IS Chapter 36
by VolareIt vaguely feels even longer than the last time.
But Ye Zhuo no longer wanted to think about how long it had actually been.
He also stopped thinking about when it would end.
When he’s truly about to die, it will naturally end. That dragon’s so-called sense of measure is only limited to that.
There’s nothing else to say.
The water in the Cold Pool is even colder than the water in the Cold Pond; by comparison, he thinks the Cold Pool is better.
It would be even better if it were purely for cultivation.
“I understand,” Li Yuan suddenly whispered in his ear, “It’s water.”
“…?”
What nonsense is he spouting again?
“Clear water is nourishing, that’s the aura,” the dragon’s breath moved even closer, against his shoulder.
“And the spiritual energy of plants and trees.” Li Yuan said, “It’s all from you, not from the Cold Pool, and not from Misty Green Peak.”
And certainly not from his Dragon Scent Guide. Speaking of which, it was actually a little similar to his Dragon Scent Guide, but even lighter and more ethereal.
Under the moonlight, in the water, he finally tasted the true fragrance of this man. Li Yuan happily held him in his arms, skin against that cold, soaking skin.
…If he could transform into his dragon form, that would be even better; he could entwine even tighter.
But Ye Zhuo probably wouldn’t like that very much, after all, he’s not of his kind. Li Yuan regretfully shelved the idea for now.
He continued to sense that aura that was finally a little clearer.
“Water with wood, it’s aquatic spiritual plants. Lotus, or water lily?” Li Yuan said, then became slightly puzzled, “But you’re a Sword Cultivator, Sword Cultivators are metal element, and your Buddhist techniques mostly use fire.”
…He really talks too much. Ye Zhuo reached out and hugged his shoulders and back.
Sure enough, he stopped talking.
But then he was pressed against the bank of the Cold Pool again.
Ye Zhuo looked up at the moon above the Cold Pool, the sky and earth vast and distant, the mountains empty, as if there was no one else in the world. The stars and the autumn moon together turned into a misty, diffuse light in his eyes.
He fully woke up some time later, on the jade bed.
Ye Zhuo slowly opened his eyes, quietly looking at the white jade beams and high ceiling of the inner chamber of Misty Green Peak.
Strange and bizarre memories gradually flooded back into his consciousness, everything that had happened here was too chaotic to describe.
Especially since the other party was that dragon.
“…”
Ye Zhuo’s fingers slowly pressed against his lower abdomen.
An especially absurd memory surfaced in his mind. In the end, Li Yuan had embraced him from behind, grabbed his hand and moved it there, wanting him to feel that vague outline and sensation as well.
At that moment, Ye Zhuo was shocked awake by half of what he felt under his hand.
He was thinking for the first time, why do cultivators have such distinct senses?
Ye Zhuo took a deep breath, slowly moved his fingers away, and let his hand fall.
…How could such an absurd thing exist in the world?
He really wanted to break off Dragon Li Yuan’s dragon horns.
He didn’t really want to recall that kind of thing, and he didn’t have the strength to do anything to this dragon. Ye Zhuo really wanted to continue losing consciousness, but he had already been discovered by the culprit of everything.
“Awake? Are you alright?” Li Yuan came over to look at him, “Do you want me to help you up?”
That wouldn’t be necessary. His spiritual energy had already recovered, and now that there was no Dragon Scent Guide making trouble, he could naturally act as normal.
But Li Yuan had already scooped him up as he spoke.
After getting up, Ye Zhuo soberly sized himself up.
His clothes were complete, and there was nothing unusual about him.
Dragon Li Yuan, however, was dressed in a flamboyant and loose robe, his long hair casually scattered, his collar not completely covering his chest, vaguely revealing the muscles of his chest, looking detrimental to public morals.
Moreover, he was coming to cling to him again.
Ye Zhuo: “Put your clothes on properly.”
“…Alright.”
He didn’t know what kind of magic the dragon used, but the dragon robe instantly became neat and tidy.
Doesn’t really know how to dress himself?
Ye Zhuo didn’t want to look at him at all.
“You go out.” Ye Zhuo said directly, “I want to enter secluded cultivation.”
After fighting for so long, and being dragged into bed by this dragon day and night for dual cultivation, his cultivation base had certainly increased, but he also needed to review and comprehend.
“Why do you want me to go out?” Li Yuan was dissatisfied with this, “Can’t you cultivate in seclusion with me here?”
When is there ever secluded cultivation with two people?
–Could it be that the dragons cultivate together in mixed groups?
Ye Zhuo: “People always cultivate in seclusion alone.”
