Encountering a Dragon
Transforming into a dragon was not difficult.
As long as there was spiritual energy, and the energy was drawn to oneself.
Meng Qi found a secluded place near the valley of the Xianyue Pavillion and stayed by Mo Li’s side.
Following Meng Qi’s instructions, Mo Li first allowed the spiritual energy to enter his meridians as if he were practicing internal cultivation, then in a meditative state, he envisioned himself soaring through the skies, imagining the sensation of resting in a spirit spring pond.
Time passed unknowingly, and Mo Li felt his consciousness lift.
He “saw” the dark forest and the orderly mountain peaks.
It seemed necessary to go lower.
This must be mid-air, Mo Li took some time to faintly discern the existence of his “body”.
“…”
The true form of a Black Dragon was not small either.
The dragons described in tales and history books are all so large; otherwise, something like the Taijing Dragon Vein would crush an entire city, wouldn’t it? The rivers and lakes wouldn’t be able to contain them! Why would the common people worship at Dragon King temples?
While thinking, Mo Li felt there were advantages to being a Black Dragon.
For instance, nobody could see him now.
Even he could barely see “himself.”
Dragon Veins are not real dragons; they are made of clouds and mist. Although they have eyes, when a “dragon” opens its eyes in the dark, people do not perceive a light source.
The Taijing Dragon Vein once allowed Mo Li, from Qimao Mountain, to see the true form of the Golden Dragon.
That time, when the Golden Dragon suddenly opened its eyes, its pupils were like blazing suns, turning the sky above Taijing from night to day. Such a grand spectacle, if it really happened, would have caused a sensation in the capital.
Mo Li’s current advantage was that the “dragon” could see everything, while others found it difficult to notice him.
He carefully observed the surrounding mountains, slowly comparing them to the map drawn by Meng Qi.
The valley was covered in forest, and he was a bit uncertain about which one was the target.
The Black Dragon decided to go down for a closer “look.”
The sensation of moving slowly close to the treetops was very subtle, mainly because the surrounding spiritual energy was restless.
Mo Li felt that this energy was holding him back.
Pulling at the Black Dragon, wrapping around the Black Dragon, as if not letting the dragon go.
…Meng Qi wasn’t managing it!
Though he thought as much, Mo Li couldn’t “turn back” to seek Meng Qi’s help.
Because no one could be sure how long this “dragon form” would last; perhaps with a mere distraction, Mo Li’s consciousness would return to his human body.
The Black Dragon uncomfortably moved its tail, trying to push the spiritual energy away.
It did not need to become bigger, nor did it need to hide in the clouds and mist.
“Wait, it seems like fog is forming in this forest!”
The Black Dragon paused, and Mo Li heard a voice.
And this voice’s tone felt familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere.
Although Mo Li had an eidetic memory, voices were not like text that could be recalled by thinking about them in his mind; it wasn’t possible to immediately know who it was.
“Is Big Brother joking? We can’t see our hands in front of us, how can you tell if there’s fog… Ah, Seven, don’t let go of my hand! We’ll get lost!”
Mo Li: Hmm, this voice also sounds familiar.
Then there was a collective scold: “Eight, shut up!”
The speaker fell silent.
“The sounds of insects stopped since a while ago,” the first speaker spoke again, his tone cautious.
This statement startled everyone, and they waited quietly for a while before the one called Eight timidly said, “Big Brother… is it because you touched the tree trunk that you said there’s fog? The dew is already so heavy that it’s flowing down the trunk. Is everything really okay here? Should we run?”
“Nonsense, how do I usually teach you? Running blindly will get you killed faster!”
By then, Mo Li had seen the faces of the speakers; the one with a full beard looked very ordinary, surrounded by seven others, with the youngest, Eight, appearing rebellious.
Oh, the Eight Tigers of Yudong.
Encountered in the ruined temple in Yongzhou, Mo Li had entered the temple first, carrying a sand rat, and the Eight Tigers of Yudong entered later. Except for Eight, the others were reasonable people of the jianghu. Despite Eight’s rebellious nature, he listened well to his older brothers, leaving Mo Li with a good impression.
