Chapter 953: Fierce Tiger and Furious Fox

Ying Ruoli's slap, though well-measured, was incredibly forceful. It caused the woman's primordial spirit to shake, and even a skilled cultivator would surely have been knocked unconscious. The subsequent explosion of demonic flames should have incinerated her, but unexpectedly, this fiery ordeal, even if it meant her temporary demise, actually helped her escape.

"Did you capture anyone alive?"

The Dragon Girl looked at the Jiao Dragons, who had transformed into human form and were gradually gathering. However, all of them looked ashamed, and one even knelt on the waves.

"Your Highness," one said, "it was my carelessness and underestimation of the enemy that allowed that ox demon to capture me, causing you to hold back. Please punish me, Your Highness!"

Ying Ruoli glanced at him.

"You are not skilled enough, yet you dare to underestimate your opponent. For this wilderness clearing mission, you will exert extra effort."

"Your subordinate will do his utmost!"

Exerting "extra effort" was not as simple as just working harder; it would severely deplete his vital energy. However, this punishment was quite lenient. If he could endure it, it might even prove beneficial, though it would also involve enduring double the usual tidal pressure, making it an undoubtedly painful experience.

"Your Highness, we never expected a true demon to be here. Thankfully, Your Highness's immense power repelled these evil creatures."

Ying Ruoli shook her head.

"I merely repelled them. My cultivation is still insufficient."

The surrounding Jiao Dragons offered their sincere compliments. "What are you saying, Your Highness?" one exclaimed. "If not for the wilderness clearing, you would certainly have captured that true demon. Such a feat would surely earn praise from even the Dragon Lord and Master Ji!" Another added, "Indeed, Your Highness, we..."

The Dragon Girl's gaze swept over them, stopping their flattery. She walked directly to Aze and gently tapped his chest with her folding fan.

The next moment, Aze felt all his strength return.

"Huh... you are? I..."

Although Aze had been thoroughly deceived earlier, he now understood much more after the recent events.

"Aze, may I call you that?"

"Your Highness may call me as you wish."

Aze hesitated, then, following the others, called the Dragon Girl "Your Highness." This term, typically used in plays for palace consorts, was clearly used differently here.

Ying Ruoli smiled.

"If your relationship with Uncle Ji is truly close, you don't need to call me Your Highness. You can just call me Sister Ying."

Aze dared not look at the Dragon Girl but stared blankly at the open folding fan in her hand. On it was a large tree with yellow flowers falling, and beneath the tree, a woman danced with a sword, the yellow flowers seemingly moving with her blade.

'Master mentioned this tree...'

"I wouldn't dare overstep... I don't know how Master views me, I only know he treated me very well. After my family met with misfortune, it was Master who led us through the most difficult times, and he even allowed me to learn cultivation..."

"That's enough."

The Dragon Girl said this, and seeing Aze looking at her folding fan, she smiled and explained.

"This fan was given to me by a good friend after she crafted it when I transformed into a dragon. However, the fan's surface is made of golden silkworm silk personally refined by Uncle Ji, and the embroidered scene is actually from Uncle Ji's courtyard."

"Uncle?"

Aze looked at the woman before him, whose power during the recent battle was astonishing. From the reactions of those around, he knew she was a dragon. Could Master Ji also be a dragon?

"Uncle Ji and I are not blood relatives; my father and he are close friends of many years, so he asked my brother and me to respectfully call him 'Uncle.' And by the way, Uncle Ji does not have any dao companions, especially not the kind who are deeply in love or share intimacy! Anyway, this place is not suitable for lingering. We also have important matters to attend to, so let's talk as we go."

The Dragon Girl's attitude towards Aze was quite amiable. With a wave of her sleeve, she took Aze and the Jiao Dragons, soaring through the clouds and mist, returning in the direction from which they had come. They were short on time; after all, the Dragon Clan's tide was still advancing, and the later they returned, the further they would have to travel.

