"In the southwest, a thousand miles from here, a dragon's aura seems to be surging into the heavens!"
Dongfang Su’s tone was solemn as he stared off toward the southwest.
"A dragon's aura?"
The man in red looked shocked. Within the entire Tianwu Dynasty, the only place where a dragon's aura existed was the Imperial Palace itself. Aside from that, it should have been impossible for a second trace of such an aura to appear anywhere else in the realm.
Dongfang Su’s expression grew graver still. As the Emperor of the Tianwu Dynasty, his cultivation was the highest in the land. Furthermore, his Eastern Imperial clan had once forged a karmic bond with a Flood Dragon, and as a result, they had been blessed by the Flood Dragon clan for generations. Even now, a young Flood Dragon slept within the forbidden grounds of the Imperial Palace. That was the reason for the dragon's aura within the palace.
Yet, the aura Dongfang Su had just sensed was ten times more potent than that of the palace. Even a powerhouse of his cultivation felt a tremor from the depths of his own bloodline when faced with this pressure—a feeling of awe.
It had been many years since Dongfang Su, as Emperor, had experienced such a sensation.
"Guyue, you go to the southwest in my stead and investigate the cause of this dragon's aura."
Dongfang Su commanded the man in red.
"As you command!"
Guyue accepted the order and vanished from the spot immediately. Dongfang Su stood in the great hall, his brows knit tightly.
"My Tianwu Dynasty has been at peace for many years, but recently, omens have been appearing one after another. Could it be that a time of great chaos is truly upon us?"
Guyue left the capital that very day, heading straight for the southwest. With his profound cultivation—serving as the personal guard to the Martial Emperor—he traveled at full speed, reaching the vicinity of Fuyun Mountain in just three days.
"Eh?"
Guyue cast a glance at Fuyun Mountain, his face betraying suspicion. "If I recall correctly, there were ancient restrictions on this mountain. Why have they vanished?"
He immediately suspected that the dragon's aura originated from this very peak.
"I shall go up and investigate."
Guyue ascended the mountain at once. He had only reached the halfway point when he stopped in his tracks. In the distance, a young man was walking down the mountain path with a dog.
"A mortal?"
Guyue’s gaze swept over the youth, but he could not sense a shred of cultivation. The young man with the dog was none other than Ye Qingyun, descending from the mountain.
"Hm? Someone else is coming up?"
Ye Qingyun also spotted the red-clad Guyue and couldn't help but feel curious. Recently, he had taken an interest in anyone visiting the mountain.
Guyue took a single step and was instantly before Ye Qingyun. Startled, Ye Qingyun stepped back several times. Damao, however, remained calm, merely tilting his head to stare at Guyue.
Guyue looked Ye Qingyun up and down, confirming that the person before him truly possessed no cultivation.
"This is not a place for a mortal like you. Get off the mountain at once," Guyue said coldly.
Without another word, he ignored Ye Qingyun and continued toward the summit. When Ye Qingyun looked back, the man was already gone.
"What is this all about?" Ye Qingyun muttered, puzzled.
He didn't want to get involved, but then he thought, *My home is still up there! Is this guy going to sneak up and steal my vegetables?*
Ye Qingyun was suddenly alarmed. Those were vegetables he had planted one by one with his own hands. He didn't mind giving things away, but one couldn't just walk up and steal them!
"No way, I have to go up and check."
Ye Qingyun immediately headed up the mountain. Unfortunately, having no cultivation, he could not keep pace with the high-level Guyue.
Guyue reached the summit and saw Ye Qingyun’s courtyard. "People actually live here?"
He was stunned. The courtyard was crude, yet it was filled with all sorts of bizarre plants.
"These... are these all heaven-sent treasures?"
Guyue was shocked, much like Li Chenyuan and his two companions had been when they visited. The sight of the yard full of treasures made Guyue’s face change entirely. As an expert from the Imperial Palace, he had seen his fair share of the world, but this scene still made his heart race.
Suppressing his shock, Guyue was about to step inside when a bald rabbit suddenly leaped out.
"Such powerful demonic energy!"
Seeing the bald rabbit, Guyue’s face changed, and he immediately grew wary. This was clearly a demon beast, and its aura was strong enough to threaten him.
"Who are you?" The rabbit spoke in a cold, feminine voice.
"I am the personal guard of His Majesty the Martial Emperor. You insignificant demon beast, do not be presumptuous!" Guyue shouted sternly.
Upon hearing that he was the Emperor's guard, most demon beasts would have retreated, but this bald rabbit showed no fear.
"This is my master’s territory. Leave at once," the rabbit said indifferently.
"Your master?" Guyue was shocked again. He had assumed the rabbit was the owner of this place. He hadn't expected that even such a powerful demon beast was just a subordinate of the master here.
*Who exactly is the master of this place? Could it be related to the dragon's aura the Emperor sensed?*
At that moment, Guyue felt a sliver of dragon's aura nearby. He followed it immediately and soon reached the pond in the backyard.
"The dragon's aura... it's coming from here!"
