Chapter 69

Chapter 69

"???!!!"

As Hei Long's words trailed off, the inn fell into a strange, eerie silence, and even the passing wind seemed to freeze for a moment.

Everyone instinctively turned their heads to follow his gaze, and in an instant, dozens of eyes of all different colors were staring intently at Lu Yuanyin... and the eggs in her arms.

Their gazes were as intense as torches, as if they could bore a hole straight through her arm.

Lu Yuanyin also froze; she looked down, confused, and saw the two eggs lying quietly in her arms. After being nurtured with spiritual springs and various herbal baths, the two eggs had become increasingly suffused with spiritual energy. The smooth shells glowed with a moist luster in the dim light, as if carved from jade or agate, round and adorable.

But no matter how she looked, she saw no sign they were about to hatch.

The elders also stared intently for a long while. After a moment, Hong Long stroked his beard and glared fiercely at Hei Long. "Are you so tired you're seeing things? Where did it move?!"

But Hei Long kept staring at the egg in her arms, his expression serious. "I saw it move.

It definitely moved."

Upon hearing this, Hong Long stared fixedly for a while longer, but the egg remained completely still.

Hong Long couldn't help getting irritated. He glared at Hei Long and immediately raised his brows. "Are you messing with me? You wanna fight?!"

They were already extremely sensitive about the baby dragon issue and couldn't tolerate any carelessness or disturbance. If this damn dragon dared to joke about the baby, he'd make him pay!

The other two elders also looked suspiciously at Hei Long. "Fourth brother, did you see it wrong just now?"

Logically, since Lu Yuanyin couldn't incubate the eggs like a female dragon, these two babies would develop slower. They needed more time and spiritual energy to nurture them, so they shouldn't be ready to hatch yet.

But Hei Long stubbornly insisted, "I didn't see wrong. I saw it earlier, and just now they moved again. I absolutely can't be mistaken."

Hong Long glanced at him. "You're probably just going blind in your old age!"

Hei Long: "You're the one going blind! I have eyes like a hawk!"

Earlier when he left, he had seen the egg move slightly. At the time, he thought it was just his imagination or a trick of his eyes, but now, after staring at the egg continuously, he was certain—the egg had definitely moved!!!

He'd swear on his dragon horns!

"I think you're looking for a beating!"

"..."

Lu Yuanyin couldn't help falling silent at their childish argument. Seeing that these old dragons were about to come to blows over a few words, her brow twitched.

Huo Wuyan frowned slightly, turning his gaze away in disdain. When he saw Lu Yuanyin stand up to try to mediate, he said quietly, "Don't mind them."

At his words, Lu Yuanyin looked down and stared blankly at the eggs in her lap. The two eggs lay quietly on her skirt, and aside from feeling a little warmer than usual to the touch, they showed no other signs.

Lu Yuanyin stared fixedly at the two eggs in her arms. After a moment, her gaze lingered on the big, plump egg, and she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of anticipation. She wondered what the baby dragon would look like when it hatched.

She reached out and gently touched the smooth shell.

As they were talking, the two white-haired, immortal-like elders had already escalated their conflict. They leaped out of the inn, eyes wide, and tangled ferociously. Every punch landed with a thud, as if they wanted to knock each other's heads off!

Lu Yuanyin said dryly, "These two elders sure are full of energy..."

Qing Long couldn't help falling silent for a moment. He rubbed his aching forehead, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He sighed bitterly. "Just ignore them.

Second Aunt, take a look. Which of these mountain ranges do you like best?" As he spoke, he handed her a few maps.

Lu Yuanyin blinked, a subtle expression on her face. She placed the eggs on the table and picked up the maps, suddenly feeling emotional. She never thought she'd be someone who could buy mountains one day...

As Lu Yuanyin looked at the maps, Qing Long explained in detail, "This Wangchen Mountain has a spiritual vein underneath, giving it the densest spiritual energy. It also has large fertile fields in the back."

"Changrong Mountain doesn't have as much spiritual energy, but it's spring-like all year round, with streams behind the mountain and beautiful scenery. There are also many small spirit beasts inside."

"This Song Mountain lies on the dragon vein of a small world, with the strongest fortune and the most lively atmosphere. Many clans and human cultivators live around it. The only drawback is that it's a bit cold. These are all carefully selected by us, all suitable for humans. Take a look and see which one you like."

Lu Yuanyin thought it over. She had read about all these mountain ranges in books; each had an extremely advantageous location with its own merits. It was hard to choose.

Lu Yuanyin fell silent for a moment, frowning and biting her lip, extremely conflicted inside...

Huo Wuyan sat expressionless beside her, lowering his eyes slightly, watching her coolly. He saw her brows tightly knit, her small face scrunched up, her long eyelashes fluttering. Her eyes darted across the maps several times, her expression growing more conflicted.

