IS Chapter 41
by VolareMarch, the heavens and earth are clear and cold.
The mountain scenery is bright, with a few wisps of light white flowing clouds leisurely drifting in the sky.
The Yulan Magnolia trees on Misty Green Peak have also sprouted, with frost-colored, translucent new leaves growing from the branches.
“The peach blossoms down the mountain are blooming,” Li Yuan said.
Ye Zhuo did not reply. He wasn’t interested in the topic.
Sunlight shone in through the window lattice, illuminating everything in the room.
The dragon could also be considered part of the furnishings.
Dragon Li Yuan’s clothes were, as usual, carelessly worn.
The inner and outer robes clearly had buttons and ties that could be neatly fastened with a simple spell. Yet he wore them loosely, reclining on the couch, completely unconcerned.
This appearance, down in the mortal world, would surely be condemned as frivolous, indecent, and lacking decorum. Perhaps he would even be disciplined by elders according to family law.
Unfortunately, there were no dragon elders here to discipline him.
Ye Zhuo reached out, his fingers parting the dragon’s collar.
His fingertips touched the warm skin of the chest. Ye Zhuo thoughtfully lowered his eyes, watching the place, his fingers tracing the distinct lines of muscle.
Then he pressed down a little.
Quite firm. Just as he expected.
A creature from the primordial chaos, its power restrained. But how could a true dragon truly conceal its brilliance? Inevitably, it exuded an aura of arrogance everywhere.
The face was like this, and so was the body.
Ye Zhuo had already studied the original form of the Black Dragon, so naturally, he knew it was powerful and domineering, impervious to all magic.
When transformed into human form, there was some restraint, but that restraint was limited.
Body cultivators liked to refine their bodies to be like mountains. Admittedly, that might look more exaggerated. Unfortunately, the power within was far inferior to the condensed and terrifying power contained in the body beneath his hand.
As a human, it was difficult to possess such a body.
Ye Zhuo’s gaze deepened. The fingers pressing down loosened slightly, and then moved elsewhere.
—Then Li Yuan grabbed his wrist, immobilizing it.
Li Yuan: “Don’t move.”
He struggled a few times, trying to pull away, but to no avail.
Such was the difference in physical strength.
Ye Zhuo raised his eyes to look at him.
Holding that wrist, Li Yuan’s eyes seemed to hold a teasing glint.
“What,” Li Yuan said, “do you want it?”
They were very close. They didn’t need to speak loudly, speaking softer than usual, as if suppressing their voices.
Hearing this question, Ye Zhuo thought for a moment.
Then, he nodded silently.
Li Yuan chuckled.
This person’s thoughts, really.
“The Black Dragon’s body is unique in all the worlds, born strong. Since you can’t possess bodies, don’t even think about it,” he said. “But if you want to temper your body, it’s not impossible.”
Ye Zhuo: “I’ve already used all the methods of the human world.”
Li Yuan’s gaze swept over his waist.
As a Sword Cultivator, Ye Zhuo could be considered accomplished in body refinement. Crushing a few members of his own race wouldn’t be a problem.
But with his refined and elegant physique, no matter how much he exerted himself, he would still appear slender and graceful, like now.
…It felt good to hold him.
Since he had seen it, Li Yuan reached out and completely pulled him over, pressing him against his chest.
Didn’t he like to touch? Then he could stick to him.
Naturally, Ye Zhuo was displeased.
In an instant, they exchanged a few moves, ultimately ending with Li Yuan locking him in his arms.
“Among the magical treasures I brought, there is one that can summon heavenly lightning, said to have the power of a human ascension tribulation,” Li Yuan said. “How do you feel about using lightning tribulation to temper your body?”
Ye Zhuo: “It should be effective.”
Saying this, he thought of getting up.
Actually, Li Yuan hadn’t held him enough, and he expressed his dissatisfaction with a half-kiss, half-bite before finally releasing his arms.
Ye Zhuo’s clothes were worn well by him, but his own attire was not suitable for appearing outside. In the end, Li Yuan used a spell, and his clothes spontaneously transformed into a presentable state.
Then he leisurely got up and walked out.
