Chapter 181: Wei Father and Son Enter Yu Huai

The old dragon's account was the first time Ji Yuan had recently learned about other cultivators taking action, particularly those from Jade Armrest Mountain in Jizhou, Dazhen.

The old dragon had only paid slightly more attention to the surrounding situation because of the recent true demon incident. The specifics of the encounter were known only to those directly involved, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he had no intention of proactively contacting Jade Armrest Mountain.

"Mr. Ji, now that this has occurred, do you intend to make contact with Jade Armrest Mountain? I, for one, won't be associating with those 'immortal masters'."

The old dragon deliberately stretched the pronunciation of "immortal masters," a disrespectful jest he would occasionally make in Ji Yuan's presence.

Ji Yuan, however, did not share the old dragon's relaxed demeanor.

"The vague predictions released by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion have only garnered some attention for Dazhen. Jade Armrest Mountain, however, is different; if not handled carefully, it could find itself in a very precarious position."

The old dragon looked at Ji Yuan and could not help but remark.

"Looking at it positively, if the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's predictions prove true, and Jade Armrest Mountain can seize this opportunity amidst Dazhen's surging spiritual energy, they might gain renown across all ten directions. After all, Jade Armrest Mountain possesses considerable heritage. The rumored imperial decree is indeed genuine; it's a mountain decree capable of appointing a true mountain god. It's simply that Jade Armrest Mountain lacks anyone capable of wielding the decree's power, so they can only use it to suppress their sect's entrance."

"Oh? Is that truly the case?"

Ji Yuan was momentarily taken aback; he was surprised it was indeed a mountain decree. While the old dragon's words were always trustworthy, this revelation prompted him to inquire further.

"Mr. Ji, you didn't know? I assumed since you're temporarily residing in Jizhou, you would have already been aware of this."

Ji Yuan shook his head.

"I have told you before, old sir, that I know very little about the current state of the cultivation world. I was not joking."

The old dragon furrowed his brow, considered for a moment, then resumed the discussion.

"Jade Armrest Mountain does indeed possess a mountain decree. In truth, the people of Jade Armrest Mountain are quite cunning. For a long time, they haven't hidden this fact and have even deliberately helped spread the rumor, which paradoxically led those who knew about it to believe it was false—merely a fabrication by Jade Armrest Mountain to enhance its prestige."

"Then how did you come to know this, Old Mr. Ying?"

"Heh heh, well, back when I was undergoing my dragon transformation, I had a certain animosity towards Jade Armrest Mountain. After becoming a true dragon, I once considered causing them trouble. Had it not been for the mountain decree suppressing Jade Armrest Mountain and its terrain resisting my power, that small 'jade lump' would have had several of its peaks swept away by my dragon tail!"

Ji Yuan felt somewhat helpless; dragons were indeed not to be easily provoked. Nevertheless, he felt compelled to speak a few words of fairness.

"When you underwent your dragon transformation, old sir, your actions caused a massive flood in Jizhou. It was only natural for the cultivators of Jade Armrest Mountain to intervene and stop you. Given that you've since brought rain to Jizhou for two centuries, can you truly still harbor resentment towards Jade Armrest Mountain?"

The old dragon bared his teeth slightly and looked at his friend.

"Mr. Ji knows I'm not an unreasonable sort. If Jade Armrest Mountain had truly intervened when the floods were at their peak, that would have been acceptable. Take the former City God of Duming Prefecture, for instance; though long gone, I still hold him in high regard. But that group of youngsters—I recall it was led by some brash young man named True Person Ziyu—afterwards, when I had already entered the river and was heading for the sea, they thought I was exhausted and tried to block the river, severing my path as a dragon. Such an act is truly intolerable!"

As the old dragon spoke, dragon qi emanated from the corners of his mouth, causing the branches and leaves of the jujube tree in the courtyard to tremble slightly.

Ji Yuan fell silent.

While there's a certain logic to temporarily retreating before acting, such matters ultimately depend on the perspectives of the parties involved. Jade Armrest Mountain couldn't possibly have been unaware of the commotion when the City God of Duming Prefecture shattered his golden body to confront the flood dragon. The flood dragon had clearly put significant effort into restraining itself and altering its course. For that incident to occur *after* it entered the river, though not necessarily wrong, it was bound to infuriate the old dragon.

It was no wonder, then, that after entering the sea and transforming into a true dragon, the old dragon sought to cause trouble. His subsequent settling in Tongtian River was an entirely different matter.

"Alright, he obstructed me once, and I reciprocated once; consider it settled. Let's not dwell on the past."

Honestly, Ji Yuan believed the old dragon was well aware that he had been the one to cause the flood initially. Otherwise, given his temperament, such a long-standing grudge would never have been considered settled after a single act of retaliation.

"Regarding any dealings with Jade Armrest Mountain, it would be best if I handle them myself..."

"Exactly!"

The old dragon immediately chuckled, as if Ji Yuan's words were exactly what he had been waiting for, and then added:

"Honestly, I always had a feeling that if the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's calculations were related to Jade Armrest Mountain, it'd be more accurate to say they were strongly connected to Mr. Ji. Heh heh, Jade Armrest Mountain isn't quite up to the task!"

Ji Yuan, knowing his own affairs best, simply smiled and remained silent.