“But seclusion is also about understanding our interaction.” Li Yuan said, “My spiritual consciousness connecting with yours will be faster. It was the same with the deduction of the Two Extremes Boundary that day.”
Ye Zhuo was thoughtful.
“But I don’t like having other people around when I cultivate.”
Hearing him say this, Li Yuan understood.
He had also read in human books that some people don’t like others sleeping soundly beside their beds.
That’s easy to say then.
After a few breaths, there was no one else beside Ye Zhuo.
Because the other person had transformed into his dragon form.
–As if a chaotic primordial aura was rushing towards him, a black dragon with jagged scales and claws, majestic and awe-inspiring, was coiled on the white jade carved beams, those dark gold vertical pupils, completely different from human ones, quietly staring at him.
As if asking, how is this?
…Forget it, just treat him as a decoration.
Ye Zhuo simply closed his eyes and began to adjust his breathing.
After several cycles, his spiritual energy circulated smoothly and unhindered, and he could review and comprehend his swordplay.
But he felt that the dragon’s spiritual consciousness was permeating the hall, too distinct and unbridled.
In ancient times, there were mortal dynasties that regarded dragons as emperors, believing that this creature behaved in a domineering manner and should be a monarch.
Sometimes Ye Zhuo would feel that Li Yuan was indeed a good dragon.
Sometimes he also felt that the nature of the dragon bloodline was indeed in every move of this dragon.
Thinking of this, he immediately became displeased and dragged Dragon Li Yuan’s spiritual consciousness down to comprehend his swordplay.
There are no days and nights in the mountains. This time, several days passed again in comprehension.
The moment it ended, Li Yuan changed back into human form and spoke to him.
Li Yuan: “I gained a lot this time, how about you?”
Ye Zhuo nodded.
Li Yuan’s swordsmanship and sword intent were completely opposite to his. Because of this, there were many new insights after sparring. No one else could achieve this level of discussion of swordsmanship with him.
What’s more, he could refine his spiritual energy and improve his foundation.
Now he found Li Yuan quite handsome.
He looked at Li Yuan, and Li Yuan looked at him in the same way.
In fact, both of their cultivation bases and comprehension of the sword path were soaring at this time. If they continued, they would improve even further.
It wouldn’t matter if the tribulation was a little slower. After this, the foundation would be broader and more solid, and after the tribulation, it would naturally be another world.
To be honest, if one of the two died now, it wouldn’t be the end for the other party, but a loss.
What’s more, their strength was so deadlocked, how could anyone die?
Li Yuan: “Ye Zhuo, how about we make an agreement?”
“You say.”
“Since the situation is already like this, and it’s really difficult for you and me to determine a winner, why don’t we each take what we need and concentrate on cultivation, how about it?”
Ye Zhuo raised his eyes: “How long?”
Li Yuan thought for a moment.
“A year, what do you think?” Li Yuan looked into his eyes.
A year, he thought, he should be able to get all the insights he could get from this man.
“In the coming year, whether it’s discussing swordsmanship or fighting, we won’t force a victory. You and I will each rely on our own abilities to cultivate with each other, and we’ll see the results in a year.”
Ye Zhuo didn’t say yes, and he didn’t say no.
“I want to see your sword,” he said.
Li Yuan unsheathed his sword and handed it to him.
Ye Zhuo stroked the sword’s body.
The sword was as heavy as black water.
The bone color was snow-white, cold and smooth. There seemed to be sorrow within it.
It actually had many similarities to his Reverse Scale Sword.
“You said that this was a gift from a predecessor. It seems that this predecessor of yours was also a Black Dragon.”
“Yes,” Li Yuan replied.
The Hidden Abyss Black Dragon bloodline was scattered, with only one lineage. All Black Dragons were blood relatives.
Ye Zhuo closed his eyes, experiencing this sword: “This is a heart-front bone.”
“Not bad,” Li Yuan said, “How did you see that?”
Ye Zhuo: “I have a heart scale in my hand, so I naturally recognize a heart-front bone.”
“You…!”
He saw Ye Zhuo open his eyes faintly.
Touching with his translucent fingertip was precisely the sword name of “Do Not Long For”.
Ye Zhuo looked directly at him: “Since it is a gift from a predecessor, these three words are naturally also the predecessor’s warning. Have you followed them?”
“Naturally,” Li Yuan said, “I have not forgotten the predecessor’s warning. I have said the same words before the Dragon Ancestor.”
Ye Zhuo said softly: “Good.”
“Why did you suddenly ask about this?” Li Yuan said, “What about the year-long agreement?”
“Since you’ve said so, I’ll naturally agree,” Ye Zhuo said, “Then if we determine a winner but not life and death, what will happen?”
