This page contains excerpts that reference flower symbolism for various characters.
Contents
Seo Eun-hyun Quince
Seo Eun-hyun's death, 6th cycle
As dawn painted the sky,
A master, having received his disciple's prostrations, shed tears over the now cold body of his disciple.
"You were the giant tree in my heart."
Initially, a bothersome little sprout,
But as ten, twenty years passed,
The sprout grew into a tree.
Growing and growing,
Becoming an irreplaceable giant tree,
A pillar supporting the heart of Cheongmun Ryeong.
But now, that giant tree was no more.
"Rest in peace."
A disciple who has strived all his life.
Cheongmun Ryeong wished for his disciple's posthumous peace, laying the body that had died while prostrating properly.
Cheongmun Ryeong took a seed from his pouch and placed it on the disciple's chest.
As he infused wood element spiritual energy into it, the seed began to react.
Paaah!
Kugugugugu!
The seed sprouted rapidly, covering the disciple's body, growing into a giant tree.
Soon, the tree grew so large that it surpassed any in the nearby forest, and only then did Cheongmun Ryeong withdraw his hand.
The tree was a quince tree.
Cheongmun Ryeong, caressing the tree that resembled his disciple, spoke.
"I will not forget you."
Whoosh!
As if the soul of Seo Eun-hyun was ascending, a strong wind blew from the base of the quince tree up into the heavens.
Cheongmun Ryeong looked up through the branches of the quince tree into the sky.
This was Seo Eun-hyun's seventh return. — Chapter 49
Seo Eun-hyun's death, 10th cycle
The mother of Buk Hyang-hwa.
The wife of Buk Joong-ho, Yeon's tomb.
There are two trees that have grown near the magnolia tree at the tomb.
The two trees, which somehow grew for over 200 years, bloom their flowers on the same day.
A quince tree and a white magnolia.
From each of the two trees, a flower falls.
The flowers of the two trees land on the altar prepared for a wedding ceremony 200 years ago.
And then.
Whooosh!
A gust of wind from inside the tomb carries the quince flower away from the altar, somewhere into the desert.
The white magnolia remains in place, while the quince flower flies off to the unknown.
This is Seo Eun-hyun's eleventh return. — Chapter 129
Seo Eun-hyun's death, 18th cycle
Seo Eun-hyun closes his eyes.
On the land where two incarnations of life, cultivators of the Four-Axis stage, have died.
Is it the spirits of the two cultivators, unable to resurrect, creating harmony?
At some point, the rain stops, and a quince tree and a lily tree grow on that land.
Someone approaches the two trees, and a wind blows from somewhere.
The petals of the lily tree cling tightly to its branches without scattering, but the petals of the quince tree scatter and fly far away.
The branches of the white lilies sway in the wind, but the petals do not scatter, almost as if they are waving goodbye.
To say farewell.
That is Seo Eun-hyun's nineteenth return. — Chapter 325
See also the author's note at Mad Lord's death.
Buk Hyang-hwa Magnolia
See Seo Eun-hyun's 10th cycle death.
Buk Hyang-hwa as Baek Ran — White Orchid
Buk Hyang-hwa, reincarnated in Owner of Salt Mountain's dream world, was named Baek Ran (白蘭; white orchid). Her flower symbol in this world was the white orchid.
Buk Hyang-hwa (Baek Ran)'s death, 21st cycle
A pure white light surrounds both of them.
Buk Hyang-hwa, who had come to this world while researching the norigae connected to the world of Salt Mountain.
To that Buk Hyang-hwa, the entirety of her body becomes enveloped in a pure white light, like salt.
As the light gathers, a single white orchid (白蘭; Baek Ran) blooms in that place.
The mark of the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent that Buk Hyang-hwa carried in her previous life briefly appears on her face before burning completely in the white light of salt. The ashes drift and merge into Kim Yeon's mark.