Saying he would go out, he went out. Ye Zhuo always suspected that Dragon Li Yuan could, to some extent, control his dragon scent guide.
But when truly asked, he would vehemently deny it.
In late spring, early summer, the mountains and fields of the Green Mountains had already sprouted tender grass and wildflowers, scattered far and wide, creating a cheerful scene.
Soon, they found a beautiful and open place that made them feel most cheerful and performed a ritual to summon the treasure.
The sky suddenly darkened, and the snow-white flowing clouds turned into heavy dark clouds. The terrifying power of the lightning tribulation gathered within.
Then, with a deafening crash, the first terrifying bolt of lightning struck down without warning.
When the lightning dissipated, the surrounding area within a dozen li had instantly turned into a scorched black wasteland.
Ye Zhuo was still standing well in the center.
Li Yuan had a plan in his mind, and then fully activated the treasure, striking the man with bolt after bolt.
Of course, he would also strike himself once in a while. This level of heavenly lightning naturally didn’t have much effect on his body, but it was better than nothing.
As bolts of lightning comparable to the heavenly tribulations struck down, the atmosphere above and below the Green Mountains became exceptionally oppressive.
—Especially on Quiet Grass Cliff.
The Micro-Snow Palace Master paused slightly in his action of turning the page.
The obscure and profound words on the book seemed to have turned into the shape of thunder and lightning.
“This lightning really has the true meaning of the Heavenly Dao. I really want to let you know how grass is planted and how trees are grown,” Wei Sheng Xian muttered darkly to himself.
The thunder roared and lightning flashed. Purple lightning struck for three days and three nights, and it did not stop even when Micro-Snow Palace Master suddenly advanced to the mid-stage of the Tribulation Transcendence realm.
“Daoist, are you in a good mood?” The Little Daoist asked with concern.
“My mood is very good,” Wei Sheng Xian said with a fake smile. “Heaven never seals off all paths. The person who will save this Palace Master is coming soon.”
“Oh…just don’t be angered to death…”
On the fourth day and third night of the lightning strikes, the two people in the center of the thunder heard the sound of a regular bell ringing from the front mountain.
Ye Zhuo said, “Someone has returned.”
Li Yuan: “Do you want to go?”
“Yes.”
He put away the magical treasure, and the lightning quickly dissipated.
In a scorched earth, Ye Zhuo was still standing there unscathed, except for a slight dishevelment of his hair.
His face looked even more radiant, as if made of jade, proof of successful body tempering.
His aura was even more sharp and exposed, like a world-shocking sword suddenly drawn from its sheath.
Having received so many lightning tribulations, how could he not comprehend some of the meaning of thunder and lightning?
Li Yuan sized up Ye Zhuo, feeling that this person had become even more dazzling.
Even the embroidered patterns on his clothes seemed to have a faint, shimmering radiance flowing through them.
Speaking of which, it was really quite elaborate.
Ye Zhuo was able to remain unharmed under the lightning tribulation, naturally because of his own successful cultivation.
But even his clothes and hair accessories remained undamaged. Even though Li Yuan didn’t know much about the art of refining artifacts, he knew that these must be magical garments and accessories of extremely high quality.
When choosing clothes for Ye Zhuo to wear each time, he hadn’t screened them for their quality. He just picked whatever set looked good.
Even that frost-silver hairpin shaped like a crescent moon, he had only put in the person’s hair because it looked especially pure, cold, and beautiful.
To randomly select and find treasures that lightning couldn’t damage, were all the clothes like this?
Curiosity suddenly arose in Li Yuan’s heart: “Who prepared these clothes for you?”
—Anyway, it wouldn’t be this person who chose them himself.
Ye Zhuo thought for a moment and answered, “Perhaps you will meet them today.”
As the bell indicated, it wasn’t a visitor, but one of their own who had returned to the mountain.
Li Yuan was very interested.
He and Ye Zhuo were people who had nothing to say to each other. He was sure that he would have a great time chatting with that person.
Thinking so, he saw the person quietly sizing him up.
Seeming to want to find a place to touch and test the results of the body tempering.
Li Yuan immediately became wary.
