To avoid arousing suspicion, Song Qing Shi went to gather Ye Xue Shen herbs before heading to Lang Gan Terrace to find someone.
Lang Gan Terrace was grandiose and opulent. Jin Fei Luo was hosting a small flower-viewing banquet, inviting about a dozen close friends to enjoy the performances. When he saw the arrival of the Medical Saint, he was overjoyed and promptly invited him to sit. The surrounding cultivators also became intrigued, eager to befriend this top healer in the celestial realm.
Extremely fearful of speaking to strangers, Song Qing Shi turned inward, his mind blank. Silently, he reviewed subjects like human anatomy, physiological hygiene, and lab rat breeding twice to regain the calm of a top medical student.
His original body possessed two divine flames: the Red Lotus Mysterious Flame for alchemy, and the Netherworld Ghostly Flame for assassination.
Song Qing Shi wore an expression of utter detachment, emitting the Netherworld Ghostly Flame in the palm of his hand. The flame danced on his fingertips, taking various shapes. Even cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage, considered top-tier in both the celestial and demonic realms, were wary of offending the Valley Lord of Medicine. Seeing the Netherworld Ghostly Flame, everyone wisely kept their distance, including female attendants and servants, who didn't want to risk incurring his wrath.
Song Qing Shi managed to create a sizable bubble of solitude around himself, effectively deterring any cultivators interested in networking. He then released his powerful Nascent Soul-stage divine consciousness, scanning all the beauties at the banquet. His aim was to identify the protagonist's significant other. However, Song Qing Shi quickly became overwhelmed—every single person was gorgeous, even the water-bearing attendants were more attractive than TV stars, and he couldn't distinguish who was the most exquisite.
Stubborn overachievers never back down! If he wasn't flustered by the Goldbach Conjecture, this wouldn't defeat him!
Song Qing Shi tried the method of elimination. First, he confirmed that the protagonist's significant other would be male, eliminating all the beauties from consideration. Then he made a list to scrutinize everyone, boldly seeking confirmation and cautiously making assumptions, crossing off those who didn't fit the profile one by one.
Twin brothers playing musical instruments were exceedingly beautiful, soft as jade, their smiles gentle as water, resembling two identical lotus blossoms.
There can't be two significant others for the protagonist—cross them out.
The youth pouring wine was also incredibly cute, with a sweet voice and a talent for acting coy. The cultivators at the table were utterly charmed, treating him with extraordinary tenderness, even feeding him precious celestial fruits while continuously calling him "darling."
The protagonist's significant other would have a tragic fate—cross him out.
The dancer on the stage, twirling water sleeves, had a flat chest and slender waist. Their flirty eyes made it difficult to discern whether they were male or female.
The protagonist's significant other probably wouldn't look like this, would they?
...
The celestial music shifted to a more languid tune, and the performers' movements became increasingly bold, tinged with a provocative flair.
The Young Sect Leader of Yue Yin Gate, noticeably inebriated, clutched his wine glass and tried to drape his arm over a beautiful person's shoulder, insisting they drink together.
Being a cultivator focused on physical training, he misjudged his strength while drunk and nearly crushed the beautiful person's shoulder. The latter let out a scream of agony, dropping their wine glass, which shattered on impact. Visibly shaken, they quickly knelt down and apologized: "I was wrong."
The Young Sect Leader of Yue Yin Gate shook his head in disappointment: "How dull."
Jin Fei Luo apologized: "You're right, Young Sect Leader. Such a useless beauty serves no purpose."
Sensing imminent danger, the beautiful person's eyes filled with tears. They began kowtowing frantically, blood smearing across their forehead.
The Young Sect Leader of Yue Yin Gate chuckled: "How annoying."
"Tonight is my banquet, and I won't allow it to be disturbed," said Jin Fei Luo, taking out a red bead from his pocket and giving it a twirl. The beautiful person's cries for mercy ceased abruptly. Against their will, they stood up and walked robotically to the edge of a raised platform, then leapt off without hesitation.
