The True Dragon’s Chosen

It was unknown how much time had passed in repairing the Dragon Orb. The space where Yinglong was buried was now slowly rising within the Dragon Transformation Pool.

“It shouldn’t be much longer,” Chi Qiu speculated, her true qi expanding outwards to part the waters of the Dragon Transformation Pool.

The energy within the Dragon Transformation Pool was nearly depleted, and the oppressive aura had naturally vanished. Only a few golden threads of the grand golden array remained, guarding the pool.

Outside the Dragon Transformation Pool, the three members of the Qi clan led the Black Armored Imperial Guards, stationed on Dragon’s Rest Island. The three Qi clan members sat cross-legged by the pool, cultivating with their eyes closed.

Whoosh…

A faint ripple stirred on the surface of the Dragon Transformation Pool, a wave spreading from its center, creating rings of ripples. The three Qi clan members simultaneously withdrew from their meditative states, their gazes converging on the Dragon Transformation Pool.

A mass of golden true qi continuously expanded, enveloping two figures as they slowly surfaced. It was Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing.

“Quite a grand formation. Are they here to welcome us?” Su Hanxing observed the three Qi clan members leading the Black Armored Imperial Guards stationed outside the Dragon Transformation Pool. He narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint appearing on his face.

Chi Qiu let out a cold snort, turning her head away, unwilling to even look at the three Qi clan members.

“Hehehehe… I haven’t yet congratulated Brother Su on obtaining such a rare treasure,” Qi Feng said, stepping forward with clasped hands, his tone jovial yet probing.

“You’re here, so are you perhaps trying to seize my treasure?” Su Hanxing chuckled softly, a playful note in his voice.

“Heavenly treasures belong to the fated. If Brother Su has obtained this treasure, we certainly wouldn’t contend with you for it.” Despite his words, Qi Feng subtly retreated half a step. His unspoken meaning was clear to everyone present.

“Hmph!” Su Hanxing extended his hand, and a magnificent great spear materialized out of thin air. The shadow of Yinglong appeared upon it, golden dragon qi coiling around its shaft, exuding a formidable aura. The dilapidated golden array by the Dragon Transformation Pool seemed to respond to a summons. Several golden threads slowly extended, enclosing and protecting Su Hanxing and Chi Qiu.

“Brother Su’s good fortune is truly enviable. We shall take our leave for now, and I will certainly call upon you in the future to offer my apologies.” Qi Feng’s expression shifted dramatically as he saw the Yinglong dragon patterns coiling around the great spear and the golden array stirring to life. He bowed with clasped hands, then led the Black Armored Imperial Guards away from the area.

“That Qi Feng truly has no shame,” Chi Qiu muttered, watching him lead the Black Armored Imperial Guards away from Dragon’s Rest Island, her expression displeased.

“He likely wanted to see who the True Dragon’s Aura would choose. Upon seeing that I obtained it, he refrained from attempting to seize it.” Su Hanxing put away his great spear and turned to Chi Qiu. He didn’t believe the damaged golden array could truly stop hundreds of Black Armored Imperial Guards.

“I only hope that when I reside in the Imperial City in the future, I won’t encounter him again,” Chi Qiu nodded.

“Speaking of which, the disciples of the Dao Sect and Spirit Mountain were probably driven away by them, weren’t they? In a way, that helped us.” Su Hanxing surveyed their surroundings, noting numerous fresh signs of battle on Dragon’s Rest Island, and made his conjecture.

“That senior disciple of the Dao Sect… Lin Chen, his strength is quite formidable.” Hearing Su Hanxing mention the Dao Sect and Spirit Mountain, Chi Qiu immediately recalled Lin Chen, the Dao Sect’s senior disciple.

“Lin Chen, you say? His character is upright, and his strength is decent. But he’s not weaker than me,” Su Hanxing declared, praising Lin Chen’s strength but asserting his own superiority.

“I also believe your strength, Su Hanxing, is stronger than Lin Chen’s,” Chi Qiu nodded, agreeing with his assessment.

“Naturally,” Su Hanxing beamed, his eyes crinkling in a smile. “Little Chi, why do you still call me by my full name? It’s a bit too formal, isn’t it?”

“Then what would you prefer I call you?”

Chi Qiu had initially considered addressing Su Hanxing as ‘Brother Su’ or ‘Brother Hanxing,’ much like Qi Feng and the others. However, as she was considerably older than him, the term “brother” felt awkward on her tongue. Thus, she had consistently used his full name, which now struck her as overly distant.

“You don’t need to use my surname; just call me by my given name.” When Su Hanxing heard Chi Qiu’s question, a myriad of sweet, affectionate titles flashed through his mind. After a moment of consideration, however, he discarded them, simply asking Chi Qiu to call him Hanxing.

“Alright, Hanxing. Let’s leave this Yinglong Tomb quickly; delays can lead to complications.” Chi Qiu was also quite pleased with this form of address. She had previously heard Su He call Su Hanxing by the same name and felt it subtly emphasized her slightly older age, which suited her well.