"Your Highness, those evil creatures must have been meeting here to conspire some harmful scheme. Are we just going to leave them be?"

"I have my own judgment. For now, pioneering the desolate sea is the top priority. You do not need to worry further."

Some Jiao Dragons remained concerned, but after the Dragon Girl's words, no one brought it up again. Aze, however, was somewhat taciturn, only answering when the Dragon Girl asked him something, and his replies were not very detailed.

Aze felt some self-reproach and pain. Later, he even grew somewhat paranoid, not fully trusting the immensely powerful Lady Ying. He had been deceived before; what about now? Aze also found himself still somewhat concerned about "Aunt Ning." After all, everything about her had seemed so natural, truly like Master Ji's dao companion. Yet, his reason told him that Aunt Ning was more likely the deceiver.

Ying Ruoli seemed to sense his feelings, so she did not press Aze with questions. However, after carefully observing the young man, she was quite surprised herself. It was no wonder that the other party had wanted to trick him into going towards that Northern Demon.

To the immortal cultivators of Jiufeng Mountain, Aze might be a minor asset, but to a true demon, he was more valuable than all the delicacies of the world. It was fortunate that the true demon did not succeed; otherwise, dealing with them would not have been easy in due time.

Clearly, the Dragon Girl did not have time to provide Aze with psychological counseling. Her previous battle with the true demon was also not as easy as she had made it out to be.

However, the Dragon Girl had the immense task of clearing the wilderness. She did not want to show fatigue in front of her subordinates, nor could she delay such an important matter as pioneering the desolate sea, which concerned the Dragon Clan and all aquatic creatures in the world. Therefore, in the following days, apart from occasionally speaking a few words to Aze to see if he was willing to talk, most of her time was spent in meditation.

Only when the Dragon Girl, Aze, and the Jiao Dragons passed through the Thousand Reef Island area again could she finally relax, pointing to the island below from the sky.

"Aze, there's another acquaintance of Master Ji on that island. Your timely escape was entirely thanks to him notifying me. I still need to go to the boundary of the desolate sea, so I cannot take you any further."

"Mm..."

Aze responded with little reaction. The Dragon Girl frowned slightly, unsure if Aze was still affected by the true demon. She could only take him to the Jade Scroll Treasure Pavilion.

Wei Wuwei had indeed not left. After exchanging greetings, making introductions, and entrusting Aze to him, Aze's spirits remained low throughout the process. Though the Dragon Girl was slightly worried, her duty compelled her to leave as quickly as possible.

Just before leaving, the Dragon Girl walked towards Aze, who stood beside Wei Wuwei. Feeling her gaze, he slightly raised his lowered head.

"Lady Ying?"

"Aze, Uncle Ji gave this to me at my Dragon Transformation Feast. I'll lend it to you."

The Dragon Girl took a scroll from her sleeve, and Aze instinctively took it.

"Lend me... for how long?"

"After you've shown it to your Sister Jinxiu later, return it to me when we meet again."

After saying this, and with Wei Wuwei bowing in farewell, the Dragon Girl departed with the Jiao Dragons. Aze watched them fly into the sky and disappear into the horizon before he slowly lowered his head and unrolled the scroll.

The painting was a grand landscape, possessing a magical quality. As Aze gazed at it, his heart seemed to quiet, and he could even sense Master Ji's serene and content mood as he painted it.

Wei Wuwei, standing nearby, also looked at the painting, listening as Aze murmured the words inscribed on it.

"Above the river waves, tides surge and a thousand sails pass. The water shimmers, its essence flowing to benefit all beings. The heart, with the sound of the waves, transmits heavenly music. Wandering ten thousand li along the river, its beauty is inexhaustible... Ji Yuan."

Seeing Aze staring blankly at the scroll, Wei Wuwei smiled and spoke after a moment. He offered no consolation, but rather his interpretation of the painting.