Most of their subsequent conversation also revolved around the rumors from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. As the saying goes, "He who tied the bell must untie it." In truth, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was the true focal point, and the attention it garnered was no less than that given to Dazhen. However, matters concerning foreign territories were, for now, beyond their immediate influence.

The Wei family in Desheng Prefecture had been highly active behind the scenes recently, though outsiders remained completely unaware.

This was primarily because Wei Wuwei conducted his affairs with extreme discretion and secrecy. Furthermore, the various families he contacted were all involved in matters critical to their own interests and would not publicize anything. Consequently, no one knew what the Wei family was planning.

In fact, ever since Mr. Ji's visit to the Wei residence, Wei Wuwei had met with the elder patriarch again and subsequently made the decisive decision to accelerate their preparations.

Previously, there was uncertainty about whether Wei Wuwei himself could enter Jade Armrest Mountain, so it was deemed better to delay and allow Young Yuansheng more time to prepare. However, with the guarantee from the profound Mr. Ji, it was now a certainty, making it imperative to act sooner rather than later.

It was the ninth day of the fifth month, just a few days after the Duan-Yang Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival. In Jizhou, it was exclusively referred to as Duan-Yang Festival; while others might understand "Dragon Boat Festival," it was rarely used.

In this world's history, there was no Qu Yuan, so the Duan-Yang Festival's origins naturally lacked that legendary component. Its evolution stemmed primarily from ancient celestial worship and later incorporated elements like the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Despite this, sticky rice dumplings (zongzi) were still a part of the tradition.

Early that morning, two riders on horseback returned to the entrance of the Wei residence. After dismounting and speaking with the gatekeeper, they hurried inside.

Moments later, in a hall within the residence, Wei Wuwei held a teacup, listening as two house servants delivered their report.

"Mr. Ji received the sticky rice dumplings and pastries sent by the master, and he was particularly delighted to see the jars of 'Thousand Day Spring' wine, remarking that it was a very thoughtful gesture!"

Wei Wuwei also smiled upon hearing this.

"Master, since you hold Mr. Ji in such high regard, why didn't you go yourself?"

These two servants were clearly highly trusted by Wei Wuwei, which allowed them the audacity to ask such a question.

Wei Wuwei shook his head, took a sip of tea, and then replied.

"You don't understand. This is precisely the right approach; it avoids appearing overly deliberate while still showing respect and care, and it's not bothersome. Oh, by the way, did Mr. Ji say anything else?"

"No, he didn't."

"Very well. You may be dismissed."

"Yes, sir!" "Yes, sir!"

The two servants bowed and began to withdraw, but halfway out, Wei Wuwei suddenly called out, asking another question.

"Oh, by the way, has the jujube tree blossomed yet?"

"Master, the entire Tianniu Ward is permeated with a delicate fragrance."

Wei Wuwei murmured, "Just as I thought," and waved his hand, dismissing the two servants.

Although he briefly considered delaying their departure until the jujube tree bore fruit, Wei Wuwei did not wish to give Mr. Ji an impression of being overly calculating. Therefore, he ultimately set off with his son on the fifteenth day of the fifth month.

Those accompanying them included Wei Wuwei's paternal uncle and a retinue of skilled servants from the Wei household. Wei's mother had cried for most of the previous night, making their departure seem like a final farewell.

The actual distance from Desheng Prefecture city to Jade Armrest Mountain was approximately eight to nine hundred *li*, traversing nearly half the length of Jizhou. This was a direct distance; factoring in detours and passage through Jade Green Mountain, the Wei family estimated the journey would take about half a month.

The actual journey proved to be similar. After about ten days, the Wei family left their carriage in a village at the foot of the mountain, gathered their supplies, and began their trek into the mountains on foot.

With the exception of young Wei Yuansheng, all members of the party were skilled martial artists. After five days of crossing mountains and ridges within Jade Green Mountain, they finally reached the outer perimeter of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.

Over the past few days, they had picked wild fruits, hunted wild beasts, suffered venomous insect bites, and endured harsh weather conditions. At last, they had reached their destination.

Now, standing on a mountain ridge, the slightly disheveled Wei family members gazed towards the distant, cloud-shrouded peaks, while Wei Yuansheng lay quietly on a servant's back.

"Alright, this is where you stop. Only Yuansheng and I will proceed from here."

Wei Wuwei's words were reasonably calm, yet he felt a growing nervousness within. He instinctively touched the brocade pouch in his tunic, which held the paper crane given by Mr. Ji, and felt considerably more at ease.

"Yuansheng, come onto Father's back."

"Oh..."

Wei Yuansheng was carefully lifted onto Wei Wuwei's back by the servant and obediently clasped his arms around his father's neck.

"Master... if the task proves impossible, please return! We shall wait here for two months!"

Wei Wuwei smiled at his uncle, who was the only elder accompanying him at that moment.

"Uncle, please don't worry. My Wei family has the assistance of a divine being; failure is absolutely out of the question. The mountains are harsh, so please, everyone, be careful and take good care of yourselves!"

"Master, take care! Young master, take care!" echoed the servants.

All the servants bowed in salute. At this moment, Wei Wuwei felt a pang of sorrow, and Young Yuansheng's hands clung tightly to his father's sturdy neck, refusing to let go, though he did not cry.

"We're off!"

As Wei Wuwei finished speaking, he activated his movement technique and leaped forward, quickly disappearing into the mist ahead.