The Eight Tigers of Yudong could not see; they groped and retreated.
One of them stepped into a stream, soaking his calf, cursed softly, and the person holding his hand immediately asked what was wrong.
“It’s nothing, nothing…”
The voice suddenly paused, then hesitantly said, “I feel like a breeze just passed by.”
As if to prove his words, the trees rustled.
This was not the normal sound of wind blowing through; it was more like something brushed past the treetops, moving from afar to near, then departing in a specific direction.
The Eight Tigers of Yudong were frozen in fear.
The same situation happened to other lost jianghu people.
They already found the mountain eerie, and now their suspicion and fear intensified, desperately trying to walk in the opposite direction. However, the maze was not so easy to navigate.
Wandering aimlessly, they ended up in the valley where the Xianyue Pavillion was located.
Many jianghu people had already gathered there.
People made a small fire in a sheltered spot because, due to the heavy rain, it was nearly impossible to find dry wood in the mountains. Those with high martial arts skills didn’t dare waste their internal energy, so despite many people’s efforts, only a small fire was made.
Those who escaped the forest spoke of their encounters, and the jianghu people in the valley were initially shocked, then mocked them.
“A monster in the forest? Hahaha, you’re just cowards, mistaking the wind or something else for a monster.”
“Right, the mountain is so vast, it’s bound to have some rabbits, deer, or something.”
The speaker licked his lips, obviously hungry.
“Damn, only dry food, my mouth is about to taste like bird! If that thing bumps into me, the East Mountain Swift Sword, I’ll roast and eat it! Why are you pulling me?”
The person opposite him had eyes wide with terror, unable to speak, just pointing behind him.
The man known as the East Mountain Swift Sword turned his head in confusion, then saw under the light of the fire, a huge dark shadow seemed to lurk above the nearby trees.
“It’s just the canopy, big deal, little…”
The last word got stuck in his throat when the wind passed but the canopy didn’t move.
That shape and form, no matter how you looked at it, resembled a dragon.
More and more people noticed, and the valley fell into dead silence.
Someone screamed, and the shadow suddenly straightened its body, leaving those who wished to deceive themselves into thinking it was just a shadow of the canopy with no room for doubt.
“Dragon!”
“It’s really a dragon!”
People yelled chaotically, a mix of excitement and fear.
Some didn’t even know what they were shouting about, just raising their voices in a ruckus.
The dragon, stirred by the commotion, didn’t flee but directly headed towards them.
The closer it got, the clearer the firelight revealed its features.
It was a black dragon, with clouds and mist swirling around it, its form realistic but entirely dark. If not for the proximity to the firelight, its true appearance would be indiscernible.
Some turned and ran, while others, eyes shining, drew their weapons to strike at the approaching black dragon.
All thrown hidden weapons and wielded blades missed their target.
The dragon was already upon them.
“Ah—”
Many couldn’t dodge in time, feeling only a blast of wind hit their faces, sending them tumbling.
When they opened their eyes again, the dragon had passed, and everyone was as wet as if they had been through water, their clothes and hair drenched.
“It was a dragon, definitely a dragon!”
“Quick, follow it!”
People shouted excitedly, disregarding everything, dismantling the fire to chase after the dragon with torches in hand.
The dragon seemed injured, stopping now and then.
“It’s injured, surely it’s the black dragon that fought with the golden dragon during the day!”
The jianghu people didn’t think too much; they only knew it was a dragon, perhaps a dying one!
The commotion in the valley grew louder.
The black dragon didn’t hide in the woods but headed towards the location of the Xianyue Pavillion.
“There’s a pond over there! Quick, follow, we can’t let the dragon get into the water! It’s said that once dragons encounter water, they can transform into any living creature in the water to escape!”
People exerted all their strength to chase desperately.
The black dragon stopped above a cliff, steep enough that only those with exceptional lightness skills could ascend.
Coincidentally, a gap in the clouds appeared at that moment, moonlight illuminating the dragon’s body, which also raised its head.
Suddenly, a figure rushed out, nearly reaching the black dragon.
