Song of Adolescence

Chapter 57: A Beauty in Snow Moon

Snow Moon City, Hundred Flowers Banquet.

Snow Moon City was originally called the ‘Everlasting Peace City’ and it was merely an ordinary city situated on the southern region. It had beautiful scenery and the weather was nice all year round. Once upon a time, several world renowned martial artists traveled through the city where they took a break for several days to sample the locally brewed wine. On a particularly drunken night, they scaled a tall pavilion where they saw the reflection of a bright, full moon on the lake of snowy Mount Cangshan. As they gazed at the majestic sight, something dawned on them. Beneath them, stood the mortal realm and the city. Only by climbing this pavilion and ascending to the heavens would they be able to enjoy the sights of the snow and the moon. It was that moment they decided to settle down in that city. However, because these martial artists were so famous, only the term ‘Snow Moon City’ persisted through time, leaving its original name lost forever.

Amongst the various experts residing in the city, there was a lady who was fond of growing plants. She once grew a stalk of white rose with petals that bore a tinge of violet on its edges, a one of a kind flower that she named the Demonic Violet Maiden. Unlike the countless others who stayed for the snow and moon, her reason for staying was the fragrance which enveloped the city every fourth month of the year. She was the one who set up the Hundred Flowers Banquet, and since then, the Hundred Flowers Banquet became one of the grandest occasions held within the Snow Moon City on the fourth month of the year. Disciples of the upper class, whether self-proclaimed or otherwise, would flock to the Misty Pavilion to appreciate the beauty of the flowers in bloom while they indulge themselves in alcohol. Even the citymasters of Snow Moon City would personally attend the celebrations.

“Even though the Hundred Flowers Banquet is still held every year, a worthy flower has never been seen again.” A white robed young master said slowly as he waved a purple fan in his hand.

“I heard that Immortal Maiden Luoxia is an exceptional beauty as well. Unfortunately, she doesn’t attend the Hundred Flowers Banquet. Still, there are a number of exceptional ladies in our city. Do none of them catch your eye, brother?” The person standing beside this white robed man piped up. Other than looking several years younger than the white robed man, they looked almost identical.

Flowers bloomed throughout the pavilion, and as they swayed elegantly in the wind, the pleasant scent of fresh flowers drifted in the wind. Even the normally indifferent Xiao Se couldn’t help but grace the occasion with a smile as he looked at them and said, “Jiangnan’s Duan Clan?”

Tang Lian who was beside him nodded and continued, “That’s right. The famous poem ‘The green hills roll while the river flows, autumn has passed yet the flowers of Jiangnan still bloom’ refers to the Duan Clan who pride themselves on their sophistication. The younger one is Duan Xuanheng while the older person next to him is Duan Xuanyi, his older brother and the future head of the Duan Clan.”

“Sophisticated? More like frivolous…” Xoao Se unceremoniously harrumphed.

“Brother Xie, are you satisfied with this year’s Hundred Flowers Banquet?” Said the only citymaster who was willing to reveal his face to the public, Sikong Changfeng, as he sat in a booth on the highest level of the Misty Pavilion and sipped a mouthful of wine. Looking at the magnificent scene below, his eyes narrowed into lines as a smile blossomed on his face. With his usual carefree attitude, tt was rare for him to behave so elegantly.

“This year’s banquet is indeed more magnificent than before. However, while there’s a view to admire, there are no flowers to match -such a pity. An abundance of scholars, with enough poetry to fill the halls themselves, yet there is no one to receive them… even this pot of excellent wine seems to have lost all its taste.” The white robed, scholarly figure beside him had a placid expression on his face as he lightly sighed.

Stinging though those remarks were, Sikong Changfeng’s expression didn’t falter in the slightest as he simply responded, “The Misty Pavilion is Snow Moon City’s number one entertainment establishment. Even with so many beautiful dancers and suave young masters, not a single one of them is worthy of your praise?”

The white clothed scholar lowered his head and a slight smile appeared on his face. “A beautiful lady is like the snow, pure and elegant. There aren’t many people in this world whose beauty is worthy of being called a flower. Even though Snow Moon City is huge, I have only seen two such people. It’s a pity one of them likes to gamble and the other has a horrible temper. Neither of them attends the Hundred Flowers Banquet either.”

