Chapter 638: Jujube Girl

"Oh, okay." Ji Yuan broke into a cold sweat internally. *This* was what the dragoness referred to as "getting into a bit of trouble"?

Ji Yuan composed himself and shifted his attention to the incident itself, trying not to dwell on the terrible state of Lord Gong Dragon's son. He asked in a calm tone, "How did Gong Xiu provoke you?"

Ying Ruoli grimaced slightly and spoke directly, without any hesitation. "Uncle Ji, you might have heard the saying that dragons are inherently promiscuous. While it’s a generalization, it’s not entirely untrue. Gong Xiu is the eldest son of the South Sea Lord Gong Dragon. Normally, his courtship would be unobjectionable. He is the son of a true dragon, and although I don't think highly of him, if he had pursued me, I wouldn't have embarrassed him too much. However, in the past two years, he's found countless new lovers at the dragon gatherings, indulging in non-stop revelry. Yet, he still came to provoke me, so I beat him once to make him behave."

Given Ying Ruoli's noble status, beating the son of a true dragon was nothing major. In the dragon clan, such minor squabbles among the younger generation meant that those inferior in skill had no say.

The matter was certainly not that simple. An ordinary fight wouldn't have prompted the dragoness to inflict such severe damage. Ji Yuan didn't interject, just waited quietly. Wei Wuwei, on the side, listened carefully but, naturally, dared not offer any comments.

Seeing that Ji Yuan didn't ask anything, Ying Ruoli smiled and continued. "Uncle Ji, you might not know this, but there's a technique among dragons called the Dragon Entanglement Art. It can be used for combat and killing, or for copulation in either dragon or human form. Because many dragons have volatile dispositions, when engaging in intimacy, male dragons often use this technique to restrain female dragons, preventing them from retaliating due to discomfort. Of course, female dragons also use this method to restrain males."

"This fellow was truly courting death. He invited me out under the pretense of apologizing to me. Out of consideration for his father's reputation, I agreed. But I never expected Gong Xiu to take advantage of my unpreparedness and try to use the Dragon Entanglement Art to assault me. He even said he would propose marriage to my father and make me submit to him. Humph..."

The dragoness sneered and continued. "Unfortunately, he overestimated himself and severely underestimated my true cultivation. He thought his previous defeat at my hands was merely due to carelessness. This time, when he tried to commit such a despicable act, I, Ruoli, naturally found it intolerable. I immediately broke free, and with one claw, I tore out and crushed his reproductive organ."

Evidently, the dragoness was still not mollified. As she spoke, she gnashed her teeth, looking far from satisfied. The chill in Wei Wuwei's nether regions hadn't subsided, and even Ji Yuan felt a slight clenching in his stomach as he listened.

After saying all this, the dragoness's demeanor immediately softened considerably. When she looked at Ji Yuan, her expression showed a rare hint of vexation. "Although Lord Gong Dragon didn't outwardly reprimand me, instead erupting in fury at his son, dragons are always protective of their own. He must have developed a hatred for me. My father was equally furious, but given Gong Xiu's pitiful state, he didn't lash out. He merely sent me back to Tongtian River and forbade me from traveling far for a hundred years."

Just then, Sun Fu finished making the noodles for Ji Yuan and Wei Wuwei and served them both. "Mr. Ji, Mr. Wei, here are your noodles and offal. Please enjoy."

"Thank you." "Thank you!"

Ji Yuan and Wei Wuwei took their bowls and placed them on the table. After thanking Sun Fu, he left cheerfully with the tray, completely unaware of the horrific matter being discussed, especially for men.

As soon as Sun Fu left, Ji Yuan mixed his noodles and gravy with his chopsticks and asked in a low voice, "With more than one Lord Dragon present, was there no way to heal Gong Xiu?"

"Uh... Uncle Ji, Ruoli was truly panicked at the time, so I acted quite ruthlessly... The essence of his original form has been utterly destroyed by me. Both Gong Xiu's cultivation and mental state have been severely impaired. Regeneration would be quite difficult, and even if spiritual medicine could achieve it, it would be merely superficial..."

From the dragoness's account, Ji Yuan understood that the injuries of Lord Gong Dragon's son were definitely not as simple as mere external wounds. Even if he were healed, he might be outwardly intact but functionally useless, and potentially suffer profound psychological trauma.

"So, what is your reason for coming to me?"

Ying Ruoli instinctively gazed towards Tianniu Lane. Although her line of sight was currently blocked by buildings, Ji Yuan knew she was looking in the direction of Ju'an Pavilion. "Uncle Ji, my father previously consoled Lord Gong Dragon, telling him he has a friend who cultivates a Heaven-Earth Spiritual Root, which might be able to save Gong Xiu's damaged body. Ruoli believes it's most likely you, Uncle Ji..."

Ying Ruoli's face regained its composure, and she then spoke slowly. "If Father truly comes to make a request on behalf of the Gong clan, Ruoli hopes Uncle Ji will not yield the fruit. If Gong Xiu weren't the son of Lord Gong Dragon, I would have killed him long ago. He's already gotten off easy!"

Although dragons, especially true dragons, know each other and share some camaraderie, in a matter like this, there’s no room for mutual goodwill. Since Gong Xiu made the first move, Ying Ruoli would not be lenient. If her cultivation had been slightly weaker and her physical purity violated in such a manner, it might even have affected her chances of ascending to dragonhood. Not directly killing him was already showing him enough face.

