Chapter 424 Senior Brother, Establishing Authority
Sweet spring rain, moistened the sand and soil. Within Seven Dragon Valley, sandrock weathered for a thousand years had now sprouted dots of verdant green tender shoots.
Ye Anping lay sprawled on the ground, his gaze fixed on the clear sky. He felt the clothes on his back soaked by grass and vegetation carrying dew. Turning his head, he saw a tender shoot peeking out from between his right fingers, fragile yet representing new life.
Suddenly, a panicked cry jarred his slightly groggy mind awake:
“Anping!!”
Xiao Yunluo rushed onto him, her eyes teary as she looked at his face, endless worry in their depths. The neat bangs on her forehead were now split into three sections by two deer-like horns, as if her hairline had been pushed back a bit.
Though in a semi-dragon form, she appeared somewhat disheveled at the moment.
“Can’t you do this…”
Ye Anping’s eyes were full of gentleness. He slowly raised his hand, casually smoothing her purple fur and then gently touching the pair of dragon horns.
The moment his fingers touched the glass-like dragon horns, Xiao Yunluo suddenly realized she had grown a pair of horns. She then raised her hand in a daze to touch her temples, but was startled to see a few scattered five-colored dragon scales on her wrist.
“Ah?!”
Ye Anping looked at Xiao Yunluo’s confused expression and let out a sigh of helplessness. He wondered if Si Xuanji had kept too much from her, or if she was simply too carefree, never having had the urge to investigate her own origins…
“Sigh…”
And in the very next second, it was as if pent-up emotions were being released like a flood.
Two large tears welled up from the corners of Xiao Yunluo’s eyes. She buried her face directly into Ye Anping’s chest and began to wail:
“Waaahhhhh—!! I’m so scared!! Anping!! I’m so scared!!”
“… …”
Ye Anping was almost poked in the nose by her dragon horns. Startled, he tilted his head away, then breathed a sigh of relief again, gently stroking Xiao Yunluo’s hair to comfort her.
“It’s okay, it’s okay… The Young Master of Xuan Xing Sect is crying.”
He slightly averted his gaze, looking to the side. Yun Yiyi was also standing a short distance away, watching, but did not disturb the two of them.
Ye Anping nodded slightly, thanking her for catching him and Xiao Yunluo.
Yun Yiyi also squinted and smiled, nodding in response.
… …
… …
After exchanging glances, Ye Anping looked back at Xiao Yunluo, who was crying in his arms, and recalled a memory from the game’s plot…
Ten thousand years ago, the Dragon race was defeated by humans, who were still in a primitive state.
Humans prided themselves on dragon slayers, using dragon bones for swords, dragon meat for alchemy, dragon scales for crafting artifacts, and dragon hearts to nurture territories…
The last Xuan Chi remaining in the world could only compromise. It found a cultivator in the human race who was only at the Qi Refining Stage and made a deal with him—
To use its dragon body to nurture a vast territory until its dragon spirit faded.
And this territory was the present-day “Western Regions.”
The Xuan Chi’s only request was for the human cultivator to help it preserve its bloodline, so that when humanity was in decline, it could make a comeback and, just as humans had slayed dragons, exterminate human cultivators in the world.
The human cultivator agreed.
He was once the owner of the Heavenly Scroll of the Dao, and with the help of the Xuan Chi, he founded his own sect, naming it:
— “Xuan Xing Sect”
“Xiao Yunluo” was the descendant left behind by that Xuan Chi.
For thousands of years after the Xuan Chi’s demise, successive Sect Masters of Xuan Xing Sect tried in every way to hatch her, intending to make her their spiritual pet, but none succeeded.
Until Si Xuanji appeared.
In a sense, Si Xuanji was also one of those greedy individuals who coveted the Xuan Dragon’s spiritual energy.
But unlike them, she succeeded.
She didn’t resort to methods like the former Sect Masters of Xuan Xing Sect, such as roasting with true fire or condensing strange formations to try and force the dragon egg to hatch.