“Let’s see if you dare to say that to their face then.” Drinking a mouthful of wine, Sikong Changfeng laughed.

A soft chuckle escaped the white clothed scholar’s lips, “I wouldn’t dare to do that. An enraged beauty can topple a city.”

The two of them fell silent then. Seemingly disinterested, Sikong Changfeng turned away from the scene below. He simply drank his wine while minding his own business. As for the white robed scholar, a smile still hung on his face as he lowered his head to glance at the events unfolding below him. As his gaze swept across the pavilion, he caught sight of a green robed figure.

The people who could drink at the same table as Sikong Changfeng were naturally extraordinary people. Yet even such a man was left motionless, cup frozen mid air for an eternity as he eyed the figure.

Many years ago, this white clothed scholar accidentally tore off a person’s veil with a strike of his sword. Under the veil, he saw a face so beautiful that only a single thought appeared in his mind in that instant: that’s what a beauty should look like. Many years later, this sentence appeared in his mind once again.

That was how a beauty should be like.

The white clothed scholar gently placed down his cup and said, “Citymaster Sikong, I take back whatever I said a moment ago. This Hundred Flowers Banquet is most definitely different from the previous banquets I attended. Snow Moon City really deserves its name.”

“Oh?” Sikong Changfeng was a little shocked. Following the gaze of the white clothed scholar, he turned towards the green figure and nodded thoughtfully. “So it’s her… She is indeed a beauty.”

The white clothed scholar waved the fan in his hand as he casually said, “There is a beauty in Snow Moon tonight, and she has overshadowed the snow and the moon themselves.”

Even though his voice was barely audible, the green robed lady below them raised her head all of a sudden and faced him. A smile appeared on her face then, as though she had heard what he said.

The white clothed man was stunned but a grin quickly appeared on his face. “Looks like she’s an extraordinary beauty.”

“Of course. You even know her teacher… He’s Qi Tianchen.” Sikong Changfeng muttered.

The scholar’s eyebrows jumped at the revelation, and in a low voice, he said, “The head of the Ministry of Astrologians?”

“That’s right.” Sikong Changfeng nodded. “She’s Ye Xiaoying’s daughter. You should have seen her before.”

“So she’s that kid…” The white clothed man nodded and a sorrowful expression crept up his face. “Indeed, I’ve seen her before. She was merely a newborn but everyone had already came to the conclusion that she wouldn’t live long. What is she doing in Snow Moon City? Could it be that you managed to treat her illness?”

To that, Sikong Changfeng merely shook his head lightly while the scholar simply lowered his head to resume sipping on his wine, albeit with a slight frown.

Below, Xiao Se and Tang Lian exchanged a look with each other after noticing the green robed Ye Ruoyi. With Lei Wujie nowhere in sight, they swiftly came to this conclusion: he was probably held up by the Sword Immortal.

“Xiao Se, neverI knew you would be so concerned with his lifelong happiness.” Tang Lian chuckled.

Xiao Se, however, ruthlessly replied, “I’m concerned about your lifelong happiness as well, senior brother. Has the Heavenly Maiden Rui of the Enchantress Villa written to you yet?” Having said that, he realized that Tang Lian wasn’t responding so he turned around to find the normally stoic senior brother burning a bright red. He couldn’t help but want to laugh at that instant.

On the other side, the self-proclaimed elegant young masters of the Duan Clan noticed Ye Ruoyi as well. Duan Xuanyi, still waving his purple fan around, revealed a sharp glint in his eye. “Xuanheng, is that lady your junior sister?”

Duan Xuanheng glanced over and shook his head, “I have never seen her before. She should be a disciple of a clan attending the Hundred Flowers Banquet.”

Slapping his fan shut, Duan Xuanyi casually picked up a cup and started to walk over. “I’ll make the first move.”

Xiao Se’s eyes turned cold in an instant. “Senior brother.”

Tang Lian lightly nodded before flicking his fingertip. An instant later, the cup in Duan Xuanyi’s hand shattered to pieces while the wine inside sprayed forth. A frown appeared on Duan Xuanyi’s face. His hand promptly shot forth and, just mere moments later, the wine which sprayed all over the place like a blooming flower suddenly froze in the air!