Huo Wuyan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment. Then he said coolly, "If you like them, buy them all. No need to overthink it."

"????" Lu Yuanyin was stunned. Hearing him talk about buying several mountains like it was pocket change, even she trembled as she held the maps.

Damn, with so many rich people around, why couldn't she be one of them?!

Lu Yuanyin felt a twinge of jealousy inside, but she put on a sweet smile and said, "Huo Wuyan, you're so nice~ I'll thank you on behalf of all the seniors!"

Huo Wuyan's fingers paused on his teacup. He gave Lu Yuanyin a deep, unreadable look, then saw she had already gone back to flipping through the maps.

He lowered his eyes, concealing the surging emotions beneath.

Lu Yuanyin was excitedly flipping through the maps, planning where to plant her precious spirit herbs, when she felt something weigh down on her lap. She looked down and saw the big plump egg had rolled off the table into her lap.

She thought she had accidentally knocked it off, so she quickly picked it up and put it back on the table, then went back to looking at the maps. A moment later, she felt a light touch on her arm. She looked over and saw the egg had rolled over to her arm again.

Lu Yuanyin frowned. She glanced to the side and saw Huo Wuyan coldly staring at his teacup.

Qing Long was standing by the window, watching the two fighting dragons with a serious expression. No one beside her could have touched the big egg.

Lu Yuanyin looked at the egg next to her arm, and a strange feeling stirred in her heart. She put the big egg back on the table and sat up straight instinctively.

She glanced sideways.

After a moment, the big, plump egg that had been lying quietly on the table suddenly moved on its own.

The round shell rolled a little, then rolled straight across the table and landed in her lap.

Lu Yuanyin's eyes widened. Her body froze; she could sense a faint breath coming from within the thin eggshell.

Lu Yuanyin: "!!!!!"

Ahhhh!!!!!

Lu Yuanyin abruptly raised her head and looked at Huo Wuyan in panic. "It moved! Hei Long wasn't wrong! The egg really moved!"

As her words fell, Huo Wuyan, Qing Long, and the others instinctively looked toward her. Even Hong Long and Hei Long, still entangled in their fight, stopped and stared wide-eyed at Lu Yuanyin in disbelief.

Hong Long pushed Hei Long aside and quickly ran into the inn. He asked eagerly, "Really or not, Second Aunt? Don't lie to me!"

"Of course it's true!"

But then Lu Yuanyin placed the big fat egg from her arms onto the table, sitting beside it with a tense expression.

Then, the big fat egg lay quietly on the table, its smooth shell glinting faintly in the candlelight.

After a long moment, under the anxious and expectant gazes of the group, the plump egg gave a slight tremble, but then slowly rolled toward Lu Yuanyin, spinning around to land in her arms.

The group’s pupils contracted, and they instinctively held their breath, afraid to disturb the scene before them.

A moment later, the egg, now resting on her skirt, unexpectedly acted as if it were playfully rolling over in a playful manner, then obediently stopped moving, returning to its previous quiet state.

“!!!!”

Ahhhhhhhhh!!!

The elders watched the egg in her arms, their eyes gleaming with light, their expressions full of envy as they stared at Lu Yuanyin, their eyes turning red like rabbits’. They couldn’t help but gasp, their old faces flushing red.

“It really moved!!!! Little one is amazing! Moving at such a young age—truly a genius!”

“That’s wonderful, my dear little one!”

Hong Long couldn’t help but speak in a high-pitched voice as he clapped his hands and called softly, “Come here to me, little one~”

But the big fat egg just lay quietly on Lu Yuanyin’s lap, not moving at all. If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they would hardly believe that scene had occurred!

Seeing this, Hong Long felt a pang of jealousy. He wanted to cuddle with the little one too…

Qing Nong and the Old Medical Cultivator also looked at the big fat egg in her arms with surprise. The Old Medical Cultivator stroked his beard, a glint flashing in his eyes. “This little one is even better than we thought. Judging by this, he might hatch soon!”

Perhaps Huo Wuyan had been diligently incubating the eggs lately, with especially good results, so these two eggs had grown faster.

Thinking of this, the Old Medical Cultivator couldn’t help but beam. “You all should go prepare quickly!”

The elders looked at the big fat egg with kind eyes and agreed in unison, “It’s already ready! It’s in the storage pouch now—I’ll go get it in a moment!”

Feeling the vigorous life within the thin shell, the elder dragons nearly cried tears of joy. After so many years, their clan was finally going to have a little one hatch again!!!

Dragon God above! Dragon God bless!!!

Huo Wuyan also stared fixedly at the egg in her arms, his fingertips tightening slightly, a glint flashing in his crimson eyes.

He couldn’t quite describe what he felt in his heart at that moment.

Huo Wuyan was silent for a moment, then simply clenched the teacup in his hand tightly.

