Can dragon veins be excavated? Yes!
The secret passage was pitch black and lacked ventilation.
If not for the martial arts masters with refined internal energy and long breaths, it’s doubtful anyone could crawl out alive.
Yes, crawl—the passage was too low for adults, apart from small children, who could only move forward on their bellies.
Meng Qi had considered this possibility when reinforcing (rebuilding) the passage. He not only retained the winding parts but added two more. This created two sharp turns in a very short distance, impossible for humans, who are not snakes, to twist their bodies through.
Moreover, the passage also went up and down, with steps and small steep slopes.
Mo Li stepped on the clothes of Meng Qi in front of him, stumbled forward, but fortunately stabilized in time.
“Doctor, wait a moment.”
“……”
Mo Li kept his mouth shut, vowing not to speak unless absolutely necessary.
He then heard someone say in a soft, tender voice: “It’s a bit tight ahead, you need to sidle through, let me try first.”
Mo Li couldn’t help but wonder.
The passage was built by Meng Qi himself, yet he couldn’t get through? What was going on?
Doctor Mo silently reached out and pinched the person in front.
This… not just thick arms, but even the waist had bulging flesh.
“Tickles.”
A small palm quickly slapped down on Mo Li’s hand.
A crisp snap, particularly clear.
It was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, more precisely, the sound of chubby parts colliding, always cushioned, sounding loud but not very painful.
“Sorry, Doctor, did I hit too hard?”
Becoming a child has its downsides, it’s always hard to gauge the force used.
“Doctor, are you… upset?”
Meng Qi could guess what was making Mo Li unhappy.
The form of a child appeared too vulnerable, with no capacity to fend off danger. Even though they actually possessed martial skills and were not powerless children, there still was an uncomfortable feeling of ineffectiveness.
Maybe because when Meng Qi wasn’t in human form and lived as a sand mouse, he didn’t feel turning into a child would matter much. A round, chubby sand mouse was always bullied, with eagles in the sky and foxes on the ground, and any slightly larger animal considering it a delicacy. Being in human form was much better.
Meng Qi recalled the spiritual spring pond on Qimao Mountain.
The spring was like the cave on Dragon Head Peak of Shangyun Mountain, sheltering the nascent dragon vein.
The difference was that the Taijing dragon vein, having gained some consciousness, wanted to escape, whereas the Qimao Mountain dragon vein, being a fish, couldn’t leave the water and had no choice but to stay in the pond.
As it “grew up” restricted by the water, Mo Li wouldn’t think of returning to his original form to wander around.
Various factors contributed to Mo Li’s steady temperament; his thoughts weren’t as erratic, and turning into a child might be seen as an outlandish act, making Mo Li feel especially uncomfortable.
“No, go ahead.”
Seeing Meng Qi not moving, Mo Li could only urge in a vague tone.
“There’s a slope ahead, quite steep, you might roll down, hold my hand.”
“……”
In fact, the reason for Mo Li’s discomfort wasn’t what Meng Qi thought. These days, his feelings for Meng Qi had become complex, with some budding unusual thoughts, yet unclear.
It was like a young man and woman meeting by chance on a path, in the pleasant spring weather, looking back repeatedly after passing by, reluctant to part.
Just as one is moved, wanting to catch up, wanting to get closer, suddenly—the person of your dreams turns into a chubby baby right before your eyes.
Isn’t that enough to be upset about?
Watching the person in front struggling to squeeze through the narrow passage, finally having to sidle through, Mo Li suddenly lost his anger. He thought if he just extended a foot and gave Meng Qi a kick, Meng Qi would probably roll straight down.
Of course, Mo Li wouldn’t do that, but it didn’t stop him from imagining it.
Rolling down, then covered in dust and dirt…
A chubby baby was certainly better than a sand mouse; sand mice were too small, never knowing where they might roll off to, potentially requiring a lengthy search through the passage.
Watching Meng Qi’s difficult progress, Mo Li suddenly had a thought. Meng Qi probably hadn’t traveled this way many times himself! This narrow passage was surely not normal, could it have been designed for a sand mouse’s body? Was it made just for the enjoyment of a sand mouse rolling through?
