Chapter 7 (Part 2) Friends come from afar

  The sound echoed far and wide in the night sky, lingering on for a long time. The reverberating power of the Echoing Wall allowed my voice to be heard even through thick stone walls. In the flower field, the echoes repeated again and again: "With the demeanor of General Huwei, could you really be afraid to meet someone who has come to pay their respects?"

  "How dare you be disrespectful to the great general!" The little warriors shouted in anger. Dandelion's face turned white, and he kept shaking his head at me. Hai Ji and Gan Zhen were taken aback, looking at me with confusion, clearly unable to guess what I was up to. Mouse Gong Gong's beady eyes darted back and forth, observing the surroundings as he prepared to make a run for it.

  I stood with my hands behind my back, not flustered in the slightest. As the saying goes, it's better to invite than to force an invitation - I'm taking a gamble and relying on luck. If I can get the chance to attend the banquet and make connections with General Otori and the influential people in the Kasuga clan, our chances of rescuing Kaito will increase. I recall my master telling me how to grasp one's destiny: "At the right time, anyone can be useful."

  The situation on the field was a bit chaotic, with the flower spirits chattering away, and several impatient little warriors had already charged over, their snow-bright treasured swords stabbing towards my feet.

  "Wait a minute!" From the other end of the road, a small warrior with a commanding appearance rushed over, holding up a blue diamond-shaped token, blocking the other small warriors: "The general has an order, asking them to attend the banquet."

  I let out a sigh of relief. Since he's known as the great general, he should have an extraordinary demeanor. This gamble was worth it!

  The little warriors parted to make way, and under the shocked gaze of the flower spirits, our group proceeded calmly. I heard one of the flower spirits ask a little warrior who was delivering a message: "Strange, isn't the great general the most detestable of outsiders?"

  "It means 'Little Princess'." The young warrior who delivered the message replied.

  On both sides of the road, hundreds of small warriors in golden helmets and armor stood solemnly, curiously sizing us up. Turning a corner, there was a magnificent and elegant flower palace. The colors of the wall pillars were extremely bright, each brick, every tile was made up of flower petals. A five-colored, curved archway led to a round gate, where the birthday flower fairies lined up in a dense row at the door, gifts piled up like mountains. The little warriors guarding the gate were checking the gifts and letting people pass one by one.

  "Hai Ji whispered: 'Little scoundrel, what kind of evil idea are you harboring? Why must you create more trouble and entangle yourself with these flower spirits?'"

  "I hesitated and said: 'I'm just following Master's teachings, making a choice.'"

  "Halt." A group of young samurai blocked us at the palace gate, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their eyes glinting with hostility.

  "I calmly said: 'It was General Otori who invited me in.'"

  A little warrior raised his treasured sword and snorted: "That depends on whether you have the ability to get in or not."

  That day, this General Yingtai was obviously trying to make things difficult for us. I stretched and said, "In that case, let's get started." With a flash of movement, I unleashed my charming dance, punching and kicking with ease, taking down over ten small warriors. Clapping my hands, I looked around at the small warriors whose faces had changed color. I lazily asked, "Can we go in now?"

  "Where is the one who has come from afar?" A majestic and loud voice came out of the flower palace, stuttering slightly.

  Treading on the layered flower steps, I burst into loud laughter: "Distinguished guests from afar are here. First, let us wish the great general a long life of thousands and tens of thousands of years, with longevity rivaling that of Heaven!"

  In the brightly lit grand hall. Thousands of pairs of small eyes gathered on me. I didn't dare to glance around, trying my best to put on an air of pride and aloofness. Just like in the past when I went to Luoyang's wine house to have a lavish meal, even if there was no money in my pocket, I had to pretend to be rich and arrogant.

  No one answered me, and I didn't see General Ouyang. In front of me, a huge embroidered canopy was hanging, with a caterpillar lying on the edge of the canopy, its body covered in blue thorns, lazily moving up and down. Across the canopy, all I saw was a small hand, with short but very thick fingers, gently stroking the caterpillar, not afraid of being hurt by the thorns at all.

