Logo
Home

Chapter 637: Dragon Girl Causes Trouble

After Ying Ruoli lay back down, she rested with her eyes closed for over fifteen minutes, then began to toss and turn on the bed. Eventually, she sat up again, put on her shoes, and walked out of the hall, continuing until she was outside the Water Mansion.

The guarding Yaksha quickly saluted and greeted her.

"River Goddess!"

Ying Ruoli's gaze swept over them. After nodding, she addressed those around her.

"Guard the Water Mansion. I will return after I have seen Uncle Ji."

Without waiting for the Yaksha to acknowledge her orders, Ying Ruoli darted out of the Water Mansion's restrictions and entered the Tongtian River, whose waters were relatively murky and turbulent. She twisted her body slightly and swam away.

Ying Ruoli swam for a hundred miles in the river, then burst out of the water, instantly turning the splashes she created into mist. She did not step on clouds, but instead ascended into the sky enveloped in a cloud of mist, heading towards Jizhou.

This time, Ying Ruoli's flight was extremely fast. While Ji Yuan had arrived at the Tongtian River during the night, by the time dawn was just breaking, Ying Ruoli had already reached the skies above Ning'an County. Looking from afar, in a corner of the city's Tianniu Fang district, a vibrant, lush, high-crowned tree was particularly striking, appearing as if surrounded by spiritual breezes.

Ying Ruoli had excellent vision. Although methods like qi observation and divination couldn't pinpoint her Uncle Ji's whereabouts, with her outstanding eyesight, she could faintly see through the tree canopy and deduce that no one was in the Ju'an Pavilion courtyard. Even the doors of the rooms and the courtyard gates, both inside and out, were locked.

'Mr. Ji isn't back yet? Or did Uncle Ji not intend to return, merely passing through the Tongtian River?'

Ying Ruoli felt a bit troubled, and before she knew it, she had already descended into Ning'an County.

Ji Yuan had been known to her for so long, yet this was Ying Ruoli's first time in Ning'an County. Although she had something on her mind, descending into this peaceful county town, brimming with everyday life, filled her with curiosity. Even if Uncle Ji wasn't there, she wanted to take this opportunity to wander around Ning'an County and wait for a while. Perhaps Uncle Ji would return. Otherwise, she truly wasn't confident she could find him, especially since her own father, in his true dragon form, had searched for several years just to invite Uncle Ji to a birthday banquet.

Upon entering the city, Ying Ruoli concealed her River God golden-threaded gauze robe, retracted her golden gauze ribbons, and made her jeweled hairpin, scale crown, and other ornaments disappear. She simply tied her long hair with ordinary hair accessories and wore a light cyan silk robe, walking alone step by step down the streets of Ning'an County.

To be honest, even with these changes, it was hard for the surrounding pedestrians and vendors not to notice Ying Ruoli. Although she had altered her attire and external appearance this time, her facial features remained unchanged, so many people in the county were either sneaking glances or staring blankly.

"Oh… which prominent family's young lady is that?"

"Could she be an empress from the palace?"

"Shhh, lower your voice, she's looking this way…"

The country folk were simple-hearted. When discussing Ying Ruoli and seeing her look their way, they immediately felt self-conscious and avoided her gaze. Almost no one dared to look her directly in the eye.

Ying Ruoli simply smiled, and after a wisp of mist, her face appeared hazy. Yet, as she walked, there was a dragon's dignified bearing, combined with an undeniable sense of elegance. Her naturally refined aura still made many people instinctively glance at her multiple times.

Ning'an County was neither large nor small. People were everywhere preparing for the New Year, and many places were decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. The faces of the people were filled with the relaxation of the year's end and the joy of preparing to welcome the New Year. Ying Ruoli walked around casually and eventually came to the outside of Tianniu Fang, where she saw the "legendary" Sun's Noodle Stall. Guarding the stall was still Sun Fu, an old man whose body remained robust despite his age.

'I'd like to try and see if these noodles are as delicious as the rumors claim!'

With this amusing thought, Ying Ruoli stepped forward purposefully, heading towards Sun's Noodle Stall.