Si Xuanji simply stayed in the back garden of Xuan Xing Sect, like a mother hen, holding the dragon egg and accompanying it, using heaven and earth as her bed and the four seasons as her blankets for two years.
Then—Xiao Yunluo hatched.
She did not descend into the world in her dragon form, but instead, in a human form similar to Si Xuanji, and then became the Young Master of Xuan Xing Sect.
… …
Looking at Xiao Yunluo crying tightly in his arms, Ye Anping pondered for a moment and finally decided to leave this story for Si Xuanji to tell her.
It would be better coming from Si Xuanji than from him.
After Xiao Yunluo calmed down a bit, he finally spoke:
“Yunluo, go back and ask your mother about your own origins.”
… …
“If possible, I’d also like to meet your mother. Can you introduce me?” Ye Anping averted his gaze and sighed, “After all, I should meet your mother…”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunluo sniffled and nodded dazedly:
“Okay… I’ll take you.”
Ye Anping extended his right pinky finger: “Then it’s settled.”
“Mm!”
Xiao Yunluo linked her right pinky finger with his, squinted and smiled, then moved away from Ye Anping. She supported Ye Anping’s shoulder and helped him up from the ground.
Yun Yiyi, standing beside them, also quickly stepped forward. The two of them, each taking one of Ye Anping’s arms and leaning against his shoulders, looked at him.
Yun Yiyi also took Ye Anping’s wrist and took his pulse, asking:
“Shall we go back and let you recuperate? You need rest…”
Xiao Yunluo blinked, as if suddenly remembering something. She looked at the dragon horns on her forehead and murmured, her face blushing, “Yeah… Anping, go back and rest well, I’ll take care of you.”
“Young Master Xiao must also be tired. Shall I take care of my husband tonight?”
“It’s fine,” Xiao Yunluo met Yun Yiyi’s gaze. “He is also my husband, and I haven’t done anything.”
?
Looking at the two girls supporting him, Ye Anping felt inexplicably weary, sensing that he wouldn’t be able to rest tonight. He sighed slightly and interrupted:
“Before resting, there’s still something to do. Those people hidden among the Xing Tian Division disciples, who have been delivering messages to the demonic cultivators, they are still useful… In short, take me back to the camp first.”
““Mm…””
The two girls nodded in agreement. They didn’t use flying swords this time, but rather used their body-controlling techniques to carry Ye Anping towards a cave deep within Seven Dragon Valley that had not been affected by the battle.
… …
— — —
Drip… drip…
Dewdrops fell from the stalactites. Within a vast cave, nearly a thousand bonfires were burning. Countless yellow tents were erected along the terraced terrain inside the cave, and four Immortal Ships were neatly arranged to one side.
Over three thousand Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators, all wearing Xing Tian Division Daoist robes, sat silently around the bonfires. Noisy commotion echoed within this cave, which was nearly thirty mu in size.
Some were in a panic: “We’re going to die!! We’re going to die!!! I don’t want to die! I still have my parents—”
Others were calm and collected: “Don’t panic. Judging by the sounds, the fight seems to be over… If the demonic cultivators rush in later, we’ll just blow up the entire cave and escape as much as we can.”
Others were hot-blooded and eager for battle: “Damn it, demonic cultivators! Why aren’t Young Master Xiao and that guy named Ye letting us go out and fight the demonic cultivators to our heart’s content? Don’t hold me back, I’m going to kill demonic cultivators!!”
… …
The earth-shattering tremors from before had frightened many, but also invigorated many.
In a corner, three men in Xing Tian Division Daoist robes sat around a bonfire, looking around furtively and whispering:
“Judging by the situation, Young Master Gui’s side should have already killed that guy named Ye. You two find an opportunity to distract those Xing Tian Division disciples guarding the entrance. I’ll go out to inform Young Master Gui of our location, so he doesn’t have to search for so long in Seven Dragon Valley.”