Li Yuan crossed his arms: “According to your human rules, if you lose, you will naturally be at my disposal. If I lose, it’s up to you to say.”
Ye Zhuo thought seriously.
He felt that Dragon Li Yuan’s wariness had increased somewhat, but it didn’t seem to have improved much.
“It’s not difficult,” Ye Zhuo said happily, “I’ve heard that there are so many treasures in your dragon realm that it is second to none in all the worlds. At that time, you can list them, and let me pick one or two.”
Li Yuan: “…You really are one who plucks a feather from a passing goose, incorrigible.”
“It was clearly you who wanted me to say it myself.”
Li Yuan saw the slight smile in this man’s eyes, vaguely feeling that something was wrong, but he also felt that everything was in accordance with the rules and was reasonable. What Ye Zhuo wanted was even simpler than expected. To put it bluntly, half of the treasures of the dragon realm were actually his private property. How was this different from not wanting anything?
“Then it’s a deal,” Li Yuan said.
Ye Zhuo said: “Okay, it’s a deal.”
As he spoke, he drew his sword, looking at Li Yuan with bright eyes: “Dragon Li Yuan, let’s spar again.”
–Li Yuan was naturally happy to accompany him.
The thousand-mile Green Mountains were once again filled with thunder and lightning, and the earth shook.
But the sun and moon continued to rotate without rest, like rivers flowing.
In the blink of an eye, the autumn frost had faded and ice and snow had sealed the mountains.
In the whirling snow, the Green Mountains were covered in white, only Quiet Grass Cliff still had some greenery.
Two Little Daoists were sitting on the edge of the cliff, feeling the slight tremors of the Green Mountain’s ley lines.
“How long will the Second Palace Master and Brother Li Yuan fight this time? How many fights has this been?”
“…I can’t count them, anyway, even if this fight is over, they’ll start fighting again in ten days or so.”
“Cultivation is really scary…”
“What are you talking about?” Wei Sheng Xian’s smiling voice came from behind.
The two Little Daoists obediently said: “Daoist.”
Wei Sheng Xian walked between them, looking out at the vast mountains in the swirling snow, closing his eyes and feeling the shaking between heaven and earth.
“They really don’t care whether we live or die, I’m really afraid that they’ll kill an immortal one of these days and leave the mess for me to clean up. Fortunately, only Ah Jiang can wake up the one sleeping underground, otherwise, if they wake him up on such an ordinary day, how would we deal with it?” Wei Sheng Xian shook his head.
Suddenly changing the subject, he asked the two Little Daoists: “How’s the aura-watching technique that I taught you coming along?”
“Ah?…Oh, this…that…”
Wei Sheng Xian tapped each of them on the head.
“Just ahead,” he pointed to the center of the wind and clouds between the mountains, and the figures of two people that were difficult to make out in the snow, “Just there, show me.”
The two Little Daoists tried hard to look.
One said: “It’s red and black, I can’t see clearly.”
The other said: “It’s scary to look at.”
“You’re both more unteachable than the other,” Wei Sheng Xian sighed.
“Forget it, this Daoist is in a good mood today, I’ll open your Heavenly Eyes for you, so you can broaden your horizons.”
After speaking, he reached out and wiped each of the Little Daoists’ eyes.
“Alright, look.”
The Little Daoists opened their eyes and looked ahead, suddenly widening their eyes: “Wow…”
They saw that between the mountains and snow, a red lotus that seemed to connect heaven and earth spread out like a raging fire, flamboyant and dazzling, seeming to scorch even the line of sight.
Although it was such an intense color, the chilling intent made people feel cold to the bone.
And around the red lotus, a black True Dragon that could swallow the sun and moon was coiled, its power could soar to the sky, seeming to be lurking and leaping, its scales and claws spread out. The dragon’s head was facing the heart of the red lotus, like it was encircling and strangling, and like it was circling and guarding.
Such a scene made people suddenly be shocked, and lost their voices for a moment.
Finally, one of the Little Daoists spoke: “…What…what is that lotus?”
“Isn’t this obvious?” Wei Sheng Xian said unhappily, “It’s the manifestation of your favorite Second Palace Master Ye’s fortune.”
“That, that dragon wouldn’t be…”
“Oh,” Wei Sheng Xian said, “Isn’t that your other favorite, Brother Li Yuan?”
“But didn’t Brother Li Yuan say that he was a Flood Dragon in the Cold Pool?” The Little Daoist blinked his eyes and stammered, “But, but how does this one have horns…”
Wei Sheng Xian was speechless.
“He’s been corrupted by the one surnamed Ye,” Wei Sheng Xian said finally.
