Chapter 176: Wanhua Valley

After leaving the Heavenly Sword Sect, Su Yun did not head straight for Wanhua Valley.

He first returned to the Zixia Sect to hand over the newly recruited Jian Xin and Wuxin to Fairy Zixia for placement.

The 4,300 female Disciples from the Heavenly Sword Sect were incorporated into the Outer Sect of the Zixia Sect, all uniformly changing into purple dresses, though the long swords on their backs remained unchanged.

Fairy Zixia remarked that these female Disciples had a solid foundation in swordsmanship and, with a little training, could become an elite force for the Zixia Sect.

Su Yun nodded and told her to handle it as she saw fit.

The next morning, he set off with Zi Ling.

Wanhua Valley was located on the snowy plains in the north of the Immortal Realm, and it would take seven days to fly there from the Zixia Sect.

The further north they flew, the colder the weather became, and the green beneath their feet was gradually replaced by white.

On the seventh day, an endless snowy plain unfolded within their field of vision.

The snow was very thick, reaching up to their knees when stepped on, and the wind blew like knives cutting against their faces.

Zi Ling shrank her neck and thickened her protective spiritual light.

Wanhua Valley was not on the surface of the snowy plains but underground.

Zi Ling pointed to a series of low snow hills ahead and said that the entrance to Wanhua Valley was beneath them.

The ancestors of Wanhua Valley had carved out a massive Immortal Cave beneath the snowy plains, using a Formation to draw up geothermal heat and Cultivate a sea of flowers underground.

Inside the valley, it was spring all year round with flowers in full bloom, a completely different world from the icy, snow-covered surface.

Su Yun landed in front of the snow hills and probed underground with his Divine Sense.

His Middle Mahayana Stage Divine Sense pierced through the thick ice and rock, sensing a massive space beneath the ground.

The space was filled with dense Spiritual Qi and vitality, with over ten thousand auras circulating, all female cultivators ranging from Foundation Establishment to the Mahayana Stage.

He asked Zi Ling who the Master of Wanhua Valley was.

Zi Ling said the Valley Master was named Valley Master Hua Qianying, a Middle Mahayana Stage cultivator who practiced wood-element Cultivation Techniques and specialized in Alchemy and beast taming.

The female cultivators of Wanhua Valley were all beautiful and possessed outstanding temperaments, making them the most coveted marriage partners for male cultivators from the various great Immortal Sects in the Immortal Realm.

Su Yun asked if Wanhua Valley had a protective Formation.

Zi Ling said there was a Formation, a Middle Mahayana Stage level one, and forcibly breaking it would alert the entire Wanhua Valley.

Su Yun thought for a moment and said there was no need to break the Formation; he would wait for someone to come and receive them.

He raised his hand and shot a stream of spiritual power toward the snow hills.

The spiritual power sank into the snow, triggering a warning Formation.

A moment later, the snow hill cracked open, and two young women walked out from within.

Both were dressed in pink and white long dresses, with long hair draped over their shoulders, exquisite features, and a gentle demeanor.

They were at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage.

Upon seeing Su Yun and Zi Ling, they frowned slightly. "What brings the two of you to Wanhua Valley?"

Su Yun handed over a Jade Slip, which was an introduction letter written by Fairy Zixia.

The woman took the Jade Slip, probed it with her Divine Sense, her expression shifted, and she turned to go inside and report.

After a while, she came out and said the Valley Master invited them in.

Su Yun followed them into the fissure, which led to a long passageway beneath, embedded with night-luminescent pearls on both sides that emitted a soft glow.

After walking for about half an incense stick's time, the view suddenly opened up.

A massive underground garden appeared before them.

The garden was filled with various spiritual flowers—red, yellow, purple, and white—all blooming in competition, with dew drops still clinging to their petals.

The air was filled with a rich floral fragrance, mixed with the scent of soil and grass.

In the center of the garden stood a white palace, and in front of the palace was a clear stream with a few golden koi swimming in it.

Standing at the entrance of the palace were two rows of female Disciples wearing pink and white dresses, holding flower baskets, each one as beautiful as a flower.

Su Yun followed the woman into the palace.

The hall was very spacious, with the floor paved with white jade bricks and several bird-and-flower paintings hanging on the walls.

Sitting on the main seat was a woman who looked to be in her early thirties, wearing a pink dress with her long hair draped down, possessing exquisite features and a gentle smile in her eyes.

She was at the Middle Mahayana Stage.

The Master of Wanhua Valley, Valley Master Hua Qianying.

She looked at Su Yun and smiled slightly. "Young Master Su, it is rare for Fairy Zixia to recommend someone; please sit."

Su Yun sat down opposite her, with Zi Ling standing behind him.