“Mm, the formation that the Young Master of Xuan Xing Sect had us set up in Seven Dragon Valley earlier is quite formidable. There are at least twelve formation eyes. It’s some kind of mystical art. I heard them say it’s a formation from the former Imperial Sect.”
“Speaking of which, did you guys hear dragon roars just now? I somehow felt like there was a dragon roar outside just now…”
Two of them shook their heads in unison: “No.”
“Oh…”
After discussing for a while, since the caves within Seven Dragon Valley were interconnected, they found the nearest exit to themselves. Two of them took out some wine and walked over, striking up a conversation with the two Xing Tian Division disciples guarding that cave entrance.
“Esteemed Senior Brothers, how about we take over guarding this place, and you guys go rest for a while…”
The two Xing Tian Division disciples looked at the three men and did not refuse, cupping their hands in greeting:
“We find it strange seeing junior brothers who look so unfamiliar. Have you joined Xing Tian Division recently?”
“Ahaha… We did indeed just pass the trial not long ago, and then this happened…”
“In that case, we’ll trouble you, junior brothers…”
At this point, a joyful shout suddenly came from a cave on the other side:
— “Young Master Xiao and the others are back!!!”
Although the cave was large, due to its relative enclosed nature, this shout, after countless echoes, clearly reached the ears of all the Xing Tian Division disciples present.
!!!
The faces of the three men instantly showed disbelief. Along with the two Xing Tian Division disciples beside them, they turned to look in the direction of the shout.
Ye Anping, wearing a black brocade robe, was the first to walk in from the cave. He had deliberately changed into a new outer robe before returning.
Xiao Yunluo, with a scarf wrapped around her head to conceal her dragon horns, walked behind him on one side, with Yun Yiyi on the other. Behind them were the over twenty Moon Shadow Sword Sect disciples who had initially gone out with them to deal with the twelve formations.
He hadn’t involved the Xing Tian Division disciples because Ye Anping wasn’t sure how many demonic cultivator spies were hidden within this group of three thousand people.
As for these Moon Shadow Sword Sect disciples, they all belonged to Yi Shui Peak of the Sword Sect. Yun Yiyi remembered everyone’s faces and names, so there was no risk of impersonation.
Because the cave entrance was at a high spot, Ye Anping could scan all the Xing Tian Division disciples in the cave at a glance after entering. And after just one sweep, he immediately noticed the three men standing with two Xing Tian Division disciples at another entrance.
He looked at the three men, took a deep breath, and spread his voice with spiritual power:
“The Young Master of Ghost Spirit Sect, along with the fifty Core Formation Stage cultivators in pursuit, have all been annihilated by this seat. Issue an order: rest for a day today, and continue our journey tomorrow. Beyond Seven Dragon Valley, it’s smooth sailing.”
After his voice faded, there was silence in the cave.
Ye Anping, using his far-sight technique, watched the expressions on the faces of the three men opposite him change from shock to terror, and then, as if they had seen something unnamable, they froze on the spot, confirming their identities.
He pointed at the three men and called out:
“Yiyi.”
“Sword Sect disciples, obey my command and apprehend those three!”
“““Yes!”””
Instantly, the Sword Sect disciples behind Ye Anping, Xiao Yunluo, and Yun Yiyi all rose and leaped up, rushing around the three men. Without hesitation, they took out iron chains from their Storage Bags.
Perhaps due to extreme shock, the three men remained frozen in place for the entire time. It wasn’t until they were bound into three cocoons by the Sword Sect disciples’ chains that they realized what had happened, letting out synchronized screams of rage:
“Ahhhhhh—!! Impossible!! You… Ah—!”
As if in a “horse-dragging” punishment, the Sword Sect disciples dragged the chains, pulling the three men over the heads of the Xing Tian Division disciples below, back to Ye Anping, and threw them heavily at Ye Anping’s feet.