He held out his sword: “You are only allowed to cut the scabbard.”
Ye Zhuo immediately vertically slashed with his sheathed sword, with the force of a shooting star.
In the mountain, they only heard a continuous vibration, and the only mountain they saw slowly slid down.
“Not bad,” Li Yuan said. “How will you thank me?”
Ye Zhuo: “I’ll give you a new sword move, how about it?”
“That’s considerate enough.”
The sword move comprehended from the thunder law. Ye Zhuo himself might not be able to maximize its power, but it would be different if it was given to him.
Saying this, they returned together to the front of the main peak hall.
Micro-Snow Palace Master and Feng Jiang were already there. Two Daoists, two Medicinal Workers, and a young man who was nominally Ye Zhuo’s Sword Servant but actually worked as a cleaner and guest greeter in the hall were also present.
Li Yuan suspected that Ye Zhuo didn’t even remember the name of this Sword Servant, and even the sword moves were taught by Micro-Snow Palace Master.
In any case, all the members of the Micro-Snow Palace had gathered here.
Excluding himself, there were as many as eight people. Soon, there would be nine.
Not to mention that there were two dogs that could also be counted among them.
This scene, bustling with activity, was rarely seen in other sects.
However, Micro-Snow Palace Master’s face seemed haggard. When he greeted them, he was weak and lacking the demeanor of a mid-stage Tribulation Transcendence cultivator.
Soon, an old man wearing coarse cloth, leaning on a cane, carrying an old baggage, with white hair and beard, and looking extremely amiable, walked slowly from the mountain gate.
Fourth Palace Master Feng Jiang had already taken his pair of children and rushed up to greet him, used to his planning on how to poison others, it was rare to see him so full of smiles.
“Master Xia!” Feng Jiang said, taking the old man’s arm. The old man also nodded to him with great joy.
Li Yuan quietly asked Ye Zhuo from the back of the crowd: “Which palace master is this?”
Ye Zhuo: “Five.”
However, his cultivation realm couldn’t be seen.
Looking left and right, he seemed like an ordinary mortal.
“What is Fifth Palace Master’s cultivation realm?” Li Yuan asked Ye Zhuo in an even quieter voice.
This was a good question, because Ye Zhuo also didn’t know.
Ye Zhuo: “You can ask him yourself.”
Li Yuan: “Looks like you don’t know either.”
Ye Zhuo didn’t reply.
Walking to the front of the crowd, the old man called “Master Xia” looked at everyone one by one, with a friendly and joyful smile on his face. Even the two Little Daoists were patted hard on the head a few times.
However, all they heard was everyone calling “Master Xia,” but Master Xia only smiled and didn’t speak.
The person was already close, and it would be a little impolite to speak in a low voice. This time, Ye Zhuo received the dragon’s divine sense transmission.
“Can’t your Fifth Palace Master speak?”
“I’ve never heard Master Xia speak.”
“I see.”
During the exchange of divine sense, Master Xia’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he walked quickly to Ye Zhuo in great strides, leaning on his cane. First, he carefully examined the corner of Ye Zhuo’s sleeve, then carefully looked at the lotus embroidery on the clothes, and finally went behind him to check the frost moon hairpin inserted in his hair in the shape of an ascending crescent moon.
His eyes were full of excitement.
When he returned to Ye Zhuo’s front, he held his hand and nodded repeatedly.
Then he took a few steps back to examine the whole, nodding and sighing in relief, as if comforting himself.
This made Ye Zhuo a little unsure how to respond.
The slightly smiling voice of the dragon came from his mind.
“Looks like your clothes were all carefully made by Master Xia. You used to just pick whatever was easiest, but now you’re finally wearing them properly. Master Xia must be so touched to see it. Look at you, how much of other people’s efforts you’ve failed to live up to in the past.”
Ye Zhuo was speechless.
Looking at Master Xia’s situation, it seemed to be so.
So he said: “Master Xia, thank you.”
Master Xia patted him on the shoulder with emotion, his eyes conveying a sense of hardship finally coming to an end.
In just a moment, his slightly hunched back had straightened up, and even his spirit was much more hale and hearty.