At that moment, there were only two tables at the stall with a total of three people eating, all having breakfast wontons. When Ying Ruoli arrived, she naturally attracted everyone's attention. Even though her face was partially obscured, Ying Ruoli was, after all, a woman; it was unlikely she would deliberately make herself ugly without reason. So, even if they couldn't see clearly, the impression she gave was still one of beauty. Sun Fu, however, was a bit special; in his eyes, he could actually see her more clearly.

Sun Fu had always thought his granddaughter was a beautiful and elegant young woman, and that few women he had seen in his life could compare to his granddaughter, Sun Yaya. But the person before him made Sun Fu feel that such beauty should not exist in the mortal realm.

"Shopkeeper, I'd like a portion of your braised noodles and assorted offal. It's morning, but you should have some, right?"

The Dragon Girl had already smelled the aroma of the braised ingredients from the food cart, but she intentionally asked this, her gaze sweeping over the customers who were turning their heads to eat their noodles, finally focusing on the old man in front of the food cart.

Sun Fu collected himself and quickly replied.

"Yes, yes, yes, young lady. Please wait a moment, I'll make it for you right away."

Ying Ruoli smiled and nodded, then found an empty table and sat down. While waiting, she propped her chin with her hand, occasionally gazing up at the sky.

Not long after, Sun Fu's voice interrupted Ying Ruoli's thoughts.

"Young lady, your noodles and offal are ready."

As he spoke, Sun Fu came over with a tray, placed the braised noodles and offal on the table, and said with a smile,

"Please enjoy your meal, young lady."

"Alright."

Ying Ruoli took chopsticks from the chopstick holder, picked up several large mouthfuls of noodles, and savored their flavor as she chewed. Then she picked up some offal, put it into her mouth, and swallowed it along with the noodles.

Sun Fu had been observing her the whole time. He noticed that the young lady ate with much more gusto than a typical well-bred young lady, yet she still appeared very elegant, and not a single drop of soup splashed her. It was as if he were watching Mr. Ji eat. He couldn't help but ask cautiously,

"Young lady, do these noodles suit your taste?"

Ying Ruoli chewed a few times, swallowed the noodles in her mouth, and offered Sun Fu a smile.

"They're not bad."

"That's good, that's good. Please enjoy your meal, young lady."

Ying Ruoli nodded and continued eating her noodles, though her previous words were not entirely sincere. In truth, to her taste, the noodles were merely mediocre. Not only did they not compare to dishes from some immortal palaces or mystical abodes, but they might not even measure up to those from renowned human restaurants. They were, at best, unexceptional, lacking any particularly impressive qualities. Ying Ruoli even felt they were a bit too salty.

However, Ying Ruoli wouldn't say the noodles were bad; instead, she pretended to eat them with great relish. Perhaps when Uncle Ji ate these noodles, he was savoring the unique flavor, the atmosphere, or perhaps… the sentiment?

It was at this moment that Ying Ruoli, who had already eaten half a bowl of noodles, suddenly stopped her chopsticks. She turned her head to look down the street from which she had come. A short distance away, a somewhat plump man in a brocade robe was walking quickly, also heading towards Sun's Noodle Stall.

This plump man in the brocade robe was precisely Wei Wuwei. His perpetually smiling, characteristic face hadn't changed at all. Before even reaching the stall, Wei Wuwei addressed Sun Fu.

"Old Sun, one portion of braised noodles and one portion of offal. This early in the morning, surely this isn't your last serving, is it?"

"How could that be? Of course, we have more! Boss Wei, please sit down first. Oh, and by the way, Mr. Ji hasn't returned home yet."

Sun Fu clearly knew Wei Wuwei. He greeted him warmly and then busied himself at the food cart. Wei Wuwei maintained his smiling face, having already anticipated that Ji Yuan wouldn't be home. After all, this was the likely outcome nine times out of ten, so there was no disappointment.

Instead, Wei Wuwei cheerfully offered early New Year greetings to the other diners at the tables, saying auspicious phrases like "May you be prosperous." He only approached Ying Ruoli last.

"Heh heh, young lady, Happy New Year! May you be prosperous, may you be prosperous!"

"Hmm, Happy New Year!"

Ying Ruoli also smiled. She hadn't expected to encounter a low-ranking human cultivator here. Could he be from Mount Yuhuai?

It wasn't until Wei Wuwei and Ying Ruoli truly came face to face that he was suddenly startled. He realized he couldn't actually make out the features of this person, whom he had initially assumed to be simply a beautiful woman, despite having previously thought she was just a stunning lady.