“Indeed, my master should still be waiting outside the Yinglong Tomb, so we must depart as soon as possible.” Su Hanxing nodded vigorously, finding the sound of Chi Qiu calling his name incredibly melodious and delightful, a sound he could never tire of hearing.

The two discerned their direction, departed from Dragon’s Rest Island, and swiftly left that space.

“– Senior Brother, over here –”

As soon as they emerged from the Yinglong Tomb, a voice called out from afar. Chi Qiu looked around, noticing that the Four Ancient Ferocious Beasts were nowhere to be seen, likely having been driven away.

“Junior Brother Chu, why have you all come here?” Su Hanxing followed the sound to see a cultivator in a purple star-patterned Daoist robe waving at him. Behind that person, a group of Tianyan Sect disciples, also clad in star-patterned robes, stood observing their surroundings.

“The Sect Master foresaw that Senior Brother would have a significant encounter, so he dispatched us to assist,” the young man, whom Su Hanxing called Junior Brother Chu, said cheerfully, scratching his head.

“It was Elder Ming who brought us here,” another young cultivator beside Junior Brother Chu added, also beaming with joy.

“I’ll go pay my respects to the two elders first. Little Chi, would you like to come with me?” Su Hanxing was delighted to see so many fellow disciples arrive. He turned to Chi Qiu, asking with a touch of caution.

“If it is proper etiquette, then I shall certainly go,” Chi Qiu nodded.

“Senior Brother, who is this?” Su Hanxing was tall, having completely obscured Chi Qiu just moments ago. Now that he turned to speak, everyone finally noticed there was another person behind him.

“My name is Chi Qiu,” Chi Qiu stated, cupping her hands in a salute, offering no further explanation.

“Don’t underestimate Little Chi just because she’s a female cultivator; her strength is not beneath mine. Alright, stop your clamoring here. I still need to go with Little Chi to pay our respects to the two elders.” Su Hanxing, seeing the strange looks on his junior brothers’ faces and their obvious intent to stir up trouble, quickly interjected.

“Congratulations, Senior Brother!”

“Felicitations, Senior Brother!”

The many disciples made a commotion, then cleared a path. Chi Qiu was well aware of the implications in the Tianyan Sect disciples’ words. She forced herself to remain calm and followed closely behind Su Hanxing, departing from the area.

“Senior Brother truly has good fortune, to have such a woman accompanying him!” As Su Hanxing led Chi Qiu away, the disciples immediately began to chatter amongst themselves.

“Her strength is truly unfathomable, and those scales she wears are of extremely high grade,” another disciple remarked.

“Chi Qiu… isn’t she that rogue cultivator whose soul Senior Brother transferred into a female body?” Junior Brother Chu stroked his chin, pondering for a good while before finally recalling who Chi Qiu was.

“What?”

“Huh?”

This single statement, like a colossal stone plunged into water, instantly caused an uproar. After a flurry of exclamations, the many disciples quickly fell silent.

“Do you think Senior Brother… did it because he likes her?” After a long pause, someone cautiously spoke.

“Do not casually gossip about Senior Brother,” one person admonished. The speaker immediately shrank their head back, no longer daring to utter a word.

“Senior Brother… is probably just like that.” Someone sighed softly, drawing nods of agreement from many disciples.

“Indeed…”

Su Hanxing and Chi Qiu, having already departed, were naturally oblivious to the Tianyan Sect disciples secretly gossiping about them. At this moment, Chi Qiu felt a slight nervousness, deeply worried that the two Tianyan Sect elders would discern the True Dragon’s Aura within her.

“We’ve arrived. This is where the elders of my Tianyan Sect rest,” Su Hanxing announced. Unaware of Chi Qiu’s inner tension, Su Hanxing led her to the entrance of a cave dwelling and began to explain. “The star patterns on this cave dwelling’s plaque can be remotely sensed by my Tianyan Sect disciples using the Tianyan Art. Thus, I can find this place without needing guidance.”

Su Hanxing pointed to the plaque above the cave dwelling’s entrance, introducing it to Chi Qiu.

“I see,” Chi Qiu murmured. She replied vaguely, her mind elsewhere.

“Little Chi, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Su Hanxing asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

“No, Hanxing, I’m just a little worried about…” Chi Qiu shook her head.

“There’s no need to worry. Just trust me.” Su Hanxing had discerned Chi Qiu’s concerns and gently reassured her. Upon hearing Su Hanxing’s words, Chi Qiu inexplicably felt much more at ease. She nodded softly in affirmation, then followed him into the cave dwelling.

“Hahaha, Hanxing and Little Chi have arrived!”

As soon as the two stepped inside, Su He’s hearty laughter resounded. “Come in quickly! Old Ming and I have been waiting for ages. If you hadn’t come out soon, we would have gone into the Yinglong Tomb to find you.”

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing followed his words and entered a tea room within the cave dwelling. There, they saw Su He and another man in white robes seated opposite each other, sipping tea.

“Master, Elder Ming.” Su Hanxing bowed with clasped hands.

“Old Su, Elder Ming.” Chi Qiu curtsied slightly, also performing a respectful bow.

