Reaching a remote, unoccupied corner, Chu Feng changed his outfit. With a thought, the Hundred Transformation Mask shimmered and shifted, transforming his face from that of a handsome middle-aged man into that of a handsome young man who appeared to be only twenty years old.
He also released the power of the Divine Thunder, restoring his cultivation from the 9th level of Heaven Martial back to the 6th level.
After that, Chu Feng returned to the entrance guarded by the young man. Upon seeing him again, the young man's eyes immediately lit up. The haughty attitude from before had completely vanished, replaced by an expression of genuine surprise. When Chu Feng approached, the young man actually stepped forward and asked, "Brother, this is the Mandarin Duck Terrace. Tell me, have you come here to seek apprenticeship?"
The young man wore a smile and was exceedingly polite—completely different from how he'd treated Chu Feng earlier. Chu Feng understood the reason for this change perfectly.
Though his cultivation had been higher before, he had arrived in the guise of a middle-aged man. Reaching middle age, even with a cultivation at the 9th level of Heaven Martial, wasn't particularly impressive in the Eastern Sea region. After all, Martial King realm experts were a dime a dozen here—only the Martial Emperor realm represented the true pinnacle.
But Chu Feng's current identity was entirely different. Though his cultivation was only at the 6th level of Heaven Martial, his age had barely reached twenty. Such cultivation at such a young age indicated exceptional talent—at least far superior to this young man's.
Someone like Chu Feng could be called a genius. Naturally, the experts within the Mandarin Duck Terrace would be willing to accept him as a disciple. Therefore, the young man dared not offend someone of Chu Feng's caliber.
"Senior brother, my name is Wuqing. I've heard that Senior Qiushui of the Mandarin Duck Terrace possesses remarkable cultivation, so I wish to enter her tutelage and learn more skills," Chu Feng replied.
"Senior Qiushui? The Senior Qiushui Brother Wuqing speaks of—would that be Daoist Nun Qiushui?" the young man asked, somewhat surprised.
"That's right, Daoist Nun Qiushui," Chu Feng nodded.
"Brother Wuqing, you're no ordinary person. Senior Qiushui is extremely well-known within the Mandarin Duck Terrace. Everyone who has challenged her has been defeated. She's hailed as the number one expert here."
"However, Senior Qiushui is very low-key, so outside the Mandarin Duck Terrace, very few people know of her. The fact that Brother Wuqing has heard of her suggests you've come well-prepared."
"But Senior Qiushui has always been strict in selecting disciples, and she accepts only women, never men. Though Brother Wuqing's talent is extraordinary, I'm afraid your chances are slim," the young man said honestly.
Hearing this, Chu Feng furrowed his brow slightly, thinking the young man might be using this as a pretext to block his entry. But the young man quickly added, "However, Brother Wuqing can certainly give it a try. There are many reclusive experts within the Mandarin Duck Terrace. If Senior Qiushui truly won't accept you, becoming someone else's disciple would be just as worthwhile."
As he spoke, the young man stepped aside, clearing the path for Chu Feng, and handed him a token.
Chu Feng took it and examined it—this was no ordinary token. On the surface, it appeared to be a simple wooden plaque. But when Chu Feng probed it with his Mental Power, he discovered the plaque was actually forged from barrier energy. Engraved in the center were the words "Visitation Pass," and at the bottom was today's date.
"Brother Wuqing, this is a Visitation Pass. Holding it, you may search for a suitable master within the Mandarin Duck Terrace. However, the limit is ten days. If you haven't found a suitable master by then, you'll be expelled," the young man reminded him.
"Thank you for the guidance, senior brother."
Chu Feng cupped his fists in farewell and entered the Mandarin Duck Terrace. The terrace was vast—each reclusive expert had their own territory. However, the most beautiful areas were often uninhabited, as such regions could not be claimed by anyone and served as public grounds.
Holding the Visitation Pass, Chu Feng found his way unimpeded. He soon learned the location of Qiushui Fuyan's residence.
"This place is truly a paradise on earth."
Upon arriving at Qiushui Fuyan's dwelling, even Chu Feng couldn't help but marvel. Her territory was a vast sea of flowers composed of all manner of exotic blooms. Elegant towers and jade pavilions stood amid the dazzling floral expanse—absolutely breathtaking.
Ordinarily, a region of such size and beauty should belong to the public domain, not to any individual. Yet Qiushui Fuyan had claimed it. This spoke volumes about her strength—otherwise, with so many hidden experts in the area, how could she have been granted such an exception?
"Who are you? What business brings you here?" Chu Feng was admiring the scenery when a sharp, girlish voice suddenly rang out from nearby.
Looking toward the voice, Chu Feng discovered ten young women standing suspended in the air above the flower sea. None of them were very old—the eldest appeared to be in her early twenties at most, while the youngest was only fifteen.
Despite their youth, their cultivation was far from weak. The fifteen-year-old girl was at the 1st level of Heaven Martial, and all the others were at the Heaven Martial realm as well. The eldest, in her early twenties, was at the 8th level of Heaven Martial—two full levels above Chu Feng.
Moreover, they were not only formidable in cultivation but each possessed distinctive beauty. The one common trait among them was that they were all beauties. The woman with the 8th-level Heaven Martial cultivation was particularly elegant.
Her fair skin, refined features, and those not particularly large but incredibly expressive eyes gave her an air of cold beauty.
Yet she was clearly quite proud. While the other girls blinked their large eyes and curiously sized up Chu Feng, she alone hadn't glanced at him even once, content to admire the sea of flowers.
"Hey! What are you staring at? Can't you hear someone talking to you?!" One of the girls—a haughty young woman with twin ponytails—said indignantly when she noticed Chu Feng gazing directly at them.
"Oh, ladies, I've come here to pay my respects to Senior Qiushui," Chu Feng scratched his head and said with a somewhat awkward smile.
"Pay respects to our Master? What business do you have with her?" another girl asked in a gentle tone.
"That's something I'll need to discuss with Senior Qiushui in person," Chu Feng said with a smile.
"Hmph, don't play dumb. You clearly don't know our Master at all—you want to become her disciple, don't you?" the haughty girl said dismissively.
"You should leave. Our Master isn't home, and even if she were, she wouldn't accept you as a disciple. She only takes women, never men. Besides, she said she would accept only ten disciples, and that number is already full. Even if you were a woman, she wouldn't take you," another girl said.
As they spoke, the group of women turned and drifted gracefully through the air above the sea of flowers, like celestial maidens, heading back toward the palaces at the center of the floral expanse.