Guyue looked at the small pond, feeling suspicious. *Why would there be a dragon's aura in such a small pond? Could there be the remains of a True Dragon left inside?*
Just as he wondered this, the water in the pond surged violently. A whirlpool erupted, shooting toward the sky. Guyue was startled and brought forth his own powerful aura to defend against any surprises. Within the churning water, a massive, slender figure flickered in and out of view.
"A dragon?" Guyue was horrified.
The existence within the water was definitely a dragon, and far beyond any Flood Dragon! It was a True Dragon!
The water churned and subsided just as quickly. By the time the pond returned to stillness, Guyue had yet to recover from his shock. Then, footsteps sounded behind him.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? Why did you sneak into someone else's house without a word?" Ye Qingyun’s dissatisfied voice rang out.
Guyue spun around. "Are you the owner of this place?"
Ye Qingyun curled his lip and walked to the edge of the pond. "Who else would it be?"
He glanced at the pond, then back at Guyue. "Were you trying to come down here to steal my fish?"
*Steal your fish?* Guyue was speechless. *Steal your grandmother’s legs!* This mortal was truly incomprehensible.
*"This person has no cultivation; he cannot be the master of this place,"* Guyue thought, eyeing Ye Qingyun coldly. *"An ant-like creature. Get out of my way."*
He was about to strike and push Ye Qingyun aside when a head suddenly emerged from the water—a dragon's head!
Its cold dragon eyes were fixed on Guyue. It seemed that if Guyue dared to make any move, the dragon would strike him down. Guyue’s hand froze instantly. He was terrified to find that the look the dragon gave Ye Qingyun was as gentle as a pet looking at its master.
*"Am I dreaming?"* Guyue began to doubt reality.
"Dragon... you... dragon!" Guyue stuttered, pointing behind Ye Qingyun.
Ye Qingyun became angry. "You’re the one who’s deaf! My hearing is just fine!"
Guyue was anxious. "You... behind you... there’s a dragon!"
Ye Qingyun paused. *A dragon behind me?* He turned around, but all he saw was the gently rippling pond. Not to mention a dragon, he couldn't even see a sparrow.
Ye Qingyun turned back, peering at Guyue with suspicion. *Is this guy a lunatic?*
Guyue was baffled. Because when Ye Qingyun had turned around, the dragon head had instantly ducked back into the water. When Ye Qingyun turned back, it popped out again, still staring straight at Guyue.
Guyue’s mind went blank. *This dragon is targeting me? But it looks like it holds this mortal in great awe.*
*Wait a second!* Guyue suddenly recalled the bald rabbit’s words. *The master of this place? Could it be this mortal? But if he were a mortal, how could he make a demon beast submit? And how could he make the dragon in the pond so respectful?*
Guyue’s look at Ye Qingyun changed entirely. *This is absolutely not a mortal! It’s just that my cultivation is too shallow to see through his.*
Guyue was certain. This was the only explanation that made sense.
*"I actually held such an attitude toward a high-level expert of this caliber! I was truly courting death!"* Guyue felt a lingering fear, clutching at a sliver of luck. Recalling his earlier behavior, he wanted to slap himself twice.
"This junior had eyes but failed to recognize a great expert. I have offended you, and I hope you will forgive me!"
Guyue dropped to his knees before Ye Qingyun. This made Ye Qingyun feel quite awkward. *Why are you kneeling for no reason? It's not like it's a holiday.*
"Hey, hey, what's with you? Are you trying to scam me?" Ye Qingyun asked, feeling wary. *Hmph, I don't fall for that.*
Guyue looked up in a daze. *Scamming? What is a scam? Is this some sort of guidance from the master?*
*"A master such as this—how could someone of my shallow cultivation fathom his speech and behavior? There must be a profound meaning behind it!"*
Guyue grew even more respectful, regarding Ye Qingyun as a deity. It was a joke to even consider otherwise. Being able to make a True Dragon subservient was nothing short of a miracle. Throughout the entire continent, how many people could achieve that? Certainly, no one in the Tianwu Dynasty.
"Please forgive me, Senior! I was too rude just now!" Guyue lowered his head, acting completely humble. Apart from the Martial Emperor Dongfang Su, this was the first person he had ever knelt to, but Guyue felt there was nothing inappropriate about it.
Ye Qingyun scratched his head. "I'm no senior. Get up first."
Guyue stood up cautiously.
"What exactly did you come here for?" Ye Qingyun asked.
Guyue cupped his hands. "I am Guyue, the personal guard of the Martial Emperor Dongfang Su. His Majesty sensed a dragon's aura rising from this place and sent me to investigate."
Ye Qingyun froze. *The Martial Emperor Dongfang Su? Isn't that the Emperor of the Tianwu Dynasty? This person was sent by the Emperor? That's a big shot!*
Ye Qingyun immediately changed his expression. "So you’re an official from the Imperial Palace. How rude of me." He even bowed to Guyue, which caught Guyue off guard and nearly made him kneel again. The two were so polite they were practically kowtowing to one another.