The dragon then dispersed into a cloud of mist, nearly causing the person to crash into the cliff.
After stabilizing himself, the man grabbed at the air, catching nothing but water. With a grimace, he swung his whisk, dispersing the water mist with his internal energy, revealing his face to be Ancestor Qingwu, Zhao Cangfeng.
However, no one below on the cliff noticed him; they were all staring at the sky, screaming.
Ancestor Qingwu looked up, his pupils suddenly shrinking.
Through the gap in the clouds, a giant golden dragon claw was visible.
The clouds quickly covered the moonlight again, leaving the area in darkness except for the light from torches.
“Master, that dragon…”
“Dragons nearing death seek a body to inhabit,” Ancestor Qingwu said sharply, his expression suddenly changing. “No, we must find the person possessed by the black dragon.”
His eldest disciple hesitated, “But master, when the dragon disappeared, you were in the midst of it…”
Ancestor Qingwu paused, then said irritably, “I felt nothing unusual! It’s definitely not me, keep looking, there are so many people here, the black dragon could choose anyone!”
“But…”
The disciple still had something to say, “Didn’t you say that the real Dragon Son is just a tall tale concocted by emperors, that dragon veins relate to the welfare of the world, and cutting dragon veins to release spiritual energy can benefit the people? Dragons nearing death seeking a body to inhabit is just a lofty claim emperors make after encountering dragon veins.”
Ancestor Qingwu’s face became very interesting. After hesitating for a while, he finally said, “Regardless of whether there’s someone here who can become emperor, a dragon vein is near death, and my lifelong wish is just one step away! As long as we have enough manpower… Let’s go, down to Taijing, the person who can become emperor is waiting for us in the imperial city! I want him on the Dragon Throne tomorrow, at my command!”
Author’s Note:
Fat Rat’s script, with the doctor as the protagonist
Painted very detailed, first this, then that, and finally there, waiting, retreat as soon as the target appears
——————
Mo Li read the script and left.
Fat Rat added a role for himself in the last line of the script: stretching a claw
Confident.JPG
Encountering a Dragon
Transforming into a dragon was not difficult.
As long as there was spiritual energy, and the energy was drawn to oneself.
Meng Qi found a secluded place near the valley of the Xianyue Pavillion and stayed by Mo Li’s side.
Following Meng Qi’s instructions, Mo Li first allowed the spiritual energy to enter his meridians as if he were practicing internal cultivation, then in a meditative state, he envisioned himself soaring through the skies, imagining the sensation of resting in a spirit spring pond.
Time passed unknowingly, and Mo Li felt his consciousness lift.
He “saw” the dark forest and the orderly mountain peaks.
It seemed necessary to go lower.
This must be mid-air, Mo Li took some time to faintly discern the existence of his “body”.
“…”
The true form of a Black Dragon was not small either.
The dragons described in tales and history books are all so large; otherwise, something like the Taijing Dragon Vein would crush an entire city, wouldn’t it? The rivers and lakes wouldn’t be able to contain them! Why would the common people worship at Dragon King temples?
While thinking, Mo Li felt there were advantages to being a Black Dragon.
For instance, nobody could see him now.
Even he could barely see “himself.”
Dragon Veins are not real dragons; they are made of clouds and mist. Although they have eyes, when a “dragon” opens its eyes in the dark, people do not perceive a light source.
The Taijing Dragon Vein once allowed Mo Li, from Qimao Mountain, to see the true form of the Golden Dragon.
That time, when the Golden Dragon suddenly opened its eyes, its pupils were like blazing suns, turning the sky above Taijing from night to day. Such a grand spectacle, if it really happened, would have caused a sensation in the capital.
Mo Li’s current advantage was that the “dragon” could see everything, while others found it difficult to notice him.
He carefully observed the surrounding mountains, slowly comparing them to the map drawn by Meng Qi.
The valley was covered in forest, and he was a bit uncertain about which one was the target.
The Black Dragon decided to go down for a closer “look.”
The sensation of moving slowly close to the treetops was very subtle, mainly because the surrounding spiritual energy was restless.