'A cultivator, and one whose cultivation is far higher than mine!'

This was Wei Wuwei's immediate reaction. His cultivation might not be high, but his discerning eye was not lacking. So, he maintained his composure and slightly bowed with cupped hands.

"I am Wei Wuwei. It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady!"

"Heh heh, that's an interesting name. It sounds like someone saying 'Hey, hey, hey.'"

"Uh, indeed, indeed…"

If anyone else had said such a thing, Wei Wuwei would have been very displeased, but coming from this woman, he certainly couldn't get angry—not just because of her cultivation, but also because of her beauty.

"Mr. Wei, if you don't mind, please have a seat here."

"Thank you. I wouldn't dare refuse!"

The Dragon Girl's words were exactly what Wei Wuwei wished for. Naturally, he sat down next to her. The men at the other two tables immediately began whispering amongst themselves, thinking that wealthy people certainly had their ways.

Wei Wuwei actually wanted them to shut up when he heard their chatter, but seeing that the woman seemed completely unconcerned, he felt a little relieved.

"You know Uncle Ji?"

'Uncle Ji?'

Wei Wuwei paused for a moment, then, of course, nodded directly in acknowledgment.

"I do. I've known Mr. Ji for many years. Around this time, nearing the New Year, whenever I have time, I personally come to visit him, bring some New Year's goods, or invite him to be a guest at my humble abode."

"Oh…"

Ying Ruoli responded thoughtfully, while Wei Wuwei, after careful consideration, cautiously inquired,

"May I ask what your relationship is with Mr. Ji, young lady?"

"I am his niece."

"Oh, I see! My apologies, my apologies for my disrespect!"

Wei Wuwei bowed again with cupped hands, his mind far from calm. So Mr. Ji had a niece! Did he have other relatives too? Ying Ruoli simply smiled and continued eating her noodles.

Just as Ji Yuan flew back to Ning'an County, still in the sky, his gaze, guided by instinct, first fell upon the area outside Tianniu Fang. He saw Wei Wuwei and Ying Ruoli sitting together, eating noodles, and couldn't help but be surprised. How did these two end up sitting together?

So, just as Wei Wuwei was being served his noodles, Ji Yuan appeared beside them.

"What are you two doing…?"

Hearing Ji Yuan's voice, Ying Ruoli and Wei Wuwei simultaneously looked to their side, both rising with delighted expressions.

"Uncle Ji!" "Mr. Ji!"

"Uncle Ji, we just met! Please, have a seat. Ruoli is trying the braised noodles you mentioned, and they're really delicious!"

Sun Fu, who was bowing with cupped hands towards Ji Yuan, was overjoyed to hear the Dragon Girl's words.

"Mr. Ji, the usual?"

"Yes, thank you."

After Ji Yuan nodded, he pressed his hands down, signaling the two by the table to sit. He then took an empty seat at the same table. After glancing at Wei Wuwei, he turned with a frown to the Dragon Girl.

"Ruoli, has something happened?"

Ji Yuan knew that the Dragon Girl usually wouldn't disturb him easily and had never come to Ning'an County before. This time, she must have come seeking him out, and since she arrived first, something was definitely amiss.

Ji Yuan was still pondering if something had happened with the Old Dragon or perhaps something about the Dragon Corpse Worms. At this moment, Ying Ruoli forced a smile and whispered in a low voice.

"Uncle Ji… Ruoli caused a bit of trouble this time and was sent back to the Tongtian River by Father. I… I crippled Gong Xiu, the son of the Southern Sea Co-Dragon Lord."

"Crippled him?"

"Mhm…"

Ying Ruoli, rarely showing such girlishness, extended her right hand into a claw shape and made a gesture.

"Smashed with one claw, severing his lineage…"

Ji Yuan's eyebrow twitched sharply. Beside him, Wei Wuwei felt a chill in his nether regions.

P.S. A friendly recommendation for the author Pei Tugou's work, "The Grand Dao Chronicle." Interested readers may wish to check it out.

(End of Chapter)

Back to novel Lan Ke Qi Yuan
COMMENT
Write Novel
Qingshan

17964 · 0 · 45

Beyond the Divine States

14987 · 0 · 28