The more Mo Li thought about it, the more it made sense.
This left and right, up and down winding passage, wasn’t it just the kind of place a sand mouse would find amusing?
“…We have already delayed a lot of time.” Mo Li deliberately deepened his voice.
However, it didn’t sound rough but due to too much breathiness, it seemed like he was sulking.
Not just Meng Qi, but Mo Li himself was startled and quickly changed his voice back.
“If Lu Zhang dies, it will be all because you are too fat.”
“Lu Zhang won’t die so easily,” Meng Qi mumbled.
The voices of two milk babies argued back and forth in the passage.
“He knows there will be a rebellion and has colluded with people from the martial world; he wouldn’t just sit there stupidly, unprepared.”
“Are you talking about the Imperial Guards?” Mo Li retorted, “Can they stop Ancestor Qingwu?”
“They can’t stop him, but Ancestor Qingwu wouldn’t kill everyone he sees; he needs to reserve some strength. The Imperial Guards, along with the temporarily conscripted troops, amount to at least fifty thousand. We have seen Ancestor Qingwu and can tell what kind of person he is. He is ambitious, capable, but his flaw is that he doesn’t listen to anyone. Once he is set on something, it’s hard to change his mind.”
Discussing such matters in soft, tender tones was indeed laughable, but Mo Li couldn’t afford to laugh, frowning instead, “Exactly because of that, isn’t Lu Zhang in more danger? To stage a coup, one must first kill the emperor.”
“You don’t understand, Doctor.”
Meng Qi nearly let slip “A doctor like you has never plotted a rebellion, nor thought about how to stage one.”
“Killing Lu Zhang isn’t the most important thing. First and foremost, Ancestor Qingwu must ensure someone is his puppet, which is the Second Prince. If the Second Prince dies, he needs to find another suitable candidate. He isn’t Lu Zhang; he doesn’t have the military power or the support of court officials. Even if he wanted to usurp the throne, it wouldn’t be possible.”
Meng Qi turned to Mo Li, “Scholars are a peculiar existence; they always think those who don’t study are unfit to govern, naturally unfit to rule the world. Even if someone leads an army and conquers the world, they ultimately rely on scholars to govern the country. They might submit to the military’s blade or be swayed by wealth and beauty, but to kneel before a bandit from the martial world is absolutely impossible!”
Ancestor Qingwu needed a stable country, one that could engage in massive construction projects, not one left in fear and chaos by his killing.
“So, Lu Zhang can always wait for us to save him.” Meng Qi said this somewhat reluctantly.
He hadn’t killed Lu Zhang, considering the people of Taijing, who would want to save him?
The chubby baby stormed ahead in a huff.
Mo Li: “……”
Still felt like kicking.
Could one’s personality also be affected by a change in appearance?
Mo Li discreetly stepped back, just in case he couldn’t restrain himself from acting.
As they reached the end of the steep slope and navigated a few more turns, the passage began to ascend, and Mo Li heard the faint sound of flowing water through the rocks and soil layers.
“We’re close!”
Meng Qi said as he walked, “There’s an underground water vein nearby, so the passage is quite winding to avoid it.”
It wasn’t just for the fun of a sand mouse, Mo Li felt slightly guilty.
The steps in the passage were narrow, many in disrepair, but perfect for the feet of children.
They were not real children, after all; they wouldn’t tire out walking or struggle to climb step by step. Their lightfoot skills were still usable; if not for the low ceiling preventing jumping, they could have moved even faster.
As they neared the surface, the keen hearing of martial arts experts began to pick up sounds.
The low voices of palace maids in panic, the running footsteps of the Imperial Guards, all came through clearly.
“Hmm?”
Meng Qi frowned.
He remained silent, as they were now very close to the surface and could be easily detected.
Mo Li cast a puzzled look his way, unaffected by the darkness surrounding them.
Meng Qi looked back at Mo Li, his expression somewhat awkward, and conveyed through secret transmission, “The dry well has been filled.”
