Snow-White Golden Orchid—naturally Qin Chang Ge knew of it. The national flower of Nanmin, white as the finest jade, with only golden yellow coloring at the leaf tips, brilliant and magnificent surpassing even gold itself. The petals were thick and heavy like congealed cream, and both stamens and leaves were miraculous medicines that could almost raise the dead. Even the exotic fragrance when the flowers bloomed could cure illness upon smelling. Throughout the entire country there were only ten plants—aside from two in the Orchid Valley inhabited by the Shui family, Nanmin’s most legendary clan known as the “Supreme Virtue Household,” the rest were all in Nanmin’s royal palace, treasured in the heavily guarded “Orchid Pavilion.” The King of Nanmin regarded them as the apple of his eye and pearl of his heart—ordinary people could hardly even catch a glimpse, yet Su Xuan had stolen one. Though Su Xuan spoke of it lightly, the extreme difficulty and danger of stealing the flower could easily be imagined.

Qin Chang Ge smiled and said, “The royal palace is heavily guarded—why not steal from Orchid Valley instead?”

“Ha, you’re wrong,” Su Xuan laughed. “The Shui family’s Orchid Valley is much harder to break into than the royal palace. I went there first—fought with the Shui family guards and thought them passable, first-rate martial artists of the jianghu. Then I encountered the Shui family’s deputy steward and felt our Blazing Flame’s great protector could step aside. Then I exchanged three moves with the Shui family’s chief steward and really wanted to bring our most arrogant hall master to spar with him—that might humble him a bit. Then I met the youngest young master of the Shui family, Shui Linghuai. Cough cough… that child was full of clever schemes, not at all like the Shui family style—I nearly fell for his tricks… Finally I encountered the Shui family’s famously renowned heir, the person supposedly with the best temperament in the entire world, Third Young Master Shui Jingchen…”

He suddenly smiled and stopped speaking. Qin Chang Ge cast a questioning glance, and Su Xuan murmured dreamily, “Truly a beauty…”

Qin Chang Ge rolled her eyes at him, and only then did Su Xuan laugh and continue, “This person with the world’s best temperament truly lived up to his reputation. When I got excited and attacked without caring about anything, he didn’t fight me at all. Very politely asking about my intentions, without another word he ordered someone to bring the flower as a gift. He even gently lectured that pile of people who had tried to stop me, speaking so that they were completely convinced and unanimously apologized to me, deciding to give me the flower.”

With a slight smile, Qin Chang Ge said, “What a formidable ‘good person.'”

“Indeed,” Su Xuan leaned back helplessly. “You know, I would have been fine with stealing it—gaining something through martial prowess isn’t shameful, but when someone courteously hands it to you, especially when they might not be unable to defeat you—that just felt wrong.”

“He truly understood the temperament of people like you,” Qin Chang Ge laughed. “Clear-minded as a mirror, wisdom like the sea, compassionate toward all things, untainted by worldly dust—the Shui family’s Third Young Master Shui Jingchen is indeed a remarkable person…”

She smiled and stopped speaking, remembering that encounter from many years ago. Pale pear blossoms, a person like frost, and in the floating dark fragrance, he had smiled and turned around.

Stunningly beautiful.

Possessing beauty no less than the several men around her, with an even more transcendent and otherworldly bearing.

Though that chance meeting hadn’t been a pleasant scene…

As Qin Chang Ge reminisced with a half-smile, she heard Su Xuan say, “Let’s not mention this person anymore. Anyway, I don’t know if he was truly that generous or played a trick on me—it forced me to break into the royal palace instead. I certainly learned about the Shui family… I planted the Snow-White Golden Orchid on this summit. Afraid someone might steal it, I specially set up mechanisms and arranged formations, assigned dedicated guards to watch constantly. Every month’s end when it blooms, I personally come to guard it. Fortunately this is the peak of peaks—no flowers, no grass, no prey—few people come. When I stole the flower I wore a mask, and Nanmin was too embarrassed about losing it to make a big fuss searching. The world doesn’t know that one orchid has found its way to Xiliang. When Snow-White Golden Orchids aren’t blooming, they look no different from ordinary orchids, so until now the flower remains here safely with no one coveting it.”

He turned to look at Qin Chang Ge, his dark pupils reflecting the night’s moonlight, sparkling with rippling clear radiance that contained indescribable emotions. “Miss Ming, somehow, seeing you makes me think of her. It’s truly strange… actually you’re not alike at all.”

“Oh?” Qin Chang Ge smiled. “I fall far short, don’t I?”

After thinking, Su Xuan smiled and said, “In terms of appearance, I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than her, but your bearing is comparable.”

“Truly an honor,” Qin Chang Ge smiled lightly. “But I’d rather just be myself.”

Su Xuan smiled and said, “Yes, be yourself. No matter how strong others are, they cannot replace one’s own joys and sorrows.”

Suddenly there was a light ding sound.

Su Xuan straightened up and smiled, “A little reminder mechanism—the flower is about to bloom.”

At that time the moon was directly overhead.

The Milky Way showed varying shades while bright stars flickered, lightly crossing thin clouds.

The mountain peak’s night scene was utterly silent—even the sound of dewdrops falling could be clearly heard.

In the distance came the soft, persistent chirping of crickets, while nearby, an extraordinary flower bloomed silently beneath the moon with elegant grace and beautiful form.

In this moment, brilliant light drove back the moonlight.

Across the entire wild area spread that jade-like purity, snow-like whiteness, musk-like fragrance, and gold-like magnificence.

The flower’s form was soft and charming, as if immortal hands had cut white clouds from the horizon and skillfully shaped them. The butterfly-wing-like petals were as hauntingly beautiful and pure as moonlight, while the touch of golden yellow at the leaf tips blazed brilliant as noon sunlight, bright and dazzling beyond compare.

As beautiful light flowed and exotic fragrance filled the air, it caused a brief sense of dizzy intoxication.

Even Qin Chang Ge, well-traveled and knowledgeable from her previous life, couldn’t help but sigh softly, “Supremely magnificent—truly the work of creation itself…”

Before she finished speaking, Su Xuan suddenly frowned and shouted, “Who goes there!”

Whoosh! Flowing light streaked across the long sky.

Like phoenix tail feathers, splendid and flowing, it spread out a snow-bright light curtain that descended directly toward Su Xuan and Qin Chang Ge.

In the dazzling light someone shouted loudly, “Excellent! You despicable, shameless flower thief! Come and face death!”

Shua la la—crisp sounds rang out continuously in a great clattering din that made one’s ears faintly tingle, yet the voice was as clear and bright as an undiscovered mountain spring, clean and pure beyond any earthly contamination.

Su Xuan swept his sleeve, immediately sending Qin Chang Ge safely to distant mountain rocks to observe the battle.

And that snow-like silver light, sinuous as a long silk banner, had already reached Su Xuan’s face!