Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Scattered sparks of flame fell, glistening brilliantly under the moonlight. The pitch-black night sky lit up as if it were daylight. With the appearance of the dragon's phantom, this corner of the world rapidly heated up, and even the perennial dampness on Chongyao Mountain seemed to dissipate somewhat.

It wasn't until the dragon's phantom completely vanished into the void that the crowd came back to their senses. They exchanged glances and fell silent together.

From the foot of the mountain came waves of astonished clamor. Countless cultivators, sensing the anomaly here, flew over on their swords to investigate.

What they saw was a stretch of collapsed mountain ranges, a dried-up waterfall, and the once mysterious and serene Chongyao Mountain now lying in utter disarray, no longer resembling the paradise it once was.

Lu Sisi's vision darkened. She stared fixedly at the pitch-black night sky, her eyes wide open, her dry eyes growing bloodshot. It wasn't until the night wind stung her eyes and the dragon's phantom was nowhere to be seen that she dejectedly withdrew her gaze.

Watching that familiar and detestable figure rapidly disappear beneath the vast sky, leaving only scattered specks of spiritual light shimmering under the moonlight, her hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly. Lu Sisi stiffly averted her gaze, only to find everyone staring in awe at the slowly dissipating dragon phantom.

Their faces showed fear and dread, longing, as well as unspeakable envy and jealousy.

Just earlier, it was she—Lu Sisi—who was admired and envied by everyone!

Only two months ago, because of her pact with the flood dragon clan senior, she had been the envy of everyone... All of this should have been hers. She couldn't understand why things had suddenly turned out like this.

Lu Sisi found it hard to accept what had happened. Her expression twisted for a moment. This wasn't how things should have been. A surge of blood and qi rose within her, and a coppery sweetness rose in her throat. Lu Sisi touched her aching lower abdomen, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably as she vomited a mouthful of blood.

Then she heard panicked shouts from the people around her. Specks of red-golden flame drifted down with the evening wind, falling like starlight. However, wherever the flames landed, fierce fires broke out. Everyone was frantically summoning water to put out the flames, too busy to notice her pain.

Lu Sisi bit her bloodstained lips. Only when she heard her mother's scream did she snap back to reality. Her mother anxiously wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her expression one of sudden realization. "Si Si, that little wench ran off with someone! What are you going to do now? Where will you find another suitable spiritual root?! Oh heavens, you're just not giving people a way to live!"

As her words fell, Lu Sisi's face lost all color. She stared blankly in the direction where Lu Yuanyin had vanished, a thread of belated fear creeping into her heart.

Those disciples with even a modicum of talent were the key figures in their families, carefully nurtured and well-treated from a young age. Lu Yuanyin had a single spiritual root, nourished since childhood by countless spiritual herbs. Her spiritual root could be considered top-grade. Moreover, she was an orphan without support, had no means to resist.

Besides Lu Yuanyin, she simply couldn't find another suitable candidate...

A great panic welled up in Lu Sisi's heart. She tugged at her mother and looked helplessly at Immortal Lord Changye, only to see him staring fixedly in the direction Lu Yuanyin had left. His face was dark, lacking the usual cold detachment.

Half of his face was hidden in shadow, his features gloomy and ferocious.

Crimson blood dripped from his sleeve, yet he seemed not to notice, his gaze heavy on the dark night sky.

She had never seen Chang Ye look so terrifying. The words on the tip of her tongue died in her throat. She and her mother instinctively fell silent. She stared blankly at the mess on the ground, finally unable to hold back a soft sob. "Master..."

It was as if Immortal Lord Changye only then noticed her presence. He suddenly raised his eyes and looked at her with icy eyes. "You'd better pray that child is never born."

The words Huo Wuyan had just spoken echoed relentlessly in his ears. Chang Ye's knuckles tightened as he gripped the hard hilt of his sword. The veins on the back of his hand bulged, his entire body like a drawn bowstring, ready to snap.

Lu Sisi's expression froze. In that moment, she saw the tangible murderous intent in his eyes.

But Chang Ye had already holding his long sword and walked expressionlessly down the mountain. The blazing firelight leaped wildly behind him, clearly illuminating the gloom in his eyes.

Lu Sisi's heart grew more frantic. She had rarely seen Chang Ye display such outward emotions. Her face turned even paler.