Even Lu Yuanyin hadn’t expected this day to come so soon. She couldn’t help but reach out a fingertip and gently touch the smooth, lustrous shell, her emotions were indescribably complex.

He was about to hatch—how miraculous…

The bright moon hung high in the sky.

Lu Yuanyin, carrying the two eggs, returned to her room under the reluctant, lingering gazes of the elders.

She washed up briefly, then curled up into the soft brocade quilt with the two eggs. Lu Yuanyin lay wearily on the soft bed, yawned, and stared silently at the night pearls hanging from the ceiling. She touched the eggs beside her, thinking about the day’s events, as various scenes flashed through her mind. For once, she had trouble sleeping.

The night breeze passed through the hall, causing the night pearls on the ceiling to sway gently, their light flickering. She turned over and silently looked at the closed door opposite.

She thought of what Huo Wuyan had said to her that day. She rubbed her cheeks, her expression somewhat dazed. Lu Yuanyin was not someone who was slow-witted; on the contrary, her intuition in certain matters was often eerily sharp.

Lu Yuanyin tapped her fingertips. Thinking back now, from the very beginning of their encounter, Huo Wuyan’s attitude toward her had always carried an indescribable ambiguity. Even when she resented Lu Sisi and humiliated him repeatedly, no matter how far she went, Huo Wuyan had never hurt her.

Lu Yuanyin pouted, her thoughts growing more chaotic. Noticing a slight sound from the opposite room, she hesitated only for a moment, then abruptly sat up. She quickly put on her clothes, hitched up her skirt, and ran to the room across the hall.

There, Huo Wuyan was casually taking off his outer robe. Sensing the sound behind him, he turned slightly and looked coldly at Lu Yuanyin standing at the door. He said in a deep voice, “What is it?”

Lu Yuanyin’s gaze froze. She saw a deep wound on the back of his hand, extending all the way into his sleeve, almost revealing the stark white of bone. The wound was still oozing blood.

It had been hidden by his robe earlier, so she hadn’t noticed. Lu Yuanyin was startled and quickly stepped forward. “You’re injured?”

Huo Wuyan looked down slightly, his crimson eyes fixed directly on Lu Yuanyin as he said in a deep voice, “It’s nothing.”

Lu Yuanyin tugged at his loose sleeve and said softly, “Huo Wuyan, let me bandage your wound!” Without waiting for him to refuse, she pulled his sleeve and led him to the table.

Huo Wuyan looked at the fluffy top of her head in front of him. He paused for a moment, but didn’t refuse.

Lu Yuanyin took out her small medicine kit from her storage pouch, picked up scissors, and carefully cut open his robe. She discovered that his sturdy arm was also a bloody mess, as if wounded by a sword.

The residual sword energy within the wound kept destroying his healing flesh. Just looking at it made Lu Yuanyin’s wrist ache.

She could hardly imagine that Huo Wuyan had been carrying such a wound while accompanying them on their travels all day.

She took a cloth, carefully wiped the blood around the wound, and then gently sprinkled some flesh-regenerating powder on it.

Although this powder was effective, applying it to a raw wound was an indescribably painful experience. At least, whenever Lu Yuanyin used it on herself, she would writhe in agony.

She raised her head and secretly glanced at Huo Wuyan. He was staring at her expressionlessly, his thick eyelashes casting a beautiful shadow in his eye sockets. His expression was as calm as ever, as if he felt no pain at all.

Lu Yuanyin’s teeth clenched slightly. She looked at the wound, and after a moment, as if struck by a thought, she curiously asked the man before her, her voice soft, “Huo Wuyan, how old are you?”

Huo Wuyan lifted his eyelids and looked at her coldly. “Why?”

Lu Yuanyin arched her eyebrows and smiled innocently. “Just curious! Come on, Huo Wuyan, tell me!”

Huo Wuyan moved his gaze away expressionlessly, staring coldly at the dense night outside the window.

Suddenly, it occurred to him—when human cultivators married and became cultivation partners, they always liked to check their birth charts and do fortune-telling. Lu Yuanyin probably wanted his birth date to calculate auspicious days and such.

Boring and childish.

Huo Wuyan’s fingertips twitched. He lowered his eyelashes, his expression dark.

After a long while, just as Lu Yuanyin thought he wouldn’t answer, he gave her a cool glance and said coldly, “The sixth day of the first month in the seventh year of Changrong.”

Lu Yuanyin repeated it instinctively, “Ah? Changrong seven…”

A moment later, her voice suddenly stopped. Lu Yuanyin raised her head sharply, staring at Huo Wuyan with shock. Her tone changed. “You’re almost four thousand years old?? Are you really that old?”

Huo Wuyan: “.”

Author’s note:

Here it is. I’ve been busy the last couple of days, so updates have been unstable. I’ll resume normal updates tomorrow~

I’ll send a few red envelopes tonight—just comment to get one~