"This painting was created by Master before the Dragon Transformation Feast. It clearly praises the beautiful scenery of the Tongtian River, and also extols Lady Ying's beauty and kindness, which surpass even the Tongtian River itself. A splendid painting indeed! What a pity Lady Ying would likely never sell it!"

"Master is a cultivator, yet he enjoys doing business?"

Aze turned to Wei Wuwei, who showed his characteristic squinting smile.

"It's merely a small hobby, nothing grand enough for refined circles. Yet, even if insignificant, it's an indispensable part of the world; someone must do it. And I, Wei, happen to favor this very path! Ah, Master Zhuang, please come inside!"

Aze was startled again. Even Lady Ying respectfully addressed this plump cultivator as "Family Head Wei," yet he used such a formal address for Aze.

"Yes, I will follow Family Head Wei's arrangements."

Wei Wuwei simply smiled and personally led Aze inside. However, just before entering, he suddenly seemed to sense something, turning his head to look outside with a puzzled expression.

About half an hour after settling Aze, Wei Wuwei left the Jade Scroll Treasure Pavilion. He flew alone on the wind to the sea, eventually landing on an uninhabited small island.

"I, Wei, have arrived. Please show yourself, esteemed one."

After a few breaths, a person slowly emerged from the island's forest. The newcomer wore a yellow long gown, dressed in a scholarly manner, but his expression was distinctly sinister. Wei Wuwei's heart skipped a beat upon seeing him, and he quickly stepped forward to bow.

"So it is Master Lu!"

"Oh? You know me?"

Lu Shan Jun squinted at Wei Wuwei. In fact, this was his first time meeting him. His Master had not spoken much about the Wei clan, only that such a person existed. Since the Dragon Girl had chosen to entrust Aze to him, he must possess extraordinary qualities.

"You are currently Master's only true disciple! No matter how ignorant I, Wei, might be, how could I not know that?"

These words made Lu Shan Jun immensely comfortable. It was the first time someone else had called him "Master's disciple." The feeling was even more satisfying than making progress in cultivation or eating a delicious tonic. Just for that sentence, his impression of Wei Wuwei became infinitely favorable.

"Hehehe, Family Head Wei certainly knows how to speak. However, I, Lu, have only learned a smattering from my Master; I truly feel unworthy of his grace!"

"Master Lu, you exaggerate! Is there something you need from me, Wei?"

"Alas, there aren't many details yet. Lian Ping'er was slapped senseless by Lady Ying and has disappeared without a trace. I came here because I haven't received specific news from my Master for many years, so I wanted to ask someone who might know. Don't worry, although I, Lu, am not particularly capable, I do possess the ability to prevent others from prying."

Wei Wuwei understood and immediately nodded. He conjured a table, chairs, and fruit from his sleeve. As for fear of being spied upon? He knew full well how extraordinary Lu Shan Jun's true form's spiritual sense was.

"Please, Master Lu. I, Wei, happen to have some leisure time, so I'll tell you all about it."

However, as Wei Wuwei recounted the events, when he reached a certain part about the Dragon Transformation Feast, Lu Shan Jun suddenly startled him by erupting in fury without any warning.

"What did you say? Hu Yun took another as his master?"

Lu Shan Jun's eyes flickered with eerie light, and his breath carried a dangerous aura. Although demonic energy didn't permeate the air, the deterrent power of his true form, Lu Wu, made Wei Wuwei's limbs turn cold, but he managed to compose himself.

"That is indeed true. I heard Hu Yun's master is named Xie Zhi, but there isn't much information about him."

"Good... Very good! That fox cub! Hehehe..."

Before leaving Niu Kui Mountain, Lu Shan Jun had always regarded Hu Yun as a junior fellow disciple. Moreover, Hu Yun had listened to "Wandering Beyond" and studied the Dao with him on the moon terrace for so long. Lu Shan Jun had always imagined that one day Hu Yun would openly call Ji Yuan his Master alongside him, but he never expected this fox cub to take another as his master.