“……”
As the Taijing dragon vein, Meng Qi had a clear understanding of the conditions beneath Shangyun Mountain. Outside of its direct influence and while still affected by the dragon vein, without specifically using spiritual energy to probe, he only had a general idea.
For example, the passage hadn’t collapsed or flooded, etc.
The passage’s entrance and exit were originally concealed with large rocks to avoid detection, which wasn’t a problem for Meng Qi; moving them aside was easy. But now, not only was the well covered with stones, but its walls were also packed with rubble and soil.
“Is there no way?” Mo Li also used secret transmission.
The voice in his mind and ears remained soft and gentle, as if someone was whispering in his ear.
Mo Li’s ears twitched slightly, turning red.
Meng Qi moved closer to Mo Li, not with any intention of taking advantage, as there wasn’t much advantage to be taken from a chubby baby. In fact, seeing Mo Li, who was just as plump and white as himself, Meng Qi felt as if a fantasy had come true. They couldn’t curl up in warm sand pits as sand mice, but they could bask in the sun, hugging a soft, cuddly baby.
They could do nothing and just lazily sleep.
Arms soft, belly soft, just the legs were too short.
Meng Qi looked down at himself and then at Mo Li, realizing he was a bit rounder.
Well, he would take the loss and let Mo Li rest on him.
Meng Qi pinched a bit of flesh on his body, nodding in satisfaction.
“What are you doing?” Mo Li asked, puzzled.
“…Preparing to break through the passage,” Meng Qi said solemnly.
Mo Li took his word for it and asked, “Force our way through? Won’t that attract too much attention?”
“It’s fine, it would be best if we could draw Ancestor Qingwu here. Let’s get our clothes ready, in case we don’t have time to put them on after we get out.”
Meng Qi’s words resonated with Mo Li, who certainly didn’t want to face Ancestor Qingwu in his current form, nor could they afford to change and dress under everyone’s watchful eyes. Better to prepare in advance.
However, plans cannot always keep up with changes, and suddenly, sounds of digging came from above the passage.
“Dig deeper, the whole palace is being searched now. Any suspicious places, the Imperial Guards will dig up to check. If we don’t hide it well, this thing won’t be preserved, and it’s a small matter if we lose our lives, but failing the crown prince is a big deal.”
The voice was very shrill, likely belonged to an eunuch.
Mo Li wondered, wasn’t it the Second Prince? Why suddenly the crown prince?
Besides the sounds of shovels digging, someone seemed to be crying softly.
“Enough, why cry! This is fate!” the leading eunuch scolded in a low voice.
The sobbing did not stop but grew louder.
“I heard dozens died at Wanhe Hall, how long can we last? Once His Highness is gone, who knows who will take over the Eastern Palace.”
“It’s all the same, hurry up and dig.”
The shovel clanged against a rock.
“No, dig this way, we don’t have much time left, the Imperial Guards will come if we delay any longer.”
The eunuchs digging must have been quite strong; they struck the bottom of the pit hard with their shovels. Meng Qi’s expression changed slightly, uttering an alarmed “Not good.”
As soon as he spoke, a jet of water burst from the bottom of the pit outside.
The eunuchs were shocked, realizing they couldn’t hide anything there anymore, and hastily fled, leaving their shovels behind.
The passage was affected too, with strong water currents washing over one of the stone walls. Mo Li managed to pull on their clothes with Meng Qi, then struck upwards with his palm, sending soil flying high.
Mo Li leaped out, quickly reverting to his original form amidst the cover of the water spray.
The sleeves and trousers, not fully adjusted, felt uncomfortable tightened inside.
“Brother Meng?”
Meng Qi was also adjusting the sleeves of his middle garment, pointing in a direction, “Let’s go!”
The water jet sprayed high, immediately drawing the attention of the Imperial Guards.
By the time they arrived at this desolate part of the palace garden, the water flow had lessened, and a small pond had formed.
The area was deserted, with shovels and other items scattered in the water.
“Could this be… from yesterday’s dragon… did someone dig up a dragon…”
“Nonsense! Check quickly!”