  "Who are you, outsider, to trespass on our flower fields? Do you know your crime?" The stuttering voice continued from behind the brocade screen, with a few more parts of fear added to its tone.

  "Ignorance is no excuse." My gaze swept across the flower spirits on the floor, and I asked in response: "If celebrating the general's birthday is a crime, then everyone in this hall is guilty. If the general shows favoritism, how can he be considered a great general?"

  Behind the brocade curtain, a moment of silence passed, and then I heard a faint, delicate low laugh. After a while, the brocade curtain slowly lifted, revealing a spacious and luxurious flower couch. A flower spirit was reclining on the couch, propping up her head with her left hand, stroking a caterpillar with her right hand, and gazing at me with piercing eyes that sparkled with spirit.

  The little warriors standing on both sides of the hall shouted in unison: "Pay your respects!"

  "Free, free!" The flower spirit waved his hand: "No, no fault, no guilt. Said not, not wrong." His face was blue, his whiskers were dark blue, and he looked majestic, probably the General Yingtou mentioned by the flower spirit.

  "May your longevity be as boundless as the heavens. Father, this is the first time I've ever heard such a novel congratulatory phrase." Beside General Otori sat a flower spirit with an extremely delicate voice; upon meeting my gaze, her small face flushed slightly red - she was likely the one who had let out that soft laugh earlier.

  I widened my eyes, the flower spirits I had seen before were all strange and weird, but this one was too beautiful. Her skin was semi-transparent, like light blue seawater, her long hair was also a watery light blue color, she wore a blue flower crown on her head, and her figure was slender and elegant. If you enlarge her several times, she would be no less beautiful than the mermaid or Gan Ning.

  "General Otori's face sank: 'You, outsider, are being presumptuous! Why are you staring at my daughter?'"

  I calmly said, "In the flower field there is a beautiful person, stunning the city and the country. Because the general's daughter is more beautiful than ordinary people, Lin Fei was momentarily stunned, and I hope General will be generous and forgive my rudeness." Hai Ji pinched my waist hard from behind, it hurts!

  General Otori was taken aback, his expression softened: "I...my daughter"

  She's very beautiful. Everyone calls her Little Princess.

  "Wrong! It's not Little Princess at all!" I exclaimed loudly, causing a commotion around us. The little warrior glared at me angrily, but before General Otori could react, I chuckled and said: "It should be Little Fairy Maiden! Such a beautiful person can only be described as that. As the saying goes, 'This beauty is rarely seen in heaven, let alone on earth'."

  The little princess giggled and her bright blue eyes curved like a crescent moon, looking both shy and delighted: "You're really interesting when you talk."

  The General of the Swallow Tail laughed loudly: "Ah, indeed it's interesting. Haha, Lin, Lin Fei, your phrase 'When friends come from afar, isn't it a joy?' is well said. I like it! Play music!"

  The grand hall faces south, with dozens of flower spirits standing, holding small drums, flutes, zithers, and trumpets. Suddenly, the music starts, a gentle and elegant melody fills the air. This palace is astonishingly large, with thousands of round tables inside, all filled with flower spirits. The tables are made from giant flowers, and the chairs are made from leaves. The bowls, plates, cups, and chopsticks are actually various shapes of flower buds. From the ceiling hang curved stamens that shine like lanterns, radiating a dazzling light.

  At this time, a stout flower spirit stood up from the seat and saluted General Yingwei with a bow. With a full voice: "General, our Huatian has never welcomed outsiders. These few outsiders want to participate in our banquet, they must show some skills."

  It's no wonder that Master Mouse said the flower spirits were a xenophobic tribe. They even made things difficult for me when I was eating. I had nothing better to do, so I countered with a question: "What kind of skill do you want me to show?"

  The fat fairy said: "I'll have a singing competition with you!"