The expression on Chongyao Sect Master's face was indescribably complicated. He watched the rapidly spreading flames, barely able to maintain his usual calm and composed demeanor. His brows and eyes were downcast, his lips tight. He stiffly wiped the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth, a dull pain throbbing in his chest.

No one had expected tonight's farce to end in such an absurd way.

Chongyao Sect Master took a deep breath. Remembering the oppressive aura emanating from the senior just now, he felt a pang of regret. If only he had known earlier, he would have treated Lu Yuanyin well...

An elder with a childlike face and white hair even sighed softly. "It seems that the mysterious senior who appeared in the secret realm back then was most likely this person. What a pity..."

Hearing this, Sect Master grew even more sullen. He naturally understood the elder's implication. He looked shamefacedly at the other elders, all of whom appeared dejected and heavily injured. They had previously thought Lu Yuanyin was just an orphan without support, easily manipulated, someone whose spiritual root could be removed at will.

On one side, they had the talented Lu Sisi, who had contracted with a flood dragon clan senior and was highly valued. On the other, an infamous orphan. So without much investigation, they had simply chosen Lu Sisi and completely abandoned Lu Yuanyin.

But they never expected that Lu Yuanyin had secretly conceived a child with a descendant of the dragon clan, and that dragon clan member was willing to expose his identity, support her in public, and take her away.

If they had left some leeway in their dealings, perhaps a young dragon would have been born within Chongyao Sect. They might have had the opportunity to form friendly ties with the dragon clan, elevating their status.

But now, all those beautiful dreams had turned to bubbles.

No matter how powerful the flood dragon clan was, they only had a mixed bloodline of dragons, which gave them their fame. Now, they had completely offended that dragon clan senior.

Just thinking about the pros and cons made Chongyao Sect Master's intestines twist with regret. Looking at the widespread fire and destruction, he felt a lump of depression in his heart that wouldn't go up or down, choking him in torment. He opened his mouth to speak, but felt a coppery sweetness in his throat and vomited a large mouthful of blood.

It was a combination of rage and suppressed anger that made him faint on the spot.

Everyone panicked and quickly rushed forward to check on him. "Sect Leader!"

"Quick, fetch the Medical Cultivator! Hurry!"

"..."

Lu Yuanyin, however, was oblivious to what they were thinking. She was carried by the dragon, her waist wrapped, as they vanished into the void. The scenery around them changed rapidly. At first, she was a bit frightened, but the stars twinkled, and it seemed as if she could reach out and touch the sky full of stars. The cool night wind whistled past her cheeks, blowing away the accumulated irritability in her heart.

Lu Yuanyin's eyes widened slightly. She stared, unblinking, at the swiftly shrinking Chongyao Mountain below. The once towering, unbreakable peaks now seemed as if they could be easily cupped in one hand.

Lu Yuanyin took a soft, sharp breath. Light flickered before her eyes. The dragon's phantom had turned into specks of spiritual light, dissipating into the void with the night wind. The scene before her rapidly descended, and her body suddenly lost its support.

Instinctively, Lu Yuanyin closed her eyes. In the rapid descent, her body swayed uncontrollably. Then, in an instant, a burning fingertip landed on her waist, steadying her form.

"Master!"

A male cultivator's muffled voice came from behind. Lu Yuanyin opened her eyes and found them already standing in front of the inn from before. Two tall, unfamiliar male cultivators stood there, eyes wide open, staring at her in a daze.

One had a head of red hair, the other green, standing out starkly under the inn's red lanterns.

Lu Yuanyin inexplicably felt they looked like two peppers—one green, one red.

Two oddballs.

Now both of them were staring at her with blazing eyes, as if she were some rare and peculiar creature, their gazes so intense they seemed to spit sparks. Lu Yuanyin felt uncomfortable under their burning stares. She looked up and secretly glanced at Huo Wuyan.

Huo Wuyan also slightly lowered his eyes. His red pupils fixed on her. In his eyes, she saw a blurry reflection of herself.

Lu Yuanyin's gaze flickered. She instinctively looked away from him, her eyes wandering.

Seeing this, Huo Wuyan let out a cold laugh and strode into the inn.