Feng Jiang sighed from behind: “It’s really a miraculous recovery.”
Wei Sheng Xian nodded.
After looking at Ye Zhuo, the next one to be looked at became Li Yuan.
At their first meeting, Master Xia began to carefully examine Li Yuan’s entire person.
—Li Yuan was a little unsure how to introduce himself.
At this time, the two Little Daoists who were very familiar with him chimed in.
“Master Xia, you don’t know who this is, do you?” The first Little Daoist said.
The second said: “Master Xia, this is the Dragon spirit brother who recently transformed in our Cold Pool.”
Master Xia nodded solemnly, giving Li Yuan a thumbs up, seemingly praising him for his transformation.
He used the same gesture toward Ye Zhuo, seeming to praise the blessed environment of his Cold Pool.
Li Yuan: “…”
These two children, how did Micro-Snow Palace Master pick them up?
However, he could only greet Master Xia politely, as he would a senior.
“Fifth Palace Master Xia, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Li Yuan. I’m temporarily residing in the Cold Pool.”
His wording was polite and appropriate, and his origin was clearly verifiable. Master Xia was very pleased, and his gaze toward Li Yuan quickly changed from cautious to cordial.
He already approved of his appearance and demeanor, and when he saw the shape and patterns of his robes, he nodded even more.
Ye Zhuo quietly watched as the dragon once again integrated into the Micro-Snow Palace with a proper identity.
After Master Xia and Li Yuan had also finished their exchange, the Micro-Snow Palace members led the old man into the hall.
Then, Master Xia opened his baggage.
At first glance, it was filled with many dazzling items, the most of which were papers depicting various patterns.
Wei Sheng Xian said to Li Yuan: “Master Xia is like this, he likes to travel the human world, seeking enlightenment.”
“No wonder.” Li Yuan had always appreciated Master Xia’s taste.
Then, he saw Master Xia begin to distribute the items one by one.
It turned out that every time he returned from his travels down the mountain, he would bring something for everyone.
The children first received novel playthings, then Feng Jiang was given a set of exquisite silver needles, Micro-Snow Palace Master received a yellow copper compass, and Ye Zhuo received a sword manual.
The two dogs had been suddenly added to the Micro-Snow Palace, and were not included in the preparations. Master Xia thought hard for a while, and found two flower ropes from his baggage, tying them around their necks.
Then, it was Li Yuan’s turn.
Master Xia pondered for a long time again.
Finally, he took out a bright and glowing red carp jade pendant from his arms, holding out the string to Li Yuan.
Li Yuan was very familiar with this jade pendant. It was the token of the Micro-Snow Palace in the mortal dynasties. Ye Zhuo had already given him one.
He immediately declined, saying it wasn’t necessary.
“Second Palace Master Ye has already given me one,” Li Yuan said.
At this time, the jade pendant suspended by the rope slowly turned to reveal one side. Li Yuan suddenly saw that on the back, there was a “Seven” character engraved on it.
Li Yuan: “…”
He wanted to take back his words, but Master Xia had already nodded, thoughtfully putting away the “Seven” character jade pendant.
He actually felt quite regretful. Ye Zhuo and he had some conflicts, but the Micro-Snow Palace was still an interesting sect.
However, Master Xia then took out another jade pendant of the same shape and handed it out.
This time, Li Yuan didn’t refuse immediately, but carefully examined it.
On the back of this jade pendant, there was actually a smaller “Two” character engraved.
He immediately inquired to Ye Zhuo with his divine sense.
“Can I accept this,” he said, “What does ‘Two’ here mean? It doesn’t seem very appropriate.”
Ye Zhuo: “…It’s up to you. It’s the meaning of the other members in the palace.”
When they were sleeping in his bed, he never asked if it was appropriate.
If he was really recognized as the seventh palace master, wouldn’t they have to allocate a peak to him?
Even more absurd. It was better to stay in the Cold Pool as a native Dragon spirit.
—Since Ye Zhuo had said so, one should not refuse a gift from an elder. Li Yuan gladly accepted it.
Master Xia patted him on the shoulder with a smile, and went to pack up his baggage.