“Huh, there seems to be something else next to it.” The Little Daoist pointed to the east, where there was a faint shadow, but it was too faint to see clearly.
“It looks like a big bird.”
“That’s a Black Bird,” Wei Sheng Xian said, “A few strands of human dynasty’s fortune, it has nothing to do with you.”
“Oh,” the Little Daoist said, “Then the small one that looks like a scorpion is the Fourth Palace Master Feng.”
Looking around, finally, one of the Little Daoists discovered something: “Then Daoist, what about you?”
“Daoist, you wouldn’t be unable to show anything, would you?”
Wei Sheng Xian leaned down, putting his arm around the shoulders of the Little Daoists, and said earnestly: “Cultivation…doesn’t matter how good your aptitude is.”
“What matters is that your vision must be long-term – you agree, right?”
The two Little Daoists looked further away with his words in a daze, and finally both widened their eyes.
–They saw that in the extremely distant, extremely distant sky and earth, a chess board that was extremely grand but also extremely illusory rose up. The black and white chaos on the chess board rose and fell, as if the heaven and earth had just opened and had not completely separated yin and yang.
That thing was extremely wide, flowing and drooping gently from the center to all sides, and finally firmly clasped onto the thousand-mile Green Mountains.
Making the red lotus flames and the True Dragon’s breath not escape outward at all.
“Daoist…you, you, you, you…you’re so big…”
“Why did I raise you two?” Wei Sheng Xian wondered.
Finally, he was asked: “Daoist, what are you doing?”
“Hmph, Fortune Great Formation, stretching for a thousand miles. This is this Daoist’s housekeeping skill.” Wei Sheng Xian looked into the distance, his expression relaxed, “A hidden dragon lies in wait in the depths, it is to bide his time. Once he leaps out into the sky, he will climb the peaks and tread the edges of blades, advancing bravely and unyieldingly.”
“And when he is lurking in the depths, he needs someone like this Daoist who cherishes flowers and grasses, caring for him at all times, sending warmth in secret.”
“Daoist, your wording is so strange.”
Wei Sheng Xian didn’t care at all, but looked smug.
“This great formation is useless. It is only to protect this corner of the Green Mountains, and the people in the mountains.” Wei Sheng Xian looked at the distant horizon, his smile mysterious and unpredictable, as if there was something obscure and unclear: “In case there are those with the ability to reach the heavens, manipulating all living beings, to calculate the secrets of heaven.”
As the voice fell, the extremely mysterious and gentle vast Daoist rhythm around the young Daoist suddenly spread to all directions.
The sky above and below Quiet Grass Cliff was vast and bright, the grass and trees grew, and the flowers bloomed, and in an instant, winter turned to spring.
“Daoist…you, you, you, you…wouldn’t you just…be undergoing tribulation…”
“A mere tribulation,” Wei Sheng Xian said, “This Daoist has the protection of heaven, so what difficulty is there?”
“Then can Daoist beat Second Palace Master Ye now?”
“Don’t bother me.”
Recently, there have been no major events in the Immortal Dao.
With no one around, two Tai Yue Sect doorkeeping Little Daoists were still chatting idly while holding cranes.
They finished talking about how the “Four Seas Survey Map” incident had slowly calmed down, but the new aura meridian did not seem to have surfaced. Furthermore, several elders of the Upper Purity Mountain’s Martial Sect seemed to have died violently one after another. Could there be something wrong with the Martial Sect’s cultivation methods?
They also talked about how nothing really happened this year, but next year, the Immortal Sect Grand Ceremony would begin. There would be a grand competition, a general meeting, and secret realms, which would be a continuous stream of excitement.
Not to mention that after the Immortal Sect Grand Ceremony, it would soon be another more important event for the entire Immortal Dao…
“Speaking of which, when will our Supreme Elder be able to undergo tribulation and ascend?”
“We haven’t seen the Supreme Elder for a long time. I’ve heard that after that time, the Supreme Elder’s understanding of the sword path has deepened again…”
“Hey, Senior Brother, look, it seems like someone’s coming.”
“Hmm? In this cold winter month…it seems like there is someone.”
White frost and snow covered the green vines. On the mountain road, a figure in white clothes and a blue belt was slowly climbing up the steps. As he got closer, they saw that the young man had a handsome face and restrained sharpness, and the long sword behind him was clear all over.
“Who is this guest? What matter brings you to the door?”
“Sword Sect, Su Yizhen. I have come to ask about the Dao.”
“Please ask the Supreme Elder, Sword Venerable Pu Xuan Hui, and his beloved disciple Pei Xi to meet me on the training ground.”
Slowly, that extremely ominous premonition rose in the Little Daoist’s heart again.