Then, Buk Hyang-hwa's soul completely whitens, scattering into the void. — Chapter 467
Oh Hyun-seok China Aster
On being expelled from the dream world
Oh Hyun-seok's Purple Soul Filling the Heavens turns into a China aster flower and is placed in his daughter's hand.
Oh Hyun-seok's daughter looks into his eyes and smiles.
"You have to come back, Dad."
"Of course. You trust Dad, right?"
Her figure gradually becomes fainter, and finally, she completely disappears. — Chapter 467
Yu Hao Te Melia
Seo Eun-hyun summoned himself to Yu Hao Te's remnant thoughts
The shadow sits under the Melia tree and gestures.
[Come, sit here. Let's have a chat.]
I have a feeling that the shadow is smiling. — Chapter 321
Seo Li Lily
See Seo Eun-hyun's 18th cycle death.
Mad Lord Quince
Jo Yeon and Wol-Ha-eun met at a quince tree
After finishing his words, Jo Yeon leaned back against the tree trunk and looked up at the tree that took them in.
"...Do you know what kind of tree this is?"
"Judging by the flowers, it seems to be a quince tree. It's the season when quince flowers should be in full bloom, but seeing how few have blossomed, it must be an old tree."
"This tree saved us."
Jo Yeon stared up at the tree for a moment before speaking to Ha-Eun again.
"Where is Wol Bi's body?"
"...Master asked to be cremated and for his ashes to be scattered where his vengeance is completed."
She took out a small wooden box from her chest.
Jo Yeon gestured toward the quince tree.
"Then let's scatter them here. Even if we scatter them where Qi Spear Pavilion stood, it will just be trampled on again by the martial sects that come later. Instead, wouldn't it be better to scatter them at the tree that saved our lives after we avenged him? If it's my request, that friend would surely agree."
"Mmm...that sounds good."
Ha-eun brought the box of ashes, and together, she and Jo Yeon scattered them beneath the quince tree.
On a day in that spring.
Wol Ha-eun and Jo Yeon exchanged their names for the first time beneath the quince tree. — Chapter 449
Jo Yeon and Wol Ha-eun married in front of the quince tree
"Yes. When spring comes and the flowers are in full bloom...let's choose an auspicious day and hold our ceremony in front of the quince tree."
Ha-eun blushed and nodded at Jo Yeon's words.
"That sounds wonderful. It's autumn now, so..."
"In half a year, the quince flowers will be in full bloom. We'll wait until then, and though it may be modest, we'll choose an auspicious day and hold the ceremony together."
"Yes. On that day, at that moment, let's truly become one."
At Ha-eun's words, Jo Yeon smiled as if he had gained the world.
...
Midwinter.
Beside a quince tree, stripped of all its leaves.
There, Ha-eun was living in a small cabin she had built.
It was to keep the promise they had made to hold their wedding in front of this quince tree.
Jo Yeon stepped into the cabin.
...
Jo Yeon and Ha-eun stepped outside the cabin.
Outside.
In front of the quince tree that had saved their lives, where they had first introduced themselves,
The two placed a bowl of cold water before the quince tree.
Ha-eun looked at the quince tree with a bittersweet expression.
"I wanted us to be united when the spring flowers were in full bloom, but fate doesn't seem to allow it."
"..."
At Ha-eun's words, Jo Yeon gazed at the bare, leafless quince tree.
Then, right there, he took off the clothes he had been wearing.
The traditional wedding attire given to him by the Jo Clan, meant for the arranged marriage with the female cultivator from Black Ghost Valley.
He stared at the light pink silk robe for a moment before, without hesitation, started tearing it apart.
Rip, rip!
With quick movements, he shredded the silk robe.
After a short while, Jo Yeon's silk robe had turned into dozens of strips of light pink thread.
Jo Yeon swiftly climbed the quince tree and tied the pink threads to each branch, one by one.
Although no flowers had bloomed, the sight of the quince tree adorned with dozens of pink threads was quite beautiful.