Can dragon veins be excavated? Yes!
The secret passage was pitch black and lacked ventilation.
If not for the martial arts masters with refined internal energy and long breaths, it’s doubtful anyone could crawl out alive.
Yes, crawl—the passage was too low for adults, apart from small children, who could only move forward on their bellies.
Meng Qi had considered this possibility when reinforcing (rebuilding) the passage. He not only retained the winding parts but added two more. This created two sharp turns in a very short distance, impossible for humans, who are not snakes, to twist their bodies through.
Moreover, the passage also went up and down, with steps and small steep slopes.
Mo Li stepped on the clothes of Meng Qi in front of him, stumbled forward, but fortunately stabilized in time.
“Doctor, wait a moment.”
“……”
Mo Li kept his mouth shut, vowing not to speak unless absolutely necessary.
He then heard someone say in a soft, tender voice: “It’s a bit tight ahead, you need to sidle through, let me try first.”
Mo Li couldn’t help but wonder.
The passage was built by Meng Qi himself, yet he couldn’t get through? What was going on?
Doctor Mo silently reached out and pinched the person in front.
This… not just thick arms, but even the waist had bulging flesh.
“Tickles.”
A small palm quickly slapped down on Mo Li’s hand.
A crisp snap, particularly clear.
It was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, more precisely, the sound of chubby parts colliding, always cushioned, sounding loud but not very painful.
“Sorry, Doctor, did I hit too hard?”
Becoming a child has its downsides, it’s always hard to gauge the force used.
“Doctor, are you… upset?”
Meng Qi could guess what was making Mo Li unhappy.
The form of a child appeared too vulnerable, with no capacity to fend off danger. Even though they actually possessed martial skills and were not powerless children, there still was an uncomfortable feeling of ineffectiveness.
Maybe because when Meng Qi wasn’t in human form and lived as a sand mouse, he didn’t feel turning into a child would matter much. A round, chubby sand mouse was always bullied, with eagles in the sky and foxes on the ground, and any slightly larger animal considering it a delicacy. Being in human form was much better.
Meng Qi recalled the spiritual spring pond on Qimao Mountain.
The spring was like the cave on Dragon Head Peak of Shangyun Mountain, sheltering the nascent dragon vein.
The difference was that the Taijing dragon vein, having gained some consciousness, wanted to escape, whereas the Qimao Mountain dragon vein, being a fish, couldn’t leave the water and had no choice but to stay in the pond.
As it “grew up” restricted by the water, Mo Li wouldn’t think of returning to his original form to wander around.
Various factors contributed to Mo Li’s steady temperament; his thoughts weren’t as erratic, and turning into a child might be seen as an outlandish act, making Mo Li feel especially uncomfortable.
“No, go ahead.”
Seeing Meng Qi not moving, Mo Li could only urge in a vague tone.
“There’s a slope ahead, quite steep, you might roll down, hold my hand.”
“……”
In fact, the reason for Mo Li’s discomfort wasn’t what Meng Qi thought. These days, his feelings for Meng Qi had become complex, with some budding unusual thoughts, yet unclear.
It was like a young man and woman meeting by chance on a path, in the pleasant spring weather, looking back repeatedly after passing by, reluctant to part.
Just as one is moved, wanting to catch up, wanting to get closer, suddenly—the person of your dreams turns into a chubby baby right before your eyes.
Isn’t that enough to be upset about?
Watching the person in front struggling to squeeze through the narrow passage, finally having to sidle through, Mo Li suddenly lost his anger. He thought if he just extended a foot and gave Meng Qi a kick, Meng Qi would probably roll straight down.
Of course, Mo Li wouldn’t do that, but it didn’t stop him from imagining it.
Rolling down, then covered in dust and dirt…
A chubby baby was certainly better than a sand mouse; sand mice were too small, never knowing where they might roll off to, potentially requiring a lengthy search through the passage.
Watching Meng Qi’s difficult progress, Mo Li suddenly had a thought. Meng Qi probably hadn’t traveled this way many times himself! This narrow passage was surely not normal, could it have been designed for a sand mouse’s body? Was it made just for the enjoyment of a sand mouse rolling through?