Wei Wuwei, listening to these insider details, was already astonished that the woman beside him was a dragon. He had initially thought the dragoness had come to seek medicine to heal Gong Xiu, hoping to ease the tension between the two parties. To his surprise, it was the complete opposite, causing a slight sweat to break out on his forehead.

Ji Yuan wasn't particularly surprised by Ying Ruoli's request. Knowing that the dragoness hadn't suffered any actual harm, he felt somewhat relieved. However, he neither directly agreed nor refused, but instead smiled and said, "How about this: you go talk to the Great Jujube Tree about this first. Then, my intention is to show Lord Gong Dragon some respect..."

As Ying Ruoli furrowed her brow, Ji Yuan continued his explanation. "Even if they truly come seeking a fruit then, and I agree, if the Jujube Tree is unwilling to yield one, it cannot be compelled. Moreover, the fire jujubes have not yet reached their true ripeness, which is a fact. What can be said is that when the jujubes truly ripen in the future, I can, for your father's sake, ask the Great Jujube Tree for a single fruit."

A thought occurred to Ying Ruoli, and she asked another question, "Uncle Ji, when will those jujube fruits truly ripen?"

Ji Yuan shrugged. "That's unknown."

After saying this, Ji Yuan lifted noodles with his chopsticks, took a large mouthful, then picked up a few pieces of offal and ate them, chewing with palpable satisfaction.

Ying Ruoli, on the side, held back for a moment but couldn't help but let out a giggle. Uncle Ji was usually so proper, but unexpectedly, he had quite a mischievous streak. "Hey, Mr. Wei, why aren't you eating?"

Ying Ruoli asked with a smile. Wei Wuwei shivered, hastily replied, "Eating, eating," and then began slurping his noodles with his chopsticks. However, he could barely taste the noodles today.

Fifteen minutes later, the three paid for their noodles and left the noodle stall, arriving at the entrance of Ju'an Pavilion. As Ji Yuan produced a key from his sleeve to unlock the door, Ying Ruoli, like Wei Wuwei, looked up at the plaque above the courtyard gate. Compared to Wei Wuwei, Ying Ruoli could discern the hidden profundity within it.

"Creak."

The courtyard gate opened. Ji Yuan called out, "Come in," and led the way into the courtyard. Ying Ruoli finally saw the Jujube Tree in its entirety. Its trunk was thick, its branches and leaves lush, and as it swayed gently in the wind, it possessed both the robustness of a large tree and a sense of lightness.

The surrounding ethereal breeze seemed to spontaneously swirl around the Jujube Tree. Through a spiritual gaze and perception, a subtle colorful glow shimmered within the wind, as if the wind was frolicking. A feeling that the spring breeze never truly departs, year-round, was especially palpable here.

"Have a seat. Family Head Wei, you're a rare visitor, and Ruoli, this is your first time here. You can try the tea I brew. Hmm, while I go boil water, Ruoli, you can speak with the Great Jujube Tree in detail. It's almost ready to manifest its spirit form, and it's quite sentient."

Seeing Ji Yuan enter the kitchen, Wei Wuwei sat somewhat reservedly in the courtyard, while Ying Ruoli didn't sit at all. Instead, she strolled to the trunk of the Great Jujube Tree and carefully extended her hand to place it on the bark.

"Rustle... rustle..."

Amidst the gentle breezes, the Great Jujube Tree's branches and leaves swayed softly, making faint rustling sounds, as if it were being tickled.

"Uncle Ji, what is the Great Jujube Tree called?"

Ji Yuan called out softly from the kitchen. "I originally intended for it to choose its own name once it first manifested as a spirit, or for me to help it choose one. As of now, the Jujube Tree is still unnamed."

"What gender is the Jujube Tree?"

The dragoness turned her head to look towards the kitchen. Ji Yuan, on that side, was silent for a moment, holding a firewood stick and pondering this "thorny" question. Should this Jujube Tree be hermaphroditic? Plant spirits were extremely rare, and no one had ever studied how their genders were determined, nor had any plant spirit ever disclosed such a matter themselves. In any case, Ji Yuan was unaware of the specifics.

"Uh, I am not certain either."

Although the dragoness didn't get an answer from Ji Yuan, she wasn't bothered. She smiled as she looked at the Jujube Tree. "Although Ruoli has rarely heard of plant spirits, I faintly recall hearing that, apart from some plants that naturally possess distinct genders, some plant spirits appear to be formed under the influence of various factors during their cultivation, without a clear gender identity. Looking at this Great Jujube Tree, standing elegantly in the courtyard of Ju'an Pavilion, capable of both blooming and fruiting, I shall call it 'Jujube Maiden.' If it turns out to be male in the future, then we can revisit the matter."

The Great Jujube Tree once again rustled softly and swayed, seemingly showing no displeasure. Ji Yuan let the dragoness have her way, simply tending to the fire in the kitchen.

In the courtyard outside, Ying Ruoli began to recount what she had said earlier at the noodle stall, but after just starting, she leaned close to the Jujube Tree and murmured softly to its trunk. Her voice was too low for Wei Wuwei to make out, and even Ji Yuan in the kitchen couldn't tell precisely what the dragoness was saying, only occasionally hearing the swaying and trembling of the Jujube Tree's branches and leaves.

"Jujube Maiden, what do you think of what I said?"

"Rustle..."

The Great Jujube Tree trembled again. This time, its branches and leaves swayed vigorously, and the fiery jujubes on the tree sporadically emitted faint red light, like human smiles.

"Hahaha... So, it's settled then?"

Ying Ruoli was all smiles, clearly in a considerably better mood.