Ye Anping narrowed his eyes and glanced at the three, chuckling:
“You three have worked hard on the way. If not for your delivery of messages, it wouldn’t have been so easy for me to make Gui Qinghe and the entire Ghost Spirit Sect underestimate me.”
One of them tried to retort: “Impossible! You…”
But after uttering only five words, Ye Anping slightly raised his hand, and a Sword Sect disciple directly kicked a shoe into the man’s mouth.
“Cough ah—!”
Then, Ye Anping once again amplified his voice for everyone in the cave to hear:
“I do not expect you to identify other demonic cultivators within the team. This message is also for all the demonic cultivators present: please immediately send word to all the Ghost Spirit Sect elders who have set foot in the Central Domain, and your Sect Master, Gui Mu Qi.
“Xing Tian Division has never fled. Xing Tian Division’s departure from Donghuang this time was merely to pay homage to the new Emperor of the Imperial Sect.
“Furthermore, the Central Domain is not the backyard of demonic cultivators. Gui Qinghe and the fifty people he brought are the consequences of their attempt to trample on the Immortal Families.”
Speaking to this point, Ye Anping nodded slightly to the Sword Sect disciples on either side:
“Throw them out, but don’t kill them.”
““Yes!””
Then, he, along with Xiao Yunluo and Yun Yiyi, descended from the high ground to the largest tent not far away. He lifted the curtain at the entrance and walked in.
However, after the curtain blocked the three people entering the tent, the previously silent Xing Tian Division disciples erupted into discussion throughout the cave.
Ye Anping let out a long breath, his legs weakened, and he collapsed onto a seat. As for what was being said outside, he didn’t really care; the authority had been established anyway.
From now on, when Xing Tian Division arrived at Xuan Xing Sect, they would at least not treat him, the Young Master of Hundred Lotus Sect, with indifference.
Yun Yiyi quickly took a teapot from the side, brewed him a pot of tea, and brought it over, saying:
“Husband, that was so cool just now.”
“Mm, Anping…”
Ye Anping replied with a slightly helpless smile:
“I’m self-aware. I’m not the kind of person who can show his face in front of a crowd. I’m at most a strategist, not a general. Brother Liang is more suited for this role of commanding thousands of people. He’s more robust…”
Yun Yiyi smiled charmingly, walked behind him, and massaged his shoulders:
“Who says a scholar can’t command an army?”
“My frail body is truly unsuited to leading too many people. I lack that killer aura, and that’s not something that can be cultivated overnight.”
Ye Anping relaxed his body and said:
“Yiyi, later, send a message to Jiujiu and Yun Xi, inform them of our annihilation of the Young Master of Ghost Spirit Sect, and let them…”
“You don’t have to say it, I would have done it,” Yun Yiyi interrupted with a smile. “The army’s retreat and escape will surely weaken morale. The news of killing the Young Master of Ghost Spirit Sect can help Jiujiu and Yun Xi stabilize the Xing Tian Division disciples following them, especially Yun Xi’s side. With a force of tens of thousands, I don’t know how many demonic cultivator spies are hidden there.”
“Mm.”
“Anping, don’t overthink it. Rest for a while. I’m here, leave the rest to me. After all, I’m the next Sect Master of the Sword Sect, managing these three thousand people is a piece of cake.”
Yun Yiyi glanced at Xiao Yunluo beside her, smiled slightly proudly, and then walked out of the tent to arrange the subsequent miscellaneous matters.
Seeing that Yun Yiyi had taken all her work, Xiao Yunluo, who was also the Young Master of Xuan Xing Sect, felt that she could also do these things…
“Anping, Lian Xue mentioned before that after every incident you experience, your Yang Energy will…”
Ye Anping was genuinely a bit tired now. Hearing her impure intentions, he quickly stood up and walked towards the bed on one side of the tent:
“I’m going to sleep for a while. I’m—so—tired—”
“Ah… Oh… Then I’ll watch over you. Rest assured…”
… …