Valley Master Hua Qianying's gaze swept over Zi Ling, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. "How is it that a Disciple of the Zixia Sect's Grand Elder is following Young Master Su?"

Zi Ling lowered her head. "Young Master Su is an honored guest of the Zixia Sect, and the Sect Master ordered me to accompany him."

Valley Master Hua Qianying did not press the matter and looked at Su Yun. "What business brings Young Master Su to my Wanhua Valley?"

Su Yun said, "I have long admired the reputation of Wanhua Valley and wanted to come and see it. Incidentally, I would like to discuss a business deal with the Valley Master."

Valley Master Hua Qianying raised an eyebrow. "What kind of business?"

Su Yun raised his hand, and a ball of golden light appeared in his palm.

It was the light of the Enslavement mark, and he did not hide it.

Valley Master Hua Qianying's expression changed slightly when she saw the golden light. "What is this?"

"A type of contract. Once planted, one's cultivation will improve much faster."

Valley Master Hua Qianying's expression darkened. "Young Master Su, Wanhua Valley does not welcome you. Please leave."

She stood up, releasing her Middle Mahayana Stage pressure, causing the palace to tremble.

Su Yun did not move; he looked up into Valley Master Hua Qianying's eyes.

His gaze was as calm as a pool of stagnant water, and Valley Master Hua Qianying felt a chill in her heart from being looked at like that.

Just as she wanted to say something, Su Yun had already stood up, stepped forward, and pointed a finger at the center of her forehead.

Valley Master Hua Qianying was greatly alarmed; her Middle Mahayana Stage spiritual power surged wildly, and she struck a palm toward Su Yun's chest.

Su Yun did not dodge; he took the blow head-on, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but his finger had already touched the center of Valley Master Hua Qianying's forehead.

Golden light flashed.

[Enslavement Successful] [New Slave Obtained: Valley Master Hua Qianying, Loyalty 41] [Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining partial spiritual power feedback from Enslavement; cultivation significantly improved.]

Valley Master Hua Qianying's body stiffened, and the gentleness in her eyes gradually turned into obedience.

She lowered her head. "Master."

Su Yun withdrew his hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

He turned to look at the female Disciples outside the hall—eighteen thousand of them, each one as beautiful as a flower.

He walked out of the palace and pointed at them one by one.

Golden light flickered amidst the sea of flowers, like countless golden bees flying through the flower bushes.

[Enslavement Successful × 18,000] [Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining partial spiritual power feedback × 18,000; cultivation significantly improved.]

Su Yun stood in the sea of flowers, closing his eyes, feeling the new surge of power within his body.

The feedback spiritual power from eighteen thousand female cultivators converged into an endless, rushing river, surging from the Void Realm and pouring into his Dantian.

His cultivation climbed all the way from the Middle Mahayana Stage, through the Peak Middle Mahayana Stage, to the Late Mahayana Stage.

He opened his eyes, and a purple-gold light flashed and vanished within them.

Valley Master Hua Qianying stood behind him, head lowered, her expression submissive.

Su Yun turned to look at her. "Among the female cultivators of Wanhua Valley, besides you, who else is in the Mahayana Stage?"

Valley Master Hua Qianying said, "There are three Elders, all at the Early Mahayana Stage. They are not in the valley today; they have gone to the Star Pavilion to attend the Dao Discussion Conference."

Su Yun asked where the Star Pavilion was.

Valley Master Hua Qianying said the Star Pavilion was located at Xingluo Lake in the northeast, and the Dao Discussion Conference was a decennial exchange event for the Seven Great Immortal Sects, which was hosted by the Star Pavilion this time.

The Seven Great Immortal Sects would all send people to participate, with each sect sending five to ten people, all of whom were at the Elder level.

Wanhua Valley sent three Elders, the Zixia Sect sent two, the Qingyun Palace sent three, the Heavenly Sword Sect sent two, the Star Pavilion and the Taixu Hall each sent five, and the Biluo Palace sent ten.

Su Yun's eyes lit up. "The Biluo Palace is also attending?"

Valley Master Hua Qianying nodded. "The Biluo Palace is the largest sect in the Immortal Realm, and their Palace Master is at the Late Mahayana Stage; they always send many people."

Su Yun was silent for a moment. He could not defeat a Late Mahayana Stage cultivator right now. However, at the Dao Discussion Conference, the Elders from the various sects would be gathered together; if he could infiltrate the event, subduing those female Elders all at once would be much faster than seeking them out one by one.

He asked Valley Master Hua Qianying when the Dao Discussion Conference would end.

Valley Master Hua Qianying said there were seven days left.

Su Yun nodded. "Lead the way, to the Star Pavilion."