Song Qing Shi was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had just occurred.
Observing Song Qingshi's shocked expression, the young sect leader of the Moon Concealment Sect asked with a hint of amusement, "Is this your first time seeing a slave branded with a Hehuan Seal?"
Subconsciously, Song Qingshi nodded.
The young sect leader elaborated, "The Hehuan Seal is a technique created by the Celestial Joy Sage. A master can imprint it on the back of a slave, thereby gaining control over both their body and soul. Without express permission from the master, the slave cannot commit suicide. Just now, Master Jin used a Psychic Bead to command the wretched creature to jump off the platform, so as not to disturb the tranquility of our gathering."
After hearing this explanation, Song Qingshi was finally able to locate the information on the Hehuan Seal within the original host's memories. It's a cruel branding technique used by celestial cultivators to dominate slaves, applicable to low-level cultivators and mortals alike. Once branded, the slaves can't defy their masters, even if they're treated as less than animals. Some cultivators take sadistic pleasure in torturing or killing their slaves, rendering it a malevolent artifact.
And yet...
In the celestial realm, purchasing mortal slaves and branding them with this seal is a legal transaction.
Due to the Earth's scarce spiritual energy, mortals have short lifespans and rarely possess potent spiritual roots. For them, even reaching the Foundation Establishment stage is a Herculean task. Some kind-hearted cultivators would take mortals as disciples, offering them a chance for ascension. Thousands of years ago, a mortal named Mo Yuan, a prodigy in swordsmanship, reached the Soul-Infant stage and created his own unparalleled sword technique, rivaling Ancestral Spirit Masters, and earning the title of Sword Sage. However, the path of cultivation is fraught with peril, making it difficult to impose ethical constraints.
Weakness is a sin; mortals are but ants at the mercy of celestial cultivators who play with their lives as they please.
Even the renowned Sword Sage Mo Yuan could only influence orthodox sects to recognize those who successfully reach the Foundation Establishment stage as cultivators rather than slaves or playthings. However, the demon cults and heretical sects never heed such rules. Captured cultivators, let alone mortals, suffer unspeakable cruelties at their hands.
Though Master Jin is infatuated with beauty and cruelly inventive in torturing slaves, Golden Phoenix Manor is considered an orthodox sect. Every slave here originated as a mortal, and their purchase is legally sanctioned. Others may find this detestable, but they have no right to intervene.
Despite his disgust, Song Qingshi felt somewhat relieved that his assigned identity wasn't a mortal; otherwise, he'd barely survive a few chapters, let alone rescue the protagonist.
Thankfully, this is just a fictional world...
Novels teach twisted ideologies; textbooks are the true guides to life! Confiscating novels from students during lectures was the right thing to do! If he ever becomes a professor, he'd also prohibit students from reading novels to avoid corrupting their morals!
So pondered Song Qingshi.
...
All the beauties at the banquet served the distinguished guests nervously, fearing another mistake.
Pearls tarnished, precious jewels shattered.
The opulent banquet had finally reached its pinnacle.
Disciples of Golden Phoenix Manor dimmed the luminous pearls that lit the hall, plunging the entire Langgan Platform into darkness.
Guests looked up in surprise, only to see firework spells streaking across the sky, blooming into a radiant golden phoenix that danced gracefully. This signaled that the grand spectacle of the Floral Banquet was about to truly commence. Master Jin raised his cup once more, inviting the guests to join in the admiration.
Song Qingshi marveled at the beauty of the dancing phoenix, transfixed by its grace for quite some time. Only then did he notice a youth in white appearing next to Jin Feirong.
The youth was strikingly pure and delicate, resembling fresh bamboo in a mountain grove or the radiant moon in the sky. His downcast eyes were veiled in a layer of icy aloofness. His waterfall-like black hair was simply tied back with a ribbon. Although devoid of any additional adornments, his presence effortlessly captured everyone's lingering attention.