Mo Li felt that this energy was holding him back.
Pulling at the Black Dragon, wrapping around the Black Dragon, as if not letting the dragon go.
…Meng Qi wasn’t managing it!
Though he thought as much, Mo Li couldn’t “turn back” to seek Meng Qi’s help.
Because no one could be sure how long this “dragon form” would last; perhaps with a mere distraction, Mo Li’s consciousness would return to his human body.
The Black Dragon uncomfortably moved its tail, trying to push the spiritual energy away.
It did not need to become bigger, nor did it need to hide in the clouds and mist.
“Wait, it seems like fog is forming in this forest!”
The Black Dragon paused, and Mo Li heard a voice.
And this voice’s tone felt familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere.
Although Mo Li had an eidetic memory, voices were not like text that could be recalled by thinking about them in his mind; it wasn’t possible to immediately know who it was.
“Is Big Brother joking? We can’t see our hands in front of us, how can you tell if there’s fog… Ah, Seven, don’t let go of my hand! We’ll get lost!”
Mo Li: Hmm, this voice also sounds familiar.
Then there was a collective scold: “Eight, shut up!”
The speaker fell silent.
“The sounds of insects stopped since a while ago,” the first speaker spoke again, his tone cautious.
This statement startled everyone, and they waited quietly for a while before the one called Eight timidly said, “Big Brother… is it because you touched the tree trunk that you said there’s fog? The dew is already so heavy that it’s flowing down the trunk. Is everything really okay here? Should we run?”
“Nonsense, how do I usually teach you? Running blindly will get you killed faster!”
By then, Mo Li had seen the faces of the speakers; the one with a full beard looked very ordinary, surrounded by seven others, with the youngest, Eight, appearing rebellious.
Oh, the Eight Tigers of Yudong.
Encountered in the ruined temple in Yongzhou, Mo Li had entered the temple first, carrying a sand rat, and the Eight Tigers of Yudong entered later. Except for Eight, the others were reasonable people of the jianghu. Despite Eight’s rebellious nature, he listened well to his older brothers, leaving Mo Li with a good impression.
The Eight Tigers of Yudong could not see; they groped and retreated.
One of them stepped into a stream, soaking his calf, cursed softly, and the person holding his hand immediately asked what was wrong.
“It’s nothing, nothing…”
The voice suddenly paused, then hesitantly said, “I feel like a breeze just passed by.”
As if to prove his words, the trees rustled.
This was not the normal sound of wind blowing through; it was more like something brushed past the treetops, moving from afar to near, then departing in a specific direction.
The Eight Tigers of Yudong were frozen in fear.
The same situation happened to other lost jianghu people.
They already found the mountain eerie, and now their suspicion and fear intensified, desperately trying to walk in the opposite direction. However, the maze was not so easy to navigate.
Wandering aimlessly, they ended up in the valley where the Xianyue Pavillion was located.
Many jianghu people had already gathered there.
People made a small fire in a sheltered spot because, due to the heavy rain, it was nearly impossible to find dry wood in the mountains. Those with high martial arts skills didn’t dare waste their internal energy, so despite many people’s efforts, only a small fire was made.
Those who escaped the forest spoke of their encounters, and the jianghu people in the valley were initially shocked, then mocked them.
“A monster in the forest? Hahaha, you’re just cowards, mistaking the wind or something else for a monster.”
“Right, the mountain is so vast, it’s bound to have some rabbits, deer, or something.”
The speaker licked his lips, obviously hungry.
“Damn, only dry food, my mouth is about to taste like bird! If that thing bumps into me, the East Mountain Swift Sword, I’ll roast and eat it! Why are you pulling me?”
The person opposite him had eyes wide with terror, unable to speak, just pointing behind him.
The man known as the East Mountain Swift Sword turned his head in confusion, then saw under the light of the fire, a huge dark shadow seemed to lurk above the nearby trees.
“It’s just the canopy, big deal, little…”
The last word got stuck in his throat when the wind passed but the canopy didn’t move.
That shape and form, no matter how you looked at it, resembled a dragon.
More and more people noticed, and the valley fell into dead silence.