Qing Nong and the other immediately followed. Their expressions were somewhat dazed as they looked at the two people ahead, still shaken by what had just happened. Their gazes dropped, and they saw that Huo Wuyan was still naturally holding her slender wrist, not letting go even as they entered the inn.

Hong Rong and Qing Nong exchanged glances, both seeing undisguised shock and confusion in each other's eyes.

Qing Nong's expression shifted slightly. He had known Huo Wuyan for a long time, so he knew how eccentric and peculiar his temperament was. On ordinary days, he would keep a distance of three feet from people, refusing to have any contact. If anything of his was even slightly touched by someone else, he would immediately burn it and never keep it again.

Forget holding hands—even if his own biological father died before his eyes, he wouldn't lift an eyelid or reach out to help.

Let alone with women.

Huo Wuyan had once watched a little rabbit girl who had chased after him for a long time get torn apart and devoured by a pack of beasts. His expression never changed throughout the entire ordeal. Because of this incident, the swarm of suitors who once followed him had dwindled significantly.

But Huo Wuyan still went his own way.

Qing Nong once thought that Huo Wuyan would remain indifferent and heartless, living out the rest of his life as a solitary bachelor, alone and miserable.

Yet, having watched the entire scene from the shadows, he had seen Huo Wuyan repeatedly initiate contact with this young girl, their interactions intimate, and his face showed no sign of disgust or aversion.

It seemed he had already grown accustomed to her touch.

Qing Nong’s expression grew more peculiar. Watching them from behind, he felt that this whole affair was absurd from start to finish, almost unbelievable.

He followed behind them absently, arms crossed, his mind a chaotic mess. It was hard for him to imagine that Huo Wuyan would one day—like an iron tree blooming or an old stump sprouting—get tangled up with a young girl, and even get her pregnant…

Qing Nong’s face twitched. He brazenly crept behind Huo Wuyan into the room, only to see Huo Wuyan’s eyelashes drooping as he subtly glanced at the young girl walking behind him. A moment later, he coldly looked away, as if that glance had never happened.

Qing Nong paused, a vague premonition stirring in his heart. Just as he was lost in thought, he heard Huo Wuyan say coldly, “Take a look at her.”

Huo Wuyan’s gaze lingered briefly on Lu Yuanyin’s face. She seemed nervous, staring at her wrist, her eyelashes fluttering, her whole demeanor strangely constrained.

Most female cultivators nowadays regularly take beauty pills, so even if they are hundreds or thousands of years old, their faces don’t reveal their age. But bone structure doesn’t lie—her features still carried a hint of youthful innocence, and a fluffy white hair ornament was pinned in her bun. She looked barely twenty.

In terms of appearance alone, she was strikingly beautiful, a rare sight. However, Huo Wuyan was not one to focus on looks. No matter how he looked at it, it was hard to imagine her being involved with Huo Wuyan.

Qing Nong fell silent for a moment. He hadn’t expected Huo Wuyan to like such a childish young girl.

Qing Nong felt a bit of trouble brewing. Huo Wuyan was indifferent to women, but weren’t his lackeys—like Qing Nong himself—also rarely in contact with females? All they did day in and day out was train, fight, and clean up Huo Wuyan’s messes. When had they ever dealt with little girls like this?

His expression was even more awkward than Lu Yuanyin’s. Qing Nong rubbed his dry hands together on his clothes, imitating those refined scholars, and forced a kind smile. “Miss Lu, let me take a look? I know a bit about medicine.”

Hearing this, Lu Yuanyin extended her arm, pulling back her loose sleeve, and said softly, “They just forced me to drink an abortion potion. Will I be alright?”

Qing Nong’s expression tightened. He secretly glanced at Huo Wuyan, who stood behind her with a slight frown and a cold expression.

He quickly reached out his fingertips to feel her pulse. Only now, sensing the chaotic pulse, did he feel a shred of reality. Frowning, he said, “From the pulse, it’s almost three months…”

“Nothing serious. You vomited the potion in time, so it didn’t harm the cub inside. But your physical condition is really average—you’ll need to nourish yourself more.”

Qing Nong took out paper and brush and wrote quickly. What he didn’t say was that the cubs of the spirit beast clan are born strong, and it’s common for pregnant females to fight and even seize territory. Once they carry a cub, they can become fiercer than usual.