The imposing and handsome Master of the Manor was smiling, gently scratching the youth's palm with his finger while offering him treasures and coaxing a smile from him.
Yet the youth turned his head away, showing no signs of acknowledgment, refusing even to grant a glance.
Jin Feirong forcefully turned the youth's face toward him, secured his hands behind his back with one hand, and pulled him into an embrace. He tenderly kissed the youth's forehead, bridge of his nose, and finally bit his lips as if wanting to devour him whole. As the youth winced in pain, Jin Feirong chuckled and loosened his grip, whispering into his ear, "Do you still wish to learn some manners?"
The youth stiffened for a moment, then ceased his struggles and obediently nestled into Jin Feirong's embrace.
Could this be the protagonist's love interest?
After discreetly observing for quite a while, Song Qingshi finally overcame his social anxiety and prepared to probe the matter further. The revered Lingbao Immortal Sage, a close acquaintance of Jin Feirong, already approached, asking with a smile, "Is this your newly-acquired treasure? Pure Yin constitution with a water elemental spiritual root? How about letting me sample his charms tonight?"
Jin Feirong glanced at the youth in his arms, who appeared to be flushed with indignation, gave him a playful squeeze, and declined with a smile, "He may be just a trinket, but he is quite to my liking. I can't part with him. Later, I'll send some of my best beauties your way, all exceptionally clean."
Lingbao Immortal Sage scrutinized the youth and remarked, "Your treasure is still untouched?"
Jin Feirong responded, "I do not wish to treat him like an ordinary slave."
In the celestial realm, beautiful slaves often have little say in their fate. Those fortunate might serve as concubines; the unlucky ones are treated no better than prostitutes, their bodies offered up to serve guests. Even the most outrageous affairs are simply chalked up to their masters' amorous adventures and regarded as amusing diversions.
Song Qingshi felt that he had learned a lifetime's worth of vulgarities tonight. He now understood things he never wanted to understand.
Observing Jin Feirong pouring wine for the youth personally, Song Qingshi felt uncertain if this was the protagonist's love interest. Although the youth in white seemed to draw more attention than other beauties present, the System's task specified someone who needed help due to a tragic fate. Judging by how Jin Feirong currently doted on the youth, others at the banquet seemed to have it much worse…
The questions in Song Qingshi's mind were becoming increasingly perplexing.
At that moment, the phoenix in the sky completed its dance and descended, its glow fading away.
As the light dissipated, a golden perch materialized on the Langgan Platform. Seated atop was a stunning beauty, his pure white ankles encircled by golden anklets studded with precious jewels, tethered to the perch with delicate golden chains. His upper body was covered by an almost transparent gauze, revealing a glimpse of the dazzling ornaments beneath. His skirt was made of gold and red feathers, fashioned to resemble a phoenix tail. His flowing hair was adorned with pearls transformed from mermaid tears. A tantalizing Hehuan seal was faintly visible behind his hair, revealed in fleeting moments with the passing breeze. He looked like a vivid painting of a phoenix, a peony in the splendor of prosperity.
Holding a jade flute in hand, his lips parted, he exuded enchantment. His dark golden eyes appeared to be smirking, and with just a glance, he acknowledged everyone present. A small red mole beneath the corner of his eyes made everyone's hearts flutter. Song Qingshi sat up straight; he recognized the beauty as the man in red he had seen by the riverside.
The man in red swept his eyes over Song Qingshi, pausing momentarily before moving on as if he didn't recognize him.
Song Qingshi glanced from the youth dressed in white, radiant as the moon, to the man in red, splendid as the most magnificent peony. He was bewildered, unable to discern who among them was more beautiful or more likely to be the protagonist's love interest.
The System's test was proving to be quite the challenge.
Is Song the top student in danger of failing?