Jo Yeon climbed down from the tree and smiled faintly.
"I'm sorry this is all I can do. But still...this is my version of spring."
He looked at the many pink threads fluttering in the winter wind and gave a bitter smile.
"...It's strange...it's too strange, I'm sorry."
But Ha-eun shook her head.
"...I told you, it's not strange...it's wonderfully mysterious...it's beautiful."
Ha-eun smiled brightly as she looked at the tree.
"It's wonderfully mysterious and beautiful. Just like you."
With the bowl of cold water and the many light pink threads adorning the quince tree, the two held their wedding ceremony. — Chapter 451
Jo Yeon passing his heart to his disciple, Kim Yeon
"As your master, this may be...the first and last proper gift and teaching I give you."
In the direction Jo Yeon points, a single flower is blooming in the air.
It is a quince flower.
It is both a Qi Flower created by Wol Ha-eun's Paired Wings Spear inside Yeon's Play, and at the same time, it is the goal Jo Yeon clung to for two thousand years, even as he was tormented by madness.
It is Jo Yeon's hope.
"Take it."
Kim Yeon walks towards the quince flower at the center of the fading Yeon's Play. — Chapter 455
Author's note at Mad Lord's death
Author's Note:
The flower language of quince flowers is ordinariness and passion.
At the same time, it also means precocity/early maturity (早熟).
The reason why Jo Yeon's surname is Jo (早/Early) was set up that way for today.
In the context of the story, it represents the 'maturity of Jo Yeon (早緣/Early Fate or Love)' and can also be seen as a wordplay on 'the maturity of immature love.'
Outside of the story, it could simply mean, 'from now on, the supporting characters will mature,' or it could just be me attaching the quince flower's meaning of precocity to the story.
[TL/N: Joyeon/조연 means supporting role/character.]
Both Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Yeon are symbolized by the quince flower.
Seo Eun-hyun represents 'ordinariness and passion,' while Kim Yeon symbolizes 'precociousness.'
Although they share the same flower, they carry different symbolic meanings, making this episode for both of them, as well as for Jo Yeon.
Finally, the Jo Yeon episode is coming to an end.
After this episode, I will be transitioning from seven updates a week to six.
Thank you all so much for loving Regressor's Tale of Cultivation thus far, and I, as well, always love my readers.
I love you all, dear readers. — Chapter 455
Kim Yeon Quince
Reaching her First Stage of Manifestation, Full Blossom (滿開花)
Kim Yeon, realizing that love cannot be named and why her affection had been colorless, unleashes the power of Vast Cold raging within her into the sky.
"Entering Heavens Beyond the Path."
Paaaaatt!
Yeon's Play is reactivated.
In place of the quince flowers that couldn't bloom during winter, and instead of Jo Yeon's light pink heart tied to the old tree,
The quince flowers of the quince tree, now reawakened by spring, begin to bloom profusely over the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
"Full Blossom (滿開花)!"
Accepting Jo Yeon's heart and unfolding through the power of Vast Cold, Kim Yeon finally acknowledges her own heart and smiles silently. — Chapter 455
See also the author's note at Mad Lord's death.
Vast Cold Peach Blossom
Kim Yeon summoned herself to Vast Cold's remnant thoughts
As Kim Yeon feels Jo Yeon's heart, she realizes that she has suddenly arrived at a place she has never seen before.
It's a Peach Blossom Spring.
A beautiful place where light pink peach blossoms are in full bloom across Heaven and Earth.
There, hidden by a large peach blossom tree, someone speaks.
...
"Never forget today. I am the Seat Holder of End (終命座主), Tridacna Vast Cold Heavenly King (硨磲廣寒天王)." — Chapter 455
Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, Yang Ji-hwang Foxglove
Yang Ji-hwang is the Korean name for the common foxglove. In floriculture, it refers to "feelings/affection that cannot be hidden", or "passion , I cannot hide my affection".