However, Qing Nong looked somewhat troubled at Lu Yuanyin’s slender arms and legs, a faint worry stirring within him. Huo Wuyan’s bloodline was too powerful, not something ordinary females could bear. Lu Yuanyin’s cultivation was still low, and her foundation was weak.

Now that the cub’s development required a massive amount of spiritual energy, her body was already beginning to show signs of strain. If any accidents occurred later, she would certainly suffer a great deal, or even lose her life.

Qing Nong looked up and cast an imperceptible glance at Huo Wuyan. He pondered for a moment, then turned to Lu Yuanyin with a smile he thought was very gentle. “Just drink more soups and broths to nourish yourself, and don’t be afraid.”

After saying this, he stuffed the paper into Hong Rong’s arms and winked at him. “Go get the medicine.”

Hong Rong, however, was staring straight at Lu Yuanyin. He gave a distracted nod, but then, as if remembering something, his expression changed. He happily left the room, but once he saw what was written on the paper, his face shifted again.

For on the paper was clearly written: Xun Dragon Pearl.

A dragon clan treasure, capable of reviving the dead and healing injuries. Lu Yuanyin needed the Xun Dragon Pearl to protect her heart meridian for emergencies.

Hong Rong hadn’t expected the situation to be so severe. He dared not delay another moment and rushed out of the inn. With a flicker, he transformed into a black eagle and flew into the dense night.

Back when the dragon clan migrated first, they mostly preferred quiet and often transformed into their original forms to roam around. Thus, they and a few allied clans had chosen to settle in the remote southwest corner of the cultivation world at a place called Wangsheng Lake.

Wangsheng Lake was remote, with year-round low temperatures. Ordinary spirit beasts and human cultivators simply could not survive there, so the area was quiet all year round.

Initially, the dragon clan members were quite satisfied with this place. But as time passed, the dragons and their allied clans saw almost no new cubs born. The elder dragons passed away one after another, and the already sparse population dwindled further, to the point of near extinction.

They once suspected a curse from someone, but then they reconsidered: for such a large and powerful clan as the dragons, they couldn’t imagine whose curse could have such an effect.

They had tried every means to produce more cubs.

But overnight, it was as if every dragon in the clan had lost the ability to reproduce.

No matter how frantically they tried, they could only watch as fewer and fewer clan members remained. The elder dragons in the clan were distressed beyond measure, lying awake night after night, losing scales and hair in great clumps, nearly becoming bald dragons.

The journey was quite far; even for Hong Rong, it took a long time to fly. When he returned, he saw Grandpa Blue Dragon sitting on the mountaintop sunbathing with the Xuan Turtle from next door.

The enormous Xuan Turtle had transformed into its original form and was lying on the ground, its shell carrying a line of little turtles.

Seeing the little turtles piled on his head, Grandpa Blue Dragon’s eyelids twitched, but he didn’t yield an inch verbally. He almost growled through gritted teeth, “What I hate most are these annoying little brats! All they do is cry and cry! Annoying to look at! Next time you come find me, don’t bring these little ones!”

He said this with a red face and thick neck. The Xuan Turtle glanced at him and couldn’t help spitting, “I think you’re just sour grapes!”

With that, seeing that night was approaching, the Xuan Turtle slowly walked down the mountain carrying its little turtles.

After he left, Grandpa Blue Dragon looked at his departing figure with a look of deep weariness. His beard twitched, and then with a thud, he knelt before the dragon god statue, almost shedding bitter tears. “Ancestors, please bless me with just one little darling!

I beg you!!!”

Hong Rong, “…”

If not driven mad by despair, then degenerate in despair.

Clearly, almost every elder dragon in the clan had been driven insane by frustration.

Hong Rong sighed. He jumped down from the tree and quickly tugged at Grandpa Blue Dragon’s cane. “Grandpa Blue, take me to see the elders quickly! I have something to say!!”

Seeing this, Grandpa Blue Dragon frowned. He was already in a bad mood, so he tidied his slightly messy beard with an unfriendly expression and scolded, “Don’t pull at an old man like that. Just spit it out.”

Hong Rong was stunned by the scolding. He quickly stepped back, but then, thinking of the purpose of this trip, his eyes lit up and he shouted loudly, “The Dragon Lord is with child! The Dragon Lord has a cub!!”

Grandpa Blue Dragon, “?”