The more Mo Li thought about it, the more it made sense.
This left and right, up and down winding passage, wasn’t it just the kind of place a sand mouse would find amusing?
“…We have already delayed a lot of time.” Mo Li deliberately deepened his voice.
However, it didn’t sound rough but due to too much breathiness, it seemed like he was sulking.
Not just Meng Qi, but Mo Li himself was startled and quickly changed his voice back.
“If Lu Zhang dies, it will be all because you are too fat.”
“Lu Zhang won’t die so easily,” Meng Qi mumbled.
The voices of two milk babies argued back and forth in the passage.
“He knows there will be a rebellion and has colluded with people from the martial world; he wouldn’t just sit there stupidly, unprepared.”
“Are you talking about the Imperial Guards?” Mo Li retorted, “Can they stop Ancestor Qingwu?”
“They can’t stop him, but Ancestor Qingwu wouldn’t kill everyone he sees; he needs to reserve some strength. The Imperial Guards, along with the temporarily conscripted troops, amount to at least fifty thousand. We have seen Ancestor Qingwu and can tell what kind of person he is. He is ambitious, capable, but his flaw is that he doesn’t listen to anyone. Once he is set on something, it’s hard to change his mind.”
Discussing such matters in soft, tender tones was indeed laughable, but Mo Li couldn’t afford to laugh, frowning instead, “Exactly because of that, isn’t Lu Zhang in more danger? To stage a coup, one must first kill the emperor.”
“You don’t understand, Doctor.”
Meng Qi nearly let slip “A doctor like you has never plotted a rebellion, nor thought about how to stage one.”
“Killing Lu Zhang isn’t the most important thing. First and foremost, Ancestor Qingwu must ensure someone is his puppet, which is the Second Prince. If the Second Prince dies, he needs to find another suitable candidate. He isn’t Lu Zhang; he doesn’t have the military power or the support of court officials. Even if he wanted to usurp the throne, it wouldn’t be possible.”
Meng Qi turned to Mo Li, “Scholars are a peculiar existence; they always think those who don’t study are unfit to govern, naturally unfit to rule the world. Even if someone leads an army and conquers the world, they ultimately rely on scholars to govern the country. They might submit to the military’s blade or be swayed by wealth and beauty, but to kneel before a bandit from the martial world is absolutely impossible!”
Ancestor Qingwu needed a stable country, one that could engage in massive construction projects, not one left in fear and chaos by his killing.
“So, Lu Zhang can always wait for us to save him.” Meng Qi said this somewhat reluctantly.
He hadn’t killed Lu Zhang, considering the people of Taijing, who would want to save him?
The chubby baby stormed ahead in a huff.
Mo Li: “……”
Still felt like kicking.
Could one’s personality also be affected by a change in appearance?
Mo Li discreetly stepped back, just in case he couldn’t restrain himself from acting.
As they reached the end of the steep slope and navigated a few more turns, the passage began to ascend, and Mo Li heard the faint sound of flowing water through the rocks and soil layers.
“We’re close!”
Meng Qi said as he walked, “There’s an underground water vein nearby, so the passage is quite winding to avoid it.”
It wasn’t just for the fun of a sand mouse, Mo Li felt slightly guilty.
The steps in the passage were narrow, many in disrepair, but perfect for the feet of children.
They were not real children, after all; they wouldn’t tire out walking or struggle to climb step by step. Their lightfoot skills were still usable; if not for the low ceiling preventing jumping, they could have moved even faster.
As they neared the surface, the keen hearing of martial arts experts began to pick up sounds.
The low voices of palace maids in panic, the running footsteps of the Imperial Guards, all came through clearly.
“Hmm?”
Meng Qi frowned.
He remained silent, as they were now very close to the surface and could be easily detected.
Mo Li cast a puzzled look his way, unaffected by the darkness surrounding them.
Meng Qi looked back at Mo Li, his expression somewhat awkward, and conveyed through secret transmission, “The dry well has been filled.”