  That day, he asked me to sing a song? I was instantly stunned. General Otori looked at me with a smile that wasn't quite a smile: "This is the most famous singer in Hana, Kaito, Lin Fei, do you dare to compete with him?"

  "How about it?" I said with a forced smile.

  "Who can sing higher than me?" Before I could respond, the cow cleared its throat and let out a few warm-up meows before suddenly bursting into loud song: "La la la la la!"

  The singing voice was sharp and high, like the sound of killing pigs, making my scalp numb and goosebumps all over. The voice got higher and higher, like a steel wire getting tighter and tighter. "Bang bang bang", the cups and plates on the table shattered one after another, followed by the lanterns on the ceiling shattering and going out. The sharp singing continued until more than ten round tables collapsed with the tail of the song, before Cowherd finally stopped.

  Wow, that's terrifying! Is this really the best male singer in Huatian? I'm speechless. The flower fairies around us are applauding enthusiastically.

  "It's your turn, outsider." said Niú with a pleased smile.

  I hesitated for a moment. I remembered a secret technique called "Soul Capturing Sound", and with a fierce cry, I unleashed it. The sound was like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, the howling of apes and the weeping of mermaids, causing the flower spirits to change color in alarm. One by one, they covered their ears, their faces pale. I didn't stop, my voice rising wave after wave, shattering their morale. According to my master, this secret technique can drive people mad if practiced to its extreme, causing their minds to become disordered and confused.

  When I stopped, the flower fairies were already drenched in sweat, panting like cows, and their faces looked very unsightly. Another glance at the cowherd, who had already fainted to the ground.

  The General of the Iris was stunned, and after half a day, he said: "Guests are really good, good voice, please, please come in."

  "Master, you're really something!" Old Mouse said with a face full of admiration. I sat down at a table with a flourish, but the chair was too small and I had to sit on the floor, however, a stone that had been hanging in my heart finally fell to the ground, and at this moment, I believed I had already won over the other party's favor.

  "General, I have something to say!" A flower spirit suddenly stood up from the next table, wearing a red high hat, and it was the chicken crown that had played me earlier! He coldly glanced at me and hummed a tune:

  This foreigner

  Not good stuff.

  He is not at all.

  "Long life to the great general!"

  The General's complexion changed slightly, and he also sang:

  The rooster speaks before dawn.

  It needs careful consideration.

  Why suspect him?

  Let me give you a reason first."

  Wow, General Iris hummed a tune that was not stuttering at all. It was just as unpleasant to listen to, like the sound of a rusty harmonica. The rooster cleared his throat and sang again:

  Met him on the road

  He has been thoroughly understood.

  He said he came to celebrate his birthday.

  Where is the longevity gift?

  Trying to cheat me out of my chicken's crest

  He's even younger!

  In an instant, the flower spirits' eyes revealed a deep sense of vigilance. I smiled slightly, stood up, and pulled out the inner elixir of the Blood Tree Centipede from my bosom. I lifted the silk handkerchief over my head, and the jet-black inner elixir immediately attracted the attention of the flower spirits.

  "Blood tree centipede internal pill,"

  Clear heat and remove fire.

  Dedicated to the great general,

  "May you always be healthy!" I hummed a little tune, following the local customs. A small samurai came forward, took out the inner dan of the Blood Tree Centipede and handed it to General Otori.

  The General of the Swallowtail carefully examined it for a few moments, nodded, and beamed with joy: "Indeed, it's blood, Blood Tree Centipede, inner elixir, rare, extremely rare. Cockcomb, you, don't speak nonsense, quickly, honestly sit down!"

  The chicken crown was stunned, and Hai Ji smiled slightly: "Your singing is really hard to listen to." Gan Ning's mouth corner seeped out a hint of smile: "It's really hard to listen to, even worse than theirs."

  Wow, no way? I looked at Mr. Mouse with a pleading expression, he twisted his neck and pretended not to see anything.

  "The feast is open, let's start!" The hungry belly finally declared its liberation.