*"This world-hidden expert must be living here to experience the mortal world, which is why he appears as a mortal and refuses to admit his status,"* Guyue thought. *"Since he won't admit it, I shouldn't expose him, lest I cause him displeasure."*
"Might I ask your name, Brother?"
Ye Qingyun felt much more comfortable with this address. "Ye Qingyun."
"Brother Ye’s name is truly graceful, elegant, and exceptional!" Guyue praised profusely.
Ye Qingyun thought, *Can someone really become an Imperial guard just by bootlicking? It’s just a name, and he’s making such a fuss.*
"Er, and you?" Ye Qingyun asked.
"I am Guyue. His Majesty the Emperor gave me this name," Guyue said with a bow.
"That's a pretty cool name," Ye Qingyun smiled.
*Cool?* Guyue was confused. *What kind of expert terminology is that?*
"You said earlier that there was a dragon in my pond? Is that for real?"
Guyue was about to say yes, but he saw the dragon head emerge from the pond again, shooting him a warning glare. Guyue swallowed his words. "No, no, I must have seen it wrong."
Ye Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought so. This pond is so small, let alone a dragon, even raising fish is a struggle."
"I must return to report. Farewell!"
"Won't you stay for a meal?"
"No, no, duty calls. I dare not delay."
"Alright then, I won't see you out."
"Stay your steps, Brother Ye."
Guyue left in a hurry. He needed to get back to the palace and tell Dongfang Su everything. When he returned, Dongfang Su, having sensed his arrival, immediately summoned him.
"Well?" Dongfang Su asked impatiently.
Guyue knelt. "Your Majesty, there is indeed a dragon on Fuyun Mountain!"
"What?" Dongfang Su rose abruptly, his face full of shock, followed immediately by wild joy. A dragon, in his own territory! What did this mean? Did it not mean he might be able to obtain it? "What kind of dragon? A Flood Dragon?"
"It is not a Flood Dragon. Your subordinate saw it clearly—it is a True Dragon!" Guyue said quickly.
*Hiss!* Dongfang Su gasped, choking on his own breath and coughing twice. "Are you certain?"
"Certain! And I saw it more than once. It is definitely a True Dragon!"
Dongfang Su was so excited his hands were trembling. "A True Dragon has been born in my Tianwu Dynasty! Is this the blessing of our ancestors? I must go see it myself!"
"Your Majesty," Guyue said, dropping a bombshell, "there is a high-level expert living in seclusion on that mountain. That True Dragon appears to be kept by this expert."
Dongfang Su froze. "What did you say? That is impossible! Who could possibly keep a True Dragon?"
Guyue looked bitter. "Your Majesty, I saw it with my own eyes. That expert is unfathomable, and the True Dragon is in great awe of him. Had I not been clever, I fear I would not have returned to see Your Majesty."
Dongfang Su stood stunned, then collapsed back into his dragon throne, his face filled with awe. *An expert in my own territory? Able to make a True Dragon submit? What kind of existence is this?*
Dongfang Su had profound cultivation and kept a Flood Dragon in the palace, yet even he had to be respectful toward that small creature, never daring to be the least bit irreverent. Now, Guyue was telling him someone could make a True Dragon submit? Dongfang Su found it impossible to believe.
"Guyue, have you been put under an illusion?" Dongfang Su asked suspiciously.
Guyue didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Your Majesty, the person is right there on Fuyun Mountain. If you don't believe me, you can go see for yourself in a few days."
"Why wait a few days?" Dongfang Su frowned.
Guyue replied, "Your Majesty, think about it. Secluded experts prefer tranquility. I have already disturbed him; if you go now, it might cause him annoyance."
Dongfang Su nodded. "You have a point. High-level experts do not like to be disturbed." He mused for a moment. "Fine then. In half a month, I shall make a personal visit to Fuyun Mountain."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
...
Half a month later, at Duantian Mountain—the highest peak in the Tianwu Dynasty and the site of the Three Sects Martial Arts Competition—the event was officially underway. The Profound Sword Sect, the Nine Spirits Gate, and the Taihao Sect had all gathered.
High in the sky, three figures were locked in battle. Below, the disciples of the three sects watched nervously. The three combatants were the leaders of the respective sects. They had been fighting for the better part of an incense stick's time with no clear winner.
Just as the crowd thought the battle would continue, all three descended to the ground at once. One of them was Xu Changfeng.
"Sect Master Xu’s cultivation is profound. I, Chen, admit defeat," an old man in purple robes said, cupping his hands toward Xu Changfeng with a look of helpless resignation.
Another old man in white robes also bowed. "I, Gongsun Yue, thought I could overwhelm you both in this competition, but it seems Sect Master Xu is the superior."
These two were Gongsun Yue, head of the Nine Spirits Gate, and Chen Gongwang, head of the Taihao Sect. Both were renowned figures with profound cultivation in the Tianwu Dynasty, but today, both had been defeated by Xu Changfeng.
Xu Changfeng beamed, a hint of hard-to-conceal joy on his face. "Gentlemen, you are too kind." He bowed in return.