“……”
As the Taijing dragon vein, Meng Qi had a clear understanding of the conditions beneath Shangyun Mountain. Outside of its direct influence and while still affected by the dragon vein, without specifically using spiritual energy to probe, he only had a general idea.
For example, the passage hadn’t collapsed or flooded, etc.
The passage’s entrance and exit were originally concealed with large rocks to avoid detection, which wasn’t a problem for Meng Qi; moving them aside was easy. But now, not only was the well covered with stones, but its walls were also packed with rubble and soil.
“Is there no way?” Mo Li also used secret transmission.
The voice in his mind and ears remained soft and gentle, as if someone was whispering in his ear.
Mo Li’s ears twitched slightly, turning red.
Meng Qi moved closer to Mo Li, not with any intention of taking advantage, as there wasn’t much advantage to be taken from a chubby baby. In fact, seeing Mo Li, who was just as plump and white as himself, Meng Qi felt as if a fantasy had come true. They couldn’t curl up in warm sand pits as sand mice, but they could bask in the sun, hugging a soft, cuddly baby.
They could do nothing and just lazily sleep.
Arms soft, belly soft, just the legs were too short.
Meng Qi looked down at himself and then at Mo Li, realizing he was a bit rounder.
Well, he would take the loss and let Mo Li rest on him.
Meng Qi pinched a bit of flesh on his body, nodding in satisfaction.
“What are you doing?” Mo Li asked, puzzled.
“…Preparing to break through the passage,” Meng Qi said solemnly.
Mo Li took his word for it and asked, “Force our way through? Won’t that attract too much attention?”
“It’s fine, it would be best if we could draw Ancestor Qingwu here. Let’s get our clothes ready, in case we don’t have time to put them on after we get out.”
Meng Qi’s words resonated with Mo Li, who certainly didn’t want to face Ancestor Qingwu in his current form, nor could they afford to change and dress under everyone’s watchful eyes. Better to prepare in advance.
However, plans cannot always keep up with changes, and suddenly, sounds of digging came from above the passage.
“Dig deeper, the whole palace is being searched now. Any suspicious places, the Imperial Guards will dig up to check. If we don’t hide it well, this thing won’t be preserved, and it’s a small matter if we lose our lives, but failing the crown prince is a big deal.”
The voice was very shrill, likely belonged to an eunuch.
Mo Li wondered, wasn’t it the Second Prince? Why suddenly the crown prince?
Besides the sounds of shovels digging, someone seemed to be crying softly.
“Enough, why cry! This is fate!” the leading eunuch scolded in a low voice.
The sobbing did not stop but grew louder.
“I heard dozens died at Wanhe Hall, how long can we last? Once His Highness is gone, who knows who will take over the Eastern Palace.”
“It’s all the same, hurry up and dig.”
The shovel clanged against a rock.
“No, dig this way, we don’t have much time left, the Imperial Guards will come if we delay any longer.”
The eunuchs digging must have been quite strong; they struck the bottom of the pit hard with their shovels. Meng Qi’s expression changed slightly, uttering an alarmed “Not good.”
As soon as he spoke, a jet of water burst from the bottom of the pit outside.
The eunuchs were shocked, realizing they couldn’t hide anything there anymore, and hastily fled, leaving their shovels behind.
The passage was affected too, with strong water currents washing over one of the stone walls. Mo Li managed to pull on their clothes with Meng Qi, then struck upwards with his palm, sending soil flying high.
Mo Li leaped out, quickly reverting to his original form amidst the cover of the water spray.
The sleeves and trousers, not fully adjusted, felt uncomfortable tightened inside.
“Brother Meng?”
Meng Qi was also adjusting the sleeves of his middle garment, pointing in a direction, “Let’s go!”
The water jet sprayed high, immediately drawing the attention of the Imperial Guards.
By the time they arrived at this desolate part of the palace garden, the water flow had lessened, and a small pond had formed.
The area was deserted, with shovels and other items scattered in the water.
“Could this be… from yesterday’s dragon… did someone dig up a dragon…”
“Nonsense! Check quickly!”
