the match.

Even Luo Hong herself had not realized such a loophole existed within the rules.

"That is incorrect. The second layer of the trial tests whether you possess the quality of dishonesty," Luo Hong said, attempting to claw back a victory for herself.

"Exactly. Everything I just said was completely made up."