Someone screamed, and the shadow suddenly straightened its body, leaving those who wished to deceive themselves into thinking it was just a shadow of the canopy with no room for doubt.
“Dragon!”
“It’s really a dragon!”
People yelled chaotically, a mix of excitement and fear.
Some didn’t even know what they were shouting about, just raising their voices in a ruckus.
The dragon, stirred by the commotion, didn’t flee but directly headed towards them.
The closer it got, the clearer the firelight revealed its features.
It was a black dragon, with clouds and mist swirling around it, its form realistic but entirely dark. If not for the proximity to the firelight, its true appearance would be indiscernible.
Some turned and ran, while others, eyes shining, drew their weapons to strike at the approaching black dragon.
All thrown hidden weapons and wielded blades missed their target.
The dragon was already upon them.
“Ah—”
Many couldn’t dodge in time, feeling only a blast of wind hit their faces, sending them tumbling.
When they opened their eyes again, the dragon had passed, and everyone was as wet as if they had been through water, their clothes and hair drenched.
“It was a dragon, definitely a dragon!”
“Quick, follow it!”
People shouted excitedly, disregarding everything, dismantling the fire to chase after the dragon with torches in hand.
The dragon seemed injured, stopping now and then.
“It’s injured, surely it’s the black dragon that fought with the golden dragon during the day!”
The jianghu people didn’t think too much; they only knew it was a dragon, perhaps a dying one!
The commotion in the valley grew louder.
The black dragon didn’t hide in the woods but headed towards the location of the Xianyue Pavillion.
“There’s a pond over there! Quick, follow, we can’t let the dragon get into the water! It’s said that once dragons encounter water, they can transform into any living creature in the water to escape!”
People exerted all their strength to chase desperately.
The black dragon stopped above a cliff, steep enough that only those with exceptional lightness skills could ascend.
Coincidentally, a gap in the clouds appeared at that moment, moonlight illuminating the dragon’s body, which also raised its head.
Suddenly, a figure rushed out, nearly reaching the black dragon.
The dragon then dispersed into a cloud of mist, nearly causing the person to crash into the cliff.
After stabilizing himself, the man grabbed at the air, catching nothing but water. With a grimace, he swung his whisk, dispersing the water mist with his internal energy, revealing his face to be Ancestor Qingwu, Zhao Cangfeng.
However, no one below on the cliff noticed him; they were all staring at the sky, screaming.
Ancestor Qingwu looked up, his pupils suddenly shrinking.
Through the gap in the clouds, a giant golden dragon claw was visible.
The clouds quickly covered the moonlight again, leaving the area in darkness except for the light from torches.
“Master, that dragon…”
“Dragons nearing death seek a body to inhabit,” Ancestor Qingwu said sharply, his expression suddenly changing. “No, we must find the person possessed by the black dragon.”
His eldest disciple hesitated, “But master, when the dragon disappeared, you were in the midst of it…”
Ancestor Qingwu paused, then said irritably, “I felt nothing unusual! It’s definitely not me, keep looking, there are so many people here, the black dragon could choose anyone!”
“But…”
The disciple still had something to say, “Didn’t you say that the real Dragon Son is just a tall tale concocted by emperors, that dragon veins relate to the welfare of the world, and cutting dragon veins to release spiritual energy can benefit the people? Dragons nearing death seeking a body to inhabit is just a lofty claim emperors make after encountering dragon veins.”
Ancestor Qingwu’s face became very interesting. After hesitating for a while, he finally said, “Regardless of whether there’s someone here who can become emperor, a dragon vein is near death, and my lifelong wish is just one step away! As long as we have enough manpower… Let’s go, down to Taijing, the person who can become emperor is waiting for us in the imperial city! I want him on the Dragon Throne tomorrow, at my command!”
Author’s Note:
Fat Rat’s script, with the doctor as the protagonist
Painted very detailed, first this, then that, and finally there, waiting, retreat as soon as the target appears
——————
Mo Li read the script and left.
Fat Rat added a role for himself in the last line of the script: stretching a claw
Confident.JPG