Su Hanxing was slightly surprised to see Chi Qiu perform a feminine bow.

“No need for such formality, please sit,” Su He said, smiling. Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing nodded, then sat cross-legged on the nearby meditation cushions.

“It seems your journey brought considerable gains. I heard that young man from the Qi family say you obtained the True Dragon’s Aura. Is that true?” Su He asked, unable to contain his eagerness.

“It is indeed true, Master, Elder Ming. Please observe.” Su Hanxing’s expression was sincere. With a flick of his hand, golden qi condensed into a small Yinglong, flitting up and down above his palm, a truly wondrous sight.

“Old Ming, listen to this…” Su He said, nodding slightly, then turned to look at the silent man in white robes beside him. The man in white had a remarkably youthful face, appearing to be only in his twenties. His long hair cascaded freely as he leaned casually on a long couch. Hearing Su He call him, he lifted his head, glanced at Su Hanxing, then narrowed his eyes in careful observation.

“Hmm… it is indeed True Dragon’s Aura.” After observing for a long time, Elder Ming nodded. He first looked at Su Hanxing, then at Chi Qiu, before leaning back onto the long couch.

“Hahaha, excellent! Hanxing, you’ve done remarkably well.” Su He burst into hearty laughter upon hearing Elder Ming confirm the presence of True Dragon’s Aura. “Hanxing, you must now cultivate diligently. The day you achieve the Dharma Manifestation Realm will be the day you inherit the position of Tianyan Sect Master.” Su He was in an exceptionally good mood.

“Alright, since both of you have emerged from the Yinglong Tomb, it’s time for us to return to the Tianyan Sect. Old Ming, what are your thoughts?” Su He turned to Elder Ming.

“Yes, we can indeed return,” Elder Ming nodded.

“Good. You two may withdraw for now. In another hour, we will depart for the Tianyan Sect.” Su He nodded, then waved his sleeve, signaling for Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing to leave.

Chi Qiu let out a long breath. After offering a bow, she departed from the cave dwelling with Su Hanxing.

“This Elder Ming’s status seems to be higher than your master’s,” Chi Qiu asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice, as they exited the cave dwelling.

“Elder Ming’s strength is considerably greater than Master’s. He’s always alone, a solitary figure, rarely seen within the sect,” Su Hanxing nodded. “He has an extreme fondness for collecting rare treasures. No one knows his true name; he always refers to himself as Ming Jiu, which is the name of a type of jewel. That’s why everyone in the sect calls him Elder Ming.”

Su Hanxing, seeing Chi Qiu’s apparent interest in Elder Ming, immediately began to tell her more about him.

“Truly an eccentric, to use a jewel as his name,” Chi Qiu nodded.

“Little Chi, would you be willing to leave this place on my Tianyan Sect’s flying magical artifact?” Su Hanxing suddenly turned to face Chi Qiu, asking. He had completed his sect mission and would naturally return to the sect to handle subsequent matters, which meant he and Chi Qiu would soon part ways. This left him feeling a bit empty and uneasy. Su Hanxing wanted to bring Chi Qiu along on the Tianyan Sect’s flying artifact, hoping to spend a few more hours together.

“This… no, I’ll depart on my own shortly.” Chi Qiu looked up at Su Hanxing and slowly shook her head under his expectant gaze. Right now, she only wanted to distance herself from the Tianyan Sect’s high-ranking figures.

“Very well. Little Chi, please don’t forget to send me the communication token for your future residence,” Su Hanxing understood Chi Qiu’s concerns. He didn’t press the matter, merely making a request.

Chi Qiu slowly raised her hand, and a palm-sized, pristine white, intricate flower bloomed upon it. She handed the white flower to Su Hanxing, saying softly, “This is a White Spirit Flower, containing a wisp of my divine soul. I’m accustomed to wandering and may not stay in one place. If you come to the Imperial City to find me, infuse this flower with true qi, and it will automatically locate me. You can simply follow the flower.”

This White Spirit Flower was a secret art from the fourth petal of the divine ability ‘Blooming Life,’ capable of rooting itself in a cultivator to draw divine soul true qi without granting it to its master. Chi Qiu, however, utilized its ability to automatically seek its master, giving it to Su Hanxing so he could find her.

Su Hanxing carefully accepted the White Spirit Flower. Within the flower was a soul power he was very familiar with. He placed the White Spirit Flower into his storage magical artifact, then looked at Chi Qiu and slowly said, “Within three months, I will certainly come find you.”

Chi Qiu nodded. Then, she lightly touched her bronze ring, summoning a small flying boat. Chi Qiu glanced at the flying boat, then turned back to Su Hanxing and said, “Then I’ll be going first.”

Su Hanxing gazed blankly, silent.

“It’s not like we’re parting ways forever, why so dramatic?” Seeing Su Hanxing standing dumbfounded, Chi Qiu gently punched him on the chest, then stepped onto the flying boat with a long stride.

“Hanxing, we’ll meet again someday.” Su Hanxing finally snapped out of his daze. He waved at Chi Qiu on the flying boat, then said, “Little Chi, we’ll meet again someday.”